How much does a mobile app cost — and when you don’t need one at all

Many mobile apps that companies commission could have been solved with a mobile-friendly website for a fraction of the price. Others are irreplaceable for the business. The difference comes down to one question.

The test: does it need sensors, offline mode or notifications?

If your app needs the camera, location, phone notifications or has to work without internet, it belongs in the App Store and Google Play. If it’s a catalogue, orders and a profile, build a web application. You’ll save a large part of the cost and years of maintenance in two app stores.

Indicative figures

An app for both iOS and Android from a single codebase (for example React Native or Flutter) is a sensible standard today. A first version usually comes to €45,000 – 70,000, a full product to €75,000 – 120,000. Separate development for each platform is significantly more expensive and mainly worth it for games and demanding finance apps. The ranges are indicative; the exact amount depends on the scope.

A web app on the home screen: the third way

Between a website and a native app sits the progressive web app (PWA). It can be added to the phone’s home screen, handles basic work offline and can send notifications — all without an app store and its commissions. For a company tool, an internal system or a loyalty programme, it’s often the cheapest route to an “app on the phone”. You belong in the store when you need deep access to the phone, payments through Apple or Google, or when your customers expect to find you there.

The real cost isn’t development, it’s running the app

The development price is only the beginning. Apple and Google change their rules every year, and an app you don’t update for a year stops working or drops out of the store. Budget for ongoing updates for new operating system versions, certificates and the approval of every new version. An app is a commitment for years, not a one-off project. That’s why it pays to check whether you really need one before development starts.

The most expensive mistake: building the app and the website as two separate projects with two vendors. One data interface, one design system, one team. That’s where the real savings are.