"How much does it cost to build an app?" is the question we get most, and the honest answer is: it depends on which app. A calculator with three screens is nothing like a platform with user accounts, payments and a cloud backend. This guide gives real 2026 ranges for iOS development, what each tier includes, and what makes a project more — or less — expensive.
Price ranges by type of app
- →Simple app ($3,000 – $8,000): calculators, converters, a single focused tool. No login, no server. Data stays on the device.
- →App with a backend ($8,000 – $25,000): user accounts, cloud sync, push notifications, an admin panel.
- →Platform or SaaS ($25,000 and up): payments and subscriptions, third-party integrations, complex business logic, scaling.
These ranges are for a polished, ready-to-ship product, not a prototype. A working MVP to validate an idea can cost much less if the scope is trimmed sensibly.
What makes an app expensive (and what doesn't)
Cost isn't driven by the number of screens but by the complexity behind them. What inflates a budget:
- →User accounts and secure authentication
- →In-app payments (Apple takes a 15–30% cut)
- →Real-time data, maps, chat or video
- →An Android version alongside iOS (usually adds 40–60% if built natively and separately)
What should not cost as much as you'd think: the visual design. A good design system is reused screen by screen. Paying for beautiful pixels is cheap compared to paying for robust server logic.
Costs you forget to budget for
- 1. Apple Developer account. $99/year, mandatory to publish. No App Store without it.
- 2. Infrastructure. If the app has a backend, there's a monthly server and database cost. It scales with your users.
- 3. Maintenance. iOS ships a new version every year. An app left unmaintained breaks. Budget 15–20% of the initial cost annually.
Native, cross-platform or web?
Three paths, three costs. Native (Swift) gives the best experience but doubles the work if you want Android. Cross-platform (React Native, Flutter) reuses most of the code across iOS and Android — the best cost-to-result ratio for most projects. A wrapped web app is the cheapest, fine for internal tools, but limited for consumer apps.
How to ask for a quote without surprises
Before asking for a price, be clear on three things: exactly what the app does (a feature list, not "an app like X"), whether you need Android from day one, and whether you handle money or sensitive data. With that, any serious agency can give you a realistic range. Be wary of anyone who quotes a fixed price without asking a single question.
At Claw Studio we build native iOS apps and publish them on the Apple App Store, alongside Android and custom software. If you have an idea, we'll tell you honestly which budget tier it needs and where to start.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to publish an app on the App Store?
Publishing is included in Apple's Developer Program, which costs $99/year — there's no per-app fee to publish. The real cost is building the app to Apple's guidelines and preparing the listing (screenshots, description, privacy labels). A well-prepared submission avoids the rejections that add weeks.
How much does a custom iPhone app cost compared to a template?
There's no real 'template' route for a native iPhone app the way there is for websites. A custom iPhone app starts around $3,000–$8,000 for a simple, self-contained tool and rises with backend, accounts and payments. You're paying for engineering time, not a design template.
How much does it cost to build an iPad app?
An iPad app costs about the same as the equivalent iPhone app when it's designed for both from the start, because the code is shared. Adding a separate iPad-only layout on top of an existing iPhone app adds roughly 15–30% for the extra design and testing.
How long does it take to build an iOS app?
A simple app is typically 4–8 weeks; an app with a backend, accounts and payments is 3–6 months. Timeline is driven by feature complexity and how ready the design and content are — not by the number of screens.
Is it cheaper to build for iOS or Android first?
Building one platform first is always cheaper than both at once. iOS is often chosen first because App Store users tend to convert and pay more, and the ecosystem is more uniform to test. A cross-platform framework (React Native or Flutter) lets you ship both from mostly shared code if you need Android soon after.
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