Pricing guide
iOS app budgets: development, Apple review, and monetisation
iPhone users spend measurably more in apps — but Apple inspects every single release.
iOS carries a commercial quirk that reshapes the maths: Android dominates in device numbers, yet iPhone owners spend significantly more in apps on average, which is why many paid products launch there first. On costs, the 2026 brackets: €6,000–18,000 for an MVP and €18,000–55,000 for a complete business application, plus the Apple Developer account at $99 per year. Development itself is somewhat more predictable than on Android — Apple's device fleet is small and uniform, so testing on a handful of models covers nearly every user. In exchange, Apple's review is stricter: each release passes through a 1–3 day check, and rejections over design guidelines or payment rules are not rare. Between native Swift and Flutter, the decision hinges on your Android plans, not on fashion. And if you are a founder in London, Berlin or Amsterdam weighing where to have this built: the same scope delivered by a Romanian team prices toward the lower end of these brackets, inside the EU legal space and within an hour of your timezone — without the coordination drag of going further offshore.
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Key takeaways
iOS MVP: €6,000–18,000
The product's essential flow, shipped to the App Store for the first paying users. Apple's small device fleet keeps QA costs down.
Business application: €18,000–55,000
Authentication, StoreKit subscriptions, notifications, sync — plus the time to comply with Apple's rules, which on payments are strict and non-negotiable.
Fixed Apple costs: $99/year + commission
The Apple Developer account renews annually, and Apple keeps 15–30% of digital sales made through the app. Physical services and external billing follow separate rules.
Apple review: 1–3 days per release
Plan launches with margin: a rejection over an interface detail or a privacy-policy issue can push your release back a week.
Native Swift or Flutter — how to decide for iOS
Native Swift produces the most natural result on iPhone: fluid animations, immediate integration with Apple's newest features (widgets, Live Activities), maximum performance. But it is priced separately from Android — if you will eventually need the Android version, you are paying for nearly two projects. Flutter writes both platforms from one codebase, with a small compromise in visual polish that most business-app users never notice. The practical rule: an Apple-only product, or one depending on iPhone hardware — Swift; a company product headed for both platforms — Flutter.
A concrete example: a subscription app for a fitness studio — bookings, recurring payments, notifications. In Swift: roughly €14,000–18,000, with StoreKit subscription integration and a first-pass Apple review if the cancellation rules are implemented correctly. In Flutter: €15,000–19,000, but with the Android version largely included in that price. The monetisation difference matters: conversion to paid subscriptions averages higher on iOS, so many products launch there first even when the Android audience is bigger.
Frequently asked questions
Why does Apple reject apps, and what does a rejection cost me?
Frequent reasons: digital payments bypassing Apple's system, functionality that is too thin, privacy problems or non-conforming interfaces. The cost is time: the fix plus a fresh review adds anywhere from a few days to two weeks against the launch plan.
Can I test the app with real clients before the App Store?
Yes, through TestFlight: invite up to 10,000 testers by email or public link, without the full App Store review. It is the standard route for iOS MVPs — real feedback weeks ahead of public launch.
Is it true that iOS users pay more in apps?
Statistically, yes: revenue per user on the App Store averages more than twice Google Play's, even though Android has far more devices. For subscription products, that makes iOS the first launch platform in many strategies.
Do I need a Mac to develop or maintain an iOS app?
The development company does — building and publishing for iOS requires macOS and Xcode. You as the client do not: you receive builds through TestFlight on your own iPhone and check reports in App Store Connect from any browser.
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Let’s talk about your project
Message us on WhatsApp or send an email — you talk directly to a developer.
office@northdan.com · +40 752 070 247