V2 - UPDATED JULY 2025!

Consumer App Development Costs

A short guide to help you understand the real cost of developing a consumer app. Unlike many sources, this allows for learning and iteration to find market fit.

Get the app development cost you actually NEED.

New! Version 2 updated July 2025, adding more examples and insights.

If you’re trying to figure out the cost of developing an app, you might ask an developer to provide you a quote. Or, you might have Googled it and read an article or two. But these approaches rarely give you the cost you actually need.

Without that, it’s incredibly easy to run over budget, which causes stress for you, your developer, and your CFO!

This 18-page guide gives you the true cost to take your app to market and is packed with real-world examples of what good looks like.

Download the 18-page guide

app development costs should cover four stages

Know what cost you’re asking for

When you're trying to figure out how much your app idea might cost, it is easy to focus on features and forget about the full lifecycle.

An app development budget that covers the full lifecycle is less likely to go over budget, preventing headaches for you and your CFO.

In short, it needs to include the costs to get you to launch, which almost always involves several key stages that need to be considered.

app development costs should include a proof of concept

The importance of a proof of concept

Most companies want confidence that their app will succeed before they invest heavily in app development.

A proof of concept helps:

Prove an idea to investors or board members
Prove a potential client will buy
Test that consumers will get value from your offering

The idea is to spend a little upfront to reduce costs downstream.

How much should you invest in your mobile app?

App development costs don’t vary that widely. It’s not always “how long is a piece of string”, as us developers make it out to be.

This guide uses actionable models, accurate data, and real world examples to help you get a feel for how much your app idea might cost to take to market.

Download the 18-page guide

“Contrary to what most online sources & agencies say, our experience is that apps take a few iterations to get right. So, this sheet shows costs based on building an app that actually gets results, allowing for learning, research, iteration and tweaking.”

Tobin Harris, Managing Director

Pocketworks

Other free resources you might like.

FREE

Badly Drawn Mobile

A short illustrated guide that helps you make the important app decisions. Use these insights to challenge your thinking and launch a winner 🚀

Launch a winning mobile app →

FREE

Mobile Strategy Process

Perfect for CEOs, CMOs and CTOs who are about to embark on a mobile app development. This diagram outlines a robust strategic process for planning your app.

Mobile strategy process →

FREE

Turbo-Charge Your App Growth

Discover the exact process we use at Pocketworks to drive mobile app growth. This guide includes actionable insights that will help you assess your app health, master metrics & KPIs, and cultivate a growth mindset.

Grow your mobile app →

FREE

Strategic Ideas Comparison

Compare strategic options side-by-side, bringing together the core elements of up to three strategies. Then, identify key outcomes and any barriers that need testing.

Strategic ideas comparison →

FREE

Mobile Maturity Checklist

A market-leading app needs a solid approach to design, development and growth. Use this checklist to build the right environment for a successful app.

Mobile maturity checklist →

FREE

Strategy Choice Cascade

A one-page strategy blueprint to capture your high-level mobile strategy. It's based on Roger Martin's best selling strategy book - Playing to Win.

Mobile app strategy template →

£149

Wellbeing Apps UK Market Report

This 30 page market report is for founders and business leaders creating a mental health or well-being app. It provides industry data and best practices that will help you navigate the pitfalls and plan for success.

Wellbeing apps in the UK →

FREE

Analogous Inspiration Exercise

Innovate by finding inspiration in non-related fields, using an analogous inspiration worksheet to create a product experience similar to finding the right cable in a messy drawer.

Analogous inspiration exercise →

FREE

Ten Crucial App Features

Navigate the app development landscape with confidence thanks to this list of top 10 features crucial for user engagement and app success.

App development infographic →

FREE

Sleep Apps Market Sneak Peek

Take a sneak peek into the world of sleep apps, their usage, and the underlying trends driving their adoption in the UK.

Sleep apps market infographic →

About Us

We are UK app developers based in Leeds.

Founded in 2012, Pocketworks has grown to 19 people across five European countries. Our clients hire us as a long-term partner, assisting them with their mobile strategy, market research, user research, design, mobile development, cloud development, quality assurance and mobile growth hacking.

A collection of images showing the Pocketworks team

Hire Pocketworks to create impact and growth.

Get in touch