Building a web app in 2026 is an investment of €5,000 to €10,000 for a simple tool and €10,000 to €25,000 for a medium-sized application. A complex app or SaaS platform costs €25,000 to €50,000, and enterprise platforms start at €50,000. The build takes 3 to 6, 6 to 12 or 12 to 24 weeks per tier. For example, a booking tool with one user role for the first 100 customers usually stays in the first tier. First, the feature list and the user roles set the price. Second, a simple integration with Mollie or Exact Online adds €1,500 to €4,000. Finally, hosting costs €50 to €500 per month after launch. Phones generated about 65% of Dutch web traffic in September 2026, according to StatCounter. VirtuoLab builds with Next.js and quotes a fixed price after a free intake call.
What does a web app cost in 2026?
A web app is a software application running in the browser, such as a customer portal, a booking system or an internal planning tool. The cost of a web app in 2026 ranges from €5,000 to more than €50,000. The spread is large because one web app can be 10 times bigger than another. First, a simple tool with one user role and a few screens takes 3 to 6 weeks to build. Second, a medium-sized app with logins, payments and an integration with Exact Online takes 6 to 12 weeks. Third, a complex app or SaaS platform with several roles, subscriptions and reports takes 12 to 24 weeks. The table below shows the indicative ranges from VirtuoLab, and the exact price follows after a free intake call. For example, a planning tool for 20 people usually sits in the first tier. A customer portal with online payments lands in the second. In practice, most first versions fall into the simple or medium-sized tier.
What determines the price of a web app?
The price of a web app is the sum of the work behind each feature, so the feature list is the biggest cost driver. First, user roles add work: an app for customers, staff and admins needs separate rights and screens. Second, integrations add cost. For example, a simple API integration with Exact Online, Mollie or HubSpot costs €1,500 to €4,000. Third, the design matters a lot. A custom interface takes longer than a clean layout built using a proven component library. Additionally, mobile use cannot be skipped: according to StatCounter, phones generated about 65% of web traffic in the Netherlands in September 2026, so every screen needs a responsive layout. Finally, data and security requirements weigh in. An app with personal data under the GDPR needs logging, daily backups and careful access control for every role.
Which costs come after the launch of a web app?
Running costs are the monthly and yearly expenses after delivery, and a realistic budget includes running costs from day one. In 2026, hosting for a web app backend typically costs €50 to €500 per month, depending on traffic and backups. An internal tool for 50 users sits near the bottom, and a platform for 5,000 users sits closer to the top. At €50 per month, hosting adds €600 per year, and at the top of the range the yearly total is €6,000. Additionally, external services can charge per use, for example an email service, payments via Mollie or a map service from Google. Maintenance is the third cost item, because Next.js and React release updates several times per year and security patches should not wait. In practice, a small monthly budget for updates prevents a large rebuild after two or three years. Finally, real users always ask for new features after launch. Ask every developer how hosting, updates and change requests are priced, in writing.
How long does it take to build a web app?
The build time of a web app in 2026 is roughly 3 to 6 weeks for a simple tool. A medium-sized app takes 6 to 12 weeks, and a complex platform takes 12 to 24 weeks. VirtuoLab works in four steps and handles each step in-house. Step 1 is the intake and scope: a free first conversation about goals, users and must-have features. Step 2 is design and validation, where screens are tested with real users before the build starts. For example, a clickable prototype tested with 5 users often reveals a missing screen before any code exists. Step 3 is building and testing with Next.js in short sprints with interim demos, so progress is visible every few weeks. Step 4 is the launch and support, including hosting and monitoring. A tighter deadline does not make a web app cheaper, because more work in less time usually means more risk. In practice, the launch date should follow the scope, not the other way round.
How can you keep the cost of a web app under control?
The most effective way to control cost is to build a minimum viable product (MVP) first: the smallest version real users can try. An MVP of a simple web app costs €5,000 to €10,000, and a version with login costs €10,000 to €20,000. Second, choose a mainstream technology stack. In the 2025 Stack Overflow Developer Survey, about 45% of respondents used React and about 56% used PostgreSQL, so many developers can maintain such a stack later. VirtuoLab builds with Next.js, TypeScript and PostgreSQL for the same reason. Third, write down what the web app should not do. A clear "not now" list prevents scope creep, which is a common reason budgets run over. Finally, insist on owning the source code and the data. Ownership keeps the option open to switch developers without starting over.
How does VirtuoLab price a web app?
VirtuoLab is a software agency in Papendrecht, and every web app project gets a fixed price before any code is written. Step 1 is a free intake call, online or on location in the Drechtsteden and Rotterdam. Step 2 is a sketch of the approach from VirtuoLab, with the scope split into features and a price per part. For example, a booking portal for 100 customers can be quoted as login, a calendar and payments via Mollie, each priced separately. The 2026 ranges on the pricing page serve as a starting point, and the quote replaces the range with one fixed amount. A fixed price moves the risk of estimation errors from the client to the developer. Clients speak directly with the person who writes the code, without an account manager in between. Short sprints end with a demo, so feedback arrives early and cheaply. Finally, the client owns the source code and the data after delivery.
Frequently asked questions
Is a web app cheaper than a mobile app?
A web app is usually cheaper than a native mobile app, because one codebase runs in every browser on desktop, tablet and phone. A simple web app costs €5,000 to €10,000, while a simple mobile app costs €10,000 to €20,000. Mobile apps also need App Store and Google Play accounts, review rounds and separate builds for iOS and Android. Apple charges €99 per year for a developer account, and Google charges a one-time fee of €25. Additionally, every app update passes review first: according to Apple, about 90% of submissions are reviewed within 48 hours. For example, a web app built with Next.js skips the stores, so a bug fix is live minutes after deployment. However, a mobile app is the better choice when the product needs deep access to the phone, such as Bluetooth or background location. In 2026, a progressive web app (PWA) sits in between and is often a smart first step.
Can a no-code tool replace a custom web app?
A no-code tool is a good fit for a prototype or an internal process with few users. A custom web app is the better choice when the product must scale, integrate or stand out. Tools such as Bubble, Airtable or Google AppSheet let a team test an idea within days, without writing code. For example, an approval flow for 10 people in one department runs fine on such a platform. However, monthly fees grow with users and records, and the logic stays locked inside the platform. Moving away later often means a full rebuild. First, validate demand with a no-code prototype. Second, invest in a simple custom version built with Next.js and PostgreSQL, which costs €5,000 to €10,000. A custom web app costs more upfront but has no per-user licence fees, and the client owns the code. In 2026, the switch usually pays off once real users ask for integrations, custom roles or a branded interface.
Is a fixed price better than paying per hour?
A fixed price is better for most first projects, because the budget is known before the build starts. Hourly billing, also called time and materials, suits work with an unclear scope, such as research or ongoing improvements after launch. The risk with hourly billing is simple: every surprise lands on the client's invoice. A fixed price requires a sharper scope upfront, which is useful in itself. First, the client decides what the first version includes. Second, the client decides what can wait. For example, a customer portal for 200 customers can launch with login and invoices, while chat and reports follow in phase 2. A fixed quote from VirtuoLab follows the intake call, and in 2026 every web app project still starts with a free conversation. Changes during the build get a separate quote before work starts. As a result, the total cost stays predictable from the first sprint to the launch.