How Much Does an App Cost in the UK?

How much does an app cost to build in the UK? The honest answer is a wide range — roughly £5,000 to £75,000+ in 2026 — because "an app" can mean a simple installable PWA or a full native build with logins, payments and real-time data. The single biggest thing that moves the figure isn't the feature list; it's the build decision: PWA vs cross-platform vs fully native.

Here's a realistic breakdown by app type, what actually drives the price, and the ongoing costs most quotes leave out.

App cost ranges by type (UK, 2026)

These are realistic UK ranges for a professionally built app — not the £500 offshore quote that never ships, and not enterprise rates.

Figures are for the build. Ongoing running costs are separate — see below.

The build decision drives the price

Before features, the choice of how the app is built sets the floor for everything else:

• PWA (Progressive Web App): a website that installs to the home screen, works offline and updates instantly — one codebase, no app store. The cheapest credible route, and good enough for most service, content and commerce apps.
• Cross-platform (React Native, Flutter): one codebase that ships to both iOS and Android stores. More than a PWA, less than going fully native — a sensible middle ground.
• Fully native: separate iOS and Android builds. The deepest device access and best performance ceiling, but you're effectively paying to build and maintain two apps.

For most UK businesses a PWA does the job at a fraction of native cost. We've written a full mobile app vs PWA decision guide on exactly when each is the right call — read it before you commit, because choosing native when a PWA would do is the most expensive mistake in app projects.

The other things that move the figure

1. MVP vs full build. A lean MVP — one core feature, done well — is the smartest way to start. It validates demand for £10,000–£20,000 instead of pouring £60,000 into features real users may never touch. Most app ideas change after launch.
2. Feature scope. User accounts, payments, real-time data, maps, chat, third-party integrations and an admin dashboard each add design, build and testing time. Logins and payments in particular pull a simple app up into the mid range.
3. Design. A templated, functional UI is cheap; a custom-designed, polished, brand-led experience costs more — and for consumer apps it's often worth it.
4. Backend complexity. A simple app talking to one service is straightforward. An app with its own database, business logic, user roles and an admin system is a far bigger piece of engineering than the screens you see.

The ongoing costs no one warns you about

The build is a one-off; an app is a living thing. Budget roughly 15–25% of the build cost per year to keep it healthy:

• App-store fees: Apple charges $99/year, Google a one-off $25 — native only. A PWA skips both.
• Hosting & backend: servers, databases and APIs, scaling with usage.
• Maintenance: iOS and Android push OS updates regularly; an unmaintained native app breaks. Bug fixes, security patches and small improvements are continuous.

This is another reason a PWA is cheaper over its life — one codebase, no app-store gatekeeping, and updates ship instantly without review.

What you're actually paying for

A real app quote isn't just "coding". A typical build covers discovery and scoping (deciding what not to build is half the value), UX and UI design, frontend development, the backend and database, testing across devices, and deployment. On native projects that work is repeated, or at least adapted, across two platforms — which is exactly why the native column in the table above jumps so sharply. When you compare quotes, check what's included: a low figure that omits design, testing or a backend isn't cheaper, it's just incomplete.

Why "cheap" app quotes usually cost more

The recurring pattern: a £2,000–£3,000 quote that either never ships, ships broken, or is so rigidly built that the first change request triggers a rebuild. App development is real software engineering — design, build, testing and a backend — and the headline number that looks too good usually means corners cut somewhere you'll pay for later. A properly scoped MVP you actually own and can grow is far better value than a cheap build you abandon.

How to budget sensibly

• Just validating an idea: start with a PWA or MVP (£5,000–£20,000) — prove demand before scaling.
• Established business adding accounts, payments or integrations: mid-complexity (£15,000–£40,000).
• Store presence, heavy hardware or performance is essential: native (£40,000+) — and budget for maintaining two platforms.

The biggest mistake is over-building before you have users. Ship the one core feature, learn from real usage, then invest in the features the data tells you matter.

Want a tailored figure? Our free App Cost Calculator gives a transparent estimate in a couple of minutes. JW Digital builds mobile apps, PWAs and cross-platform apps for UK businesses — start with the calculator and we'll help you pick the build that doesn't waste budget.