Ask three Portuguese tech consultancies about mobile app cost and the quotes may differ sharply. A catalogue with booking is a much smaller product than a platform with payments and staff administration. The shared label hides very different workloads.

If you are deciding whether to build one, first read does my business need a mobile app or just a website.

Mobile app cost ranges

Use the published figures as rough bands and compare the work included in each proposal.

SETUP Tech. Its published Portugal ranges run from €4,000 to €20,000 for simple to medium apps and €20,000 to €60,000+ for complex work with a data service and user areas. Integrations raise the scope further.

iConnect. A focused internal tool starts at €10,000 to €25,000. Its range rises to €25,000 to €60,000 for apps with common integrations, then €60,000 to €150,000+ for business-critical systems with demanding security.

Soamee. This European pricing guide lists €15,000 to €35,000 for an MVP, €35,000 to €80,000 for medium complexity and €80,000 to €200,000+ for complex work.

Work behind the screens

Data and staff tools. Login requires somewhere to store information. Shared data and push notifications add more work behind the app. Staff may also need a web dashboard to manage bookings or orders, and building this private side can rival the work on the mobile screens.

Security and connections. An app handling personal data, health records or payments needs controlled access and a record of important actions. Connecting it to a payment gateway, invoicing tool or CRM also creates separate failure cases that must be tested.

iOS and Android. A shared codebase can reduce duplicated development. Each platform still needs testing and store approval, followed by fixes when its operating system changes.

Ask a supplier to confirm the data service and staff dashboard are included. Get the security work and external connections in writing too. A list of screens leaves too much room for later charges.

Costs after launch

The app then needs maintenance and distribution.

Annual maintenance. One Portuguese pricing guide recommends 15% to 25% of the build cost each year and lists freelancer rates of €25 to €60 per hour, compared with €40 to €100+ per hour for agencies. Hosting creates a separate monthly charge, as do backups and monitoring.

Store fees and digital sales. Apple Developer Program membership costs $99 USD per year, and its Small Business Program offers a 15% commission rate on paid apps and in-app purchases. Google Play charges a $25 USD one-time registration fee.

For an illustrative budget, a €25,000 build with €5,000 in annual maintenance still needs hosting and store accounts. Marketing adds another cost. Assess the full amount against the value of the problem being solved.

A club and a clinic

When I built the CDEFF website, the sports club needed public news and tournament information. Member fees and accounting exports fit member-management software better, as discussed in website or membership software for sports clubs. A custom app is difficult to support when an existing club tool covers the private work.

At Paixão Med, patients typically find Dr Catarina Paixão's practice through Google rather than an app store. An app with patient accounts and a clinical staff area belongs in the more involved price bands above. A mobile website with booking addresses that discovery need for less. The app earns its place only when patients return weekly and need a phone feature that the website cannot provide.

Many small businesses will get better value from a website in a lower price bracket or an existing platform.

Protect your budget

Define a small first release. An MVP, or minimum viable product, should test one core task with one user type.

Test the workflow first. Ask potential users to try the service through a spreadsheet or web form.

Compare the same scope. A useful proposal defines the customer-facing work and the private staff tools.

Frequently asked questions

How much does an app cost?

The provider guides above begin with catalogue or scheduling apps and rise with scope. A focused business app quickly costs more once it stores customer data.

Why are apps so expensive?

Most business apps also need secure data storage and staff controls. Connections to other services must then work on two mobile platforms.

What is a cheaper alternative to an app?

A mobile-friendly website works well when customers mainly need to find the business, book or make contact.

When to ask for help

If you have a five-figure proposal and cannot tell which work is included, send me the quote and the one task the app must support. I will map the scope to a custom app, a smaller first release or a web alternative so you know what to compare.