Quick answer: For a business in Latur, a simple app usually costs ₹1.5–₹4 lakh, a business app with logins, payments and an admin panel ₹4–₹10 lakh, and a marketplace or multi-user platform ₹10–₹25 lakh or more. Budget roughly 15–20% of the build cost per year for hosting, updates and support.
National guides quote anywhere from ₹1 lakh to over ₹1 crore for an app, which isn't much help when you're a shop, clinic, coaching class or manufacturer in Marathwada trying to plan a budget. The real answer depends on what the app has to do, who will use it, and whether it needs a server behind it.
This guide explains the typical price bands, what moves your price up or down, the yearly costs that come after launch, and how to start with a smaller first version so you're not paying for features nobody uses.
Typical app prices in 2026
These ranges assume one app that runs on both Android and iPhone from a single codebase (using a cross-platform framework such as Flutter), plus the admin panel and server the app needs.
| Type of app | What you usually get | Typical range |
|---|---|---|
| Simple app | 5–10 screens, catalogue or information, enquiry/WhatsApp button, notifications | ₹1.5 – ₹4 lakh |
| Business app | Customer logins, orders or bookings, UPI/card payments, admin panel, reports | ₹4 – ₹10 lakh |
| Platform / marketplace | Several user types (customers, vendors, delivery staff), live tracking, chat, commissions | ₹10 – ₹25 lakh+ |
| Companion app for existing software | App on top of your current ERP, billing or school software | Depends on the existing system |
If a quote is far below these ranges, check what's missing. Usually it's the admin panel, the server, publishing to the stores, or the source code.
What drives the price
- Number of screens and features. Every screen has to be designed, built and tested. Payments, live location, chat and offline mode each add significant work.
- Types of users. One customer app is simpler than a customer app plus a vendor app plus a delivery-staff app, which is what a marketplace needs.
- The admin panel and server. Almost every business app needs a web dashboard where your staff manage products, orders, users and content. It's often half the work, and cheap quotes leave it out.
- Integrations. Connecting to Tally, your billing software, SMS gateways, WhatsApp, Google Maps or a payment gateway takes extra time.
- Design. A ready-made UI kit is cheaper than a custom design built around your brand.
- Languages. An app in English and Marathi needs every screen, message and notification written in both.
Tip: Android has the large majority of users in India. With a cross-platform framework, you can launch on Android and iPhone together for little extra cost, instead of paying for two separate apps.
Yearly costs after launch
The build is one cost. Running the app is another:
| Item | Typical cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Google Play developer account | One-time fee (about ₹2,000) | Must be registered in your business name |
| Apple developer account | Yearly fee (about ₹8,000–₹9,000) | Needed only for iPhone; also in your name |
| Server and database | From a few hundred rupees a month | Grows with the number of users |
| SMS / OTP and notifications | Pay per use | Push notifications are usually free; SMS is not |
| Maintenance and updates | About 15–20% of the build cost a year | Android and iOS updates, bug fixes, small changes |
Watch out: Apps that aren't updated stop working properly as new Android and iOS versions come out, and Google Play removes apps that don't keep up with its requirements. Plan for maintenance from day one.
Do you actually need an app?
An app is worth it when customers use it again and again: reordering, booking, tracking, learning or checking fees and results. If people only need to find you, see your services and contact you, a fast mobile-friendly website does the job for a fraction of the cost, and it shows up on Google, which an app doesn't.
A good middle path for many businesses:
- Start with a website that ranks on Google and collects enquiries.
- Add a web app (works in the phone's browser, no store download) for logins, orders or bookings.
- Build the full Android and iPhone app once you know your customers will use it regularly.
See what a website costs in our website development cost guide.
How to keep the cost under control
- Start with a first version (MVP). Launch with the three or four features customers need most, then add more based on real usage.
- Get a written, itemised quote, broken down by screen or feature, including the admin panel, server, store publishing and support.
- Insist on ownership. The source code, the Play Store and App Store accounts, and the server should all be in your name.
- Ask about the first year after launch. What's included, what's charged, and how quickly are bugs fixed?
Red flags in an app quote
- The app is published from the developer's store account, not yours.
- No admin panel is mentioned, so you can't update anything yourself.
- No source code handover, so you're locked in to one vendor for every change.
- A single lump-sum price with no feature list, so "extras" appear later.
- No testing on real devices, especially the budget Android phones most of your customers use.
Key takeaways
- Simple apps start around ₹1.5–₹4 lakh; business apps ₹4–₹10 lakh; platforms ₹10 lakh and up.
- Budget 15–20% of the build cost every year for running and updating the app.
- One cross-platform app can cover Android and iPhone together.
- Start with a small first version, and keep the code and store accounts in your name.
Get a fixed quote for your app
Siliconic Solutions is a software company headquartered in Latur that builds Android and iPhone apps for businesses, clinics, coaching classes and startups. After a free consultation, we send a fixed, itemised quote, and you own the code and the store accounts.
Read about our mobile app development services or talk to us about your app.