How much does a mobile app cost in Croatia?
How much a mobile app costs in Croatia: native, cross-platform or web app, what drives the hours, a worked example at €40-60/h, and the store fees after launch.
The cost of a mobile app depends on how many hours its scope takes: how many screens, whether it needs its own backend, what kind of login, payments and integrations. That is why there is no honest price list “for an app” - there is an estimate of hours for your scope and an hourly rate. Our rate is €40-60 excl. VAT, the first call is free, and the fixed price is agreed in writing before work starts.
If you are planning an app for your business, our app development page explains how we work, and you get a fixed written quote within 5 working days.
What mobile apps do for a business
A mobile app is a program installed on a phone from the App Store (iOS) or Google Play (Android). Businesses build one when customers come back often (orders, bookings, loyalty cards), when field staff need a tool away from the desk (work orders, photos, signatures), or when they need the camera, location and push notifications.
There are three ways to build one:
- Native app (Swift for iOS, Kotlin for Android): two separate codebases, the most control and the most hours.
- Cross-platform app (React Native, Flutter): one codebase for both platforms, today the usual choice for business apps.
- Web app or PWA: runs in the browser, no app stores, and often enough.
Which one fits you is covered in web app or mobile app for a small business.
What drives development cost
- Screens and states. Five screens versus twenty-five changes design, logic and testing.
- Login and accounts. Email, Google, Apple, two-factor - each method adds hours.
- Backend. An app that keeps data on the device is far smaller than one with its own API, database and admin panel.
- Payments. In-app purchases follow Apple’s and Google’s rules; payments for physical goods go through a payment provider.
- Real-time features. Chat, live location and collaboration need their own architecture.
- Outside systems. Maps, CRM or ERP - each adds hours and sometimes a monthly subscription. See how API integrations work.
Worked example: from hours to cost
An illustration for a small business app (iOS and Android, cross-platform): email login, six screens, a simple backend with an admin panel, push notifications and release in both stores.
| Item | Estimated hours |
|---|---|
| Login and user accounts | 24 |
| Six screens (design and build) | 40 |
| Backend, API and admin panel | 40 |
| Push notifications | 12 |
| Testing and store release | 24 |
| Total | 140 |
At €40-60 per hour excl. VAT that is €5,600-8,400 excl. VAT. This is not a price list or a quote, just arithmetic: every extra feature adds its own hours, and your real scope gets a fixed written offer. To test the idea on a smaller scope first, see how to build an MVP.
Costs after launch (2026)
- Apple Developer Program: $99 per year (checked 2026-10-30). Without the membership the app disappears from the App Store.
- Google Play Console: $25 one-off (checked 2026-10-30). Register as an organization: new personal accounts must run a closed test with at least 12 testers for 14 days before publishing.
- Store review: Apple reviews every version; by its own figures 50% of submissions in under 24 hours and 90% in under 48 hours.
- Mandatory updates: Google raises the Android version apps must target every year. Since 31 August 2026, new apps and updates must target Android 16 (API 36). An app nobody maintains soon can’t be updated.
- Backend hosting and error-tracking tools depend on your user numbers. We cover them in hosting and running costs after a custom application build.
That is what our software maintenance and development partnership covers: we track new iOS and Android versions, update libraries and ship new releases, and you get a standing development team without hiring.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you build only Android or only iOS? Yes. One platform means less testing and one release, so fewer hours. With cross-platform development, though, the second platform does not double the work, so most businesses are better off launching both at once.
Who owns the App Store and Google Play accounts? You do. We help set them up, but the accounts and the code are in your company’s name, so you can switch development partners whenever you want.
Do I need a mobile app at all? Not always. If users don’t need the camera, offline use or push notifications, a web app takes fewer hours and skips store review. We assess that honestly in the first call.
How do I get a fixed price? After a free call we describe the scope, estimate the hours and send a written offer with a fixed price before any work starts.
Related Articles
- How much does custom software cost in Croatia?
- Web app or mobile app for a small business?
- What is an MVP and how to build one in 12 weeks
Ready for a real estimate?
Book a free call. Thirty minutes, no commitments. We review your idea, recommend a native, cross-platform or web approach, and send a written offer with a fixed price.
Reach out at [email protected] or via the form on our homepage.