Cost and pricing — questions we get asked
These come from founders with a budget in mind and no idea whether it is enough. Behind most of them is a fear of a number that keeps growing once the work starts. The answers explain how we price, what is in every price, what costs extra, and why you will not find a price list on this site.
12 questions · answered by Taimoor Sikander, founder
How much does a marketplace app cost?
It depends on three things: whether you need one side or two, who holds the money, and what already exists. Each of those changes the build more than any feature list does. The planner asks guided questions and produces a brief, and we reply with a tailored quote, usually within one business day. The first phase is scoped and priced before any code is written, so you see the number before you commit to it.
Why won't you publish a price list?
Because a number on a page is either padded against you or a promise we would have to break. The planner prices your build instead of an average one. Two platforms with the same feature list can be very different builds once you count who holds the money, whether you run your own riders, and what code already exists. Those are the questions that move the price.
Do you charge for the estimate?
No. The planner is free and the first scoping conversation is free. The planner asks what you want to build, where it will run and what already exists, then produces a brief. We reply with a tailored quote, usually within one business day. You pay nothing until you agree to the first phase, which is scope and price at a fixed fee.
What is a phase and how is it priced?
A phase is a block of work that ends in software you can open. Each one is priced before it starts, and you pay per phase. Phase 01 is scope and price, at a fixed fee. Phase 02 is the first working version. Everything after comes in phases of the same shape. You never pay for a whole platform up front on the strength of a promise.
Is a fixed price possible?
Yes, one phase at a time. Every phase is priced before it starts, and fixed-scope work, such as a POS system or an internal tool, gets one number before it starts. What we will not do is fix a price for a whole platform nobody has scoped yet. If we can't answer the five questions, we quote a phase, not a platform.
What if my budget is small?
We tell you what the smallest thing that works looks like, and what to leave for phase two. If it cannot be done for the budget, we say so before you spend anything. Often that means launching one side of the marketplace first, keeping payments simple at the start, or running some admin work by hand until the volume justifies building it.
Why is a two-sided marketplace more expensive than an online shop?
Because two sides means two apps and the console between them. A shop has one kind of user buying from one seller. A marketplace has customers and providers using different apps, plus an admin console that approves providers, settles disputes and pays people out. Wallets, escrow and payouts cost more than a checkout, and a marketplace usually needs at least one of them.
Do you take equity instead of cash?
No.
What is included in every price?
Full code ownership on payment; your repository, accounts and signing keys; handover documents; defect fixes; iOS, Android and web where the build calls for it; and direct access to the engineer building it. None of these is an add-on or a premium tier. If a quote from anyone leaves one of them out, ask why before you sign.
What costs extra?
Scope added after a phase is agreed, a second payment rail or an unplanned integration, third-party fees such as gateways, app stores, maps and SMS, brand design you do not have yet, maintenance beyond the included period, and support for a platform another team built. We say so first. Nothing on this list reaches an invoice without a price you have already agreed.
Is maintenance included?
Yes, for a period. A maintenance period is standard on every build; its length is agreed in the scope. After it, maintenance is priced monthly. Like every phase, it is priced before it begins, so the cost of keeping the platform running is written down alongside the cost of building it, not raised for the first time at launch.
Do prices differ by country?
The build price does not depend on where you are based. What can change is the scope. Local payment rails, compliance rules and languages differ by market, and each one that your platform needs is priced in the phase that builds it. We confirm what your market requires during scope, so it is in the quote rather than found later.
Plan your build in two minutes.
No call. A few guided questions, then a tailored quote — usually within one business day.
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