How much does it cost to build an app in 2026?
App development cost in 2026 by app type, platform, team and region, plus store fees, running costs and maintenance. Real ranges and what moves them.
By the v1build engineering team · Published · 9 min read
Short answer: most apps cost between $10,000 and $250,000 to build in 2026. A simple app with a few screens sits at the bottom of that range. A marketplace or SaaS platform built by a US agency sits at the top. Who builds it matters as much as what you build: the same app can cost three to five times more from a US agency than from a good offshore team.
This guide breaks the number down by app type, platform, team and region. It also covers the costs people forget, such as store fees, hosting, AI usage and maintenance.
App development cost by type of app
| Type of app | Typical cost range | Typical time | What pushes it up |
|---|---|---|---|
| Simple app (a few screens, basic back end) | $10,000 – $40,000 | 4 – 8 weeks | Custom design, offline use |
| Startup MVP (first version of a product) | $6,000 – $150,000 | 3 weeks – 6 months | Who builds it, see the MVP cost guide |
| Ecommerce or ordering app | $25,000 – $120,000 | 2 – 5 months | Subscriptions, delivery rules, integrations |
| Marketplace (buyers, sellers, payouts) | $40,000 – $200,000 | 3 – 6 months | Two or more user types, payouts, trust and safety |
| SaaS platform | $40,000 – $250,000 | 3 – 9 months | Teams and roles, billing, integrations, reporting |
| AI-powered app | Add $5,000 – $50,000 to the base | Adds 2 – 8 weeks | Your own data, voice, agents that take actions |
| Enterprise app | $150,000 – $500,000+ | 6 – 18 months | Compliance, legacy systems, single sign-on |
These are typical quotes across freelancers, offshore agencies and onshore agencies in 2026. The low end of each range is usually an offshore team. The high end is usually a US or UK agency.
Mobile app development cost by platform
| Approach | Relative cost | When it makes sense |
|---|---|---|
| Web app that works on phones | Lowest | Most B2B tools and many first versions |
| Cross-platform (React Native or Flutter) | About 1x for both stores | Most consumer and startup apps |
| Two native apps (Swift and Kotlin) | About 1.5 – 2x | Heavy device features, high-end graphics |
| One native platform only | About 0.6 – 0.7x | When nearly all your users are on one platform |
Cross-platform frameworks let one team ship to both the App Store and Google Play from a single codebase. For most startups that is the best value. We compare the two main options in Flutter vs React Native.
Cost by who builds it
| Who builds it | Typical hourly rate | Pros | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|
| AI app builder (Lovable, Bolt, Replit) | A subscription | A demo in days | Security, payments and scale are on you |
| Freelancer | $25 – $150 | Flexible, fast to start | You manage the project and the risk |
| Offshore agency (India, Eastern Europe) | $25 – $80 | A full team at lower cost | Seniority and communication vary widely |
| US or UK agency | $125 – $250 | Process and local presence | The highest price for the same code |
| Fixed-price studio | A fixed project price | Cost known before work starts | Read the out-of-scope list carefully |
An hourly rate is only half of the price. The other half is how many hours the team takes, which is why a cheap rate can still produce an expensive app.
What drives the cost of an app
- Number of user types. One kind of user is simple. Buyers, sellers and admins each need their own screens, permissions and testing.
- Features that touch money. Payments, subscriptions, refunds and payouts need care and testing.
- Integrations. Every connection to a CRM, maps, messaging or accounting tool adds work.
- AI features. Calling a model is quick. Making it reliable on your data, with tests and cost limits, takes the time.
- Offline use and real-time features. Sync, chat and live updates add complexity.
- Design. Finished designs lower the price. A brand and design system from scratch raise it.
- Deadline. Very short deadlines cost more and risk quality.
Costs people forget
| Item | Typical cost |
|---|---|
| Apple Developer Program | $99 a year |
| Google Play developer account | $25 once |
| App store commission on digital sales | 15 – 30% of the sale |
| Hosting, database and storage | $20 – $500 a month for an early app |
| AI model usage | Cents per user action, so set a cap |
| Email, analytics, crash reporting | $0 – $200 a month on starter plans |
| Maintenance and updates | About 15 – 20% of the build cost each year |
Maintenance is not optional. iOS and Android release new versions every year, libraries need security updates, and stores remove apps that fall too far behind.
How to lower the cost without cutting corners
- Start with the smallest version that real users will pay for. Three core features, not thirty.
- Launch on the web first if your users are at a desk, then add mobile apps.
- Use cross-platform unless you have a specific reason not to.
- Prototype with an AI builder to test the idea, then have professionals harden it. See prototype to production.
- Ask for a fixed price with a written scope, so overruns are the builder’s problem.
What we charge
We publish our prices. These are fixed project prices in US dollars. Prices in your currency are on the pricing page.
| What we build | Fixed price | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Web app first version (V1 Sprint) | $6,000 – $12,000 | 21 days |
| iOS and Android app | $12,000 – $30,000 | 4 – 6 weeks |
| Internal tool or dashboard | $3,000 – $10,000 | 2 – 3 weeks |
| AI feature in your app | $5,000 – $8,000 | 2 weeks |
| Marketing website | $1,500 – $5,000 | 1 – 2 weeks |
How to get an accurate number
Write down three things: who the users are, the three things they must be able to do on day one, and when you need it live. With that, any serious builder can give you a fixed quote. We send ours within 24 hours of a 25-minute call.