Insights · 6 min read
App development cost in India: why quotes range from ₹3 lakh to ₹28 lakh
By Gnaneswar Kalinga, founder, MarketRun · Updated
The short answer
At MarketRun a first app (MVP) starts from ₹5 lakh and usually takes 8–12 weeks, after a two-week sprint from ₹50,000 that ends in a written scope and a fixed quote. Quotes across India vary widely because each vendor prices a different, usually unwritten, scope. Compare written scopes, not totals.
Why the same app gets very different quotes
A founder on r/indianstartups wrote that six developers quoted between ₹3 lakh and ₹28 lakh for the same app. Another, on r/StartUpIndia, was quoted ₹2.5 lakh for a Flutter MVP and asked whether that was normal. The gap is rarely about honesty. Each vendor is pricing a different app in their head, because nobody wrote the scope down.
- Features are counted differently: login, payments, notifications, chat, an admin panel and reports can each be in or out.
- Design may be a template, or screens designed for your users.
- The backend, database and admin tools may or may not be included.
- Testing on real mid-range Android phones, or only on the developer's own device.
- Launch on the Play Store and App Store, or only an install file.
- Who owns the code, the design files and the cloud and store accounts.
- Support after launch, which some quotes leave out completely.
How much does it cost to build an app or MVP in India?
| Step | What you get | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Validation sprint, 2 weeks | User interviews, a clickable prototype, the written scope and architecture, and a fixed quote | from ₹50,000 (credited to the build) |
| MVP build, 8–12 weeks | The app on web and/or mobile, AI only where it saves real time, analytics from day one, milestone billing | from ₹5 lakh |
| Launch support | Deployment, monitoring and fixes in the weeks after launch | included in the build |
| After launch (optional) | Monitoring, updates, security patches and small changes | care plan from ₹15,000 a month |
Want this as a written scope for your project?
Get a written scope and quoteSample written scope
illustrative, not a clientFirst app for a booking startup
Prepared after: the two-week validation sprint (₹50,000, credited to the build)
In scope
- An Android app and a web admin panel
- Sign-up and login, search, booking and booking history
- Notifications for booking confirmations and reminders
- Analytics from day one
- Launch on the Play Store
- Launch support in the weeks after release
Not in scope
- An iOS app (planned for a later phase)
- Online payments (planned for a later phase)
- Marketing, content writing and logo design
| Milestone | When | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Validation sprint: interviews, clickable prototype, this scope | Weeks 1–2 | ₹50,000 (credited) |
| Core flows working | Around week 5 | part of ₹5,00,000 |
| Beta build for testers | Around week 9 | part of ₹5,00,000 |
| Play Store launch | Around week 12 | part of ₹5,00,000 |
Fixed quote for the build: ₹5,00,000, excluding GST, billed by milestone.
You approve this document before any work starts.
Read the rest of the sample
| Milestone | When | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Validation sprint: interviews, clickable prototype, this scope | Weeks 1–2 | ₹50,000 (credited) |
| Core flows working | Around week 5 | part of ₹5,00,000 |
| Beta build for testers | Around week 9 | part of ₹5,00,000 |
| Play Store launch | Around week 12 | part of ₹5,00,000 |
Fixed quote for the build: ₹5,00,000, excluding GST, billed by milestone.
You approve this document before any work starts.
These are starting points, not quotes, and exclude taxes. On full payment the code, designs and documentation are yours.
What can I get for ₹50,000?
Not a finished app from us. ₹50,000 buys our two-week sprint: user interviews, a clickable prototype, the written scope and architecture, and a fixed quote, which you keep even if you build elsewhere. Founders on r/StartUpIndia report quotes for simple apps from ₹3 lakh to ₹10 lakh.
What pushes a first app above ₹5 lakh
| Choice | Lower cost | Higher cost |
|---|---|---|
| Platforms at launch | One (Android or web) | Android, iOS and web together |
| Payments | None or a payment link | Wallets, subscriptions, refunds |
| Real-time | None | Chat, live tracking, bidding |
| Your existing systems | None | Billing, CRM, ERP, WhatsApp |
| User types | One | Several with different screens |
| Offline and AI | Online only, no AI | Works offline, heavy AI features |
How to compare quotes
- Ask every vendor for a one-page written scope: what is included and what is extra.
- Ask for a demo of apps they have built and still run.
- Tie payments to milestones you can see working, not to dates.
- Ask who will own the code, the design files and the store and cloud accounts.
- Ask what support costs after launch, before you sign.
- Treat a very low quote as a question, not a bargain: it usually means a template, a reused clone or a scope that grows later.
Costs that come after launch
Plan for hosting, the app store accounts (Google Play charges a one-time US$25 developer registration; Apple's developer programme costs US$99 a year), any paid services the app uses, and maintenance. Phones and operating systems change every year, so an app nobody maintains slowly breaks.
Sources
- r/indianstartups: quotes from ₹3 lakh to ₹28 lakh for the same app
- r/StartUpIndia: MVP development cost (₹2.5 lakh Flutter quote)
- r/indianstartups: ask for a demo of past apps
- r/StartUpIndia: how early founders manage dev costs
- r/StartUpIndia: want to get an app made for my MVP
- Google Play Console Help: one-time US$25 registration fee
- Apple Developer Program: US$99 a year
Questions people ask
App banane ka kharcha kitna aata hai?
MarketRun mein pehla app (MVP) ₹5 lakh se shuru hota hai aur aam taur par 8 se 12 hafte lagte hain. Usse pehle do hafte ka sprint hota hai (₹50,000 se), jismein scope likha jaata hai aur fixed quote milta hai. Sprint ki fees build mein adjust ho jaati hai.
App banane wali company kaise chune?
Har company se likha hua scope maangiye, unke banaye hue apps ka demo dekhiye, aur poochiye ki code aur accounts kiske naam par honge. Sabse sasta quote aksar adhoora scope hota hai.
Is ₹2.5 lakh normal for a Flutter MVP?
It can be, for a small scope. Ask what it includes: design, backend, admin panel, testing on real phones, store launch and support. Two quotes are only comparable when the written scopes match.
Who owns the app code?
At MarketRun, you do: on full payment the code, designs and documentation transfer to you, and the cloud and store accounts are set up in your name.
Is app development cheaper in Hyderabad?
Our prices are the same wherever you are. Across India, quotes differ mainly by scope, not by city.
App banwana hai, shuru kaise karein?
Pehle ek page mein likhiye ki app kaun use karega aur kaunsa ek kaam sabse zaroori hai. Phir do-teen companies se likha hua scope aur quote maangiye. MarketRun mein shuruaat do hafte ke sprint se hoti hai (₹50,000 se), jismein prototype, scope aur fixed quote milta hai.
Coaching ke liye app kaise banwayein?
Coaching app mein aam taur par batch aur timetable, fees reminder, notice, study material aur admission enquiry hote hain. Pehle dekhiye ki koi ready-made coaching app kaam kar sakta hai ya nahin. Custom app MarketRun mein ₹5 lakh se shuru hota hai, do hafte ke sprint (₹50,000 se) ke baad.