The honest answer to app development cost: a simple business app typically runs $15,000–$60,000 (£12,000–£48,000), a medium-complexity app $60,000–$150,000, and complex platforms $150,000+. But those headline ranges hide the two facts that matter most — cross-platform development trims 30–40% off the bill, and a disciplined MVP can validate your idea for a fraction of the “full app” price. This guide breaks down where the money actually goes.
Ranges reflect typical 2026 agency rates. As always: a real quote requires a real scope, and anyone who prices your app without asking questions is guessing with your money.
| App type | Typical cost (US) | Typical cost (UK) | Timeline |
|---|---|---|---|
| MVP (core feature only) | $10,000–$40,000 | £8,000–£32,000 | 6–12 weeks |
| Simple app (bookings, content, loyalty) | $15,000–$60,000 | £12,000–£48,000 | 2–4 months |
| Medium app (payments, accounts, APIs) | $60,000–$150,000 | £48,000–£120,000 | 4–8 months |
| Complex platform (marketplace, social, real-time) | $150,000–$300,000+ | £120,000–£240,000+ | 8–18 months |
| Yearly maintenance (any app) | 15–20% of the build cost | Ongoing | |
01What actually drives app development cost
Apps are priced in engineering hours, and five things multiply the hours:
- Feature count and complexity. Every screen, user role, and integration is designed, built, and tested. “Like Uber, but simpler” still means accounts, payments, maps, and notifications — four expensive words.
- Backend requirements. Apps that store data, sync between users, or process payments need a server side that users never see and budgets always feel.
- Design ambition. Standard components cost less; custom-branded, animated interfaces cost more. Both can be right — it is a positioning decision.
- Platform strategy. One codebase for iOS and Android (React Native or Flutter) versus two native builds is the single biggest cost lever — typically a 30–40% saving.
- Who builds it. Offshore rates start around $25/hour; senior US/UK agency talent runs $100–$200/hour. Price usually tracks reliability, communication, and what happens after launch.
02The cross-platform decision: where most budgets are won
Unless your app leans on deep platform-specific hardware, building once with React Native or Flutter and shipping to both stores is the default smart choice: one team, one codebase, one test cycle, near-simultaneous launch. That is where the 30–40% saving comes from — and why we scope cross-platform first for most clients.
Choosing between the two frameworks matters less than choosing the approach — we compared them honestly in React Native vs Flutter.
“The most expensive feature in any app is the one nobody uses. Half of app budgeting is deciding what not to build yet.”
— Our mobile team’s first rule of scoping
03The MVP route: validate before you invest
An MVP — minimum viable product — is your app reduced to the one feature that proves the idea. Real users, real feedback, real data, at $10,000–$40,000 instead of six figures. Then you invest in version two based on evidence rather than assumptions.
The discipline is in the “minimum”: one core journey, standard components, analytics from day one, and a launch date measured in weeks. Almost every successful app you use today started narrower than its founders wanted.
04The ongoing costs nobody puts in the pitch deck
The build is the entry ticket. A live app carries running costs that deserve a line in your budget from day one:
- ✓ Maintenance & updates — 15–20% of build cost per year (OS updates, fixes, small improvements)
- ✓ Developer accounts — Apple $99/year, Google Play $25 one-time
- ✓ Servers & infrastructure — from ~$50/month for small apps, scaling with users
- ✓ Third-party services — payments, maps, notifications, analytics fees
- ✓ Marketing — the app store is a warehouse, not a shop window; budget for launch and acquisition
05App builders and $5,000 quotes: when cheap works and when it bites
No-code app builders ($50–$300/month) genuinely work for simple internal tools and content apps — if your needs fit their templates, use them proudly. The trouble starts when a template product is sold as custom development: five-figure ideas quoted at $5,000 get delivered as fragile template apps with your logo, no source-code ownership, and a rebuild bill twelve months later.
The test is the same as everywhere in this industry: ask who owns the code, what happens when you leave, and what exactly is included. Vague answers are your answer.
App design at Tiyan starts from $299 — a designed, clickable concept of your app before you commit to a development budget — and full builds are quoted on a fixed, itemised scope at rates deliberately below comparable full-service agencies. Design first, decide with evidence, then build.
So what should you budget?
For most businesses: plan around $15,000–$60,000 for a well-built first app (or $10,000–$40,000 for a disciplined MVP), go cross-platform unless you can name the reason not to, and reserve 15–20% per year for keeping it alive and improving. If a quote is dramatically below those ranges, you are usually buying a template or a problem.
Want a real number for your idea? Bring us the concept — tell us what you’re building — our mobile app team will map an honest scope and price for it by the next working day — including a straight answer on whether an MVP could get you there for less. If a no-code tool would honestly serve you better, we’ll say that too.
App development cost FAQs
How much does it cost to make an app for a small business?
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Why does it cost so much to build an app?
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