Detailed Guide to App Redesign in 2025

09.04.25

Did you know that 7 out of 10 websites do a redesign every 3 years? Market leaders, top search engine sites, and popular resources make changes all the time. Moreover, some site owners are ready to redesign right after a protracted project release.

What does this indicate? At least there are objective reasons for the introduction of redesign and functional changes on the app, and design trends are constantly changing.

Redesign of the app implies a change in the external component of the app or its individual elements. The changes themselves may affect not only the display of elements but also their order, as well as the entire structure of the page.

These works assume that your project has outgrown the current app and that there is a need for new functionality or for changing the logic of the current elements.

Now, we will talk about the objective reasons and signals that indicate the need to implement the redesign of the app and how to redesign an app. Read our guide to mobile app redesign to the end!

What is application redesign?

Redesigning an app means updating or rejuvenating an existing software application—a mobile app, a web app, or a desktop program. This is necessary to improve its user experience (UX), user interface (UI), functionality, or performance.

What involves the redesigning process? It involves:

User research & feedback. Understand pain points and expectations.
Audit of existing app. Inspect UI/UX, architecture, and performance.
Wireframing & prototyping. Sketch and outline new layouts or flows.
UI/UX redesign. Adopt a modern design system.
Code updates or refactoring. Update front-end/back-end logic.
Testing & deployment. Release quality with user testing before deployment.

For example, a 2015 e-commerce app may get a redesign to include:

Sleek, mobile-friendly interface
Faster checkout experience
Apple Pay or Google Wallet support
Dark mode feature support
Custom product recommendations

The appearance of 1 field will lead to the addition of a certain logic of interaction of regular and promotional prices with the promo code. It is quite logical that the change in functionality will require additional developer hours. So, take this into account when planning your budget for redesign.

Why redesign your app?

There are objective and subjective reasons for wanting to redesign an application with a fresh design. If you decide to redesign the entire app or its individual elements, take into account that the changes themselves may affect not only the display of elements but also the functional part.

For example, swap blocks in the cart, highlight fields, increase the size of buttons, and bring out additional information about the product. All this will be considered a redesign of the checkout page. But as soon as you want to add a promo code field, it will turn into a functionality change.

If your app falls under at least one reason for redesign, it’s worth considering. If you find a match for two reasons or more, you should already be in the process of updating the app’s design.

Users don’t find the app useful

If your app is seeing a lot of downloads and little retention, that’s a huge red flag. Users may download the app, use it once, and never return—typically due to a bad first impression or lack of real value. Bad feedback, frequent support tickets, and low engagement metrics usually arrive soon after. This shows that the app is not doing a good job in living up to user expectations or solving their problems effectively.

Redesign allows you to:

Rework your value proposition
Simplify user flows
Eliminate points of friction

This way, you can make your app more suitable and beneficial overall.

Low Conversion Rates

Your users may be swiping through your app but are not taking actions important to you, like:

Registration
Buying
Subscription upgrade to a higher level

This is typically a result of issues with the user experience:

Poor navigation
Ambiguous call to action
Diminished functionality
Payment security issues

Sometimes, the design simply doesn’t build trust. A redesign of the app enables you to revisit and inspect the user flow, simplify major steps, and include persuasive design elements that drive users toward conversion.

Outdated Design

Design and technology trends change fast. What was intuitive and innovative a few years ago might feel clunky or antiquated now. If your app still employs stale design patterns, isn’t optimized for newer hardware, or looks out of place among peers, users will notice—and may switch to another app.

App redesign process lets you adopt modern UI/UX trends such as:

Minimalist design
Dark mode
Gesture-based navigation
Accessibility features

It also makes your app compatible with the latest operating systems and screen sizes.

Company Rebranding

When your business rebrands—be it through a visual refresh, voice change, or complete strategic overhaul—your app must catch up. Inconsistent branding across platforms confuses users and waters down your brand. A redesign provides a chance to revamp the app’s color scheme, fonts, icon pack, and content tone in line with the fresh brand identity.

Rebranding also often means targeting a new audience or offering new services. A redesign is a chance to add features and tailor the app’s experience to address new user demands.

Platform Migration

If you’re moving your app to a new platform—say, switching from a hybrid framework to native development or expanding from Android to iOS—a redesign becomes essential. Each platform has its own:

Design language
User behavior patterns
Performance capabilities

Without adjusting your app’s interface and architecture, it may feel awkward or unresponsive in its new environment. A redesign makes your app look and behave as it should on the target platform, utilizes features of the platform, and delivers the performance and usability that users demand.

How to redesign your app

Once you know that redesigning your app is the way forward, it is essential to take a methodical approach. If the initial app launch failed, this is even more vital than instances of a rebrand or graphic change.

Analyzing and investigating the data

We assume you have set up reporting for your app, such as Google Analytics. Use tips for the most critical app metrics if unsure where to begin. The key performance measures will be:

App activation rate – number of downloads vs. the number of people still using your app after onboarding.
App drop-off rate – the rate at which people stop using your app.
Active user ratio – how many daily and monthly active users are you getting?
User satisfaction – review feedback left by users. This includes via the app store, social media, or any other surveys and communication channels you have.
Goal completions – these are the objectives for users on your app. For example, are you driving them to make a purchase, submit a quote, or subscribe to a newsletter? If users are not reaching a goal, it could signify issues with design and usability.

Your reporting will point toward the root cause of a problem.

What are your competitors doing?

If people are not using your app, there is a high chance they have gone over to the competition. New apps tend to have modern and innovative features that may not have existed at the time of your original app launch. Moving with competitor trends is a primary driver for an application redesign.

Research the competition and review their apps to see why they are so popular. Take what other apps do well or poorly and feed it into your app redesign.

Understand your customers

It is crucial to understand how people are navigating your app. If conversions are low, drop-offs are high, and the app is not making money, it alerts to something not being right in the process.

An app redesign needs to have a customer-first approach. The business should be aware of how people want to follow a journey through the app and use that as a foundation.

Work out what needs to improve

If you understand the data, have researched the market, and know what your customers want, the next natural step is to figure out the improvements needed to redesign your app.

The app redesign strategy should include a list of objectives for each improvement, with guidelines as to how to achieve the best results. Within the list will be:

Wireframes
Design patterns
Branding guidelines

If you need an experienced team to redesign your app, contact us at OS-System.

Test the redesign

Testing is out of the question. Companies periodically release beta versions of their apps to limited groups of users before going live. This means that issues get discovered early on and fixed before reaching the general public.

Employ A/B testing, beta releases, and control groups to:

Test your redesign decisions
Get feedback from real-users
Iterate as needed before scaling

The testing phase ensures your revamped app delivers measurable improvements over the old one and satisfies your target market.

How much does it cost to redesign an app?

Factor	Details	Estimated Cost Range
Project complexity	Basic UI refresh vs. full UX + backend redesign	$5,000 – $50,000+
Team type	Freelancers, in-house teams, agencies	Freelancers: $20–$80/hrIn-house: $90–$150/hrAgencies: $100–$250/hr
Team location	Region-based pricing differences	Asia/LatAm: $20–$60/hrEastern Europe: $40–$100/hrUS/UK: $100–$250/hr
Number of screens	More screens require more design/dev effort	Each screen: $300 – $1,000+
Feature set	Payments, maps, authentication, etc. increase cost	$1,000 – $15,000+ per feature

The cost of app redesign typically falls between $5,000 and $50,000+, depending on the size and requirements of the project. A simple UI update can be at the lower end, while a complete overhaul with UX research, new features, and backend improvements can be pricier.

Below are the primary factors that influence the overall cost of an app redesign.

App complexity

The more complex your app is, the higher the price will be. Complexity refers to the number of screens, user roles, and features integrated (like payments, maps, and push notifications) and whether or not the backend infrastructure is involved in the redesign.

Redesigning a task manager is relatively little work compared to re-creating a multi-functional e-commerce or social network app.

Team type

Who you hire to redesign your app greatly affects the cost. Typically, there are three options:

Freelancers. Low cost but may lack full-stack skills.
In-house teams. High quality but with fixed pay and overhead attached.
Agencies or outsourcing partners. Bring a complete team and project management, billed on the basis of scope and skills.

Each decision has its set compromises regarding quality, speed, and coordination.

Team location

The hourly design and development cost is extremely geography-sensitive:

North America & Western Europe: $100–$250/hour
Eastern Europe: $40–$100/hour
Asia & Latin America: $20–$60/hour

Offshore teams can offer cost savings, whereas local teams can provide better communication and time zone synchronization.

5 key trends of modern mobile app design in 2025

The new app design in 2025 is centered around improving usability, accessibility, and presence. Below are the top trends that are influencing mobile app experiences this year.

Augmented Reality (AR)

AR is now no longer a gimmick—it’s a fundamental aspect of product interaction and user engagement. Statista estimated that in 2024, the mobile augmented reality (AR) market was estimated to be worth $11.9 billion. It is forecast to reach $13.8 billion in size in 2025, before jumping to over $21 billion by 2028.

Real-world applications:

IKEA Place lets consumers preview how furniture would appear at home via AR prior to purchase.
Snapchat and Instagram use AR filters for increased user engagement.
Google Lens transforms everyday interactions by putting info on top of real objects.

Why does it matter? AR lowers decision-making time, boosts buying confidence, and offers engaging user experiences.

Passwordless Login

As security and user convenience gain importance, passwordless login is rapidly replacing traditional credentials. 68% of healthcare organizations plan to implement passwordless security by 2025.

Examples:

WhatsApp and Signal use phone number verification and biometric login.
Microsoft Authenticator supports login using fingerprints or face recognition, eliminating passwords entirely.

Technologies used include biometrics (Touch ID, Face ID), magic links through email, one-time codes, and device-based login through secure tokens.

What are the advantages? They include quicker onboarding, lower abandonment rates, and improved security with fewer password-related incidents.

Chatbot Domination

AI chatbots are taking over customer interaction within mobile apps. Applications:

Duolingo’s DuoBot offers AI-powered conversational learning
Banking apps such as Revolut and Monzo employ chatbots to help with transactions, budgeting, and fraud notifications
E-commerce platforms like Sephora use bots for product suggestions and personal beauty advice

According to Zendesk, 70% of CX leaders believe chatbots are becoming skilled architects of highly personalized customer journeys.

Voice Interactions

Voice UX is becoming more central to mobile application design as voice search and hands-free operation grow in prevalence. It is particularly acute in the realms of accessibility and smart home applications.

Examples:

Google Assistant, Siri, and Amazon Alexa have complete navigation within the apps and integration of third-party applications.
Spotify enables voice-controlled music playback within the app.
Voiceitt helps users with speech impairments interact with apps more effectively.

According to Statista, voice assistant use in the United States is expected to show a modest growth in the coming years, with the 142 million users in the country in 2022 expected to rise to over 157 million users in 2026.

Design for People with Disabilities

Inclusive design is essential, not optional. With 16% of the world’s population living with some form of disability (WHO), accessibility is now built into mobile UX strategy.

Accessibility features include:

Text-to-speech and screen reader access (e.g., VoiceOver on iOS, TalkBack on Android)
Font size adjustment and color contrast available to visually impaired individuals
Gestural alternatives by individuals with reduced mobility
Hearing aid compatibility with health apps and telemedicine

The trend-setting app is Be My Eyes, which pairs visually impaired users with vision-impaired volunteers. At the same time, Microsoft Soundscape offers audio navigation using 3D audio for visually impaired individuals.

3 mistakes in mobile app redesign: warning from OS-System

Redesigning a mobile app is a major opportunity—but also a risk if approached carelessly. At OS-System, we’ve seen many companies fall into common traps that end up:

Hurting performance
Increasing costs
Frustrating users

Here are the most frequent and costly mistakes to avoid.

Lack of User Insights

Refactoring an app without understanding your users is like building a house without a plan. Not conducting user research is equivalent to guessing what needs to be changed, which often leads to pointless changes.

What goes wrong:

Features that users actually care about are removed or hidden
Pain points are untouched
The new interface does not mirror real user behavior

What do we recommend? Always collect information through analytics, surveys, user interviews, or usability sessions before making decisions.

Ignoring Usability Testing

A beautiful app is no guarantee of a smooth user experience. Design flaws can go unnoticed without testing, until it is too late—when users abandon your app.

What does break:

Buttons are hard to find or don’t work right
Flows are confusing or counterintuitive
Showstopper bugs find their way into production

What do we recommend? Conduct usability testing early and often—with real users on a variety of devices—to catch problems before shipping.

Excessive Changes

While it may be tempting to remake everything at once, extreme changes confuse existing users and add unnecessary complexity.