How Much Does It Cost to Develop an eCommerce App?

Here’s the deal—mobile commerce isn’t the future anymore, it’s the present. With most online sales already happening on phones, not having an eCommerce app is like closing your store on weekends. The question we get all the time is: “So, how much will this thing actually cost me?” Truth is, the eCommerce app development cost depends on scope, tech stack, and the kind of experience you want to deliver. This guide lays out the numbers without the fluff.

What Is an eCommerce App?

At its core, an eCommerce app is just your storefront in someone’s pocket. Users can scroll products, add to cart, pay securely, and track orders—all without touching a browser. Sounds simple, but the devil’s in the details.

There are different types:

• B2C apps (Zara, Lazada) for direct retail.
• Marketplaces (Amazon, Shopee) hosting multiple vendors.
• D2C brand apps (Nike) are cutting out the middleman.
• B2B portals for bulk buyers.

And the must-haves? Catalog, cart, checkout, payment gateway, and tracking. But here’s the kicker—what separates a “meh” app from a killer one isn’t the feature list, it’s performance and UX. Fast load times, smooth navigation, and personalization (recommendations, loyalty perks) are what keep users from deleting your app after week one.

eCommerce App Development Trends in 2025

Working with clients across APAC, we’re seeing the same few trends over and over—trends you can’t ignore if you’re budgeting for an app.

• Mobile rules

By 2025, mobile commerce will hit 59% of all retail eCommerce sales. If you’re not mobile-first, you’re already behind.

• Apps convert better

Conversion rates for eCommerce apps average 3.5% vs 2% on mobile web (WiserNotify). UI/UX is where money’s made.

• Global eCommerce is booming:

Global eCommerce sales are expected to surpass USD 6.8 trillion in 2025. That’s just demand. The competition to capture users’ attention is brutal.

• Personalization is expected

AI-driven recommendations and tailored experiences aren’t “nice extras” anymore—they’re standard.

• Headless & composable architectures are the new baseline

Brands want flexibility across touchpoints—web, app, kiosk, voice. Decoupling frontend from backend is no longer a “nice to have”; it’s becoming a necessity.

• Personalization, AI & real-time experiences

Shoppers expect product recommendations, dynamic pricing, and search autocomplete—which means integrating machine learning, recommendation engines, and behavior analytics.
We’ve seen clients reduce cart abandonment by 10–20% after layering personalized recommendations.

• Cross-border & multi-currency expansion

52% of online shoppers now browse internationally. To scale, your eCommerce app must handle localization, currency conversion, tax rules, and logistics.

• Speed, latency, and edge strategies matter

If your app feels sluggish, users bounce. Progressive Web Apps (PWA) or using CDNs/edge computing to serve content fast is a trend we’re pushing heavily in new builds.

From our experience: apps that nail speed + personalization win loyalty, while those that ignore them get uninstalled fast.

Key Factors That Influence eCommerce App Development Cost

We’ve built and reviewed enough eCommerce apps at AMELA to know this: there’s no flat sticker price. The cost depends on a few big levers:

• Platform choice: iOS, Android, web, or cross-platform. Native builds often cost more upfront but give better performance. Cross-platform (Flutter, React Native) trims budget, but sometimes at the expense of polish.
• Feature set: A simple catalog + checkout app? Cheap(er). Add loyalty programs, subscriptions, or multi-vendor marketplace features? Costs climb fast.
• UI/UX design: Good design isn’t just “pretty screens.” Smooth flows, micro-animations, and intuitive navigation boost conversions—but they add hours (and budget).
• Integrations: Payment gateways, shipping APIs, ERP, CRM, marketing tools. Each one adds dev time and licensing fees.
• Team model: In-house devs in the US/EU might burn $100K+ per month. Offshore or ODC setups (like ours at AMELA) can cut that down 30–50% without losing quality.

👉 In short: cost isn’t about the “app” alone. It’s about how big you dream, how fast you want to go, and how flexible your team setup is.

eCommerce App Development Cost Breakdown

Here’s the straight talk: building an eCommerce app isn’t a one-line invoice; it’s a mix of scope, complexity, and the grind of each phase. At AMELA, when clients ask “so, how much?”, we break it down in 4 ways—by complexity, by phase, by feature and by platform —so there are no illusions.

eCommerce App Cost by App Complexity

The eCommerce app development cost will depend on the level of your app complexity:

• Basic App ($10K – $50K)
  Think of this as an MVP: product catalog, cart, checkout, basic payments. Usually single-platform (Android oriOS), minimal design, limited integrations. Good for validating an idea, not scaling to millions.
• Mid-Range App ($50K – $150K)
  This is where most serious businesses land. Clean UI/UX, push notifications, multiple payment options, shipping integrations, maybe a loyalty feature or basic analytics. Both iOS + Android, plus an admin panel to manage products and orders.
• Complex App ($150K – $500K+)
  Marketplace-level features: multi-vendor, AI-driven search, recommendations, multi-currency, subscription billing, advanced dashboards, heavy ERP/CRM hooks. Expect enterprise security and compliance. These projects need deep pockets and 6–12 months of build time.

eCommerce Application Cost by Development Phase

Breaking a project into phases shows where the dollars really go:

• Discovery & Planning (5–10%)
  Business analysis, competitor review, feature roadmap, and technical architecture. Clients sometimes want to skip this, but every missed detail here snowballs into rework later.
• UI/UX Design (10–15%)
  Wireframes, prototypes, high-fidelity screens, design systems. Honestly, this phase can make or break adoption. Great design converts; clunky design gets uninstalled.
• Development (50–60%)
  The heavy lifting. Backend APIs, databases, mobile apps, payment integration, and shipping logic. For a mid-range app, this is easily $40K–$80K of the total.
• Testing & QA (10–15%)
  Functional, device testing, security audits, performance tests. Cut corners here and you’ll pay for bugs in production—where they’re 10x more expensive to fix.
• Deployment & Launch (5–10%)
  App Store / Google Play submissions, server setup, CI/CD pipelines, and monitoring tools. It’s the “polish” phase, but don’t underestimate it.
• Maintenance & Support (10–20% yearly)
  Every serious client asks, “What about after launch?” Budget for updates, bug fixes, security patches, cloud hosting, and third-party SaaS fees. A $100K build usually means $10K–$20K per year to keep it healthy.

eCommerce App Development Cost Breakdown by Platform

Platform	Scope	Timeline	Estimated Cost
iOS App	Native Swift build, App Store deployment, Apple Pay integration, push notifications	2–4 months	$20,000 – $80,000
Android App	Native Kotlin build, Google Play deployment, Google Pay integration, device compatibility testing	2–4 months	$20,000 – $70,000
Web App (PWA)	Responsive design, product catalog, checkout, payment gateway, admin dashboard	3–5 months	$25,000 – $100,000
Cross-Platform (iOS + Android)	Flutter/React Native build, shared codebase, single backend integration	4–6 months	$40,000 – $120,000
Full Stack (iOS + Android + Web)	Unified backend, native or cross-platform mobile + web app, full integrations	6–12 months	$80,000 – $250,000+

Cross-platform builds are the sweet spot for most SMEs—they cut cost and time while covering both iOS and Android. eCommerce web apps (PWA) add reach, but if budget is tight, mobile-first usually wins.

eCommence Mobile App Cost by Features & Scope

Feature / Scope	Details	Estimated Cost Range
UI/UX Design	Wireframes, prototypes, high-fidelity screens, design system	$5,000 – $25,000
User Accounts & Auth	Email/OTP/Social login, profile management	$3,000 – $10,000
Product Catalog	Product listing, categories, filters, search	$5,000 – $20,000
Shopping Cart	Add/remove items, coupons, wishlist	$3,000 – $15,000
Checkout & Payments	Payment gateway integration (Stripe, PayPal, Adyen, Apple/Google Pay)	$7,000 – $25,000
Shipping & Logistics	Address management, shipping APIs, tracking	$5,000 – $20,000
Admin Dashboard	Product management, orders, user management, reporting	$10,000 – $30,000
Notifications	Push notifications, email/SMS integration	$2,000 – $8,000
Analytics & Reporting	User behavior, sales analytics, dashboards	$5,000 – $15,000
Advanced Features	Loyalty programs, referrals, subscriptions, multi-currency, AI recs	$20,000 – $80,000+

The biggest cost drivers are UI/UX design (because design sells) and advanced features like multi-vendor or AI recommendations. If you’re on a budget, launch with catalog + checkout + payments, then add the “wow” features once you have traction.

Cost Breakdown by eCommerce App Type

Hidden and Ongoing Cost of eCommerce Apps

Here’s where most first-time founders (and honestly, even some seasoned managers) get blindsided. The eCommerce app development cost for launching is just the beginning. Running an eCommerce app has recurring bills that you can’t dodge.

• Maintenance & Updates 

Expect 10–20% of your initial build cost per year. That covers bug fixes, OS updates, and small feature tweaks. Skip it, and your app starts feeling dated fast.

• Cloud Hosting & Infrastructure

AWS, Azure, or GCP bills depend on traffic, but a mid-tier app can rack up $500–$2,000/month just in servers, storage, and CDN.

• Third-Party Services

Payment gateways, SMS/Email APIs, analytics tools, fraud detection. Individually cheap, but stack them up and you’re looking at $1–5K/month.

• App Store & Play Store Fees

Apple takes $99/year for developer accounts; Google charges a one-time $25. Transaction fees (15–30%) are the real sting for in-app purchases.

• Compliance & Security

PCI-DSS for payments, GDPR/PDPA for data privacy. Annual audits or third-party checks can cost $5K–$20K, depending on scope.

• Marketing & User Acquisition

Not technically “dev,” but don’t forget ads, ASO, SEO, influencer campaigns. In competitive markets, your marketing budget can match or exceed dev spend.

At AMELA, we always flag this early: budgeting only for build is like buying a car and forgetting fuel, insurance, and service. The smartest clients set aside a yearly operating budget right from day one.

Tips to Build an eCommerce App on a Budget

Not every business has half a million lying around for app development, and that’s okay. The goal is to spend smart, not cheap. Here are a few strategies we share with clients who want quality without burning cash:

• Start with MVP features 

Launch with the essentials: product catalog, cart, checkout, payments, and tracking. You can add loyalty programs, AI recommendations, or advanced dashboards once you have traction.

• Go cross-platform 

Frameworks like Flutter or React Native let you ship iOS + Android with a single codebase. Performance is solid for 90% of use cases, and the cost savings are real.

• Leverage SaaS & APIs 

Don’t reinvent payments, notifications, or analytics. Stripe, Firebase, and SendGrid exist for a reason—integrate and move fast.

• Prioritize UX over “flash” 

A clean, intuitive flow beats flashy animations that take weeks to code. Users care more about speed and simplicity.

• Consider offshore or ODC models → 

Hiring developers instead of outsourcing the full project is another option.Talent in regions like Vietnam or Eastern Europe can deliver enterprise-grade work at 30–50% lower cost than US/EU rates. With the right partner, it’s not just cheaper—it’s smarter. 

In practice, a small team in the US/EU can cost $40K–$60K/month, while the same team offshore runs $15K–$25K/month. Offshore or ODC models (like AMELA’s) balance cost savings with managed delivery.

• Iterate with feedback 

Launch small, gather user data, then invest in the features customers actually use. It’s the difference between wasting $50K and scaling effectively.

Budget doesn’t mean cutting corners – it means prioritizing what moves the needle first. We’ve seen brands grow from a lean MVP into market leaders by being strategic with every dollar.

FAQs: eCommerce App Development Costs

What factors impact the eCommerce app cost the most?

Platform choice (iOS/Android/web), feature set, integrations, UI/UX design depth, compliance requirements, and team location.

Does app developer location really matter?

Yes—hourly rates range from $20–$50 in Southeast Asia to $80–$150 in North America. Offshore and ODC models can save 30–50% without hurting quality.

Is it cheaper to use Shopify or Wix instead of custom development?

Yes, off-the-shelf platforms are faster and cheaper but limited in scalability, performance, and customization. Custom apps are worth it for brands aiming to scale or stand out.

How can I reduce app development costs without sacrificing quality?

Here are some tips on reducing your eCommerce app costs:

• Start with core features (MVP).
• Use cross-platform frameworks (Flutter/React Native).
• Leverage SaaS integrations instead of custom builds.
• Consider offshore/ODC models for dev teams.

Conclusion

The toughest part of eCommerce app development is figuring out how much it’s really going to cost you. A basic ecommerce app development cost might sit in the $10K–$50K range, while a feature-rich marketplace can push past $500K. And that doesn’t even count hidden costs like hosting, third-party fees, and yearly maintenance.

The good news? You don’t have to overspend to get results. With the right scope, smart use of cross-platform frameworks, and a partner who knows where to cut costs (and where not to), you can launch an app that works—and scales—without burning through your budget.

At AMELA, we’ve helped brands build eCommerce apps that balance cost and quality. If you’re staring at spreadsheets and unsure how to budget, let’s break it down together and find the smartest way forward.

Editor: AMELA Technology