Choosing a mobile app developer is a critical decision. In 2025, as the “Tech for Good” movement gains significant momentum, the purpose behind your project is more important than ever. The choice isn’t just about code; it’s about your core mission. Are you building an app to drive social impact or one to lead a commercial market?
This guide compares two top mobile app developer agencies with different philosophies:
- 3 Sided Cube: A UK-based “Tech for Good” agency building life-saving apps for partners like the American Red Cross.
- Cheesecake Labs: A Brazil/US-based innovation hub building scalable products for businesses like Mercado Libre.
The right partner depends on your vision. Let’s break down which team is the best fit for your US-based project.
Table of Contents
Introduction
A company’s core mission shapes every app it builds. One mobile app developer is dedicated to social impact. The other is an engine for business innovation. Understanding this difference is key to finding the right partner.
3 Sided Cube: Building “Tech for Good”
3 Sided Cube is a UK-based agency with a clear and strict purpose: to build “Tech for Good.” They create apps that aim to save lives, change lives, or solve major problems for humanity.
- Mission-Driven: They are so committed that they report turning down up to 80% of new business because it doesn’t fit their goal.
- Proven Impact: This focus is powerful in 2025, as a majority of US consumers now prefer to support purpose-driven brands.
- Global Reach: This award-winning agency has launched projects in over 90 countries for partners like the American Red Cross and the UNHCR.
This mobile app developer is a dedicated partner for non-profits and organizations with a strong social mission.
Cheesecake Labs: A Nearshore Innovation Partner
Cheesecake Labs was built to help businesses solve real-world problems with technology. Their goal is to deliver measurable results like revenue growth and user acquisition.
- Nearshore Model: Their team is based in Brazil and the US. This model gives US clients access to top engineering talent at competitive rates with great timezone alignment.
- Business-Focused: Their approach is growing in popularity as more US companies look for an efficient mobile app developer to innovate and stay competitive.
- Trusted by Top Brands: They have delivered over 300 products and are a top-ranked partner for clients ranging from Silicon Valley startups to Fortune 500 companies.
They are a flexible, high-speed partner for commercial businesses looking to grow.
Development Focus: A Key Differentiator for US Companies
What a mobile app developer builds shows what it does best. One of these firms focuses on apps that help people and the planet. The other specializes in using cutting-edge technology to give businesses a competitive edge.
3 Sided Cube: Apps for Humanitarian Impact
3 Sided Cube’s work is a clear reflection of its “Tech for Good” mission. They build complex, large-scale apps for humanitarian, environmental, and public good organizations. The work of this mobile app developer is vital, as international organizations now see mobile technology as a critical tool for delivering aid and information during crises.
Their projects often involve:
- Disaster Response: They have built multiple apps for the American Red Cross, including a platform for life-saving alerts and a first-aid guide. These apps must be reliable under extreme pressure.
- Humanitarian Aid: They partnered with the UN (UNHCR) to create an app that securely connects refugees with donors.
- Environmental Tech: For Global Forest Watch, they built an app that uses satellite data to help fight deforestation.
Cheesecake Labs: Innovation with AI and Web3
This mobile app developer is known for helping companies use emerging technologies to innovate. Their focus on AI is timely, with US business investment in artificial intelligence expected to grow significantly through 2025.
Their expertise includes:
- Web3 & Blockchain: As a designated Stellar Integration Partner, they have built complex blockchain solutions for clients like the financial services giant Moneygram.
- Artificial Intelligence: They have built practical AI tools, including a voice-powered product search for the e-commerce leader Mercado Libre.
- Internet of Things (IoT): They create apps that connect smart hardware to software, building a bridge between the physical and digital worlds.
Services & Technology: A US Perspective on Tech Stacks
The technology a mobile app developer uses shows what it values most. One of these firms chooses the power and reliability of native code for critical missions. The other uses a flexible, modern toolkit to get products to market quickly.
3 Sided Cube: Native Tech for Critical Missions
3 Sided Cube offers a full range of services, from strategy and design to building and supporting an app long-term. This mobile app developer technology choices are all about performance and reliability.
- Focus on Native Development: They specialize in building native apps, writing code specifically for iOS (in Swift) and Android (in Java). For the life-saving apps they build, the unmatched performance and reliability of native development are non-negotiable for a mobile app developer of this caliber.
- Built for Complex Challenges: Their expertise includes creating apps with complex GPS mapping, sending millions of emergency alerts at once, and supporting users globally.
Cheesecake Labs: A Modern Stack for Market Speed
Cheesecake Labs offers a wide and flexible set of services, including specialized help with AI, Web3, and the Internet of things (IoT). They give clients several ways to work with them, from full project outsourcing to adding an expert mobile app developer to an existing team.
- Cross-Platform Experts: They are strong in both native and cross-platform development. Their expertise in frameworks like Flutter and React Native is a key advantage. In 2025, these tools allow US businesses to launch on both iOS and Android faster and more cost-effectively.
- Diverse, Modern Toolkit: Their skills cover a broad range of modern technologies, including backend languages like Python and NodeJS, multiple blockchains like Stellar and Ethereum, and AI models from OpenAI and Google.
The choice is clear: do you need the rock-solid reliability of a native app, or the speed and efficiency of a cross-platform build?
Pricing & Value: A US Cost-Benefit Analysis
A mobile app developer price tag tells a story about its location, its team, and the value it provides. The difference in cost between these two firms isn’t random; it reflects a choice between investing in a mission-aligned partner or a highly efficient innovation team.
3 Sided Cube: A Premium for a Mission-Aligned Partner
- Hourly Rate: $100–$149
- The Value: This premium rate reflects their specialized expertise in “Tech for Good” and their teams in the UK and US. You are not just buying code; you are investing in a mobile app developer who understands the unique challenges of building apps for social impact. This aligns with a major trend, as global investment in ESG and purpose-driven projects continues to grow in 2025. For organizations with a clear mission, the value is in having a dedicated, expert team that shares their goals.
Cheesecake Labs: An Accessible Rate for Innovation
- Hourly Rate: $50–$99
- The Value:Their competitive price is the result of their nearshore model, which pairs a top-tier team in Brazil with a US-based office. This model provides significant savings for US clients, especially as the cost of hiring a senior mobile app developer domestically continues to climb. You get what clients describe as “Silicon Valley-level quality” at a fraction of the cost, allowing startups to innovate efficiently and make their funding go further.
Teams & Communication: What US Clients Can Expect
How a mobile app developer structures its team and communicates with clients is critical for project success. One company is a hands-on, mission-driven team. The other has built its entire operation around a modern, nearshore model.
3 Sided Cube: A Mission-Driven, Hands-On Team
3 Sided Cube operates as a boutique agency of around 50-100 professionals. This size allows them to be large enough for global projects yet small enough to maintain a collaborative, hands-on mobile app developer culture.
- Location: With offices in the UK and the US East Coast, they offer excellent real-time collaboration for clients in North America and Europe.
- Communication Style: Clients praise their excellent and transparent communication. This comes from their internal culture, which values teamwork and an “ego at the door” approach to solving problems.
Cheesecake Labs: A Scalable Nearshore Powerhouse
Cheesecake Labs is a larger, mid-sized agency with over 100 employees, giving them the capacity to handle multiple large projects at once.
- Nearshore Model: This is their key advantage. With a main development hub in Brazil and a client office in San Francisco, they offer access to top talent at a competitive cost. This model is surging in popularity, as more US companies in 2025 are choosing a nearshore mobile app developer to innovate efficiently.
- Timezone Advantage: Their location in Brazil provides excellent timezone alignment for US clients, eliminating the long delays common with offshore teams.
- Engineered Communication: They have built their communication process to be proactive and seamless. They integrate directly with client teams using standard tools like Slack and Jira, acting as a true extension of your company.
Client Examples: Proof of Performance for a US Audience
A mobile app developer client list is the best evidence of what it can do. The past work of these two firms clearly shows their different strengths: one is a trusted partner for global non-profits, while the other is an innovation engine for tech companies.
3 Sided Cube: Powering Social Good
3 Sided Cube’s portfolio is filled with major international organizations focused on social impact. Their longest and most prominent partnership is with the American Red Cross. This work is crucial, as over 80% of Americans now expect to receive emergency information through digital alerts.
Key projects include:
- The Blood Donor App: This app changed the donation experience, has over 5 million downloads, and books over 200,000 appointments monthly.
- The Emergency App: A vital disaster tool with over 3 million downloads that has delivered more than 3 billion life-saving alerts. During major hurricanes, it has proven to be incredibly reliable under pressure.
- Other Global Partners: Their expertise is trusted by other major organizations like the UN (UNHCR) and Global Forest Watch.
Cheesecake Labs: Fueling Tech Innovation
Cheesecake Labs works with high-growth tech companies and innovative enterprises. Their expertise in Web3 is in high demand, as the global market for blockchain solutions in business is expected to continue its rapid expansion through 2025.
Key projects include:
- Enterprise Innovation: They helped Mercado Libre, Latin America’s most valuable company, explore new logistics solutions and prototype a voice-powered search tool.
- Web3 & Blockchain: They have a deep partnership with the Stellar Development Foundation and built a complex, non-custodial digital wallet for the financial giant Moneygram.
- US Tech Brands: They help US startups and tech companies across many industries, including e-commerce platform Tapcart and auto-subscription service FINN.
Strengths & Limitations: An Honest Assessment for US Companies
No mobile app developer is perfect for every project. Understanding each firm’s pros and cons is key to finding the right partner. These aren’t flaws, but natural results of their specialized approaches.
3 Sided Cube: Strengths in Mission-Driven Tech
Strengths:
- Experts in “Tech for Good.” They have a deep understanding of the non-profit and humanitarian sectors.
- Ethical and Accessible Design. Their process focuses on creating apps that are safe and easy for everyone to use. This is crucial, as digital accessibility continues to be a major focus for US organizations in 2025.
- A Passionate, Aligned Team. Clients praise this mobile app developer for being a true partner who is as passionate about the mission as they are.
- Builds Reliable, Scalable Apps. Their work is proven to handle high-stress situations, like natural disasters.
Limitations:
- Only for Social Impact Projects. They will turn down work that is purely commercial.
- Premium Price. Their specialized expertise comes at a higher hourly rate ($100-$149/hr).
- A Focused Tech Stack. Their main focus is on reliable native apps, not a broad range of emerging commercial technologies.
Cheesecake Labs: Strengths in Speed and Innovation
Strengths:
- Great Value for Cost. Their nearshore model offers top talent at a competitive rate. US companies can see significant cost savings with this model compared to hiring locally, without sacrificing quality.
- Experts in New Technology. They have proven skills in high-demand areas like Web3 and AI.
- Fast and Flexible. Their process allows them to build and test new ideas quickly.
- Excellent Remote Communication. They have designed their workflow to make collaborating with a remote team feel seamless.
Limitations:
- Not Specialists in Social Impact. This mobile app developer’s primary focus is on technology and business growth, not social missions.
- Not an In-Person Partner. While their communication is excellent, they are not the right choice for clients who require a local, in-person team.
- Potential Risks of Remote Work. Like any outsourced team, minor communication issues or variations in skills can occasionally occur.
Best Fit: Which Option is Right for Your US-Based Company?
The evidence is clear: these two mobile app developer agencies are built for two different kinds of clients. The best choice is not about which firm is “better,” but which one aligns with your company’s mission and goals.
Choose 3 Sided Cube for Social and Environmental Impact
3 Sided Cube is the right partner for US-based non-profits, NGOs, and foundations. Their entire company is designed to serve organizations focused on social and environmental good.
- Why they fit: Their work with the American Red Cross and the UN proves they can handle high-stakes projects. Their mission-driven culture means they are a true partner who understands the challenges of serving vulnerable communities. For these organizations, technology is essential, as effective digital tools are now a core part of fundraising and delivering services in 2025.
- The bottom line: Their premium price is an investment in a partner who is as committed to your mission as you are.
Choose Cheesecake Labs for Tech Innovation and Growth
Cheesecake Labs is the ideal partner for US startups, high-growth tech companies, and innovative teams within larger corporations. Their model is built for the fast-paced commercial market.
- Why they fit: Their nearshore model delivers high-quality products quickly and affordably. Their expertise in new technologies like AI and Web3 gives clients a critical competitive edge. In today’s market, where speed is everything for startups, their ability to accelerate a product launch is a major advantage.
- The bottom line: They are the right choice for businesses that need to innovate efficiently, scale quickly, and achieve their growth targets.
Final Verdict
The right decision isn’t about which company is better. It’s about which partner is the right fit for your project’s specific goal. To find your answer, you need to define what success looks like for you.
Choose 3 Sided Cube if:
- Your project’s main goal is to create positive social or environmental impact.
- Your app will serve vulnerable people and needs a team that specializes in ethical design.
- Reliability is your top priority for a mission-critical application.
- You want a true partner who is as passionate about your mission as you are.
Choose Cheesecake Labs if:
- Your project’s success is measured by user growth, revenue, and market leadership.
- You need to build an innovative product quickly and cost-effectively to compete.
- Your app uses emerging technology like AI, Web3, or blockchain.
- You need a flexible mobile app developer that can scale with your company’s needs.
In 2025, both social impact and commercial innovation are driving the tech industry forward. The right partner is simply the one whose vision for technology matches your own.
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