Cost guide background for Mobile App Development

Mobile App Development Cost Guide

Transparent pricing breakdown and factors affecting your project investment

Quick Summary

Mobile app development costs vary dramatically by complexity, platform, and features. Simple apps with basic functionality cost $40,000–$80,000. Medium-complexity apps with custom UI and integrations cost $80,000–$150,000. Complex apps with advanced features (AI, AR, real-time sync) exceed $200,000. Cross-platform development (React Native/Flutter) costs 30-40% less than building separate native iOS and Android apps.

Pricing Tiers

Simple

$40,000 - $80,000

2-3 months

Basic features, minimal customization, standard design

Cost Breakdown

UI/UX Design

15-20%

App design, user flows, prototyping, animations, design system

Frontend Development

30-40%

UI implementation, navigation, state management, offline support

Backend Development

25-35%

API, database, authentication, push notifications, business logic

Testing & QA

15-20%

Device testing, automated tests, performance optimization, bug fixes

App Store Submission

5-10%

App store optimization, assets, submission, review handling

Factors Affecting Cost

Platform Choice: Native vs Cross-Platform

High Impact

Native iOS + Android separately: $120,000–$400,000. Cross-platform (React Native/Flutter): $80,000–$250,000. Web app wrapper (cheapest): $40,000–$100,000 but limited features.

Backend Requirements

High Impact

Firebase (managed backend): +$10,000–$30,000. Custom backend with complex logic: +$40,000–$100,000. Real-time features (chat, live updates): +$20,000–$60,000.

Authentication & Security

Medium Impact

Basic email/password: $3,000–$8,000. Social logins (Google, Apple, Facebook): +$2,000 each. Biometric authentication: +$5,000–$10,000. Enterprise SSO: +$15,000–$30,000.

Payment Integration

Medium Impact

Simple checkout with Stripe/PayPal: $5,000–$12,000. Subscription billing with trials: +$8,000–$15,000. Multi-currency and complex pricing: +$12,000–$25,000.

Device Hardware Integration

High Impact

Camera, GPS, Bluetooth, NFC, sensors. Each hardware feature adds $3,000–$15,000. AR features: +$30,000–$80,000. IoT device integration: +$25,000–$60,000.

Offline Functionality

Medium Impact

Full offline mode with sync adds 20-30% to development time. Data caching strategy, conflict resolution, and background sync required.

Pricing Models

Native Development (iOS + Android)

Separate codebases for iOS (Swift) and Android (Kotlin). Best performance and native feel.

Best For:

Apps requiring maximum performance or platform-specific features

$120,000–$400,000 (both platforms)

Cross-Platform (React Native/Flutter)

Single codebase for both iOS and Android. 60-70% code reuse.

Best For:

Most business apps, MVPs, apps without heavy hardware needs

$70,000–$250,000 (both platforms)

Hybrid (Ionic/Cordova)

Web app wrapped in native container. Cheapest but performance limitations.

Best For:

Simple apps, content-focused apps, tight budgets

$40,000–$120,000

Progressive Web App (PWA)

Advanced web app with app-like features. No app store required.

Best For:

Apps not requiring app store presence or native features

$30,000–$100,000

Hourly / Time & Materials (Codexty)

Pay for actual hours worked. Flexible for any app scope.

Best For:

Evolving requirements, MVPs, or phased mobile development

$25/hour

Hidden Costs to Consider

•Apple Developer Account ($99/year)
•Google Play Developer Account ($25 one-time)
•Push notification services (Firebase free tier, then $0.50 per 100K sends)
•App analytics (Mixpanel $25–$999/month, Amplitude $0–$2,000/month)
•Backend hosting (AWS/Firebase: $100–$2,000/month based on users)
•App updates and maintenance (20% of initial cost per year)
•Security certificates and compliance ($1,000–$15,000/year)
•Customer support infrastructure ($500–$3,000/month)

Project Timeline

Requirements & Design

3-4 weeks

15-20% of total cost

Frontend Development

8-12 weeks

30-40% of total cost

Backend Development

6-10 weeks

25-35% of total cost

Testing & Refinement

3-4 weeks

15-20% of total cost

Deployment & Launch

1-2 weeks

5-10% of total cost

Compare Options

Native iOS + Android

$120,000–$400,000

Pros:

+ Best performance
+ Full access to platform features
+ Native user experience

Cons:

− Most expensive option
− Duplicate work for both platforms
− Requires two specialized teams

React Native / Flutter

$70,000–$250,000

Pros:

+ Single codebase for both platforms
+ Good performance
+ Faster time to market

Cons:

− Some platform-specific code needed
− Slightly larger app size
− May lag behind latest OS features

Progressive Web App

$30,000–$100,000

Pros:

+ Lowest cost
+ No app store approval needed
+ Easy updates

Cons:

− Limited native features
− Requires internet connection
− Less discoverable than app stores

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