Home / Blog
How Much Does It Cost to Build an App in the UK? (2026)
How much does it cost to build an app in the UK in 2026? Typical price ranges, native vs Flutter, day rates, app store fees and ongoing costs.
Building an app in the UK typically costs around £10,000 to £40,000 for a simple app or lean MVP, £30,000 to £100,000 for a mid-complexity product, and £80,000 to £300,000 or more for a complex platform. The final price depends on features, platforms, design, backend work and who builds it, plus ongoing costs after launch.
The figures below are typical UK market ranges from published 2026 cost guides and official platform pricing pages, not Buy Dream Web prices: every BDW project is quoted individually after a free consultation. Many UK agencies quote excluding VAT, so add 20% if your supplier is VAT-registered.
Typical app development costs in the UK by complexity
Published UK cost guides for 2026 broadly agree on the bands below. They overlap because "simple" and "complex" mean different things to different developers, so treat them as a budgeting starting point, not a quote.
| Type of app | What it usually includes | Typical UK market range |
|---|
| Simple app | A handful of screens, basic content or a single utility, little or no custom backend | £8,000 – £30,000 |
| MVP (minimum viable product) | The core features needed to test an idea with real users, including user accounts and a simple backend | £10,000 – £40,000 |
| Mid-complexity app | User accounts, payments or bookings, third-party integrations and an admin dashboard | £30,000 – £100,000 |
| Complex app | Marketplaces, real-time chat or tracking, multiple user roles, AI features and heavy integrations | £80,000 – £300,000+ |
| Enterprise platform | Large-scale systems with strict security, compliance and legacy integrations | £150,000 – £500,000+ |
An MVP is defined by scope rather than difficulty: it is the smallest version of your product that proves people want it. A two-sided marketplace MVP will still cost more than a simple booking app, because it has to serve two types of user. As a guide to timelines, at Buy Dream Web simple apps typically take two to three months, and complex apps four to six months or more.
Native vs cross-platform: how Flutter and React Native affect cost
A native app is written separately for each platform, usually in Swift for iOS and Kotlin for Android. If you need both, you are effectively paying for two apps. Cross-platform frameworks such as Flutter and React Native let one team build for iOS and Android from a single shared codebase, which is why they are a common choice for startups.
| Approach | Relative build cost | Best suited to |
|---|
| Single native app (iOS or Android only) | 1x (baseline) | Products launching on one platform first |
| Two native apps | Around 2x | Apps that rely heavily on device hardware, advanced graphics or the newest platform features |
| Cross-platform (Flutter or React Native) | Around 1.2x – 1.5x | Most business apps and MVPs that need iOS and Android at launch |
| Progressive web app (PWA) | Around 0.4x – 0.6x | Simple tools where an app store presence is not essential |
One UK guide estimates that cross-platform development saves roughly 30–40% compared with two separate native apps, thanks to shared code, a single team and one set of business logic to test. Native still earns its place when performance or deep platform integration matters more than budget, such as augmented reality, complex animation or features that must use the latest operating system on day one.
Hidden and ongoing costs to budget for
The build is only part of the cost of owning an app. Plan for these from the start:
- Apple Developer Program: US$99 per membership year, charged in local currency (UK cost guides list it at around £79), at the time of writing (October 2026). You need it to publish on the App Store.
- Google Play developer account: a one-time US$25 registration fee, at the time of writing (October 2026).
- App store commission: if you sell digital goods or subscriptions inside the app, Apple and Google take a share. Apple's Small Business Program reduces its commission to 15% for developers with up to US$1 million in annual proceeds, and Google's service fees vary by transaction type.
- Hosting and backend: roughly £100 – £500 a month for many apps, rising to several thousand pounds a month for high-traffic products.
- Maintenance: commonly quoted at 15–25% of the original build cost per year. On a £60,000 app, that is around £9,000 – £15,000 a year for bug fixes, security patches and small improvements.
- Updates for new OS versions: Apple and Google raise their technical requirements every year. Since 28 April 2026, apps uploaded to App Store Connect must be built with Xcode 26 using the iOS 26 SDK, and from 31 August 2026 new apps and updates on Google Play must target Android 16 (API level 36). An app that is not kept up to date can lose visibility or be unable to ship new versions.
- Third-party services: maps, SMS, email, analytics and payment processing are often billed per use and grow with your user base.
What drives the cost of an app
Every quote comes down to the number of days needed to design, build, test and launch the product. The biggest factors are:
- Features and user roles: each feature adds design, development and testing time. UK guides for 2026 put user authentication at around £2,000 – £6,000, push notifications at £1,500 – £4,000, in-app chat at £4,000 – £12,000 and an admin dashboard at £5,000 – £15,000.
- Platforms: iOS, Android, web or all three, and whether you choose native or cross-platform.
- Design: standard components cost less than custom illustration and animation.
- Backend and integrations: connecting to payment providers, booking systems, CRMs or existing databases is often where hidden complexity sits.
- Security and compliance: handling personal data, payments or health information adds work to meet UK GDPR and industry standards.
Published breakdowns suggest discovery takes around 7–12% of the budget, design 12–18%, development 45–55% and testing 10–15%. If a quote allocates almost nothing to discovery or testing, ask why.
UK developer day rates vs offshore teams
Who builds your app affects the price as much as what you build. Typical market rates at the time of writing:
| Who builds it | Typical rate |
|---|
| UK contract mobile developer (median) | Around £375 per day |
| UK contract developer, all disciplines (median) | Around £500 per day (about £530 in London) |
| UK agency outside London | £75 – £125 per hour (roughly £600 – £1,000 per day) |
| London agency | £100 – £175 per hour (roughly £800 – £1,400 per day) |
| Eastern Europe | £30 – £60 per hour |
| India and South Asia | £15 – £40 per hour |
Agency rates are higher than contractor rates because they usually cover project management, design and testing as well as development. Offshore teams reduce the headline cost, and one 2026 guide puts the saving from a hybrid model (UK project management with Eastern European developers) at around 45%. The trade-offs are time-zone gaps, extra management time and the need for clear contracts covering intellectual property and UK GDPR. A lower rate only saves money if the work does not take longer or need rebuilding.
How to keep your MVP lean
The quickest way to overspend is to build everything at once. Keep the first release focused on learning:
- Define one core journey. Write down the single task a user must be able to complete, and build that first.
- Separate must-haves from nice-to-haves. Social logins, loyalty schemes and in-app chat can usually wait for version two.
- Go cross-platform. Flutter or React Native gets you onto iOS and Android from one codebase.
- Use proven services. Ready-made tools for authentication, payments, email and analytics cost far less than building your own.
- Prototype before you code. A clickable design tested with a handful of target users can catch expensive mistakes early.
- Plan for after launch. Set aside budget for maintenance and the improvements your first users will ask for.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a simple app cost in the UK?
Published 2026 guides typically place a simple app between about £8,000 and £30,000, depending on the number of screens, user accounts and backend work. A focused MVP usually sits between £10,000 and £40,000. These are market ranges, not fixed prices, so a quote based on your feature list is the only reliable figure.
Is Flutter or React Native cheaper than native development?
Usually, yes, when you need both iOS and Android. A single shared codebase means one team and one set of logic to test, and UK guides estimate savings of around 30–40% compared with two native apps. Native can still be the better choice for apps that depend on advanced graphics, augmented reality or brand-new platform features.
How much does it cost to maintain an app each year?
Most UK cost guides suggest budgeting 15–25% of the original build cost per year for maintenance, covering bug fixes, security updates, compatibility with new iOS and Android versions and small improvements. Hosting, third-party services and the Apple Developer Program fee are usually extra, so check what a support plan does and does not include.
How long does it take to build an app?
At Buy Dream Web, simple apps typically take two to three months, while complex apps take four to six months or more. Timelines depend on how clearly the scope is defined, how quickly feedback is given and the time needed for App Store and Google Play review before launch.
Is it cheaper to hire offshore developers?
Hourly rates are lower, typically £15 – £60 per hour in Eastern Europe and South Asia compared with £75 – £175 for UK agencies. The total saving depends on communication, quality control and how much rework is needed. Whichever route you choose, check how the project will be managed, who owns the code and how it will be tested.
Get a clear, tailored quote for your app
Buy Dream Web designs and builds mobile apps for iOS and Android, either native or cross-platform with Flutter and React Native. We do not have a fixed price list: every project is quoted individually around your goals and budget, and you get a dedicated project manager from start to finish. Start with a free consultation over video call; we reply to every enquiry within 24 hours. Book a free consultation or get a free quote.
Sources
