Real Numbers First
- Simple app, one platform: $15,000 to $30,000
- Medium complexity app, iOS and Android: $30,000 to $75,000
- Complex app with real-time features, social, or marketplace: $75,000 to $200,000+
If someone quotes you $5,000 to build a real iOS app, walk away. That is not a real number for real development. It is either a no-code wrapper, a web app disguised as a mobile app, or a scope that will balloon the moment you describe what you actually need.
What Drives Mobile App Cost
Platform: iOS vs Android vs Both
Building for one platform costs less than building for two. React Native - the framework we use - lets one codebase cover both iOS and Android, which is significantly more cost-effective than building native apps separately. A dual-platform React Native build costs roughly 30 to 40% more than a single-platform build, not 2x more.
Backend: Does It Need a Server?
A simple utility app with no server (a calculator, a local notes app) costs far less than an app that needs user accounts, cloud storage, push notifications, and a database. Most business apps need a backend. Budget for it.
Core Features That Add Significant Cost
- Real-time features (live chat, live location, live feeds): +$10,000 to $25,000
- Payments and subscriptions (App Store billing, Stripe): +$5,000 to $10,000
- Maps and location (GPS tracking, route planning): +$5,000 to $15,000
- Social features (follows, feeds, comments): +$10,000 to $30,000
- Media (photo upload, video, audio): +$5,000 to $20,000
- AI features (image recognition, chat, recommendations): +$10,000 to $40,000
Ongoing Costs After Launch
A mobile app is not a one-time expense. Budget for:
- Apple Developer Program: $99/year
- Google Play: $25 one-time
- Backend hosting: $20 to $500/month depending on scale
- App Store compliance updates: apps must be updated annually to stay compliant with Apple guidelines or they get removed
- OS updates: Apple and Google release major OS updates every year that may require code changes
No-Code App Builders: What They Can and Cannot Do
Platforms like Glide, Adalo, and Thunkable can produce app-like products in days. For simple apps with limited data and basic interactions, they are a legitimate option.
Limitations: performance on complex interactions, limited native device access, vendor lock-in, scaling issues with large data sets, inability to build certain features entirely. If your app does anything beyond basic CRUD operations, no-code will become a constraint within months.
React Native vs Native (Swift/Kotlin)
We build in React Native because one codebase covers both platforms, which reduces cost by 40 to 60% compared to building separate iOS and Android apps. Performance for most business apps is identical to native. Games, AR, and apps requiring extremely precise performance may benefit from native development, but for the vast majority of business applications, React Native is the right call.
MotoRev: Our Own App
47 Industries built MotoRev - a motorcycle tracking and social app for iOS - entirely in-house. It has GPS tracking, social features, garage management, safety tools, and a Pro subscription. Building and launching it gave us direct experience with every phase of app development from architecture to App Store submission. We apply those lessons to every app we build for clients.
47 Industries Builds Mobile Apps
Fixed-price mobile app development for Florida businesses and clients nationwide. React Native for iOS and Android. Backend included. App Store submission included. MVP apps start at $15,000.
