Pricing and quotation guide
Cross platform app development cost
Cross-platform development is chosen mainly to save money compared with building two native apps. It often does, because screens and business logic are written once. But some costs remain for each platform: store setup and review, signing, platform-specific features, and testing on both. Framework upgrades add a maintenance cost of their own. Understanding where the savings come from, and where they do not, gives a realistic comparison.
This page explains how cross-platform costs compare with two native apps.
Illustrative diagram
What drives cross-platform cost
- Share of standard features
- More standard screens mean more shared code and bigger savings.
- Native modules
- Each platform-specific feature adds work on both platforms.
- Design fidelity
- Matching each platform's conventions closely takes extra effort.
- Testing on both platforms
- Real devices for iOS and Android.
- Backend
- Shared, but still a significant part of the total.
Costs paid to third parties (separate from our fees)
- Apple Developer Program, listed at $99 a year
- Google Play registration, US$25 one-time
- Test devices for both platforms
- Crash reporting and notification services
Ask for native-module work to be listed separately; it is where estimates often grow.
Savings depend on your features
An app made mostly of forms, lists, account screens and content shares nearly all its code, and the saving over two native apps is substantial. An app built around platform-specific features, such as complex background tasks, specialised hardware or advanced graphics, needs much more native work, and the saving shrinks. Rather than relying on a general percentage, ask a provider to estimate both approaches for your actual feature list.
The comparison should include maintenance over several years, not just the first build.
Example: one native feature
Illustrative example — not a client case study
Situation: A business needs a customer app with accounts, ordering, notifications and one feature using a specialised Bluetooth device.
- Most of the app is estimated as shared cross-platform code.
- The Bluetooth feature is estimated as native modules for each platform, proved first.
- Store work and testing are estimated for both platforms.
What this shows: The estimate showed where the saving came from and where costs remained per platform. This example is illustrative.
Yearly costs to include
Framework
- Version upgrades
- Library updates
- Compatibility with new OS releases
Stores
- Apple membership renewal
- Google Play target API updates
- Privacy declarations kept current
Quality
- Testing on both platforms
- Crash monitoring
- Small fixes and improvements
The cost of choosing the wrong approach
If an app turns out to need many native features, a cross-platform build can end up costing close to two native apps, with added complexity. If an app is mostly standard, two native apps cost more than necessary. A short discovery phase that lists features and proves the riskiest one is the cheapest way to avoid either mistake.
Comparing quotations
When comparing a cross-platform quote with native quotes, check that both cover the same features, both platforms' store work, testing on real devices for each and the backend. Ask the cross-platform provider which features need native modules and how those are estimated. Ask native providers whether the two apps share a backend and design. Differences in these assumptions explain many gaps between quotes.
Also compare proposed maintenance arrangements over three years.
Where a web app changes the sums
If the app does not need store presence or deep device features, a web app installed from the browser avoids store fees, review time and separate builds. It can be the lowest-cost option for internal tools and occasional-use services, though device feature support varies by platform. Include it in the comparison where it might fit.
Skills and hiring
Maintaining a cross-platform app needs framework skills plus some native knowledge. Check that developers with those skills are available to you in future, from the provider or the wider market.
Questions about cross platform app development cost
Is cross-platform cheaper than two native apps?
Usually, when most features are standard; savings shrink with many native features.
What is still done for each platform?
Store setup and review, signing, native modules and real-device testing.
What are native modules?
Platform-specific code for features the framework does not cover.
Is the backend shared?
Yes, one backend serves both apps.
What does a cross-platform app cost each year?
Framework upgrades, store requirements, testing on both platforms and fixes.
How do we avoid choosing wrongly?
List features and prove the riskiest one in a short discovery phase.
Can a web app be cheaper?
Yes, where store presence and deep device features are not needed.
Sources referenced
Platform features, guidance and rules change. We check the current versions before committing to an approach. This page is general information, not legal advice.
- Apple: Apple Developer Program (opens in a new tab) — reviewed 2026-10-23
- Google: Play Console Help: registering a developer account (opens in a new tab) — reviewed 2026-10-23
- Google: Meet Google Play's target API level requirement (opens in a new tab) — reviewed 2026-10-23
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