Ask whether you need an app at all
Most business requirements described as “we need an app” are satisfied by a well-built responsive website, at a third of the cost and with no store approval, no install friction and no version fragmentation.
Native apps earn their cost for four things: reliable offline operation, push notifications, device hardware access, and frequent daily use where an icon on the home screen matters.
Cost by type
| Type | Typical cost | Timeline |
|---|---|---|
| Simple app, one platform, no backend | £15,000–£30,000 | 6–10 weeks |
| Standard app, both platforms, backend | £40,000–£90,000 | 3–5 months |
| Complex app, offline, integrations | £90,000–£200,000 | 5–9 months |
| Adding to an existing web platform | £25,000–£60,000 | 2–4 months |
The ongoing costs
- Store fees annually for developer accounts
- Mandatory updates when operating systems change — apps that are not updated eventually stop being accepted
- Store review for every release, with occasional rejections that cost days
- Support for install problems, which is a category of support websites do not have
- Backend hosting and the API the app depends on
The mandatory update point surprises people. An app left untouched for two years will typically need work simply to remain installable, regardless of whether you wanted to change anything.
Cross-platform or native
Cross-platform frameworks let one codebase serve both platforms and typically save 30–40% against building twice. They are entirely adequate for most business apps.
Native is worth it for heavy graphics, deep hardware integration or where platform-specific polish is part of the product. For an internal tool or a customer portal, cross-platform is usually the right call.
Reduce cost without gutting it
- Launch on one platform first — whichever your users actually have
- Cut roles before features; each role multiplies testing
- Use the web for anything that does not need to be native
- Skip the admin interface initially and manage through the backend
The distribution question
For internal apps, store distribution may be unnecessary — enterprise distribution or a web app avoids review entirely. For consumer apps, the store is also your marketing channel and its requirements shape the product.
Settle this before designing, because it affects both cost and timeline materially.