What it costs
If your budget is markedly smaller, that is not a reason to drop the idea. Demand can be validated for $9,000–15,000 with a Telegram bot or mini app: an interface inside the messenger, nothing to install, live in weeks.
Cross-platform or native
For most business cases a single codebase across two platforms is the better deal: one team instead of two, simultaneous releases, support roughly half the cost. For an ordinary app — orders, catalogue, account, chat — the difference in responsiveness is invisible to users.
Native development is justified in three cases: heavy graphics and 3D, complex work with the camera or sensors, and platform-specific capabilities. If your case is not on that list, the premium will not pay for itself.
Do you need an app at all
The honest answer: an app makes sense when a customer comes back regularly — ordering, tracking, paying. If someone visits you twice a year, they will not install anything, and a mobile website will do.
The second strong case is your own staff: couriers, field engineers, sales reps. There an app pays for itself through speed of work and the ability to operate without a connection.
Frequently asked questions
What does maintaining an app cost after launch?
Budget 15–20% of the development cost per year for updates to new iOS and Android versions, fixes and small improvements. Bugs in our code we fix free of charge indefinitely; you only pay for new functionality.
Can we start with one platform?
You can, but the saving will be smaller than expected: with cross-platform development the second platform adds around 15–20% to the estimate, not 100%. Building iOS alone makes sense only if your entire audience is genuinely there.
What happens if the developer disappears?
This is exactly why the source code, store accounts and credentials should be in your name from the beginning, not the vendor’s. That is how we do it: the developer account is registered to your company and the repository is yours.
How cheaply can we test the idea?
A Telegram mini app with a catalogue and payments — from $15,000 and 4–6 weeks. It is a full interface inside the messenger: users install nothing, and you get real orders and a real read on demand before investing in an app.
These articles are written by engineers working on the projects — but they are not signed by name. The reason is the same one that keeps client logos off this site: nearly every project runs under an NDA or white-label, and a byline on a piece about a payment core points at the client as clearly as a logo would. Instead of names, we stand behind the text with rules — except for articles about our own open-source code, which carry the author’s name.
How we write and what we verify