How Much Does It Cost to Build a Custom Shopify Mobile App in 2025?

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Mobile commerce now drives over 70% of ecommerce traffic. Paid acquisition is getting more expensive, and traditional retention channels like email and SMS are becoming more saturated.

That makes having a dedicated mobile app essential for competitive Shopify stores.

You might be thinking about building a custom mobile app. While this offers the highest level of performance, it comes with a significant cost as well.

This guide breaks down development costs for different approaches (high-end agencies vs budget teams), explains the key factors driving pricing, and reveals the ongoing expenses you'll face after launch.

At the end, we’ll show you a more affordable way to launch your own mobile app – one that saves more than 90% of the cost, while maintaining 90% of the value of a fully custom Shopify mobile app.

Want to skip ahead and find out the most cost-effective way to launch your mobile app? Start with a free preview of your app - then we'll explain why this is unbeatable value for money.

Shopify Mobile App Development Costs by Approach

The cost to build a mobile app for a Shopify store is far from standard. There are a range of different ways to approach this, and even among agencies and mobile app developers, costs vary greatly.

Here are a few different estimates to consider.

Premium Agency Development: $200,000 - $500,000+

Top agencies charge $200,000 to $500,000+ for custom Shopify mobile apps. These companies hire the best developers, designers, and project managers. As a result, they’re likely to deliver the highest-quality end product as well.

Why premium agencies cost more:

• Developers from the US or Europe charge $100-$150 per hour
• You get complete service including planning and testing
• Faster work with teams focused on your project
• Advanced features like AI suggestions or virtual try-ons

Budget-Friendly Custom Development: $40,000 - $100,000

Budget custom development costs $40,000 to $100,000 for Shopify mobile apps with all the features you expect. 

This option uses teams from countries where developers cost less. The hope (for you) is that these developers will still be able to deliver an end product that measures up to more expensive US-based teams.

What you get for the price:

• Developer rates: $30-$50 per hour (Eastern Europe/Asia)
• Standard features: product pages, search, cart, loyalty points
• Average custom ecommerce app cost: $50,000-$100,000

What to expect:

• Longer build times (6-12 months vs 3-6 months)
• More project management work for you
• Possible communication issues across time zones

In-House Shopify Mobile App Development: $200,000 - $400,000+

Want to bring it all in-house, and hire your own people? Building in-house costs $200,000 to $400,000+ when you add up hiring, salaries, and tools. You need iOS developers, Android developers, designers, and testers.

Team costs breakdown:

• 4-5 team members working for 6+ months
• Each person costs $8,000-$15,000 per month (with benefits)
• Extra costs for software tools and equipment

Long-term costs:

• You pay salaries even after the app launches
• Need to keep the team for updates and fixes
• Risk losing team members who know your app

What Drives Shopify Mobile App Development Costs

Let’s dive deeper. Where does this cost come from? Is there any way to jettison unnecessary costs and cut the price down?

Six main factors decide how much you'll pay for your mobile app. Understanding these helps you make smart choices about features and teams.

App Features and Complexity Costs

The features you want are the biggest cost factor. Basic apps with very simple shopping features cost $5,000-$25,000. But more feature-rich apps easily cost over $150,000.

Basic Shopify app features:

• Product pages with search and filters
• User accounts and order history
• Shopping cart and checkout
• Push notifications for sales

Advanced features that cost more:

• Loyalty program integrations (Yotpo, Smile.io)
• Subscription orders (Recharge, Bold)
• Personal product suggestions
• Virtual try-on features
• Advanced tracking and marketing

Each extra feature adds 20-40 hours of work. For example, adding and integration for Yotpo loyalty points needs API connections, new screens, and testing with different users.

iOS vs Android Development Costs

iOS vs Android development costs roughly double your investment when building natively for both platforms. 

Most Shopify stores need both since customers use a mix of iPhones and Android devices.

Platform-specific development:

• iOS development requires Swift programming and Apple design guidelines
• Android development uses Kotlin and Google Material Design standards
• Shared elements: API integrations, design assets, project management

Cost examples:

• Single platform: $100,000
• Both platforms: $170,000 (not quite double due to some shared work)
• Native apps provide better performance than cross-platform alternatives

You can save money by building with cross-platform frameworks, like React Native and Flutter. These frameworks let you build for both iOS and Android with the same programming language, and share more code across platforms.

It doesn’t quite cut the cost in half, but close to it. For ecommerce apps, there’s not much need for fully native development on each platform, so React Native would certainly be a smarter way to go.

Mobile App Design Costs

Mobile app design costs range from $5,000 for basic layouts to $20,000+ for custom interfaces optimized for mobile commerce. 

Budget design approach:

• Reuse existing brand assets and color schemes
• Leverage standard iOS/Android interface components
• Simple layouts with minimal custom graphics

Premium design investment:

• Custom mobile-first interface design
• Smooth animations and micro-interactions
• Professional product photography optimization
• Typically 400+ hours of design work

Poor design hurts conversion rates more than missing features. Users expect smooth navigation, fast loading, and intuitive checkout flows. Investing in quality design pays dividends through higher user engagement and sales.

Shopify Integration Costs

Shopify integration costs vary based on the third-party services your store uses. Every additional integration adds development time for API connections, data synchronization, and testing.

Core Shopify integrations:

• Storefront GraphQL API for product data
• Mobile Buy SDK for checkout processing
• Customer account and order history sync

Common third-party integrations:

• Yotpo or Okendo for reviews and loyalty
• Recharge or Bold for subscription management
• Klaviyo or Mailchimp for email marketing
• Judge.me for product reviews

Each integration requires reading API documentation, handling data syncing, and ensuring the app stays synchronized with your website. 

Experienced developers budget substantial time for integration work since APIs often have quirks requiring troubleshooting.

Developer Rates by Location

Where your developers are located will dramatically impact your total investment.

Developers in high-cost areas (US and Europe, and especially centers like NYC, LA, London) charge more. While those in areas with lower cost of living can afford to offer lower rates.

Geographic arbitrage allows you to access skilled developers at lower hourly rates without sacrificing quality.

Rate ranges by region:

• North America/Western Europe: $100-$150/hour
• Eastern Europe: $40-$60/hour
• South/Southeast Asia: $20-$50/hour
• Latin America: $25-$60/hour

Quality considerations:

• Portfolio review and client references matter more than location
• Communication skills and timezone overlap affect project efficiency
• Some regions specialize in specific technologies (e.g., React Native, Flutter)

A $300,000 project with a US agency might cost $80,000 with a skilled Eastern European team. However, factor in potential communication overhead and longer project management requirements when comparing options.

App Testing and Quality Assurance Costs

App testing and quality assurance costs represent 15-25% of your development budget but prevent costly post-launch issues. 

Your mobile apps require thorough testing before launching. Checkout failures or other bugs directly impact revenue, and a few bad reviews can kill your momentum before you get started.

Testing requirements:

• Multiple device models and screen sizes
• Different iOS and Android OS versions
• Payment processing and checkout flows
• Push notification delivery and timing

QA process timeline:

• 2-4 weeks of dedicated testing for standard apps
• Beta user testing with real customers
• App store submission and review process

Agencies include QA in their pricing, but budget builds might require you to handle more testing internally. 

Plan for a round of bug fixes after initial testing. No app launches perfectly on the first attempt.

Ongoing Cost of Shopify Mobile Apps

Perhaps you’re comparing the cost of building a custom Shopify mobile app to a subscription service, from a Shopify mobile app builder.

We’ve heard this before. Brands don’t want the recurring cost of a subscription, and think they can save by spending more upfront, but as a one-time cost.

Unfortunately, mobile app development isn't a one-time cost. You'll pay ongoing expenses for maintenance, updates, and improvements that typically equal 15-20% of your initial cost each year.

There’s really no way to avoid this. If you think you can build once, and never invest in it again, you’re going to end up with an outdated app that soon doesn’t work.

App maintenance typically costs 15-20% of your initial development cost each year. For a $100,000 app, budget at least $15,000-$20,000 annually for essential upkeep.

This comes from standard app maintenance, which includes:

• iOS and Android updates for new versions
• Shopify API changes and third-party service updates
• Security fixes and bug repairs
• Speed improvements and monitoring

Maintenance cost ranges:

• Basic apps: $2,000-$6,000 per year
• Standard shopping apps: $15,000-$20,000 per year
• Complex apps (more integrations, multi-config): $25,000+ annually

These are conservative estimates, too. It’s assuming that nothing major goes wrong, and workflows run smoothly.

Some brands we’ve talked to ballparked this as mid-six figures per year. So much for a one-time expense.

A Smarter Alternative: Convert Your Shopify Store into a Mobile App with MobiLoud

Here’s the problem with spending $50K+ on a custom mobile app.

When you spend that much, it’s an uphill battle to achieve a positive ROI. You really need strong adoption to make your money back (and with the timeline, you’re not even going to launch for 6 months or more).

MobiLoud takes a different approach: instead of rebuilding your store as a custom native app, it converts your existing Shopify site into high-performing mobile apps for iOS and Android. 

Your website powers the app. So the core of the app experience is your website, with native elements like a native onboarding screen, mobile navigation and push notifications added on top.

Cost to Convert Your Shopify Store into an App

Converting your Shopify store into a mobile app with MobiLoud is simple and cost-effective. The whole process is done for you, including build, publishing to the app stores, and ongoing maintenance.

As we’re reusing what you’ve already built, it’s significantly faster (around two weeks for a working version), and much more affordable.

Costs break down as follows:

• Setup fee: $850-$1,500 (one-time)
• Monthly subscription: starting at $299 per month; ecommerce apps will usually start from $549 per month.
• Staff hours: virtually none. Your website updates automatically sync to your app, and our team handles app maintenance, updates, and store compliance.

Cost Comparison

Let’s see how that cost compares to the cost of building a custom mobile app.

Custom Shopify Mobile App Development:

• Upfront cost: $40,000–$500,000+
• Annual maintenance: $50,000+ (ongoing developer time, bug fixes, OS updates)

MobiLoud (Converting Your Site to an App):

• Upfront cost: roughly$1,000–$2,500
• Annual cost: typically $5,000–$10,000 max

Quality & Performance Comparison

“But I need a high-quality app, not a cheap imitation.”

MobiLoud apps give you 90%+ of what a custom mobile app gives you.

Think about it. You’ve already poured untold money, time and effort into optimizing your mobile website. Realistically, you don’t need much more than this in your app.

Small alterations and additions – like we do – turn your mobile website into a like-native app experience. Native navigation, a native welcome screen, push notifications, and an icon on the customer’s home screen.

Custom apps will be a little faster, a little smoother. But is the improvement worth paying half a million dollars more? We don’t think so.

Want to see what’s possible? Check out these case studies from major brands we work with.

ROI Implications

Because MobiLoud removes the heavy upfront investment and ongoing engineering burden, your break-even point arrives dramatically faster. 

Instead of needing years to pay back a six-figure build, you can see positive ROI within weeks of launching.

We find brands typically generate 10-30% of their total revenue through their mobile app. Even considering not all of that is new (incremental) revenue, you can expect $150,000+ yearly in app revenue for a 7-figure brand.

If you’re spending $500K on an app, that’s years before you break even. With MobiLoud, just a couple of months.

Final Thoughts

Today, your brand needs an app. If only to provide a more convenient way for your best customers to interact with you.

Your loyal customers want an app. They want direct updates and communication via push notifications, and one-tap access from their home screen.

But the traditional approach of custom development comes with a six-figure price tag, long timelines, and ongoing maintenance headaches that few brands can realistically justify.

MobiLoud changes that equation. By converting your existing Shopify store into fully native iOS and Android apps, you get 90% of the value of a custom build at a fraction of the cost. 

Your app can be live in weeks, not months, with virtually no internal resources required.

Want to see what’s possible? Get a free preview of your app now. We’ll show you a working demo that proves there’s no need to spend half a million dollars on a Shopify mobile app anymore.

Shopify Mobile App Development Costs: FAQs

How much does a basic Shopify mobile app cost?

A basic Shopify mobile app costs $40,000-$100,000 for standard features like product browsing, user accounts, and checkout. More likely, you can expect the price tag to eclipse $200,000+.

What's the difference between native and cross-platform development costs?

Native development costs about 50-70% more than cross-platform but delivers better performance and user experience. Native apps for both iOS and Android typically cost $40,000-$500,000 vs $25,000-$300,000 for cross-platform solutions.

How much should I budget for app maintenance?

Budget 15-20% of your initial development cost annually for maintenance. A $100,000 app typically needs $15,000-$20,000 per year for updates, security patches, and compatibility fixes.

Can I build a quality Shopify app for under $50,000?

You may be able to build a solid Shopify app for $40,000-$50,000 using skilled offshore developers or freelance teams. This works well for apps with standard ecommerce features, but apps for larger and more complex stores will be hard to fit under this limit.

What integrations are essential for a Shopify mobile app?

Essential integrations include Shopify's Storefront API, Mobile Buy SDK for checkout, and your key business tools like loyalty programs (Yotpo), subscriptions (Recharge), and email marketing (Klaviyo).

How long does custom Shopify app development take?

Custom Shopify app development typically takes 3-12 months depending on complexity and team size. Premium agencies often deliver in 3-6 months, while budget teams may need 6-12 months for the same features.