Mobile app development cost in India
An iOS and Android MVP from us costs $2,000 to $5,000.
A mobile app MVP for iOS and Android, built from one Expo codebase, costs $2,000 to $5,000 with us and takes 3 to 5 weeks. After launch, a half-time developer is $750 to $1,000 a month and maintenance is $100 to $300 a month. We are a small team in Surat, India, and we build and run our own apps in both stores.
Updated · Prices in USD · Acasa Labs
The numbers
What a mobile app costs with us.
| What you get | Price (USD) | Timeline | What it covers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mobile app MVP (iOS + Android) | Price (USD)$2,000 to $5,000 | Timeline3 to 5 weeks | One Expo codebase for both stores, the screens for one core flow, sign-in, a backend, and release to the App Store and Google Play. |
| Web dashboard alongside the app | Price (USD)$4,000 to $8,000 | Timeline3 to 5 weeks | An admin or staff dashboard on the web, sharing the app's backend. Priced as a web app build. |
| Half-time developer | Price (USD)$750 to $1,000 a month | TimelineMonthly, about 80 hours | Steady work on a product that is live and needs a few days a week, not a full sprint. |
| Dedicated developer | Price (USD)$1,500 to $2,000 a month | TimelineMonthly, about 160 hours | One developer full time on your roadmap, in your repository, with a senior reviewing pull requests. |
| Maintenance and support | Price (USD)$100 to $300 a month | TimelineMonthly | Updates, fixes, monitoring, and the small changes that come up after launch. |
An app that needs both a mobile app and a web dashboard is two builds. If you need both at the MVP stage, the two ranges together, $6,000 to $13,000, are a planning figure built from our rate card, not a quote. The real number comes from a written scope.
Every price on this page is our own rate card, in US dollars. The minimum project is $1,500. A dedicated developer is $1,500 to $2,000 a month. Hire engagements start with a risk-free first week, and you own the code, repositories, and cloud accounts from day one. Indian clients are invoiced in INR by Acasa Labs (OPC) Private Limited. See every engagement model and rate.
01
What drives the cost of a mobile app
Two apps can both be called a delivery app and differ by a factor of three. These are the things that decide where a mobile app lands in the range.
The number of core flows
An MVP is one flow done well: book a class, log a workout, place an order. Every extra flow adds screens, states, and testing. The fastest way to stay at the low end of the range is to ship one flow and learn.
One codebase or two
We build iOS and Android from one Expo codebase, so you pay for one app, not two. A fully native app per platform roughly doubles the mobile work. We do build native when it is needed: Pullsy's iOS app is SwiftUI.
The backend
Most apps need accounts, a database, and a few APIs. A managed backend such as Supabase keeps that small. Offline sync, realtime updates, and heavy background jobs add to it.
Payments and subscriptions
In-app subscriptions go through Apple and Google, with their own rules and review. Physical goods and services can use a payment gateway instead. Either way, payments add a flow, receipts, and edge cases.
Store release
Store listings, screenshots, privacy forms, and review responses are part of shipping. We release under your developer accounts, which you pay Apple and Google for directly.
02
Why one codebase changes the price
For most business apps, the screens on iOS and Android do the same thing. Writing them twice means paying for the same feature twice, then keeping two codebases in step for as long as the app lives. Expo and React Native let one team write the app once and ship it to both stores.
That is the main reason our mobile MVP range starts at $2,000. It also keeps maintenance cheaper later: one set of dependencies to update, one set of tests, and over-the-air updates for fixes that do not need a store review.
Native still wins for some apps: deep platform features, heavy on-device processing, or a team that will own an iOS-only product for years. We will say so in the scope if your app is one of them.
Example builds
Mobile apps we have built and run.
These are our own products and client work from our portfolio. They are larger than an MVP. They show what an MVP can grow into, and which parts of the work we have done before.
Three apps on one backend
GymFastGymFast has a staff app, a member app themed in each gym's colors, and a trainer app, all Expo apps for iOS and Android, sharing one Supabase backend and a web dashboard. A member app MVP is one of those three.
An AI study app on iOS and Android
NoteTubeNoteTube's Expo app shares a backend with its web app, Chrome extension, and MCP server. Subscriptions in the app run through RevenueCat, reconciled with Stripe on the web.
A native iOS app
PullsyPullsy's iOS app is SwiftUI on iOS 17 and later, with push notifications when an account's numbers change.
A companion app for a web product
KraftrKraftr's studio, with its wardrobe, model library, scenes, and shot lists, runs on the web and in a companion mobile app.
03
How to spend less on a mobile app
- 01Ship one flow first. Pick the one action that proves the app is worth having, and leave the rest for after launch.
- 02Use one codebase for iOS and Android unless there is a specific reason not to.
- 03Use a managed backend for accounts, the database, and file storage instead of building them.
- 04Bring designs if you have them, or accept a clean standard design for the MVP and invest in design once users are in.
- 05Decide on payments early. Changing from a payment gateway to in-app subscriptions after launch costs more than choosing once.
- 06After launch, move to a half-time developer instead of keeping a full team on a product that is still finding its users.
04
When a cheaper option is the better choice
If your app is mostly forms and lists over a spreadsheet, a no-code app builder such as Glide or Softr can get it in front of users in days. You will hit limits on design, offline use, and complex logic, but you may not need those yet.
If what you need already exists as a product, use it. For a gym, that is GymFast or another gym management app. For bookings, a scheduling tool. A custom app is worth paying for when the workflow is yours alone, or when the off-the-shelf tool's limits cost you customers.
And if the goal is only a mobile-friendly presence, a well-built website may be enough. It costs $1,500 to $3,000 with us and needs no store review.
Rough number first
Pick platforms, features, and integrations, and get a range and a timeline in a minute.
Questions
Mobile app cost, asked often.
How much does it cost to build a mobile app in India?
With us, an iOS and Android MVP from one Expo codebase costs $2,000 to $5,000 and takes 3 to 5 weeks. A larger app is built in stages or on a dedicated developer at $1,500 to $2,000 a month.
Is it cheaper to build only for Android or only for iOS?
Slightly, but not by half. With one Expo codebase most of the work is shared, so adding the second platform costs far less than a second app. The bigger saving is in testing and store work.
Does the price include the backend?
An app MVP scope normally includes the backend it needs: sign-in, a database, and the APIs the app calls. Hosting is billed by the provider to an account in your name.
Who owns the app and the store listing?
You do. The code is in your repository, and the app is published under your Apple and Google developer accounts.
What does the app cost after launch?
Maintenance is $100 to $300 a month. If you are still adding features, a half-time developer at $750 to $1,000 a month is the usual next step.
Can I pay in rupees?
Yes. Indian clients are invoiced in INR by Acasa Labs (OPC) Private Limited.
Mobile app cost
Get a fixed estimate for your app.
No call needed to start. Tell us the one thing the app must do and who uses it, and we reply with a scope and a number.