Imagine you have a brilliant idea for an app that could take the market by storm – but as soon as you start initial conversations with dev agencies, you’re faced with estimates that vary by tens or even hundreds of thousands of euros. What’s more, instead of a concrete quote, you’re increasingly being offered product workshops to help refine your vision and project scope. Who should you trust in this sea of offers and proposals? And how do you ensure the mobile app cost doesn’t exceed your expectations or budget?
In this article, we’ll walk you through the key factors that influence the cost of developing a mobile app. You’ll learn what to pay attention to, how to prepare for collaboration with an agency, and where you can realistically optimize costs – without compromising on quality.
1. Analysis – Pre-Development
At this stage, it’s crucial to understand exactly what your app should do. Functional analysis involves gathering and describing all the features that will be included in the app. This includes:
- Defining the app’s main business goals
- Describing user scenarios (user stories)
- Preparing a list of screens and their functions
- Defining technical requirements and integrations with external systems
The better prepared your documentation, the easier it is for the agency to estimate the mobile app cost and plan the work. Creating a prototype yourself (e.g., using tools like Figma, Bolt.new, or Lovable) helps not only to visualize your idea, but also to detect potential issues and better understand user needs. It also saves time and money down the line.
Common mistakes at this stage:
- Focusing only on the end user and ignoring other roles (e.g., admins, staff)
- Planning integrations without checking if other systems have public APIs or are accessible
- Including AI functions without analyzing model feasibility, cost, or data security
- Providing vague requirements that may be interpreted differently
- Refusing to create a prototype independently
2. Design Work
App design isn’t just about aesthetics. It’s primarily about functionality and usability. During this stage:
- A UX/UI designer creates wireframes and final graphic designs
- Colors, typography, and visual style are selected to match brand identity
- Interactions, animations, and micro-elements that affect user perception are designed
Additionally, if you don’t yet have a logo, name, or brand colors, you’ll need to design them, which adds to the cost. Every app also requires an icon and promotional graphics for app stores (Apple App Store, Google Play), which significantly impact first impressions and download success.
Common mistakes at this stage:
- Focusing too much on appearance at the expense of usability
- Insisting on ideas that contradict design principles
- Not understanding who will use the app and in what context
3. Mobile Technology
The choice of technology is one of the most important factors affecting the mobile app cost and project timeline. You can choose between:
- Native apps – separate versions for iOS and Android, which means double development cost but maximum performance and full access to device features
- Cross-platform apps – one codebase for both systems, significantly lowering cost and speeding up development. Technologies like Flutter enable fast development of high-quality modern apps
Your tech choice should depend on the project’s nature, budget, and future development plans.
Common mistakes at this stage:
- Not being interested in which technology will be used
- Thinking “as long as it works, it doesn’t matter how it’s built”
- Forcing a technology that the chosen agency lacks experience with
4. Backend Technology
The backend is the heart of your app. It handles data storage, business logic, and integration with other services. Your options:
- Traditional backend – custom-built from scratch, tailored to your needs but more expensive and time-consuming to implement
- Backend as a Service (BaaS) – ready-made cloud solutions like Firebase, offering modules for authentication, database, push notifications, etc., and thus enabling faster and cheaper deployment
Your backend choice should depend on the expected app scale, security requirements, and planned integrations.
Common mistakes at this stage:
- Not caring about the backend technology
- Inability to estimate how many users the app will have
- Blindly trusting the agency, which might suggest niche or custom solutions that make future handover difficult
5. Functions – their excess increases the mobile app cost
Each additional feature means more work for designers, developers, and testers. Key questions to ask:
- Is this feature essential for launch, or can it wait for later versions?
- What functions are standard in your app’s category?
- Does one function require adding others (e.g., login = registration, password recovery, profile management)?
Examples of features that increase the mobile app cost:
- User login and registration
- Integration with external services (e.g., payments, maps, social media)
- Push notifications
- Chat or internal messaging
- Admin panel
- Analytics and reporting
The more complex the app, the higher the cost—both for initial development and ongoing maintenance.
Common mistakes at this stage:
- Trying to launch an app with too many features instead of focusing on solving one key user problem with an MVP. Founders often insist on building a fully featured version from the start
- Not prioritizing features using MoSCoW analysis
- Ignoring competitor analysis
Summary
Creating a mobile app is an exciting journey, but it requires more than just a good idea—it needs solid financial preparation. Whether you already have the funds or are seeking investment, proper budget planning and transparency in agency talks are crucial.
Consider the following:
- Do you already have funding for your project? If so, how much?
- If you’re seeking funding—from grants, EU programs, investors, or crowdfunding—first assess whether your project qualifies
- If you don’t have external funding, are you willing to invest your own money (even just 10–20k euro) to begin the first stage of development?
Remember—if you don’t have your own funds or financing and you’re scheduling meetings with agencies, it’s like filling your cart at a store, going to the checkout, and then saying you have no money to pay. Be transparent, clearly define your capabilities, and reflect on whether your project is just a dream or a real plan you’re willing to invest in.
If you’re still reading and feel motivated to bring your mobile app to life—contact us! Let’s talk about your idea and find the most efficient way to make it a reality.
