How much does an Android app cost, and do I need one?
June 14, 2026 1 min read
A working Android app with a backend starts around $2,500 and a substantial one runs $6,000 to $15,000. Before you spend any of it: if your users are on a desk with a browser open, you probably need a responsive web app, not an app.
The question to answer first
An app earns its place when it needs the phone — the camera, GPS, offline use, push notifications, a barcode scanner in someone's hand while they walk a warehouse. If none of those is on your list, a responsive web application does the same job, costs less, and updates without anybody visiting a store.
The most expensive apps we have seen were built because a competitor had one.
What the price includes
The app, the API behind it, Play Store submission, and the first review cycle — which is the part most quotes leave out and the part that most often goes wrong. A rejection over a privacy policy or a permission declaration can cost two weeks if nobody was expecting it.
Native or cross-platform
Kotlin when the app leans hard on the device or has to feel exactly right. Flutter when the same app has to be on both platforms and the budget is one app, not two. Both get a Laravel API behind them, and the API is where most of the real work is either way.
