Most cost estimates online come from agencies justifying their $50,000 quotes. I'm a solo developer who's built and shipped all of these. Here's what things actually cost.
Simple website — $500 to $2,000
What you get: a responsive, custom-coded website (no templates) with 3-5 pages, contact form, SEO setup, and mobile optimization. Deployed and live.
What drives cost up: e-commerce integration, custom animations, booking systems, CMS setup, copywriting, photography.
What you should expect: a simple business site takes 4-6 days from kickoff to launch.
Native iOS or Android app — $3,000 to $10,000
What you get: a fully functional app built with Swift/SwiftUI (iOS) or Kotlin (Android). Submitted to the App Store or Google Play. Push notifications, offline support, proper data storage.
What drives cost up: real-time features (chat, live tracking), payment integration, complex animations, third-party API integrations, multi-language support.
What you should expect: a simple app takes 1-2 weeks. A feature-rich app takes 3-6 weeks.
Cross-platform app (React Native or Flutter) — $2,000 to $8,000
What you get: one codebase that runs on both iOS and Android. Usually cheaper than building two separate native apps. You get both platforms for roughly the price of one.
What drives cost up: platform-specific features that need native modules, complex UI that behaves differently on iOS vs Android, heavy use of device hardware (camera, GPS, Bluetooth).
What you should expect: 2-4 weeks for most apps. You save money because one codebase = less development time.
Full platform (web + mobile) — $5,000 to $20,000+
What you get: a web app (React/Next.js) plus a mobile app, sharing the same backend and database. Think of it as a complete product — website, admin dashboard, and mobile app.
What drives cost up: user authentication, real-time features, payment processing, admin panels, analytics, email systems, role-based access.
What you should expect: 4-10 weeks depending on complexity. This is a full product build.
What actually drives cost up (from real projects)
Scope creep — the #1 budget killer. "Can we also add..." is how $5,000 projects become $15,000 projects. Define scope early and stick to it.
Third-party integrations — Stripe is easy. Custom payment providers, legacy APIs, and enterprise software integrations are not.
Design changes mid-project — changing the design after development starts is expensive. Finalize designs before coding begins.
"I'll know it when I see it" — vague requirements lead to rework. Be specific about what you want.
What you can do to keep costs down
- Start with an MVP — build the core features first, add nice-to-haves later
- Provide clear requirements — the more specific you are, the less time is spent on guesswork
- Use existing solutions — don't reinvent Stripe, Auth0, or Twilio
- Be decisive — every "I'm not sure, what do you think?" adds time
- Bring your own content — copy, images, and branding ready before development starts
The honest truth
The cheapest option isn't always the best value. A $500 website that converts visitors into customers is worth more than a $50 website that doesn't. Focus on what the project needs to do, not just what it needs to cost.
Want an honest quote?
I'll tell you exactly what your project will cost and how long it'll take — no padding, no surprises. Get in touch.