The Short Answer
There is no single price for a mobile app, because the price follows the scope. A focused app with a handful of screens and no accounts sits at the low end. An app with user accounts, payments, a backend and an admin panel costs several times more. As a reference, our own mobile projects start at $2,000 for a focused app with a defined scope, and a feature-rich app with user accounts, complex API integration and multi-screen flows typically falls between $5,000 and $18,000. Quotes from other providers can be much lower or much higher, usually because they describe a different scope.
What Actually Drives the Price
- Number of screens and flows. Every screen has to be designed, built and tested on several device sizes. Onboarding, search, checkout and settings are each a flow of their own.
- User accounts. Sign-up, login, password reset, social sign-in and profile management add real work, plus the security that goes with storing user data.
- A backend. If the app stores data that users share or that must survive a lost phone, it needs a server, a database and an API. This is often as much work as the app itself.
- Payments and subscriptions. In-app purchases follow store rules and need careful testing. Selling physical goods or services uses a payment gateway instead.
- Integrations. Maps, push notifications, analytics, a CRM, a booking system or an existing website each add time.
- An admin panel. Someone has to manage content, users and orders. That is usually a separate web application.
- Offline support and syncing. Working without a connection and syncing later is one of the more complex features to get right.
- Design depth. A clean interface built from standard components costs less than custom illustration and animation.
One Codebase or Two?
Building separate native apps for iOS and Android means paying for two builds. Cross-platform frameworks such as React Native and Flutter cover both from one codebase, which is why most business apps are built that way today. The trade-offs are covered in Flutter vs React Native.
Costs People Forget
- Store accounts. The Apple Developer Program costs 99 USD per year, and a Google Play developer account has a one-time 25 USD registration fee. See Apple's enrollment page and Google's developer account help for current terms. Register both in your own company's name.
- Store commission. Apple and Google take a share of digital goods and subscriptions sold inside the app. Check each store's current commission terms before you set prices.
- Hosting and services. The backend, database, file storage, push notifications and any third-party APIs are billed monthly and grow with usage.
- Maintenance. Apple and Google release new operating system versions every year, and the stores periodically raise their technical requirements. An app that is not updated eventually breaks or is removed. Budget for ongoing maintenance from the start.
- Getting users. Publishing an app does not bring downloads. Store listing work and marketing are a separate budget.
How to Lower the Cost Without Lowering Quality
- Launch a first version with one core job. Cut every feature that is not needed to prove the idea. Add the rest once real users ask for it.
- Start on one platform if your audience is clearly on one, then expand.
- Use proven services for login, notifications and payments instead of building them.
- Arrive with a written scope. A list of screens and what each one does produces a far more accurate quote than a one-line idea.
- Ask whether you need an app at all. If customers use it rarely, a fast mobile website often does the same job for less, with no store approval.
How to Compare App Quotes
Put every quote into the same checklist: which platforms, how many screens, is the backend included, is the admin panel included, who handles store submission, how long is the bug-fix period after launch, and who owns the source code and developer accounts. The cheapest quote usually leaves several of those lines blank. Our guide on how to choose a development agency lists more questions worth asking.
How Long It Takes
Time follows the same drivers as cost. Store review is a separate step: Apple typically reviews standard submissions within one to three business days, and first submissions or apps with in-app purchases can take longer. Plan the launch date with that buffer.
Where to Go From Here
Kodevengers builds cross-platform apps with React Native and handles store submission end to end. Our mobile app development service lists what is included, and you can see apps we have published. If you have a list of screens, or only a rough idea, send it to us and we will tell you what it would take, including whether a website would serve you better.