A simple app costs $12,000–$30,000 in 2026, a standard app $40,000–$90,000, and a complex, feature-rich app $100,000 and up. Blended developer rates on a budget-friendly team run $25–$60/hour; a U.S.-based agency typically charges $100–$200/hour for the same scope.
What actually moves the number
- Simple ($12k–$30k, 1–3 months): a handful of screens, one core workflow, no complex backend — a booking app, a basic directory, a single-feature utility.
- Standard ($40k–$90k, 4–9 months): user accounts, payments, a real-time feature or two, an admin panel, integrations with two or three third-party services.
- Complex ($100k+, 10+ months): multiple user roles, custom backend architecture, heavy third-party integration, and the infrastructure to scale past a few thousand users.
Where the '$200 app' claims come from
You'll see agencies advertise app development "from $200." What that actually buys, everywhere we've checked including our own Starter Sprint, is a single scoped deliverable — a clickable prototype or one feature — not a finished, published application. Treat any bare "$200 for an app" claim as marketing shorthand for that, not a literal price for a complete build.
How to get an accurate number for your project
Skip the generic range and get a quote against a written scope: what screens, what backend logic, what integrations, and what "done" looks like. That's the only number worth planning a budget around.