Free tool
App Cost Estimator
Pick the type of app, the features and the design level. Get a ballpark for hours, weeks and cost at any hourly rate, plus a scope you can share with developers.
Estimated effort
230–438 hrs
About 4–8 weeks with a small team.
At $100/hour
$23,000 – $43,800
Where the time goes
- Design
- ~50 hrs
- Build
- ~200 hrs
- Test & launch
- ~84 hrs
Copy your scope to share with any developer.
A ballpark for planning, not a quote. Real costs depend on detail, data and integrations.
How the estimate works
- Base: every app type has a starting range for setup, navigation and deployment.
- Screens: each screen or page adds design and build time.
- Features: each feature adds a low and high range of hours.
- Design level scales the total, and building for iOS and Android adds about a third.
- QA and launch: testing, project management and release add 20 to 25%.
How to bring the cost down
Launch with the smallest set of features that solves the main problem, use proven services for login and payments, and keep the first version to one platform. You learn more from real users in a month than from a year of planning.
FAQs
How accurate is this estimate?
It is a planning ballpark based on typical small-team builds. A real quote needs your screens, data and integrations mapped out, which usually takes one call.
How much does it cost to build an app in the US?
Agency rates in the US and Canada commonly run $100 to $200 an hour, so a simple internal tool can be a few thousand dollars and a full mobile app with payments and AI can be tens of thousands. Use the rate box to compare quotes.
Is a web app cheaper than a mobile app?
Usually. A web app runs everywhere from one codebase and skips app store reviews. Many businesses start with a mobile-friendly web app and add native apps later.
Why do AI features add so much time?
AI needs prompt design, testing with real data, guardrails and cost controls. The model is the easy part; making it reliable takes the hours.
Can I build iOS and Android at the same time?
Yes. Cross-platform frameworks like React Native or Flutter share most of the code, which adds about a third rather than doubling the work.
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