The cost of mobile app development depends on the required features, design, platforms, integrations, team structure and estimated delivery time.
An application with a limited number of screens and standard functions will have a different budget from a product that includes payments, location services, complex user roles or integrations with several business systems.
The chosen development approach also affects the cost. Separate native applications require work for each platform, while a cross-platform product can share a significant part of its code.
Projects may use a fixed-price model when the scope and acceptance criteria are clearly defined. Time and materials is often better suited to products that will evolve during development.
Before work begins, both sides should agree on the scope, rates, billing rules and process for approving additional work.