Mobile app development

How much does it cost to build an app in Canada?

Less than most people expect, if the scope is clear. We publish our prices in Canadian dollars. With us, a simple iOS or Android app costs $5,000 to $12,000, an iOS and Android app from one codebase costs $8,000 to $18,000, and a website plus both apps costs $12,000 to $25,000. Marketplaces, on-demand and real-time products start around $25,000. Here is what moves the number inside those bands.

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Fixed-scope quoteA written price and milestone plan before any work starts.
From $4,999 CADTypical single-platform apps $5,000 to $12,000.
You own the codeSource, designs and store accounts are yours.
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Cost by app type

What you are building	Typical price (CAD)	Timeline
Simple single-platform app (iOS or Android, one core flow)	$5,000 to $12,000	4 to 8 weeks
iOS and Android app (one cross-platform codebase)	$8,000 to $18,000	6 to 10 weeks
Website plus iOS and Android apps, built together	$12,000 to $25,000	8 to 14 weeks
Complex app (marketplace, on-demand, real-time, heavy integrations)	$25,000 to $50,000+, quoted individually	3 to 6 months
MVP (the smallest version that proves the idea)	$5,000 to $15,000	4 to 8 weeks

All prices are in Canadian dollars and cover design, development, testing and store launch. The single biggest lever is scope: every screen, integration and edge case adds hours. After launch, plan on roughly 15 to 20% of the build per year for maintenance, or a monthly support plan.

What drives the price

Platforms. One cross-platform (React Native or Flutter) app for both stores adds about a third to a single-platform build. Two separate native apps add about three quarters, because most of the interface is built twice.
Features. Payments add roughly $800 to $2,000, chat $1,500 to $3,500, an admin dashboard $1,500 to $3,000 and AI features $2,000 to $5,000.
A companion website. A matching marketing website built alongside the app adds about $2,000 to $4,000.
Design. A custom design system with motion costs more than a clean design built on standard platform components.
Compliance. Health and financial data add security, audit logging and review work, so those apps sit higher in the range.

How to reduce the cost without cutting corners

Ship a true MVP first: one platform, the core loop only.
Use cross-platform (React Native or Flutter) if you need both stores.
Reuse proven building blocks (login, payments, push) instead of rebuilding them.
Leave nice-to-haves for a second phase, once you have real usage data.

Fixed price, hourly or monthly team: how app companies charge

App development companies price work in one of three ways, and the model explains most of the gap between two quotes for the same idea. Ask which model a quote uses before you compare the totals.

Pricing model	How it works	Good for	Watch out for
Fixed price after scoping	The scope is written down first, then one price covers it.	First versions and MVPs with a clear goal.	Changes you ask for later are quoted separately.
Time and materials (hourly)	You pay for the hours worked, usually billed every week or month.	Open-ended work where the scope will move.	No ceiling unless you set one. Ask for a weekly hours report.
Dedicated team (monthly)	You rent a team for a monthly fee.	Products past launch with a steady backlog.	You pay for capacity, used or not.

We use the first model. You get a written scope and a fixed quote within 24 hours of a short call, and the quote states what is not included. Maintenance after launch is a separate, optional plan.

What an app costs after launch

Plan for three kinds of running cost: store fees, store commissions and maintenance. The first two are set by Apple and Google, not by your developer.

Store accounts. The Apple Developer Program costs 99 USD per membership year. A Google Play developer account has a one-time registration fee of US$25. You pay these directly, so the store listings stay in your name.
Commissions on digital sales. Apple takes 30% on digital goods and services sold through the App Store, or 15% for developers in its Small Business Program and for qualifying subscriptions. Google says 99% of developers who pay a Google Play service fee are eligible for a fee of 15% or less. Physical goods and services, like food orders or bookings, are paid through your own payment provider instead.
Maintenance. Budget about 15% to 20% of the build cost per year for operating system updates, new store rules, fixes and small changes. Hosting and paid third-party services are billed at cost.

Why maintenance is not optional: our own data. In November 2026 we studied 310 App Store and Google Play listings from Canadian small businesses. 76.7% had been updated in the past year, but 11.3% had gone two years or more without an update. 55.7% of the Google Play apps were last published before Google's Android 16 target rule, so they need a technical update before their next release. Read the full Canadian small business apps study, or see our app maintenance plans.

Can you build an app for free?

You can build a simple app with a no-code builder for little or no money, and for an internal tool or a test that is often the right first step. You still pay the store fees above to publish, and you are limited to what the builder supports. A custom build makes sense once you need your own data model, integrations, offline use or a design the builder cannot do. If you are unsure, our app idea validation checklist helps you decide before you spend anything.

How to get an accurate app quote

The more of this you send, the tighter the quote. A one-line idea gets a wide range; a page of notes gets a fixed price.

Who uses the app, and the one thing they must be able to do on day one.
iPhone, Android or both, and whether you also need a website or admin panel.
Logins, payments, chat, maps, bookings or notifications you need in the first version.
Systems the app must connect to, such as your booking tool, CRM or accounting software.
Any health, financial or children's data, which adds privacy and security work.
Your launch date and your budget range, even a rough one.

Or put it into the app cost calculator first. It shows a planning range on screen in about two minutes.

Frequently asked questions

Can I build an app for under $10,000?

Yes, for a focused app. A single-platform iOS or Android app with one core flow and a few features, such as accounts and push notifications, usually costs $5,000 to $10,000 with us. An app for both stores starts around $8,000.

Is React Native cheaper than native?

Usually, when you need both iOS and Android, because one codebase serves both stores. In our pricing a cross-platform app costs about 35% more than a single-platform app, while two separate native apps cost about 75% more. For a single platform, the cost is similar.

How much does a website plus an iOS and Android app cost?

Typically $12,000 to $25,000 when the website and both apps are built together, in about 8 to 14 weeks. Sharing one backend and one design language is what keeps it in that range.

What about ongoing costs?

Budget roughly 15 to 20% of the build cost per year for maintenance, OS updates and small improvements, or move to a monthly support plan. Hosting and paid third-party services are billed at cost.

How much does it cost to keep an app running?

Plan on about 15% to 20% of the build cost per year for maintenance and updates, plus the store fees: the Apple Developer Program is 99 USD per membership year and a Google Play developer account is a one-time US$25. Hosting and paid third-party services are billed at cost.

Does Google take 30% of in-app purchases?

Usually not. Google says 99% of developers who pay a Google Play service fee are eligible for 15% or less. Apple's standard commission is 30%, or 15% in its Small Business Program and for qualifying subscriptions. The fees apply to digital goods, not to physical goods or services.

How much does it cost to design an app?

Design is included in every build price on this page: screen designs for each flow, approved by you before development starts. Design-only work, such as a redesign of an existing app, is quoted after a short scoping call.

How much does it cost to hire an app developer in Canada?

With us, an app MVP starts at $4,999 CAD, a single-platform app is $5,000 to $12,000, an app for iOS and Android is $8,000 to $18,000, and a website plus both apps is $12,000 to $25,000. That covers design, development, testing and store launch, with a fixed written quote after a short call.

Can ChatGPT build an app?

AI tools can write code and help you make a working prototype, and we use them in our own work. A real app still needs someone to design the data model, secure the logins and payments, connect the backend, test on real phones and get through App Store and Google Play review. A prototype built with AI is a good input for a quote.

Why do app development quotes differ so much?

Mostly because of scope and the pricing model. A fixed quote after scoping covers a written list of features, while an hourly estimate can grow. Compare quotes line by line: platforms, features, design, testing, store launch and what happens after launch.

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Sources

Apple Developer Program: what's included (pricing and fees), Apple. Retrieved 2026-11-01.
App Store Small Business Program, Apple. Retrieved 2026-11-01.
Service fees, Google Play Console Help. Retrieved 2026-11-01.
Get started with Play Console (registration fee), Google Play Console Help. Retrieved 2026-11-01.
Canadian Small Business Apps in 2026 (n=310), mobileapplication.ca. Published 2026-11-01.

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