Short answer: a solid first version of a business or startup app — Android and iOS, with login, a backend, payments and an admin panel — usually costs ₹5–12 lakh to build in India (roughly US$6k–15k) and takes 8–14 weeks. A simple app with a handful of screens can cost less. A two-sided marketplace or an app with AI at its core costs more.
Quotes for the “same” app can range from ₹50,000 to ₹50 lakh, which tells you the quotes are not for the same app. This guide shows what goes into the number, so you can compare quotes properly — including ours.
- typical first version, Android + iOS
- ₹5–12Ltypical first version, Android + iOS
- from design to store launch
- 8–14 wksfrom design to store launch
- of build cost per year to run and maintain
- 15–20%of build cost per year to run and maintain
Typical price ranges
| Type of app | Typical build cost | Timeline |
|---|---|---|
| Simple business app: catalogue, enquiry form, login, basic admin | ₹2–5 lakh | 4–8 weeks |
| Startup MVP: user accounts, core feature, payments, notifications, admin panel | ₹5–12 lakh | 8–12 weeks |
| Marketplace or booking app: two user types, chat, payments, ratings, tracking | ₹12–25 lakh | 12–20 weeks |
| AI-first or large platform: AI chat, voice or image features, many integrations | ₹20 lakh+ | 16+ weeks |
What you are actually paying for
An app is not just the screens you see. Every quote should cover these six pieces of work:
- Product scoping — turning your idea into a written feature list, user flows and a clear “version 1” so nothing important is guessed later.
- UI/UX design — every screen, empty state and error, designed for real phones and real users, not just the happy path.
- The app itself — one codebase for Android and iOS in React Native or Flutter, built so it feels native on both.
- Backend and admin panel — the server, database, login, payments and the dashboard your team uses to manage users, orders and content.
- Testing — on low-end Android phones and slow networks, not only on the developer’s new iPhone.
- Store launch — Play Store and App Store listings, screenshots, review guidelines and fixes for rejections, published under your own developer accounts.
Six things that move the price
1. Number of user types
An app for one kind of user is one product. A marketplace — customers and service providers, or riders and drivers — is really two apps plus an admin panel, and the price reflects that.
2. Payments and money flows
Taking a single payment through Razorpay is quick. Wallets, refunds, subscriptions, commissions and payouts to vendors need careful logic and testing, because mistakes cost real money.
3. Real-time features
Chat, live location tracking and instant updates need extra infrastructure and are among the most expensive features to get right.
4. Integrations
Every connection to something outside the app — WhatsApp, a CRM, a logistics partner, Aadhaar or KYC checks, your existing ERP — adds build and testing time.
5. AI features
A chatbot that answers from your documents, voice input in Hindi, or AI image generation can be the reason users choose your app. They also add a monthly usage cost, which a good team estimates before you build. We have shipped all three in apps like NowoChat and Trendify.
6. Who your users are
Apps for first-time smartphone users need larger buttons, local languages, small download sizes and offline handling. For Gigtap we designed the job app for workers on low-end Android phones who prefer Hindi — that care is part of the cost, and it is why people actually use the app.
The running costs nobody quotes
The build is a one-time cost. After launch you will pay every year for:
- Store accounts — Google Play charges a one-time US$25 registration fee; Apple charges US$99 a year.
- Hosting and database — from a few thousand rupees a month for a new app, growing with your users.
- Third-party services — SMS OTPs, maps, push notifications, email and AI model usage, mostly charged per use.
- Maintenance — Android and iOS update every year, and your app must keep up. Budget around 15–20% of the build cost per year for updates, fixes and small improvements.
Freelancer, agency or in-house team?
| Freelancer | Agency | In-house team | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cost | Lowest | Medium | Highest (salaries before launch) |
| Design, backend and app together | Rarely one person | Yes | Only after you hire all roles |
| If someone leaves | Project stalls | Team covers | You rehire |
| Best for | Small, well-defined tasks | First version and fast launch | After product–market fit |
Whoever you choose, insist on two things: the code lives in your repository from day one, and the app is published under your store accounts. Founders who skip this end up paying twice when they change vendors.
How to keep the cost down
- Launch one core feature first. Write down the one thing users must be able to do, build that well, and add the rest after real feedback.
- Use one codebase. React Native or Flutter gives you Android and iOS for a little more than the price of one.
- Start on Android if your users are in India. Most Indian users are on Android; iOS can follow a few weeks later from the same code.
- Use a web admin panel, not a second app, for your team.
- Ask for a fixed price on a written scope, paid by milestone, so you only pay for work you can see.
Questions to ask before you sign
- Can I see two apps you have built that are live on the store today?
- Is the price fixed for this scope, and what counts as a change request?
- Who owns the code, the designs and the store accounts?
- What happens after launch — who fixes bugs, and for how long?
- What will it cost per month to run at 1,000 and at 10,000 users?
If a team cannot answer these clearly, the cheapest quote will not stay cheap. See the apps we have shipped and how we build mobile apps.
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