How much does it cost to build an app for my business? Build costs, monthly running costs and store fees
A plain-language guide for owners, nonprofit leaders and marketing directors on what drives app cost, what it takes to run an app every month, and how to start small without wasting money.
Building an app for a business usually costs somewhere between $10,000 and $50,000 for a focused first version, and $50,000 to $200,000 or more for an app with accounts, payments, integrations and both iPhone and Android versions. Clutch's 2026 mobile app pricing guide reports that most projects reviewed on its platform fall between $10,000 and $49,999, with an average project cost of about $90,780 and a typical timeline of about 11 months. After launch, plan for ongoing costs: Apple charges $99 a year for its developer program, Google Play charges a one-time $25 registration fee, and hosting, maintenance and updates continue every month the app is live.
How much does it cost to build an app for my business?
The cost depends on what the app has to do. A business app that shows information and takes a form is a very different project from one that handles logins, payments, scheduling and a connection to your existing software. Clutch groups the projects it reviews into four budget bands, which work well as planning tiers:
| Budget band (Clutch, 2026) | What usually fits | Typical example |
|---|---|---|
| Under $10,000 | A prototype, a very small single-purpose app, or a template configured for you | A booking or information app with a few screens |
| $10,000 to $49,999 | A focused first version (MVP) with core features on one platform or cross-platform | Customer accounts, a catalog, a request form, push notifications |
| $50,000 to $199,999 | A full product with payments, an admin dashboard and integrations | Ordering, membership or field-service apps tied to your CRM |
| $200,000 and up | Complex platforms, marketplaces, heavy security or compliance needs | Two-sided marketplaces, health or finance apps, large internal systems |
Thumbtack's cost guide for app developers puts a mobile app at $20,000 to more than $100,000 depending on what the app needs to do, which lines up with the middle two bands.
Simple, mid-level and complex apps
A simple app has a handful of screens, content you update from a dashboard, a request form and push notifications. A mid-level app adds user accounts, payments or booking, an admin panel and one or two integrations. A complex app adds real-time features such as chat or live tracking, marketplaces, offline mode, multiple user roles, or strict privacy and security rules. The jump in cost from simple to mid-level comes mostly from accounts, payments and the back-end systems behind them.
Web app vs. iOS and Android vs. cross-platform
Before anyone writes code, decide where the app has to live. This choice has a large effect on the budget.
| Approach | What it is | Best fit |
|---|---|---|
| Web app | Runs in a browser on any device, no app store | Internal tools, customer portals, dashboards, fast first versions |
| Native iOS and Android | Two separate apps built with each platform's own tools | Apps that lean on device features or have heavy performance needs |
| Cross-platform | One shared codebase (React Native, Flutter and similar) published to both stores | Most business apps that need to be in both stores on a reasonable budget |
A web app is often the fastest and least expensive way to prove an idea, because there is one version to build and no store review. Native apps for both platforms cost the most because you are effectively building and maintaining two products. Cross-platform development is the common middle path for small and mid-size businesses: one team, one codebase, two store listings.
A phone app should be more than a website in a wrapper. Apple's App Review Guidelines (guideline 4.2, Minimum Functionality) say an app should offer features, content and interface that go beyond a repackaged website, and Apple lists "web clippings" among common rejection reasons. If your app idea is really a better website, build the better website. Our guide on website design cost covers that path.
How much does it cost to have a developer make an app?
You can hire app developers three ways, and each prices differently.
- Freelancers: Thumbtack's cost guide lists freelance mobile app development at roughly $30 to $150 an hour, with back-end and API work at roughly $75 to $150 an hour.
- Agencies and development firms: Thumbtack reports a national average of $237.50 an hour across app developers and notes that larger software vendors can charge $300 to $400 an hour. Clutch reports $25 to $49 an hour as the most common rate among the firms on its platform; rates vary widely by location and firm size. An agency brings design, development, testing and project management under one contract.
- In-house hires: The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports a median annual wage of $135,980 for software developers (May 2025 data), before benefits, equipment and management time. Hiring makes sense when the app is the business and needs full-time work for years.
A quick way to sanity-check any quote is to multiply hours by rate. As an example of the arithmetic, a project estimated at 600 hours at $100 an hour is $60,000. If two quotes differ by a factor of three, ask each firm to list its hours by feature.
App development cost breakdown: what drives the price
These are the factors that move an estimate the most:
- Number of features and screens. Every screen has to be designed, built, connected to data and tested on many devices.
- User accounts and roles. Sign-up, login, password reset, profiles and different permissions for customers, staff and admins add real work. Apple also requires that any app with account creation lets users delete their account from inside the app (guideline 5.1.1(v)).
- Payments. Physical goods and services used outside the app must be paid through methods such as Apple Pay or card entry (Apple guideline 3.1.3(e)), while paid features and digital content inside the app must use in-app purchase and carry store commissions (guideline 3.1.1).
- Integrations. Connecting to your CRM, scheduling system, inventory, email platform or accounting software.
- Admin dashboard. Staff need a way to manage content, orders and users. This is often a full web app of its own.
- Design quality. A custom interface with your brand, illustrations and motion costs more than a stock template, and it shapes how customers see your business.
- Security and compliance. Health, finance, children's data and payments raise the bar for testing and data handling.
- Testing and launch. Device testing, store listings, screenshots, privacy policy and review submissions.
How much does it cost to run an app per month?
An app has ongoing costs for as long as it is live.
| Ongoing cost | Published price or typical structure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Apple Developer Program | $99 per membership year (fee waivers available to qualifying nonprofits, accredited schools and government entities that do not sell paid apps or digital goods) | Apple |
| Google Play developer account | $25 one-time registration fee | Google Play Console Help |
| Back-end hosting and database | Varies with users and data. Example: Supabase offers a free tier and a Pro plan from $25 a month | Supabase |
| Store commission on digital sales | Apple's Small Business Program rate is 15% for developers earning under $1 million in proceeds | Apple |
| Maintenance and updates | Bug fixes, OS updates, security patches, new features | Quoted by your developer, usually monthly retainer or hourly |
| Third-party services | Maps, SMS, email, analytics, payment processing fees | Each vendor's published pricing |
Google changed its Play service fees for new installs in the United States, EEA and UK on June 30, 2026, and the rate now depends on the transaction type, so check the current Google Play service fee page for your app's category before you set prices.
Plan for maintenance. Apple and Google release new operating system versions every year, and apps that are not updated can break or fall out of compliance with store rules. Budget for a maintenance plan from day one, and ask any developer what their plan covers, how fast they respond to a crash, and what counts as new work.
How much does it cost to launch an app in Play Store and the App Store?
The store fees themselves are small. Google Play charges a one-time $25 fee. Apple charges $99 a year. The real launch costs are the work around them:
- Organization accounts need a D-U-N-S number. Both Apple and Google require a D-U-N-S number from Dun & Bradstreet to register a business or organization account (government entities have other options) (Apple, Google).
- Google's testing rule for new personal accounts. Personal Google Play accounts created after November 13, 2023 must run a closed test with at least 12 testers opted in for 14 consecutive days before they can publish to production, according to Google Play Console Help. This rule applies to personal accounts, which is one more reason to register the app under your business's organization account.
App Store review basics
Apple says App Review typically reviews at least 50% of submissions in under 24 hours and 90% in under 48 hours, according to its App Review page. Apple also says more than 40% of unresolved issues fall under guideline 2.1, App Completeness. The most common problems it lists include:
- Crashes and bugs
- Broken links, or a missing support link or privacy policy
- Placeholder text or images
- Missing demo login details for the reviewer
- Screenshots that do not match what the app does
- Apps that are mostly a website in an app shell
Submit a finished build, give the reviewer a working test account, and publish a privacy policy that matches what the app collects.
How much does it cost to build an app with AI?
AI coding tools have changed how early prototypes get made. Stack Overflow's 2025 Developer Survey found that 84% of respondents use or plan to use AI tools in their development process, up from 76% the year before. The same survey found that more developers distrust the accuracy of AI output (46%) than trust it (33%).
- Prototypes can be faster. AI app builders and coding assistants can produce a clickable demo or a working first screen quickly, which helps owners test an idea with real customers before committing a large budget.
- Production work still needs engineers. Security, data handling, payments, accessibility, store compliance, testing on real devices and long-term maintenance all require people who understand the code being generated.
- Costs shift rather than disappear. Many AI app builders charge monthly subscriptions or usage-based fees, and a prototype often needs to be rebuilt or hardened before it can carry real customer data.
Use AI tools to get to a clear prototype faster. Then hand that prototype to a professional team to build the version you put your company's name on.
How to plan an MVP that does not waste money
A minimum viable product (MVP) is the smallest version of the app that solves the main problem for real users. It is one of the most effective ways to control app cost.
- Write the one job the app does. "Customers can book and pay for a service in under a minute" is a job. "An app for our brand" is not.
- List every feature, then cut. Sort features into must-have for launch, next release, and someday. Launch with the first list only.
- Pick the platform from your customers. If your customers are mostly on iPhone, or the app is for staff on company devices, you may not need both stores on day one. A web app can be the right MVP.
- Prototype before you build. Clickable designs, or an AI-assisted prototype, let you test the flow with five to ten real customers.
- Set the launch requirements early. Register Apple and Google organization accounts, get your D-U-N-S number, write the privacy policy and line up testers.
- Budget for year one, not just launch. Include hosting, store fees, maintenance and at least one update cycle.
- Measure. Decide in advance which numbers tell you the app is working: bookings, orders, active users, support calls avoided.
Clutch's reported average timeline of about 11 months reflects the full mix of projects on its platform. A tightly scoped MVP is how you keep your own project on the short end of that range.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to build an app for my business?
A focused first version usually fits the $10,000 to $50,000 band, and fuller products with payments and integrations run $50,000 to $200,000 or more. Clutch's 2026 pricing guide reports most projects between $10,000 and $49,999 and an average of about $90,780.
How much does it cost to have a developer make an app?
Thumbtack lists freelance mobile app development at about $30 to $150 an hour and reports a national average of $237.50 an hour for app developers, with large vendors at $300 to $400.
How much does it cost to run an app per month?
Expect store fees ($99 a year for Apple, a one-time $25 for Google Play), hosting that starts free and grows with your users, third-party services such as SMS or maps, and a maintenance plan for updates and fixes.
How much does it cost to launch an app in Play Store?
Google Play charges a one-time $25 registration fee. Organization accounts need a D-U-N-S number, and new personal accounts must complete a closed test with at least 12 testers for 14 consecutive days before publishing to production.
How much does it cost to make an app on the App Store?
Apple's Developer Program costs $99 a year, with fee waivers for qualifying nonprofits, accredited schools and government entities that do not sell paid apps or digital goods. The app itself costs whatever it takes to build, and Apple's Small Business Program sets a 15% commission on digital sales for developers under $1 million in proceeds.
How much does it cost to build an app with AI?
AI tools can lower the cost of an early prototype by speeding up design and code. A production app still needs engineers for security, payments, store compliance, testing and maintenance, so the savings show up mostly at the prototype stage.
Can I create an app for free?
You can build a prototype on free tiers of no-code and hosting tools. Publishing to the stores costs money, and free tiers carry limits (Supabase's free plan, for example, pauses projects after a week of inactivity). An app that holds customer data or takes payments needs paid hosting, security and maintenance.
How Leo Operations approaches this
Leo Operations builds web and mobile apps as part of a full digital practice that also covers websites, social media, content creation, digital ads, email and SMS for businesses, nonprofits, churches and campaigns nationwide. Two apps are in development now: Politi Pulse, Leo's own political social media management platform, and a family faith app we are building for Family Faith Ministries for the App Store.
We start every app conversation with the one job the app has to do, then scope an MVP, choose the platform from your actual users, and plan the store accounts, privacy policy and maintenance before the build starts. Our design team, led by Partner and Creative Director Morganne Norwood, designs the interface so it looks like your brand, not a template. Because we also build websites for clients such as St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church, Drive Forward Academy and Brandon Brown's 2026 U.S. Senate campaign, we will tell you plainly when a better website is the right answer instead of an app. If you are planning an app, email us what it needs to do, who will use it and your timeline, and we will tell you honestly what it takes. See our app development work.