How much does a mobile app cost in 2026?
In short
In 2026, a mobile app costs roughly €5,000 to €25,000 excl. VAT for an MVP, €25,000 to €75,000 for a full small business app and €150,000 or more for a complex platform, according to Benelux price guides. Add app store fees ($99 a year for Apple, a one-time $25 for Google) and maintenance.
Key takeaways
- The number of features and the back office make up most of the price, more than design.
- A single codebase (React Native) for iOS and Android costs less than two native apps.
- Start with an MVP: the essential features, tested by real users.
- Plan a yearly budget: iOS and Android updates, security, hosting.
- A progressive web app (PWA) may be enough when installation isn't essential.
How much does a mobile app cost?
The price of a mobile app depends on its ambition: an MVP with a few screens costs thousands of euros, a full platform hundreds of thousands. Price guides published in the Benelux in 2026 give clear benchmarks.
| App type | Market range | Indicative timeline |
|---|---|---|
| No-code app | €500 to €10,000 | A few weeks |
| MVP (essential features) | €5,000 to €25,000 | 2 to 3 months |
| Full small business app | €25,000 to €75,000 | Several months |
| Complex platform | €150,000 to €250,000 and up | Long project |
Main source: Searchlab's price guide (Netherlands, 2026). A Swiss agency puts a simple app at CHF 25,000 to CHF 80,000. Belgian prices fall within these ranges. They are not Ozapp prices: we quote every project individually.
Buying intent is strong: the Dutch query "app laten maken" (have an app built) shows an estimated cost per click of more than $20 in Belgium, according to our DataForSEO data from October 2026.
What drives the price of an app?
The number of features and the invisible part (server, back office, integrations) weigh more than the screens themselves. Here are seven factors to review.
- Features — login, profile, payments, messaging, geolocation, notifications.
- Back office — the interface where you manage content, users and orders.
- Integrations — CRM, ERP, POS, booking system, third-party APIs.
- Platforms — iOS, Android and often a web version.
- Design — custom interface, animations, accessibility.
- Languages — FR, NL, EN: copy, testing and store listings per language.
- Security and compliance — personal data, GDPR, hosting on European servers.
Native, cross-platform or PWA: what's the impact on budget?
Your technical choice directly changes the budget: a single codebase costs less than two native apps. Three approaches dominate.
| Approach | Principle | Impact on cost |
|---|---|---|
| Native (Swift, Kotlin) | One app per operating system | Highest: two builds |
| Cross-platform (React Native) | One codebase for iOS and Android | Lower development and maintenance |
| Progressive web app (PWA) | Site installable from the browser | Lowest, no app stores |
Cross-platform covers the vast majority of SMB needs: retail, booking, loyalty, client areas. Native is worth it for very demanding use cases. A PWA is enough when your users don't need the app every day.
What costs come on top of development?
Beyond development, an app has publishing, hosting and maintenance costs. Put them in your budget from day one.
- App stores — Apple charges $99 a year for its developer program; Google Play asks for $25 once.
- Commissions — the stores take a share of in-app purchases and subscriptions.
- Hosting — server, database, file storage, push notifications.
- Maintenance — every new iOS and Android version may require changes.
- Third-party services — maps, payments, text messages, transactional emails, AI.
Ask for a quote that clearly separates the initial build from yearly costs.
How long does it take to build an app?
Allow about 2 to 3 months for an MVP and several months for a full app. The timeline depends mostly on scope and how quickly decisions are made.
A project usually follows these steps:
Step 1 : Scoping
Goals, users, priority features, technical choice.
Step 2 : Design
User flows and mockups of the key screens, approved before development.
Step 3 : Development
App, back office and integrations, in short iterations.
Step 4 : Testing and release
Testing on real devices, then submission to the stores, whose review takes its own time.
Should you build AI into an app?
AI adds value when it removes a task: answering a question, filling in a form, sorting a request. It has a usage cost to include in the budget.
Examples: an assistant that answers customer questions in the app, recognition of photographed documents, or personalized recommendations. For internal processes, see our AI agents and automation, and try our AI automation demo.
How do you get a reliable quote for your app?
A reliable quote starts from a clear scope: the users, the MVP features and the integrations. You don't need a full specification to begin.
To shape your idea, try our free mobile app demo: describe your project and get a concept with the screens, the MVP and the recommended technical approach.
Ozapp provides mobile app development for iOS and Android in React Native for Belgian SMBs, with more than 20 years of experience and more than 100 projects delivered. After a free 30-minute consultation, you get a detailed quote within 24 to 48 hours.
If you need a website rather than an app, read how much does a website cost in Belgium.
Sources
- Searchlab, "Wat kost een app laten maken?", 2026: searchlab.nl
- Edana, mobile app development cost in 2026: edana.ch
- Apple Developer Program, membership: developer.apple.com
- Google Play Console, registration fee: support.google.com
- Cost per click in Belgium: Ozapp data via DataForSEO, October 2026.
FAQ — Mobile app cost
How much does a simple mobile app cost?
A simple app, or MVP, with a few screens, user login and a small back office costs roughly €5,000 to €25,000 excl. VAT according to Benelux price guides published in 2026, for 2 to 3 months of work. No-code tools let you start lower, with limits on customization and growth.
How much does it cost to publish on the App Store and Google Play?
Apple charges $99 a year for its developer program, and Google asks for a one-time $25 fee to open a Google Play developer account. The stores also take a commission on in-app sales and subscriptions. These fees are separate from development costs.
Do you need separate iOS and Android apps?
Not necessarily two apps. A cross-platform framework like React Native gives you one codebase for iOS and Android, which lowers development and maintenance costs. Separate native development still makes sense for very specific needs: games, heavy video processing or advanced hardware features.
How much does app maintenance cost?
Maintenance covers updates for new iOS and Android versions, security fixes, back-office hosting and small improvements. Its cost depends on the size of the app and the service level. Ask for it to be quoted separately, on a yearly basis.
Does Ozapp publish a price for an app?
No. Every app is quoted individually after a free 30-minute consultation, by video call, by phone or in person. We help you define a realistic MVP, then you get a detailed quote within 24 to 48 hours, with timeline and recurring costs listed separately.
