Mobile app development cost in 2026: iOS, Android and cross-platform compared

App pricing has consolidated since the pandemic. Here are the real 2026 numbers for building a production-grade mobile app — what it costs, what changes the number, and how to get to launch without overspending.

Headline numbers for 2026

Simple app (single platform, few screens): $25,000 – $60,000
Mid-complexity app (auth, payments, backend, single platform): $60,000 – $150,000
Cross-platform app (React Native or Flutter, iOS + Android): $80,000 – $200,000
Enterprise / complex app (real-time, integrations, compliance): $200,000 – $750,000+

Roughly 60% of the budget goes to engineering, 15% to design, 10% to QA, and the rest to project management, infrastructure and app store deliverables.

Native vs cross-platform

Native (Swift / Kotlin)

Best performance, deepest platform integrations, highest cost. You're building and maintaining two codebases. Worth it for apps where animation, hardware access or platform UX is core (e.g. camera, AR, gaming, complex gestures).

React Native

Single codebase ships to iOS and Android with near-native performance for most apps. Mature ecosystem, easy to hire for, and Expo has made the developer experience dramatically better.

Flutter

Excellent UI fidelity and animation, fast development cycles. Slightly larger app size and a smaller hiring pool than React Native, but a great fit when design consistency matters.

What really drives the price

Number and complexity of screens — wireframes are the cheapest place to cut scope
Backend complexity — auth, real-time data, file uploads, push notifications, payments all add weeks
Third-party integrations — every SDK adds testing matrix complexity
Offline support — almost always doubles the data-layer scope
Design polish — animations, custom illustrations and motion all cost
App store compliance — Apple's review process is part of the build cost

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Post-launch is half the story

An app is never done. Plan for ongoing engineering from day one or expect a slow decline.

iOS and Android OS updates twice a year, often requiring SDK upgrades
Crash monitoring, analytics and remote config tools
Backend scaling and infrastructure costs
App store optimization (ASO) and lifecycle marketing
Quarterly feature releases to maintain ratings and retention

Mobile app designs on a desk — Budget 15–25% of build cost per year for ongoing app development.

Frequently asked questions

How much does it cost to build a mobile app in 2026?+

A simple mobile app costs $25,000 to $60,000 in 2026. A mid-complexity app with auth, payments and a backend costs $60,000 to $150,000. Cross-platform apps targeting both iOS and Android typically run $80,000 to $200,000.

Is React Native cheaper than building native iOS and Android apps?+

Yes, usually by 30 to 50 percent. A single React Native codebase ships to both platforms, reducing engineering, QA and ongoing maintenance time compared with maintaining separate Swift and Kotlin codebases.

How long does it take to build a mobile app?+

A simple app takes 8 to 12 weeks. A mid-complexity production app takes 4 to 6 months. Enterprise apps with multiple integrations and compliance requirements take 6 to 12 months.

What is the ongoing cost of maintaining a mobile app?+

Plan to spend 15 to 25 percent of the initial build cost per year on maintenance. This covers OS updates, SDK upgrades, bug fixes, infrastructure and small feature releases needed to keep ratings and retention healthy.

#mobile-app#pricing#react-native#flutter

Daniel OlowuFounder, DevCrib

Daniel runs DevCrib and has helped 200+ brands ship websites, apps and marketing systems that actually move revenue.