The verdict in three sentences
A custom web app costs, in 2026, from around $22,000 for a simple tool to $330,000 for a complex multi-role platform. Price is driven mostly by the number of screens, the number of user roles and the integrations with your existing tools. Think in terms of three-year total cost of ownership, not just build cost: hosting and maintenance account for 25 to 40 % of the bill.
What a business app costs in 2026
The ranges below reflect projects delivered by an agency or dev studio, with senior developer day rates between $900 and $1,400 in New York (roughly 500-750 EUR in Europe).
| App type | Scope | Timeline | 2026 budget (USD) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Simple app | 5-8 screens, 1 role, 1 integration | 3-4 months | 22,000 - 50,000 |
| Mid business app | 15-25 screens, 3-4 roles, CRM + billing | 4-6 months | 50,000 - 130,000 |
| Complex platform | 40+ screens, workflow, public API, offline | 6-8 months | 130,000 - 330,000 |
| Throwaway MVP | 1 validated core feature | 6-10 weeks | 20,000 - 44,000 |
An SMB replacing a production-tracking spreadsheet almost always lands in the "mid business app" row: several roles (shop floor, sales, management), an accounting link and exports.
Where the money goes: the cost breakdown
Pure development is only a little over half the budget. Scoping and QA are what separate a delivered project from a successful one.
| Line item | Share of budget | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Scoping & specs | 10-15 % | Backlog, wireframes, scope trade-offs |
| UX/UI design | 12-18 % | Mockups, design system, prototype |
| Development | 45-55 % | Front, back, database, API |
| QA & testing | 10-15 % | Acceptance, automated tests, bug fixes |
| Deployment & docs | 8-12 % | CI/CD, go-live, training |
Three-year total cost of ownership
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On top of build come cloud hosting ($220 to $1,650/month depending on traffic and data) and evolutive maintenance (10 to 20 % of build cost per year). On an $88,000 business app, three-year TCO often climbs to $125,000 - $155,000.
Mini case study
Sophie runs a 45-person industrial SMB near Newark. Her order tracking lives across four shared spreadsheets, with re-keying and stock errors. Quote for a business app: $79,000 (scoping 10,000, design 12,000, dev 44,000, QA 9,000, deployment 4,000). Today two people spend 12 hours a week consolidating files, about $31,000/year of time. The app cuts that to 2 hours a week: annual gain of roughly $25,000, hosting and maintenance included (~$15,000/year), payback reached around 20 months.
FAQ
Why do quotes vary two- or threefold between agencies? Because scope is never priced the same: number of roles, integrations, level of testing. A price gap almost always hides a scope gap; demand a line-by-line breakdown to compare.
Can I start small then expand? Yes, and it is recommended. A first batch at $33,000-$44,000 on the core feature validates usage before you invest in secondary modules.
Is custom more expensive than SaaS? Upfront yes, but with no recurring license. Above 30-40 users, custom often becomes competitive over three years.
How much is maintenance after launch? Budget 10 to 20 % of build cost per year for fixes, security updates and small changes, on top of hosting.
How long until go-live? From 3 months for a simple app to 8 months for a complex platform, scoping included. An MVP can ship in 8-10 weeks.
Let's scope your project. Describe your screens, your roles and the tools to connect, and we'll return a costed breakdown and a realistic timeline. Detailed quote within 48 h. WhatsApp +221 77 596 93 33.
Mohamed Bah
Fondateur, Kolonell
Passionate about digital and entrepreneurship in Africa, Mohamed has been helping Sénégalese businesses with their digital transformation since 2020. Founder of Kolonell, he believes every SME deserves a professional and accessible online présence.
