Mobile app development cost in 2026 usually falls into three bands: $12,000–$25,000 for an MVP, $25,000–$60,000 for a full V1 and $60,000–$150,000+ for an enterprise app. An MVP takes about 4–7 weeks. An enterprise app can take 16–30 weeks.
Where your app lands depends on a few choices: one cross-platform app or two native apps, how much backend it needs, what it connects to, and how much testing it takes. Below we cover each one, what a React Native app costs, and what you pay to keep an app running after launch.
Mobile app development cost at a glance
| Stage | Typical cost | Timeline | What you get |
|---|---|---|---|
| MVP | $12,000–$25,000 | 4–7 weeks | One core flow, sign-up, a basic backend and one app for iPhone and Android |
| Full V1 | $25,000–$60,000 | 8–14 weeks | Several user types, payments or subscriptions, push notifications, an admin panel and analytics |
| Enterprise | $60,000–$150,000+ | 16–30 weeks | Single sign-on, CRM or HR integrations, audit logs, offline sync, security reviews and wider testing |
These ranges assume one cross-platform app built in React Native or Flutter, plus its backend. Two separate native apps cost more. We explain why below.
What you get at each stage
MVP: $12,000–$25,000, 4–7 weeks
An MVP (minimum viable product) is the smallest version of your app that real users can try. It does one job well, such as “book a class and pay for it”. It also has sign-up, a simple profile and a basic admin view. Everything else waits.
A quick test: if you can’t describe your MVP in one sentence, it’s probably a V1.
Full V1: $25,000–$60,000, 8–14 weeks
A V1 is the app you plan to grow with. It adds what paying users expect: subscriptions or in-app payments, push notifications and more than one type of user, such as customers and providers. It also has an admin panel your team can run without a developer, and analytics that show which features people use.
Enterprise: $60,000–$150,000+, 16–30 weeks
Enterprise apps plug into the systems a company already runs. Think single sign-on, CRM or HR data, role-based access and audit logs. Security reviews and sign-offs add time, because more people must approve each release.
What moves the cost of a mobile app
Platforms: one cross-platform app or two native apps
This is the biggest single choice. With React Native or Flutter, you write one codebase that runs on both iPhone and Android. With native development, you build one app in Swift for iOS and a second app in Kotlin for Android. That means two codebases and two rounds of testing for every change.
Here’s a simple way to see it. An app with 20 screens is about 20 screen builds in React Native. Built natively, it’s closer to 40, and both apps must be kept in step after launch. For most business apps, cross-platform is the better value. Native makes sense when the app leans hard on phone hardware or top-end graphics. Our React Native vs Flutter guide helps you pick between the two cross-platform options.
Backend and admin panel
The app on the phone is only half the build. Most apps also need a backend: the database, user accounts, file storage and the logic behind each screen. Most need a web admin panel too, so your team can manage users, content and refunds on its own.
We often build the backend on Supabase or Node.js. Supabase gives you login, a database and file storage out of the box, so less of your budget goes on plumbing.
Integrations
Every outside service adds work: payments, maps, calendars, a CRM, wearables or an AI model. In our experience, a well-documented service like Stripe can take a few days to connect. An older system with no public API can take weeks. Before you ask for a quote, list every service your app must talk to.
Offline mode
Some apps must work with no signal. Think field workers, travellers or gyms in basements. The app then has to save data on the phone and sync it later. The hard part is conflicts, such as two people editing the same record while offline. Only ask for offline mode on the screens where users truly need it.
Payments and subscriptions
Selling real-world goods or services, such as a product, a ride or a class, usually runs through a payment provider like Stripe. Selling digital content or features inside the app usually has to go through Apple’s and Google’s in-app purchase systems. The stores take a commission on those sales, typically 15% for smaller developers under Apple’s App Store Small Business Program and similar Google Play terms, and up to 30% otherwise. The rules differ by country and change often, so check the current terms before you set prices.
App store work
Getting into the stores takes real effort. You need screenshots for each device size, a store listing, privacy details (Apple’s privacy labels and Google’s Data safety form), test accounts for the reviewers and, often, a fix or two after a rejection. In our experience, it’s wise to leave about a week in the plan for the first release.
Testing on real devices
Simulators miss real-world bugs. A sensible starting set is two iPhones (one small screen, one large), three Android phones from different brands, and a phone on the oldest OS version you plan to support. That’s at least six devices to check before every release. More user types and more devices mean more testing hours.
Design
Using standard iOS and Android patterns costs less than a fully custom look with custom animations. If your brand matters, spend the custom design budget on the screens people see most, such as onboarding and the home screen.
How much does a React Native app cost?
A React Native app usually costs $12,000–$25,000 for an MVP and $25,000–$60,000 for a full V1. Enterprise apps start around $60,000. React Native is a framework from Meta that builds iPhone and Android apps from one JavaScript codebase. That shared codebase is why it usually costs less than two native apps.
A React Native app costs more when it needs custom native code. Common examples are Bluetooth or NFC hardware, background location tracking and heavy video processing. Each one needs extra code written in Swift and Kotlin, plus testing on real hardware.
What about Flutter? For the same scope, a Flutter app costs about the same. Choose the framework that fits your team and product, not the one with the lower quote. Our React Native vs Flutter comparison walks through that choice.
Cross-platform, native or a PWA?
| Option | Relative cost | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Cross-platform app (React Native or Flutter) | Usually the best value for iPhone and Android | Most business and consumer apps |
| Two native apps (Swift and Kotlin) | Highest: two codebases to build and maintain | Apps that lean on phone hardware or top-end graphics |
| Progressive web app (PWA) | Often the lowest | Tools people use in a browser that don’t need the app stores or deep phone features |
A PWA is a website that people can install on their phone like an app. It skips the app stores and their fees. The trade-off is weaker access to phone features, especially on iPhone. Learn more in our guide to progressive web app development.
What does a mobile app cost to run after launch?
The build isn’t the last bill. Plan for these running costs:
- Apple Developer Program: $99 per year to publish on the App Store (Apple Developer Program).
- Google Play developer account: a one-time $25 registration fee (Google Play Console help).
- Hosting and backend: database, storage and servers. Small apps often start on low-cost plans and grow with usage.
- Paid services: push notifications, maps, email, SMS and AI calls are often billed per use.
- Store commissions: only if you sell digital goods or subscriptions inside the app.
- Maintenance: bug fixes, security updates and changes for new iOS and Android versions.
Maintenance is the one founders forget. Apple and Google ship a major OS update every year. Google Play also requires apps to target a recent Android version before you can publish updates. Skip maintenance for a year, and you may not be able to ship an urgent fix when you need one. Our guide to the cost of maintaining an app breaks down each line item.
How long does it take to build a mobile app?
Plan for about 4–7 weeks for an MVP, 8–14 weeks for a full V1 and 16–30 weeks for an enterprise app. Time and cost move together, so every feature you add to the first release adds to both. For a step-by-step method, read our guide to estimating a mobile app development timeline.
Mobile apps we’ve built
A few of the apps our team has built and shipped:
- Abee Assistant (iOS): an enterprise AI assistant with secure access, CRM and HR integrations, and answers grounded in a company’s own documents. Read how we built Abee.
- Sakkar AI (Android and web): an AI research assistant that answers health questions from medical research sources.
- Stellar Sleep (iOS): a sleep app built around CBT-i, a structured method for improving sleep.
- Pulse Box: a smart NFC pill organizer with an app for dose tracking, reminders, label scanning and caregivers.
- Doggel (Android): a learning and training app.
See more of our work on the projects page.
How to get an accurate quote
You’ll get a tighter quote, with fewer surprises later, if you send a developer these five things:
- The one sentence your MVP must prove.
- A list of screens, even if they’re rough sketches on paper.
- Each type of user and what each one can do.
- Every outside service the app must connect to.
- The platforms you need (iOS, Android, web) and the oldest phones you must support.
If a quote comes back as one number with no breakdown, ask for it feature by feature. That’s where hidden scope shows up.
Planning a mobile app? Book a free 30-minute call and we’ll map your features to a stage, give you a cost and timeline range, and tell you whether React Native, Flutter or a PWA fits best. You can also read more about our mobile app development services.
Frequently asked questions
Most apps fall into three bands: $12,000–$25,000 for an MVP, $25,000–$60,000 for a full V1 and $60,000–$150,000+ for an enterprise app. Platforms, backend, integrations and testing decide where you land.
Usually $12,000–$25,000 for an MVP and $25,000–$60,000 for a full V1. One codebase covers iPhone and Android. Custom native features, such as Bluetooth or NFC, add to the cost.
Yes, in most cases. A cross-platform app built in React Native or Flutter shares one codebase, so screens and logic are built and tested once instead of twice.
Apple’s Developer Program costs $99 a year. A Google Play developer account costs $25, paid once. If you sell digital goods inside the app, the stores also take a commission, typically between 15% and 30%.
Store fees, hosting and backend, paid services like push notifications, maps or SMS, and maintenance. New iOS and Android versions arrive every year, so expect some update work even if you add no new features.
About 4–7 weeks for an MVP, 8–14 weeks for a full V1 and 16–30 weeks for an enterprise app.
