How Much Does It Cost to Build a Mobile App?
What a mobile app really costs — the factors that drive price, indicative ranges by app type, native vs cross-platform, ongoing costs, and how to get an accurate quote. International view.
“How much does an app cost?” is impossible to answer in one number — a simple app and a complex platform can differ by a factor of ten. But the things that move the price are predictable, and the ranges are knowable. Here’s an honest, international breakdown.
Figures below are indicative, in US dollars for comparison. Your real number depends on features, platforms, backend complexity, design and your market.
What drives the cost of an app
- Features and complexity. A handful of screens versus real-time, chat, maps, payments or AI.
- Platforms. Cross-platform (one codebase for iOS and Android) is cheaper than building natively twice.
- Backend. Accounts, data, APIs and admin often cost as much as the app itself.
- Integrations. Payments, third-party services and existing systems each add work.
- Design. A clean, standard UI versus a bespoke, animated, brand-led experience.
- Market / region. Build rates vary widely across the UK, Europe, North America, the GCC and Africa.
Indicative cost by app type
| App type | Indicative cost | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Simple app | $10,000 – $25,000 | A focused MVP: a few screens, accounts, basic backend. |
| Mid-complexity app | $25,000 – $70,000 | Payments, notifications, several integrations, custom UI. |
| Complex / platform app | $70,000 – $150,000+ | Real-time, marketplace or SaaS-grade backend and scale. |
Native vs cross-platform changes the price
Building natively for iOS and Android means building twice — more time and cost. Cross-platform frameworks (React Native, Flutter) cover both from one codebase and suit most apps. We recommend native only when performance or platform-specific features genuinely require it.
The ongoing costs to plan for
- Apple Developer ($99/yr) and Google Play (one-off $25) accounts.
- Backend hosting and any third-party service fees.
- Maintenance and OS updates — apps need upkeep to keep working.
- New features and improvements after launch.
An app is a product, not a one-off purchase — budget for its life, not just its birth. If it’s really a subscription product for many customers, it’s closer to a SaaS build, which is scoped and funded differently.
How to get an accurate quote
A real number comes from a short conversation: what the app must do, which platforms, what it integrates with, and whether you start with an MVP. With that, a good partner gives you a fixed price — not a guess.
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