Readdle’s mission

While technology is ideally placed to help people stay organized and efficient, the reality is many of us struggle with multiple work streams.

We may have a range of productivity tools at our disposal, but many have complicated interfaces and require a truckload of time and effort. These are just some of the problems Readdle set out to solve.

The Ukraine-founded company headed up by CEO Igor Zhadanov – and co-founders Alex Tyagulsky, Andrian Budantsov and Dmitry Protserov –  strives to create the best productivity apps on mobile and desktop.

Readdle regularly tops the App Store with its award-winning products including: Spark Mail, PDF Expert, Documents, Scanner Pro, Calendars and Fluix – a leading workflow system for businesses.

The goal has always been to engineer easy-to-use, intuitive products that people enjoy using daily, and recommend to family and friends.

So far, the formula appears to be working, with the company recently celebrating 200m downloads of its products worldwide.

Background

Readdle began in 2007 with four founders and a simple idea – to build software which would enable people to read books and documents on their new iPhones.

Back then, early edition iPhones only carried basic native apps like the weather and calculators. The founders, all keen readers, saw a significant opportunity and started coding 24/7.

Having pitched their document file reader to Apple with success, the company began to scale. Within one year, Readdle became one of the first 100 software developers to feature on the newly-launched App Store.

Since then Readdle has established itself as a leader in the productivity field, and has grown from four ambitious people to over 300 ‘Readdlers’ in 30-plus global locations.

Quality products with award-winning designs

By helping users deal with files at speed, scan documents from their pocket, integrate their calendars into one stylish product, or seamlessly stay on top of their emails, Readdle has always sought to create more freedom and confidence in people’s lives.

There is a great emphasis on quality and an intuitive UX (user experience) even if it sometimes means over investing in products. Within the company, a humorous motto holds strong: ‘We don’t ship junk’.

Challenges and triumphs

Over the years Readdle also built 32 products that didn’t succeed. Even its flagship email product, Spark, was rebuilt from the ground up three times.

While failures can sometimes hit engineers hard, Readdle’s philosophy is that failure is an opportunity to learn and do things better.

The company’s values are also deeply embedded in fostering a positive work culture, which includes a passionate, professional team.

It’s an environment where every ‘Readdler’ has a voice, and disagreements are welcomed, because this means more attention to detail and getting things right in the long-term.

Leveraging customer loyalty

In addition to prioritizing product excellence, Readdle recognizes that its success is intrinsically tied to the everyday experiences of its user base.

As a result, Readdle actively seeks user feedback, using it to iterate on existing products and develop new solutions. During any given year its Customer Support teams send out over 140,000 emails in response to direct queries and feedback.

Readdle’s commitment to inclusivity is another key aspect of its values. The company strives to create apps that are accessible to individuals of all abilities with easy-to-use UX, and award-winning design standards.