Mobile development cost questions are usually framed wrong. The right question is not "how much does an app cost" — it is "what stack and team get me the best outcome for my specific product."

What drives mobile app cost

• Number of platforms. iOS only, Android only, both.
• Stack. Native (Swift + Kotlin), Flutter, React Native, Kotlin Multiplatform.
• Feature complexity. Auth, payments, push, video, AR, offline sync.
• Backend. New backend vs existing API.
• Design. Off-the-shelf templates vs custom UX.

Ballpark costs in 2026

• Simple MVP (one platform, off-the-shelf design, basic features): $15K-$35K.
• Cross-platform production app (Flutter/RN, custom design, payments, push): $50K-$140K.
• Native iOS + Android with shared backend: $100K-$300K.
• Complex native app (AR, real-time, offline, large team): $300K+.

When Flutter is the right call

Flutter has won the cross-platform race for most consumer apps. Performance is excellent, the widget system is mature, and the same codebase ships iOS, Android, web and desktop. For 70-80% of new apps in 2026, Flutter is the responsible default.

When React Native still wins

If your web team is deep in React, React Native lets you reuse skills, components and business logic. The 2025-2026 New Architecture has narrowed Flutter's performance lead significantly. For internal tools, B2B apps and any app that needs to share code with a web product, React Native is often faster to ship.

When native is the right call

• Camera-heavy or AR-first apps (banking with biometrics, retail AR try-on).
• Apps where every millisecond of cold start matters.
• Deep platform integrations (Apple Watch, App Clips, Wear OS, widgets).
• Apps where the team is small and very senior on one platform.

Hidden costs founders forget

• App store fees. Apple takes 15-30%, Google takes 15-30%. Build this into your pricing.
• Maintenance. 15-25% of build cost per year just to keep pace with OS updates.
• Push, crash, analytics infrastructure. Often $200-$1,500 per month for serious apps.
• App store optimisation and marketing. Often more expensive than the build itself.

The cheapest app to build is the one your team can maintain in three years. Pick the stack you can live with, not the one the internet argues for this quarter.

Our Mobile App Development team builds across Flutter, React Native and native — and we will tell you which is right for your project before you commit a dollar.