Typical mobile app development cost ranges
For a mobile product built by a US agency, the common tiers are $25,000–$60,000 for a simple app, $60,000–$150,000 for mid-complexity and $150,000–$400,000+ for complex products. Those ranges assume one platform plus the backend and admin tools the app needs; a cross-platform codebase covering iOS and Android typically adds 10–15%.
| Tier | Example apps | Typical cost |
|---|---|---|
| Simple | Booking app for a single business, event companion app, internal field checklist | $25,000–$60,000 |
| Mid-complexity | Subscription fitness app, loyalty and ordering app, B2B sales companion with CRM sync | $60,000–$150,000 |
| Complex | Two-sided marketplace, telehealth with video, logistics app with live tracking and offline mode | $150,000–$400,000+ |
These are planning estimates, not quotes. Compliance requirements, number of user roles and the depth of integrations usually decide whether a project sits at the low or high end of its tier.
Native vs cross-platform: the cost comparison
Native development means separate Swift and Kotlin codebases. Cross-platform development with Flutter or React Native shares most of the interface and business logic. The backend, API design, UX research and project management cost roughly the same in every approach, which is why the savings from sharing client code are meaningful but not dramatic.
| Approach | Typical cost | Timeline | Trade-offs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Single native app (iOS or Android) | $60,000–$150,000 | 4–6 months | Best platform fit; second platform comes later at extra cost |
| Two native apps | $95,000–$250,000 | 5–8 months | Full OS access and performance; two teams, two codebases to maintain |
| One cross-platform app (Flutter or React Native) | $70,000–$170,000 | 4–6 months | Shared UI and logic; native modules still needed for some device features |
| Progressive web app | $50,000–$120,000 | 3–5 months | No store review; limited background work and hardware access on iOS |
Our cross-platform development approach works well when both platforms need the same features at launch. When an app leans hard on hardware, platform widgets or advanced background processing, two native apps can end up cheaper to maintain. For the decision factors beyond cost, see our native vs cross-platform breakdown.
Mobile features that move the budget
Some features are almost free on the web and expensive on a phone, mostly because of permissions, battery limits and OS background rules.
| Feature | Typical added cost | Why it costs what it does |
|---|---|---|
| Push notifications with deep links | $2,000–$6,000 | APNs and FCM setup, permission prompts, routing into the right screen |
| Camera, scanning or image capture | $4,000–$15,000 | Permissions, compression, upload retries, barcode or document scanning |
| Background location and geofencing | $8,000–$20,000 | OS limits on background work, battery tuning, extra store review scrutiny |
| Bluetooth or wearable connectivity | $10,000–$35,000 | Pairing flows, connection drops, firmware versions, hardware testing |
| Offline mode and sync | $8,000–$25,000 | Local database, conflict rules, sync status in the UI |
| In-app purchases and subscriptions | $5,000–$15,000 | StoreKit and Play Billing, receipt validation, restore flows |
Three example mobile budgets
- Restaurant loyalty app, cross-platform: menu, ordering, points and push offers on a managed backend. Typically $55,000–$90,000 over 3–5 months.
- Field service app, Android first: job lists, photo capture, offline forms and sync to an existing work order system. Typically $70,000–$130,000, with integration quality as the main swing factor.
- Connected fitness app, two native apps: Bluetooth sensors, HealthKit and Health Connect, subscriptions and Apple Watch support. Typically $180,000–$350,000 because most of the scope lives close to the hardware.
Notice that the third example chooses native despite the higher cost. When hardware and OS integrations dominate, cross-platform savings shrink and two native codebases are often easier to maintain.
Team composition and timeline for a mobile build
A typical mid-complexity mobile team includes a product manager, a designer, one or two mobile engineers per platform (or two cross-platform engineers), a backend engineer and a QA engineer. US agency rates for that mix usually blend to $100–$200 per hour.
| Role | Two native apps | One cross-platform app | Typical US rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| iOS engineer (Swift) | 1–2 | Shared with Android via Flutter or React Native | $130–$200/hr |
| Android engineer (Kotlin) | 1–2 | Shared with iOS | $110–$190/hr |
| Cross-platform engineer | None | 2–3 | $110–$190/hr |
| Backend engineer | 1 | 1 | $110–$200/hr |
| UX/UI designer | 1 (two platform variants) | 1 (one system, small adaptations) | $100–$170/hr |
| QA engineer | 1–2 | 1 | $80–$130/hr |
| Product or project manager | Part-time | Part-time | $110–$170/hr |
The staffing difference explains most of the savings. Cross-platform teams have fewer client engineers and one design system, but backend, QA planning and management stay roughly the same size.
| Stage | Duration | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Discovery | 2–4 weeks | User flows, architecture, store and policy review, ranged estimate |
| UX and UI design | 3–6 weeks | Overlaps with early backend work |
| Development sprints | 10–18 weeks | Two-week sprints with a testable build at the end of each |
| QA, beta and hardening | 3–5 weeks | TestFlight and Play closed testing, device matrix, crash fixes |
| Store submission and launch | 1–2 weeks | Review timing varies; rejections add days |
Ongoing mobile costs
Apple and Google each ship a major OS release every year, and both stores raise their minimum SDK requirements on a schedule. Those changes are the main reason mobile maintenance is not optional.
- Maintenance: typically 15–20% of the build cost per year across both platforms.
- Apple Developer Program: $99 per year. Google Play developer account: $25 one-time.
- Store commissions: 15–30% on in-app digital goods and subscriptions.
- Backend hosting: often $50–$500 per month early, rising with users, media and real-time traffic.
- Crash reporting, analytics and push services: free tiers exist, but paid plans are common past early traction.
Two native apps carry two maintenance streams, so their yearly upkeep lands toward the top of the 15–20% range. A single cross-platform codebase usually sits lower, although native modules and plugin upgrades still need attention after every major OS release.
Hidden costs specific to mobile
- Store rejections. A rejected build costs a review cycle plus the fix; privacy disclosures and login requirements are common triggers.
- Device testing. Real-device coverage across screen sizes and OS versions takes time, or a paid device cloud.
- Forced upgrade paths. You need a way to retire old app versions when an API changes, and that logic should exist before launch.
- Release overhead. Every release goes through build signing, store metadata and staged rollout on two platforms.
- Platform-specific bugs. Even with a shared codebase, some defects appear on only one OS and need separate fixes.
Each platform adds its own line items. Read our guides on iOS-specific cost factors such as the Apple device matrix and App Store review, and on Android budget considerations such as fragmentation and Play policy updates.
Ways to lower mobile costs without hurting quality
- Launch on the platform your users already favor, or use a cross-platform codebase if you need both on day one.
- Keep heavy logic on the server so that business rule changes do not require a store release.
- Use remote configuration and feature flags to change behavior without resubmitting builds.
- Automate builds and store uploads early; manual release steps cost hours on every update.
How we estimate a mobile project
Discovery is where we decide the platform approach, list device features and check store policies that affect your scope. You then receive a ranged estimate with stated assumptions, broken down by platform, feature and phase.
Clear, stable scopes fit fixed price; evolving products fit time and materials or a dedicated team. Compare them on our engagement models page, then share your feature list for a mobile estimate.