App development cost in the UK in 2026

Last checked: October 2026. According to published UK guides, a minimum viable product (MVP) starts at about £10,000 (Magora) or £20,000 (Rise Up Labs). Magora puts a production app with a back end and admin area at £25,000 to £60,000, and Rise Up Labs puts complex or enterprise apps at £120,000 to £250,000 or more. The lower ends of the MVP ranges differ by a factor of two, and almost all such figures come from agencies that sell development, so read them as indications.

We do not publish prices for apps. They depend too much on scope, and we give them on request through the quote form. What we can do here is show you the market ranges we found, explain what moves the price and flag where R&D tax relief might be worth a conversation with your accountant.

Each range below is as published by the firm named; all three sell development.

The spread is wide because the question "how much is an app?" is like asking how much a building costs. A single-purpose booking app with a simple back end is a different job from a marketplace with payments, messaging and an admin system.

Location plays a part too. Rise Up Labs says London-based agencies often charge 15% to 25% more than regional UK studios, and gives an example MVP at £50,000 to £80,000 from a London agency against £38,000 to £60,000 in Manchester or Birmingham. Treat that as a pointer, not a rule: skills, process and fit matter more than postcode.

Many quotes are built from day rates, so it helps to know what is cited:

• Rise Up Labs: UK agencies at £350 to £800 or more a day (£70 to £150 an hour), with London often at the top end, and UK freelancers at £250 to £500 or more a day.
• TekRevol: cites IT Jobs Watch, which recorded a £515 median day rate for UK software developer contracts across 413 job ads in the six months to 20 August 2026. TekRevol puts agency blended day rates at £550 to £1,100.
• Magora (hourly): offshore freelancers £15–30; offshore agencies with a UK sales front £25–50; London product-engineering houses £45–90; boutique London digital agencies £60–140; tier-1 consultancies £120–250.

These are published by firms that sell development, and the rates describe different kinds of supplier. A low hourly rate is not automatically cheaper if the project takes longer or needs rework. A useful question to ask any supplier is how many days of which role are in the estimate.

Scope and features

Every screen, user role and integration adds design, build and test time. Payments, maps, notifications and links to your existing systems are common causes of growth.

Platforms

iOS, Android or both. Building two native apps usually costs more than using one shared codebase with a cross-platform framework such as Flutter or React Native. TekRevol says cross-platform frameworks cover both platforms for roughly 60% to 75% of dual-native cost; Rise Up Labs puts the saving at about 20% to 35%. Native remains right for some hardware-heavy or graphics-heavy apps.

Back end and data

An app that only displays content is cheaper than one with accounts, databases, an admin area and reporting.

Design

A tested, simple interface pays for itself. A fully custom visual system with animation costs more and is worth it only if it supports the product.

Testing and compliance

Device testing and security checks take time. If the app handles personal data, the organisation that decides why and how that data is processed is the controller, and the ICO says a controller is responsible for complying with the UK GDPR. Privacy notices, consent and data handling therefore need design attention from the start.

The standard VAT rate in the UK is 20%. Magora and Rise Up Labs both state that their published ranges exclude VAT, so check whether any quote you receive is net or gross before you compare.

GOV.UK says you can reclaim VAT on items you buy for use in your business if you are VAT registered, through your VAT return. There are exceptions: on the VAT Flat Rate Scheme you cannot reclaim VAT on purchases except certain capital assets over £2,000. If you are not VAT-registered, the VAT is a real cost.

Whatever the supplier, ask what VAT treatment the quote assumes and get that in writing.

Some software projects can qualify for research and development tax relief. For accounting periods beginning on or after 1 April 2024, GOV.UK describes a merged R&D expenditure credit (RDEC) and enhanced R&D intensive support (ERIS), which replaced the old RDEC and SME schemes. The merged RDEC rate is 20%, and the credit is liable to Corporation Tax as trading income. ERIS is reserved for loss-making SMEs whose relevant R&D spending is at least 30% of total expenditure.

The test is demanding. GOV.UK says your project must aim to create an advance in the overall field, not just for your business, by resolving scientific or technological uncertainty. HMRC's manual on software projects adds that it is unlikely that configuring existing software to a company's own requirements would be qualifying R&D, and that routine adaptation of an existing product is not R&D. Most ordinary app builds therefore fall outside the relief.

There are also process requirements. A company claiming for the first time, or whose last claim was made more than 3 years before the end of the notification period, must submit a claim notification form; the notification period ends 6 months after the end of the period of account, and a late form makes the claim invalid. New claims also need an additional information form for each accounting period. If your app might involve genuine technical uncertainty, ask an accountant who handles R&D claims before you start, not after. We cover the topic from the software side in our article on bespoke versus off-the-shelf software.

A useful quote is a document you could hand to another supplier and get a comparable price back. Look for these elements:

• A feature list with screens, user roles and integrations named.
• The team and time: which roles, how many days, and who manages the project.
• Assumptions: what you must provide, such as content, branding and API access, and what happens if it is late.
• Exclusions: app store fees, third-party services, hosting and support after launch.
• Acceptance criteria: how you will decide that a feature is finished.
• Change handling: how extra requests are estimated and approved.

If a quote is a single number with a paragraph of description, ask for the breakdown. A fixed price is only as good as the scope it describes.

1. Which parts of this could we leave out of a first release?
2. What would make the estimate go up, and by roughly how much?
3. Who owns the code and the app store accounts at the end?
4. How do you handle security updates and new operating-system versions after launch?
5. Can I speak to a client who has used you for a project of similar size?

The last question deserves a note. We never invent client stories, and you should be wary of any supplier who cannot point to real work. Examples of ours are on the references page.

1. Start with an MVP. Build the one journey users need and measure before adding features.
2. Agree the scope in writing. A numbered list of screens and features, with what is explicitly out.
3. Ask for a phased price. Discovery, design, build and launch priced separately make it easier to stop or change course.
4. Budget for running costs. Hosting, third-party services, updates and support continue after launch.
5. Own the assets. Make sure you receive source code, design files, store accounts and domain access.
6. Consider whether a website will do. If users mainly read, book or send enquiries, a well-built site may serve better. Simple presentation sites start from €300 excluding VAT.

If you are planning an app or a web application, describe the problem and the users in a few lines. We will tell you whether an app, a web app or a website fits, and give a priced proposal on request. See our services, look at examples on the references page or contact us directly.

• App development cost UK 2026 – Magora
• Software development cost UK 2026 – Magora
• App development cost in the UK – Rise Up Labs
• How much does it cost to build an app in the UK in 2026 – TekRevol
• VAT rates – GOV.UK
• Charge, reclaim and record VAT: Reclaim VAT on business expenses – GOV.UK
• What are ‘controllers’ and ‘processors’? – ICO
• R&D tax relief: the merged R&D expenditure credit scheme and enhanced R&D intensive support – GOV.UK
• Check if you can claim Research & Development (R&D) tax relief – GOV.UK
• CIRD81960 – R&D tax relief: BIS Guidelines (2004): application to software – HMRC internal manual
• Tell HMRC you want to claim R&D tax relief – GOV.UK
• Additional information you must submit before you claim R&D tax relief – GOV.UK