How Much Does it Cost to Build an App in Australia?
Let’s be honest, coming up with an app idea is exciting. But the moment you start thinking about development, one question hits harder than the rest: What is the cost of building an app in Australia?
It’s a fair question and one without a simple answer.
App development costs can vary dramatically based on what you’re building, who’s building it, and how much functionality you need. And in a tech-savvy country like Australia, where user expectations are high and innovation moves fast, it’s more important than ever to plan your budget wisely.
This blog is here to break it all down for you. From real app examples to cost-saving strategies, and everything in between, we’ll help you understand what goes into the price tag. And if you’re thinking of working with a mobile app development company in Australia, you’ll get to know exactly what to look for (and what to avoid).
Whether you’re building the next big thing or just exploring your options, this guide will give you a clear picture of what it really takes to bring your app to life, without getting lost in vague estimates or technical jargon.
Recommended Read: A Complete Guide To Mobile App Development Costs in Australia
Factors Affecting Mobile App Development Cost in Australia
If we look back at the mobile app market, it doesn’t seem to be so big, but with the increasing number of businesses adopting digital transformation, the need for mobile and web apps has increased to reach their audience.
Today, from e-commerce to healthcare, food delivery, and fintech, there is an app for nearly every other need. However, you must have definitely come across apps with a different cost structure, wondering what the factors are that affect the development cost.
No worries, let’s move forward to understand the different elements determining the cost of mobile app development in Australia.
Application Complexity & Features
Functionality and features of the application always remain important factors while deciding on the app development cost in Australia. Though an app has multiple types of features, including basic and complex features. Some of the common examples of features are security measures (data encryption, user authentication), an AI-driven chatbot, search & filter, push notifications, third-party integrations, and virtual try-ons. All these aspects definitely contribute to the success of the application and the app’s cost. However, development costs for complex features are comparatively higher than the cost for basic features.
Move ahead and look at the table defining an estimate of app development costs in Australia based on the complexity of the application.
| App Complexity | Average Timeline | Estimated Development Cost |
|---|---|---|
| App with Basic Features | 2-3 months | AUD45,000 - AUD120,000 |
| Medium Features | 3-6 months | AUD120,000 - AUD300,000 |
| Complex App with Advanced Features | 6-12 months | AUD300,000 - AUD450,000 |
Platform Selection
Still, wondering whether you should go for iOS App development or Android App Development, or both? Well, before you move on to research about both platforms, keep in mind that the development cost is also affected by the selection of the platform. Among different platforms, a cross-platform app development solution is one of the highly cost-effective solutions for businesses inquiring about presence on both iOS and Android, as it eliminates the need for businesses to have a separate application for each platform, leading to savings in time and resources.
As per StatCounter Global Assets Report, the number of iOS users between July 2024 to July 2025 in Australia is expected to grab 55.35% market share, and Android is expected to have a share of 43.86%.
UI/UX Design
Another factor that plays an important role in determining the app development cost is UI/UX design. Custom and high-quality design of the application with visually appealing graphics, intuitive interface, and advanced animations not just leads to an enhancement in application performance, but it also leads to an increase in the design and development time leads to higher costs.
For example, a live streaming application with innovative features such as live chat functionality, swipe features, and more personalized solutions enhances the development cost. On the other hand, an application with basic features reduces the development cost.
Development Team Location
The location of the development team also affects the development cost as the cost of development also increases with increasing living or market standards. So, if you are looking for app development services in Australia, it will typically cost you more than in other regions, but it definitely ensures a high-quality project submission without any compromises.
However, the cost of development is comparatively low in regions such as Asia, Africa, and India. These factors allow businesses to deliver a diverse talent pool and competitive pricing available in different regions while maintaining the high standards of development.
| Region | iOS | Android | Cross-Platform |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia | 90-120 | 100-120 | 90-120 |
| USA | 110-150 | 100-150 | 100-150 |
| Dubai | 50-80 | 80-100 | 50-100 |
| India | 20-30 | 100-130 | 90-130 |
Development Team’s Experience & Expertise
If you want to know the accurate cost of development, it also depends on the relevant years of experience and expertise of the development team. An award-winning development company with highly experienced developers will definitely cost you more than an average development firm. However, the quality of services they deliver is unbeatable and amazing, which ignores the cost factor for a moment. So, remember that the selection of the right development company influences the project’s timeline, cost, and app’s quality.
Tech Stack
The selection of technologies for app development, including programming languages, frameworks, and tools, plays an important role in impacting the development cost and timeline of the development project in Australia. For instance, leveraging popular frameworks and technologies such as React Native or Flutter can allow businesses to save development costs as compared to native applications, as it offers a separate application for both iOS and Android with a single codebase at just minimal cost.
Regulatory Compliance
One of the most looked at aspects for security purposes, Regulatory Compliance, also affects the development cost. Some of the common regulatory compliance requirements involve HIPAA for healthcare, GDPR for data privacy, WCAG in accessibility standards, and PCI-DSS for fintech businesses, which is one of the app development processes.
In Australia, developers need to follow compliance with the Privacy Act 1988, especially for apps that handle sensitive information. So, these are some of the regulatory compliance factors that can lead to an increase in development costs in Australia.
Application Type
There are multiple types of applications, such as healthcare apps can involve different types, such as a health monitoring platform, or any other. While, finance app may require advanced security measures while every application has different requirements.
Thus, we can say that every type of application has a different cost to develop a mobile app in Australia. With cost estimates, queries related to the development timeline are also resolved.
| App Type | Estimated Cost Range | Estimated Timeline |
|---|---|---|
| E-Commerce App | AUD 61,600 - AUD 184,800 | 4-10 months |
| Healthcare App | AUD 77,000 - AUD 215,600 | 6-9 months |
| Finance App | AUD 70,000 - AUD 185,000 | 4-7 months |
| Social Media App | AUD 62,000 - AUD 155,000 | 4-6 months |
| Education App | AUD 93,000 - AUD 310,000 | 4-8 months |
| Gaming App | AUD 70,000 - AUD 230,000 | 4-9 months |
| Food Delivery App | AUD 82,000 - AUD 280,000 | 5-8 months |
App Maintenance
A complete development cost also includes the post-launch support and maintenance costs, ensuring long-term growth and smooth functioning of the application. So, while deciding on the development cost, bug fixes, additional features, and regular updates of the software must also be considered.
Recommended Read: Step-by-Step Guide on How to Create an App in Australia
Real World Use Cases of Some Popular Apps with Their Key Features and Cost Estimates
To give you a better understanding of the custom app development cost, in this section, we will get deep insights into some popular examples of mobile apps across various industries, including the key features, cost estimates, and the average timeline. Move on to have insights for planning your budget for app development.
Finance App Like Khatabook
Khatabook is one of the world’s fastest–growing SaaS companies that is termed as a digital ledger or bookkeeping app to help small businesses and individuals manage their finances and track transactions.
Estimated Development Cost: $50,000 – $110,000.
Estimated Timeline: 6 – 9 months
Key Features: Expense Management, bank account synchronization, budget creation, financial educational content, Backend logic, and selfie attendance.
E-commerce App Like Caratlane
Caratlane is a famous jewellery brand based in India. It is famous for creating accessible, affordable, and evergreen jewellery for every kind of occasion. It offers multiple jewellery products such as earrings, necklaces, rings, and more.
Estimated Development Cost: $60,000 – $130,000.
Estimated Timeline: 4 – 6 months
Key Features: SMS Retriever API, TAH module, cart & login, product catalog, personalized shopping list, multiple payment gateways, order tracking, and more.
Artificial Intelligence Web App like Orby AI
Orby AI is an advanced AI agent platform designed for enterprise solutions. It is powered by the industry’s first Large Action Model (LAM), and it streamlines complex tasks with the help of AI and ML, enabling businesses to improve efficiency.
Estimated Development Cost: $80,000 – $200,000.
Estimated Timeline: 9 – 12 months
Key Features: chatbots, predictive analytics, fraud detection, smart search, personalized solutions, and AI Image Recognition.
Social Networking App Like Thousand Greens
Thousand Greens is a platform that allows golf enthusiasts to connect with other golf club members across the globe. This app allows golfing experiences with others while also providing private courses to other golfers.
Estimated Development Cost: $40,000 – $100,000.
Estimated Timeline: 8 – 10 months
Key Features: chatbots, user profiles, news feeds, media sharing, messaging, push notification, group/communities, and events.
Healthcare App Like PharmAssess
The Pharmacy App assists pharmacists in treating patients with common ailments. This app is making efforts in automating the entire process of a patient’s ailment evaluation, documentation, and diagnosis.
Estimated Development Cost: $50,000 – $120,000.
Estimated Timeline: 6 – 12 months
Key Features: telehealth, appointment scheduling, symptom checkers, medication management, symptom checkers, and health monitoring.
Key Strategies to Reduce Mobile App Development Cost in Australia
While the development cost in Australia is comparatively higher, you might be looking for ways to reduce development costs. So, here we have covered some of the industry’s best practices and approaches to reduce mobile app development costs in Australia.
Define Clear Requirements
Development expenses can be saved by clearly defining the app’s requirements, scope, and goals from the beginning of the development project. So, if you want to build a successful app, ensure that to plan everything from the start, even with a tight budget.
Cross-Platform Development
Instead of developing a separate iOS and Android application, ensure to go for a cross-platform development solution. This approach significantly allows businesses to reduce development costs, save time, and save resources by developing a separate application using a single codebase.
Minimum Viable Product (MVP)
Before planning to develop a fully functional application in the initial phase, ensure that to build a cost-effective application ensure to focus on developing the core functionalities in the early stage and then think about adding advanced features in later stages.
MVP development process allows businesses to launch an application comparatively faster and iterate on it based on user feedback, reduce development costs, and raise funding.
Agile Development Practices
The incremental and iterative approach of businesses following Agile development methodologies allows businesses to manage development more efficiently and seamlessly. Flexible adjustments and feedback loops ensure that businesses keep the project on track and reduce the need for costly rework.
Outsource App Development
Australia is a renowned market for experienced and efficient app developers. So, instead of hiring in-house developers, ensure to outsource developers from renowned mobile app development companies like DianApps to leverage highly cost-effective development solutions. Outsourced company offers high-quality app development solutions at an optimized price.
Apply for R&D Tax Incentive
The costs related to developing new apps might be further reduced by applying for Australia’s R&D Tax Incentive. This incentive offers financial reimbursements for R&D expenses, allowing your company to make greater expenditures in innovative features and technologies without facing monetary limitations.
Recommended Read: Top 10 Web Development Companies In Australia 2025
Key Monetization Strategies for Mobile Apps to Generate Revenue
If you are a business owner looking for a different monetization model to generate revenue through mobile apps. Here are some of the most common methods you can use to monetize your app in Australia.
In-App Advertising
You must have definitely come across a question, “How does a free application make money?” Let us clarify that free application service providers can earn money through in-app advertising like interstitials, videos, banners, and native ads etc.
However, some of the popular video streaming and social media platforms leverage in-app advertising methods to monetize their user base.
Subscription Model
Not every app feature can be accessed free of cost; some of them require subscription plans to access more advanced features and content. So, to make revenue for the app, you can offer subscription plans on a weekly, monthly, or yearly basis.
For example, some of the popular app like Spotify, Zomato, and Netflix works on the principle of subscription models.
Freemium Model
This model allows users to download the app for free, and they can even access some basic features at no cost, but if they want to enjoy premium features, they have to take a subscription.
Let’s look at one common example of this model, LinkedIn, which provides basic functionalities for free but charges a specific amount for a subscription.
In-App Purchases
Some specific industry applications also offer additional content, virtual goods, or features for purchase within the app itself. This in-app purchase system allows users to access exclusive content.
For example, the in-app purchase model can be accessed in gaming apps such as Clash of Clans, Pokémon Go, and Candy Crush for virtual items and driving significant revenue.
Final Words
Building a mobile app in Australia isn’t just about cost; it’s about making smart decisions at every stage of the journey.
By understanding what impacts pricing, what features truly matter, and how to optimize development through strategies and monetization models, you’re already ahead of the game. Whether you’re aiming to launch a sleek MVP or a full-featured platform, investing wisely now can unlock long-term gains.
Need expert help to get it right from the ground up? Partnering with a custom software development company that understands your vision and budget constraints can make all the difference.
Australia is ready for your app. The question is, are you?
0
