Half of the mobile apps companies order could have been a responsive web app at a third of the price. The other half earns millions. The difference comes down to one question.
The test: does it need sensors, offline or notifications?
If your application needs the camera, GPS, push notifications or offline work, it belongs in the App Store. If it is a catalogue, orders and a profile — build a web application. You will save 40 % of the cost and years of maintaining two store release processes.
Real numbers for 2026
React Native or Flutter from one codebase: an MVP from €48,000, a full product €75,000–120,000. Native development (Swift + Kotlin separately) is 60–80 % more expensive and only pays off for games and top-tier fintech apps. Store fees, certificates and the release process: count on an extra €3,000 a year.
The most expensive mistake: building the app and the web as two separate projects with two vendors. One API, one design system, one team — that is where the real savings are.