What Is Ben Dodson's Website and Who Is It For?

Updated

bendodson.com is the personal site of Ben Dodson, a UK-based freelance Apple app developer and consultant who has been building native Apple apps since the App Store launched in 2008. The site serves two purposes: it presents his consulting services and app portfolio to potential clients, and it hosts his weblog and newsletter for people interested in his work. It is aimed at founders, product teams, agencies, and established brands looking for senior hands-on development expertise.

Who Ben Dodson Is

According to the site, Ben Dodson is a UK-based consultant specialising in polished, fast, maintainable native software for:

  • iPhone
  • iPad
  • Mac
  • Apple TV
  • Apple Watch
  • Vision Pro

He works directly with founders, product teams, agencies, and established brands that need senior hands-on expertise. His stated experience spans work for major broadcasters, startups, charities, publishers, healthcare teams, and global brands.

What the Site Contains

The homepage is organised around three main sections:

The Dodo Developer (newsletter)

A monthly newsletter about the apps he is building, the tools he is making, and things he has learned along the way. The site states it has over 4,500 free subscribers, and previous newsletters can be viewed before subscribing.

Notable Apps

A portfolio of apps he has built or published, including:

App Description
U (formerly UKTV Play) Native tvOS app with privileged connectivity to the Apple "TV" app; reached #1 on the App Store within 24 hours and is now pre-installed on every Apple TV device in the UK. He was later commissioned to rebuild the iPhone and iPad apps.
Music Library Tracker Self-published app that monitors your Apple Music library for additions, deletions, metadata changes, and Spatial Audio upgrades. Covered by MacRumors, 9to5Mac, and TechRadar.
Channel 4 Horse Tracker Built with Monterosa Productions as sole iOS developer for Channel 4's Grand National app; delivered a live second-screen experience with horse position, speed, and distance data, and reached #1 in the App Store charts.
WallaBee Named Best European Gaming Startup of 2012; later acquired by Munzee.
Highlights Featured by Apple as an iPad App of the Week and App of the Year.
Browser Note Used by tens of thousands of users worldwide.

His client list also includes NBC, Natural Cycles, Foodim, Friends of the Earth, L'Oréal, Glenfiddich, Calm Radio, Oxford University, and DrinkCoach.

Latest Articles

A weblog covering his work and interests, alongside links to his online projects, which include a suite of artwork finders.

Who It Is For

The site is relevant to you if you fall into one of these groups:

  • Founders and product teams needing a senior native Apple developer to build or maintain an app.
  • Agencies looking for a specialist contractor across Apple platforms.
  • Established brands that need hands-on expertise for iOS, tvOS, macOS, watchOS, or visionOS work.
  • Readers and developers interested in following his app-building process through the newsletter or blog.

If you are looking for a general app development agency, a cross-platform (non-native) shop, or a directory of developers, this site is not that — it is a single consultant's portfolio and contact point.

How to Use the Site

  1. Read the homepage introduction to confirm the platforms and type of work.
  2. Browse the Notable Apps section to judge relevant experience.
  3. Check the newsletter or weblog if you want ongoing insight rather than a one-off engagement.
  4. Use the contact link on the site to enquire about services.

The site does not publish pricing, rates, or availability details, so those questions need to be raised directly through the contact option provided.