How much does it cost to build an iOS app in 2026?

The honest answer is "it depends", but that is not useful when you are trying to plan a budget. So here are the numbers we actually see as an independent iOS studio, what moves them up or down, and the costs that tend to surprise first-time founders.

#The short answer

These ranges are for a small, senior studio like ours. Large agencies in the US or Western Europe often quote three to five times more for similar scope.

• Simple app (up to 5 screens, no custom backend): $1,000 – $3,000
• App with accounts, payments and a backend: $3,000 – $10,000
• Complex product (AI features, real-time sync, marketplaces): $10,000 – $50,000+
• Mobile game: a polished casual game usually starts around $5,000 and grows with content

For reference, our own fixed-price packages start at $999 for a focused first version and $2,999 for a complete product with a custom backend and admin. You can see what each one includes on our pricing section.

#What actually drives the cost

#The number of screens and flows

Every screen needs design, states (loading, empty, error), navigation and testing. Ten screens is not twice the work of five; edge cases multiply. The cheapest way to save money is to cut a flow, not to rush one.

#Accounts and a backend

As soon as users sign in, sync data or talk to each other, you need a backend: authentication, a database, file storage and the rules that keep data private. Services like Supabase or Firebase make this far cheaper than a fully custom server, which is why we use them for most first versions.

#Payments and subscriptions

Selling digital content inside an iOS app means using Apple's In-App Purchase. StoreKit 2 makes the client side pleasant, but you still need a paywall, restore flow, entitlement checks and usually server-side validation. Budget a few extra days, more if you have several tiers or a free trial.

#Design and motion

A clean, native interface built from Apple's components is fast to build. A custom visual identity with bespoke animations takes longer, and is often what makes an app feel premium. Decide early which one your product needs.

#Integrations

Maps, AI image or video models, payments outside the App Store, analytics, CRMs: each integration adds setup, error handling and testing. AI features also add running costs per request, which we cover in our guide to building a generative AI iOS app.

#iOS only, or Android too

Building for both platforms natively roughly doubles the client work. Cross-platform frameworks can reduce that, with trade-offs we explain in Swift vs Flutter vs React Native. Many products start on iOS and add Android once the idea is proven.

#Costs people forget

• Apple Developer Program: $99 per year, required to publish on the App Store.
• App Store commission: 30% on digital sales by default, 15% if you are in Apple's Small Business Program (under $1M a year) and 15% on subscriptions after a subscriber's first year.
• Backend and hosting: free tiers go a long way, but plan for $25 – $100 a month once you have real users.
• AI or API usage: pay-per-request services can cost more than hosting. Put limits in from day one.
• Maintenance: every year Apple ships a new iOS and new devices. A reasonable rule is 15 – 20% of the build cost per year for updates and fixes.
• Marketing and App Store Optimization: a great app nobody finds earns nothing. Start with our ASO checklist.

#How to spend less without shipping something worse

1. Find the one thing the app must do brilliantly. Build that first and cut everything that does not support it.
2. Go native on iOS first. One platform done properly beats two done halfway, and iOS users spend the most on apps.
3. Use a proven backend. Supabase or Firebase instead of a custom server for version one.
4. Insist on a fixed scope and a fixed price. Hourly billing with an open scope is how budgets double.
5. Ask for weekly TestFlight builds. You will spot problems while they are still cheap to fix.

#What a fixed price looks like at GuderTech

We scope the first version with you in a short call, agree a fixed price and timeline in writing, and send a TestFlight build every week. You own the code and the App Store listing. If you want a number for your idea, tell us about it and we will reply within one working day.