How much does it cost to develop a iOS app?

Developing an iOS application is often perceived as more expensive than building an Android app. In reality, iOS development follows a different cost structure, shaped by Apple’s controlled ecosystem, strict design guidelines, and review processes. iOS apps must comply with Apple’s Human Interface Guidelines, privacy rules, and App Store review requirements. These constraints can introduce additional work during development and before launch, particularly for apps handling user data, payments, or sensitive permissions.

App Complexity and Its Impact on iOS App Costs

The cost of developing an iOS application is directly linked to its level of functional complexity. The more features an app includes, the more time is required for design, development, testing, and maintenance.

For simple iOS apps, development remains relatively limited. These applications usually focus on a single core function and include a small number of screens. They often rely on static or semi-dynamic content and require little to no backend infrastructure. In this case, testing requirements are also limited, which helps keep costs under control. Simple iOS apps typically cost between $7,000 and $15,000, depending on design quality and basic functionality.

As soon as an app introduces more advanced features, development costs increase accordingly. Medium-complexity iOS apps usually include user authentication, personalized content, dashboards, and backend APIs. These features require additional development time to handle data management, security, and server communication. The number of user flows grows, and more screens must be designed, implemented, and tested. At this level, iOS app development costs generally range from $20,000 to $50,000.

Complex iOS applications involve advanced functionality and stricter technical requirements. These apps often include real-time features, payment systems, geolocation, offline capabilities, and custom user interfaces. Development teams must implement robust backend architectures, ensure high security standards, and manage large volumes of data. Testing efforts also increase significantly to guarantee stability and performance across all supported devices. For complex iOS apps, development costs typically start around $50,000 and can exceed $150,000, depending on the scope of the project.

Design and UX Costs for iOS Apps

Design and user experience have a direct impact on the cost of an iOS application. While Apple provides clear design guidelines and a rich set of native UI components, the amount of design and UX work required depends primarily on the scope of the app and the level of customization expected. By following Apple’s Human Interface Guidelines, designers can reuse familiar interaction patterns that users already understand. This reduces the number of design iterations and allows development teams to implement interfaces efficiently. In these cases, design work focuses mainly on layout, basic branding, and visual consistency.

Highly customized iOS apps require even more design and UX investment. When an app needs to differentiate itself visually or offer advanced interactions, standard components are often extended or replaced with custom UI elements. Custom animations, unique navigation patterns, and tailored visual identities require additional prototyping, testing, and refinement. These choices not only increase design costs but also add complexity during development and testing.

From a budgeting perspective, design and UX typically represent a significant portion of iOS app development costs, especially for medium and complex projects

Back-end, APIs, and Infrastructure for iOS Apps

Backend development and infrastructure are major contributors to the overall cost of an iOS application. For simple iOS apps, backend requirements are often minimal. Some applications rely on static content or basic APIs to fetch data, with little to no user-specific logic. In these cases, backend development is limited to lightweight services, and infrastructure costs remain relatively low. When an app does not require authentication, real-time updates, or complex data processing, backend effort can be kept under control.

As soon as an iOS app includes user accounts, dynamic content, or personalized features, backend complexity increases significantly. Medium-complexity apps typically require APIs to manage authentication, store user data, and synchronize information between the app and the server. These systems must be reliable, secure, and scalable. Additional effort is also required to handle error management, data validation, and versioning, which increases both development time and cost

Complex iOS applications place even greater demands on backend architecture and infrastructure. Apps with real-time functionality, payments, messaging, or large volumes of data require robust server-side logic and scalable infrastructure. Development teams must design APIs that can handle high traffic, ensure data consistency, and meet strict security requirements. Infrastructure choices such as cloud hosting, databases, and monitoring tools add recurring operational costs on top of initial development.

Security is another important factor in backend and infrastructure costs. iOS apps often handle sensitive user data, which requires secure authentication mechanisms, encrypted communications, and compliance with privacy regulations. Implementing and maintaining these protections adds to development effort and ongoing maintenance costs. In practice, backend development and infrastructure typically represent 30% to 50% of the total cost of an iOS application

Testing & QA on iOS

Testing and quality assurance on iOS rely on a combination of automated and manual testing. This hybrid approach allows teams to balance efficiency, coverage, and cost while maintaining a high level of quality

Testing and quality assurance are essential steps in iOS app development, but they generally require less effort than on more fragmented platforms. Apple’s controlled ecosystem reduces the number of variables teams must handle, making testing more predictable while still representing a meaningful share of the overall budget.

For simple iOS apps, testing requirements are relatively limited. These applications usually target a small number of devices and rely on standard system components. QA efforts focus on validating core user flows, checking basic UI behavior, and ensuring compatibility with the latest iOS versions

As apps grow in complexity, testing efforts increase accordingly. Medium-complexity iOS apps introduce user authentication, dynamic content, backend interactions, and more complex navigation flows. Each feature must be tested under different scenarios to ensure stability, data consistency, and proper error handling. QA teams must also validate performance, memory usage, and responsiveness to guarantee a smooth user experience. These additional checks increase testing time and cost, even in a relatively standardized environment.

For complex iOS applications, testing becomes a critical and ongoing effort. Apps that include real-time features, payments, offline functionality, or advanced animations require extensive functional, performance, and security testing. In addition, Apple regularly releases new iOS versions, which means apps must be tested and sometimes adjusted to remain fully compatible. While the limited device ecosystem reduces fragmentation issues, regression testing remains necessary for every update to prevent unexpected issues after release.

From a budgeting perspective, testing and QA typically account for 15% to 25% of the total iOS app development cost. While this is generally lower than on Android, it is still a significant investment that should not be overlooked. Proper testing helps avoid App Store rejections, negative user reviews, and costly fixes after launch.

Maintenance and Long-Term Costs for iOS Apps

Maintenance is an essential part of the total cost of an iOS application and should be considered from the very beginning of the project. Once an app is published on the App Store, it must be regularly updated to remain compatible with new iOS versions, device releases, and evolving user expectations. These ongoing efforts generate recurring costs that extend well beyond the initial development phase.

One of the main drivers of iOS maintenance costs is the regular release of new iOS versions by Apple. Each update may introduce changes to system behavior, APIs, or permission handling that require adjustments to the app. Even when an app continues to function correctly, updates are often needed to ensure optimal performance, security, and compliance with App Store guidelines

From a budgeting perspective, maintenance costs for iOS apps are typically estimated as a percentage of the initial development cost. On average, annual maintenance represents 15% to 25% of the original budget.Overall, maintenance should be viewed as a continuous investment rather than an optional expense.

Hidden Costs to Consider When Developing an iOS App

Apple is a closed ecosystem so they have the power to manage their store however they want despite European regulations in particular.

To publish and maintain an app on the App Store, developers must subscribe to Apple’s developer account, which costs $99 per year.

Another significant cost comes from App Store commissions on digital transactions. Apple takes a percentage of revenue generated through in-app purchases and subscriptions. Standard commission rates are 30%, while smaller businesses that qualify for Apple’s Small Business Program benefit from a reduced 15% fee. These commissions directly affect profitability and must be factored into financial planning, especially for apps relying on subscriptions or in-app payments.

These costs must be taken into account when calculating your profitability.

Want to know more about the cost of developing an Android app?