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Pricing

We believe in pricing transparency. This page explains how our pricing works, what factors affect cost, and how to choose the right plan for your business. You’ll find real numbers, clear deliverables, and a breakdown of exactly what you’re paying for. No vague promises. No hidden fees.

Turn your idea to life
15eb-pearls-team-1

The agency world has a pricing problem. Vague quotes. Scope creep. Surprise invoices. We built this page because the founders and product leaders we work with deserve to understand their investment — before the first call. Every number on this page reflects real project history.

How EB Pearls prices mobile app projects

Our pricing is based on the scope and complexity of what needs to be built — mapped against our Built to Last™ framework across five disciplines.

Unlike project shops that quote before they understand, we scope before we price. Every engagement begins with a paid Discovery phase — 3–6 weeks of design, architecture planning, and prototyping — so both sides know exactly what's being built before a larger commitment is made.

Once scoped, you choose an engagement model: Fixed Cost for well-defined projects with a clear scope, or a Delivery Squad retainer for ongoing product development, scaling, or enterprises that need a long-term engineering partner.

Our ISO 9001 and ISO 27001 certifications mean every project follows a structured delivery process — from architecture review through to post-launch monitoring.

icon-UX-Design-4

Right Design

UX complexity, user roles, prototype fidelity, and design system requirements
icons8-service-50

Right System & Architecture

Backend complexity, third-party integrations, APIs, real-time features, data models
icons-bank-building

Right Engineering

iOS, Android, or both; native vs cross-platform; feature depth and security
icons8-rocket

Right Platform

Cloud infrastructure, DevOps pipeline, scalability, and ongoing support model
icons8-cyber-security-1-1

Right Security

ISO 27001 aligned delivery, compliance frameworks, audit trails, penetration testing

What makes the price go up?

Transparency means explaining not just what things cost — but why. These are the six factors that most significantly increase project investment.

01

Platform scope

Building for both iOS and Android simultaneousBuilding for both iOS and Android simultaneously adds 40–60% to development time. Cross-platform (React Native / Flutter) reduces this but introduces trade-offs in performance and native functionality.ly adds 40–60% to development time. Cross-platform (React Native / Flutter) reduces this but introduces trade-offs in performance and native functionality.
02

Backend complexity

Real-time features, complex data models, third-party API integrations, and payment systems each add weeks of engineering scope. A simple CRUD app and a real-time marketplace aren't comparable.
03

Number of user roles

Each distinct user type — admin, customer, vendor, driver — requires separate flows, permissions, and often separate interfaces. Three roles can double the scope of a single-role product.
04

Security & compliance

Healthcare (HIPAA), finance (PCI-DSS), and government projects require additional architecture, encryption, audit trails, and testing cycles that can add $30K–$80K to the base build.
05

AI & advanced features

Machine learning models, recommendation engines, computer vision, or LLM integrations add both build time and infrastructure cost. See our AI pricing breakdown below.
06

Post-launch support model

Ongoing maintenance retainers, dedicated squads, SLA commitments, and feature roadmap execution all sit outside the initial build. Budget 15–25% of your build cost annually for maintenance.

Why we start with Discovery

Good pricing requires understanding the problem first. Our Discovery phase is a paid, deliverable-based engagement that produces everything you need to build with confidence — and is credited toward your full build.
Right Design Phase

Engineer your idea before you build it

Before a single line of code is written, we invest 3–6 weeks understanding your users, mapping your product flows, and designing the complete solution. This isn't just wireframes — it's a complete investor-ready, development-ready product blueprint.

Discovery protects you from the most expensive mistake in app development: building the wrong thing at full cost.

  • Customer journey mapping
  • Customer journey mapping
  • Customer journey mapping
  • Customer journey mapping
AUD $15,000fixed

3–6 weeks · Deliverable-based · Credited to full build

What you'll walk away with

icons8-user-groups-1-1 Validated concept icons8-user-groups-1-1 Validated icons8-user-groups-1-1 Validated concept icons8-user-groups-1-1 concept icons8-user-groups-1-1 Validated concept

Not sure where to start? Discovery is the right first step for most founders and product leaders.

Start Discovery

Mobile app development pricing tiers

These ranges are based on 900+ real projects delivered since 2005. Your exact investment will be scoped in Discovery.

Growth / Scale

Full product. Multi-platform. Complex backend. Built to scale.

$120K – $300K

AUD · Fixed cost or Delivery Squad

5–9 months
Typically includes
  • iOS + Android (cross-platform)
  • Multiple user roles + admin portal
  • Complex backend & integrations
  • Payment processing (Stripe / Braintree)
  • Real-time features (notifications, chat)
  • Scalable cloud architecture (AWS/GCP)
  • Analytics integration
  • 90-day post-launch support
Available add-ons
  • iOS + Android (cross-platform)
  • Multiple user roles + admin portal
  • Complex backend & integrations
  • Payment processing (Stripe / Braintree)
  • Real-time features (notifications, chat)
  • Scalable cloud architecture (AWS/GCP)
  • Analytics integration
  • 90-day post-launch support
SK

"0 to 40,000 users in 14 months. The architecture held up without a single major incident."

Discuss

Growth / Scale

Full product. Multi-platform. Complex backend. Built to scale.

$120K – $300K

AUD · Fixed cost or Delivery Squad

5–9 months
Typically includes
  • iOS + Android (cross-platform)
  • Multiple user roles + admin portal
  • Complex backend & integrations
  • Payment processing (Stripe / Braintree)
  • Real-time features (notifications, chat)
  • Scalable cloud architecture (AWS/GCP)
  • Analytics integration
  • 90-day post-launch support
Available add-ons
  • iOS + Android (cross-platform)
  • Multiple user roles + admin portal
  • Complex backend & integrations
  • Payment processing (Stripe / Braintree)
  • Real-time features (notifications, chat)
  • Scalable cloud architecture (AWS/GCP)
  • Analytics integration
  • 90-day post-launch support
SK

"0 to 40,000 users in 14 months. The architecture held up without a single major incident."

Discuss

Growth / Scale

Full product. Multi-platform. Complex backend. Built to scale.

$120K – $300K

AUD · Fixed cost or Delivery Squad

5–9 months
Typically includes
  • iOS + Android (cross-platform)
  • Multiple user roles + admin portal
  • Complex backend & integrations
  • Payment processing (Stripe / Braintree)
  • Real-time features (notifications, chat)
  • Scalable cloud architecture (AWS/GCP)
  • Analytics integration
  • 90-day post-launch support
Available add-ons
  • iOS + Android (cross-platform)
  • Multiple user roles + admin portal
  • Complex backend & integrations
  • Payment processing (Stripe / Braintree)
  • Real-time features (notifications, chat)
  • Scalable cloud architecture (AWS/GCP)
  • Analytics integration
  • 90-day post-launch support
SK

"0 to 40,000 users in 14 months. The architecture held up without a single major incident."

Discuss

What moves you into the next investment band?

The most common drivers: moving from single to dual platform (+40–60%), adding marketplace or payment logic, requiring real-time backend functionality, needing compliance frameworks (healthcare, finance, government), or scope growth discovered during Discovery. Our scoping process surfaces these early — not mid-build.

Not sure which range applies? Share your idea with us — we'll give you an honest estimate within 48 hours. No commitment required.

Get a Range Estimate

How much does it cost to build a mobile app in Australia?

These are representative examples based on real projects. Exact scope, timelines, and investments varied — but these give you an honest benchmark.

Two-Sided Service Marketplace

Consumer-facing iOS + Android app with vendor portal and admin dashboard

Key features built
  • iOS + Android (native)
  • ERP system integration (SAP)
  • iOS + Android (native)
  • ERP system integration (SAP)
Total Investment
AUD $240,000
7 months
Test
icons8-lightning-bolt Discovery + Build · Fixed Cost

Two-Sided Service Marketplace

Consumer-facing iOS + Android app with vendor portal and admin dashboard

Key features built
  • iOS + Android (native)
  • ERP system integration (SAP)
  • iOS + Android (native)
  • ERP system integration (SAP)
Test
Have a project similar to one of these? We can give you a ballpark estimate based on what we've built before — within 48 hours.
Get a Ballpark Estimate

How AI features impact your mobile app cost

AI features are increasingly expected in modern mobile products — but they vary enormously in complexity and cost. Here's what AI capabilities typically add to a base build investment.
AI Chatbot/In-App Asistant
Recommendation Engine
Computer Vision
LLM Workflow Automation
Automated document processing, data extraction, summarisation
Predictive Analytics
Churn prediction, demand forecasting, risk scoring
Voice / NLP Interface
Voice commands, speech-to-text, natural language search
Typical Cost Impact
$15k - $40k
$25k - $60k
$40k - $120k
$20K – $70K
$30K – $80K
$20K – $55K
Complexity
Medium
High
Very High
High
High
High
What's Involved
API integration (OpenAI / Claude), prompt engineering, conversation history management, UI components, rate limiting & cost controls
ML model selection/training, data pipeline design, feature engineering, A/B testing framework, real-time inference infrastructure
Model training or fine-tuning, on-device vs cloud inference decision, image preprocessing pipeline, accuracy thresholds & edge case handling
Prompt chain design, structured output validation, human-in-the-loop fallback, cost management, hallucination mitigation
Historical data architecture, model training pipeline, real-time scoring API, model monitoring & drift detection
ASR integration, intent classification, UI/UX for voice interactions, background noise handling, accessibility compliance

AI Chatbot/In-App Asistant

Recommendation Engine

Computer Vision

LLM Workflow Automation

Automated document processing, data extraction, summarisation

Predictive Analytics

Churn prediction, demand forecasting, risk scoring

Voice / NLP Interface

Voice commands, speech-to-text, natural language search

Monthly Fee
Starting Month 2
$15k - $40k
Per Month
Complexity
Medium
What's Involved
API integration (OpenAI / Claude), prompt engineering, conversation history management, UI components, rate limiting & cost controls
Monthly Fee
Starting Month 2
$25k - $60k
Per Month
Complexity
High
What's Involved
ML model selection/training, data pipeline design, feature engineering, A/B testing framework, real-time inference infrastructure
Monthly Fee
Starting Month 2
$40k - $120k
Per Month
Complexity
Very High
What's Involved
Model training or fine-tuning, on-device vs cloud inference decision, image preprocessing pipeline, accuracy thresholds & edge case handling
Monthly Fee
Starting Month 2
$20K – $70K
Per Month
Complexity
High
What's Involved
Prompt chain design, structured output validation, human-in-the-loop fallback, cost management, hallucination mitigation
Monthly Fee
Starting Month 2
$30K – $80K
Per Month
Complexity
High
What's Involved
Historical data architecture, model training pipeline, real-time scoring API, model monitoring & drift detection
Monthly Fee
Starting Month 2
$20K – $55K
Per Month
Complexity
High
What's Involved
ASR integration, intent classification, UI/UX for voice interactions, background noise handling, accessibility compliance
Important: AI feature costs above are additions to the base build investment. They also carry ongoing infrastructure costs — API usage fees, model hosting, and monitoring can add $500–$5,000/month depending on scale. We factor these into our architecture recommendations during Discovery so there are no surprises post-launch.
Building an AI-powered product? We specialise in production-grade AI integration — not just API wrappers.
Discuss AI Features

EB Pearls vs. your other options

Understanding what you're choosing between makes the decision easier. Here's an honest comparison across the options available to Australian founders and product teams.
Freelancer / Small team
Offshore agency
No-code / Low-code platform
Local boutique
EB Pearls
Typical Cost (AUD)
$20k - $60k
$30k - $100k
$5k - $30k
$80K - $200K
$50K – $500K+
Timeline
3-8 months
4-10 months
4-12 weeks
5-10 months
3-18 months
Risk Level
High
Medium-High
Medium
Medium
Low
Achitecture Quality
Inconsistent
Often Poor
Platform coinstrained
Generally good
ISO 27001 aligned
Post-launch Support
Limited
Minimal
DIY
Some
SLA-backed
Scales to Enterprise
Rarely
Often not
Hits ceiling fast
Sometimes
Built for it

Freelancer / Small team

RECOMMENDED

Offshore agency

No-code / Low-code platform

Local boutique

RECOMMENDED

EB Pearls

Monthly Fee
Starting Month 2
$20k - $60k
Per Month
Timeline
3-8 months
Risk Level
High
Achitecture Quality
Inconsistent
Post-launch Support
Limited
Scales to Enterprise
Rarely
Monthly Fee
Starting Month 2
$30k - $100k
Per Month
Timeline
4-10 months
Risk Level
Medium-High
Achitecture Quality
Often Poor
Post-launch Support
Minimal
Scales to Enterprise
Often not
Monthly Fee
Starting Month 2
$5k - $30k
Per Month
Timeline
4-12 weeks
Risk Level
Medium
Achitecture Quality
Platform coinstrained
Post-launch Support
DIY
Scales to Enterprise
Hits ceiling fast
Monthly Fee
Starting Month 2
$80K - $200K
Per Month
Timeline
5-10 months
Risk Level
Medium
Achitecture Quality
Generally good
Post-launch Support
Some
Scales to Enterprise
Sometimes
Monthly Fee
Starting Month 2
$50K – $500K+
Per Month
Timeline
3-18 months
Risk Level
Low
Achitecture Quality
ISO 27001 aligned
Post-launch Support
SLA-backed
Scales to Enterprise
Built for it

Why cheap builds cost more in the long run

We regularly speak with founders who've spent $30,000–$50,000 with an offshore agency and received a product they can't scale, maintain, or show investors. The rebuild costs more than doing it right the first time. Here's what a low-cost quote is typically hiding:

  • No architecture documentation

  • Hardcoded logic that can't scale

  • No test coverage — QA was skipped

  • Vendor lock-in with proprietary tools

  • Scope assumptions never discussed

  • No DevOps or deployment pipeline

  • Copy-paste UI with no design system

  • No post-launch support commitment

Which stage are you at?

Your current stage determines the right engagement model — not just the investment band.

icons8-rocket

Idea-Stage Founder

You have a concept and some user research but nothing built yet. You need validation, a prototype investors can evaluate, and a clear path to launch.

Typical path: Discovery → MVP Build

Start with $15K Discovery
icons8-stairs-up-50-1

Scale-Up Product Leader

You have an existing product with real users but it's hitting technical limits. You need to re-architect, add capabilities, or expand to new platforms.

Typical path: Technical audit → Growth Build

icons-bank-building

Enterprise / Government

You're running a large organisation needing a custom-built product, security compliance, ISO-aligned delivery, and a long-term engineering partner.

Typical path: Discovery → Dedicated Squad

Enterprise / Evolve

Not sure which fits? A 20-minute call is enough to tell you honestly which stage you're at and what the right first step looks like.

Book a Scoping Call

Optional services, scoped separately

These aren't bundled by default — they're added based on what your project actually needs.

icons8-rocket

Branding & Design System

You have a concept and some user research but nothing built yet. You need validation, a prototype investors can evaluate, and a clear path to launch.

Typical path: Discovery → MVP Build

Start with $15K Discovery
icons8-stairs-up-50-1

Scale-Up Product Leader

You have an existing product with real users but it's hitting technical limits. You need to re-architect, add capabilities, or expand to new platforms.

Typical path: Technical audit → Growth Build

icons-bank-building

Enterprise / Government

You're running a large organisation needing a custom-built product, security compliance, ISO-aligned delivery, and a long-term engineering partner.

Typical path: Discovery → Dedicated Squad

Enterprise / Evolve
icons8-stairs-up-50-1

Scale-Up Product Leader

You have an existing product with real users but it's hitting technical limits. You need to re-architect, add capabilities, or expand to new platforms.

Typical path: Technical audit → Growth Build

icons-bank-building

Enterprise / Government

You're running a large organisation needing a custom-built product, security compliance, ISO-aligned delivery, and a long-term engineering partner.

Typical path: Discovery → Dedicated Squad

Enterprise / Evolve
icons8-stairs-up-50-1

Scale-Up Product Leader

You have an existing product with real users but it's hitting technical limits. You need to re-architect, add capabilities, or expand to new platforms.

Typical path: Technical audit → Growth Build

Optional services, scoped separately

These aren't bundled by default — they're added based on what your project actually needs.

icons8-rocket

Branding & Design System

You have a concept and some user research but nothing built yet. You need validation, a prototype investors can evaluate, and a clear path to launch.

Typical path: Discovery → MVP Build

Start with $15K Discovery
icons8-stairs-up-50-1

Scale-Up Product Leader

You have an existing product with real users but it's hitting technical limits. You need to re-architect, add capabilities, or expand to new platforms.

Typical path: Technical audit → Growth Build

icons-bank-building

Enterprise / Government

You're running a large organisation needing a custom-built product, security compliance, ISO-aligned delivery, and a long-term engineering partner.

Typical path: Discovery → Dedicated Squad

Enterprise / Evolve
icons8-stairs-up-50-1

Scale-Up Product Leader

You have an existing product with real users but it's hitting technical limits. You need to re-architect, add capabilities, or expand to new platforms.

Typical path: Technical audit → Growth Build

icons-bank-building

Enterprise / Government

You're running a large organisation needing a custom-built product, security compliance, ISO-aligned delivery, and a long-term engineering partner.

Typical path: Discovery → Dedicated Squad

Enterprise / Evolve
icons8-stairs-up-50-1

Scale-Up Product Leader

You have an existing product with real users but it's hitting technical limits. You need to re-architect, add capabilities, or expand to new platforms.

Typical path: Technical audit → Growth Build

What we don't do

Being direct about this filters for the right clients and right projects — and saves everyone's time.

We don't build $5K apps. The economics of quality don't work at that price point.
We don't build $5K apps. The economics of quality don't work at that price point.
We don't build $5K apps. The economics of quality don't work at that price point.
We don't build $5K apps. The economics of quality don't work at that price point.
We don't build $5K apps. The economics of quality don't work at that price point.
We don't build $5K apps. The economics of quality don't work at that price point.

Frequently asked questions

Honest answers to the questions we hear most often about mobile app development cost in Australia.

Honestly: $50,000 to $500,000+ depending on complexity. Simple single-platform MVPs run $50K–$120K. Full multi-platform products with complex backends run $120K–$300K. Enterprise platforms with dedicated squads start at $300K. These numbers assume quality architecture, proper QA, and post-launch support. Cheaper quotes typically cut these corners, and many founders end up rebuilding at significantly higher cost 12–18 months later.

Honestly: $50,000 to $500,000+ depending on complexity. Simple single-platform MVPs run $50K–$120K. Full multi-platform products with complex backends run $120K–$300K. Enterprise platforms with dedicated squads start at $300K. These numbers assume quality architecture, proper QA, and post-launch support. Cheaper quotes typically cut these corners, and many founders end up rebuilding at significantly higher cost 12–18 months later.

Honestly: $50,000 to $500,000+ depending on complexity. Simple single-platform MVPs run $50K–$120K. Full multi-platform products with complex backends run $120K–$300K. Enterprise platforms with dedicated squads start at $300K. These numbers assume quality architecture, proper QA, and post-launch support. Cheaper quotes typically cut these corners, and many founders end up rebuilding at significantly higher cost 12–18 months later.

Honestly: $50,000 to $500,000+ depending on complexity. Simple single-platform MVPs run $50K–$120K. Full multi-platform products with complex backends run $120K–$300K. Enterprise platforms with dedicated squads start at $300K. These numbers assume quality architecture, proper QA, and post-launch support. Cheaper quotes typically cut these corners, and many founders end up rebuilding at significantly higher cost 12–18 months later.

Honestly: $50,000 to $500,000+ depending on complexity. Simple single-platform MVPs run $50K–$120K. Full multi-platform products with complex backends run $120K–$300K. Enterprise platforms with dedicated squads start at $300K. These numbers assume quality architecture, proper QA, and post-launch support. Cheaper quotes typically cut these corners, and many founders end up rebuilding at significantly higher cost 12–18 months later.

Honestly: $50,000 to $500,000+ depending on complexity. Simple single-platform MVPs run $50K–$120K. Full multi-platform products with complex backends run $120K–$300K. Enterprise platforms with dedicated squads start at $300K. These numbers assume quality architecture, proper QA, and post-launch support. Cheaper quotes typically cut these corners, and many founders end up rebuilding at significantly higher cost 12–18 months later.

Honestly: $50,000 to $500,000+ depending on complexity. Simple single-platform MVPs run $50K–$120K. Full multi-platform products with complex backends run $120K–$300K. Enterprise platforms with dedicated squads start at $300K. These numbers assume quality architecture, proper QA, and post-launch support. Cheaper quotes typically cut these corners, and many founders end up rebuilding at significantly higher cost 12–18 months later.

Honestly: $50,000 to $500,000+ depending on complexity. Simple single-platform MVPs run $50K–$120K. Full multi-platform products with complex backends run $120K–$300K. Enterprise platforms with dedicated squads start at $300K. These numbers assume quality architecture, proper QA, and post-launch support. Cheaper quotes typically cut these corners, and many founders end up rebuilding at significantly higher cost 12–18 months later.