Developing a mobile app in 2026 is an investment of €10,000 to €20,000 for a simple app and €20,000 to €50,000 for a medium-sized app. A complex app costs €50,000 to €100,000, and enterprise apps start at €100,000. For example, cross-platform development with React Native or Flutter costs €15,000 to €60,000 for iOS and Android together. Two native apps cost €40,000 to €120,000. First, the features and the platforms set the price. Second, the stores charge €99 per year (Apple) and €25 once (Google). Third, hosting the backend costs €50 to €500 per month. Finally, digital sales carry a store commission. The App Store Small Business Program from Apple charges 15% for developers with up to 1 million US dollars in yearly proceeds. VirtuoLab quotes a fixed price after a free intake call.
What does it cost to develop an app in the Netherlands?
App development cost is the total price of design, development, testing and the store release of a mobile app for iPhone and Android. In the Netherlands, the cost of an app in 2026 ranges from €10,000 for a simple app to more than €100,000 for an enterprise platform. First, a simple app shows information, collects a form or offers a basic booking flow. Second, a medium-sized app adds user accounts, payments and a backend with an admin panel. Third, a complex app includes real-time features such as chat or live tracking, several user groups and many integrations. The table below shows the indicative ranges from VirtuoLab for 2026. For example, a loyalty app built with React Native for 1,000 customers sits in the simple tier. A marketplace with chat lands in the complex tier. Direct communication in Dutch, English or German prevents costly misunderstandings. In practice, the exact price follows after a free intake call, once the features and platforms are clear.
Is a cross-platform app cheaper than two native apps?
A cross-platform app is an app built from one codebase for both iOS and Android, usually with React Native or Flutter, and in most cases the cross-platform route is the cheaper one. Building both platforms with React Native or Flutter costs €15,000 to €60,000. Two native apps, written in Swift for Apple and Kotlin for Android, cost €40,000 to €120,000. The upper bound of native development is 2 times the upper bound of cross-platform development. Launching on both platforms matters in the Netherlands: according to StatCounter, Android had about 68% of the Dutch mobile market in September 2026 and iOS about 32%. An app on one platform therefore misses a large share of potential users. Native development still pays off for apps with heavy graphics, augmented reality or deep hardware access. The article on native versus cross-platform development explains the trade-offs in detail.
Which costs come on top of building an app?
Running costs are the fees and services an app needs after launch, and a realistic budget includes them from the start. First, the stores charge for access. Apple asks €99 per year for a developer account, and Google Play asks a one-time fee of €25. Second, the backend needs hosting, which typically costs €50 to €500 per month. Third, app stores take a share of digital sales. Apple charges a reduced commission of 15% on paid apps and in-app purchases under the App Store Small Business Program, for developers with up to 1 million US dollars in yearly proceeds. Google Play charges a service fee as well, and in the European Economic Area the rates depend on whether a user installed the app before or after 30 June 2026. Physical goods and services, for example a table reservation or a webshop order, are paid outside in-app purchase. Finally, Apple and Google release new operating system versions every year, so every app needs regular updates.
How long does it take to develop an app?
The development time of an app is roughly 8 to 12 weeks for a cross-platform MVP, which costs €15,000 to €25,000, and longer for a medium-sized or complex app. Store approval adds time on top of development. Apple is quick: according to Apple, App Review typically handles at least 50% of submissions in less than 24 hours and 90% in less than 48 hours. Google Play has a stricter rule for new developers. Personal developer accounts created after 13 November 2023 must first run a closed test with at least 12 testers for 14 days before a production release. The rule targets personal accounts, so a business can register an organisation account instead. In practice, a realistic plan reserves two to three weeks for testing and store approval. VirtuoLab works in four steps: intake and scope, design and validation, building and testing, then launch and support.
How can you lower the cost of an app?
The most effective way to lower app development cost is to launch a minimum viable product (MVP) first: the smallest app real users can test. A cross-platform MVP costs €15,000 to €25,000 in 2026 and takes 8 to 12 weeks. For example, an MVP for the first 100 users can skip chat and offline sync entirely. Second, check whether a mobile app is needed at all. A progressive web app (PWA) runs in the browser, can be installed on the home screen and starts at €5,000 to €10,000. Third, reuse what exists. An app can often share the backend and API of an existing web app built with Next.js and PostgreSQL. Additionally, standard building blocks save time, such as sign-in with Apple or Google instead of a custom login system. Finally, postpone expensive features such as video calls until real users ask for video calls.
What does an app cost at VirtuoLab?
VirtuoLab is a software agency in Papendrecht, and every app project gets a fixed price before development starts. Step 1 is a free intake call, online or on location in the Drechtsteden and Rotterdam. Step 2 is a fixed quote from VirtuoLab, based on the indicative 2026 ranges. VirtuoLab builds apps with React Native, Flutter or Swift, depending on the product, and the developer writes every line of code. Clients therefore talk directly with the developer instead of an account manager. Short sprints end with a demo, so feedback arrives while changes are still cheap. Finally, the client owns the source code and the data after delivery. A practical tip for any app project: publish the app under your own Apple and Google developer accounts, not under the account of the agency. For example, a fitness app for 500 users with links to Apple Health and Google Fit can be built cross-platform with React Native.
Frequently asked questions
Why do quotes for the same app differ so much?
Quotes for the same app differ because each developer interprets the scope differently, and the cheapest quote is often the one with the least work. One quote may include design, a backend, an admin panel, testing and the store release, while another covers only the app screens. Hourly quotes also shift risk to the client, because the final invoice depends on the hours spent. First, compare quotes feature by feature, not by the total amount. Second, check who owns the source code and the Apple and Google store accounts after delivery. Third, ask what maintenance costs after launch, because iOS and Android change every year. For example, a quote of €12,000 without a backend can cost more in the end than a complete quote of €20,000. In 2026, a fixed price with a written feature list is the clearest basis for comparison. Every quote from VirtuoLab lists the price per feature, after a free intake call.
Do Apple and Google take a commission on every sale?
A store commission is a share of the digital sales inside an app. Apple and Google take one only on digital goods and services, such as subscriptions or premium features. Physical goods and services used outside the app are paid via Mollie, Stripe or another payment provider. For example, a webshop order, a taxi ride or a haircut appointment carries no store commission. The App Review Guidelines from Apple require a payment method other than in-app purchase for goods and services consumed outside the app. For digital sales, Apple charges a reduced commission of 15% under the App Store Small Business Program. The program is open to developers with up to 1 million US dollars in yearly proceeds. Additionally, Google Play charges a separate service fee. In the European Economic Area, the Google Play rates depend on whether a user installed the app before or after 30 June 2026. Check the official pages from Apple and Google before setting prices, because store rules change regularly.
What does maintaining an app cost per year?
App maintenance is the ongoing work of keeping an app secure, compatible and available after launch. The yearly cost depends on hosting, store fees and updates. Hosting for the backend costs €50 to €500 per month, which adds up to €600 to €6,000 per year. The Apple developer account costs €99 per year, while Google charges a one-time fee of €25. Additionally, updates from Apple and Google bring new versions of iOS and Android every year, and each release needs testing and sometimes changes. An app built with React Native or Flutter also needs framework updates several times per year. For example, an app for 2,000 users can stop working properly on a new iOS version after two years without updates. In practice, a small maintenance budget prevents a forced rebuild. In 2026, agree on maintenance before launch, including response times, update frequency and who holds the Apple and Google store accounts.