Estimate the total cost to build your app by selecting an app type, target platforms, complexity level, and team region. Get a phase-by-phase cost breakdown, recommended team composition, and projected monthly ongoing costs - all in one place.
Unlike feature-by-feature calculators, this tool uses app type presets based on real project data so you can get a realistic range in seconds without listing every feature.
Need more than an estimate? Pitch the idea on Pitch An App and turn community interest into a real build decision.
Step 1
Select the app type that best matches your project. Each type comes with a pre-configured scope and cost profile.
Step 2
Select one or more platforms. Cross-platform mobile covers both iOS and Android with a single codebase.
Step 3
How polished and feature-complete does the first release need to be?
Step 4
Hourly rates vary significantly by region. Select where your development team is located.
Pick your app type, configure the build, and get a phase-by-phase budget range in under a minute.
Step 01
Choose from 10 common categories like e-commerce, SaaS, fintech, or social media.
Step 02
iOS, Android, web, or cross-platform. Each adds its own build multiplier.
Step 03
MVP for lean validation, Standard for a full release, Advanced for enterprise needs.
Step 04
Hourly rates range from $25 to $200 depending on where your team is based.
Step 05
See costs by phase, recommended headcount, timeline, and monthly ongoing expenses.
Answers to the questions founders ask before budgeting for a build.
This calculator provides a ballpark range based on industry averages across thousands of real projects. Actual costs depend on your exact requirements, team experience, scope changes, and other project-specific variables. Use this estimate as a starting point for budgeting and vendor conversations, not as a fixed quote.
The biggest cost drivers are app complexity (number and depth of features), platform choice (native vs cross-platform), team location (hourly rates vary 4-8x between regions), and design quality expectations. Real-time features like chat, maps, and video streaming add significant backend infrastructure costs as well.
Freelancers are more affordable and work well for MVPs or smaller projects where you can manage coordination yourself. Agencies cost more but provide a full team, project management, and established processes. For complex apps or tight timelines, an agency often delivers faster despite the higher hourly rate. Consider your project size and your own bandwidth for oversight.
Plan for 15-25% of the initial development cost per year for ongoing maintenance. This covers server hosting, bug fixes, OS and library updates, security patches, and minor feature improvements. Apps with real-time features or large user bases typically land on the higher end of that range.
Start with an MVP that includes only the core features your users need. Choose cross-platform development (React Native or Flutter) to cover iOS and Android with one codebase. Hire developers from regions with lower hourly rates, and consider a phased rollout where you add features after validating the product with real users.
A basic MVP typically takes 2-4 months. A standard app with a full feature set usually requires 4-9 months. Complex enterprise-grade applications can take 9-18 months or longer. Timeline depends on team size, feature scope, complexity of integrations, and how quickly decisions get made during the project.
An MVP (Minimum Viable Product) is the simplest version of your app that delivers core value to users. Starting with an MVP lets you validate your idea with real users before investing in the full build. It reduces financial risk, shortens time to market, and gives you data to make better decisions about which features to build next.
Not necessarily. Cross-platform frameworks like React Native and Flutter let you build for both platforms from a single codebase, cutting development time and cost by roughly 30-40% compared to building two native apps. Native development makes sense when you need deep platform-specific features or peak performance, but most apps work well with a cross-platform approach.
After you estimate the build, use the rest of the free toolset to refine branding, prioritize features, pick a monetization model, and prepare your pitch.
Generate creative, brandable app name ideas from your description and style preferences.
Rank product ideas with the RICE scoring framework and a visual impact-versus-effort matrix.
Answer questions about your app to get a recommended monetization model: freemium, ads, subscriptions, or hybrid.
Generate a professional pitch deck outline with structured slides, talking points, and speaker notes.