Does someone else hold the keys to your app?

You might think you’re in control. But if you’ve outsourced any part of your mobile app, even just to get it over the line, there’s a chance you’re not. And that’s coming from us – the app agency!

Only when something breaks, needs updating, or triggers a compliance review, does the realisation often hit. Suddenly, app owners find that they don’t have access, they don’t know what’s been done, and they can’t move. Sound familiar?

We’ve seen teams unable to push urgent updates because they didn’t own their own code signing certificates, we’ve seen infrastructure spun up in someone else’s cloud account with no access, no documentation, no way in… we’ve even seen businesses forced to start from scratch, simply because the one developer who knew the system walked out with the knowledge.

Unfortunately, these aren’t rare cases. In fact, they’re often the norm when legacy apps change hands without proper oversight. 

If your app has been worked on by multiple teams, freelancers, or agencies, this might already be your reality.

There’s a world of difference between outsourcing and offloading. One is strategic, the other leaves you exposed.

When you rely on third parties to hold the keys (without ensuring you have a copy), the consequences stack up:

 – Delays: Even small updates need you to chase down access

 – Risk: Critical infrastructure might be vulnerable, undocumented, or non-compliant.

 – Instability: Third-party code breaks, tools get deprecated, accounts get closed – and you’re left holding the broken pieces.

 – Missed insights: Without visibility, you can’t monitor performance, track analytics, or plan improvements.

In complex systems, these are business risks as well as technical issues, ones that impact revenue, reputation, and recovery.

Most app owners assume they have what they need. Until something goes wrong.

You might be thinking:

 – “Rubbish! The agency handed everything over at the end.”

 – “We’ve still got the files so we must be covered.”

 – “If it’s live, it must be under control.”

But, to be honest, brownfield apps just don’t work like that. If you didn’t specifically request ownership, visibility and documentation, you might not have them.

You just need to use third-party support that puts you in control. That doesn’t mean making more work for you! If you’re outsourcing your app, it’s likely because you lack the time and resources to manage it in house. We get that, you don’t need more tasks piling up on your desk. But, visibility is vital. 

Outsourcing your app shouldn’t mean giving up the reins, it should mean picking a partner who makes ownership part of the process.

For instance, at Indiespring, we’re a third party who doesn’t hold anything hostage.

We give our clients:

 – Clear access to their app stores, codebases, and infrastructure

 – Transparent documentation on libraries, logic and tooling

 – Ownership clarity: who’s responsible for what, and how you take over if needed

 – Shared visibility across every sprint, ticket, and decision

It’s your app, so you should know exactly how it works – and how to fix it if ever you need to in future.

Third-party support can be brilliant. But it only works when you’ve got visibility and control.

Before you assume you’re covered, ask yourself:

 – Who holds the keys to your app?

 – Do you have the access you’d need in an emergency?

 – Would you know what to do if a critical service failed today?

If not, we’ll help you find the gaps and close them fast.

Our comprehensive audit uncovers hidden dependencies, security concerns, and ownership blind spots before they become business-critical, you you can rest easy knowing your app is safe and sound. 

Let’s take a look