What it really costs to build and launch an iPhone or Android app in Canada, and where the budget actually goes.
Mobile app budgets in Canada vary widely because “an app” can mean anything from a simple content app to a full platform with accounts, payments, and real-time features. We shipped our own game, SeqX, to both the App Store and Google Play — so the numbers below come from actually doing it, not guessing.
What drives app cost
The biggest factors are: how many platforms (iOS, Android, or both), how deep the features go (a simple utility versus real-time chat, payments, and maps), whether it needs a backend and database to store data, and how custom the design is. A backend is often the hidden cost — the app people see is only half the work; the server, accounts, and data behind it are the other half.
One codebase, two stores
Building cross-platform — one shared codebase that runs on both iOS and Android — keeps costs meaningfully lower than commissioning two separate native apps, while still feeling native on each device. For the large majority of business apps, this is the right trade-off, and it's how we build.
Beyond the build
The real cost of an app includes things people forget: Apple's and Google's developer accounts and fees, the work of preparing store listings and passing app review, and ongoing updates once you're live. Apps aren't “done” at launch — the operating systems change, and users expect improvements. We handle submission, review, and post-launch releases so you're not left stranded.
How we approach it
We scope your app carefully and quote a fixed price before any code is written, then show you working builds every week. If you're considering a mobile app, a free discovery call is the quickest way to turn a rough idea into a real, costed plan.