# Flutter app development, with maps that skip Google Maps

Zaid Sayyed is a Flutter app developer in Mumbai, India. He builds the Parcel Uncle rider app at Lekya Logistics, live on the Play Store since March 2026 and used by 80+ riders daily, with maps, routing and live tracking built on open source instead of Google Maps. He takes on Flutter projects for startups and businesses.

Zaid Sayyed · Flutter app development · Mumbai, India and remote · updated 2026-10-21 · https://zaidsayyed.in/services/flutter-app-development

## Who it is for

- Startups that need an Android and iOS app from one codebase
- Logistics, delivery and field-service teams that need maps and live tracking
- Businesses with a web product that now needs a mobile app
- Teams with an existing Flutter app that needs fixing, speeding up or finishing

## What you get

- Android and iOS app in Flutter, from one codebase
- Maps, routing and live location without a Google Maps bill, when that fits
- Backend integration over REST, Firebase or Node.js
- Works on budget phones and patchy networks: caching, offline fallbacks
- Play Store and App Store release
- Handover with documentation, or ongoing maintenance

## Proof

- **Parcel Uncle rider app, in production:** Flutter app live on the Play Store since March 2026 and used by 80+ riders every day, with maps, routing and live tracking built on open source instead of Google Maps. (https://zaidsayyed.in/work/parcel-uncle-rider)
- **Route Lab:** An interactive demo of the stop-order optimiser and the Google Maps cost maths from his talk. (https://zaidsayyed.in/tools/route-lab)
- **Speaker, flutterCon India 2026:** Lightning talk on building a delivery map in Flutter without Google Maps, plus a roundtable on Flutter security, Conrad Bengaluru, 21 November 2026. (https://zaidsayyed.in/speaking)
- **wikimedia_dart on pub.dev:** A published, type-safe Dart client for the Wikimedia REST APIs. (https://pub.dev/packages/wikimedia_dart)
- **Buddy Sync:** Flutter and Firebase campus app that won first place at a national-level hackathon. (https://zaidsayyed.in/work/buddy-sync)

## How it works

1. **Brief:** You share what the app should do and who will use it.
2. **Scope and estimate:** Within two days: screens, integrations, a timeline and an estimate.
3. **Build in slices:** Working builds on your phone early, not a big reveal at the end.
4. **Release and handover:** Store release, documentation, and maintenance if you want it.

## Questions people ask

### How much does it cost to build a Flutter app?

It depends on the number of screens, the backend work and integrations like maps, payments or chat. A focused MVP costs far less than a full product. Zaid replies to every brief within two days with a scope and an estimate, so you know the number before anything starts.

### Is Flutter good enough for production apps?

Yes. Zaid's Parcel Uncle rider app runs in production on budget Android phones for 80+ riders a day, with live maps and tracking. Flutter ships one codebase to Android and iOS, which usually means a faster build and fewer bugs than two separate native apps.

### Can a delivery app avoid Google Maps API costs?

Often, yes. Zaid builds maps with flutter_map, OpenStreetMap tiles and a self-hosted OSRM routing server, so the bill is a server instead of a per-request charge. His Route Lab page calculates what Google Maps would cost a rider app at list price.

### Is there a free alternative to Google Maps for Flutter?

Yes. flutter_map shows OpenStreetMap tiles and OSRM calculates road routes, both open source. Production apps should self-host OSRM or use a paid provider, because the public servers are not meant for heavy use. Zaid Sayyed runs this stack in the Parcel Uncle rider app.

### What is OSRM?

OSRM, the Open Source Routing Machine, is an open-source engine that computes road routes, travel times and distances from OpenStreetMap data. Its public demo server allows only light, non-commercial use, so production apps self-host it, as Zaid Sayyed does for Parcel Uncle.

### Flutter or React Native: which is better?

Both build cross-platform apps. Flutter draws its own interface with Dart, so screens look the same on every phone; React Native uses JavaScript and native components. The right choice depends on your team and product. Zaid Sayyed builds in Flutter, including Parcel Uncle and Buddy Sync.

### Do you build the backend as well?

He integrates with existing REST APIs and builds backends with Node.js, Express, MongoDB or Firebase when the project needs one. For a larger platform he scopes the backend separately in the estimate so nothing is hidden.

### Can you take over an existing Flutter app?

Yes. Send the repository or a description of what is broken. He reviews the code, lists what to fix first, and estimates it, whether that is crashes, slow screens, a half-built feature or a store rejection.

### Do you work with clients outside Mumbai?

Yes. Zaid works remotely with teams anywhere in India and abroad, with regular builds you can install and a weekly update. In-person meetings are possible in Mumbai.

Send a brief: https://zaidsayyed.in/services/flutter-app-development#brief · Email: zaidsayyed07869@gmail.com

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Source: https://zaidsayyed.in/services/flutter-app-development