Ask three developers in Accra what an app costs and you'll get three answers that don't look related. One quotes for the screens you see on the phone. Another quotes for the screens plus the system your office uses to run it. A third quotes for something that will never reach the Play Store. This guide gives you the short answer first, then the decisions that actually move the price, what you'll keep paying after launch, and the questions that separate a real quote from a cheap one. We use our own prices as the reference point, because they're published and fixed.
The short answer
A business app with the admin system behind it starts from about GH₵25,000 (≈US$2,150) with us. That's the same starting price as any custom software we build, because that's what an app is: software that happens to live on a phone.
The first version is usually ready in two to six weeks, plus a few days for Google or Apple to review it before it goes live in their store.
The final figure depends on the decisions below, and it's agreed in writing before any work starts.
Decision one: an app store app or an installable web app
This is the choice that changes the budget most, and the one most people never get asked about.
An app store app is downloaded from the Play Store or App Store. It can send push notifications reliably, work properly offline, use the camera, GPS and other phone hardware, and it sits in the store where people expect to find it.
An installable web app opens in the browser and can be added to the home screen with one tap. There's no store, no download size to worry about and no review process. It's lighter on data and reaches every phone at once. For many businesses it's the better answer, and it usually costs less.
EduBridge AI is built this way on purpose. Students on shared phones and tight data plans install it straight from the browser, with no store account needed. DriveTrack went the other way: drivers file reports from the road and the office needs instant alerts, so a proper Android app made sense.
Decision two: Android only, or iPhone too
Most phones in Ghana run Android, so most local businesses should start there. If your customers are abroad, or you're selling to corporate clients and diaspora users, iPhone matters more.
The good news is you rarely pay twice. Modern tools build Android and iPhone from one codebase, so adding iPhone is extra testing, design checks and Apple's review, not a second app. Ask any developer quoting you which approach they use. If they plan to build two separate apps, ask why.
The part nobody quotes: the system behind the app
Almost every business app needs a back office. Someone has to add products, approve bookings, see reports, manage users and answer when something goes wrong. That's a web dashboard, a database and a server, and it's often half the work.
A quote that only covers 'the app' usually means one of two things: the admin side is missing and will be billed later, or you'll be running your business from a spreadsheet beside a shiny app. Make sure the admin system is named in the quote. At DriveTrack, the office system and the app share the same data, so a driver's report shows up in the office the moment it's sent.
What pushes the price up
Logins and roles. One kind of user is simple. Drivers, owners, managers and admins who each see different things take longer to build and test.
Payments. Mobile money and card payments through Paystack, with receipts, refunds and records your accountant can use.
Maps and location. Tracking, routes, delivery areas or 'nearest branch' features.
Working offline. Saving data on the phone when there's no network and syncing it later is valuable in Ghana, and it's real engineering.
Alerts. Push notifications, SMS and WhatsApp messages each need setup, and SMS has a running cost per message.
Connections to other systems. Your accounting software, an existing website, a government or bank API.
Each of these is reasonable on its own. The price climbs when a first version tries to include all of them. The cheapest way to build an app is to launch with what your users need on day one and add the rest once you've seen how they use it.
What you'll keep paying after launch
An app keeps costing something every month, and a good developer tells you upfront.
Store accounts. Google Play charges a one-time US$25 fee for a developer account. Apple charges US$99 a year. These should be in your business's name, not the developer's.
The server. Your app's data lives on a server. For a small business app this is modest. It grows with users, photos and traffic, so ask for the monthly figure in writing.
Messages. SMS is charged per message. WhatsApp business messages have their own fees. Push notifications are generally free.
Payments. Paystack's published rate in Ghana is 1.95% per successful payment. If you sell digital content or subscriptions inside the app, Apple and Google take their own commission instead. Physical goods and real-world services, like deliveries, rides or fees, can be paid through Paystack as normal.
Updates. Google and Apple release new versions of Android and iOS every year, and apps need small updates to keep working and stay in the stores. Every project of ours includes 30 days of support, and monthly care after that is optional.
How long it takes
A focused first version: two to six weeks, depending on how many of the features above it carries. Store review: usually a few days for Google, and Apple can ask for changes before approving. An installable web app skips the store review entirely.
The most common delay isn't the build. It's waiting for decisions, content and test users. Having a few real users ready to try it in the first week is the fastest way to launch something that works.
Questions to ask before you pay anything
Is the admin system included, and can I see it? If not, the quote isn't for your whole project.
Who owns the code and the store accounts? The app should be published under your developer account, and you should be able to take the code to another team if you ever need to.
Will it work on a cheap Android phone? Ask them to show you one of their apps running on one, on mobile data, not office Wi-Fi.
What does it cost to run each month? Server, messages and support, in writing.
Can I see apps you've built that people are using right now? Download them. Open them. Try them.
Do you actually need an app?
Sometimes the honest answer is no. If customers will visit once, read about you and call or pay, a well-built website does that job for a fraction of the price. Our guide to what a website costs in Ghana covers that side.
An app earns its cost when people use it again and again: drivers filing reports every day, teachers marking registers every morning, customers reordering every week. If you can name who opens it, and how often, you probably need one.
If you'd like a straight number for your app, see how we build mobile apps and book a free call. You'll have a fixed price and a timeline in writing within 24 hours.
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