How Much Does It Cost to Build an iOS App?
Real cost breakdown by app type. No agency markup — actual indie / freelance / agency / boilerplate numbers from 2026. Pick a vertical to see the math.
Last updated: 2026-05-16
Building an iOS app in 2026 costs $99 with a SwiftUI boilerplate like The Swift Kit + your own time, $6k–$25k as an indie developer (cost of time), $12k–$40k via freelance contractors, or $30k–$120k+ at a US agency. The biggest variable is which features you need — subscription paywalls, AI integration, HealthKit, and Apple Watch each add weeks of work.
How Much Does It Cost to Build a Fitness App?
DIY, freelance, agency, and boilerplate paths. HealthKit + paywall breakdown.
How Much Does It Cost to Build an AI App?
MVP cost + ongoing inference costs. Unit economics math for indies.
How Much Does It Cost to Build a Dating App?
Real 2026 cost ranges, then the $99 shortcut.
Cost to Build a Social Media App
Where the budget actually goes — and what a boilerplate removes.
Cost to Build a SaaS App
Subscription infra is most of the bill; here is how to cut it.
Cost to Build an AI Chatbot App
Inference + plumbing costs, and the free-tier pattern that protects margin.
Cost to Build a Fitness Tracking App
HealthKit + subscription build priced out vs the kit shortcut.
Cost to Build a Subscription App
What recurring-revenue infrastructure costs to build vs buy.
Cost to Build a Marketplace App
Two-sided complexity priced out, with the reusable parts flagged.
Cost to Build a Food Delivery App
Logistics-heavy estimate with the reusable client pieces flagged.
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