Mobile app calculator
What will your mobile app cost?
Choose the design and backend approach, set the number of core features and integrations, and see the full cost of launching on both app stores.
- R850/hourOne rate for every service
- 40% depositto start the work
- Up to 12 monthsto pay larger projects
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Price a single service
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Each one uses the same R850/hour rate and the same payment terms, so you can price a single service or combine several in the full agency calculator.
Website
A business website on WordPress or a custom CMS, from a few pages to a large content site.
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E-commerce
An online store on WooCommerce or Shopify, with payments, shipping and the integrations your operations depend on.
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Web apps and integrations
Customer portals, internal systems, dashboards, automation and API integrations, built in Laravel or PHP.
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Mobile app
Cross-platform iOS and Android apps, with the backend and admin tools behind them.
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Content and copywriting
Website copy, articles, product descriptions and case studies written to rank and convert.
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SEO
Technical, on-site and local SEO with content that earns rankings, reported monthly.
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Organic social
Planned, designed and published social content with community management and monthly reporting.
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Paid media
Google, Meta, LinkedIn and TikTok campaigns: tracking, ad creation and optimisation, with your ad spend shown separately.
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Hosting and care
Managed hosting, updates, backups, security and a support team for one website or a whole portfolio.
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What drives the cost of an app
We build one cross-platform codebase that ships to both the App Store and Google Play. The included items cover what every app needs: login, navigation, push notifications, analytics, device testing and store approval.
The two biggest choices are the backend and the number of core features. A managed backend such as Firebase gets you to market fastest. A custom API costs more upfront but gives you full control over your data and business logic, and a lower cost per user as you grow.
What every app includes
These items are in every quote, whatever you choose further down, because the work can’t be done properly without them. Together they come to 102 hours at R850 an hour.
- Discovery and app architecture. User flows, data model and technical specification. (20 h)
- Project setup and build pipeline. Cross-platform codebase with automated iOS and Android builds. (8 h)
- Sign-up, login and onboarding. Email, phone or social login, plus onboarding screens. (16 h)
- Navigation and app shell. Tabs, menus, settings and profile. (8 h)
- Push notifications. Targeted and transactional notifications. (12 h)
- Analytics and crash reporting. Usage events and crash alerts. (4 h)
- Device testing and QA. Testing across iOS and Android devices with beta distribution. (16 h)
- App Store and Google Play submission. Listings, screenshots, review and approval. (6 h)
- Project management and liaison. Sprint planning, demos and progress reporting. (12 h)
- Developer store accounts. Apple Developer Program renewal (Google Play is a once-off fee). (R1,900/year)
Basic, Standard and Premium compared
The two big quality choices are the app’s design and the backend behind it. The backend decision also shapes your running costs and how much control you have later.
App design
| Level | What you get | Hours | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic: Native components | Platform-standard components styled to your brand. Brand colours, icon and splash screen; Standard iOS and Android patterns; One round of revisions. | 10 h | R8,500 |
| Standard: Custom app design | Original screen designs for every core flow. User-flow wireframes; Custom UI for every screen; Two rounds of revisions. | 35 h | R29,750 |
| Premium: Product design and prototyping | Research-led design validated with real users. User interviews; Interactive prototype; Motion and micro-interactions; Usability testing round. | 70 h | R59,500 |
Backend and admin
| Level | What you get | Hours | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic: Managed backend | Firebase or Supabase for data, auth and storage. Hosted database and auth; Basic admin console; Fastest to market. | 12 h | R10,200 |
| Standard: Custom API | A Laravel API you own and control. Custom business logic; API documentation; Basic admin screens. | 40 h | R34,000 |
| Premium: Custom API and admin portal | A full web portal to run the app’s content and users. Everything in Custom API; Content and user management; Reporting dashboard. | 80 h | R68,000 |
Application hosting
| Level | What you get | Hours | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic: Managed app server | One production server with a managed database. Production environment; Managed database; Daily backups. | — | R1,890/month |
| Standard: Production and staging | Separate staging, monitoring and automated deploys. Production and staging; Automated deployments; Error and uptime monitoring; Daily database snapshots. | — | R4,950/month |
| Premium: High availability | For business-critical systems that cannot go down. Load-balanced servers; Autoscaling; Point-in-time database recovery; 24/7 alerting. | — | R12,500/month |
Application support
| Level | What you get | Hours | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic: Maintenance | Dependency updates, security patches and bug fixes. Security and dependency updates; Bug fixes; Monthly health check. | 4 h | R3,400/month |
| Standard: Support and iteration | Maintenance plus a steady stream of small improvements. Everything in Maintenance; Small feature changes; Monthly planning call. | 10 h | R8,500/month |
| Premium: Continuous development | Ongoing development capacity with priority response. Everything in Support; Priority response; Roadmap delivery each month. | 24 h | R20,400/month |
How the work runs
- Discovery. User flows, data model and the feature list for the first release.
- Design and prototype. Screen designs at your chosen level; Premium includes a prototype tested with real users.
- Build. One cross-platform codebase plus the backend, with test builds on your phone throughout.
- Testing and beta. Testing across iOS and Android devices, then a beta with a small group of real users.
- Store launch. Submission to the App Store and Google Play, store listings, and the support plan from launch.
Ways to manage the budget
- Launch with three or four core features. Learn from real users before building the rest.
- Start on a managed backend. Firebase or Supabase gets a first version live faster; you can move to a custom API later.
- Skip tablet layouts at first. Most apps launch phone-first.
- Keep the Maintenance support plan. It costs far less than rebuilding an app the stores have removed.
Before you request a quote
Have these ready and the formal quotation will be faster and more accurate:
- The problem the app solves, and for whom
- The three to five features it must have at launch
- Any existing systems or data it should connect to
- Whether you need payments, subscriptions or in-app purchases
- Your company details for the Apple and Google developer accounts
- Examples of apps you like, and why
Mobile app pricing questions
A few useful answers before you decide.
What's included in every app?
Discovery and architecture, an automated build pipeline for iOS and Android, sign-up and onboarding, navigation, push notifications, analytics and crash reporting, device testing, store submission and project management. That’s 102 hours, plus the annual Apple developer fee.
Do you build native or cross-platform?
Cross-platform by default, because one codebase costs much less to build and maintain. We go fully native only when an app needs heavy device integration that cross-platform frameworks handle poorly.
Which backend should I choose?
A managed backend such as Firebase gets you to market fastest and suits a first version. A custom API costs more upfront but gives you full control of your data and business logic. Add the admin portal if your team needs to manage content, users or orders from a browser.
What counts as a core feature?
A self-contained capability such as a catalogue, bookings, loyalty points or messaging, each taking about 20 hours with its screens, data and testing. Login, navigation, notifications and settings are already included.
What's the annual app store cost?
Apple charges an annual developer programme fee (about R1,900). Google Play charges a once-off registration fee. The accounts are registered in your company’s name.
Will Apple and Google approve the app?
Store submission is included, and we build to both stores’ guidelines from the start. Reviews occasionally ask for changes; handling those is part of the submission work.
Can the app work offline?
Yes, with the offline mode add-on. The app stores data on the device and syncs when it reconnects, which is essential for field teams or users in areas with poor signal.
Can the app take payments?
For digital content or subscriptions, Apple and Google require their in-app purchase systems, which the in-app purchases add-on covers. Physical goods and services can use a normal payment gateway, priced as an integration.
Do I need monthly support after launch?
Apple and Google change their requirements every year, and apps that aren’t updated get removed from the stores. At minimum, the Maintenance support plan keeps your app compliant and secure.
Can we start with a smaller first version?
Yes. A focused first version with three or four core features gets the app in front of real users sooner, and what you learn shapes the next release. Additional features are added later at the same hourly rate.
What are the terms for hosting and support plans?
Monthly services are on a 12-month contract with a 3-month minimum, and the contract renews for another 12 months unless you give one calendar month’s notice before it ends. If you need to stop early, you pay 3 months’ fees after the month you give notice, starting with your one calendar month’s notice. For example, notice in month 3 means you’re billed for months 1 to 6. The commitment covers our fees, including campaign and boosting commission; ad and boost spend paid to the platforms isn’t included.
How long does an app take?
Every quote includes a timeline. Work starts after a 3-week lead time, then runs at about 30 hours a week, so a 90-hour project goes live roughly 6 weeks after you accept the quote: 3 weeks of lead time plus 3 weeks of work. The timeline doesn’t include time spent waiting for feedback, content, approvals or meetings, so quick turnarounds keep it on track. Your formal quotation confirms the dates.