Android app development: cost and process

You want an Android app built and you're wondering what costs to expect — and whether an Android-only app is even the right path? That's exactly what we'll sort out here: from the honest price range to the native-or-cross-platform question all the way to getting into the Google Play Store. And we'll cover what sets Android apart from iOS: the enormous device variety.

Short answer: what does an Android app cost?

Having an Android app built costs from around €7,900 as a lean MVP version and from €14,900 as a full business app (usually for Android and iOS at once). On top of that comes a one-time Google Play developer account for $25 plus ongoing maintenance from €149/month. The exact price hinges on three things: feature scope, whether you need your own backend, and whether it stays Android-only or iOS joins in.

That's the quick answer. Now let's look at when an Android-only app is really worth it — because that's by no means always the case.

When an Android-only app makes sense

For most consumer apps we recommend thinking about iOS and Android together — otherwise you shut out a large chunk of your potential users. Worldwide, roughly two to three out of every three smartphones run Android (a good 70% market share), but in Germany the split is much more even at roughly 60% Android to 40% iOS. If you only serve Android here, you're giving up a substantial part of the market — often exactly the audience with more money to spend.

But there are clear scenarios where an Android-only app is exactly the right decision:

• B2B device fleets: If you equip your staff with company devices, you decide the operating system yourself. Handheld scanners, tablets for field service, devices in logistics or production — in practice that's almost always Android, because the hardware is cheaper and more open. For an internal app like that, iOS would be money thrown away.
• Kiosk and terminal applications: Digital ordering terminals, info displays, self-service checkouts or check-in tablets in a waiting area are usually Android-based. So-called kiosk mode locks the device to exactly one app — ideal for publicly accessible terminals.
• Specialized hardware: Countless industrial and retail devices — from rugged handheld terminals to mobile point-of-sale units — exist only with Android. The app then only has to run there.
• An app outside the store: Android allows installation via file (APK) directly onto the device, without the Play Store. For purely internal company apps that shouldn't be public at all, that's a real advantage over Apple's closed ecosystem.

Remember the rule of thumb: consumer app → usually both platforms. Internal or device-bound app → often Android only. If you want to know how the costs break down in general, we've laid that out in App development cost: what you need to budget for.

Native or cross-platform on Android?

That's the most important technical fork in the road. On Android you have two paths:

• Native means: you build the app with Android's own tools — today that's Kotlin with Jetpack Compose. Best performance, immediate access to every new Android feature, deep hardware integration.
• Cross-platform means: one codebase (e.g. with React Native or Flutter) runs on Android and iOS at the same time.

And now honestly: on Android we surprisingly often recommend cross-platform — even if you only need Android today. That sounds contradictory at first, but there are good reasons.

First: most business apps — booking, ordering, customer portal, service tool — simply don't make use of native performance. The user notices no difference. Second, cross-platform keeps the door to iOS open. If your Android app does well and you later want to serve iPhone users after all, that's a manageable step with a shared codebase instead of a second full project. Third, modern frameworks handle Android's device variety very solidly.

Native with Kotlin is still the right choice when push comes to shove: deep hardware integration (scanners, NFC-heavy checkouts, special sensors), demanding background services, kiosk applications with specialized devices, or brand-new Android features the framework hasn't caught up with yet. Exactly the cases that come up in the B2B and terminal scenarios above.

We've worked through the whole trade-off with costs, maintenance and time to market in detail in Native app or cross-platform — what's really worth it?. And if you have iOS rather than Android in mind, the comparison with iOS app development is worth a look — the starting position there is different.

What an Android app costs

Let's talk plainly about numbers. The prices below are our fair ballpark figures — we only set the exact sum after a shared concept, so you know where you stand beforehand.

One charming detail for Android: the developer account with Google costs $25 one time — not $99 per year like Apple's. Over the lifetime of an app, that adds up. So for an Android-only app the ongoing store costs are noticeably lower.

The biggest cost lever, though, isn't the store — it's the backend, the app's invisible backbone. As soon as users sign in, data gets synced or push notifications go out, you need a server behind it. We plan that foundation, usually on a Laravel basis with us, from the start, so app and server work together cleanly. A pure display app without user accounts gets by without one — most business apps don't.

Android specifics: getting device variety under control

This is the biggest practical difference from iOS — and the reason Android development has its own effort profile. Apple builds a manageable number of iPhones. Android, by contrast, runs on tens of thousands of device models from countless manufacturers, with all sorts of screen sizes, resolutions, chips and manufacturer skins (Samsung One UI, Xiaomi, Google Pixel and so on). Professionals call this fragmentation.

For your project that concretely means:

• Screens: From the small budget phone to large phablets to tablets and foldables — the layout has to work everywhere. That takes a bit more care in design and testing.
• Android versions: Unlike on iOS, many users update their Android late or never. So we deliberately define which Android version the app supports from — a compromise between the widest possible reach and reasonable effort.
• Manufacturer quirks: Some manufacturers go their own way on background services and battery management, for example. For apps that need to run reliably in the background (location, sync), you have to know that and plan for it.
• Testing on real devices: An emulator isn't enough. We test on a sensible selection of real devices so your app runs not just on the newest Pixel but also on your customer's three-year-old Samsung.

The good news: all of this is manageable. You just have to think about it from the start instead of being surprised at the end when the app acts up on a particular model.

The process: from idea to the Play Store

Here's how an Android project typically runs with us:

1. Concept & initial call. We listen to your project, clarify the core feature, the target devices (public Play Store or internal fleet?) and whether iOS should join later. After that you get an honest assessment of effort and cost.
2. Design & prototype. We design the interface to fit Android — including the question of how it behaves across different screen sizes.
3. Development. App and (if needed) backend are built in parallel. You see working versions early instead of groping in the dark for months.
4. Testing on real devices. We check the app on a realistic device selection and across different Android versions.
5. Play Store release. We set up the Google Play developer account, create the store presence (description, screenshots) and upload the app as an app bundle. Google reviews the release — this review is usually quicker than Apple's. For internal apps the store drops out: then we distribute via managed installation or file directly onto your devices.
6. Ongoing support. After launch we keep the app current — new Android versions, new devices, new requirements from Google.

We describe this whole path — Android, iOS or both, backend included from one source — on our app development page too.

Bottom line: clarify the usage first, then the tech

Having an Android app built is rarely more or less expensive than an iOS app — the difference lies elsewhere. The decisive question is whether your app targets customers' own devices (then usually plan for both platforms) or your own devices, a fleet or a terminal (then Android only is often spot on). In numbers, you start at €7,900 for an MVP app, at €14,900 for a full business app, with cheap store costs of $25 one-time and maintenance from €149/month.

Got an Android idea — a customer app, a tool for your device fleet or a kiosk application — and want to know what's realistic? Let's take a look at it in a free initial call. We'll listen to your project, tell you honestly whether Android only or both platforms makes more sense, and estimate the effort with no obligation. You'll know exactly where you stand afterwards.

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