"We need an app, but the quotes are insane." We hear this often, and the quotes it refers to can differ by several times for what sounds like the same app. The gap is usually not greed. It comes from quotes that assume different things. This guide shows what drives the price and how to ask for a quote you can compare.
Why two quotes for the same app can differ so much
- Scope. "A shopping app" can mean ten screens or a hundred. The more you leave unsaid, the wider the range.
- Platforms. Android only, iOS only, or both. A hybrid app can serve both from one codebase. A native app is built separately for each.
- Backend. Most apps need a server, a database and an admin panel. Some quotes include them and some do not.
- Integrations. Payments, WhatsApp, maps, SMS, accounting and logistics each add work.
- Design. Custom screens cost more than a ready layout.
- Who owns the code. Ask who owns it after delivery, and whether you get the source files.
- After launch. Fixes, store updates, hosting and support may or may not be included.
What to write down before you ask for quotes
- Who uses the app, and what is the one job it must do well.
- The three to five things a user must be able to do on day one.
- Which platforms you need first.
- What it must connect to: payment gateway, WhatsApp, your billing or stock software.
- Whether you need an admin panel to manage content, orders or users.
- Your budget range and the date you need it by.
A page of notes is enough. Every vendor then quotes against the same list.
How to compare quotes
- Put the quotes side by side and check that each lists the same platforms, backend, admin panel and integrations.
- Ask for the work in phases, with a price for each, so you can stop or change direction.
- Ask what you can see working at the end of each phase.
- Ask who you will talk to during the build, and who fixes problems after launch.
- Be careful with the lowest quote if it leaves out things the others include.
Start smaller than you think
The first version does not need every feature on your list. Ship the one job the app must do well, see how people use it, then add. It reduces the first quote and the risk of building things nobody uses.
How we work at FutraInc
We build native and hybrid apps for iOS and Android. Many client builds start from one of our own products as a branded deployment, not a blank repository, and we ship in phases so you see something usable at the end of each one. The person who scopes the project builds it and supports it. Send us your notes, even rough ones, and we will tell you whether we can help and what it would take. See our services or contact us.