Article

App development cost 2026: native, PWA and hybrid compared

A simple business app costs indicatively from €5,000; native iOS/Android with back-end indicatively €15,000-50,000+. Overview of app types with decision criteria.

Written by Loek Delahaye, founder, Delahaye Solutions · ex-CTO with 10+ years in software and AIUpdated:
Short answer
  • The cost to build an app depends heavily on the type: a Progressive Web App (PWA) or simple web application starts indicatively from €5,000; a native iOS or Android app with a back-end sits indicatively at €15,000 to €50,000 or more. All prices are indicative and depend on functionality, design and timeline.
  • Hybrid frameworks like React Native (Meta) and Flutter (Google) allow you to target both iOS and Android with a single codebase, significantly reducing development costs compared to two separate native apps. For most SME use cases, hybrid is the most cost-efficient choice.
  • A PWA needs no App Store placement, loads quickly and works offline, but lacks certain native features on iOS (limited push notifications, no background Bluetooth). For an internal business tool or customer portal, a PWA or web application is often sufficient.

What does app development cost in 2026?

Having an app built costs indicatively from €5,000 for a simple web application or PWA to €50,000 or more for a native iOS/Android app with its own back-end and integrations. The price is determined by four factors: the type of app (native, hybrid or PWA), the number of screens and features, the complexity of the back-end (API, database, authentication, push notifications) and the required timeline. Hybrid apps on React Native or Flutter are cheaper than two separate native apps because the codebase is 70-90% shared. For SME applications where native hardware features (camera, GPS, Bluetooth, Face ID) are not central, a web application or PWA suffices in most cases and saves a significant premium. Always request a itemised quote based on a functional design specification, not a rough description.

Comparison

Native, hybrid and PWA: costs and suitability

Indicative price ranges. Exact costs depend on functionality, design and integrations. Always request a detailed quote based on a functional specification.

Native app (iOS or Android)

A native app is written in the platform's own language: Swift or Objective-C for iOS, Kotlin or Java for Android. Native delivers the best performance, full access to hardware APIs (Face ID, ARKit, NFC, background Bluetooth) and the optimal user experience per platform. Disadvantage: two separate codebases for iOS and Android roughly double development costs. Indicative cost per platform: €10,000-30,000 for an app with four to ten screens and a REST back-end; €30,000-80,000+ for apps with complex real-time features (live location sharing, video streaming, offline sync). App Store and Google Play placement requires an Apple Developer Program account (approx. €99/year) and a Google Play Developer account (one-time approx. €25). Choose native if the app is heavily dependent on platform-specific hardware features or if user experience is the primary competitive advantage.

Hybrid app (React Native or Flutter)

Hybrid frameworks use a single codebase for both iOS and Android. React Native (Meta, open source) generates true native components via a JavaScript bridge; Flutter (Google, open source) compiles to native machine code via the Dart language and the Skia/Impeller render engine. Both support most native device features (camera, GPS, push notifications, biometric authentication). Indicative costs: €8,000-25,000 for an app with four to ten screens and a REST back-end; €20,000-50,000 for more complex applications. Code sharing typically saves 30-50% compared to two native apps. Hybrid is for most SME applications the most cost-efficient choice when both iOS and Android are required. Check the current community support and release cadence of React Native (reactnative.dev) and Flutter (flutter.dev) before making your technology choice.

Progressive Web App (PWA) or web application

A PWA is a web application that works offline via a service worker, is installable on the home screen (without App Store involvement) and loads fast via caching. On Android PWA capabilities are broad; on iOS some PWA features are limited (notably background push notifications and background sync). Indicative costs: €5,000-20,000 for a functional business app or customer portal. No App Store placement fees or Apple/Google review cycle. Web applications are also accessible via browser on desktop, which is an advantage for internal business tools. Choose a PWA or web application when: native hardware features are not central, the app is also used on desktop, you want to deploy quickly without App Store review, or it is an internal portal or dashboard. Stack options: Next.js (React), SvelteKit or Vue.js for the front-end; Node.js, Python or PHP for the back-end.

Decision rules

Which type of app suits your situation?

Choose native if the app depends on platform-specific hardware features (ARKit, NFC, background Bluetooth) or if iOS and Android user experience is a primary competitive advantage. Choose hybrid (React Native or Flutter) if the app must be available on both iOS and Android, native hardware features are desired but not critical, and budget is a factor. Hybrid offers the best value for money for most SME apps. Choose a PWA or web application if the app also works on desktop, hardware features are not central, quick deployment without App Store review is preferred, or it is an internal portal or customer environment. For every variant: the back-end (API, database, authentication, notifications) typically accounts for 40-60% of total development costs and is independent of the chosen front-end technology. Always request an itemised quote based on a functional specification.

Frequently asked questions

Frequently asked questions about app development costs

What does a simple app cost in 2026?
A simple business app or customer portal costs indicatively from €5,000 for a web application or PWA. A hybrid app (React Native or Flutter) with four to six screens and a REST back-end sits indicatively at €8,000-20,000. A native iOS or Android app starts indicatively at €10,000 per platform. All amounts are excluding VAT, App Store costs and ongoing maintenance (indicatively €39-€89/month for Care contracts, depending on scope). The exact price depends on the number of screens, the complexity of the back-end, required integrations (payment system, CRM, ERP) and the desired design level. Request a quote based on a functional specification, not a rough description.
What is the difference between a native app and a hybrid app?
A native app is written in the platform's own language (Swift for iOS, Kotlin for Android) and has full access to all hardware APIs. A hybrid app (React Native or Flutter) uses one shared codebase for both platforms. Native performs better for graphically intensive or hardware-dependent apps; hybrid is more cost-efficient when the same app must be available on both iOS and Android. For most SME applications (portals, field service, order management, customer communication) the functional difference for end users is minimal. Hybrid typically saves 30-50% on development costs compared to two separate native apps.
Does my app need a back-end and what does that cost?
Most apps that store data, manage user accounts or integrate with external systems require a back-end: an API (REST or GraphQL), a database (PostgreSQL, MySQL, MongoDB) and an authentication layer (OAuth2, JWT). The back-end typically accounts for 40-60% of total development costs. For simple apps, a Backend-as-a-Service (BaaS) such as Supabase or Firebase can reduce costs: you pay for usage rather than custom development. For complex or privacy-sensitive applications (GDPR-classified personal data, financial data) a custom back-end is preferable over BaaS dependency. Hosting a back-end costs indicatively €20-200/month depending on scale and cloud provider (AWS, Azure, Hetzner).
How long does it take to build an app?
A simple PWA or web application with four to six screens can go live in four to eight weeks with an experienced agency. A hybrid app (React Native or Flutter) with back-end typically requires eight to sixteen weeks. A native app per platform takes twelve to twenty weeks, including App Store review (Apple: average one to two business days, but can be longer). Factors that extend the timeline: unclear requirements at the start, frequent scope changes, integrations with legacy systems and App Store review delays. Use an MVP (Minimum Viable Product) approach to validate quickly and then build iteratively.
What ongoing costs are there after an app launches?
After launch, the main ongoing costs are: App Store accounts (Apple approx. €99/year, Google one-time approx. €25), back-end hosting (indicatively €20-200/month), push notification services at high volumes (FCM from Google is free; APNS from Apple is free but requires a valid Developer account), and maintenance for platform updates (iOS and Android releases break compatibility annually with outdated dependencies). Plan indicatively 15-20% of initial development costs per year for maintenance and updates. Consider a Care contract with your supplier for guaranteed response times on critical bugs.
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