The cost of app development can vary significantly depending on a number of factors, including the type and complexity of the app, the platform(s) it will be developed for, the cost of labor in the region where the app is being developed, and the development process being used.
TLDR:
In general, a simple app with basic features can cost anywhere from $10,000 to $50,000 to develop, while more complex or feature-rich apps can cost upwards of $100,000 or more.
Additionally, there are ongoing costs to consider, such as hosting and maintenance, updates, and customer support. Some apps also require ongoing development and feature updates, which can add to the overall cost.
“If you think it’s expensive to hire a professional to do the job, wait until you hire an amateur.”– Red Adair
How Much Does It Cost to Create an App in 2025?
Creating an app in 2025 requires a solid budget. Costs vary significantly depending on the app’s complexity, platform, and required features. While basic apps cost between $5,000 and $30,000, more complex solutions can exceed $300,000. Understanding your app’s needs can help you estimate costs better and plan effectively.
Factors Influencing App Development Costs in 2025
- App Complexity: Basic apps cost less, while advanced apps with AI or AR can be expensive.
- Platform: iOS apps often cost more than Android or cross-platform apps.
- Development Location: Developers in regions like India offer lower hourly rates ($12–$50/hour) compared to the U.S. ($100–$200/hour).
- Design and UI/UX: A high-quality, user-friendly design can add 20–25% to the overall cost.
- Features and Integrations: Real-time updates, APIs, and payment systems increase costs.
- Maintenance: Annual upkeep can add 15–20% of the development cost.
App Development Cost Breakdown by Type
- Basic Apps: $5,000–$20,000 (simple features, minimal design)
- Moderate Apps: $20,000–$100,000 (e.g., e-commerce, fitness trackers)
- Complex Apps: $100,000–$300,000+ (e.g., AI-powered or gaming apps)
- Cross-Platform Apps: $25,000–$150,000
Future Trends in App Development Costs
By 2025, the global app development market is expected to grow by 11.5% annually, driven by demand for AI, AR, and IoT apps. Businesses will invest more in scalable cloud-based solutions to meet user demands and reduce costs through automation.
Here are some rough estimates of the cost of app development:
- Simple apps: $10,000 to $50,000
- Moderate complexity apps: $50,000 to $100,000
- Complex apps: $100,000 to $500,000+
Keep in mind that these are just rough estimates, and the actual cost of app development for your specific project could be higher or lower than these estimates. It’s important to carefully consider your budget and the resources you have available when planning your app development project.
Have you ever wondered how much it costs to set up an iOS or Android app? Many tools available in the market can calculate the app setup cost for you. Using the tool, one can find out the cost of setting up the app in less than a minute. But two tools never predict the same cot to set up an app. This is a major concern so here I am telling you how to calculate the exact cost to set up the mobile app. Here in this article, we are going to cover every aspect related to the setup cost of an app. But without tools, you may know the exact cost of a mobile app setup.
What is the cost to set up an app? This may be one of the first questions that app developers and businesses ask when they begin a new app development project. The bottom line of every mobile app development budget is the cost estimate. Frequently, a business owner is faced with the decision of how much it will cost to set up an app by a professional how much it would cost to set up an app on my own.
The table below explains the app development cost in the USA
App Setup Cost = (Features * Development Time) * Hourly Rate of the Company
| App Category | App Setup Cost in USA | App Setup Cost in UK | App Setup Cost in India |
|---|---|---|---|
| Offline App | $12,000 to $25,000 | $10,000 to $20,000 | $5,000 to $18,000 |
| Moderate Off Line Ap | $10,000 to $35,002 | $5,000 to $20,000 | $5,000 to $20,000 |
| Chatbot App | $20,000 to $50,000 | $20,000 to $45,000 | $15,000 to $35,000 |
| IoT Apps | $20,000 to $60,000 | $20,000 to $50,000 | $10,000 to $50,000 |
| AR App | $50,000 to $70,000 | $40,000 to $70,000 | $20,000 to $55,000 |
| VR App | $50,000 to $70,001 | $40,000 to $70,001 | $20,000 to $55,001 |
| On Demand App | $50,000 to $100,000 | $40,000 to $100,000 | $5,000 to $20,000 |
| eCommerce App | $40,000 to $100,000.00 | $30,000 to $80,000.00 | $20,000 to $60,000.00 |
| Social Networking | $50,000 to $100,000 | $40,000 to $80,000 | $30,000 to $60,000 |
| App for Banks | $1,000,00+ | $1,000,00+ | $80,0000+ |
| Wallets | $600000+ | $500000+ | $500000+ |
| OTT App | $20,000 to $50,000 | $20,000 to $45,000 | $15,000 to $35,000 |
| Game App | – | – | – |
| Enterprise | $50,000 to $120,000 | $40,000 to $100,000 | $35,000 to $750,000 |
Mobile App Set Up Cost Breakdown
We’ve compiled a list of five elements that influence mobile app setup costs and timelines in the table below. The longer the development period, the higher the setup cost of your app. It can assist you in determining how much money you would need to convert your business idea into a reality.
| Native app vs Web App | 160 to 190 hours |
| Enterprise App | 40 to 80 hours |
| Security Level | 25-45 hours |
| Complexity | 120 – 150 Hours |
The setup cost of a restaurant app ranges from $3000 to $15,000, depending on the number of features you want. Table bookings, location-based services, social media integration, and loyalty benefits are just a few of the essential elements.
A real estate smartphone app setup might cost anything from $16,000 to $45,000 for Android and iOS. User onboarding, auction/listing services, filters/advanced searching, mortgage calculators, maps, and push alerts are just a few of the tools that can help you grow your business.
The cost to set up an educational app with basic functionality and a reasonable design range from $15000 to $25000. (if the development happens in India). However, if created in the United States, the budget may reach $40,000. The range is determined by the company’s skill and experience with projects similar to yours.
Virtual Assistant apps like Siri or Apps with voice chatbot integration will cost you higher than the above apps. An app like this the API cost of the provider is also included.
Mobile app setup cost depends upon the few below-listed feature
It is not wrong to say that 60% of the setup cost of the mobile app depends upon the app type and the platform, that is it is an Android app, Hybrid App, or iOS App
| What type of mobile app do you business need? | |||
| Android | iOS | Hybrid | PWA |
| Would it contain below feature | |||
| iOT | AR | VR | AR & VR |
| UI of your app | |||
| Template-Based UI | Custom-Branded UI | Replicated Web Interface | Animation & Gestures |
| Registration Feature | |||
| Email ID and Password | Via Social Networks | 2-Step Authorization | Sign Up Not Required |
| What administrative features do you require for your app? | |||
| User Management | Content Management | Reporting and Analytics | Notification Control |
| 3rd Party API Services | |||
| Social Networks | Location | E-Commerce | Payments |
| Database Management of your application | |||
| A New Database | Cloud Based Database | Existing Database | |
| How do you want to secure your app | |||
| Security Not Important | Basic security Measures | Encrypted Communication | Complete Protection |
| Subscription or Payment Plan | |||
| Subscription Plans | Payment Processing | Shopping Cart | User Marketplace |
According to GoodFirms‘ recent research, the average setup cost of the basic app is between $35,000 and $90,000. The cost of a medium-complexity app ranges from $50,550 to $135,000. A complicated mobile app can cost anything between $90,550 and $200,000.
| Type of app | Time to develop | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Simple | 3-6 months | $70,000-$100,000 |
| Medium | 6-10 months | $120,000-$170,000 |
| Complex | 10+ months | $200,000-$250,000+ |
Hundreds of app development companies in the USA, Australia, and UK claim to be the greatest app developers in the world and promise to offer you affordable costs to set up an app. For companies that are well-established or newly started, experienced or ambitious, US-based, European, or Asian, their setup costs per hour are explained in the table below.
Table for How Much Does it Cost to Set Up An App
| Region | iOS ($/hour) | Android ($/hour) |
|---|---|---|
| North America | $150/ Hour | $ 150 / Hour |
| Australia | $ 92 / Hour | $ 92 / Hour |
| UK | $ 71 / Hour | $ 80 / Hour |
| South America | $ 40 / Hour | $ 55 / Hour |
| Eastern Europe | $ 40 / Hour | $ 40 / Hour |
| India | $ 25 / Hour | $ 26 / Hour |
| Indonesia | $ 35 / Hour | $ 35 / Hour |
According to the above table, the summary of costs to set up an app are
- App Developers in Australia charge $35-150 per hour to set up a mobile app.
- The app setup charges for the South American region lies between the range of $55 to $85 per hour.
- The North American region is the most expensive. The cost of developing an Android and iOS app ranges from $60 to $150 per hour.
- In India, developers are very affordable with a $25 per hour salary. The only reason behind the lowest development rate worldwide is that India produces app and software developers at the same rate as the rest of the globe.
- While in Indonesia, the greatest app development cost is $35 per hour.
- United Kingdom, developers typically charge $71 per hour.
- Rates for Eastern European developers range from $25 to $50 per hour.
Cost to set up an app on the basis of development complexity
- Mobile app with basic functionality requires approx 500-600 development hours. The time required to deliver the app project would be nearly 3-6 months.
- A medium-complexity mobile app takes from 800-1200 hours. So it would take almost 5-9 months. Time can be reduced by adding more engineers to the team, but it will increase the setup cost of your app.
- Developing a fintech app, wallets, and shopping apps is a complex task. An average of 1200 hours is required to deliver the project. Timeline: 8+ months.
The cost of setting up an app also depends on the engagement model with the app development company.
Choose the right and most suited engagement model is the best way to control the app setup cost. Make An App Like has the experts tell you how to choose the right engagement model so the development cost of your app should not go higher.
Most companies offer three types of engagement models.
- Hourly Bases
- Fixed Price
- Subscription Based
- Outstaffing Model (Where client pay the salary)
If you choose an hourly-based engagement model, the calculation for setting up Android and iOS apps will be as per the table below.
| Job Role | USA | Australia | UK | India |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business Analyst | $110 – $205 | $45 – $55 | $40 – $63 | $30 – $42 |
| Architect | $198 – $292 | $60 – $72 | $50 – $77 | $35 – $48 |
| Project Manager | $133 – $233 | $55 – $66 | $45 – $70 | $35 – $48 |
| Developer | $105 – $111 | $35 – $44 | $25 – $42 | $18 – $24 |
| Mid-Level Developer | $132 – $140 | $30 – $52 | $35 – $56 | $24 – $35 |
| Sr. Developer | $154 – $163 | $45 – $55 | $45 – $70 | $30 – $42 |
| Lead Role | $176 – $187 | $50 – $61 | $45 – $70 | $30 – $42 |
| Tester | $143 – $169 | $40 – $50 | $40 – $63 | $25 – $36 |
| Graphic Designer | $79 – $163 | $40 – $50 | $35 – $56 | $25 – $36 |
Cost to Set up An App – Final Words
Before delivering the final words, I would like to tell you a popular quote. That will surely help your business.
Clutch has also conducted a poll on the number of hours necessary for mobile app development activities and found that the median cost to construct an app is ~$171,450, with a wide range of costs ranging from under $30K to over $700K. It is critical to assess the cost of developing an app because it has a direct impact on the total business.
In this article, we covered all minor and crucial factors of app development that impact the set up cost of mobile app. The engagement model, app types, platform, functionality, and locations are the five elements that contribute to increasing or decreasing the cost of setting up an app. Please read our article carefully, point out how you can reduce the development cost of your app development. All the best for your project.
Costs range from $5,000 for basic apps to $300,000+ for complex solutions.
Simple apps take 3–6 weeks, while complex ones may take 7–16 weeks or more.
Complexity, platform, features, developer location, and maintenance all play key roles.
Yes, they save time and money by reusing code across multiple platforms.
Rates vary from $12–$50/hour in India to $100–$200/hour in the U.S.
Use cross-platform development, build a minimum viable product (MVP), and outsource to cost-effective regions.
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