How much does it cost to develop an app in 2025?

It’s a question that concerns small entrepreneurs, large companies, but also individual users who would like to embark on a new digital adventure: what does it cost to create an Android or iOS app?
As you might expect, the answer isn’t simple, it depends on many factors. The price range for app development can vary between 5,000 and 120,000 €. Let’s take a closer look at why the window is so wide.

Several parameters influence the cost of developing a mobile application, including: which programming languages are used? Which operating systems need to be supported? Usually, people expect the app to work seamlessly on both iOS and Android devices.

In addition, does your app idea include advanced features such as AI, chatbots, or specific native capabilities? The more complex the requirements, the higher the associated costs. The type of app is a crucial factor in determining price. Even tight development timelines can increase costs.

And above all, what do you expect in the various stages of the product launch, from business planning to post-launch operations such as maintenance? These aspects are often underestimated, especially by those new to digital product development.

Clearly, the final cost can vary greatly, but we can outline some guidelines based on three main cases.

Developing your first app from scratch: how much does it cost?

For beginners, there are usually two approaches: those who want to develop their app for free because they don’t have much budget, and those who believe the right path is to find the best app development company in Italy, pay what’s needed, and that’s it.

As the saying goes, the truth lies somewhere in the middle. For anyone starting out in mobile app development, it’s crucial to have the right development team at your side. It’s not just about finding “the best,” but those who can guide you through your first steps—the ones most suitable for you.

Before diving into the development process, it’s important to validate the idea. You need to be clear about what problem you’re solving, who your target audience is, and whether it’s economically sustainable. Even a “pro-bono” app—one that isn’t meant to generate profit—comes with hidden costs: maintenance and updates, App Store and Google Play publishing fees, hosting, and auxiliary services.

Our advice is to turn to someone with experience in launching applications, who can tell you whether your project is worth pursuing and who has the technical skills to help you succeed.

At Mabiloft, we’ve been through this process many times—sometimes concluding with clients that it wasn’t the right moment to proceed, and other times helping an initial idea grow into a functional, effective product used by thousands of people. Reach out to us with no obligation for expert feedback on your app idea.

Do you own a business and want to know the cost of developing a dedicated app?

If you already have your customers and your brand but want to expand your digital presence, how much does app development cost for businesses? The first step is to assess whether your idea could be valuable to your users by understanding their needs and analyzing the market.

Maybe the idea is good but has already been executed by competitors, leaving little room for another similar application. Or you might discover that your customers’ actual needs aren’t what you initially thought.

In such cases, the best way to proceed with a low budget—or at least to start—is to develop a Proof of Concept (PoC). This is a first test, often in prototype form, that lets you begin app development on a smaller budget. A PoC for your app may cost just 5,000-10,000 €. This relatively small investment lets you test your idea before committing to larger expenses.

If you want to clearly understand your idea’s potential and avoid wasting money on an app that won’t find its place in the digital world, Mabiloft can help you determine in just two weeks whether it’s worth investing. If we can support you, let us know why you want to create your mobile app.

What about solid ideas? How much does it cost if you’ve already validated your concept?

If you’ve already validated your idea and now want to see it working, ready for users, there are two main paths depending on your budget and expectations.

The fastest and most affordable way to create a simple, low-cost app is to start with an MVP. What does MVP mean? In the startup world, a Minimum Viable Product is the basic version of a product—usually developed first—to fine-tune the user experience.

MVPs let you put a working product into users’ hands, even if limited, so you can gather feedback and understand where to invest in future development. The cost of building an MVP for a mobile app is usually between 20,000 and 40,000 €.

If, on the other hand, you want to build a scalable product, with all features in place and ready to be appreciated by as many users as possible, the development cost rises to 60,000-120,000 €.

Why does building an app cost so much? Because behind every polished application are many hidden services: product strategy, UX-focused design, deployment, analytics, and of course frontend and backend development, cloud services, and testing.

If you need an experienced team to guide you from A to Z through your mobile app launch, let’s talk.

FAQs: Everything you wanted to ask but didn’t dare to

So in 2025, is there still no way to build an app for free without coding?

Yes, there are ways, especially with new AI-based tools, but we don’t recommend it. Many clients came to Mabiloft after losing money trying to save costs without a proper strategy, or by choosing the cheapest provider. Even the best idea, if executed poorly, won’t succeed. It’s like a beautiful song played badly—it will never sound right. Once users lose trust in your app because it crashes, has bugs, or won’t open, how would you win them back? It’s better to rely on experienced professionals to avoid ending up with nothing in hand.

What hidden costs should I be aware of when building an app?

Every digital product has costs beyond development, whether it’s an app, website, or other platform. A professional software house should ensure you’re aware of these from the start, so there are no unpleasant surprises.

For mobile apps, you’ll need to pay publishing fees: a one-time registration fee for Google Play, and an annual fee for the Apple App Store. You should also expect future expenses for updates and new feature implementations.

TL;DR: How much money do I need to develop an app?

Here’s a quick summary:

These figures provide general guidance, but the final cost will depend on many factors.

In short, app development costs are highly variable. We’ve provided an overview here, but if you’d like more specific details, feel free to reach out—we’d be happy to discuss your project at no obligation.