"App banwane ka kitna kharcha aata hai?" is the question we hear most from business owners who are thinking about an app. The honest answer is that an app in India can cost anywhere from ₹50,000 to ₹10 lakh or more, and the development fee is only one part of what you pay. Google, Apple, your server, your SMS provider and your payment gateway all take a share.
This guide lists every cost, explains how an app is published on the Google Play Store step by step, and helps you decide whether you need an app at all. The prices for our own work are included so you can compare them with any other quote.
Do you need an app, or is a website enough?
Many businesses ask for an app when a website would do the job better and cost far less. A rough way to decide:
- Build a website first if you want new customers to find you on Google. People search the web; they do not search the Play Store for a local shop or clinic.
- Build an app if customers will use it again and again (ordering, booking, tracking, learning), or if you need push notifications, saved logins or phone features such as the camera and location.
- Consider a progressive web app (PWA) if you want something installable without a store account. It is cheaper and quicker, with fewer phone features than a native app.
If you are unsure, start with a website and add the app once customers are asking for it. Our website cost guide explains what that first step costs.
What does it cost to build an app in India?
Prices vary a lot between freelancers, agencies and product companies, because "an app" can mean very different amounts of work. As a rough guide for 2026:
| Type of app | Typical range in India | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Simple app (a few screens, one platform) | ₹50,000 to ₹2,00,000 | Catalogue, enquiry app, notes or tracking tool |
| Business app (Android and iOS, login, payments, admin panel) | ₹1,00,000 to ₹5,00,000 | Ordering app, membership or coaching app |
| Custom or marketplace app (several user types, maps, chat) | ₹2,00,000 and above | Delivery, booking, on-demand services |
These are market ranges, not a promise. Two apps with the same number of screens can differ by lakhs once payments, maps, real-time updates and multiple user roles are involved. What decides the price is the number of screens, the features behind them, whether you need iPhone as well as Android, and how much backend work there is.
Our own packages are a Starter app from ₹50,000 (Android, up to 8 screens), a Business app at ₹1,00,000 (Android and iOS, payments and an admin panel) and custom apps from ₹2,00,000.
The costs on top of development
This is the part that is often left out of a quote. Ask for these in writing before you sign anything:
| Cost | Amount | Who gets it |
|---|---|---|
| Google Play developer account | US$25 once (about ₹2,100) | |
| Apple Developer Program (only for iPhone) | US$99 a year (about ₹8,500 to ₹9,000) | Apple |
| Backend hosting and database | ₹0 to about ₹3,000 a month, rising with users | Supabase, Firebase or your server provider |
| Push notifications | Free for most apps | Firebase Cloud Messaging has no per-message fee |
| OTP by SMS | Per message | SMS provider; Indian SMS also needs DLT registration |
| Payment gateway | Around 2% per transaction | Razorpay or similar; check current rates |
| Maps and other APIs | Free up to a monthly limit, then pay by use | Google Maps Platform and similar |
| Maintenance after launch | Quoted per app | Your developer |
If your app sells digital goods or subscriptions through in-app purchases, Google and Apple also keep a commission, usually 15% to 30%. Selling physical goods or services, such as food orders or bookings, is not charged this way. Rupee amounts above move with the exchange rate, so check the current fee on the Google Play Console and Apple Developer pages before you pay.
How to publish an app on the Google Play Store
Publishing is a project of its own. Google changes its rules from time to time, so treat this as the current picture and confirm it in the Play Console.
- Create a Google Play Console account. The registration fee is a one-time US$25. Individuals verify their identity; organisations need a D-U-N-S number. Open the account in your own name, not your developer's.
- Build a release file. Play Store apps are uploaded as an Android App Bundle (.aab) signed with your app's key. Keep that key safe, because losing it makes updates difficult.
- Prepare the store listing. You need an app name, a short and a full description, a 512 × 512 icon, a 1024 × 500 feature graphic and at least two phone screenshots.
- Add a privacy policy. Google requires a public link to a privacy policy that matches what your app actually collects.
- Complete the Data safety form and the content rating. These describe what data the app collects and who it is suitable for. A form that does not match the app is a common reason for rejection.
- Run a closed test if you need to. At the time of writing, new personal developer accounts must test with at least 12 testers for 14 days before applying for production access. Organisation accounts are exempt.
- Submit for review. The first review usually takes a few days and can take up to about a week. Later updates are normally faster.
Publishing on the Apple App Store
For iPhone you join the Apple Developer Program (US$99 a year), upload the build through TestFlight and submit it in App Store Connect. Apple's review usually takes one to two days, but it is stricter about design, minimum functionality and sign-in options. An app that is little more than a website in a wrapper is a typical reason for rejection. You also need a Mac, or a build service, to produce the iOS build.
Why Google rejects apps, and how to avoid it
- No privacy policy, or one that does not match the app. Write it from what the app really collects.
- A Data safety form that is wrong. Include data collected by third-party tools such as analytics and ads.
- Crashes and broken screens. Test on real, older and cheaper phones, not only your own.
- Permissions the app does not need. Ask for the camera or location only if a feature uses it.
- Misleading name, icon or screenshots. What the listing promises must be what the app does.
How long does it take?
A simple app takes about 3 to 5 weeks to build, a business app 6 to 10 weeks and a custom app three months or more. Add 14 days if a new personal Play account needs the closed test, plus a few days for review. Planning for about two weeks of publishing time on top of the build keeps launch dates realistic.
How to compare two app quotes
- Ask for a screen-by-screen list. A quote that only says "app" cannot be compared with anything.
- Ask who owns the code, the designs and the store accounts. All three should be yours.
- Ask which third-party costs are yours: servers, SMS, payment fees, store accounts.
- Ask what support after launch includes and for how long.
- Ask to see a working build on your phone every week or two, not only at the end.
The bottom line
For most small businesses, a first app costs between ₹50,000 and ₹2,00,000 to build, plus about US$25 for the Play Store, US$99 a year for the App Store if you want iPhone, and a running cost for servers and messages. Spend less and you may give up the admin panel, testing or ownership. Spend more and you should be getting several user types, real-time features or an iOS app too.
If you are planning an app, tell us what it should do. We will send a written quote with these third-party costs listed separately, and if a website or a PWA would serve you better, we will say so. You can read how we work on the app development page or see what we have built in our case studies.