App Development Cost Calculator: Know What Your Project Will Cost Before You Build
An estimate you can count on.
It works for an app, an automation, an internal tool, an MVP, or a prototype.
Any estimate given without proper requirements gathering is a wild guess.
- Compare developer quotes apples to apples
- Catch inflated bids before you sign
- Hand any team exactly what to build
About 20 minutes. Your idea stays confidential.
New Idea Machine is a Calgary custom software and AI automation agency serving small business owners worldwide.
What does the App Cost Calculator give you?
You know your business better than anyone.
You already have all the answers. The calculator coaxes them out of you, one simple question at a time, and hands you a realistic estimate range plus the blueprints any developer needs to build it. Know the number before you invest, so you build it once, the right way.
Accurate estimate
Broken down section by section, so you can decide which features can wait.
Developer blueprints
So nothing is lost between your idea and the build.
Financial planning
A realistic range you can put in a pitch or a funding application.
See a sample of what you receive: App Estimate, Technical Requirements, or User Stories (PDF).
How does the App Cost Calculator work?
Answer simple questions
About 20 minutes. The same questions a senior developer would ask. You don't need to be technical or have every answer.
Get your blueprints within 24 hours
Technical requirements, and a map of how real people will use what you're building.
Go through your estimate together
We meet to make sure we fully understood what you're trying to build, then walk you through the range with no padding and no fixed-bid buffers.
How much does it cost to scope my project?
$197, credited back in full when you build with us.
Manual requirements gathering starts at $3,000 at other agencies. The App Cost Calculator gives you the same clarity.
Why only $197? Because you need this information before you spend anything else, and once you build with us it costs you nothing.
Launch on time and on budget.
Start the calculatorWant to see typical app costs before you start? Read our free App Development Cost Guide.
Why do software projects go over budget?
Most owners who call us paid twice: once for the build they signed for, and again for the build they actually needed.
That happens because most developers guess at the estimate, so you pay more after you hire them, or they charge $3,000 and up for formal requirements gathering before they'll quote.
Either way, nobody worked through the logic the software needs to do what it's supposed to.
What a right-sized build looks like
$30,000 once.
A right-sized build for one small business owner. It saves him $40,000 a year and earns another $40,000 a year from other companies paying to use it.
Who built the App Cost Calculator?
Created by our CTO AL Del Degan, 33 years building software, including work with the Calgary Airport Authority, the City of Calgary, and Travel Alberta.
It's the same process we use to scope and estimate every app, automation and internal tool, shared because business owners deserve better than a guesstimate.
Questions business owners ask about the calculator
How long does the App Cost Calculator take?
About 20 minutes. You answer simple questions about your project, the same ones a senior developer would ask. You don't need to be technical, and you don't need all the answers.
What do I receive?
Two documents within 24 hours: technical requirements that tell developers exactly what to build, and a map of how real people will use your app. Then we schedule a meeting to go through your cost estimate together and confirm the requirements are right.
Is my idea confidential?
Yes. Your idea stays private throughout, all inputs are confidential, and your intellectual property remains yours.
What does it cost?
$197, credited back in full if you hire New Idea Machine to build your app. Manual requirements gathering for the same work starts at $3,000.