How Much Does a Mobile App Cost in Switzerland?

How much does a mobile app cost in Switzerland? The packages published on our service page set the frame: an MVP starts at CHF 29,900 and ships in 8–12 weeks; a complete application (Business package) starts at CHF 59,900 for 12–16 weeks; a complex custom project (Custom package) starts at CHF 99,900, from 16 weeks. Then mobile maintenance — OS updates, monitoring, hotfixes, small evolutions — starts at CHF 1,490 per month. This guide explains what those numbers cover, what moves them, and how to steer the real indicator: total cost of ownership.

In short: the initial quote is only half the story. An app lives at the pace of iOS, Android and the stores — an honest budget includes the application's life, not just its birth. And the healthiest saving lever is not negotiating the day rate but tightening the scope: fewer, better-chosen screens, cross-platform when it suffices, a reused back end when one exists.

Key takeaways

• The published packages: MVP from CHF 29,900 (8–12 weeks), Business from CHF 59,900 (12–16 weeks), Custom from CHF 99,900 (16+ weeks).
• Maintenance is not optional: from CHF 1,490/month to track OSes, monitor and fix.
• Five factors move the budget: screens, native features, back office and integrations, polish, real-device testing.
• The right indicator is 3-year total cost of ownership, not the V1 quote.
• The healthiest saving lever: a tighter scope, not discounted quality.

The three packages, and what they contain

These ranges are public entry points — the firm number always comes out of scoping, on your real perimeter. The full detail of the three packages is on the mobile applications page.

Reading the packages correctly matters more than memorizing the numbers. The MVP is not a cheap version of the Business package: it is a different product decision — a deliberately narrow scope built to learn from real users, with store publication included so the learning happens in the wild. The Business package is the launch vehicle: designed key screens, both platforms, push notifications and a structured QA pass. Custom exists for the cases where the app is the tip of a system — offline-first synchronization, multiple roles and permissions, or single sign-on and CRM/ERP integrations that reach deep into your information system. If your project seems to sit between two packages, that ambiguity is exactly what a scoping call resolves.

The five factors that move the budget

1. Screens and journeys. Every screen is designed, built and tested. The difference between 8 and 20 screens is not linear: it drags navigation, states, errors, QA.

2. Native features. In-app payment, scanning, continuous geolocation, offline, real-time: each adds specific development and real-device testing. They also drive the React Native vs Flutter trade-off — or native altogether.

3. Back office and integrations. An app is rarely alone: it talks to a back end, a CRM, an ERP. Reusing an existing back end saves money; building one is part of the project — the terrain of our integrations.

4. The level of polish. A clean UI kit is enough for an MVP; an animated brand identity and a full design system belong to Business or Custom.

5. Real-device testing. Simulator and real phone are two different worlds: screen sizes, permissions, performance on older devices. Serious QA is budgeted.

Total cost of ownership: think in years, not quotes

The TCO reasoning we apply to custom development holds for mobile, with an aggravating factor: you control neither Apple's pace nor Google's. Every year brings OS versions, API deprecations, new store requirements. An app without a maintenance budget accumulates warnings, then rejected updates — and the initial investment quietly degrades.

Hence the maintenance line: from CHF 1,490/month for OS updates, monitoring, hotfixes and small evolutions. Over three years, an honest budget looks like: build cost + 36 months of life. That is the number to compare between suppliers — not the V1 quote alone.

Cutting cost without cutting quality

• Tighten the scope, not the quality: an MVP with 8 well-chosen screens beats a mediocre 20-screen V1.
• Cross-platform by default: one codebase for two platforms, native only if your features demand it — see our mobile development guide.
• Reuse what exists: back end, authentication, data — anything that already exists is not paid for twice.
• Phase it: launch the essentials, learn from real usage, invest the next step on facts. Products like FlySpa illustrate this progressive build, from launch to continuous operation.

Fixed price, capacity or product: the engagement model matters too

The same scope can be contracted in several ways, and it changes the cost structure. Turnkey fixed price — the mode of our three packages — sets the price on a defined scope: readable, comparable, right for a V1. The product's later life is often better steered as monthly capacity: maintenance (from CHF 1,490/month) is its minimal form, a continuous product team its complete form. And when the app is only one brick of a larger system — back office, data, integrations — the budget is reasoned at platform level, not app level.

The classic trap is comparing an all-inclusive package with a quote that excludes publication, real-device QA or the post-launch warranty. Demand the line-by-line list of what is included: that is what makes numbers comparable.

FAQ

How much does a simple mobile app cost?

The MVP package starts at CHF 29,900 for a tight scope, shipped in 8–12 weeks and published to the stores. It is the right vehicle to validate a usage with a real product.

Why do quotes vary so much between suppliers?

Because scopes vary: number of screens, native features, back office, real QA, publication and maintenance included or not. Compare what is included — and the 3-year cost — rather than the raw number.

Is maintenance really mandatory?

An unmaintained app degrades mechanically: evolving OSes, deprecated APIs, tightened store requirements. Maintenance (from CHF 1,490/month) protects the initial investment — insurance, not luxury.

Is cross-platform cheaper than native?

At equal scope, yes: one codebase instead of two. Native is justified when specific features demand it — then it is a value choice, not an endured extra cost.

What does store publication include?

Listings, screenshots, guideline compliance, submission and review follow-up with Apple and Google — on your accounts, in your name. It is included in our packages.

How do I get a firm number?

Through scoping: your journeys, key features, existing assets. Thirty minutes for a first recommendation, 48 hours for a structured estimate.

Ready to price your project? Frame your app in 30 minutes or get an estimate in 48 hours.