Why App Development Pricing Is So Confusing

In 2025, asking “How much does it cost to build an app?” will still get you wildly different answers.

You’ll see offers on Fiverr starting at $3,000. Silicon Valley agencies charging $300,000+. And everything in between.

So what’s real? What’s inflated? What’s worth it?

At Honter Studio, we build apps for startups and fast-moving teams—from scratch. In this post, we’ll break down:

• What affects the cost of app development

• Average prices in 2025

• What’s included when we build your product

• How our Vibe Coding™ workflow helps you save time and budget

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What Actually Affects the Price of an App

Whether you're building an MVP or a full SaaS platform, here are the biggest pricing factors:

• Scope & Features: A simple to-do app is not the same as a marketplace with payments, chats, and dashboards.

• Platform: Web only? iOS and Android too? Each adds cost and complexity.

• Authentication & User Roles: Basic email login or OAuth with roles (admin, users, moderators)?

• Backend Needs: Will you need databases, secure file storage, or custom APIs?

• Design Quality: Are you templating it—or doing real UI/UX work?

Typical App Development Prices in 2025

We build real platforms for less than most agencies charge for just UI mockups.

What’s Included When You Build with Honter

We’re not a no-code platform. We’re not outsourcing. We’re building your product in-house—from design to deploy.

Here’s what’s included in a typical $10K–$25K build:

• ✅ Custom UI/UX Design

• ✅ Web or Mobile Frontend (React, Next.js)

• ✅ Backend Setup (Firebase, Supabase, PostgreSQL)

• ✅ Authentication (Email, Google, OAuth)

• ✅ Admin Dashboard or CMS

• ✅ Secure Storage & APIs

• ✅ Launch Support

How Vibe Coding™ Helps You Save Time & Budget

We created Vibe Coding because traditional agency timelines are broken.

Most shops spend 2–3 months just designing wireframes. We do that in days—and start coding alongside.

With Vibe Coding:

• Designers and developers work in sync

• You see real progress in weeks, not quarters

• You iterate faster based on real product feedback

It’s how we built:

• Maxel AI – A SaaS 3D printing platform in 30 days

• Honter Platforms – A swipe-based remote job app in 4 weeks

• Flashbak – CMS + dashboard builds with real-time features