The question stays central: what does it actually cost to build a mobile app? The answer depends on the goals, the complexity and the level of quality you need. Here are realistic ranges and the criteria to estimate a budget more precisely.
What really drives the cost
- Functional complexity: how many features, how many business rules, how many external integrations.
- Target platforms: iOS, Android or both.
- Design and UX: a standard interface versus a highly bespoke experience.
- Backend and data: authentication, database, roles, notifications, documents, payments.
- Security and compliance: data policy, tracking, audit, application hardening.
Budget ranges
MVP: €10,000 to €25,000
The essential version, to test the product with real users: login, the core flow, three to six main screens, a light backend and a store release.
A standard app for a smaller company: €25,000 to €70,000
A fuller product with considered UX, an admin panel, analytics, third-party integrations and a roadmap already laid out.
Enterprise: €70,000 to €180,000 and beyond
Multi-tenant architecture, advanced roles, stricter compliance, ERP and CRM integration, multiple environments and structured technical governance.
The costs people forget
- Running it: monitoring, alerting, backups, continuity.
- Keeping it current: OS updates, libraries, security.
- Store publishing and reviews: the technical work and the approval cycles.
- AI features: classification, semantic search or automation with generative models bring both build and running costs.
- Post-launch support: bug fixes, UX improvements, funnel work.
How to spend less without building less
- Start with a clear scope and KPIs you can measure.
- Build a solid MVP, not a truncated version.
- Release in short iterations with real feedback.
- Standardise UI components and backend flows.
- Choose a partner who already has reusable patterns in your field.
Typical timelines
MVP: eight to twelve weeks. A standard app: four to seven months. Enterprise: nine to eighteen months. The usual delays do not come from the code but from requirements that keep changing and feedback that arrives late.
