Congratulations!
Finally, you’ve decided to build an app for your business and selected iOS as an ideal platform to reach your potential customers!
You’ve made the right choice.
According to the Business Insider Study, iOS users make more in-app purchases and spend more money than Android users. That’s why more startups are choosing the iOS platform for the app development.
If you’re one of them and wondering how much iOS app development costs, this article is for you. In fact, most customers ask us how much iPhone app development costs when they approach us with their app idea.
The simple answer to this question is that there is no universal formula to predict the cost of iOS app development. The reason behind this is the iOS app development cost depends on various factors, which include:
- App’s complexity
- Development team size
- Geographical location of the development team
- Functionalities
- Features, and much more.
However, the ballpark figure is around $15000 to $450,000 if you outsource it to a mobile app development company in the US. The same services can cost you around $10,000 to $200,000 in other regions.
Keep reading this blog to better understand hidden factors and backgrounds to determine the iOS app development cost estimation.
How to Estimate the iOS App Development Cost?
Whether it’s an Android app or an iOS app, the cost of development is estimated based on considering the total hours it takes to develop the app and multiplying it with the billable hours rate.
The simple formula that you can consider to predict the iOS app development cost is – hours spent * billable hours rate.
However, numerous factors affect the iPhone app development cost, like the team’s location, tech stack, complexity of the app, type of app, etc.
Therefore, how about we dive deep into all these factors?
Which Factors Affect the iPhone App Development Cost?
Various factors affect the cost of the iPhone app development. Let’s check it out one by one.
1) iOS App Size
It is not the sole factor affecting the app development cost; the iOS app size impacts the iPhone app development cost. When the app size increases, the number of features and screens also increases. It results in higher development costs and time.
Here is the complete breakdown of the cost to build an iOS app based on its size in 2025.
| iOS App Size | Development Time | Cost Estimation |
| Small iOS App | 2 to 4 months | $20,000 to $40,000 |
| Medium iOS App | 4 to 8 months | $40,000 to $70,000 |
| Large iOS App | More than 8 months | $70,000+ |
2) App’s Complexity
There are three main types of iOS apps. Suppose you go for the simple app with minimal features. In that case, it will cost you less compared to the complex app with multiple complex features like advanced security and payment gateway integrations, etc. Let’s check out the app types based on their complexity here.
| Simple iOS App | Mid-level iOS App | Complex iOS App |
| Contains basic features
Simple backend Standard UI components Predefined templates Basic analytics features |
API integration
Tailored UI Mild complex features Simple backend Real-time messaging |
Various database relationships
Custom animation Complex backend Media processing Real-time synchronization |
Therefore, based on the app’s complexity, the iOS app development cost is estimated.
| Complexity Of App | Cost Estimation |
| Basic | $10,000 to $40,000 |
| Medium | $40,000 to $90,000 |
| High | $90,000 to $150,000 |
3) Category of the App
Your iOS app’s category is an essential factor that decides its development cost. For example, developing a B2B/B2B SaaS product app costs more than some simple gaming or travel apps.
Let’s check out how much the app category affects the development cost.
| iOS App Category | Estimated Total Development Cost |
| Business | $10,000 to $160,000+ |
| Entertainment | $20,000 to $210,000+ |
| Gaming | $25,000 to $510,000+ |
| Education | $35,000 to $160,000+ |
| Travel | $45,000 to $190,000+ |
| Shopping | $10,000 to $50,000+ |
| Medical | $40,000 to $100,000+ |
| Health & Fitness | $40,000 to $190,000+ |
| Social Media | $15,000 to $260,000+ |
4) App Design
The mobile app development process, design process, and animation are also imperative factors to consider when addressing the question: What is the iOS app development cost? When the design is well-thought-out, its chances of success increase. Here is the breakdown of the iOS app design cost.
| App Design Process | Tasks | Estimated Development Cost |
| Research | Market research
Competitor analysis Market trend research Choosing ideal solutions |
$150 to $500 |
| UX Design | Rough sketches
Low & high fidelity wireframes |
$2300 to $8000 |
| UX Design (Visuals) | UI Mockups
mood boards |
$11,000 to $40,000 |
| Branding | Brand identity creation
logo, social media, and icons |
$5500 to $20,000 |
| Illustrations & animations | Direct manipulation
User action visualization |
$15,000 to $20,000 |
| Usability Testing | Test reports
Updated prototypes Documentation updated |
$3,000 to $7,000 |
5) Development Team Location
Location plays an important role in the price of iPhone app development. The price of the iPhone app development in India is different from the cost of the iPhone app development company in the US. Here is the cost breakdown based on the location of your development team.
| Region | Cost/Hour |
| India | $20 to $50 |
| Russia | $65 to $155 |
| United States | $90 to $250 |
| Australia | $75 to $155 |
| Ukraine | $35 to $100 |
6) Development Team Size
Based on the app’s complexity, the team size will also vary. Each expert charges differently. Here is the detailed breakdown of the cost based on the size of the development team.
| Development Role | Global Estimated Cost/Hour |
| iOS app developer | $30 to $70 |
| UI/UX designer | $15 to $60 |
| Scrum master | $50 to $150 |
| Project manager | $40 to $80 |
| QA engineer | $30 to $70 |
| Business analyst | $35 to $65 |
7) iOS App Maintenance
And you have finally launched your iOS app! However, wait! The work does not end here. Various other elements contribute to the cost of iOS app development, such as constant updates, troubleshooting bugs, and changes in the app design.
8) Hiring Model
Your hiring model also affects the iOS app development cost. For example, you can either hire an in-house developer, a dedicated team, or a freelancer. The different approaches can cost you different. Therefore, choose the one that fits your budget.
| Hiring Model | Estimated Development Cost |
| In-house developer | $410,000 to $1,000,000+ per year |
| A dedicated team | $70 to $200 per hour |
| Freelancer | $100 to 250 per hour |
Hidden Cost of iOS App Development
There are also hidden costs associated with iOS app development. Here are the criteria that are associated with the hidden cost of iOS app development.
| Hidden Cost Factors | Estimated Cost/Year |
| CDN | $160 |
| Monitoring and maintenance | $4100 to $13,000 |
| Data storage | $600 |
| iOS updates (annual) | $1000 |
Transform Your iOS App Idea into Reality With Pranshtech!
Hopefully, the above guide gives you an idea of how much iOS app development costs. Besides, if you’re worried about choosing the best iOS tech partner, leave it to Pranshtech.
Undoubtedly, iOS is a top-notch platform with a vast user base and great user experience, but the same goes for Pranshtech. It’s the leading iOS app development company with a proven track record of delivering timely and extraordinary iOS apps.
We have an in-depth understanding of Apple’s ecosystem and a highly skilled and seasoned developer team that perfectly blends functionality, aesthetics, and performance.
So, don’t wait much!
Let’s connect to transform your app ideas into reality with our affordable and premium iOS app development solutions.