Most mobile app projects cost between $10,000 and $50,000, according to Clutch's 2026 pricing guide, which is based on verified client reviews of app developers. Clutch's average is higher, about $90,800, because large projects pull it up. A simple app with a few screens and no accounts can land at the low end. An app with logins, payments, real-time data, and an admin dashboard usually costs $50,000 to $150,000, and complex platforms go beyond that. After launch, plan on roughly 15–20% of the build cost each year for maintenance, plus small store fees.
The price depends less on where your developer is and more on what the app has to do. Here's how to think about it.
Typical cost ranges by app complexity
| Type of app | What it usually includes | Typical cost |
|---|---|---|
| Simple | A handful of screens, content or forms, little or no login, few integrations | $15,000–$50,000 |
| Moderate | User accounts, payments or bookings, push notifications, an admin dashboard, a few integrations | $50,000–$150,000 |
| Complex | Real-time features, offline sync, heavy integrations, compliance requirements (like HIPAA), multiple user roles | $150,000–$300,000+ |
These ranges come from Netguru's 2026 cost guide, which notes they assume Western European agency rates. Clutch's 2026 pricing guide reports that most app projects reviewed on its platform cost $10,000 to $49,999, with an average of $90,780 and a typical timeline of about 11 months.
Treat these as planning ranges, not quotes. Two apps that sound similar can differ by tens of thousands of dollars once you list what each one actually needs to do.
What drives the price
- Features and screens. Every screen, user flow and rule takes design, build and testing time. This is the biggest factor by far.
- User accounts and roles. Login, password reset, profiles, and different views for customers, staff and admins.
- Payments and subscriptions. In-app purchases, subscriptions or card payments, and the receipts, refunds and edge cases that come with them.
- Integrations. Connecting to your website, CRM, scheduling, inventory or accounting system through their APIs.
- The back end. Most apps need a server and database for accounts and data, plus an admin panel for your team.
- Real-time and offline features. Live scores, chat, location tracking, or forms that work without signal and sync later all add complexity.
- Design. A polished custom design costs more than a clean, standard one, but it's often what makes people keep the app.
- Compliance and security. Health, financial or children's data brings extra requirements and testing.
- iOS, Android or both. Building two separate native apps costs much more than one cross-platform app (more on that below).
Native vs. cross-platform: the biggest cost decision
You can build an app two ways:
- Native: a separate app for iOS (in Swift) and for Android (in Kotlin). Maximum performance and access to every device feature, but you're paying for two codebases.
- Cross-platform: one codebase that runs on both, using a framework like React Native or Flutter. Most business apps work well this way, and you build, test and maintain one app instead of two.
For most small and midsize businesses, cross-platform is the better value. Native makes sense for apps that push the device hard, such as advanced graphics, heavy background processing or cutting-edge device features. We build mostly with React Native, and we'll tell you if your app genuinely needs fully native development.
Do you need an app at all?
Before budgeting for an app, ask whether a mobile-friendly website or web app would do the job. A web app works on every phone without an app store, costs less to build and update, and can be found through search. An app is worth it when you need:
- Push notifications that bring people back
- Device features like the camera, GPS, Bluetooth or offline use
- A home-screen presence for something people use often
- App Store or Google Play visibility as part of your marketing
If your idea is mostly forms, content or a customer portal, a web app may cost far less. Our post on custom software vs. off-the-shelf also covers whether an existing product could do the job.
The costs after launch
The build is only part of the cost. Budget for:
- Maintenance and updates: typically 15–20% of the build cost each year (Netguru). Apple and Google release new operating system versions every year, and apps need updates to keep working and stay in the stores.
- Hosting and services: servers, the database, push notifications, email, maps and any other services the app uses. Often modest for small apps, growing with usage.
- Store accounts: the Apple Developer Program costs $99 a year (Apple), and Google Play has a one-time $25 registration fee (Google).
- Store commissions on digital sales: if you sell digital goods or subscriptions in the app, Apple's Small Business Program charges 15% for developers earning up to $1 million a year (Apple), and Google says 99% of developers qualify for a fee of 15% or less (Google). Selling physical goods or services, like products or appointments, generally uses your own payment processor instead.
- New features: most successful apps keep growing. Plan for a second phase.
Kansas City vs. national pricing
Rates vary widely by where a team is based. Clutch's guide lists typical app development company rates of $25–$49 an hour in its US data, alongside markets like Canada and Poland at $50–$99 and Australia at $100–$149. For local context, a 2026 Kansas City guide puts local web designer and developer rates at $60 to $125 an hour (Magnet).
The hourly rate matters less than how many hours it takes and what you get at the end. A lower rate with more hours, unclear scope or code you don't own can easily cost more. A local team also means you can meet in person, work in the same time zone, and have someone nearby who will still be around after launch.
How to keep your app budget under control
- Start with a first version that proves the idea. List every feature you want, then pick the few that deliver the core value. Launch those, learn from real users, and build the rest in phases.
- Test with a clickable prototype first. A prototype you can tap through on your phone catches expensive misunderstandings before any code is written.
- Go cross-platform unless you have a reason not to.
- Reuse what you have. If your website already has accounts, products or content, the app can share the same data and logins.
- Get a written scope and estimate. Know what's included, what isn't, and how changes are priced.
- Own everything. Your developer accounts, code, and store listings should be in your name.
- Budget for year two before you sign for year one.
Our guide to choosing a web development company in Kansas City has more questions to ask before you hire.
What about building it with AI tools?
AI coding tools can produce a working prototype quickly, and they're a useful way to test an idea. But a prototype isn't a production app. Apps built mostly with AI tools often ship with security gaps, like exposed keys and open databases, that can leak customer data. Our post on vibe-coded app security covers what to check. If you've already built something with AI tools, our app rescue service can review it and make it production-ready.
Mobile app development in Kansas City
Prodjex is a web, software and mobile app development company in Liberty, Missouri. We design and build cross-platform iOS and Android apps with React Native, connected to your website, database and payments, and we handle App Store and Google Play submission.
Some of our app work:
- PrepsKC: we handle both the website and the mobile app for Kansas City's go-to source for high school football, with scores, schedules and coverage of every game.
- Calf Tracker: a React Native app with payment processing, available on the App Store.
- SpecChem: a React Native app alongside their WooCommerce site.
- Kroger Wellness Festival: a React Native event app paired with a WordPress site.
We'll scope a first version that proves the idea, give you a written estimate before anything else, and stay on after launch with updates, store releases and new features through our care plans.
Book a free call and tell us about the app you have in mind. We'll tell you what a realistic first version would include.