Mobile App: Total Development Cost

This article was written by our expert who is surveying the industry and constantly updating the business plan for a mobile app.

Who wrote this content?

The Dojo Business Team

A team of financial experts, consultants, and writers

We're a team of finance experts, consultants, market analysts, and specialized writers dedicated to helping new entrepreneurs launch their businesses. We help you avoid costly mistakes by providing detailed business plans, accurate market studies, and reliable financial forecasts to maximize your chances of success from day one—especially in the mobile app development market.

Which platforms should your mobile app support?

Your mobile app should support both iOS and Android to reach the broadest possible audience in 2025.

For consumer-facing apps, supporting both major mobile platforms is essential since iOS holds approximately 27% global market share while Android dominates with 72%. Excluding either platform means losing access to millions of potential users. Web-based platforms remain critical for SaaS applications and B2B solutions where users need desktop access for complex workflows or data management.

Cross-platform frameworks like Flutter and React Native can streamline development by allowing you to write code once and deploy to multiple platforms. These frameworks reduce development time by 30–40% compared to building separate native apps. However, they come with trade-offs—highly customized features, advanced animations, or hardware-specific functionality may require native development for optimal performance.

The platform choice directly impacts your budget. Native development for both iOS and Android typically costs $80,000–$200,000 for standard apps, while cross-platform development ranges from $40,000–$120,000. If your app requires platform-specific features like Apple's ARKit or Android's NFC capabilities, you'll need native development regardless of cost considerations.

You'll find detailed market insights in our mobile app business plan, updated every quarter.

What features should you include from MVP to advanced capabilities?

Start with a Minimum Viable Product (MVP) that includes only core user flows—registration, authentication, one main functional module, basic notifications, and user settings.

The MVP approach focuses on delivering direct value to users while testing market demand before investing in advanced features. For a mobile app, this means implementing the single most important function that solves your users' primary problem. A food delivery app MVP would include restaurant browsing, ordering, and payment—nothing more. Advanced features like loyalty programs, social sharing, or AI recommendations come later.

Advanced capabilities expand significantly beyond the MVP foundation. These include social login integrations (Google, Facebook, Apple), real-time push notifications, in-app messaging, advanced analytics dashboards, offline functionality, custom UI components, and third-party service integrations. More sophisticated apps may incorporate augmented reality (AR) features, artificial intelligence modules for personalization, or blockchain integration for secure transactions.

The cost difference between MVP and advanced versions is substantial. A standard MVP for a mobile app costs $40,000–$80,000 and takes 2–4 months to develop. Adding advanced capabilities pushes costs to $150,000–$250,000 with development timelines extending to 6–12 months. Enterprise solutions with comprehensive feature sets can exceed $400,000.

This is one of the strategies explained in our mobile app business plan.

How many user roles and permission levels do you need?

Most mobile apps require at least two user roles (regular user and admin), but business or SaaS apps typically need 3–5 roles with granular access controls.

Consumer apps generally operate with simple role structures—users who interact with the app's features and administrators who manage content and settings. A fitness tracking app might only need these two roles since all users access the same core features. However, complexity increases rapidly for business applications where different users need different levels of access to data and functionality.

Business and SaaS mobile apps commonly implement 3–5 distinct roles. A project management app might include: basic users (view and comment), contributors (create and edit), managers (assign and approve), administrators (configure settings), and super administrators (full system access). Each role requires careful design of permissions, data visibility restrictions, and feature access controls using role-based access control (RBAC) systems.

The development cost for user roles scales with complexity. Simple two-role systems add $3,000–$8,000 to development costs. Complex multi-role systems with granular permissions can add $15,000–$30,000, especially when implementing field-level permissions, conditional access rules, or custom approval workflows. Each additional role requires testing across all app features to ensure proper access restrictions.

What level of design complexity does your mobile app require?

What third-party integrations will your mobile app need?

Your mobile app's integration requirements depend entirely on your business model and target features—payment systems, social media, cloud storage, and communication APIs are the most common.

Payment system integrations are essential for any mobile app generating revenue through transactions. Stripe, PayPal, and Apple Pay implementations cost $10,000–$25,000 for robust, secure payment processing with proper error handling, receipt generation, and refund capabilities. These integrations must comply with PCI DSS standards and handle multiple currencies for international apps.

Social media integrations enable user authentication and content sharing. Implementing social login (Google, Facebook, Apple Sign-In) typically costs $2,000–$10,000 depending on the number of platforms. Social sharing features that allow users to post content from your app to their social networks add another $3,000–$8,000. These integrations improve user onboarding by reducing friction during registration.

Cloud storage, CRM, analytics, and communication APIs form the backbone of most mobile apps. Each service integration costs $5,000–$20,000 depending on API complexity and data synchronization requirements. AWS S3 or Google Cloud Storage for file management, Salesforce or HubSpot for customer relationship management, Google Analytics or Mixpanel for user behavior tracking, and SendGrid or Twilio for email/SMS notifications are standard implementations.

For complex mobile apps requiring extensive integrations across multiple services, expect total annual integration costs of $20,000–$50,000 or more. This includes initial implementation, ongoing API maintenance, version updates, and monitoring for service reliability. Each integration point introduces potential failure modes that require robust error handling and fallback mechanisms.

What backend infrastructure does your mobile app require?

Your mobile app needs scalable backend infrastructure including hosting, databases, storage, monitoring, and backup systems that grow with your user base.

Hosting costs for mobile app backends range from $50–$500 per month for standard applications handling up to 50,000 active users. As your app scales, hosting expenses can reach $3,000+ monthly for complex applications with heavy storage, computation needs, or real-time features. Cloud providers like AWS, Google Cloud, or Microsoft Azure offer auto-scaling capabilities that automatically adjust resources based on traffic patterns.

Database and storage requirements depend on your data model. Relational databases (PostgreSQL, MySQL) work well for structured data with complex relationships, costing $100–$500 monthly for standard implementations. NoSQL databases (MongoDB, Firebase) suit unstructured data and real-time synchronization, with similar cost ranges. File storage for user-generated content (images, videos, documents) adds $50–$300 monthly depending on volume and retention policies.

Monitoring, security, and backup infrastructure are non-negotiable for production mobile apps. Application performance monitoring (APM) tools like New Relic or Datadog cost $100–$500 monthly. Automated backup systems, disaster recovery protocols, and security monitoring add another $100–$300 monthly. Total backend infrastructure costs typically run $3,000–$40,000 annually, scaling directly with user growth and feature complexity.

We cover this exact topic in the mobile app business plan.

How large should your mobile app development team be?

Your development team size depends on project complexity—simple MVPs need 3–5 people while enterprise applications require 8–12+ specialists.

A simple MVP team includes 1–2 cross-platform developers (if using Flutter or React Native), 1 UI/UX designer, 1 QA specialist, and 1 project manager. This lean structure works for straightforward apps with limited features and can deliver a basic product in 2–4 months. Cross-platform developers handle both iOS and Android simultaneously, reducing team size and coordination overhead.

Moderate complexity mobile apps require 6–8 team members including separate iOS and Android developers (for native development), 1–2 backend developers, 1 UI/UX designer, 1–2 QA specialists, and 1 project manager. This structure supports more sophisticated features, custom backend systems, and comprehensive testing across devices. Development timelines extend to 4–8 months with this team composition.

High complexity and enterprise mobile apps demand 8–12+ specialists including platform-specific developers, backend architects, DevOps engineers, security analysts, data engineers, ML specialists (if AI features are included), multiple QA engineers, UI/UX designers, and project managers. Large teams introduce coordination challenges but enable parallel development of complex features, robust security implementations, and comprehensive testing protocols.

How long does mobile app development take from design to launch?

Mobile app development timelines range from 2–4 months for simple apps to 8–12 months for complex enterprise solutions.

Simple mobile apps with basic functionality typically require 2–4 months from initial design to full release. This timeline includes 2–3 weeks for UI/UX design, 6–10 weeks for development, 2–3 weeks for testing, and 1–2 weeks for app store submission and approval. Simple apps usually feature single-platform development, limited third-party integrations, and straightforward user flows without complex backend requirements.

Moderate complexity mobile apps need 4–8 months for complete development. These projects involve 3–4 weeks for comprehensive design work, 12–20 weeks for development across multiple platforms, 4–6 weeks for extensive testing, and 2–3 weeks for deployment. This category includes apps with custom backend systems, multiple third-party integrations, real-time features, and sophisticated user interfaces.

High complexity and enterprise mobile apps require 8–12+ months or longer. The extended timeline accommodates 6–8 weeks for extensive research and design, 20–40 weeks for development of advanced features, 6–10 weeks for rigorous testing and security audits, and 3–4 weeks for compliance reviews and deployment. Enterprise apps often include complex integrations with existing systems, advanced security requirements, regulatory compliance needs (HIPAA, PCI DSS), and extensive documentation requirements.

Development timeline factors include team size (larger teams can parallelize work but require more coordination), complexity of features (real-time systems, AI integration, AR/VR features add significant time), number of platforms (native development for multiple platforms takes longer than cross-platform), third-party dependencies (external API integrations can introduce delays), and client feedback cycles (revision rounds extend timelines by 2–4 weeks per major iteration).

What are the costs for quality assurance and testing?

Quality assurance and testing costs range from $5,000–$30,000 for the initial launch phase, plus 10–20% of annual development costs for ongoing maintenance.

Initial QA and testing budgets cover comprehensive device testing across multiple iOS and Android versions, screen sizes, and hardware configurations. Testing a mobile app properly requires checking functionality on at least 15–20 different device models to catch platform-specific bugs. Automated testing setup costs $8,000–$15,000 initially but reduces long-term testing time by 40–60%.

Testing categories include functional testing (verifying all features work as intended), performance testing (app speed, memory usage, battery consumption), security testing (vulnerability assessments, penetration testing), usability testing (user experience validation), and compatibility testing (OS versions, device types, screen sizes). Each category requires dedicated testing time and specialized tools, with security testing alone costing $5,000–$15,000 for thorough assessments.

Ongoing bug fixing and maintenance represent 10–20% of your annual development costs. A mobile app that cost $100,000 to build will require $10,000–$20,000 annually for bug fixes, OS update compatibility, performance optimizations, and minor feature adjustments. This budget covers regular testing cycles after each OS update (iOS and Android release major updates annually), monitoring user-reported issues, and maintaining app store rating through rapid bug resolution.

Device testing labs and cloud-based testing services like BrowserStack or AWS Device Farm cost $100–$500 monthly for comprehensive device coverage. These services provide access to thousands of real devices for testing without purchasing physical hardware. Beta testing programs through TestFlight (iOS) or Google Play Beta are free but require 2–4 weeks of user testing before public launch.

What are the compliance, security, and data protection costs?

Compliance, security, and data protection costs start at $5,000–$25,000 for standard mobile apps, with significantly higher expenses for regulated industries.

Basic security implementation includes SSL/TLS encryption, secure authentication systems, encrypted data storage, and basic vulnerability protection. These foundational security measures cost $5,000–$10,000 for standard mobile apps. Implementing OAuth 2.0 or JWT-based authentication, encrypting sensitive data at rest and in transit, and following OWASP Mobile Security guidelines are minimum requirements for any production mobile app.

GDPR and CCPA compliance add $8,000–$15,000 to development costs. Required features include user consent management, data access requests, data deletion capabilities, privacy policy integration, cookie consent (for web components), and data breach notification systems. Mobile apps serving European or California users must implement these features regardless of company size. Non-compliance results in fines up to 4% of annual revenue or $20 million under GDPR.

Industry-specific compliance requirements dramatically increase costs. PCI DSS compliance for payment processing adds $15,000–$40,000, including secure payment tokenization, encrypted transmission, and regular security audits. HIPAA compliance for healthcare mobile apps costs $30,000–$75,000, requiring encrypted PHI storage, audit logging, access controls, and Business Associate Agreements. Financial services apps needing SOC 2 compliance face $25,000–$60,000 in initial costs plus annual audits costing $15,000–$30,000.

• Regular security audits and penetration testing: $5,000–$15,000 annually to identify vulnerabilities before attackers do
• Data encryption implementation: $3,000–$8,000 for end-to-end encryption of sensitive user data
• Biometric authentication integration: $4,000–$10,000 for Face ID, Touch ID, or fingerprint authentication
• Two-factor authentication (2FA): $3,000–$7,000 for SMS, email, or authenticator app integration
• Security monitoring and incident response: $2,000–$8,000 annually for threat detection and response systems
• Legal compliance documentation: $3,000–$10,000 for privacy policies, terms of service, and compliance documentation
• Data backup and disaster recovery: $2,000–$6,000 annually for automated backups and recovery procedures

What are the publishing and ongoing maintenance costs?

App store fees total $124 annually ($99 for Apple Developer Program, $25 one-time for Google Play), while ongoing maintenance costs $5,000–$30,000 per year or 15–20% of initial development budget.

Apple's App Store requires a $99 annual developer account fee to publish and maintain apps. Google Play charges a one-time $25 registration fee with no annual renewal. Both platforms take 15–30% commission on in-app purchases and subscriptions (15% for first-year earnings under $1 million, 30% above that threshold). These commissions significantly impact revenue for monetized mobile apps.

Ongoing maintenance encompasses regular updates for new OS versions, bug fixes, performance optimizations, content updates, and security patches. iOS and Android release major updates annually, requiring compatibility testing and code adjustments within 2–4 weeks of each release. Apps that don't maintain OS compatibility face declining downloads and negative reviews as users upgrade their devices.

Maintenance budgets typically allocate 15–20% of the initial development cost annually. A mobile app that cost $100,000 to build requires $15,000–$20,000 yearly for maintenance. This covers monthly minor updates, quarterly feature enhancements, annual platform updates, server costs, monitoring tools, and emergency bug fixes. Apps requiring frequent content updates (news apps, e-commerce apps) need higher maintenance budgets of $20,000–$40,000 annually.

Additional ongoing costs include push notification services ($10–$200 monthly depending on volume), analytics tools ($50–$300 monthly), crash reporting and monitoring ($100–$500 monthly), and customer feedback systems ($20–$100 monthly). Cloud infrastructure costs scale with user growth, potentially increasing from $500 monthly at launch to $3,000+ monthly as your user base expands.

It's a key part of what we outline in the mobile app business plan.

What budget is needed for post-launch marketing and support?

Post-launch activities require 20–50% of your total app budget for marketing, $2,000–$10,000 monthly for customer support, and 10–30% of annual development costs for feature upgrades.

Marketing launch budgets should represent 20–50% of your total mobile app development cost to achieve meaningful user acquisition. A $100,000 app development project needs $20,000–$50,000 allocated for initial marketing efforts including paid advertising, influencer partnerships, app store optimization (ASO), press releases, and content marketing. User acquisition costs (UAC) typically range from $1–$10 per install depending on app category and target audience.

App Store Optimization (ASO) is the mobile equivalent of SEO, costing $2,000–$8,000 for professional optimization of app titles, descriptions, keywords, screenshots, and preview videos. Proper ASO increases organic downloads by 150–300% without ongoing ad spend. Paid user acquisition through Apple Search Ads, Google App Campaigns, Facebook, and TikTok requires minimum budgets of $5,000–$20,000 monthly for meaningful results in competitive categories.

Customer support infrastructure costs $2,000–$10,000 monthly depending on support channels and team size. Basic email support with 24–48 hour response times costs $2,000–$4,000 monthly. Live chat support increases costs to $4,000–$7,000 monthly. Full-service support including phone, chat, email, and social media requires $7,000–$10,000 monthly. Many mobile apps start with chatbot automation ($1,000–$3,000 monthly) to handle common questions before escalating to human support.

Conclusion

This article is for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial advice. Readers are encouraged to consult with a qualified professional before making any investment decisions. We accept no liability for any actions taken based on the information provided.

Sources

1. Appinventiv - Mobile App Development Cost Guide
2. MageNative - Ecommerce Mobile App Development Checklist
3. Dojo Business - Mobile App Budget: Backend Infrastructure
4. ManekTech - How Much Does It Cost to Create a Mobile App
5. Ptolemay - MVP Features for Startups and App Development Cost Estimation
6. Lowcode Agency - Mobile App MVP Development Guide
7. Topflight Apps - App Development Costs
8. Forest Admin - User Roles and Permissions in Software Development
9. Moldstud - Customizing User Permissions and Roles in Android Development
10. Nielsen Norman Group - Strategies for Complex Application Design