Of all the things a small business can build, a mobile app has the widest price range. A simple app can cost a few lakh rupees. A complex one can cost a crore or more. The question to ask first is not “what does an app cost?” but “what does my app need to do?”
This guide pulls together the 2026 figures we found, explains what drives the cost, and covers the running costs that come after launch. We could not find reliable pricing specific to Pune, so these are India-wide figures. Use them to sense-check quotes, not as a promise.
What apps cost in India
A June 2026 guide from PerfectionGeeks Technologies lists three tiers:
- Simple or basic apps: ₹1,50,000 to ₹4,00,000.
- Medium complexity: ₹8,00,000 to ₹20,00,000.
- Complex or enterprise apps: ₹20,00,000 to ₹1,00,00,000 and above.
Another 2026 guide, from Zartek, says a tightly scoped first version with three to five core features, one platform and no complex back end can be done for ₹3,00,000 to ₹5,00,000.
These two sources are consistent at the low end. The jump from “simple” to “medium” is large, and that jump is where most budgets go wrong. Adding user accounts, payments, an admin panel and several integrations moves an app up a tier quickly.
How long it takes
The PerfectionGeeks guide gives rough timelines. Basic apps take 4 to 8 weeks. Starter projects (a minimum viable product, or MVP) take 6 to 12 weeks. Medium apps take 3 to 5 months, and complex apps 6 to 18 months. Zartek gives similar figures: 4 to 6 weeks for a simple app and 2 to 3 months for medium complexity. A longer timeline usually means a higher bill, since you are paying for more developer time.
What drives the cost
PerfectionGeeks names six main factors. In plain terms:
Features. Every feature is work. A catalogue is simple. A multi-user platform with different roles is not.
Platform. Android only, iOS only, or both. Each extra platform adds work, so ask for the price of one platform first.
Design. A design based on standard components costs less than fully custom screens and illustrations.
The back end. This is the server and database behind the app. Simple storage is cheap. Complex systems cost more.
Integrations. Payments, maps, social login, video calls and similar services each take time to build and test. Zartek puts proper implementation of each at roughly ₹50,000 to ₹2,00,000.
Compliance. Apps in health or finance need extra security and legal work.
Costs after launch
This is the part first-time buyers miss.
Store fees. Apple’s developer account is $99 a year, and Google Play charges a one-time $25 registration, per Zartek.
Maintenance. The guides disagree on how much. Zartek suggests planning for 15% to 20% of the original development budget each year. PerfectionGeeks says to plan for 30% to 40% in the first year. For a ₹4,00,000 app, that is anywhere from ₹60,000 to ₹1,60,000, so ask any developer what their support plan covers.
A buffer. Zartek advises adding 25% to 30% on top of the quoted price for store fees, first-year maintenance and a basic launch push.
Maintenance matters because phone operating systems update every year, and apps that are not updated can stop working properly.
Do you need an app at all?
Many small businesses start with a mobile-friendly website, which costs less than an app in the ranges quoted by these guides (see our website cost guide). An app makes sense when you need things a website does poorly, such as frequent daily use by the same customers, notifications, or features that depend on the phone itself. If customers only need to find you, see your services and contact you, a good website may be enough for now.
How to keep the first version affordable
- List every feature you want, then mark which ones are needed for day one.
- Build for one platform first if most of your customers use it.
- Launch a small version, learn from real users, then add features.
- Ask for a written quote that lists features, platforms, timeline and what support is included.
- Ask who owns the source code. It should be you.
If you want a written estimate for your app idea, contact the Liftup team and we will break it down by feature, so you can compare it against other quotes.
Sources: PerfectionGeeks Technologies via Nerdbot, mobile app development cost in India 2026 (June 2026) and Zartek, app development cost in India 2026. Prices vary by project and change over time.