Software project cost estimator

Answer a short set of questions to estimate effort, timeline, a recommended tech stack and a cost range for a web app, mobile app or combined project. No email required.

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What the project estimate includes

Whether you're scoping a SaaS product, a mobile app, a marketplace, an AI tool, or a combined web + mobile build, this calculator gives you a credible starting estimate based on the same model we use internally to scope projects at Appycodes. We've shipped software in production since 2015 across the UK, Europe, India, and the Middle East.

The calculator covers:

  • Effort — total man-months, broken down by role (engineering, design, QA, PM, DevOps).
  • Timeline — calendar months from kickoff to launch, factoring in parallel work streams.
  • Tech stack— a primary recommendation plus alternatives, tailored to what you're building and the platforms you need.
  • External costs — monthly run costs for payments, AI APIs, email, SMS, video, and maps.
  • Hosting — three tiers (MVP / Growth / Scale) with realistic monthly ranges.
  • Development cost range — minimum and maximum, with a clear note on what moves the number.

Combined projects (web + mobile) share a single backend, design system, and product team — so they're more efficient than building each separately, and the calculator factors that in. Estimates start in GBP, with other currencies available in the results. The estimate uses a ±20% planning range; a scoping review helps refine the cost.

Frequently asked questions

How much does it cost to build a SaaS web app?

For a typical SaaS MVP with auth, admin dashboard, payments, and subscriptions, expect roughly 6–10 man-months of work. At our blended rate, that's a starting range — the calculator gives you a personalised number based on the features you actually need.

How long does it take to build a mobile app?

A focused MVP may take several months, depending on the features, integrations, design readiness and release requirements. Shared React Native or Flutter code can reduce duplicated work across iOS and Android. The calculator models a timeline from your selected scope; we confirm a delivery plan after reviewing it.

How much does it cost to build a web and mobile app together?

Web and mobile products can share a backend, integrations and parts of the design system. The saving depends on how much behaviour they share and the platform-specific work required. The calculator applies planning assumptions to your choices; it is not a fixed-price quote.

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

Swift and Kotlin let each app use its platform directly. React Native and Flutter share much of the application code while still supporting platform-specific features. We assess device integrations, performance, accessibility and the team's maintenance needs before recommending an approach.

Why is the estimate shown as a range, not a fixed number?

A short questionnaire cannot capture every dependency or delivery risk. The calculator applies a ±20% planning range to its model; it is not a statistical confidence interval or a guaranteed price. Discovery may identify work outside that range. We refine the scope and assumptions with you before quoting.

What do external services and hosting typically cost?

Running costs depend on traffic, data storage, payment volume, AI usage and the services your product needs. The results show separate hosting and external-service estimates for MVP, Growth and Scale scenarios. You can switch the display currency; exchange rates are planning assumptions, not live quotes.

Do you build marketplaces, AI products, and SaaS apps?

Yes — these are our most common project types. We've shipped marketplaces with payments and escrow, AI products built on LLMs and retrieval pipelines, and multi-tenant SaaS with subscriptions and admin dashboards, in production across the UK, Europe and beyond.

What's not included in this estimate?

The estimate covers product design, engineering, QA, project management, and DevOps to launch. It does not include content writing, legal review, marketing, paid acquisition, or post-launch retainers. We can scope those separately if you need them.

Turn your estimate into a build plan

A thirty-minute scoping call with the engineer who would run the build.

Discuss your project