Pricing guide · Updated for 2026
App Development Cost in India: Honest 2026 Price Ranges
Quotes for the same app idea in India range from ₹30,000 to ₹30 lakh, which makes them almost useless for planning. This page explains what drives the cost of a mobile app, gives realistic ranges by app type, and lists the running costs that most quotes leave out.
- Our app MVPs start at ₹1,49,999
- Based on 20+ mobile apps we have developed and deployed end to end
- Real ranges by app type, not a single magic number
- Running costs: stores, servers and maintenance
- Clients served
- 100+Web & app development
- Mobile apps
- 20+Built and deployed end to end
- Ecommerce stores
- 10+Shopify, WordPress & custom
- In-house experts
- 1810 developers · 8 SEO experts
Quick answer
App development cost in India starts from ₹1,49,999 for a focused mobile app MVP with Anurag Kamboj's team, and more as features, user types and integrations grow. Cross-platform development in React Native or Flutter costs less than building separate native Android and iOS apps, because one codebase serves both stores. The main cost drivers are the number of screens and user roles, an admin panel, payments, real-time features such as chat or live tracking, and integrations with existing software. Budget for running costs too: a one-time $25 Google Play fee, Apple's $99 yearly developer fee, servers, and maintenance of roughly 15 to 20% of the build cost each year. These estimates come from the 20+ apps the team has built and deployed end to end. Every quote is fixed and written after a scoping call.
Compare
App development cost in India by complexity
Most apps fall into one of three levels. Find yours first, then check the app-type table below.
| Level | What it usually includes | Typical cost | Timeline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Simple app / MVP | One user type, login, the core feature, notifications, basic admin panel | ₹1.5 to 3 lakh | 8 to 10 weeks |
| Business app | Payments, two or three user roles, full admin panel, reports, a few integrations | ₹3 to 8 lakh | 10 to 16 weeks |
| Complex platform | Several apps in one system (customer, vendor, rider), real-time tracking or chat, heavy integrations | ₹8 to 25 lakh+ | Phased, 4 months+ |
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Mobile app development cost in India by app type
Ranges for a properly built cross-platform app (Android + iOS) with an admin panel and backend, from an experienced developer or small team.
| App type | Typical cost | Timeline |
|---|---|---|
| Simple MVP (login, core feature, admin) | ₹1.5 to 3 lakh | 8 to 10 weeks |
| Booking / appointment app | ₹2.5 to 5 lakh | 10 to 12 weeks |
| Education / coaching app (videos, tests) | ₹3 to 6 lakh | 10 to 14 weeks |
| Ecommerce app (catalogue, cart, payments) | ₹3 to 7 lakh | 10 to 14 weeks |
| Food / grocery delivery (customer, store, rider) | ₹6 to 15 lakh | 16 to 24 weeks |
| Marketplace / multi-vendor platform | ₹8 to 25 lakh+ | Phased |
Very low quotes usually mean a reused template, no real backend, or code you do not own. Ask before you sign.
Why do app development quotes vary so much?
App cost is almost entirely developer time. Time grows with the number of screens, the number of user roles (customer, vendor, delivery partner, admin), and how many outside systems the app has to talk to (payment gateways, SMS, maps, ERPs or shipping partners).
Real-time features such as live tracking or chat, offline support, and complex permissions add the most time. Design polish and custom animations add some. The choice of Android or iOS matters less than people think once you build cross-platform.
The cheapest way to control cost is scope. Decide the three or four things the first version must do brilliantly, launch that, and let real usage decide what comes next.
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Which features add the most cost
A rough guide to how much developer time common features take. Your quote prices each one.
| Feature | Effort | Why |
|---|---|---|
| OTP or email login, user profiles | Low | Standard, well-tested building blocks |
| Push notifications | Low | Uses ready services; most work is deciding when to send them |
| Payment gateway (UPI, cards, COD) | Medium | Payment flows, failures, refunds and order status all need handling |
| Admin panel and reports | Medium | A second product: a web dashboard with its own screens and roles |
| Video lessons or streaming | Medium | Uploading, protecting and playing video, plus a monthly streaming cost |
| Integration with Tally, an ERP or CRM | Medium to high | Depends on what the other software allows |
| Offline mode with sync | High | Data has to be stored on the phone and merged safely later |
| Chat or live GPS tracking | High | Real-time features need extra backend work and testing |
| AI features (assistant, smart search) | High | Priced separately, from ₹99,999 for the AI part |
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Android vs iOS vs cross-platform cost
| Approach | Relative cost | When it makes sense |
|---|---|---|
| Android only (native) | 1× | Budget-limited launch for an Android-heavy audience |
| iOS only (native) | 1× | Premium audience or iPhone-specific features |
| Both, native (two codebases) | ~1.8 to 2× | Heavy device features or very high performance needs |
| Both, cross-platform (React Native / Flutter) | ~1.2 to 1.4× | Most business and startup apps |
Included
Running costs to budget for every year
These are separate from the build price and are easy to forget.
- Google Play developer account: US$25 one-time
- Apple Developer Program: US$99 per year
- Cloud servers and database: roughly ₹1,500 to ₹15,000 per month depending on users
- SMS / OTP, email and push notification services
- Payment gateway fees: about 2% per transaction
- Maps, video streaming or AI APIs if used
- Maintenance and OS updates: about 15 to 20% of build cost per year
- New features after launch, quoted separately
Pricing
Our app development pricing
App MVP
Starting at
₹1,49,999
Core feature, login, admin panel, both stores.
- Cross-platform build
- Up to ~15 screens
- Basic admin panel
- Store submission
Business app
Starting at
₹3,00,000+
Payments, bookings, notifications and multiple roles.
- Payment gateway
- Multiple user roles
- Reports and dashboards
- Integrations
Platform
Pricing
Custom quote
Delivery, marketplace or SaaS-style platforms.
- Several apps in one system
- Real-time features
- Scalable cloud setup
- Phased delivery
Every quote is fixed and written after a scoping call. No hourly surprises.
Compare
Fixed price, dedicated developer or hourly?
| Model | How you pay | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Fixed-price project | Agreed price, paid in milestones | A new app with a clear first version. Our default. |
| Dedicated developer | Monthly | An existing app that needs steady new features |
| Hourly / ad hoc | From ₹999 per hour | Small fixes and changes to a live app |
Hiring from abroad? See dedicated React Native and Flutter developers.
Included
How to reduce app development cost without cutting quality
- Launch an MVP with three or four core features and keep a written phase-two list
- Build Android and iOS from one React Native or Flutter codebase instead of two native apps
- Start Android-only if your users are dealers, staff or students in India
- Approve a clickable design before development, when changes are still cheap
- Use ready services for payments, OTP, maps and notifications instead of building them
- Reuse what you already have, such as a Shopify or WooCommerce store or an existing backend
- Ask whether a fast mobile website would do the job, if customers only use it once
Included
How to compare app development quotes
Two quotes are only comparable when they cover the same things. Check each one for:
- Backend, database and admin panel, or only the app screens
- Both Android and iOS, and store submission for each
- Source code, store accounts and servers in your name
- Testing on real devices, including budget Android phones
- A free-fix period after launch, and the monthly maintenance price after that
- How change requests are priced
- A payment schedule tied to milestones, not time
How it works
How to get an accurate quote
- 01
List the users
Who uses the app (customers, staff, vendors, admins) and what each one needs to do.
- 02
List the must-haves
The features without which the first version is pointless. Everything else goes on a phase-two list.
- 03
Note the integrations
Payments, SMS, maps, your ERP or billing software, shipping partners.
- 04
Share examples
Two or three apps you like, and what you like about them.
Why us
Why businesses choose us
An in-house team of developers and SEO experts, led by a founder who builds SEO software, with one point of contact for your project.
A full in-house team
10 developers and 8 SEO experts work together, so design, development, deployment and SEO happen under one roof. No outsourcing, no hand-offs between agencies.
Founder-led by an IIT BHU engineer
Anurag Kamboj (Mathematics & Computing, IIT BHU), with 5+ years of experience, leads every project, with a single point of contact from first call to launch.
We build SEO software ourselves
Anurag is CTO of SEORCE, an AI SEO platform, and Jarbug, programmatic SEO for ecommerce. The same search-first standards go into every client project.
VisitEnd to end, so you can focus on growth
100+ clients, 20+ mobile apps and 10+ ecommerce stores delivered, from planning and design to deployment, hosting and support.
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FAQ
App Development Cost in India: frequently asked questions
What is the minimum cost to build an app in India?
A properly built cross-platform MVP with a backend and admin panel starts at about ₹1.5 lakh. Our MVPs start at ₹1,49,999. Apps quoted at ₹20,000 to ₹50,000 are usually templates or web wrappers with limited ownership and support.
Is iOS app development more expensive than Android?
Building natively, the cost is similar for each platform. The real saving comes from building both from one cross-platform codebase, which costs roughly 1.2 to 1.4 times a single platform instead of double.
How much does an ecommerce app cost in India?
A shopping app with catalogue, cart, payments, order tracking and an admin panel usually costs ₹3 to 7 lakh. Connecting it to an existing Shopify or WooCommerce store can reduce cost because the catalogue and orders already exist.
How much does an education or coaching app cost?
Apps with video lessons, tests, batches and fee payments usually cost ₹3 to 6 lakh. Video hosting and streaming add a monthly running cost based on usage.
What does app maintenance cost per year?
Budget around 15 to 20% of the build cost per year for updates, bug fixes, new OS versions and security, plus server and third-party service costs.
Can I build an app under ₹1 lakh?
Only a very limited one. Below about ₹1.5 lakh you usually get a template, a wrapped website or an app without a proper backend and admin panel. If your budget is under ₹1 lakh, a fast mobile website is often the better first step.
How much does an app like Zomato, Swiggy or Ola cost?
Apps like these are really three apps in one system: customer, store or driver, and admin, with live tracking. A focused local version usually costs ₹6 to 15 lakh and takes 16 to 24 weeks. Matching every feature of the big apps costs far more, so we start with the parts your business needs.
Is Flutter or React Native cheaper?
The cost is about the same. Both build Android and iOS from one codebase. We choose React Native when the project also has a React web dashboard, and Flutter for animation-heavy interfaces.
Is a website cheaper than an app?
Yes, usually by a wide margin. If customers find you once and contact you once, a website does the job better. An app is worth the cost when the same people use it every week, such as for ordering, classes or bookings.
How long does it take to build an app in India?
A simple MVP takes 8 to 10 weeks, a business app 10 to 16 weeks, and larger platforms are delivered in phases. A tightly scoped startup MVP can be built in 30 days.
What is the most expensive part of building an app?
Usually the backend and the features that run in real time, such as chat, live tracking and offline sync. The app screens are often less than half of the total work.
Can I pay in stages?
Yes. Payments are tied to milestones: typically an advance, then payments after design approval, beta build and store launch.
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Ready to talk about your project?
Call or WhatsApp +91 98772 40866. You'll speak to a senior team member and get a written quote, usually within a day.