Swiftly Workspace.

Why we built a native business app for Apple devices

By Ben Van Aken ·

We built Swiftly Workspace, a native app for iPhone, iPad and Mac where you keep your customers and invoices, because we wanted a native Apple business app and none existed. We started with Apple for two reasons: tight integration with the operating system, and on-device AI for privacy.

I'm Ben Van Aken, co-founder of Swiftly Workspace. When we could not find the app we were looking for, we decided to build it ourselves, for the Mac, the iPhone and the iPad. This post explains the thinking behind it in plain terms: why we chose Apple's platforms to begin with, and what that choice means in the app you can use today.

Why we started with Apple

Two reasons shaped the decision. Neither is a feature list; both are about the kind of software we wanted to make.

ReasonWhat we were after
Tight integration with the operating systemSoftware that behaves like the rest of the device, using its windows, menus and keyboard shortcuts, rather than a website in a frame
On-device AI for privacyAI that can work on the device itself, so business data does not have to leave it for every task

Software that integrates with the operating system

We were looking for software that integrates tightly with the operating system. A native app is built with the platform's own tools, so it can follow the conventions people already know. On a Mac that means real windows you can arrange, the menu bar and the keyboard shortcuts you use in every other app. On iPhone and iPad it means the touch patterns and system features that people reach for without thinking.

Those details add up over a working day. Business software is something you open dozens of times, often in a hurry, so it should feel like part of the device rather than something you visit. The guide to native and web apps for business goes through the trade-offs in more detail, including where a web app is the better fit.

On-device AI, for privacy

The second reason was AI. Business data is customer names, invoices and the hours your team works, and not all of that should travel to a cloud service every time you ask a question. Apple's platforms now include an on-device language model that apps can use, which makes it possible to do useful AI work on the device itself.

For us that was a goal and a direction, not something to promise before it was ready. It is one of the two reasons we started with Apple. For background on the technology, see how on-device AI works on Apple devices.

What we built

Swiftly Workspace is a native app for iPhone, iPad and Mac. The Mac app is built for the Mac, not an iPhone or iPad app running on it. On the Mac, customers and invoices open in their own windows, so you can keep several side by side; working in multiple windows on a Mac shows how that looks in practice.

The same customers and invoices appear on every device, because each app reads your company's workspace from the same server. Keeping business data in sync across iPhone, iPad and Mac explains what that means day to day. It needs iOS or iPadOS 26 or later, or macOS 26 or later.

In my co-founder's words

My co-founder, Yves Vermeerbergen, summed up the idea better than I can:

“I loved the idea, it is truly ‘think different’ from Apple.”

Yves Vermeerbergen, co-founder

Where to read next

If you are choosing software for your own business, business software for the Mac lists what to look for. And for how we work on the product itself, read how we ship updates.

Frequently asked questions

Who makes Swiftly Workspace?

Swiftly Workspace was co-founded by Ben Van Aken and Yves Vermeerbergen, who build it as a native app for iPhone, iPad and Mac.

Is Swiftly Workspace a native Mac app?

Yes. The Mac app is built for the Mac rather than being an iPhone or iPad app running on it, and customers and invoices open in their own windows.

Does Swiftly Workspace work on iPhone and iPad too?

Yes. It runs on iPhone, iPad and Mac. It needs iOS or iPadOS 26 or later, or macOS 26 or later, and the same company data appears on each device.

Why build for Apple devices instead of the browser?

We wanted software that integrates tightly with the operating system, and AI that can run on the device for privacy. A browser app reaches more devices, but it cannot use the platform in the same way.

Run your business on Apple.

Create your account on the web, then set up your workspace in the app on your iPhone, iPad or Mac.

Create your account

Keep reading

  1. Native app or web app for your business: what changes

    A native app is built for the device it runs on, so it can use the platform's windows, menus, shortcuts and notifications. A web app runs in a browser tab and reaches any device with a browser. Choose by where your team works and what they do all day.

  2. Apple Intelligence for business: what runs on your device

    Apple Intelligence runs a language model on your own iPhone, iPad or Mac, so a prompt is processed on the device instead of by a cloud AI provider. In Swiftly Workspace it answers questions, cleans up dictation and makes changes you approve.

  3. Working in multiple windows on Mac: records side by side

    On a Mac, a native app can open each record in its own window, so a customer, an invoice and a list can sit side by side. In Swiftly Workspace, double-click a customer or an invoice in its list to open it in a window of its own.