Topic guide · 33 pages

What does it cost to build and run an app?

Updated 5 November 2026 · every page on this topic, checked against our own builds

Quick answer

Two numbers matter: what the build costs and what the product costs every month after launch. Our quoted build ranges for every app type are in one table, the App Development Cost Index 2026, with a page per app type; the monthly bills that follow are on running costs, and how long real builds took on build timelines. Every project starts with a fixed-price Discovery Sprint, so the build price is set against a written scope, not a guess.

Most cost questions are really three questions: how big is the first release, what will the third-party services bill each month, and how long will it take. The pages below answer each one with ranges we quote and numbers from our own builds, in rupees and dollars at the same price worldwide.

Start here

Every page on app development cost

Cost by app type

PagesApp Development Cost Index 2026Every quoted range in one table, in ₹, $, £ and AED, with the rate and the date
Cost by app typeAI chatbot development costA website or WhatsApp bot against an in-product assistant, and the cost per turn
Cost by app typeReact Native app development costA simple app, an MVP with its own backend, or a two-app platform
Cost by app typeFitness app development costFrom a gym booking app to a trainer marketplace like Trainr
Cost by app typeDelivery app development costCustomer and driver apps, dispatch and the third-party cost of each trip
Cost by app typeMarketplace app development costTwo sides, a ledger and payouts: what moves a marketplace's price
Cost by app typeSaaS product development costA SaaS MVP against a market-ready product with billing and a console

Build cost and pricing

ArticlesSaaS Development Cost in 2026 | Real Ranges After AIThe ranges we actually quote for a SaaS product, and what moves them
PagesPricingHow we price projects, what changes a quote, and how milestone payments work
Fixed-price offersDiscovery SprintThe fixed-price first step that turns an idea into a priced scope
SolutionsMarketplace appsQuoted ranges for a marketplace MVP and a full platform
SolutionsLogistics appsQuoted ranges for a delivery app, from MVP to two-app platform
SolutionsFitness appsQuoted ranges for trainer and gym apps
SolutionsSaaS productsQuoted ranges for a SaaS MVP and a market-ready product
SolutionsReact Native appsQuoted ranges for one app on Android and iPhone
SolutionsAI chatbotsQuoted ranges for a support or sales chatbot
ComparisonsFixed Price vs Time and MaterialsWhen a fixed price protects you and when it costs more
ComparisonsIn-House Team vs Outsourcing to IndiaWhat a team in India costs against hiring your own

Running costs after launch

PagesRunning costsMonthly bills for servers, maps, messaging, storage and app stores
ArticlesCut Google Maps Costs in a Delivery App: 151 Calls to 1How one delivery app's map bill fell from 151 calls per delivery to 1
ArticlesWhat an AI Plant Scan Costs: Metering Every AI CallMetering every AI call so each feature has a known unit cost
Fixed-price offersMaps & AI Cost AuditA fixed-price review of a Maps and AI bill that keeps growing
Fixed-price offersApp Maintenance Plans & PricingWhat a monthly maintenance plan includes and costs
ArticlesWhat App Maintenance Involves After Launch: Real FixesThe recurring work a live app needs, month by month

Time and scope

PagesBuild timelinesHow long our real builds took, from the start of build work to launch
ArticlesWhat a Discovery Phase Should Produce Before a BuildWhat you should hold before you pay for a build
GlossaryMVPHow to cut a first release that still tests the idea
GlossaryScope creepWhy estimates grow after the price is agreed, and how to stop it
GlossaryUnit economicsWorking out whether each order or user makes money
GlossaryChange requestHow changes are priced once a fixed scope is signed

Projects with published numbers

Case studiesPakka LogisticsA delivery platform: two apps, a business portal and a console
Case studiesTrainrA trainer marketplace built over 13 months and handed over
Case studiesStorafleetOur own SaaS, with subscription billing and a payment audit

Questions people ask about app development cost

Why do app development quotes for the same idea vary so much?

Because each quote prices a different, usually unwritten, scope. One team assumes an admin console and payments, another leaves them out. Compare quotes only after the scope is written down, which is what a Discovery Sprint produces, and read how to compare quotes before you sign.

Is the build the biggest cost of an app?

Often not over three years. Maps, messaging, storage, AI calls and store fees bill every month, and a live app needs updates as phones and stores change. Our running costs page lists the usual bills, and maintenance covers the upkeep.

Do you charge clients outside India more?

No. The rupee price is the price, converted at the market rate, so a client in Dubai or London pays the same as one in Bengaluru. Clients in India are invoiced in rupees and everyone else in US dollars. See pricing.

How do I keep an app build from going over budget?

Fix the scope before the price, pay in milestones tied to working builds you can install, and price every change before it is built. Our fixed price vs time and materials comparison explains which model suits which project.

Where can I see how long a real build took?

On build timelines, which lists our builds with the start and end points each one is measured from, and the scope behind it.

What makes third-party API bills grow faster than users?

Calls the user never sees: a screen that refreshes a route every few seconds, a retry loop, an AI call made twice. In Pakka one delivery made 151 billable map calls before we fixed it to 1. The Maps and AI cost audit looks for exactly this.