App development costs range from a few thousand dollars for a simple tool to hundreds of thousands for a complex app with many features

The real answer depends on what you're building, who builds it, and how polished it needs to be. A basic app with one platform (iOS or Android) and straightforward features costs less than a full-featured app that works on both platforms with backend servers, payment processing, and ongoing updates. A freelancer or small team building a straightforward app might charge $15,000 to $50,000. A larger agency building something more complex often charges $100,000 to $500,000 or more. These are not fixed prices — they move based on your specific requirements, the experience level of the people building it, and where they're located.

The cost also changes depending on whether you're hiring someone to build it from scratch or using a no-code platform where you assemble pre-built pieces yourself. No-code tools cost far less upfront but limit what you can build. Custom development costs more but gives you exactly what you want.

Key Takeaways

  • A simple single-platform app typically costs $15,000 to $50,000 when built by a freelancer or small team, while a complex multi-platform app with backend systems can cost $100,000 to $500,000 or more.
  • Building for both iOS and Android roughly doubles your cost compared to building for one platform, because the code is different for each.
  • No-code platforms like Flutterflow or Bubble let you build an app for $1,000 to $10,000 but limit the complexity and customization you can achieve.
  • Ongoing costs after launch — hosting, updates, bug fixes, and new features — often run 15 to 30 percent of the original development cost per year.
  • The location and experience level of your developer matters significantly; a developer in India or Eastern Europe typically charges less than one in North America or Western Europe for the same work.

What changes the price: scope and platform

The biggest cost driver is scope — how many features your app has and how complex each one is. An app that shows a list of items and lets users tap to see details costs far less than an app that tracks real-time location, processes payments, connects to multiple third-party services, and stores data on a backend server.

The second major factor is platform. Building for iOS only, or Android only, costs less than building for both. If you build natively (using Swift for iOS or Kotlin for Android), you write the code twice — once for each platform. If you use a cross-platform framework like React Native or Flutter, you write the code once and it runs on both, which saves money but sometimes limits performance or design polish. Most developers charge 30 to 50 percent more to support both platforms than to support one.

A third factor is the backend — the servers and databases that store your app's data and handle complex logic. An app that works entirely on the user's phone costs less than one that syncs data to the cloud, authenticates users, or processes payments. Backend work adds $10,000 to $50,000 or more depending on complexity.

Hiring a freelancer versus an agency

Freelancers and small teams typically charge $50 to $150 per hour, though rates vary widely by location and experience. A straightforward app might take 200 to 400 hours, putting the total at $10,000 to $60,000. Larger agencies charge $100 to $300 per hour or more, and they often have higher minimum project sizes — sometimes $50,000 or $100,000 to start.

Freelancers move faster on small projects and cost less upfront, but they may have less capacity to handle unexpected problems or to maintain the app after launch. Agencies have more resources, can handle larger projects, and often provide ongoing support, but they cost more and may move slower on simple work.

Where your developer is located affects price significantly. Developers in countries with lower costs of living — India, the Philippines, Eastern Europe, Latin America — often charge $20 to $60 per hour for solid work. Developers in North America, Western Europe, or Australia typically charge $80 to $200 per hour. The quality varies within each region, so location alone does not determine quality, but it does affect what you pay.

No-code and low-code platforms

If you want to build an app without hiring a developer, no-code platforms let you assemble features visually instead of writing code. Tools like Flutterflow, Bubble, Adalo, and AppGyver let you design screens, connect data, and publish to app stores with little or no coding knowledge. The upfront cost is much lower — often $1,000 to $10,000 total, sometimes just your time if you build it yourself.

The tradeoff is that no-code platforms limit what you can build. They work well for straightforward apps: a directory, a booking system, a simple marketplace, a note-taking tool. They struggle with apps that need custom animations, complex real-time features, or tight integration with hardware like cameras or sensors. If your idea fits within what a no-code platform can do, it's a fast and cheap way to test whether people want it. If you need something more custom, you'll eventually need a developer.

Costs after launch: hosting, updates, and maintenance

Development cost is only the beginning. After your app launches, you'll pay for hosting (if you have a backend), app store fees, and ongoing work to fix bugs and add features.

App store fees are straightforward: Apple charges a 30 percent commission on in-app purchases and subscriptions (15 percent if you're a small business or nonprofit). Google Play charges 30 percent as well, though the rate drops to 15 percent on subscriptions after the first year. If your app is free and has no in-app purchases, there's no commission, but you still pay to host it.

Hosting and backend costs depend on how many users you have and how much data they generate. A small app with a few hundred users might cost $20 to $100 per month. A larger app with thousands of users can cost $500 to $5,000 per month or more. Services like Firebase, AWS, or Heroku charge based on usage, so costs scale as your app grows.

Ongoing development — bug fixes, performance improvements, new features, and keeping up with iOS and Android updates — typically runs 15 to 30 percent of your original development cost per year. If you paid $50,000 to build your app, expect to spend $7,500 to $15,000 per year on maintenance and improvements. Some developers include a few months of free support after launch, but ongoing work is usually billed separately.

Breaking down a real example

Say you want to build a simple app that lets users browse a list of local restaurants, see details and photos, and make reservations. It needs to work on both iOS and Android, pull restaurant data from a backend, and send confirmation emails.

A freelancer or small team might estimate this at 300 to 400 hours of work: 100 hours for iOS design and development, 100 hours for Android, 80 hours for the backend and database, 40 hours for testing and bug fixes, and 20 hours for app store submission and documentation. At $75 per hour, that's $22,500 to $30,000. At $120 per hour, it's $36,000 to $48,000. An agency might quote $50,000 to $80,000 for the same project because they have higher overhead and may include project management, design, and ongoing support.

After launch, you'd pay roughly $50 to $200 per month for backend hosting, depending on traffic. If you want to add features or fix bugs, that's additional hourly work. If the app grows and you need to scale the backend, hosting costs rise.

Questions to ask before you get a quote

Before you talk to a developer, clarify what you actually need. Vague ideas lead to vague quotes and surprises later. Write down the core features your app must have at launch, which features are nice-to-have but not essential, and which platform matters most (iOS, Android, or both). Decide whether you need a backend or whether the app can work entirely on the user's phone. Know whether you need payment processing, user accounts, or real-time data syncing — each adds cost.

Ask potential developers whether their quote includes design, testing, app store submission, and how many rounds of changes are included. Ask what happens after launch: do they fix bugs for free, and for how long? What do they charge for new features or updates? Will they be available to support the app, or will you need to hire someone else?

Get quotes from at least two or three developers or agencies. Compare not just the price but what's included, how long it will take, and what support you get afterward. The cheapest quote is not always the best — a developer who underestimates the work may cut corners or disappear after launch.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I build an app for under $5,000?

Yes, if you use a no-code platform and build it yourself, or if you hire a freelancer in a low-cost region for a very simple app. A basic app with one or two features might cost $2,000 to $5,000. Custom development from a professional developer typically starts higher because of the time involved.

Why does building for both iOS and Android cost so much more?

If you build natively, you write the code twice — once for iOS using Swift, once for Android using Kotlin — so you roughly double the development time. Cross-platform frameworks like React Native reduce this, but they still require testing and tweaking on both platforms, so the savings are usually 20 to 40 percent, not 50 percent.

What's included in the development cost?

It varies by developer. Some quotes include design, testing, and app store submission. Others charge separately for design or testing. Always ask whether the quote covers bug fixes after launch, how many rounds of changes you get, and what happens if you want to add features later.

How long does it take to build an app?

A simple app takes 2 to 3 months. A moderately complex app takes 4 to 6 months. A large, complex app can take 9 months to a year or more. Timeline depends on scope, how clear your requirements are, and how quickly you provide feedback during development.

Do I need to pay anything to launch on the App Store or Google Play?

Yes. Apple charges $99 per year for a developer account. Google charges a one-time $25 fee. Both take a percentage of any in-app purchases or subscriptions. These are separate from your development costs.