How much does it cost to develop an app in 2026?

A simple app or MVP typically runs $25,000 to $60,000, a medium-complexity app with a custom backend and integrations $60,000 to $150,000, and a complex app with real-time, AI, or heavy custom logic $150,000 and up. The final number depends on platform, the number of screens, the feature set, and design ambition - not on any single factor.

Is it cheaper to build for one platform or both?

Building for one platform - just iOS or just Android - is the leanest path. Two separate native apps roughly run 1.6 to 1.8x the cost of a single native platform, because you are building the front end twice. A cross-platform build with React Native or Flutter ships to both stores from one codebase, so you reach both stores for far less than two native apps, with only a small trade-off on the most platform-specific features.

What features add the most to app cost?

The biggest line items are usually a custom backend and APIs, payments and subscriptions, real-time features like chat or live data, and AI or ML features. Accounts and login, maps and location, an admin dashboard, and third-party integrations each add on top because they are real, separate work. A read-only app with a handful of screens sits at the low end; stack several of these features and the cost climbs quickly.

How much does an MVP app cost?

A minimum viable product - the core flow on one platform or cross-platform, with standard features and a small set of screens - typically costs $25,000 to $60,000. The point of an MVP is to ship the essential flow, learn from real usage, and fund the next features from what you learn, rather than building the full vision before a single user has touched the app.

What are the ongoing costs of an app?

Plan for roughly 15 to 20% of the build cost per year for maintenance, OS and library updates, bug fixes, and new features. On top of that sit the app store fees - $99 a year for the Apple Developer Program and a one-time $25 for Google Play - plus hosting and backend infrastructure, which scale with your user base, and any third-party services you depend on.

How long does it take to build an app?

A simple app or MVP usually takes around 2 to 4 months, a medium-complexity app 4 to 8 months, and a complex app 8 months or more. Timeline tracks scope: more screens, a custom backend, and features like real-time or AI all add design and build time. Shipping an MVP first is the fastest way to get something real in front of users.

Guide · App Pricing

How much does it cost to develop an app? A 2026 breakdown.

The honest answer is a range: a simple app runs about $25k to $60k, while a complex one can pass $150k. This guide explains the drivers behind those numbers - platform, scope, features, and the choices that move the final figure - so you can set a realistic budget before you brief a studio.

Typical US ranges
Updated for 2026
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The short answer

App development cost at a glance

App cost is not one number - it is a stack of decisions. The ranges below are typical US studio and agency prices for a custom build. Treat them as a starting point; your exact platform, feature set, and design ambition move the final figure.

Most apps fall into one of three tiers. A simple app or MVP - a handful of screens and standard features - sits at the low end. A medium-complexity app with a custom backend and integrations sits in the middle. A complex app with real-time data, AI, or heavy custom logic is the most expensive, and there is effectively no upper bound once the scope grows large enough. On top of the build, plan for ongoing costs every year.

App type
App type	Typical range
Simple app / MVPFew screens, standard features	$25,000 - $60,000
Medium-complexity appCustom backend, integrations	$60,000 - $150,000
Complex appReal-time, AI, heavy custom logic	$150,000+
Cross-platform (both stores)One codebase, iOS + Android	$30,000 - $120,000
Two native appsVersus one native platform	1.6 - 1.8x
Ongoing per yearMaintenance, hosting, new features	15 - 20% of build

Source: 2026 US studio/agency ranges

What moves the number

What drives app cost

Two apps with the same idea can be quoted very differently. These are the levers a studio weighs when it scopes a build - and the ones worth thinking through before you ask for an estimate.

The first lever is platform, the next is scope - how many screens and how much custom logic - and the rest are features that each add real, separate work. The more of these you stack, the higher the range.

Platform (one, both, cross-platform, or web)
Number of screens
App complexity
Custom backend & APIs
Payments & subscriptions
Real-time features (chat, live data)
AI / ML features
Maps & location
Third-party integrations
Design ambition

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The factors above set the range - to see where your own app lands, enter your platform, screen count, complexity, and features into the free calculator.

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Platform choice

Native vs cross-platform

Platform is the single biggest cost lever, and the right choice depends on how much per-platform polish you actually need. Here is the honest trade-off between the three common paths.

Native - a separate iOS app in Swift and a separate Android app in Kotlin - gives the best per-platform polish and access to every device capability the day it ships. It is also the most expensive, because you are designing and building the front end twice; two native apps typically run 1.6 to 1.8x the cost of a single platform.

Cross-platform with React Native or Flutter ships both stores from one codebase, so you reach iOS and Android for far less than two native apps. The trade-off is small and lands only on the most platform-specific features - deep OS integrations or bleeding-edge hardware APIs - which most apps never touch. For the majority of products, cross-platform is the most cost-effective way to be on both stores.

A web app skips the app stores entirely. It is reachable from any browser, often the cheapest to build, and the fastest to update, but it gives up native distribution, offline polish, and the deepest device features. If you do not need to be in the stores, it can be the leanest place to start.

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