How Much Does an App Cost? Realistic Pricing Guide for SMEs
This article is written for small and medium business owners who receive wildly different app quotes and have no idea which one reflects reality. It explains why prices vary so much, gives realistic ranges for typical SME use cases (light MVP, ordering app, loyalty app, internal dashboard, product-focused startup), walks through three real-life scenarios with approximate budgets, breaks costs into transparent blocks (discovery, UX/UI, backend, app, QA, project management) and lists hidden cost drivers such as infrastructure, licenses, maintenance, marketing and version two. Finally, it shows how to turn this knowledge into a negotiation power card with any vendor – while subtly positioning Olymaris as the transparent, long-term partner rather than “just another dev shop”.
Jak Winkler
Published on December 3, 2025 · Updated December 13, 2025

Introduction: Three Proposals, Three Numbers, One Big Question Mark
Imagine you're managing a café, clinic, or store and you've decided to order an app. Three different teams have given you proposals:
- One says: "We'll wrap up the whole thing for 3 to 5 thousand euros."
- Another says: "Around 15 to 20 thousand euros, with custom UX and separate backend."
- A more experienced team says: "Depending on project scope, from around 30 thousand euros upward."
They all look professional, show portfolios, speak well – but one thing is common: you really don't know which number is closer to reality, which team will abandon you midway, and which team will actually build something that works for your business, not just another app on people's phones.
In the hub article "Ordering an App: A Professional Roadmap for Clients", we outlined exactly this scenario as the starting point for the app ordering journey. This article is the specialized version of that story – but only from the angle of "actual cost" for small and medium businesses.
Our goal in this text is to: transform you from a "victim of numbers" to a "client who masters the numbers"; show you the real cost ranges for typical SME scenarios, break down the budget into transparent blocks, expose hidden costs that usually get lost in proposals, and finally, give you a checklist so that at every negotiation table – with any team – you keep control in your own hands.
1. Why Do App Development Prices Differ So Much?
Before you ask "How much?", you need to see "For what?" you're actually paying.
When three teams give completely different numbers, usually each has priced something different in their mind:
- One has only calculated "raw coding."
- One has included "analysis, UX/UI design, backend, testing, and launch" in the number.
- Another has left out important parts like "maintenance, monitoring, and post-launch development" to invoice them separately later.
In practice, app development costs are distributed across several main pillars:
- •Business analysis and product design (Discovery / Product Design)
- •Custom UX and UI design
- •Backend development, database, and API
- •Development of the app itself (mobile, web, or both – Native, Cross-platform, or Web App)
- •Testing and quality assurance (QA)
- •Deployment and release on servers or stores
- •Maintenance, monitoring, and development of later versions
For every number you hear, one golden question should immediately light up in your mind: "Which pillars does this number exactly cover and which ones doesn't it?"
With just this simple question, the difference between "cheap" and "actually expensive" often reveals itself.
To understand how technology choice (Native, Hybrid, or Web App) affects these costs, be sure to also check out the following article in the app cluster: Native App, Hybrid, or Web App – Which One Is Right for You?
2. Realistic Cost Ranges for Small and Medium Businesses
The numbers you'll see below are for small and medium businesses in Europe (or teams with comparable quality) and for serious but non-Enterprise projects. These aren't official rates from any team, but "realistic ranges"; if you hear a number much lower or much higher than these, you should put a question mark on it.
2.1. Very Minimal Application / Light MVP
Scenario: A simple app, one platform, no special complexities.
Examples:
- Simple booking form with service display
- Web app or PWA for simple appointment booking
- Small internal app for a limited team
Realistic range: around 7 to 15 thousand euros
This range typically includes:
- A short analysis phase
- Simple but thoughtful UX for main scenarios
- A lightweight backend or smart use of ready-made services (BaaS)
- One output (e.g., only Web App or only one cross-platform app)
- Basic tests and initial deployment
If someone says: "We'll do all this for 3 thousand euros," it usually means either working with ready-made templates and half-finished services, or security, scaling, maintenance, and future development fall on you.
2.2. Order/Booking App for End Customers (Typical Serious SME Scenario)
Examples:
- Order app for café/restaurant
- Appointment booking app for clinic or beauty salon
- Order app for local store with shopping cart and payment
Realistic range: around 15 to 35 thousand euros
This range typically includes:
- Serious Discovery to define KPIs (increase orders, reduce phone calls, reduce booking errors)
- UX tailored to end customer persona
- UI aligned with brand
- Custom backend with order, user, notification, and simple report management
- A cross-platform mobile app or combination of Web App + future development capability
- Testing across different roles (admin, staff, customer)
At this level, the application is no longer just a "pretty shell over a form"; it becomes a real asset for the business.
2.3. Customer Loyalty and Rewards App
Examples:
- Points and coupon app for loyal customers
- Digital card app, personalized offers, and targeted push notifications
Realistic range: around 20 to 45 thousand euros
Why slightly more expensive?
- Points system, rules, and customer levels need to be designed
- Smart notifications and user segmentation required
- Likely needs integration with other systems (POS, CRM, existing website)
In this class, if you hear a very low number, you're usually dealing with a ready-made SaaS with a custom skin, not a system built around your brand strategy.
2.4. Internal App / Dashboard for Team and Management
Examples:
- Sales report app for managers
- Internal process management app (warehouse, orders, tickets, tasks)
Realistic range: around 15 to 40 thousand euros
Important factors:
- Type and sensitivity of data
- Complexity of roles and access levels
- Degree of integration with existing systems (accounting, ERP, CRM, etc.)
A common mistake is when the manager says: "This is just for us, no more than four pages." In practice, bad UX in an internal app directly shows itself in personnel costs, team fatigue, and operational errors.
2.5. When the Project Is Actually a Product-Centric Startup
If your app is supposed to:
- Serve tens or hundreds of thousands of users
- Gradually acquire more advanced modules (AI, recommendation engine, chat, marketplace, etc.)
- Ultimately be the core of your business
the cost range can quickly enter the territory of 50 to 150 thousand euros and higher (in different phases). For this class of projects, it makes no sense at all to look for a "final number forever"; you need to think in different phases and milestones.
If you doubt whether your app idea is even worth such an investment, the following article in the same cluster will help you: 10 Signs Your App Idea Is Worth Building (Full Checklist)
3. Three Real Scenarios to Touch the Numbers
Scenario 1: Local Café with Table Reservation and Order App
Current situation:
- Table reservation via phone call and Instagram direct message
- Errors in booking registration, wrong capacity, waiting customers
- Menu only on story and highlights
App goal:
- Customer can see menu, reserve table, and preferably place initial order from mobile
- Reduce number of calls and direct messages
- Collect customer data (name, number, previous orders)
Realistic minimal version (MVP):
- A Web App or PWA + simple admin panel
- Pages: menu, reservation, user profile, reservation management in panel
- Email/SMS notification for reservation confirmation
Approximate range:
- Only minimal web app: around 8 to 15 thousand euros
- From the start mobile app (Android/iOS) + reservation + online payment: around 15 to 25 thousand euros
Scenario 2: Small Clinic or Beauty Salon with Appointment System
Current challenge:
- Phone appointment scheduling, constant appointment changes
- Need for reminder system (No-show hurts)
- Multiple services and multiple doctors/specialists
Realistic version:
- Admin panel to define doctors/specialists, services, and calendar
- App (web or mobile) for patient/customer
- Automatic reminder (SMS/Push/Email)
- Management of cancellations and appointment rescheduling
Approximate range:
- Professional web app + admin panel: around 12 to 22 thousand euros
- Cross-platform mobile app + complete panel and backend: around 20 to 35 thousand euros
Scenario 3: Physical Store with Order and Delivery App
Challenge:
- Customer doesn't know price and availability before calling
- Competitors with apps attract more repeat orders
- Your presence is only on Instagram and phone calls
Realistic version:
- Customer app with product categories, shopping cart, payment, and delivery time selection
- Admin panel for managing orders and inventory
- Notification for new orders and order status
Approximate range:
- Simple version (small customer network, no complex inventory): 15 to 30 thousand euros
- More professional version with inventory, multiple branches, discount codes, and customer loyalty: 30 to 45 thousand euros
4. Where Exactly Does the Money Go? Breaking Budget into Transparent Blocks
To be able to compare two proposals, you need to see the cost structure. A practical breakdown is this:
Discovery and Business Analysis (around 10 to 20 percent of budget)
Business understanding meetings, problem definition, user persona, KPIs. Output: goal document, main scenarios, and technology proposal.
UX and UI (around 15 to 25 percent)
Scenarios, flows, wireframes, initial user testing. Then final UI design (color, typography, components). Good results in this phase mean: less support, fewer errors, more satisfaction.
Backend and Database (around 20 to 30 percent)
Data model design, API, authentication, access levels. Integration with other services (payment gateway, SMS, email, message queues, etc.). Security, logging, and monitoring.
Mobile/Web App (around 20 to 30 percent)
Cross-platform or Native/Web app implementation. State management, cache, API communication, and UX details.
QA, Testing, and Deployment (around 10 to 15 percent)
Manual and automated testing, testing on different devices, bug fixing, preparation for store or server.
Project Management and Communication (around 5 to 15 percent)
Coordination, reporting, sprints, documentation.
If a proposal only covers the "app code + some backend" pillar (and ignores things like Discovery, UX, QA, maintenance), you should ask yourself: "Do I really want to be responsible for UX, analysis, testing, and maintenance myself? Or will I actually have to pay another team later to fix this half-finished infrastructure?"
5. Hidden Costs That Usually Get Lost in Proposals
This is where projects transform from "realistic costs" to "unpredictable expenses."
5.1. Scope Change Mid-Project
No real project proceeds exactly according to the day-one version. Important question: If we want to add or remove something mid-work, what's the cost calculation formula? If this isn't clear, every small change becomes a debate and nerve-wracking.
5.2. Server, Hosting, and Cloud Infrastructure
Does the number you heard also include infrastructure costs for 6 to 12 months, or do you need to calculate separately? Are services being used that are difficult and expensive to exit later (Vendor Lock-in)?
5.3. Licenses and Third-Party Services
SMS, push notifications, analytics, message queues, email marketing, etc. are often free or cheap at small scale, but become significant amounts as users grow.
5.4. Maintenance and Support After Launch
If a serious bug is discovered after launch, for how long and at what level will it be fixed for free? What number is anticipated for small UI changes, adapting to new OS versions, etc.?
5.5. Marketing and User Acquisition
Building the app is half the story. The other half is that people know this app exists, have a reason to install it, and after installation also have a reason to stay. This is its own budget and plan that needs to be coordinated with the marketing team.
5.6. Version 2 (V2) – Usually More Expensive Than You Think
Common SME mistake: "Let's get something up for now, if it works we'll fix it later." If you execute this "for now" with the wrong team and wrong technology, Version 2 usually goes like this: First you have to clean up the bad legacy of Version 1, then you finally get to the point where you could have been from day one.
To see the risks that burn app projects in contract, team, scope, documentation, etc., be sure to read the following cluster article alongside this text: 10 Common App Project Risks That Burn Time and Budget
6. How to Use This Article as a "Power Card" in Negotiations?
This text isn't just for awareness; it can become a checklist for your meeting with any team.
In your next meeting, ask these few simple questions:
- 1. In the number you're giving, which parts are exactly covered? (Discovery, UX/UI, Backend, Mobile/Web App, QA and Testing, Deployment and Release, Initial Maintenance)
- 2. If the scope changes mid-work, what's the formula for price change? (Hourly? Per feature? Percentage of budget?)
- 3. Who owns the source code, domain, store accounts, and server? (Everything should be in your business name, not the programmer's name.)
- 4. What are the milestones? Every two weeks or every month, what exactly can I see and touch?
- 5. After launch, what's your policy for serious bugs? For how many months, what level of bugs do you fix for free?
The answer to these few simple questions is enough to understand: which team is just giving a pretty number and which team really wants to stand by your side for results.
If you want a more accurate picture of a realistic timeline for building an app or website and compare it with team proposals, check out the following article in the cluster: How Long Does It Take to Build a Website or App?
7. Where Does Olymaris Stand in This Puzzle?
In the Olymaris strategy (which we've also explained in the hub article "Ordering an App"), our assumption is that: you don't need to become a programmer, but you should be equipped enough so that no team can take control from your hands with ambiguity and half-finished numbers.
Our difference from the "we'll quickly make you a cheap app" approach lies in several things:
Business First, Then Technology
As long as KPIs and the main problem aren't clear, we don't talk seriously about the final number.
Transparency in Cost Structure
We break down proposals so you see exactly where the money goes and where it doesn't.
Thinking About the Next Version from Day One
We build infrastructure so you can grow on it if the app works; not that you have to start from scratch again.
You can take this article and enter negotiations with any other team and use it. But if you want to:
- Based on your business's actual scenario, simulate one of these scenarios with your own numbers and time
- Define a realistic Version 1 for your app
then it makes sense to book a focused Discovery Session with the Olymaris team.
This meeting doesn't necessarily mean starting a collaboration, but after it, with any team you work with, you enter with "map and power," not with "guess and feeling."
8. FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions About App Development Costs)
Question 1: Can an application be built for less than 5 thousand euros?
Answer: Yes, but usually in this case you're either using a ready-made SaaS platform that limits your freedom and ownership, or the quality of UX, code, security, and maintenance is so low that it's too risky for a serious business. For a very simple MVP for initial market testing it might be acceptable, but for something that's supposed to become part of your business infrastructure, it usually raises the cost of the next version in the long run.
Question 2: Why do some teams give very low numbers?
Answer: Common reasons are that analysis, UX, QA, and maintenance aren't included in the initial number; they've priced based on ready-made templates or cheap services with lock-in; or their model is "let's get something up for now, then we'll invoice every small change separately." A low number doesn't always mean a bad team, but you should ask: "What's not included in this number?"
Question 3: Should I start with mobile or web app?
Answer: For many small and medium businesses, starting with a good Web App / PWA for Version 1 is more logical; because it launches faster and cheaper and is available on mobile and desktop. If after a while you see actual usage has increased, you can build a native or cross-platform mobile app relying on the same backend. If the nature of your business is completely mobile and recurring (like daily order app or customer loyalty), starting with a cross-platform app can also make sense; this is where a good Discovery helps make the right decision.
Question 4: How long does it typically take to build a typical SME app?
Answer: The healthy pattern is usually: a few weeks for analysis, UX, and UI; a few months for development and testing; and a test launch phase before wide release. If the team only gives a "final delivery date" and doesn't define any milestone or showable version between today and that date, they're actually saying: "Trust us, you'll see what happens later" – and that's the most dangerous sentence in the software world. For more precise numbers in different scenarios, check out the timeline article: Link
Question 5: How do I know if the number I'm hearing aligns with market reality?
Answer: This article gives you realistic ranges. Just see which category your project is closest to (light MVP, order app, customer loyalty, internal app, product-centric startup) and compare the proposed number with that range. If the number is very low or very high, you should ask the team to break down the budget into the pillars of analysis, UX, backend, app, QA, project management, and maintenance to see where the difference comes from.
Question 6: What are the annual maintenance costs of an app?
Answer: The exact number depends on your user volume, infrastructure, and growth speed, but roughly, many businesses should plan for something between 15 and 25 percent of initial development costs for maintenance, monitoring, bug fixes, security updates, and small features per year. If the team isn't transparent about this number from the start, you'll probably face surprising invoices later.
Question 7: If I build the app very cheaply now, can I easily redesign it later?
Answer: Theoretically yes; in terms of cost and time not necessarily. If the cheap initial version is built on weak architecture and technology, Version 2 usually goes like this: First you have to destroy everything, then build from scratch. That's why, even if you have a limited budget, it's better to build a smaller Version 1 on a more solid foundation so you can grow on the same pillars later.
Question 8: Where do I ultimately start?
Answer: Realistically, three steps: One, clarify for yourself what role the app plays in your 3-year business strategy. Two, review this article again and find your place in the scenarios and price ranges. Three, before signing any contract, arrange a professional Discovery meeting with a team like Olymaris so that based on your idea, budget, and actual timeline, a realistic Version 1 and transparent cost structure is put on the table.
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