App Developer Studio
Pricing

Price for
Common Apps

How much does it cost to build an app?

So how much does it cost to build an app? Unfortunately, there is no straight answer because every app is different and it’s difficult to compare or generalise.  For example, there are no-code app builders that appear a lot cheaper but have limited functionality and flexibility, are unlikely to get approved by the app stores, you may end up paying large license fees and you don’t own the code or IP. On the other hand, sometimes our clients are surprised about how competitive our quotes are — AI-accelerated development, plus reusing patterns from apps we’ve built before, cuts both cost and time-to-market. Low-code platforms like FlutterFlow remain one tool we reach for, used selectively where they’re the right fit.

There are several types of apps that we are frequently asked to quote on or build. Whilst every app has to be quoted individually, here are some of the most common types of apps with their requirements and approximate costs. But it’s better to get in touch today to get a quote tailored to your requirements.

On-Demand
from
$25,000 /  R450,000

On-demand marketplace and delivery apps — bookings, dispatch, live tracking, and two-sided marketplaces.

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Built from Scratch,
You own the code
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Apple and Android apps
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Design, UI/ UX
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User and Driver apps
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Secure hosted server
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Algorithms matching users/ drivers
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Routing/ mapping APIs
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Admin functions
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Lodged card payment
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Live tracking
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Financial reporting
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Push notifications
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Driver payments system
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Rate/ review drivers
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Privacy controls
Get Quote
Get Quote
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Data Collection
from
$5,000 /  R80,000

Field data-capture apps — structured forms, offline sync, and dashboards for teams collecting data on the ground.

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Apple and Android apps
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Design, UI/ UX
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Form design
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Field types and logic
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Brand logic
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Mandatory fields
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Offline ability/ sync
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Creation of database to store data
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Security/ access control
Get Quote
Get Quote
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eCommerce
from
$1,500 /  R20,000

Shopify-powered storefronts and mobile shopping experiences, ready to start selling quickly.

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Responsive Web App
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Shopify Platform
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Domain purchase
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Theme selection
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Navigation/ product collections
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Add up to 8 example products
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Training to manage store
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Payment integration
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Courier integration
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Testing
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Search Engine Optimisation
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Conversion to Android app
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Excludes Shopify costs
Get Quote
Get Quote
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Social Media
from
$20,000 /  R350,000

Social and community apps — feeds, messaging, profiles, and the moderation tooling that comes with them.

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Built from Scratch,
You own the code
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Apple and Android apps
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Timeline
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Post (Text, Video)
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Like
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Comment
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Friend
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Share
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Push Notifications
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Profile Creation
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Settings
Get Quote
Get Quote
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Custom AI App
from
$25,000 /  R450,000

Bespoke AI products — multi-agent workflows, conversational interfaces, and automation built around your own data.

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Built from Scratch,
You own the code
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Apple and Android apps
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LLM (for example ChatGPT/ Open.ai) integration
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Dataset training
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Persona creation
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Guardrail design and implementation
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Front-end integration
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Testing
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Deployment
Get Quote
Get Quote
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Work With Us

Have a project? Let’s Work Together!

We are a full service, full stack development agency. We design, develop and help you to launch successful apps, websites, AI solutions and bots.

Get a Free Quote
Get A Free Quote
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Questions we get asked

Cost FAQs

How much does it cost to build an app?

Every app is different, so a single number would be misleading — the figures above are starting points, not quotes. Use ChatStack for a fast, structured estimate tailored to your app, or read our full cost breakdown in the Advice section.

How can ChatStack give me a real-time cost estimate?

ChatStack is the multi-agent AI tool we built to scope every project we take on. Describe your app and it returns a recommended tech stack and a detailed cost estimate in minutes, before you need a meeting with us.

Why are your quotes often more competitive than expected?

AI-accelerated development lets us build faster without cutting quality, and we reuse patterns from apps we've already shipped. That combination brings the cost down without pushing you toward a no-code platform whose code and IP you don't own.