There are many tools for developing mobile applications to create the
product you need. Here is a list of our favorite tools with their key features.
We reviewed tools in the following categories.

  • Mobile analytic tools
  • Cross-platform application
    development tools
  • Application Development
    Frameworks
  • IPhone Application
    Development Tools
  • AR Tools (Augmented
    Reality)
  • Artificial intelligence
    tools
  • Promotional tools
  • Mobile Payment Tools
  • Push Notification Tools
  • Game engines
  • Mobile analytic tools

1)
Smartlook

Smartlook is a high-quality analytical solution for iOS and Android applications.
Find out how users interact with your application – watch posts, track events
and create conversion funnels. Stop guessing and look at your visualized data collected
in one place. This is your application through the eyes of its users.

Features:

  • always included record
    of visitors actions shows the actions of the last user in your application;
  • automatic event
    tracking allows you to find out how (and how often) your users perform certain
    actions;
  • conversion funnels to
    help you see your metrics and find out why users are leaving;

2)
App Watch

AppWatch is a cloud-based product for mobile analytics and security. It
helps developers to protect their mobile apps from hacking. It gains the trust
of users and ensures the security of the application.

Features:

  • allows you to conduct a
    full scan of the mobile application, gives a separate library (SDK) for
    scanning;
  • AppWatch generates
    custom reports with modifiable descriptions, logo, comments, etc. each of the
    identified security problems is again checked by various methods;
  • Defines sensitive
    parameters entered in the code in the form of specific values, and helps to
    identify all possible vulnerabilities associated with them;
  • AppWatch can scan
    applications using Webview and identify security issues.

Cross-platform application development tools

3) Xamarin:

Xamarin is
the preferred tool for developing mobile native applications. It uses layers of
business logic and data access across platforms. It is widely used to create
applications for iOS, Windows and Android.

Features:

  • a mono framework that allows you to communicate
    with the API of mobile devices;
  • Xamarin Component Store includes user interface
    controls, cross-platform libraries and third-party libraries;
  • when used, usually fewer errors occur, what provides
    faster time of entering to market;
  • allows application indexing and deep linking.
  • the specifics of the platform allows you to use
    the functionality available only on certain platforms.

4) Appcelerator

Appcelerator
allows developers to create applications with fewer lines of code. This
application development tool supports HTML5 applications for iOS, Android,
Windows and browsers.

Features:

  • increases the speed of developing mobile
    applications;
  • expands the limits of the capacity of
    “cloud” storage;
  • allows you to create mobile applications for
    all supported operating systems;
  • can deploy in a private virtual “cloud” or
    locally;
  • created on the basis of open standards and full
    access to the basic mobile OS;
  • supports global deployments across multiple
    regions.

5) Phonegap

PhoneGap is
a free, open source mobile application development environment that is in the
category of frameworks for cross-platform application development. It can be
used to develop a single application that works on all mobile devices.

Features:

  • effectively works on JavaScript, HTML5 and
    CSS3;
  • can integrate with various libraries to improve
    application development;
  • allows you to develop various mobile
    applications with less time and effort;
  • helps developers to extend the functionality of
    the application using the plugin architecture;
  • good for building apps without any special
    skills.

6) Ionic

Ionic is an
HTML5 mobile app development environment. It is widely used for developing of hybrid
mobile applications. This is a useful tool for creating mobile applications
using web technologies such as CSS, HTML5 and SASS.

Features:

  • 100% free open source project;
  • allows you to create advanced web applications
    and your own mobile applications for each major application store;
  • offers excellent tools and services for
    creating interactive applications;
  • allows a web developer to create applications
    for all major application stores with a single code base;
  • comes with many CSS and JavaScript components
    for developing mobile applications;
  • emulates the basic principles of the user
    interface of applications and uses its own SDK.

7) Mobincube

Mobincube
is an excellent application builder that allows users to develop any mobile
application. Developers can create applications for business, education,
entertainment, healthcare, and more.

Features:

  • the creation of mobile stores, which helps to
    increase sales;
  • allows you to integrate third-party solutions
    into the application;
  • helps in the development of advanced
    functionality;
  • allows you to update online content;
  • allows you to customize every little thing in
    the application;
  • allows you to chat with users.

8) Longrange

LongRange
is a tool for developing of mobile applications. It consists of components such
as navigation, tabs, form and commands submissions, and requires the
installation of the LongRange service.

Features:

  • works as a native application very quickly and
    with high reliability;
  • you can create your own mobile applications
    using only RPG / CL with DDS;
  • provides infrastructure for the application;
  • does not require the developer to increase the
    level of knowledge;
  • development without the need for knowledge of
    JavaScript, HTML or CSS;
  • once you create an application, you can deploy
    it on mobile devices of both Apple and Android;
  • you can use mobile device features such as GPS,
    camera, audio, SMS, etc .;
  • you can automatically download application
    updates to mobile devices through the push mechanism;
  • the cost of maintaining and supporting mobile
    applications is lower.

9) Qt

Qt is a
cross-platform SDK. It offers cost-effective design, development and
deployment. This allows developers to give users well-performing applications
for all devices.

Features:

  • new implemented classes for working with
    windows and rendering;
  • implemented parser and compiler optimizations;
  • support for non-transparent private encryption
    keys;
  • support for IPv6 and two mode networks;
  • special settings for Buggy SSL servers.

10) Alpha Anywhere

Alpha
Anywhere is a tool for the rapid development and deployment of mobile
applications. It is used to create cross-platform web applications and mobile
business applications.

Features:

  • an effective tool for creating cross-platform
    mobile applications;
  • corporate security of mobile data;
  • detailed delegation of resource management;
  • direct publication from the Alpha Anywhere
    development environment
  • solves the problem of autonomous
    synchronization;
  • includes ready-made examples of applications
    that developers can modify or which can be looked at for their development;
  • convenient access to server data;
  • integration and transformation of complex data;
  • data encryption with support for HMAC and SSL.

11) Sencha
Ext JS

Sencha Ext
JS is an MVC-based JavaScript framework. This mobile application development
tool provides a high level of application response. This helps to  improve customer satisfaction.

Features:

  • developers can write in HTML5 using the Sencha
    touch development kit (SDK);
  • code can be translated into another programming
    language using another tool, such as PhoneGap;
  • the tool is useful for developing your own
    applications without the time required to configure;
  • it is supported in WebKit-based browsers,
    including the popular Apple iOS and Google Android platforms;
  • streamlined configuration system;
  • scales at different resolutions for maximum
    compatibility with various devices;
  • broad support for animations and enhanced touch
    events.

Check our 2nd article about mobile development tools here.