Industrie: Online Community

When Fellowship of Christian Athletes wanted to build mobile apps for their group of coaches and athletes, they went looking for an affordable, simple solution.

That solution turned out to be MobiLoud. We’d already built something similar with the Train the Mind app, and were able to show this as an example of the power, usability and convenience we could provide, with limited investment.

The app turned out to be just what they were looking for. Even better was the service, letting them dive headfirst into the mobile app space, despite zero prior experience building mobile apps.

Read on to learn more about how we helped them build the perfect mobile apps.

About Fellowship of Christian Athletes

Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) is a group that unites faith and athletics. They’re a non-profit organization that provides coaching and support for Christian athletes, inspiring them to grow and excel while maintaining their Christian values.

They have a presence in 114 countries, and have been operating since 1954.

The Challenge

With a platform built for coaches and athletes, a mobile presence was a must. Users had to be able to access content, such as on-demand videos of coaching drills, on the go from their mobile devices.

They specifically wanted something that people would be able to download to their phone or tablet – an app. 

The big hurdle for a non-profit organization like theirs, however, is having the means to create an app. Native apps can take tens, or even hundreds of thousands of dollars to build, not to mention a lot more to keep up to date.

That kind of investment simply is not in the budget of an organization like theirs. They were left to choose between settling for their mobile website, or finding another way to create an app.

The Solution

“We already know how to do a website but we don’t have any mobile developers on the team. Then we found that MobiLoud allows us to take our WordPress website and serve it as mobile apps.”

MobiLoud offered the solution that FCA needed. We could help them convert their website into an app, doing it for a tiny percentage of the time and money it would take to create a fully native, custom app.

On top of that, we provided them with a level of service that was above and beyond anything else they would find on the market, which was key for a company with no prior experience in developing mobile apps.

Why They Chose MobiLoud

A few things stood out to make Services Management Manager Trevor Narer choose MobiLoud.

“The pricing model was very attractive, but also your guys’ ability to walk alongside us. You did some of the additional configurations and submitted the apps to the app stores. That kind of white-glove support that you guys provided us was helpful since it’s the first app we’ve launched.”

Many of our customers have raved about the care and attention they get from us, as Trevor did.

Though he did look at other options, the price, feature set and level of service we promised made MobiLoud the clear choice.

“We looked at another competitor, but your features and service put them way above the rest.”

Results

We helped Trevor launch the FCA Sports Coach app, which was a simple yet effective reimagining of their original website.

Having optimized their site for mobile already, there was little work to do to get it to feel like a true native app.

“We designed our site with a mobile-first approach, so when we translated it to the app it felt very native from a user perspective.”

Their users are very happy with the app too.

“We’ve heard nothing but great feedback, especially from coaches who are out on the practice field. They can now remember what the drill was, just by pulling up the video real quick. They could stream it from Vimeo, see a demonstration and then go and execute the drill for their teams.”

And behind the scenes, we continue to make it easy for their team to, without any mobile developers on staff, keep their app maintained and up to date.

“We had an issue where Google changed some of their terms and agreements that we ended up being in violation of. We reached out to the MobiLoud team and you guys are able to log in, get it resolved and get our app back out there without any issues.”

Get the Full Service Package and Convert Your Site to Mobile Apps Today

There are varying levels of service you can opt for with MobiLoud. If you want to be more hands-on, you can. But if you want the hands-off approach, we can take control of the whole process for you.

Either way, we’re here to provide you with the support you need to launch a great app, including guaranteeing approval for your app store listings.

“The full-service package, the app submission stuff, that was great.”

Having an app has been great for FCA, aligning them with the expectations of today’s mobile-first audience.

“It feels like a mobile app is a huge win to the users who are expecting their apps on their phone to be an app and not just a PWA. So this is incredibly viable and gives you a greater scope with an audience that you may not have had previously.”

Launching your own app with MobiLoud is fast, affordable and straightforward. You can join our long list of happy users, who were able to go live in the app stores with minimal investment and fuss.

To get started, just book a free demo call. Our app experts will walk you through the process, and show you how MobiLoud can help elevate your business with mobile apps.

The European Federation of Food, Agriculture, and Tourism Trade Unions (EFFAT) commissioned an app to help support seasonal and migrant workers in the EU. And they needed it fast, in time for the upcoming summer and the flood of seasonal workers who require support and crucial information on their labor and social rights.

The result is Season@Work, a website and mobile app that provides migrant workers with all the information they need, right at their fingertips. Read how MobiLoud helped them build this platform, by providing the most straightforward, cost-effective and timely way to create mobile apps.

About the Season@Work App

The agricultural industry in the European Union employs around 10 million workers, approximately 4 million of whom are temporary or migrant workers originating from another EU member state, or a nation outside the EU.

The Season@Work app and website is built to support these people, helping them avoid hardship, isolation and discrimination due to a lack of knowledge about their host countries and their rights within.

EFFAT Secretary General Kristjan Bragason stated:

“Through the app, seasonal workers will get easy access to information about their rights and the applicable working conditions in the country of destination. This information will be of great help and will give the possibility to actually experience decent employment.”

Building it as a mobile app was particularly important, as the organization’s research found that the majority of migrant workers have smartphones, and that smartphones are their preferred way to watch videos and consume content.

The Challenge

The task of creating the Season@Work platform came upon the European Migrant Workers Union. The project manager was Ivan Ivanov, who stated their first issue was finding a simplistic solution that fit within the budget given to them by the EU.

“We did consider developing an app from the ground up. But unfortunately, we didn’t have the budget to do so. We tried to find an easy solution by simultaneously developing the website and app, while staying within our budget.”

As a native app can cost upwards of $100,000 per platform to launch (and that’s not considering the ongoing costs), this was clearly out of their price range.

Ivan moved on to companies, like MobiLoud, who could help them create an app. They had certain needs from this, one of which was to be able to offer the app in 11 different languages.

“We did research on which providers could serve our purposes. One key issue was the multiple languages that we needed to implement, many providers did not support this type of feature.”

Delivery time also proved an issue with many app development solutions they looked into.

“The second issue was delivery time. We were quite late with our plan, we were supposed to start app development at the end of last year but as it usually goes with projects, there’s some delay. We also had a conference coming up, and it was very important to be able to present the apps at this conference.”

The Solution

MobiLoud was the only one that stood out and ticked all the boxes.

“When we found MobiLoud, there were two or three other companies in line. We approached all of them and asked if they could meet our criteria. That’s how we came about to work with you because you met all of our criteria, all the features and specifications in between.”

Ivan and the team were skeptical at first, unsure that MobiLoud was going to stack up where other providers didn’t.

“In the beginning, we had some problems understanding how the platform works and how the website would be transferred into a mobile application. We also had some doubts about how the multiple languages would function because we already had run some tests with other providers and they were failing.”

Yet those doubts were soon put to rest.

“So we had some doubts if this will work, but so far everything is working well.”

Ivan was particularly amazed at how fast they were able to go live – literally under two weeks.

“The delivery time is excellent. I mean 10 days, 10 working days.”

Results

The resulting app was everything that EFFAT and the European Migrant Workers Union were looking for. Along with coming in within budget and well within their deadline, the app performs well and is easy to use.

“We are promoting the application to our partners in the different National States and also different NGOs for migrants and seasonal workers and so far we have a lot of positive feedback about the usability and the performance of the apps.”

Their launch, in April 2023, was accompanied by a press release stating the benefit that the app is able to bring to the agricultural sector, as well as this launch video:

Launch Your Own Mobile Apps, Fast and Easily, Today

Ivan was impressed at the capabilities of MobiLoud, and how fast, affordable and simple we make it to launch mobile apps.

He also raved about the support he got with us, which is far and away superior to almost any other mobile app development tool or service on the market.

“If you’re searching for an easy and uncomplicated way to produce a mobile application, I would recommend speaking to MobiLoud. It really is easy and uncomplicated, and the support we got was exceptional.”

No matter what type of app you’re looking to build, doing it with MobiLoud is easy. We help you convert your existing website into fully-functional mobile apps for Android and iOS. Just build a website, using your CMS of choice, or build a web app using a no-code builder or web framework, and we can turn it into powerful, professional-looking mobile apps.

To get started, book a personalized demo to see what our platform and our service can do for you. We’ll even share a live, interactive preview of what your site will look like as an app.

It takes just a few weeks and minimal investment to launch your own mobile apps. Get in touch with us now to get the process underway.

MobiLoud allows all kinds of business to launch their own mobile apps, fast and affordably. It’s particularly valuable for subscription-based websites, who can make huge gains by increasing usage and retention rates.

Train the Mind is a perfect example of this. Founder Jake Gracia thought building a mobile app would be a huge and risky investment – until she found us.

Keep reading to learn more about the Train the Mind story, and how we helped them launch a professional, high-quality mobile app for a minimal investment.

What is Train the Mind?

Train the Mind is an online mental performance training gym. They focus on helping primarily young athletes master the mental side of their game, with help from sports psychologists, mental performance professionals and pro athletes from some of the world’s top sporting organizations.

They started out with Zoom classes, expanding into a subscription-based platform with on-demand video content.

Why Mobile Apps?

Subscription-based sites like Train the Mind are the perfect use case for mobile apps.

One of the key parts of becoming a more user-friendly platform was supporting a userbase who were often traveling, accessing content on the go, from locations such as airports and hotels.

Mobile apps provided a potential solution. It made it easy to access content from anywhere via mobile devices, and could seriously increase retention by allowing people to use their site more often.

Most importantly, it was what their customers wanted. But Jake was unsure of the viability of building and launching a mobile app at this stage.

“I knew we had to get an app out there but the cost of building an app and hiring a team was not realistic for us at the time. That was one of the first questions I would get asked every time we talked with schools, coaches and teams: do you have an app?”

Searching For The Right Solution

“I can’t tell you the name of the competitors, but I can tell you I looked and looked, I’m a researcher, so it took me a while to trust that this was legit.”

Jake looked through a vast number of options to figure out what the best course of action was to build the Train the Mind mobile app.

She knew that hiring a team to build native apps for them was not really viable. There was the cost, for one thing – as a small business, not something that they could afford without bringing in investment. And besides that, the hassle of managing multiple platforms was not appealing to Jake.

“The last thing I want is to rely on another team to develop another product. The idea is just sounds awful now, I want to update one thing and have it propagate to all the tools that my users use. Having to maintain two environments and two skill sets that I would have to pay, is just not ideal to me.”

So she found MobiLoud. To Jake, it looked like the perfect solution. She didn’t think it was possible to create a mobile app for such a low investment, until we came along.

“Finding your product was so unbelievable. I come from a technology background – I was an IT product manager at a start-up. So my old colleagues would mention that this would be at least 6 figures to have an app, and then you have to find the talent, finding developers. Just so many roadblocks that it was not realistic so we just kept improving the website. When I found your product it was so wonderful because I was able to deliver exactly what we wanted, and it was affordable.”

She received some pushback on the simplicity of our platform. But that simplicity was exactly what she needed. The app delivered almost everything she wanted from a native app, at a fraction of the cost.

“I have got to tell you, some of my colleagues would tell me, it’s just mirroring your website. But they don’t understand, if you can download the app to your phone and you can use the app the way you would use any other app, that’s all I need!”

The MobiLoud Experience

Jake was more than pleased with what she found with MobiLoud, giving her a way to build mobile apps that she previously didn’t think was possible.

“I know all of these tech incubators, and the student startup programs at the universities we work with and I told them, oh my god I found the secret weapon to create a business without mortgaging your house to do it. It is such a godsend.”

Like many MobiLoud users before her, Jake also raved about the service element. Our team was there to support her the whole way. Whether there were things she could do herself, within the MobiLoud builder, or if she had more custom asks, she found it was always possible.

“You guys were so easy to work with. I had some asks early on that you accommodated, and it was affordable. The thing I love the most is that you have this sort of white glove option, like you can have us do everything for you or we can give you the instructions.”

The Result

“I love it, the coaches love it, it’s very simple, we have streamlined it completely. The best compliment I get is “it’s just like Netflix”, which is exactly what I was going for.”

With MobiLoud, Jake and the team were able to launch the perfect mobile apps to expand their platform.

Customers love it – giving it a perfect 5 out of 5 stars on the App Store so far.

She’s still met with disbelief from others who, like Jake before she found MobiLoud, didn’t think it possible to build such high-quality mobile apps, so easily, with so little money invested up front.

“I can’t tell you how many investors I’ve talked to from my world that have said, “I’m so impressed that you haven’t expended that much money, there are so many companies that expend more than this and they don’t even have a viable product”.”

Build Your Own Mobile Apps for Minimal Investment with MobiLoud

“I would say it’s the best decision I ever made going with you guys, I was so convinced I could not offer an app until I was a big company that could take on that expense. It was so amazing as a small business owner to be able to offer an app without going into debt, without having to get investors.”

The Train the Mind app has been a roaring success, and surprised Jake with how easy and affordable it is.

If your website is a big part of your business, you can likely grow your business by offering mobile apps to the rising number of people who access the internet on mobile devices.

MobiLoud makes this simple. No matter what type of site you run – from subscription sites, to digital publishers, to ecommerce stores, we have the perfect solution to turn your site into mobile apps.

It takes minimal time, cost and effort to start reaping the benefits of mobile apps. Click here to get a free, personalized demo to see for yourself how you can launch high-end mobile apps in a matter of weeks.

Testimony Share built a successful website for Christians all over the world to share stories and experiences about their faith. But today, like many companies, they’re being forced to adapt to the changing ways we consume content and interact online.

Emory, editor at Testimony Share, went in search of an option to better connect with younger users, who prefer mobile over desktop. That’s what brought Testimony Share in touch with MobiLoud.

The result? A 5 star mobile app, and a simple way for Testimony Share to maintain touch with their users.

The Story of Testimony Share – Nearly 20 Years Running

Testimony Share was launched in 2004. This made them early movers in terms of both WordPress and the internet as a whole. The team behind it wanted an easy way to let people post Christian testimonies and stories about their faith.

After a slow start, the site really gained momentum in 2011. In the time since, it has become a thriving community, featuring a vast array of moving stories from people all over the world.

Yet with time comes the need to adapt. Which is what led them to look for a way to expand past the basic capabilities of WordPress.

Why They Expanded Their Site to Mobile Apps

“We were thinking how this would work as an app. As an SEO practitioner I’m very aware that Google is changing, and we are always trying to find ways to find the right audience.”

Many organizations today are coming to the realization that desktop websites are not the be all and end all anymore.

At one point, it became clear that you HAD to have a website for your business. Today, the realization is that you have to find a way to connect with mobile users.

“The app gives us exposure to a whole new group of users, like younger people who always prefer an app instead of searching on a PC.”

Emory and the team were trying to ensure they didn’t lose touch with the changing habits of their target audience. The way to do that was by launching Android and iOS mobile apps, which would allow them to connect with a younger, smartphone-centric generation of users.

MobiLoud vs the Competition

“I design WordPress sites and I don’t want to get into app development. It will probably take time, preparing and rolling updates every time a new iOS version comes out, there could be some downtime and people could leave bad reviews. I didn’t want to get into that. Not only that, but I felt like these other companies won’t support me.”

Emory realized that building an app was the way to go. However, there are many difficulties involved with app development, which Emory was acutely aware of.

For one thing, as a non-profit, Testimony Share didn’t have the resources to handle full-stack app development in-house. But not only is it a huge job building mobile apps in the first place, it’s an ongoing headache, requiring constant updates and maintenance. If they were not on top of this, it could prove damaging to their brand.

It’s clear they needed a tool to help convert the Testimony Share website to mobile apps. There are many options out there, and it was the service element that really separated MobiLoud from the pack.

“I looked at different solutions before going with MobiLoud. We found that most companies were selling something that’s cheaper than MobiLoud, but they give you tools in a way that you’d need to build the app by yourself.”

MobiLoud offers the hands-on service that an organization like Testimony Share needs, both in setting up the app and maintaining it. Most other app builders, despite offering a pretty drag-and-drop interface builder, leave you on your own with very little support.

This makes a huge difference. While other tools might seem more affordable, the extra time investment and difficulty you face with a DIY approach makes them more costly in the long run.

The Result – 20+ 5 Star Reviews

“You can see people are really thrilled about the app from the comments in our reviews.”

Testimony Share’s app turned out to be everything they – and their users – wanted.

It’s garnered more than 20 perfect reviews, with a number of positive comments from reviewers who love the ability to share and read stories via the app.

It was also a huge plus for Emory and the team with how easy it was to maintain the app. They could continue to manage content from their WordPress dashboard as usual, while the MobiLoud team handled any of the technical issues that come with app development.

How to Convert Your Own Site to Mobile Apps

“By going with MobiLoud you know if there’s a problem, someone will get back to you with a solution – versus other DIY alternatives where you are stuck with those problems and users potentially won’t be able to use the app. The potential effects of that kind of damage can be pretty lingering.”

Emory is not the first to find out how easy it is to convert a WordPress site to mobile apps with MobiLoud.

If you own or run a site on WordPress, or any platform, MobiLoud is the best option. It’s dramatically cheaper and easier than native app development, and the service element is ahead of any other app builder on the market.

Get in touch now to schedule a free demo, and get an idea of how mobile apps – and MobiLoud – can benefit you.