Mobile apps
How much does a mobile app cost in 2026?
Most app projects reviewed on Clutch in 2026 cost between $10,000 and $49,999, while the average comes to about $90,800 because a few large projects pull it up. Netguru's 2026 guide puts a simple app at $15,000 to $50,000, a moderately complex one at $50,000 to $150,000 and a complex one above $150,000, at US-market rates. On top of the build come the store fees ($99 a year for Apple, $25 once for Google), servers and yearly maintenance of about 15 to 20% of the build cost.
Contents
Key points
- Most app projects on Clutch cost $10,000 to $49,999; the average, about $90,800, is pulled up by a few large projects.
- Where the team is based changes the price: Netguru lists senior developers at $160–$220 an hour in the US and $80–$120 in Eastern Europe.
- One app for iPhone and Android, built once in React Native or Flutter, costs 60–75% of two separate native apps.
- Apple charges $99 a year for a developer account, Google Play $25 once; yearly maintenance is about 15–20% of the build.
The price of a mobile app is set once you know what the app does, not before. Below are the published 2026 ranges, what makes them go up and the costs that come after launch.
What it costs: the 2026 ranges
| Kind of app | Typical price | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Simple: a few screens, content, no accounts | $15,000–$50,000 | Netguru, US-market rates |
| Moderately complex: accounts, payments, an admin panel | $50,000–$150,000 | Netguru |
| Complex: many roles, integrations, real-time features | $150,000–$300,000 and up | Netguru |
| The most common bracket for projects reviewed on Clutch | $10,000–$49,999 | Clutch, September 2026 |
| The average project on Clutch | About $90,800 | Clutch |
The two sources measure different things. Netguru's ranges are estimates at US-market rates; Clutch's figures come from projects reviewed on its platform, where many companies charge $25 to $49 an hour. Both agree that price grows with the number of flows, roles and integrations, not with the number of screens.
Where the team is based
Hourly rates explain much of the gap between quotes. Netguru's 2026 guide lists these blended rates for senior developers:
| Region | Senior developer, per hour |
|---|---|
| US and Canada | $160–$220 |
| Western Europe | $130–$180 |
| Eastern Europe | $80–$120 |
| Asia | $50–$75 |
A lower rate doesn't always mean a lower total: what counts is how many hours the team needs and how much has to be redone. Ask for quotes based on the same written description, and look at apps each team has already published.
What drives the price up
Accounts and roles. An app without accounts is far simpler than one where the customer, the employee and the administrator each see different things.
The server and admin panel. Almost every app with orders, bookings or a loyalty card needs a server, a database and a panel where you see what's happening. They're often half the work.
Payments. In-app payment, by card or with Apple Pay and Google Pay, adds a payment processor, error cases and the stores' rules.
Notifications. Push messages (your order is ready, your appointment is coming up) need a server that sends them and rules for who gets them.
Connections to other software. Invoicing, CRM, point of sale, inventory. Each connection has to be built and tested.
Phone features. The camera, code scanning, location, a Bluetooth connection to a device.
One platform or two. An app for iPhone and Android built once, in React Native or Flutter, costs 60–75% of two separate native apps, according to Netguru's guide updated in August 2026. For most businesses the shared approach is the right one; we build in React Native.
The costs after launch
| Cost | How much | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Apple Developer account | $99 a year | If you don't renew, the app is removed from the App Store |
| Google Play account | $25 once | |
| Server and database | Monthly, by usage | For apps with accounts, orders or notifications |
| Text messages, maps, payments | By usage | The fees of the services the app uses |
| Maintenance | 15–20% of the build cost per year | Netguru's estimate |
Part of the maintenance isn't optional. Google Play requires new apps and updates to target recent Android versions: from 31 August 2026, Android 16 or newer. Apps left on old versions stop appearing for users with newer phones. Apple likewise requires new apps and updates to be built with recent versions of its tools.
Publishing on the App Store and Google Play
- The company account. For an organisation account, Apple requires a D-U-N-S number (a free international business identifier from Dun & Bradstreet), an email address on the company's domain and a public website on that domain. Getting the number can take from a few days to a few weeks, so request it early.
- Apple's review. Apple says it reviews at least 50% of submissions within 24 hours and 90% within 48 hours.
- Google's testing rule. Google Play personal accounts created after 13 November 2023 must test an app with at least 12 testers for 14 days in a row before they can publish it. Organisation accounts don't have this requirement.
How to keep the price under control
- Start with a small first version. The main flow (ordering, booking, the loyalty card) and nothing more. Add the rest once you see how customers use it.
- Describe flows, not just screens. "The customer orders, the kitchen receives it, the customer is notified" says more than a list of screens and leads to a more accurate quote.
- Reuse what you have. If you already have a website or web app, the mobile app can use the same server and accounts.
- Get every quote on the same description. Otherwise you're comparing different apps.
When you don't need a mobile app
If customers use your service rarely, find you on Google or have no reason to keep an app on their phone, a web app does the same job in the browser, with no install and no store fees. A mobile app is worth it when customers come back often: repeat orders, a loyalty card, monthly bookings, notifications they want.
What an app built by us includes, from design to publishing in the stores, is on our mobile apps page.
Questions
Why do estimates for the same app vary so much?
Because 'simple app' means different things to different companies. The real price depends on how many screens and flows the app has, whether it has accounts, payments, notifications and its own server, and whether it's built once for both platforms or separately for each.
How much does it cost to publish an app on the App Store and Google Play?
Apple charges $99 a year for a developer account; if you don't renew, your apps are removed from the App Store. Google Play charges a one-time $25. For a company account, Apple requires a D-U-N-S number, which is free to get.
Is it cheaper to build for only Android or only iPhone?
One platform costs less than two native apps. With React Native or Flutter, though, both platforms usually cost 1.3 to 1.5 times a single native app, not twice as much, so the difference is smaller than it looks.
How long does it take to build an app?
Clutch puts the typical app project at about 11 months, while a focused first version can be ready much sooner. Publishing adds Apple's review (at least 50% of apps reviewed within 24 hours, 90% within 48) and, for new personal Google Play accounts, 14 days of testing with at least 12 testers.
Do I need a mobile app or is a web app enough?
If customers come back often and would use notifications, a loyalty card or quick ordering, a mobile app is worth it. If they visit rarely or find you on Google, a web app costs less and doesn't need to be installed.
Sources
- Mobile App Pricing Guide 2026, Clutch
- Mobile App Development Cost: 2026 Complete Guide, Netguru
- Apple Developer Program: enrollment, Apple
- App Review, Apple
- App testing requirements for new personal developer accounts, Google Play Console Help
- Target API level requirements for Google Play apps, Google Play Console Help