How Much Does It Cost to Build a Mobile App in 2026?

"How much does it cost to build an app?" is the first question almost every business asks — and the honest answer is: anywhere from nothing to hundreds of thousands of dollars. The range is huge because "an app" can mean a weekend side project or a multi-year engineering effort. This guide breaks down real 2026 numbers by approach, so you can find the figure that actually applies to you.

The short answer

For a typical small-business or content app in 2026, expect roughly:

• $0–$50/month — no-code, if you already have a website.
• $5,000–$30,000 — freelancers or a small agency for a simple custom app.
• $50,000–$250,000+ — a full custom build with a development team.

The gap between the first and last line is the single biggest decision you'll make. Most businesses dramatically overpay because they assume custom code is the only option.

What actually drives app cost

Five factors move the number more than anything else:

• Complexity — a content or store app is cheap; real-time, hardware-heavy features are not.
• Platforms — building separately for iOS and Android roughly doubles custom-dev cost.
• Design — custom UX work adds up fast.
• Who builds it — agency rates dwarf no-code subscriptions.
• Maintenance — apps need ongoing updates, which is a recurring cost most people forget.

Cost by approach

ApproachTypical costTimelineBest for No-code (convert your site)Free–$50/moMinutes–daysSites that already exist Freelancers$5k–$30k1–3 monthsSimple custom apps Agency / dev team$50k–$250k+3–12 monthsComplex products The costs nobody mentions

Beyond the build, budget for the recurring items: an Apple Developer account ($99/year), a Google Play account ($25 one-time), and ongoing maintenance — OS updates, bug fixes, and store-policy changes. A custom app can cost 15–20% of its build price per year just to keep running. No-code platforms fold most of this into your subscription.

The cheapest way: convert the website you already have

If you already run a website, you've effectively paid for your app's content and logic already. A website-to-app converter wraps it in a native shell and adds mobile features, skipping the entire custom-development bill. That's why it starts at free instead of five figures. See Glideep's pricing, or compare the options in our guide to the best website-to-app converters in 2026. If you're on a specific platform, we have dedicated guides for Shopify, WordPress and 20+ more.

A real example: an e-commerce app

Say you run a Shopify store and want an app with your catalog, checkout, push notifications, and offline browsing. Here's how the three routes compare for that exact brief:

• Custom build: a development team rebuilds your storefront natively for iOS and Android — easily $40,000–$120,000, plus months of work and ongoing maintenance.
• Freelancer: a cheaper custom route, but you're still looking at thousands of dollars and weeks of back-and-forth, and you own the maintenance burden.
• Converted app: your live Shopify store wrapped in a native shell with push and offline included, published to both stores — starting free, live in days.

For a store that already exists, the converted route delivers the same shopper-facing features for a tiny fraction of the price. That's the whole reason the category exists.

How to decide your budget

Ask one question first: does my app need anything my website can't already do? If your app is essentially your website plus mobile features (push, offline, home-screen icon), you almost certainly don't need custom development — convert and save five figures. Only invest in a custom build when you need deep, device-specific functionality (heavy real-time features, complex hardware integrations, games) that a wrapped website genuinely can't provide.

FAQ

What's the cheapest way to build an app?

Converting an existing website with a no-code platform — it starts free and skips custom development entirely.

Why do custom apps cost so much?

Custom apps require designers and engineers building (and maintaining) separate iOS and Android codebases from scratch, which is labour-intensive and ongoing.

Are cheap apps lower quality?

Not necessarily. For content, e-commerce, and service apps, a converted website delivers the same native features (push, offline, biometrics) users expect — at a fraction of the cost.

How much does it cost to maintain an app?

A custom app can cost 15–20% of its build price per year in updates and fixes. With a no-code platform, maintenance is largely handled within your subscription.