How much does it cost to build an app? Real numbers for 2026.
Most app projects reviewed on Clutch cost between $10,000 and $50,000, but the range is wide because the question is. What you’re really paying for is how much goes into the first version, and who builds it. Here are the numbers, what moves them, and a calculator built from our own prices.
Muhammad Ahmer ArshadFounder, Solutionaires. We build fixed-price MVPs. Updated 4 November 2026.
The short answer.
- Most projects
- $10,000 to $49,999, across app projects reviewed on Clutch.
- The average
- About $90,780, over about 11 months, pulled up by large builds.
- With us
- From $5,900 for a focused first version. Most land between $8,000 and $16,000, at a fixed price.
The platform matters less than you’d think. The number of features in the first version decides most of the bill.
Who builds it changes the price most.
Four ways to get an app built, from cheapest to start to most expensive to keep.
| What it costs | The trade-off | |
|---|---|---|
| You, with AI tools | Tool subscriptions and your own time | Fastest way to a prototype. Logins, data rules and payments usually need checking before real users arrive. |
| A freelancer | Hourly or per project, set by where they live | Can be the cheapest build. Design, testing and cover when they’re unavailable are on you. |
| An agency or studio | Most projects on Clutch: $10,000 to $49,999 | Design, development and testing in one team. Price and process vary widely, so ask whether the quote is fixed. |
| An in-house developer | US median salary $135,980 a year, before benefits | Full control, but one person rarely covers design, backend and testing alone, and hiring takes months. |
Agency figures from Clutch’s app cost data, updated September 2026. Salary from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025.
What drives the cost.
Six things move the price more than anything else. Where we have a fixed add-on price, it’s shown.
Kinds of user
Every kind of user (customers, providers, admins) needs its own screens, permissions and testing. It’s the biggest driver of a first version’s cost.
Mobile appsfrom $4,900 with us
iOS and Android on top of a web app. One codebase covers both, but store reviews and devices add work.
Paymentsfrom $1,490 with us
Checkout is quick. Plans, failed cards, refunds and the webhooks that report them are where the time goes.
AI featuresfrom $2,900 with us
Chat, search or summaries over your own data, plus the usage costs each request brings.
Admin toolsfrom $1,490 with us
A way to run the product without touching the database: users, content, reports.
Integrations
Every outside service, such as a CRM, calendar or supplier feed, has its own rules, limits and failure cases.
App cost calculator.
Six questions, priced from our published prices. The estimate updates as you go.
0 of 6 answered. Your estimate appears here.
Costs after launch.
The build is a one-off. These keep coming. Prices from each provider’s own page, checked 4 November 2026.
| Cost | Note | |
|---|---|---|
| Database and logins | Supabase Pro from $25 a month | Free projects pause after a week without activity, so live apps need a paid plan. |
| Web hosting | Vercel Pro $20 a month | Covers most early-stage web apps. |
| Apple App Store | $99 a year | Plus 15% of digital sales on the Small Business Program, or 30% above it. |
| Google Play | $25, once | A one-time registration fee. |
| Fixes and updates | Our Care plan, $490 a month | Optional. Fixes, updates, monitoring and small changes; pause anytime. |
How to spend less.
None of these cut quality. They cut what you pay for before you need it.
- Cut the first version to the one job users can’t do without, and write down what waits.
- Launch on the web first. Add iOS and Android once people are using it.
- Use proven services for logins, payments and email instead of building your own.
- Test the idea with a prototype, even an AI-built one, before paying for a full build.
- Ask for a fixed price, feature by feature, so the risk of a bad estimate isn’t yours.
- Budget for the months after launch, not just the build.
Questions, answered.
How much does it cost to build an app?
Most app projects reviewed on Clutch cost between $10,000 and $49,999, and the average was about $90,780. A focused first version costs less: with us, builds start at $5,900 and most land between $8,000 and $16,000, at a fixed price.
How much does an MVP cost?
It depends on how much goes into the first version. Ours start at $5,900, and most land between $8,000 and $16,000. Every step is priced on our pricing page.
How much does a mobile app cost compared with a web app?
A mobile app usually costs more, because it needs store submission and testing across devices. Building the web app first and adding iOS and Android on the same backend keeps it down. With us, mobile apps are an add-on from $4,900.
How long does it take to build an app?
Projects on Clutch average about 11 months. A focused first version is much faster: most of our MVPs launch 6 to 10 weeks after the scope sprint.
How much does it cost to hire an app developer?
In the US, the median salary for a software developer was $135,980 in May 2025, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, before benefits and hiring costs. Most app development companies listed on Clutch charge $25 to $49 an hour.
Can I build an app for free?
You can build a prototype for little more than AI tool subscriptions. Launching it to real users is different: logins, database rules and payments usually need a developer’s review first. We cover why in Is vibe coding bad?
What does an app cost after launch?
Hosting, a database plan and app store fees: for example Supabase Pro from $25 a month, Vercel Pro at $20 a month and Apple’s $99 a year. Then fixes and new features, which most products need every month.
Is a fixed price or hourly billing better?
Hourly billing puts the risk of a bad estimate on you. A fixed price, set feature by feature before work starts, puts it on the builder, and lets you plan your runway.
Want a real number? Every step has a fixed price.
Read next
Pricing
What an MVP costs with us
Every step priced up front: the X-ray, the scope sprint, the build and the add-ons.
Guides
Is vibe coding bad?
When an AI-built prototype is enough, and what breaks when it becomes the product.