“How much does an app cost?” is a question we hear almost as often as the one about websites. And the answer is similar: it depends on what the app does. An app with five screens and a login is not the same as an app with payments, bookings and messages between users.
In this article we give concrete numbers: what a simple and a complex app cost, what drives the price up, which costs come after launch, and how to spot a quote where something is missing.
How much does an app cost: the short answer
Roughly, by type of app:
- Simple app (information, catalogue, login, a form, push notifications): a few thousand euros.
- Mid-complexity app (user accounts, bookings or orders, card payments, an admin panel): usually €5,000 to €15,000.
- Complex app (marketplace, real-time messaging, maps and tracking, several user types): €20,000 and up.
Our starting prices are:
| Package | Price |
|---|---|
| Android app | from €2,290 |
| iOS app | from €2,490 |
| iOS and Android from one codebase | from €3,490 |
| Maintenance | €79 per month |
All our prices in this article are the same as on 24 Sep 2026, when we added mobile apps to our services. No VAT is charged. You get the final price for your app in a written quote, with a fixed amount for the agreed scope.
What affects the price the most?
Number of screens and features
Every screen has to be designed, built and tested on several devices. An app with ten screens costs more than one with five. That’s why the first step is always a list of what the app must do on day one, and what can come later.
Login and user accounts
As soon as users have their own accounts, you need sign-up, Google or Apple login, password reset, profiles and secure data storage. It’s a standard part of most apps, but it isn’t free.
Payments
Card payments, subscriptions and refunds take extra work and careful testing. Worth knowing: for digital content inside the app (premium features, content subscriptions) Apple and Google take a 15 to 30% commission. For physical goods and services (delivery, a hairdresser appointment) you only pay the card processor’s fee.
Admin panel
Almost every app needs a place where you manage content, users or orders. That’s usually a web interface next to the app. Without it, you call a developer for every change.
Connecting to other systems
If the app has to talk to your accounting software, warehouse, CRM or fiscalisation, the price depends on how open and well documented that system is.
Native or one codebase?
There are two approaches. Native development means two separate apps, one for iOS and one for Android, with two codebases. Building from one codebase (we use React Native and Expo) means both platforms share most of the code.
For most businesses one codebase is the better choice. It’s faster, cheaper and easier to maintain, and users can’t tell the difference. Native development makes sense for games or apps that lean heavily on the device’s hardware. Because of the shared code, our package for both platforms is about €1,300 cheaper than two separate apps.
Costs that come after launch
A development quote rarely shows the whole picture. Also plan for:
- Apple Developer account: USD 99 per year. Without it the app can’t be on the App Store.
- Google Play account: a one-time USD 25.
- Server and database: for a smaller app often free or a few tens of euros per month, growing with the number of users.
- Maintenance: Apple and Google release new system versions every year and change their rules. An app nobody maintains starts working worse after a year or two, and the stores can eventually remove it.
We open developer accounts in your name. That way the app and its users stay yours, whoever you work with next.
How long does it take?
A simple app is ready in four to six weeks, a more complex one in eight to twelve. Before coding we build a clickable prototype, so you try the app on your own phone before the real work starts. App Store and Google Play review usually takes a few days and is included in the timeline.
How to spot a good quote
Before you sign, check:
- Is the scope written screen by screen, or just “a booking app”? A vague scope means a vague final price.
- Is the price fixed for the agreed scope, or billed by the hour with no cap?
- Who owns the code and the store accounts?
- Is store publishing included, with the description, screenshots and getting through review?
- What about maintenance after handover, and what does it cost?
- Are there published apps you can download and try?
A quote that’s much cheaper than the rest usually skips something on this list, most often the admin panel, testing or maintenance.
Do you even need an app?
Honestly, not always. If your goal is for new clients to find you on Google and send an inquiry, a good website will do more for less money. An app makes sense when users come back often: bookings, orders, a loyalty programme, tracking, an internal tool for your team in the field.
If you’re not sure, get in touch. We’d rather tell you that you need a website than build an app nobody opens.
Have an idea for an app? See how we work on the mobile app development page, get a rough price in the calculator or fill out the short questionnaire and we’ll get back to you with a proposal.