Anyone who quotes a price for “an app” before asking what it does is guessing. This guide explains what actually decides the cost of a mobile app, a website or custom software, so you can plan a budget and compare quotes from different companies fairly.
The short answer
The price of a software project is the time it takes a team to design, build, test and release it, multiplied by that team’s rate. Everything below changes one of those two things: how much work there is, or who is doing it and where.
What decides the cost of a mobile app
- Platforms: iPhone, Android or both, and whether the app is native or built once with Flutter or React Native.
- Screens and user roles: a simple app with one type of user costs far less than one with customers, staff and admins.
- Accounts and data: sign-up, profiles, and how much information the app stores and syncs.
- Payments and subscriptions: in-app purchases, Stripe or local gateways, refunds and receipts.
- The backend and admin panel: most apps need a server, an API and a place for your team to manage content and users.
- Integrations: maps, chat, notifications, analytics, and other systems the app must talk to.
- Device features: camera, location, Bluetooth, files and offline use all add work.
- Design depth: a clean standard interface, or a fully custom look with animations.
- Release: App Store and Google Play submission, privacy details and review questions.
What decides the cost of a website
- Pages and templates: how many different page layouts are needed, not just how many pages.
- Content: whether you supply text and photos, or need writing and photography.
- Platform: WordPress for sites your team edits, or a custom framework for complex features.
- E-commerce: the number of products, payment gateways, shipping rules and stock management.
- Integrations: CRMs, booking systems, forms and marketing tools.
- Languages: each extra language adds translation and testing.
- Moving from an old site: redirects and checks that keep your Google rankings.
What decides the cost of custom software, ERP or SaaS
- Modules: inventory, sales, finance, HR, reports, each one a project of its own.
- Users, roles and permissions: who can see and approve what.
- Data migration: moving years of spreadsheets or an old system into the new one.
- Integrations: accounting, payments, e-commerce and messaging.
- Security and compliance: audit trails, data protection and access controls.
- For SaaS: multiple customer accounts on one platform, subscriptions and billing.
Costs people forget
- Store and developer accounts: Apple charges a yearly fee for its Developer Program, and Google Play a one-time registration fee.
- Hosting, domains and email: small monthly costs that grow with your users.
- Third-party services: maps, SMS, email delivery, payment fees and AI model usage are usually billed per use.
- Maintenance: new iOS and Android versions, security patches and store policy changes. Budget for it from the start. See app maintenance.
Why prices differ between Pakistan, the Gulf, the UK and the US
The same skills cost different amounts in different countries, mainly because salaries and living costs differ. That is why many businesses in the Gulf, the UK and the US work with software houses in Pakistan. A lower rate only helps if the work is good, so check these whoever you hire:
- Can you speak to the people who will do the work, and are their working hours compatible with yours?
- Will you get a written estimate broken down by feature?
- Will the code, accounts and data be in your company’s name?
- Can they show real work, and will past clients vouch for them?
- How will you see progress: daily updates, regular builds, a staging site?
Fixed price or time and materials?
A fixed price suits a small project with a clear, written scope: you know the cost up front, but changes along the way need a new agreement. Time and materials suits larger or evolving products: you pay for the work actually done, and can change priorities as you learn from users. Many projects use a fixed price for a first version, then time and materials after launch.
How to get an accurate estimate
- Describe your users and the main thing each of them needs to do.
- List the must-haves for the first version, and the nice-to-haves that can wait.
- Mention integrations and any existing systems, code or designs.
- Share examples of apps or websites you like, and why.
- Ask for a breakdown by feature, so you can see what each part costs and decide what to keep.
How LumeBrains estimates
We are a software house in Lahore, Pakistan, building mobile apps, websites, custom software and SaaS products for clients in the Gulf, the US, the UK and beyond. After a short call about your product, we send a written estimate broken down by feature, so you can decide what goes into the first version. Tell us about your project.