How much does it cost to build an app in 2026?
Most custom apps cost somewhere between $5,000 and $150,000 or more, and the biggest factors are scope, platform and who builds it. A login-protected dashboard with a few workflows sits at the low end; a two-sided marketplace with payments, notifications and iOS and Android apps sits at the high end.
The ranges below are typical quotes, based on what we see when quoting and on competing proposals clients share with us. They are not survey data, and real projects regularly fall outside them.
- Web app, portal or internal dashboard: US agency often $25,000–$150,000+ · UK agency £20,000–£100,000+ · offshore agency $5,000–$40,000+
- Mobile app (iOS and Android): US agency often $40,000–$250,000+ · UK agency £30,000–£150,000+ · offshore agency $10,000–$60,000+
- MVP (first version to test the idea): US or UK agency often $20,000–$80,000 · offshore agency often $5,000–$25,000
- No-code prototype: often a few thousand dollars, useful for validation but limited when you need to scale
Web app vs mobile app vs MVP: what is the difference?
A web app runs in the browser on any device, a mobile app is installed from the App Store or Google Play, and an MVP is the smallest version of either that proves people will use and pay for it. Many products should start as a web app MVP and add mobile apps once demand is clear.
Web app. One codebase, no app-store review, instant updates and easy access on desktop, which suits B2B tools, portals and SaaS. PourPoint, a hospitality SaaS Devmenta built with venue onboarding, shelf mapping, recipes and invoicing, is a good example.
Mobile app. Worth it when users need push notifications, the camera, offline access or daily habit-forming use. Building for both iOS and Android, either natively or with a cross-platform framework, adds design, testing and store-submission work.
MVP. Not a cheap version of the full product but a focused one: one user type, one core workflow, basic admin, and analytics to learn what to build next.
What drives app development cost?
App cost is mostly driven by the number of screens, user roles and integrations, because each one has to be designed, built and tested. Cutting a feature from the first release almost always saves more than negotiating the hourly rate.
- User roles and permissions: admins, staff, customers and external collaborators each need their own views and rules
- Integrations: payments, accounting, CRMs, maps, email and third-party APIs
- Data and processing: search, filtering, batch jobs, reports and dashboards
- Platforms: web only, or web plus iOS and Android
- Design depth: a clean component library versus fully custom UI and animation
- Compliance and security: healthcare, finance and personal data add review and testing time
US and UK agencies vs offshore app developers
Offshore teams usually build the same scope for a fraction of US or UK agency prices, mainly because salaries and overheads are lower. The trade-offs are time-zone gaps and the need to vet live work and communication carefully.
US and UK agencies often charge $100–$200 an hour or £80–£150 an hour for development, while offshore developers often charge $20–$60 an hour. Rates alone are misleading, though: a team that ships the right features faster is cheaper than a lower rate with endless rework. Ask to see live apps, not just screenshots, and ask who owns the code and hosting accounts.
- US or UK agency: same time zone, local contracts and workshops, highest price
- Freelancer: lower cost, but a single person rarely covers design, backend, mobile and DevOps well
- Offshore agency: a full team at lower rates. Devmenta's team is in Karachi, Pakistan, overlapping the UK working day and US East Coast mornings.
Ongoing costs after launch
An app keeps costing money after launch, and a common rule of thumb is 15–20% of the build cost each year for maintenance, updates and small improvements. Hosting and third-party services come on top.
Ask every quote to list which of these are included, which you pay directly, and whose name each account is in.
- Hosting and databases: from a few dollars a month for a small app to hundreds or more as usage grows
- App store fees: Apple's developer program is $99 a year; Google Play charges a one-time $25 registration
- Third-party services: email delivery, SMS, maps, payments and AI APIs, usually billed by usage
- Maintenance: security updates, OS and browser changes, bug fixes and monitoring
- New features: the roadmap you build from real user feedback
Which apps has Devmenta built?
Devmenta's app work is mostly web apps, SaaS products and portals, and four of them are live for you to try. Abdul Subhan is Devmenta's App & Backend Developer.
Devmenta also built its own internal agency OS with client billing, team time-tracking and a client content-approval portal. Mobile apps for Android and iOS are offered as a service; see mobile app development.
- PourPoint: hospitality SaaS with venue onboarding, shelf mapping, recipes and invoicing
- ONCORE: oncology research collaboration platform with project matching
- PSX Scrip Radar: stock screener web app with batched scans and watchlists
- Dart Command Center: operations portal for assets, assignments, and team and external-collaborator access
How does Devmenta price app development?
Devmenta prices every web app, mobile app and MVP by custom quote, because scope varies too much for a fixed plan. Its $399, $699 and $1,199 monthly plans cover websites and marketing; apps are quoted separately in US dollars after a short scoping conversation.
To get an accurate number, send a one-page brief through the contact page, by email to info@devmenta.com or on WhatsApp at +92 313 2167944. Include the items below and Devmenta will suggest an MVP scope and a quote. See web app development for more.
- Who the users are and the one job the app must do well
- The must-have features for launch, and the nice-to-haves for later
- Web, mobile or both, and any integrations (payments, CRM, accounting)
- Examples of apps you like and why
- Your budget range and deadline, so the scope fits both
