The honest answer is that most first versions of a real app cost between $20,000 and $60,000. That range is wide because "an app" can mean a booking tool for one gym or a product with thousands of paying users. This guide breaks down where the money goes, so you can tell a fair quote from a bad one.
Typical price ranges in 2026
These are the ranges we see on projects we quote and build. They assume a senior team, a real design, and an app that is safe to put in front of customers.
| What you are building | Typical cost |
|---|---|
| Small internal tool for your team | $15,000 to $25,000 |
| Web app or SaaS first version | $25,000 to $60,000 |
| Mobile app for iPhone and Android, first version | $20,000 to $40,000 |
| Mobile app with a large backend, payments or live features | $40,000 to $80,000 |
| Hosting, updates and care after launch | $300 to $1,500 a month |
If someone quotes $3,000 for a full app, they are either reusing a template, skipping the parts that keep your data safe, or planning to charge you later. If someone quotes $250,000 for a first version, they are probably building far more than you need to learn whether the idea works.
What actually drives the cost
Five things decide most of the price:
- How many kinds of users there are. An app with customers, staff and an admin is roughly three apps sharing one database.
- Payments. Taking money means subscriptions, refunds, receipts and failed card handling. It is worth doing right.
- Connections to other tools. Every outside system, like QuickBooks, a calendar or a shipping provider, adds work and testing.
- Live features. Chat, live location and instant updates cost more than screens that load once.
- How polished the first version needs to be. A version for 20 friendly customers can be simpler than one launching to the public.
What does not drive the price much: the number of screens on their own, or which color the buttons are.
Mobile app or web app?
A web app runs in the browser on any device. It is faster to build, there is no App Store review, and you can change it any day. A mobile app lives on the phone, can send push notifications and works offline, and people who use it weekly tend to prefer it.
Many businesses start with a web app, prove people use it, then add a mobile app later. If your customers come back often, starting with a mobile app can make sense. We wrote more about this in Website or app: which does your business need?.
How to keep the cost down without cutting corners
- Start with the one job the app must do well, and leave the nice-to-haves for version two.
- Build for both phones at once with one codebase instead of two separate apps.
- Use proven building blocks for logins, payments and email instead of custom ones.
- Own the code and the cloud accounts from day one, so you never pay to get your own work back.
How to get a real number
A real quote needs about 15 minutes of conversation: who uses it, what they do, and what it connects to. Anyone who gives you an exact price without asking those questions is guessing.
You can get a typical range for your idea in about two minutes with our plan builder. It asks a few questions and shows a plan with prices. If it looks right, we follow up with a fixed price in writing before any work starts.
Common questions
How much does a simple app cost?
A focused first version with a few screens, logins and one main job usually costs $20,000 to $40,000 when it is built properly for both iPhone and Android.
Is a web app cheaper than a mobile app?
Usually yes. A web app runs in the browser, needs no store review and is often $15,000 to $60,000 for a first version.
What does an app cost to keep running?
Hosting, updates and fixes usually run $300 to $1,500 a month, depending on how many people use it.
Get a plan and a typical price
Answer a few quick questions and see what we would build for you, what it typically costs and how long it takes. About two minutes, no account.