The Short Answer: What App Development Costs
A first version of a mobile app (an MVP) costs about $5,000–$18,000 at 2026 prices, on the fixed-price packages that studios such as Tovosolutions, dedev and ZIRA Software publish. A fuller product runs $12,000–$50,000, and freelancers start lower: Upwork lists median rates of $18–$39 an hour, and Fiverr's page-one app gigs start at a median of $100. On top of any build, Apple charges $99 a year and Google Play $25 once to publish.
Those are other companies' published prices, checked November 2, 2026, not ours. Mark Studios quotes each app after a discovery call, so there is no Mark Studios price on this page.
App Development Prices by Route
| Route | Published price | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Fiverr gig | $100–$695 to start, median $100 | The 44 app development gigs on page one of Fiverr's "mobile app development" search |
| Upwork freelancer | $18–$39 an hour | Upwork's median rates for mobile app developers |
| One-platform MVP | $2,000–$9,000 | MVP Factory's Starter MVP (one platform, 3–8 screens); dedev's Lean MVP $5,000 |
| First version (MVP) | $4,999–$18,000 | Tovosolutions $4,999 for up to 8 screens; dedev $8,000; MVP Factory $10,000–$16,000; ZIRA $10,000–$18,000; PropelHaus $15,000 with a web app included |
| Fuller product | $11,999–$50,000 | Tovosolutions Scale $11,999 for up to 20 screens; MVP Factory Premium $17,000–$45,000; ZIRA Growth $22,000–$42,000; Codigee typically $15,000–$50,000 |
| Enterprise | $60,000 and up | ZIRA's Enterprise tier |
| Store accounts | $99 a year (Apple), $25 once (Google) | Apple Developer Program; Google Play registration |
| After launch | $2,000–$4,000 a month | Codigee's care plan starting at $2,000; Tovosolutions' ongoing product work starting at $4,000 |
Some Fiverr links on this page are affiliate links: Mark Studios may earn a commission if you buy through them, at no cost to you.
A gig's starting price is its smallest package, often a screen or a feature, not an app in the stores. We counted each gig once and left out four personalized recommendation cards. Fiverr files the search under cross-platform development. Marketplace fees come on top; our comparison of Fiverr, Upwork and an agency runs that math.
What a First Version Costs at Fixed-Price Studios
The spread is mostly scope, and the studios say what their number buys. Tovosolutions caps its $4,999 sprint at 8 screens and its $11,999 Scale package at 20. MVP Factory's $10,000–$16,000 Full MVP covers 8–15 screens on Android, iPhone and the web, with a custom backend. PropelHaus's $15,000 includes about five screens and a backend, with hosting costs excluded. Codigee's own example of a $25,000 project splits it into five milestones, from a $5,000 clickable prototype to a $4,000 polish and store release.
What Moves an App's Price
- Screens and flows. Every package above is defined by a screen count or a list of features. More screens, more money.
- One platform or two. dedev's single-platform Lean MVP is $5,000 and its iPhone and Android Standard MVP $8,000. A shared codebase (React Native or Flutter) cuts the duplicate work but still needs testing on each store.
- Backend and admin. Sign-in, a database and an admin panel are where a "simple" app grows. Tovosolutions adds an admin dashboard and API integrations at its Scale tier.
- Payments and subscriptions. In-app purchases sit in ZIRA's Growth tier, not its Starter, and in MVP Factory's Premium.
- Running costs. dedev lists store fees, hosting and third-party services as separate, PropelHaus excludes infrastructure, and Tovosolutions names store fees as outside the build. Budget for them before launch.
- Changes after launch. Codigee's care plan starts at $2,000 a month; Tovosolutions' ongoing product work at $4,000.
Before You Pay for an App: A 6-Point Check
- Decide whether you need an app at all. If people will visit once, find you in search and buy, a fast mobile website does that for less; see what a small business website costs. Apps earn their place with daily use, push notifications, offline use or the camera.
- Write the screen list. Fixed prices are only fixed against a written scope, so list every screen and what it does.
- Ask what's outside the price. Store accounts, hosting, analytics, email and payment fees are usually extra.
- Get the source code and accounts in your name. Tovosolutions says you keep the source code, and dedev includes it in every package; ask anyone you hire to put ownership in writing, and publish under your own Apple and Google accounts.
- Ask how bugs after launch are handled. dedev fixes bugs in its own work for 30 days; Codigee gives a 6-month guarantee. Know the window.
- Plan the launch. An app nobody hears about is a cost. Budget for the store listing, screenshots and a launch video; our guide to what a product video costs prices that part.
Where Mark Studios Fits
Mark Studios builds mobile apps for iPhone and Android, from mobile strategy and MVP scope through UX/UI design, a native or cross-platform build, testing on real devices, and the App Store and Google Play launch. You work directly with Mark Santos from the first brief to the code handoff. Discovery settles whether you need an app at all and what the first version must do, so the quote you approve matches the app you meant to build.
Mark Studios has delivered 8,000+ orders for 4,500+ clients, holds a 4.9★ rating and Top Rated status on Fiverr and delivers 99% on time. If you're a founder building a product and a personal brand at once, our work for founders shows the video side.
The Bottom Line
A first version of an app costs about $5,000–$18,000 at studios that publish fixed prices, a fuller product $12,000–$50,000, and freelancers less per hour with more of the managing left to you. Write the screen list first, because every fixed price is only as fixed as the scope behind it.
