App development cost guide · Australia
App development cost: what you'll pay, and why
App development cost in Australia runs from about $15,000 for a simple web app to $150,000 or more for a full AI product. The price depends on the screens, the integrations, the AI features and the team you hire. This guide shows the ranges, what drives them and three fixed-price ways to start.
App development cost in Australia, by build type
These are typical ranges for a first version built by an Australian team. Your number depends on your scope, so treat them as a guide, not a quote.
Simple web app: $15,000 to $35,000
Three to five screens, a basic login and no integrations.
Mid-size web or mobile app: $35,000 to $80,000
Custom logic and one or two integrations with other systems.
AI-assisted platform: $80,000 to $150,000+
AI features, data pipelines and APIs working together.
Full AI product: $150,000+
Custom AI, search over your own content, agent workflows and an admin area.
What drives the price
Screens and features
More screens and more features mean more to design, build and test.
Integrations
Each system your app talks to adds work. Payments, CRMs and booking tools all count.
The team you hire
An offshore team might quote $20,000. An Australian team of senior engineers might quote $80,000 for the same spec. The gap is who answers when things break after launch.
How clear the scope is
A vague brief gets a padded quote. A clear plan gets a fixed one. Agencies often charge $5,000 to $15,000 for two to four weeks of discovery.
AI app development cost: what AI adds
AI doesn't have to blow the budget. Most apps use a ready-made AI model through an API, so nobody trains a model from scratch.
A basic AI feature: $10,000 to $30,000 extra
Chat, document reading or smart sorting, added on top of a standard web app.
AI at the centre: $80,000 and up
When AI is the product, you need data pipelines, testing and more build time.
Running costs, each month
AI usage and hosting are billed monthly, and grow with your users. Ask for an estimate before you build.
AI development cost: where AI saves you money
Faster builds
Used well, AI tools cut build time. Less build time can mean a lower price.
A smaller first version
Ship one core workflow first. Let real users tell you what to pay for next.
Build it yourself, with help
With coaching, you can build your own app using AI tools, and skip paying for a full build.
Three fixed prices to start with
We took the guesswork out of the start. Three packages, three fixed prices. Anything bigger gets a fixed quote.
Software Plan Workshop: $5,000
A written plan, a clickable prototype and a first-version scope ready to quote. The $5,000 comes off the price of a build.
30-Day Prototype Launch: $18,400
A working first version, done for you. One platform, one core workflow, up to 2 user roles, 1 integration, 2 revision rounds and 30 days of fixes.
Vibe Coding Coaching: from $1,950 a month
You build it, with James beside you. $1,950, $2,750 or $5,000 a month for 1, 2 or 4 sessions.
Custom build: fixed quote
Platforms, mobile apps and builds past the prototype scope. Scoped first, then quoted fixed before work starts.
★ Go deeper
Where to go from here
AI software development
The hub. Everything we build with AI, in one place.
AI software development →30-Day Prototype Launch
A working first version in 30 days for $18,400.
30-Day Prototype Launch →AI app development
A web or mobile app with AI doing the main job.
AI app development →MVP development cost
The deeper read on what a first version costs, and how to keep it down.
Read the MVP cost guide →Questions, answered
How much does app development cost?
In Australia, a simple web app costs about $15,000 to $35,000. A mid-size web or mobile app costs $35,000 to $80,000. An AI-assisted platform costs $80,000 to $150,000 or more. Your price depends on scope.
How much does AI app development cost?
A basic AI feature adds about $10,000 to $30,000 to a standard web app. A platform with AI at the centre runs $80,000 to $150,000 or more. A full AI product starts around $150,000.
Why are app quotes so different?
Mostly the team and the scope. An offshore team might quote $20,000 where an Australian team quotes $80,000 for the same spec. A vague brief also gets a padded quote, because the team is pricing the unknowns.
What's the cheapest way to start?
Plan first. The Software Plan Workshop is $5,000, and that comes off the price of a build. If you'd like to build it yourself, Vibe Coding Coaching starts at $1,950 a month.
What is the difference between a prototype and an MVP?
A clickable prototype tests an idea, with no real system behind it. It often costs $5,000 to $15,000. An MVP is a working product real users can use. It costs more because it needs real logins, data and security.
Can I get a fixed price?
Yes. The Software Plan Workshop is $5,000 and the 30-Day Prototype Launch is $18,400. Bigger builds get a fixed quote once the scope is clear, before any build work starts.
What does an app cost after launch?
You pay for hosting, AI usage if your app has AI, and updates. These grow with your users. Ask any team for a monthly estimate before you build. We give you one up front.
Your next step
The Software Plan Workshop
Stop guessing what your app costs. Get a plan and a scope a team can quote, ours or anyone's.
- A written software plan
- A clickable prototype you can show people
- The first-version scope, ready to quote
- The $5,000 comes off the price of a build
- Workshop
- $5,000
- If you build with us
- Credited to your build
- Build
- Fixed quote
You know the build price before any build work starts.