The question of how much a mobile app costs comes up at the start of every project conversation. It is hard to answer with a single number, because the price depends on several factors. Below we explain what really affects the budget and how to plan it so that the first version reaches users quickly.

What drives the price of an app

  • Number of platforms: an iOS only app is cheaper than an app for iOS and Android at the same time.
  • Range of features: login, payments, notifications, offline mode and an admin panel all increase the effort.
  • Integrations: connections to ERP, CRM or payment gateways require additional work on the backend.
  • Design and UX: a refined interface and user testing raise quality, but affect the cost.

Native versus cross platform

Native solutions, written separately in Swift and Kotlin, give the highest performance and full access to device features, but mean two separate codebases. Cross platform solutions, such as React Native and Flutter, cover both platforms from one codebase, which usually shortens delivery time and lowers cost. The choice depends on the project requirements and is described on the mobile applications page.

Stages and spreading cost over time

The budget does not have to be committed in full at the start. Delivery is best split into stages, beginning with an MVP that covers only the most important features. A first version usually takes six to eight weeks, reaches users and provides data on which features are worth developing further. Later stages are then funded based on real usage.

How to plan the budget

A practical approach has three steps: defining the most important features, choosing a technology model matched to the goal, and splitting the work into stages. Such a plan reduces risk and keeps cost under control at every stage.

„The cost of an app cannot be given as a single number, because it depends on the range of features and the number of platforms. So we break the project into stages and start with an MVP that reaches users within a few weeks and shows which features are worth investing in further."

Jakub Bielawski, CEO Devhound

Summary

The cost of a mobile app depends on the number of platforms, the range of features and integrations. We prepare a specific quote after reviewing the requirements, and we recommend splitting delivery into stages, starting with an MVP.