Plan your app budget before you build

Get a realistic cost range based on your platform, features, and design — free, no signup, and no sales call needed. Use it to set your budget or compare quotes with confidence.

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Mobile app cost calculator preview

App Development Cost Calculator

Choose your platform, features, backend, and timeline — get a realistic mobile app budget range in minutes. Free, instant, no signup.

Step 1 of 6

What type of app are you building?

Start with scope — MVP, mobile, web, or a full product build.

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How Much Does It Cost to Build an App?

App development costs vary widely based on what you are building and for whom. A simple MVP for a single platform can start in the low four figures, while a feature-rich, cross-platform app with custom design and integrations can run into the mid five figures. Rather than quoting averages that do not match your situation, this calculator maps your specific choices — platform, design, features, backend, timeline — to a realistic budget range.

What Affects App Development Cost?

Five variables shape the majority of app development budgets. Platform choice is the first major factor: iOS alone is cheaper than building for both iOS and Android natively. Cross-platform frameworks like Flutter or React Native reduce cost by targeting both stores from one codebase. Design complexity is the second — standard UI costs less than custom interfaces with animations. Feature scope is often the largest driver: login and profiles are modest compared to payments, real-time chat, maps, or an admin dashboard. Backend and integrations add proportional effort. Timeline pressure is the fifth factor — fast-track delivery usually needs more parallel work.

Post-launch maintenance is separate from the initial build. We include optional maintenance tiers starting at $200/month so you can plan support after launch, not only development.

Should You Build Native or Cross-Platform?

Native apps (Swift for iOS, Kotlin for Android) offer strong performance and platform-specific UI but require two codebases. Cross-platform tools like Flutter or React Native let you build once and deploy to both stores, often reducing total time by 30–40%. For most business apps and MVPs, cross-platform is the practical choice. For apps with heavy hardware access, advanced animations, or deep platform APIs, native may be worth the extra investment. See our app development services or explore app development guides.

Frequently Asked Questions

App development costs typically range from about $800–$1,500 for a simple single-platform MVP, $2,000–$4,500 for a mid-complexity app with custom design and standard features, and $4,500–$6,500+ for feature-rich cross-platform builds with backend, payments, and priority delivery. Use the calculator above for a range based on your selections.
The most cost-effective path is a cross-platform MVP: core features only, standard UI, your own backend if you already have one, and a standard timeline. Launch, validate with users, then add features in phases instead of building everything upfront.
Simple apps can ship in 6–10 weeks. Business apps with custom design and standard features often take 3–5 months. Complex apps with advanced integrations, real-time systems, or dual native codebases can take 6–12 months depending on scope and team size.
For North America, Australia, or Western Europe, iOS often leads among early adopters. For South Asia and many emerging markets, Android has higher penetration. Cross-platform (Flutter or React Native) covers both stores at a lower total cost than two native builds.
Plan for hosting ($50–$500/month depending on scale), App Store and Play Store fees ($99–$124/year), and maintenance (often 15–20% of initial build cost annually). This calculator can add optional maintenance tiers from $200/month upward for bug fixes and small changes.
The estimate covers design, app development, backend (if selected), QA, and project management for the features you choose. It does not include third-party subscriptions, store fees, or hosting unless you discuss those separately with our team.
Yes — completely free, no signup, and no sales call required. You get a planning range so you can set a budget or compare agency quotes with confidence.
Native apps use platform-specific languages (Swift for iOS, Kotlin for Android) for maximum performance and OS integration. Cross-platform apps share one codebase across iOS and Android via Flutter or React Native, reducing cost and time while covering both stores.

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