What a mobile app price depends on
"An app" can mean very different amounts of work. An app that shows information and a phone number is far lighter than one with logins, ordering and notifications. The table lists the factors that move the price. It has no numbers because they depend on the project; our starting price comes next.
| Factor | Price goes up when | Ask |
|---|---|---|
| Screens and features | More screens, more steps, more kinds of information to handle. | Which screens and features are in the price? |
| Logins | There is a login and several account types, such as customer, staff and owner. | What can each type of user see and do? |
| Data and server | The app has to keep orders, bookings or reports in one shared place. | Where does the data live and how is the server cost charged? |
| Payments and notifications | Payments inside the app, push notifications to customers' phones. | Which provider handles payments and who signs the contract? |
| Other software | A link to the sales, stock or accounting software you already use. | Which software must connect and is there a ready way to connect it? |
| Custom design | The look is made for your brand instead of a ready layout. | What is built for me and what is ready-made? |
What the $320 starting price covers and what changes it
The starting price for a mobile app is from $320. "From" means the lowest figure, for a small app. The final price is fixed in writing after a 30-minute call, once we know what the app has to do.
| Item | How it works |
|---|---|
| Platforms | The price from $320 is for one app that runs on both iPhone and Android. |
| Scope | Screens and features are listed in the quote. A bigger app costs more than the starting price. |
| See it before you pay | You see it running before you pay, and you see a new build every Friday. |
| App Store and Google Play | Who registers the accounts, the fees and the review wait are stated in the quote. |
| After launch | Bug fixes are free for 30 days. New features are quoted separately. |
| Code and accounts | In your name on delivery. |
Native vs cross-platform: what is the difference
These two words confuse many shop owners. In plain terms: native means two separate apps, one for iPhone and one for Android, each written with that system's own tools. Cross-platform means one app built from one shared codebase that runs on both.
| Point | Native | Cross-platform |
|---|---|---|
| How it is built | Two separate apps for iPhone and Android. | One shared codebase for both. |
| Effort | Built and fixed in two places, so usually more work. | Built and fixed once for both, so usually less work. |
| Phone features | Deepest access to everything the phone offers. | Enough for camera, notifications, location and most everyday needs. Very specialised features may need separate work. |
| Fits | Games, heavy graphics, apps that lean hard on sensors. | Ordering, booking, loyalty and staff reporting apps. |
Our starting price is for one app that runs on both iPhone and Android. If you think your app needs special phone features, say so on the first call so we can write the scope into the quote.
App Store and Google Play accounts
To appear on the App Store and Google Play you need a developer account with each store. These are Apple and Google fees, not part of building the app. We do not print figures here because they can change: check the current price on each official page.
- App Store (iPhone): needs an Apple Developer Program account, with a membership fee charged per year. An account in a company name needs business verification, and Apple may ask for a D-U-N-S number.
- Google Play (Android): needs a Google Play Console account, with a one-time registration fee. Google verifies identity, and the rules for new accounts change over time, so check the current requirements before you start.
- Both stores review an app before it goes live. The wait is not fixed, and an app can be sent back for changes and resubmitted.
- Apps that sell digital content or take payments inside the app follow each store's own rules, including the share the store takes. Ask first if your app is of this kind.
- The accounts should be in your name, because the app is tied to the account that publishes it. In the quote we state who registers, the fees and the review wait.
Costs after launch
Finishing the app is not the last cost. These items usually repeat or come up later:
- Store account fees: Apple charges per year, Google charges at registration. Check the current price on the official pages.
- A server and somewhere to keep data, if the app has logins, orders or notifications. This usually grows with use, and we state it in the quote.
- Updates when iPhone and Android release new system versions, so the app keeps working well.
- Bug fixes: free for 30 days after launch.
- New features: quoted separately.
What to prepare before asking for a price
Often, if customers only need to order or book, a website is enough and has a lower starting price: see the Web App Bundle and what a website costs. If you need notifications on the phone or staff reporting every day, an app fits better. The list below is enough to open the free 30-minute call.
- Who will use the app: customers, staff or you.
- The three to five main jobs the app must do, in plain words.
- One or two other apps that look like what you need.
- Whether it needs logins, payments and notifications.
- Where your data lives now: paper, a spreadsheet or software you already use.
- Whether it goes on the App Store and Google Play, and whether you already have developer accounts.
- The date you want the app live.