The phase split
| Phase | Share | On a $60,000 build | What happens in it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Discovery & specification | ~8% | $4,800 | Requirements, wireframes, technical plan — the cheapest insurance in the budget |
| Design (UX + UI) | ~15% | $9,000 | Flows, screens, design system, prototypes |
| App development (frontend) | ~25% | $15,000 | The app users touch, on your chosen platforms |
| Backend & APIs | ~25% | $15,000 | Server, database, accounts, business logic |
| Admin panel | ~10% | $6,000 | Managing users, content, orders and money |
| Testing & QA | ~12% | $7,200 | Real-device testing, bug cycles, store-ready builds |
| Launch & handover | ~5% | $3,000 | Store submission, analytics, documentation |
| Total | 100% | $60,000 |
Phase shares are the typical split across published agency breakdowns (Clutch, GoodFirms and agency price guides), checked November 2026. Individual projects vary by ±5 points per phase.
The worked example: a $60,000 shopping app
A regional retailer, one platform first, custom design, US-managed offshore build:
| Line | Cost | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Base build — catalogue, cart, checkout | $28,000 | Discovery, design, frontend, backend |
| Payments & subscriptions | $10,000 | Cards, wallets, refunds, invoices |
| Admin panel | $14,000 | Products, orders, customers, promotions |
| Push notifications | $3,000 | Offers and order updates |
| Extra QA & launch | $5,000 | Device lab, store submission, fixes |
| Total | $60,000 | 4–5 months |
Features move money between lines
| 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 |
The lines quotes try to hide
Three lines disappear from cheap quotes and reappear as invoices later: the admin panel ("we assumed you'd use the database directly"), testing ("two weeks of QA is not in this price"), and the second platform ("Android is a separate project"). A complete quote names all three — check yours against the table above.
After the build
| Running cost | Typical figure | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Maintenance & updates | 15–25% of build cost / year | OS updates, bug fixes, small improvements |
| Hosting / servers (MVP) | $45 – $150/month | Grows with users |
| Hosting (under 50,000 users) | $200 – $800/month | Databases, media storage, push services |
| Apple App Store | $99/year | Developer account |
| Google Play | $25 one-time | Developer account |
| Store commission | 15–30% of sales | On in-app purchases and subscriptions |
Sources: Clutch app development cost data (2026), GoodFirms research (2026), Accelerance global pricing report, US Bureau of Labor Statistics — checked November 2026.
How the split changes by app type
The standard split above describes a typical business app. Two types bend it hard. Marketplaces push the backend and admin shares up (matching, splits, disputes) — expect backend near 30% and admin at 12–15%, with design squeezed toward 12%. Content and utility apps bend the other way: backend shrinks toward 15% and design grows, because the experience is the product. Regulated apps (health, finance) add a line the standard split hides: compliance and security work at 8–15% on top, taken mostly from nowhere — it is genuinely additional. When a quote's split differs wildly from these shapes, the right response is not suspicion but a question: make the builder explain the shape, and judge the explanation.
Frequently asked questions
What percentage of app cost is design?
Typically about 15% of the build budget covers UX and UI design. Premium brand design with animation can take it to 20–25%; template-based design brings it under 10%.
How much of the budget goes to the backend?
Around 25% for a typical app — server, database, APIs and business logic. Data-heavy or real-time apps push the backend to 35% or more.
Why does QA cost 12% of the budget?
Testing means real devices, both platforms if you ship both, payment sandboxes, and fix-and-retest cycles. Skipping QA does not remove the cost — it moves it into post-launch reviews and emergency fixes.
What is usually missing from app quotes?
The admin panel, serious testing, store submission work and the first year of maintenance. Together they are commonly 25–35% of the true first-year cost.
How do I check if a quote's breakdown is fair?
Map every quote line to the phase table on this page. Missing phases are not savings — they are unpriced work that returns later at worse rates.