How much does it cost to build an app: the short answer
There is no single price. As a rough order of magnitude, a very simple app, with just a few screens and no integrations, usually costs in the tens of thousands of reais. Products with multiple features, an admin dashboard, and integrations with other systems often reach hundreds of thousands.
These ranges are deliberately wide. The final price depends on scope, platform, level of polish, and who is building it. Two apps with the same idea can cost very different amounts if one needs payments, real-time features, and an ERP integration and the other doesn't.
When someone promises a fixed price without asking what the app does, be wary. A serious quote starts with questions about features, users, and business rules.
What an app's price really depends on
Cost is, in essence, the working time of designers, developers, testers, and managers multiplied by the hourly rate. Anything that adds complexity adds hours. These are the factors that weigh the most:
- Number and complexity of features: a simple sign-up form is very different from a scheduling system with cancellation rules.
- Platforms: Android, iOS, web, or all of them. Cross-platform technologies can reduce the cost, but they don't suit every case.
- Back end and database: if the app needs to store data, authenticate users, and have an admin dashboard, there is an entire system behind the screens.
- Integrations: payments, invoicing, ERP, CRM, maps, messaging. Each integration comes with its own documentation, testing, and surprises.
- Design: using ready-made components costs less than creating a custom visual identity and exclusive animations.
- Security and compliance: personal data requires care under Brazil's LGPD, and sensitive data, such as health or financial information, requires even more.
- Expected scale: an app for 200 internal users doesn't need the same infrastructure as one for thousands of simultaneous users.
Cost ranges by type of app
Thinking in categories helps set expectations. The examples below are qualitative, not a price list, and every project needs its own analysis.
Simple app: a few screens, nearly static content or a single flow, such as a catalog with contact via WhatsApp. It is the smallest investment and the best option for testing an idea.
Mid-range app: login, user profiles, a database, notifications, and an admin dashboard. Common examples are scheduling apps, ordering apps, and field team management apps.
Complex app: marketplaces, apps with split payments, real-time features, geolocation, multiple user profiles, and integrations with legacy systems. Here the cost rises considerably, and the project is usually delivered in stages.
Freelancer, software house, or in-house team: how the model changes the price
Freelancers usually charge less, but you concentrate the risk in one person and have to coordinate design, back end, and testing yourself. This works well for small, well-defined scopes.
A software house charges more per hour because it delivers a team with design, development, quality assurance, and project management. In return, you get more predictability, a contract, and continuity if someone leaves the team.
Building an in-house team only pays off when the app is at the core of the business and will keep evolving. Consider salaries, payroll charges, tools, and hiring time before comparing it with the price of an outsourced project.
Costs that fall outside the development budget
A practical rule is to set aside part of the initial investment for maintenance and improvements throughout the year, instead of spending the entire budget on the first launch.
- Hosting and cloud infrastructure, which grow with the number of users.
- App store fees: Apple charges an annual fee for its developer program and Google charges a registration fee. Check current amounts on the official websites.
- Third-party services, such as SMS, email, maps, and payment gateways.
- Maintenance: bug fixes and adapting to new versions of Android and iOS.
- Evolution: new features, which come up as soon as the first users start using the product.
- Marketing and customer support, which are not part of development but determine whether the app will be used.
How to reduce cost without compromising results
The safest path is to start with an MVP, the minimum version that solves the user's main problem. Choose the feature without which the app makes no sense and leave the rest for a second phase. This lowers the investment and lets you learn from real users before spending more.
Another point is to validate the flow before coding. Changing a screen in a prototype is quick and cheap, while changing the same screen after it has been coded costs several times more. Many budget overruns come from requirements that changed midway through development.
If you want to see your idea working before committing to a contract, SKAD offers an AI-generated clickable prototype for R$ 99, with an approximate quote. It helps you check the scope and go into commercial conversations with more clarity.
How to request a quote you can compare
Quotes are only comparable when they start from the same scope. Follow this simple outline: describe the problem the app solves, list the essential and nice-to-have features, specify platforms and integrations, and state how many users you expect.
Ask the proposal to spell out what is included: design, testing, publishing to the app stores, admin dashboard, documentation, and warranty period. Also ask who owns the code at the end and how support works after delivery.
Common mistakes include choosing based only on the lowest price, not defining what is out of scope, and not planning how changes during the project will be handled. A price far below the others usually signals a smaller scope or lower quality, not a real discount.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a simple app cost?
A simple app, with a few screens and no complex integrations, usually costs in the tens of thousands of reais. The exact price depends on scope, platforms, and the level of design.
Why do app quotes vary so much?
Because each company estimates a different scope, uses different teams and technologies, and includes different items in the proposal. Without a single shared scope, proposals can't be compared.
Does building for both Android and iOS cost double?
Not necessarily. With cross-platform technologies, much of the code is shared, but there is still extra cost for testing, interface adjustments, and publishing to each store.
Once the app is ready, will I still have costs?
Yes. There is hosting, store fees, third-party services, maintenance, and evolution. Plan for these expenses from the start so you aren't caught off guard.
Can I find out the approximate price before hiring development?
Yes, with an estimate based on scope. A clickable prototype helps define screens and flows and makes the estimate more realistic than a text-only description.
Conclusion
The price of an app in Brazil isn't a number on a price list: it comes from scope, technical complexity, the hiring model, and the costs that continue after launch. Start small, define clearly what is in and what is out, validate the flow before coding, and compare proposals that start from the same scope. That way, you negotiate with more confidence and avoid surprises along the way.