How Much Does It Cost to Build an App in the UK?
“How much does it cost to build an app?” is one of the first questions business owners ask us, and the honest answer is: it depends. A simple booking app and a full marketplace with payments and live tracking are completely different projects, and their prices reflect that.
Rather than quote a figure that won’t fit your project, this guide explains what actually drives the cost, the ongoing expenses that are easy to forget, and how to keep your budget under control.
What Drives the Cost of Building an App
1. Features and complexity
This is the biggest factor. Every feature needs designing, building and testing. User accounts, payments, messaging, maps, notifications and integrations with other systems all add time and cost.
2. Which platforms you need
Do you need an app for iPhone, Android, or both? Building two separate native apps costs more than one. Cross-platform frameworks such as Flutter and React Native let one codebase run on both, which often reduces cost for business apps.
3. Design
A custom, polished interface takes longer than a design based on standard components. For customer-facing apps, good design is usually worth it, because people delete apps that feel awkward.
4. The back end
Most apps need a server behind them to store data, manage users and send notifications. Many also need an admin panel so your team can manage content, orders or bookings.
5. Integrations
Connecting to your existing systems, such as a booking platform, CRM, stock system or payment provider, adds work, especially if those systems have limited documentation.
6. Testing and launch
Apps need testing across devices and screen sizes, then submitting to the Apple App Store and Google Play, each with its own review process.
App Complexity at a Glance
| Type of App | Typical Features | Relative Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Simple | Information, menus, contact, basic booking links | Lowest |
| Medium | User accounts, payments, notifications, loyalty schemes | Moderate |
| Complex | Marketplaces, real-time tracking, chat, custom integrations | Highest |
Quotes for the same idea can vary widely between developers, so always compare what each one includes rather than the headline price alone.
The Ongoing Costs People Forget
Launch day isn’t the end of the spending. Budget for:
- App store accounts: Apple charges an annual developer fee and Google charges a one-off registration fee.
- Hosting and back-end services for your server, database and notifications.
- Updates for new operating systems: Apple and Google release major updates every year, and apps need maintaining to keep working.
- Bug fixes and improvements based on how people actually use the app.
- Marketing: an app nobody downloads is an expensive asset sitting idle.
How to Keep Your App Budget Under Control
- Start with a minimum viable product (MVP). Launch with the core features that solve the main problem, then add more based on real feedback.
- Consider cross-platform development if you need both iPhone and Android.
- Write a clear brief. Vague requirements lead to wide quotes and costly changes later.
- Ask whether you need an app at all. For many small businesses, a fast, mobile-friendly website or a progressive web app (PWA) does the job at a fraction of the cost. A good developer will tell you if that’s the case.
Questions to Ask an App Developer
- What exactly is included in the quote, and what isn’t?
- Will the app be native or cross-platform, and why?
- Who owns the code and the app store accounts?
- What support and maintenance do you offer after launch?
- Can I see apps you’ve built that are live in the stores?
At OxD PR, we build apps for businesses that need them, and we’ll tell you honestly if a website would serve you better. Find out more about our app development services or get a quote for your idea.