Pricing · 2026
What an iOS app actually costs.
Published ranges rather than a form. These are the same numbers we quote on a call, with the reasoning that produces them.
- MVP sprint
- $15k – $40k
- Full build
- $40k – $100k+
- Retainer
- From $4k / month
01Ranges
Three engagements, three numbers.
Indicative, not quotes. The written scope after the discovery call is the real number.
MVP sprint
6–10 weeks$15k – $40k
One platform, one sharp idea, in front of real users. Scoped hard so it actually ships.
- Product scoping
- Design + build
- Store submission
Full build
3–6 months$40k – $100k+
Multi-platform product with a real backend, real accounts and a release process that outlives us.
- Multi-platform
- Backend + API
- CI/CD + analytics
Retainer
RollingFrom $4k / month
Continuous delivery on an existing app: features, OS migrations, crash triage and performance.
- Reserved capacity
- OS updates
- On-call triage
02Variables
What moves the number.
Roughly ordered by how much each one actually changes a quote.
| Factor | Impact | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Number of platforms | Largest | One platform or four. Shared SwiftUI code makes the second Apple platform far cheaper than the first, but a second store is still a second QA, review and support surface. |
| Backend and accounts | Large | An app talking to an existing API is a fraction of one that needs auth, sync, permissions and an admin surface built from nothing. |
| Design state | Large | Decided designs shorten the timeline materially. An undecided product means design and engineering loops run together, which is the right call but costs more. |
| Device capabilities | Medium | Camera, Bluetooth, background location, HealthKit, widgets and on-device ML each add real engineering and real QA. A CRUD app with a list and a form does not. |
| Real-time and offline | Medium | Offline-first sync with conflict resolution is one of the most underestimated line items in mobile. So is anything with live collaboration. |
| Compliance | Varies | Health, financial and children's data change the data model, the disclosures and the review path. Cheaper decided up front than retrofitted. |
| Content and integrations | Small to medium | Payments, analytics, push, third-party SDKs. Individually modest, collectively a sprint. |
03After launch
The costs nobody budgets for.
None of these are large on their own. Together they are the reason a launched app quietly stops being maintained.
- Apple Developer Program — $99 a year
- Per organisation, not per app. Google Play is a one-off $25 registration. Both are yours, on your account.
- Backend and infrastructure
- Hosting, database, storage and push. Small at launch, and a function of your usage rather than your codebase after that.
- Annual OS migration
- iOS ships a major version every September and Play enforces target-SDK deadlines. An app with no maintenance budget degrades on a published schedule.
- Third-party SDKs
- Analytics, crash reporting, payments and auth. Mostly free at low volume, and mostly not at scale.
04FAQ
Cost questions, answered.
How much does it cost to build an iOS app?
$15k–$40k for a scoped MVP on one platform over 6–10 weeks. $40k–$100k+ for a full multi-platform build with a backend over 3–6 months. From $4k a month to keep an existing app shipping. All figures are USD, and all are indicative until the written scope after a discovery call.
Why do app development quotes vary so much?
Because 'an app' describes both a single-platform tool over one API and a multi-platform product with its own backend, offline sync and compliance requirements. The range is honest; what matters is which end of it your scope sits at, and that is answerable in one call.
What is the cheapest way to get an app built?
Narrow the scope, not the quality. One platform, one core loop, real infrastructure. Cutting CI, crash reporting and proper auth is what makes version two a rewrite, which costs more than the saving.
Do you charge hourly or fixed price?
Scoped engagements are priced as a range against a written scope, not billed hourly. Ongoing work is a monthly retainer for reserved capacity. Change requests are repriced in the open rather than absorbed quietly.
What does the cost include?
Product scoping, design, engineering, store submission and the analytics to learn from launch. You also get source, pipelines, store accounts and architecture notes — ownership is not a paid extra.
Are there ongoing costs after launch?
Yes, and they are worth budgeting from the start: the $99/year Apple Developer Program, backend and infrastructure hosting, any third-party SDKs, and maintenance. iOS ships a major version every September, so an app with no maintenance budget degrades on a schedule.
Is it cheaper to build with React Native?
For two platforms, usually yes — one codebase instead of two. For one platform it is not cheaper, and for products leaning on device capabilities the native module work erodes the saving. The platform decision should follow the product, not the invoice.
05Related
Where the money goes.
The three engagements these numbers describe.
Want the real number?
Send the scope. You get a written estimate and an honest answer about which engagement fits — including when the answer is 'not yet'.