The build price is not the total. None of what follows is anybody hiding anything; it is just that quotes cover the build and not the ownership.
The ones with a price tag
| Cost | Rough figure | Frequency | Paid to |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apple Developer Program | About £79 | Annual | Apple |
| Google Play registration | About £20 | One-off | |
| Hosting and database | Small at launch, scales with usage | Monthly | Your provider |
| Payment processing | Roughly 1.5% to 3% | Per transaction | Stripe or similar |
| SMS, email, mapping credits | Usage-based | Monthly | The provider |
| Domain | About £15 | Annual | Registrar |
We never mark any of these up, because none of them pass through our account. Check whether your supplier does.
The ones without a price tag
Platform changes. Apple and Google change requirements roughly annually. An app that is never updated eventually stops being accepted, or stops behaving properly on new devices. Budget something each year even if you change nothing.
Support. Someone has to answer the emails from users. At small scale that is you, and it is real time.
Content. Product photos, menu data, copy. Frequently the thing that actually delays a launch.
Your own attention during the build. A sprint needs four to six hours of yours. A four-month agency project needs considerably more, spread thin.
The cost of the app being wrong. The largest hidden cost of all, and the reason to launch small and learn rather than build for four months on assumptions.
What is in our price
Common questions
What does it cost to run an app each year?
Store fees of about £79 a year for Apple plus a one-off £20 for Google, hosting that is small at launch and scales with usage, any usage-based service credits, and something set aside for OS updates and fixes.
Do apps need updating even if nothing changes?
Yes. Apple and Google change platform requirements roughly annually, and an app that is not updated eventually stops being accepted or stops working properly on new devices.
What is the most commonly forgotten cost?
Your own time. A build needs your attention for reviews and decisions, and after launch someone has to answer support questions and manage the app. That is a real cost and nobody puts it in a quote.