The cost of building a mobile app is one of the most opaque subjects in the industry. Quotes range from a few thousand pounds to several hundred thousand, and it's often impossible to understand why. Here's an honest breakdown of what drives the price, and what you should expect.

The main cost drivers

The price of a mobile app is essentially the sum of the time it takes to build it. That time depends on:

  • Feature complexity: a to-do list app is infinitely simpler than a mobile payments app or a video streaming service.
  • The number of platforms: iOS only, Android only, or both? Building two native apps costs roughly twice as much.
  • The backend: does your app need a server, a database, an API? This is often where the real cost hides.
  • The design: a highly polished, animated interface takes far longer than a standard functional design.
  • Third-party integrations: payments, geolocation, notifications, social media, every integration adds complexity.

The realistic ranges

  • Simple app (a few screens, basic logic): £8,000 to £20,000
  • Medium-complexity app (backend, user accounts, multiple features): £20,000 to £60,000
  • Complex app (real-time, payments, advanced features): £60,000 and up

What very low quotes really mean

An app offered for £2,000 or £3,000 is either extremely simple or built with significant compromises: unmaintainable code, generic design, no testing, no support after delivery. Those upfront savings almost always turn into far greater costs a few months down the line.

The real cost of an app isn't what you pay to build it, it's what you pay to maintain it and grow it over three years.

The cost after launch

Many clients don't realise that launch is only the beginning. Regular updates (required by Apple and Google to maintain compatibility), bug fixes, adding features, hosting the backend, all of this is an annual budget to plan for, typically 15 to 20% of the initial development cost.

A mobile app is a serious investment. The best way to make sure it's worth it is to define clearly what you're building, why, and how you'll measure success, before you spend the first pound.