Lyt til Danske Salmer - Mobile Apps

Building iOS and Android Apps for a Danish Hymn Streaming Platform

Lyt til Danske Salmer launched as a web app, and the client wanted mobile apps to go with it. Their users weren't just sitting at desks — they were at church, at choir practice, commuting, or at home on the couch. The web platform was already working; the mobile apps needed to bring the same experience to iOS and Android without adding a whole new backend or doubling the budget.

We built both apps in React Native, connected to the same Adonis.js backend that powers the web platform. One subscription, one account, same library — everything works across all three platforms.

What the Client Needed

The client didn't want a separate product — they wanted the web experience on mobile. That meant the same subscription plans, same playlists, same hymn library, all available through a native-feeling app on iOS and Android. Users who subscribed on the web should be able to open the app and have everything there immediately, without re-subscribing or logging in twice.

They also wanted background audio — hymns should keep playing when someone locks their phone or switches to another app.

How We Built It

React Native was the right call here. One codebase for iOS and Android, genuine native performance, and direct integration with the existing Adonis.js API. We didn't need to reinvent anything on the backend — the subscription logic, the hymn library, the playlists were all already there. We just built the mobile layer on top.

Background Audio with Lock Screen Controls

We integrated React Native Track Player to handle audio playback. Hymns keep playing when the screen locks, and users get lock screen controls — play, pause, skip — without having to open the app. It behaves exactly like you'd expect a proper audio app to behave.

Subscription Sync Across Web and Mobile

A user who subscribed on the web opens the app and gets full access immediately. Yearly plan, access tier, renewal date — all pulled from the same backend. No separate in-app purchase flow, no duplicate subscription. The backend handles it, and the app just reflects the current state.

Playlists and Favourites

Playlists and favourites sync in real time. Build a playlist on the desktop on Thursday evening, open the app at church on Sunday and it's there. This cross-platform consistency was important to the client — the app isn't a separate experience, it's the same product on a different screen.

Lyrics While You Listen

The app shows the full lyrics of each hymn while the audio plays. On mobile this is especially useful — someone at a church service or choir rehearsal can hold their phone, follow the words, and not need a separate hymnal. It's one of those features that seems obvious once you think about who the users actually are.

The Liturgical Year Wheel — UI That Reflects the Church Calendar

The same color system from the web platform carries over to mobile. The entire app changes its color scheme based on the current liturgical season: green for Ordinary Time, purple for Advent and Lent, white for Christmas and Easter, red for Pentecost and holy days, black on Good Friday. Every time someone opens the app, it looks exactly right for where the church year currently is.

Implementing this correctly on mobile meant the color logic had to be accurate, timezone-aware, and consistent with the web. It's a small thing technically — but for the users of this app, it's one of the details that makes it feel genuinely made for them.

Results

The web platform and mobile apps were both delivered within 4 months and a combined budget of $12,000. The client went from nothing to a fully working cross-platform streaming product — web, iOS, and Android — in one engagement. React Native made that budget realistic without compromising on how the apps actually feel to use.

This Is Part of a Larger Product

The mobile apps were built alongside the web streaming platform — not as an afterthought, but as part of the same product delivery. Both share the same backend, the same subscriptions, and the same hymn library.