# Mobile App MVP Development: iOS and Android

> Mobile app MVP development in React Native: iOS and Android apps next to your web app, from $11,000 fixed. Store fees, review times and timeline explained.

Canonical: https://minidev.pro/mobile-app-mvp-development
Last updated: 2026-11-01

iOS and Android apps built in React Native alongside your web app. From $11,000 fixed, with store accounts, reviews and the timeline laid out before you sign.

## What a mobile app MVP costs and includes

A mobile app MVP at minidev.pro is the $5,000 base MVP plus the Web + native mobile add-on: +$6,000 and +15 build days for iOS and Android apps built with React Native, next to the web app. That is $11,000 fixed for the core product, which our calculator shows as $11,000 to $13,000 and 50 to 60 days. Store fees are extra: $99 a year for Apple and a one-time $25 for Google Play. Many products should launch on the web first and add the apps later; this page shows how to decide.

$11K · Web, iOS and Android from · +15 · Build days for native apps · $99 · Apple developer fee a year · $25 · Google Play fee, one time

## What you get

### A web app and two native apps

The base MVP (sign-up and login, one core workflow, a database, Stripe checkout or a waitlist, a basic admin view, a landing page and deployment) plus iOS and Android apps built with React Native.

### Shared accounts and data

The web app and both native apps work from the same accounts and data, so a user can sign up on a laptop and carry on in the app.

### Store-ready builds

The add-on covers what makes native cost more than web: two app stores, two review processes and testing on real devices.

### Handover and support

Full source code and documentation for all three once the final payment is made, plus 30 days of post-launch bug fixes and small changes.

The web app and backend use Next.js, TypeScript, Node.js and PostgreSQL, as set out in our [MVP tech stack guide](https://minidev.pro/blog/tech-stack-rapid-mvp-development-2026). Terms and the guarantee are on the main [fixed-price MVP development page](https://minidev.pro/mvp-development).

## Why React Native

React Native is a framework for building native Android and iOS apps with React, the library our Next.js web apps are built on. Its core components map directly to each platform's native interface building blocks, so the app uses real native controls, not a web page in a wrapper. Meta released it in 2015 and has maintained it since.

For an MVP the gain is practical: one language, TypeScript, across web, iOS and Android, and one team that works on all three. Weighing it against Flutter? Read [React Native vs Flutter for an MVP](https://minidev.pro/blog/react-native-vs-flutter-for-mvp).

## When to skip native apps at first

Native apps cost $6,000 more on our price list, and every release goes through store review. Launch on the web first when:

### Users arrive from a link

If people find you through ads, search or a shared link, a web app opens in one tap. An app has to be found in a store and installed first.

### The core action works in a browser

Forms, bookings, dashboards, payments and chat all work in a mobile browser. Prove people want the product before paying for two stores.

### You still change things weekly

A web change is live when it is deployed. An app update waits for review; Apple reviews 90% of submissions in under 48 hours, and a rejection starts the wait again.

### You sell digital subscriptions

Inside an iOS app, unlocking features, subscriptions or premium content requires Apple's in-app purchase (guideline 3.1.1), though US storefront apps may also link to other ways to pay. On the web, Stripe checkout is in the base MVP.

Apple also expects "features, content, and UI that elevate it beyond a repackaged website" (guideline 4.2), so a thin wrapper risks rejection. Go native from the start when the core loop needs the phone: background location for drivers, the camera at the center of the product, Bluetooth devices, or alerts people must act on within minutes. More in [web app vs mobile app for an MVP](https://minidev.pro/blog/web-app-vs-mobile-app-for-mvp).

## Price, line by line

The core mobile app MVP: one product on the web, iOS and Android.

| Item | What it covers | Price | Build days |
|---|---|---|---|
| **Base MVP** | Sign-up and login, one core workflow, database, Stripe checkout or a waitlist, basic admin view, landing page, deployment, 30 days of support | $5,000 | 20 |
| **Web + native mobile** | iOS and Android apps built with React Native, two store reviews, testing on real devices | +$6,000 | +15 |
| **Total** | $5,000 + $6,000 | **$11,000** | 35 build days |

Calculator estimate: $11,000 to $13,000, 50 to 60 days. [Open this build in the calculator →](https://minidev.pro/mvp-cost-calculator?type=saas&design=clean&platform=mobile)

If the app needs live chat or instant notifications, add Real-time (+$2,000, +3 build days): $5,000 + $6,000 + $2,000 = $13,000, which the calculator shows as $13,000 to $15,500 and 8 to 9 weeks. [Open it in the calculator →](https://minidev.pro/mvp-cost-calculator?type=saas&features=realtime&design=clean&platform=mobile)

Why a range? The calculator rounds the list total to the nearest $500 and allows up to 30% more on add-ons for details we only learn on a call, which then sets one fixed price. Payment is 50% upfront and 50% on delivery.

## Example builds

### Web first: dating-style test version

Profiles, matching and live chat on a mobile web app, with no store accounts needed. $5,000 base + $2,000 real-time = $7,000.

**Calculator: $7,000 to $7,500, about 35 days.** [Open in the calculator →](https://minidev.pro/mvp-cost-calculator?type=saas&features=realtime&design=clean&platform=web)

### Dating-style native MVP

Photo profiles, matching, live chat, email alerts and paid subscriptions through in-app purchase. $5,000 + $2,000 real-time + $1,000 photos + $500 email + $1,000 subscriptions + $750 in-app purchase integration + $6,000 native = $16,250.

**Calculator: $16,500 to $19,500, 9 to 10 weeks.** [Open in the calculator →](https://minidev.pro/mvp-cost-calculator?type=saas&features=realtime,files,notify,subscriptions&integrations=1&design=clean&platform=mobile) Breakdown: [cost to build an app like Tinder](https://minidev.pro/cost-to-build/app-like-tinder).

### Ride-hailing MVP

Rider and driver modes in one native app, live trip status and email alerts, with maps, Stripe Connect payouts and SMS as integrations. $5,000 + $3,000 marketplace + $2,000 real-time + $500 email + $2,250 for three integrations + $6,000 native = $18,750.

**Calculator: $19,000 to $23,000, 9 to 11 weeks.** [Open in the calculator →](https://minidev.pro/mvp-cost-calculator?type=marketplace&features=realtime,notify&integrations=3&design=clean&platform=mobile) Breakdown: [cost to build an app like Uber](https://minidev.pro/cost-to-build/app-like-uber).

### Web now, apps later

Launch on the web and add iOS and Android once people use the product. After launch, new work is quoted separately or done on our [monthly SaaS development retainer](https://minidev.pro/saas-development), from $5,000 a month for 60 hours. Two-sided products: see [marketplace MVP development](https://minidev.pro/marketplace-mvp-development).

## App store accounts, review and fees

|  | Apple App Store | Google Play |
|---|---|---|
| **Developer account** | $99 a year, charged in local currency where available | US$25, one time |
| **In your company's name** | Must be a legal entity with a D-U-N-S Number; it is listed as the seller, and Apple verifies it before you can pay | Personal or organization account; you may be asked for a government ID and a card in your legal name |
| **Before the first release** | Pass App Review | Personal accounts created after November 13, 2023 must run a closed test with at least 12 testers opted in for 14 days, then apply for production access |
| **Review time** | Typically at least 50% of submissions in under 24 hours and 90% in under 48 hours | Production access review usually takes seven days or less, sometimes longer |
| **Fee on digital sales** | 15% under the App Store Small Business Program, for developers with up to $1 million in proceeds in the prior calendar year | Google says 99% of developers who pay a service fee are eligible for 15% or less; rates depend on the product and market |

Open both accounts in your company's name in week 1, so Apple's checks and any Google closed test run while we build. Apple's review also adds scope: in-app account deletion if people can sign up in the app (guideline 5.1.1(v)); with Google or other social login, an equivalent option that limits data to name and email and keeps email private (4.8); and a working demo account for reviewers (2.1). Apple says over 40% of unresolved review issues fall under 2.1, App Completeness.

## Push notifications

Push is often the reason to go native, and both platforms make it opt-in. On iPhone, the app asks the person's permission before it can show notifications. On Android 13 and later, notifications are off by default for newly installed apps until the user allows them. Ask when an alert is clearly useful, such as when someone wants to know their order is ready, not on first launch.

Sending them costs little: Firebase Cloud Messaging, which covers iOS, Android and the web, has no cost. On our price list, notifications sit under Real-time (+$2,000, +3 build days: live chat, notifications or collaborative updates). Reminders and digests that can wait go by email with Email automation (+$500, +1 day).

## What the timeline looks like

For the $11,000 core build, 50 to 60 days in the calculator, roughly eight weeks:

### Week 1: Scope, design and accounts

A signed Must / Later / Never scope, core screen designs for phone and desktop, developer accounts opened in your company's name, and a deployed skeleton.

### Weeks 2 to 4: Backend and web app

Sign-up, the core workflow and payments working end to end on a staging site you can open on your phone.

### Weeks 5 to 7: The native apps

React Native apps for iOS and Android on the same accounts and data, push notifications if in scope, and testing on real devices.

### Week 8: Stores and launch

Store listings, privacy details, a demo account for reviewers, submission to both stores, launch and the recorded handover.

Store review is the one step neither of us controls. Deliverables and milestones go in the written agreement, so agree up front whether delivery means submitted to both stores or live in both. If we miss the agreed date without a scope change on your side, you get a full refund of fees paid plus $2,000.

## When we are not the right choice

### Mobile games

We do not build consumer mobile games. Choose a game studio.

### Hardware-first products

If the product is mostly device work, such as Bluetooth hardware, AR or heavy background processing, much of it ends up as native code anyway. Expect a longer, fully native project.

### Nothing needs the phone

If no step in your core loop needs the phone, the extra $6,000 buys store reviews, not users. Launch the web app first.

### Enterprise programs

Enterprise RFPs that need 50+ engineers, or months of review before the first line of code, are not a fit.

## Questions founders ask about mobile app MVPs

### How much does a mobile app MVP cost?

At minidev.pro a mobile app MVP starts at $11,000 fixed: the $5,000 base MVP plus $6,000 for iOS and Android apps built with React Native alongside the web app. Features add to that, such as $2,000 for live chat and notifications; our dating and ride-hailing examples come to $16,250 and $18,750. Store fees are extra: $99 a year for Apple and a one-time $25 for Google Play.

### How long does it take to build a mobile app MVP?

About 50 to 60 days for the core web app plus iOS and Android apps, according to our calculator: the native apps add 15 build days to the base MVP's 20. Store review comes on top. Apple says it reviews 90% of submissions in under 48 hours, and a new personal Google Play account must first run a 14-day closed test with 12 testers.

### Should my MVP be a web app or a mobile app?

Start with a web app unless the core action needs the phone. A responsive web app works on any phone, costs $6,000 less on our price list and ships without store reviews. Go native from the start when the product depends on background location, the camera, Bluetooth devices or alerts people must act on within minutes.

### How much does it cost to publish an app on the App Store and Google Play?

$99 a year for the Apple Developer Program and a one-time US$25 fee for a Google Play developer account. Both stores also take a fee on digital sales through their billing: Apple charges 15% under its Small Business Program for developers with up to $1 million in proceeds, and Google says 99% of developers who pay a service fee are eligible for 15% or less.

### Why React Native instead of separate Swift and Kotlin apps?

One TypeScript codebase serves both iOS and Android, and it is built with React, like our Next.js web apps, so one team works across web and mobile. React Native renders real native interface components rather than a web page in a wrapper. Fully native Swift and Kotlin still make sense for apps that are mostly hardware, AR or heavy background work.

### Can I add native apps after launching the web app?

Yes, and it is often the cheaper path. Launch the web app, see which features people use, then add iOS and Android apps for those. After launch, new work is quoted separately or done on our monthly SaaS retainer, from $5,000 a month for 60 hours. If you already know you need the apps, the MVP add-on is +$6,000 and +15 build days.

## Sources

Outside facts come from these pages. Checked November 2026. Our prices come from the [minidev.pro price list](https://minidev.pro/mvp-cost-calculator#price-list).

1. React Native: native Android and iOS apps using React; components map to native UI; released by Meta in 2015. [reactnative.dev](https://reactnative.dev/)
2. Apple Developer, Program enrollment: 99 USD annual fee; legal entity and D-U-N-S Number for organizations. [developer.apple.com](https://developer.apple.com/help/account/membership/program-enrollment/)
3. Google Play Console Help, How to get started with Play Console: US$25 one-time fee; personal and organization accounts. [support.google.com](https://support.google.com/googleplay/android-developer/answer/6112435?hl=en-GB)
4. Google Play Console Help, App testing requirements for new personal developer accounts: 12 testers for 14 days; review usually seven days or less. [support.google.com](https://support.google.com/googleplay/android-developer/answer/14151465?hl=en)
5. Apple Developer, App Review: review times; over 40% of unresolved issues under guideline 2.1. [developer.apple.com/distribute/app-review](https://developer.apple.com/distribute/app-review/)
6. Apple Developer, App Review Guidelines: 2.1, 3.1.1 and the US storefront, 4.2, 4.8, 5.1.1(v). [developer.apple.com/app-store/review/guidelines](https://developer.apple.com/app-store/review/guidelines/)
7. Apple Developer, App Store Small Business Program: 15% commission up to 1 million USD in proceeds. [developer.apple.com](https://developer.apple.com/app-store/small-business-program/)
8. Google Play Console Help, Service fees: 99% of developers subject to a fee are eligible for 15% or less. [support.google.com](https://support.google.com/googleplay/android-developer/answer/112622?hl=en)
9. Firebase, Cloud Messaging: no cost; iOS, Android and web. [firebase.google.com](https://firebase.google.com/products/cloud-messaging)
10. Android Developers, Notification runtime permission: notifications off by default on Android 13 and later until granted. [developer.android.com](https://developer.android.com/develop/ui/compose/notifications/notification-permission)
11. Apple Developer Documentation, requestAuthorization: apps request a person's authorization for notifications. [developer.apple.com](https://developer.apple.com/documentation/usernotifications/unusernotificationcenter/requestauthorization%28options:completionhandler:%29)

## Ready to scope your app?

Web, iOS and Android from $11,000 fixed. Refund plus $2,000 if we miss the agreed date.

Not ready to talk? [Price your app in the calculator →](https://minidev.pro/mvp-cost-calculator?type=saas&design=clean&platform=mobile)

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- [SaaS Development Partner: Monthly Retainer](https://minidev.pro/saas-development) - Growth Partner SaaS retainer. From $5,000/month for 60 hours of senior development, 2-3 features a month, pause or cancel with 7 days notice.
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