Android prices by complexity
| Android app type | Typical cost | Build time |
|---|---|---|
| Simple (few screens, no custom backend) | $10,000 – $40,000 | 2–3 months |
| Medium (accounts, payments, admin panel) | $40,000 – $120,000 | 3–6 months |
| Complex (real-time, marketplace, custom logic) | $120,000 – $250,000+ | 6–12 months |
Where Android money goes
Device fragmentation testing (adds 10–20%)
Android runs on thousands of devices with different screens, chips and OS versions. Serious QA means testing on 10–20 real devices or a device cloud — budget for it, or the 1-star reviews will budget it for you.
Kotlin native vs cross-platform
Native Kotlin gives the best performance and access to new Android features. Flutter or React Native shares code with iOS and cuts a two-platform build from about ×1.7 to ×1.3–1.5 of the single-platform price — the right choice for most business apps.
| Feature | Typical cost | Build hours | Why it costs that |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accounts & login | $3,000 – $8,000 | 40–80 | Sign-up, password reset, social login, security rules |
| Payments & subscriptions | $5,000 – $15,000 | 60–120 | Stripe/card integration, receipts, refunds, renewals |
| Push notifications | $2,000 – $5,000 | 20–40 | Simple to add, testing on real devices takes the time |
| Chat / messaging | $12,000 – $35,000 | 160–300 | Real-time servers, media messages, read receipts |
| Admin panel | $10,000 – $25,000 | 120–240 | A second product most budgets forget |
| Maps & live location | $4,000 – $10,000 | 50–100 | Map APIs, live tracking, geofencing |
| AI feature | $20,000 – $60,000+ | 200–400 | Model integration, training data, per-use API costs |
Android vs iOS: the honest price difference
| Android | iOS | |
|---|---|---|
| Developer account | $25 one-time | $99/year |
| Store commission | 15–30% | 15–30% |
| Testing burden | Higher (many devices) | Lower (few models) |
| Review time | Usually 1–3 days | Usually 1–2 days, stricter rules |
| Typical build price | Baseline | Roughly equal, sometimes ~10% higher |
In practice the platforms price within about 10% of each other for the same scope. The real decision is audience: Android holds roughly 70%+ of global users, iOS users spend more per app in the US and Western Europe.
Sources: Clutch app development cost data (2026), GoodFirms research (2026), Accelerance global pricing report, US Bureau of Labor Statistics — checked November 2026.
How Android quotes are structured (and where they pad)
A fair Android quote separates four lines: app build, backend, device testing, and store launch. Padding hides in two places. First, "device support" billed as a large fixed fee with no device list — ask for the list; 10–20 named devices is professional, "all devices" is marketing. Second, per-screen pricing: screens are not the cost unit, features are. A quote priced per screen almost always overcharges for static screens and undercharges for the hard ones, which returns later as change requests.
Cross-platform: the 2026 default
Most new business apps now start cross-platform (Flutter or React Native) and add native code only where performance demands it — camera, maps, background tracking. The saving against two native builds is real: roughly ×1.3–1.5 instead of ×1.7 of the single-platform price. Native still wins for games, heavy media and apps whose entire value is platform-specific behaviour. If a quote does not state which approach it prices, it is not finished.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to develop an Android app?
Simple Android apps cost $10,000–$40,000, medium apps with accounts and payments $40,000–$120,000, and complex platforms $120,000+. Offshore teams can cut these figures by half or more.
Is Android development cheaper than iOS?
Slightly, on developer-account fees ($25 one-time vs $99/year) — but Android's device-testing burden often eats the difference. For the same scope the two platforms usually land within about 10% of each other.
How much does it cost to put an app on Google Play?
A Google Play developer account costs $25 once. Apple charges $99 every year. Both stores then take 15–30% commission on in-app sales.
Should I build Android first?
If your market is global, price-sensitive or outside the US, yes. If your revenue depends on US in-app purchases, iOS users typically spend more — many products launch iOS first for that reason alone.
Can I convert my iOS app to Android later?
Yes. With a shared backend, the Android version usually costs 60–80% of the original build; with cross-platform code from the start, far less. Rebuilding in a rush later is the expensive path.