How Much Does App Development Cost in 2025? A Step-by-Step Guide

5 Nov, 2024

14 min read

First things first, in order to have the exact estimate of your app development project, you’ll have to consult the experts at our mobile app development company. They’ll carefully analyze your requirements and product vision and will provide you with a project estimate and roadmap that aligns well with your expectations.

However, if you just want to calculate a ballpark estimate of your mobile app development project, this blog is all you need. We’ll be discussing the factors influencing the overall cost of building a mobile app, scale, and niche-specific estimates, as well as how to calculate the total app development cost for your project.

Factors Influencing Mobile App Development Cost

To build a mobile app that delights users and drives millions of downloads across different app marketplaces, you need to chip in strategic investments across several key areas. When estimating the overall cost of your app development project, the following elements have a significant influence on overall app development costs:

Platform Support

With over 3 billion smartphone users globally, businesses must decide which platforms to support from the start.

According to BankMyCell, Android users dominate the market share with 69.9%, compared to iOS, which has a 30.1% market share.

Android users dominate the market compared to iOS

Native development for both iOS and Android maximizes addressable reach but requires two separate codebases and, thus, higher initial costs.

However, the main upside is that it enables full optimization for that specific operating system. If you want to save on the overall mobile app development cost, you can opt for cross-platform tools like React Native that maintain largely shared data. But you won’t be able to build more complex app features.

Functionality and Features

The complexity and depth of features/functions directly impact the scope for design, development, testing, and infrastructure teams. Simple apps like news readers are far less resource intensive versus immersive, social multiplayer games.

Typically, richer capabilities also rely on more sophisticated third-party tools and services, which add licensing/usage costs. For example, adding augmented reality layers or real-time chat support substantially expands technical requirements and overall effort.

Visual and Interaction Complexity

The level of UI/UX design refinement and customization needed is another key scoping driver for app pricing.

Apps featuring generic out-of-the-box templates can be built much faster than those requiring original wireframes, custom animations, branding elements, and interaction behaviors tailored specifically to intended users. The more bespoke the visual experience, the more specialized skill sets are required.

Infrastructure Needs

App architecture must account for technical foundations to handle expected user volumes and data loads. Apps topping App Store charts require large-scale, resilient cloud infrastructure that auto-scales versus simpler use cases leveraging packaged backend services.

The necessary performance, security, and compliance capabilities contribute meaningfully to spending.

Development Team Experience

The size and hourly rates of app development teams influence project pricing significantly. A strong partner combines strategic guidance with specialized skills in priority app technologies.

Experienced and diversely skilled app development teams often cost more but also deliver much higher initial quality and require less downstream rework. Global capability diversity balances speed and affordability.

Testing Requirements

The level of functional testing and certification required before launch drives budgets higher as well. Rigorously validating seamless performance across varying devices, OS versions, use cases and network conditions is non-trivial but table stakes.

Efficient testing workflows prevent costly downstream defect resolution after submissions to app stores.

Maintenance Needs

Apps are not fire-and-forget one-offs – significant care/feeding is required post-launch to address bugs, release enhancements per user feedback, and scale usage growth. Maintenance runs ~15-30% of the initial app development price annually. For instance, a $500,000 build would incur ~$100,000 in recurring costs the next year for upkeep and improvements.

Evaluating the key factors above early in planning helps guide appropriate scoping trade-offs between aspirations and budget realities. However, cutting too many corners inevitably hurts end products. Leveraging experienced partners mitigates risk.

App Development Price – Ballpark Figures

App development cost - min price to max price range

While the app development cost depends on the type, scale, and specifications of your mobile app, the industry relies on general complexity-based price ranges when estimating total project costs:

Simple Apps – $50,000 to $80,000

These feature basic utility functions like maps, media sharing, listings/search, etc. The UI leverages standard controls and templates. The backend infrastructure is cloud-based.

Medium Complexity Apps – $100,000 to $300,000

The majority of apps fall into this segment, encompassing richer functions like social graphs, multimedia, simple e-commerce, and SaaS productivity. Custom designs are more common. Infrastructure balances flexibility and scalability.

Complex Apps – $320,000 to $500,000+

On the high end, sophisticated platforms feature advanced capabilities like ridesharing coordination, food delivery logistics, real-time gaming interactions, etc. Predictive algorithms, deeply customized designs, and robust infrastructure raise costs.

While these app development costs provide a starting point, many other factors influence the final price tag, as outlined in our detailed analysis. Evaluating business objectives, target features, user volumes, design needs, engineering team rates, maintenance plans, and technology choices all significantly sway cost in either direction.

This is why connecting with an experienced mobile application development company early provides your project with the right direction. Their experts can measure the overall cost of developing a mobile app based on technical needs, efforts, and complexities. They’ll also align with your product goals and identify key opportunities for growth.

Mobile App Development Cost for Different Types of Projects

Apps catering to various consumer and business needs have unique technical considerations influencing their builds. Now, you might be inspired by at least one of these popular mobile apps:

Social Networking App

Social media apps have constantly been in demand for the past two decades. If you plan to launch such an app, you’ll have to include features like custom imagery/branding, content upload/moderation features, interactive feeds, direct messaging at scale, push notifications, profile management, and more. Multi-device synchronization, infrastructure security, and compliance are also necessary for your app.

For example, the cost to build an app like Instagram or Facebook starts from $250,000, and it can exceed $1,500,000 depending on its overall scale, complexity, and feature set.

At Cubix, we’ve created Social Flock. This inventive social media networking app aims to enhance its users’ social lives by reconnecting them with their family and friends and sharing audio, videos, pictures, and other content.

Read More: Steps for Social Media App Success

On-Demand Delivery App

Immersive driver/customer coordination capabilities, routing/ETA algorithms, payment processing, CRM, analytics, and admin panels – these features play a crucial role in defining the overall user experience of a delivery app. Rigorous testing for reliability is essential, given customer sensitivities to downtime.

For example, the cost to build an app like Uber Eats or Zomato starts at $100,000, and it can exceed $1,000,000 depending on its overall scale, complexity, and feature set.

We tapped into the booming food delivery industry by creating Foodly, a food ordering and delivery app that allows users to order and get a wide range of cuisines delivered right to their doorstep.

Business Productivity App

In order to build a business productivity app that enables seamless adoption, cross-platform synchronization, security controls like SSO and role-based access, and integrating storage services like Dropbox must be prioritized. It’s also important to balance agility for app customization with governance and centralized policy controls.

For example, the cost to build an app like Trello or Slack starts at $70,000, and it can exceed $800,000 depending on its overall scale, complexity, and feature set.

Our development teams built Pauseitive, a productivity app that drove better workflow management and productivity for employees and fostered better mental wellness awareness.

Marketplace Platform App

Marketplace platforms and eCommerce apps require core features like hierarchical catalog management, search, payments, messaging, and review management. Customizable, API-friendly shopfronts for merchant onboarding plus inspection capabilities are also preferred. Also, significant investment in visual design helps build trust.

For example, to build an app like TEMU or eBay, the overall app development cost can range between $150,000 and $950,000, depending on the scale, complexity, and feature set you aim for.

Cubix created Vision Sports, an online marketplace app providing high-quality fitness products and accessories. Users can browse a massive inventory of fitness clothing, wearable, and nutritional products, add items to their wishlists, track orders, and seamlessly make purchases.

Gaming App

Game physics engines, highly responsive multi-user coordination, 3D graphics rendering, sound engineering, and lag elimination require real game development expertise. Plus, tournament management capabilities, loyalty programs, and back-end telemetry analytics will influence the app development cost.

For example, to build a game like Among Us or Subway Surfers, the overall game app development cost can range between $80,000 and $750,000, depending on the scale, complexity, graphics, and feature set you aim for.

Cubix is a pioneer in mobile game development, and we’ve created numerous game apps that have engaged millions. One such game is the Taunt Battleworld, an NFT-based gaming experience set in a dystopian world. The more users play and win, the more they earn. Also, we’ve enabled seamless reward withdrawals and purchases through our secure transaction gateways.

Travel Booking App

Intuitive search capability across flights, hotels, and attractions and personalized recommendations based on past trips are essential features for a travel booking app. Users also expect price alerts, comparison shopping options, and secure payment and account management functionality.

For example, to build an app like Airbnb or Trivago, the overall development cost can be somewhere between $70,000 and $650,000.

While traveling, finding parking spots is a massive hassle, and as a problem-solving app development company, we built the perfect solution. Introducing Spot It, an app that helps you spot, book, and rent parking spots. From seamless payments to QR-based booking, SpotIT redefines traveling convenience.

Popular Apps	Estimated App Development Price Range
Instagram	$250,000 – $1,500,000
Uber Eats	$100,000 – $1,000,000
Slack	$70,000 – $800,000
TEMU	$150,000 – $950,000
Among Us	$80,000 – $750,000
Airbnb	$70,000 – $650,000

As evident from the estimates, app development costs vary widely based on your user experience goals. However, scoping of must-have capabilities and strategic technology choices make building all types of apps achievable.

A forward-thinking app development company asks detailed questions early to maximize quality within budgets. Each app category warrants tailored planning focused on changing priorities.

Mobile App Development Cost at Different Stages

Mobile App Development Stages and Cost

Creating a mobile app takes more than just writing code. Like building a house, there are phases to ensure the app turns out great. Understanding these phases helps plan different app development costs.

Phase 1 – Discovery

The first phase is called the Discovery Phase. This involves deciding what problem the app will solve and for who. Market research helps analyze potential users and competitors. Product managers plan target features that will delight users.

Technology choices get discussed, too. Hours translate into costs for business analysis and project planning during discovery. The price range is normally $10,000 to $25,000 for this planning stage.

Phase 2 – Design

Next is the Design Phase. The visual look and feel are decided here. How the app will work gets mapped out screen by screen. Simple block designs called wireframes kick things off. These become high-quality visual designs later. Illustrations and icons are created to brand the app too.

User testing happens to see if real people understand the designs. Lots of revisions happen before final mockups are complete. The cost here runs $20,000 to $50,000+.

Phase 3 – Development

The Development Phase is the longest and most expensive. Writing all software code to make the app function takes skilled developers months, depending on complexity. First, foundations like databases and services are built.

Then, visual screens are coded to let users perform key tasks. Advanced capabilities like connecting to hardware or running artificial intelligence features take more effort. Rigorous software standards ensure quality.

Total app development cost ranges from $50,000 to $300,000+ based on complexity, scope, and features. But it is where app ideas become real working software.

Phase 4 – Testing

Before launch, the Testing Phase checks for issues. Test engineers systematically examine all areas of the app to find bugs. They test on many devices, including iPhones, Android phones, and tablets.

Any crashes or glitches get fixed first. Testers check at high data loads also to confirm speed. Companies spend $20,000 to $50,000, ensuring no surprises at launch.

Phase 5 – Deployment

The last phase covered is Deployment before release. The app is submitted to Apple and Google for final review. The app gets validated against platform standards and rules so users have a quality experience.

Any last-minute changes are done. Finally, the app goes live in app stores globally for users to download and enjoy! Deployment runs from $5,000 to $25,000 normally.

Post-Launch Costs

After launch, about 15-30% of the initial development cost goes towards app maintenance each year. This covers:

Bug fixing
Adding new features
Improving designs
Boosting performance
Ensuring reliability
Monitoring usage

For example, say the initial dev costs $100,000 total. The post-launch budget would be $15,000 to $30,000 yearly for upkeep as users grow over time. Successful apps change constantly based on user feedback.

Working with Experts

Creating great apps takes experience across phases. Partnering with seasoned app developers offers big advantages:

They guide practical app development costs
Recommend the right technology choices
Ensure quality designs and code
Scope possibilities to reality
Deliver apps expertly through all stages

Like architects for homes, mobile app developers turn vision into reality within constraints. They ask smart questions to maximize budgets for client goals. Software testing teams also prevent costly fixes later. Prioritizing the few key features loved by target users is important, too.

The best apps solve focused needs exceptionally well. They also manage updates professionally long after launch. Working smart at each app sub-stage ultimately pays off, keeping users happily engaged. So take it step-by-step for app success!

How to Calculate Mobile App Development Cost – Tips & Tricks

Building apps costs money. But how much exactly? Estimating the total app development price takes some digging. Here are useful tips for counting likely app development costs:

Consider Complexity

Simple apps do basic things like show content or track workouts. Complex apps have advanced features like multiplayer live gaming or food delivery coordination. Complexity directly drives effort and, thus, price. A news reader app can run under $50-$100k. An innovative social app could hit $500k+. Start by defining core features, which are not everything imaginable. Fancy bonus ideas can come later.

Research Regional Rates

App developer rates vary hugely globally. Per-hour costs in the USA ($100+/hour) far exceed Eastern Europe ($35-$50/hour). Match employee costs to budget but also consider time zone logistics. Ten hours of daily overlap is ideal for speed. Travel expenses add up, too, if visiting on-site. Remote coordination works, but extra diligence is needed to clarify specifications upfront and keep app development costs manageable.

Account For Multiple Platforms

Building both iPhone and Android apps together costs more but maximizes audience reach. Alternatively, tools like React Native require less total effort by reusing code yet constrain some device-specific features. Validate if dual mobile platforms truly expand your target market first.

Model Backend Infrastructure

Simple data and features need only basic cloud servers like AWS, Azure, or Firebase. Heavier usage requires customized enterprise-grade infrastructure for scale, security, and compliance. Will user data require structured databases or file storage like Dropbox? High-performance computing instances can also hike up the app development cost.

Evaluate Visual Sophistication

Apps using standard controls and templates can utilize faster, low-code development approaches. However, unique branding and interactions require specialized design skills, which demand more effort. Animations, 3D graphics, and augmented reality raise complexity and the overall app development price further. Define must-have elements for quality bar versus optional polish items.

Account For External Services

Many apps also incorporate paid application programming interfaces (APIs) like Twilio (communications), Stripe (payments), DocuSign (e-signatures), etc. These ongoing service fees are separate from internal programming efforts but part of the app development price. We recommend researching pricing models early.

Conduct User Research

Validating product direction early directly with target users prevents costly late-stage pivots. Travel, prototype tools, participant incentives, and research hours add up but ultimately save on misguided engineering and rework. Assign 5-10% of the total app development cost to insight gathering before locking detailed specifications.

Plan a Phased Roadmap

All desired features seldom prove critical initially to delight early adopters. Consider staging rollouts starting with must-haves only, aka the “minimum viable product” (MVP). Supplement additional functionality later based on real usage analytics. Discipline early prevents unnecessary costs by aligning engineering to validated learning.

Account for Post-Launch Costs

Apps also need ongoing investment after launch for server infrastructure, bug fixes, user support, and new capabilities over time. Set aside 15-30% of the initial app development price for annual maintenance programming, hosting, and operations. Apps are long-term commitments, not one-off builds.

How Much Does it Cost to Hire Mobile App Developers?

Apps take skilled programmers to build. Rates for developers vary globally. Here are key things influencing the cost of opting to hire app developers:

Location Matters

Developer salaries differ hugely by region. US talent costs the most. For example, San Francisco developers average ~$142,000/year. India is much lower at ~$9,500/year. Time zone overlaps affect speed, too – little overlap slows things. Plan your hiring budget accordingly.

Role Specialization

General app developers handle common needs like templates, basic data, and simple flows. Specialized app development teams charge more for advanced functions like 3D augmented reality or AI capabilities. Define must-have features first before nice-to-haves to optimize app development costs.

Platform Expertise

Native app developers craft iOS (iPhone/iPad) and Android solutions individually, optimizing specifically per device. Cross-platform development teams use shared code tools like React Native instead of supporting both platforms from one codebase. Therefore, it’s important to evaluate tradeoffs for audience reach, budget, and features.

Team Scale

Individual app programmers work best for simple use cases. However, complex apps need collaborative teams that cover planning, programming, visual design, quality testing, and infrastructure skills. The size of your app development team should map appropriately to the project scope.

Prior Clientele

Seeking references helps qualify for experience. What apps has the team built successfully? How complex were those projects, and how did users respond to the end product? Platforms like Clutch and DesignRush allow filtering and client reviews.

Communication Style

Fluency in English drives clearer communication, better collaboration, and flawless documentation. However, time zones, cultural nuance, and communication styles matter, too, especially remotely. Travel to see the team on-site when possible and build relationships for candid dialogue.

Billing Rates & Models

Pricing models affect total app development costs, too. Options include:

Time & Materials: Hourly rates x hours worked
Fixed Price: Total flat project cost
Dedicated Staff: Monthly engineer subscriptions

Consider incentives – Fixed Price sets a capped budget, but Time & Materials rewards efficient app developers. Define milestones clearly to keep focused on priorities, preventing scope creep.

Build In-House vs Outsource

Hiring in-house teams adds overhead but also strategic control, IP protection, and efficiencies at scale over time. Outsourced teams flex expertise up/down more dynamically across skills. This model also allows for the seamless filling of key skill gaps.

Here’s how much it costs to hire an app development team in 2025:

Team Member	Wages
Technical Project Manager	$40 – $70/hr
Backend Developer	$30 – $60/hr
Front-end Developer	$25 – $55/hr
Full-stack Developer	$35 – $60/hr
UI/UX Designer	$20 – $50/hr
QA Engineer	$20 – $45/hr

Determining the App Maintenance Cost

Releasing an app is not the end of your digital product journey. Maintenance keeps apps successful in the long run. Here is what ongoing care typically involves:

Bug Fixes

Even robust apps have defects. Users discover bugs testing new devices or flows. Continuous fixes protect ratings. Set aside 5-10% of initial development time for rapid patches.

Performance Updates

Sometimes, apps slow down with more data and users. Performance tuning improves speed. For example, you can consider upgrading servers. Moreover, monitoring tools help spot lags proactively.

Feature Enhancements

Apps must evolve with user feedback and new mobile capabilities. Adding new features and functionalities boosts user retention.

Design Refreshing

It’s important to keep up with highly dynamic mobile design trends. While app functions stay stable, modernizing visuals prevents your app from looking dated.

Platform Upgrades

Apple and Google release significant software updates yearly. Adapting apps ensures compatibility and allows them to leverage new features like widgets, AR/VR, and artificial intelligence.

API Integrations

Many apps also connect to paid cloud services like Twilio (communications), Stripe (payments), etc. API updates maintain key capabilities as partners innovate.

Database Management

Structured data storage requires security, backups, and optimization tuning over time as usage scales into terabytes and beyond.

Infrastructure Security

Protecting user data integrity builds trust. Apps continually evolve information security defenses against emerging threats.

Crash Monitoring

Software analytics and QA tools watch for usage spikes indicating crashes. Developers fix root causes promptly to prevent negative user experiences.

User Support

Whether by email, in-app messaging, or phone, customer service requires round-the-clock staffing to resolve account and usage questions.

So What Does This Cost?

Typical app maintenance runs 15-30% of the initial app development cost annually. So, for example:

Initial App Development Price: $500,000
Annual Maintenance: $75,000 – $150,000

Estimate higher for complex apps and user volumes. Budgeting adequately for maintenance ensures apps deliver value year after year.

Doing Phased Launches Helps

Releasing with a smaller first feature set as the “minimum viable product” (MVP) keeps the initial scope focused. This shows product-market fit early with real users instead of assumptions. Additional capabilities come later per actual usage analytics. It’s important for product owners to think long-term.

Wrapping Up

The app economy continues to present tremendous potential for new innovations and growth. However, realizing success requires mitigating development risk through informed planning and flawless execution.

Whether you are undertaking your first app build or your tenth, this guide will help you set achievable targets and control spending.

To summarize, your development cost will range from $50,000 to $80,000 if you want to develop a mobile app with a simplistic user interface and a basic set of features. However, the development price range for medium-complexity apps can be between $100,000 and $300,000. If you are looking for a complex, enterprise-grade app, you can expect to spend somewhere between $320,000 and $500,000 or more

If you’re having a hard time navigating your app development project and want to achieve successful, on-time delivery while keeping app development expenses optimal, you need a reliable partner. You need Cubix!

We take your digital product from ideation to deployment and beyond, driving unmatched business value and user engagement. Contact our representatives to kickstart your product journey with us.

Read More: Top Mobile App Trends For 2025

Mohammad Azeem

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