Android
Android app development cost
What an Android app costs to build in the US in 2026. Native Kotlin estimates including the device and OS test matrix, itemised in engineering hours and USD.
KotlinJetpack Compose
Standard android app
$240,000 – $330,000
Six features, 24 screens, custom backend and an admin dashboard, on Android alone.
- Timeline
- 4.6 – 6.2 months
- Engineering hours
- 1,825 – 2,300
- Device configurations
- 24
- OS versions supported
- 5
What a android app costs at each level
The same six-feature app on Android, built to four different standards. Every other answer is held constant so the only thing changing is depth.
| Level | Cost range | Timeline | Hours | Team |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MVP Prove it works | $160K – $230K | 3.7 – 5.1 months | 1,400 | 7 |
| Standard Production ready | $240K – $330K | 4.6 – 6.2 months | 2,025 | 7 |
| Advanced Built to grow | $310K – $430K | 5.1 – 6.9 months | 2,625 | 7 |
| Enterprise Audited and integrated | $410K – $575K | 6 – 8.1 months | 3,475 | 7 |
Fragmentation and release overhead
Two dozen device classes across five Android versions, plus vendor skins.
Device & OS test matrix
64 hrs
24 configurations across 5 OS versions. This is QA, and it is unavoidable.
Project setup
36 hrs
Build configuration, signing, platform conventions — before the app does anything.
Google Play release
13 hrs
Submission, metadata, phased rollout. Review takes 1–7 days, plus $25 for the developer account.
Android is the right call
- Far larger global install base, and cheaper user acquisition
- Fewer platform restrictions on what the app is allowed to do
- Side-loading and managed distribution for internal business apps
Reconsider when
- Your revenue model depends on high in-app spend per user
- The budget cannot absorb the device test matrix honestly
Adding Android to an existing build costs much less. As an additional surface it multiplies client hours by 0.70 rather than 1.00, because the backend, data model, API contracts and design system are already paid for. See how platform mixing works.