How much does it cost to build an app?
An app can cost EUR 12,900 or EUR 150,000. The difference is rarely the vendor, it is the scope. Here are honest starting points for app development cost, and the questions that actually set the price.
App cost at a glance
These are lower starting points for orientation, not caps. What you actually pay depends on the platform, the feature scope and the integrations behind the screens. A polished to-do app and a marketplace with payments both live under the word "app" and cost very different amounts.
Two numbers matter alongside the build itself. App store fees are small but recurring, and every live app needs a maintenance budget, because iOS and Android change every year.
| Simple app / MVP | from ~EUR 12,900 |
|---|---|
| App with accounts & backend | from ~EUR 19,900 |
| Complex app (payments, realtime) | from ~EUR 39,000 |
| App store fees | Apple ~EUR 99/year · Google ~EUR 25 one-time |
| Application Support | from ~EUR 299/month |
What drives app development cost
The same app can double in price for reasons that have nothing to do with who builds it. Five factors move the number most, and knowing them lets you steer cost before a line of code is written.
- Platform. iOS, Android or both. Cross-platform builds both from a single codebase and saves significantly against two separate native apps.
- Backend. The moment you add user accounts, cloud data or sync, the backend becomes its own substantial cost block, often larger than the app on the screen.
- Feature scope. Payments, chat, realtime updates, maps or offline support each add real engineering effort and testing.
- Integrations. Each third-party service you wire in (payments, maps, analytics, an existing API) is its own integration and test surface, and effort spikes when that API is old or poorly documented.
- Design. A considered, custom app design is an investment in usage and reviews, not an optional line item.
Native, cross-platform or a web app?
For most projects, cross-platform (one codebase for iOS and Android) is the most economical choice, because you do not build twice. Fully native pays off when you need very specific device features or maximum performance, and we will tell you honestly when that is your case.
Often the cheapest option is not an app at all, but a web app. Our web and mobile app development runs in the browser on any phone, needs no app store review and can ship updates instantly. A real app earns its cost when you need offline use, push notifications or deep device features. We help you decide that honestly instead of selling you the most expensive version.
How to start right
A focused first version is usually usable in two to four months, with the core MVP scope often landing in six to ten weeks. Getting there cleanly comes down to three habits.
- Start with an MVP. Build the smallest version that delivers real value, put it in front of users, and expand based on what they actually do.
- Nail one core value. Apps that do one thing well are cheaper to build and more successful than apps that try to do everything at once.
- Plan for maintenance. iOS and Android change every year. A small maintenance budget, from ~EUR 299 per month, keeps the app stable and current for years.
For pricing beyond apps, our broader guide to what software development costs sets the wider context, and if you want to prove the idea with a lean first version first, the MVP development cost guide shows what a first slice runs. If you want senior EU delivery below German agency rates, that is exactly what nearshore delivery from Albania is built for. When you are ready, tell us about your app in a free intro call.