By the Tuncer Technologies team ·
Ask five developers in the Philippines what an app costs and you will hear five very different numbers. That is not because someone is lying. It is because "an app" can mean a simple booking screen or a full marketplace with customers, riders, merchants, payments and live maps.
This guide explains what really drives the cost of an app in the Philippines in 2026, the bills that most quotes leave out, and our own fixed prices so you can compare.
The short answer
- Published estimates vary a lot. Price guides from Philippine agencies and recruiters commonly put a simple app in the low hundreds of thousands of pesos, and marketplace or ride-hailing style platforms above PHP 1.5 million. Treat any range as a starting point, not a quote.
- Freelance and agency hourly rates for Philippine mobile developers are commonly published at roughly USD 15 to 40 an hour, with agencies at the upper end because they include project management and testing.
- The biggest lever is not the hourly rate. It is whether you build from scratch or configure software that already works.
What drives the price
- Number of apps. A delivery business needs a customer app, a rider app, a merchant view and an admin dashboard. That is four products, not one.
- Core workflows. Each journey (sign up, order, pay, track, review) has to be designed, built and tested.
- Backend. Accounts, data, notifications and business rules live on a server, and that server has to be built and secured.
- Integrations. GCash and Maya payments, maps, SMS and email each add work, and some add monthly usage fees.
- Design. Custom screens and a clickable prototype cost more than a standard layout, but they save rework later.
- Testing and store review. Apple and Google review every release. Rejections happen and someone has to answer them.
Three ways to get an app built
1. Configure a ready-made platform
If your business works like a common model (delivery, pickup, home services), configuring proven apps with your brand is the fastest and cheapest route. You launch in weeks. The trade-off is less freedom to change how the core works.
2. Build a small custom first version (MVP)
If your idea is genuinely new, build one core workflow first, put it in front of real users, then extend it. A good MVP is small on purpose.
3. Full custom product
Several apps, a custom backend and many integrations. This is where costs reach the large numbers you see in agency guides, and where a paid discovery phase pays for itself.
Costs people forget
- Store accounts: Apple's Developer Program is USD 99 a year; Google Play has a one-time USD 25 registration fee. They should be in your own name.
- Cloud hosting: servers and databases are billed monthly by the cloud provider.
- Payment fees: GCash, Maya and card payments carry processing fees from the payment provider.
- Maps and SMS: usually billed by usage.
- Maintenance: phones, operating systems and store rules change every year. An app nobody maintains slowly breaks.
- Privacy: if the app collects personal data, you need a privacy policy and processes that follow the Data Privacy Act.
Our fixed prices (Tuncer Technologies)
We are a software team based in Davao City. We designed and built the Rundzee marketplace, live in Davao City: customer, rider and merchant apps on the App Store and Google Play, an operations portal and the backend. We also built Rundzee Oracle, which is on Google Play.
Philippine orders are handled by Poseidon Distribution OPC, Davao City, and paid in pesos by GCash, Maya or card; U.S. orders by Rundzee, LLC, paid by card in USD. Prices are as of 24 October 2026; the checkout always shows the current price for your country.
| Item | What you get | Philippines | USA | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Custom mobile MVP (/store/D07) | Up to 5 agreed screens, one core workflow; final quote after discovery | PHP 180,000 | USD 5,995 | 6 to 10 weeks |
| Custom web app MVP (/store/D08) | One core workflow, up to 5 views, standard login | PHP 150,000 | USD 4,995 | 6 to 10 weeks |
| Complete custom MVP (/store/D09) | Mobile or web client plus a basic backend, one workflow | PHP 300,000 | USD 9,995 | 10 to 16 weeks |
| Pickup and delivery package (/store/A01) | Customer and driver apps, connected site, backend and admin | PHP 89,000 + PHP 6,000/month care | USD 2,495 + USD 199/month care | 3 to 5 weeks |
| Food delivery package (/store/A04) | Customer, merchant and driver apps, connected site, backend and admin | PHP 149,000 + PHP 8,000/month care | USD 3,995 + USD 299/month care | 4 to 6 weeks |
| App UI design (/store/U04) | Up to 10 agreed screens with a clickable prototype | PHP 25,000 | USD 995 | 2 to 3 weeks |
| App Store + Google Play publishing (/store/L04) | Listing, build upload, up to 2 review responses per store | PHP 7,900 | USD 249 | 5 days |
App packages include a required 12-month care plan (monitoring, updates and a set number of technical hours each month). Orders up to USD 5,000 at the U.S. list price are paid in full at checkout; larger orders are paid 50% at checkout and 50% before launch, or in full with 5% off. Store accounts, cloud bills, payment fees and usage-based services are paid by you.
Start with requirements discovery (PHP 5,000 / USD 199)
Not sure yet? Browse every item in the store, or read our guide to what a restaurant or delivery app costs.
FAQ
How much does it cost to make a simple app in the Philippines?
It depends on scope. Our custom mobile MVP, with up to 5 agreed screens and one core workflow, is PHP 180,000, and the final price is confirmed after discovery. If your business fits a delivery or service model, a configured package starts at PHP 89,000 plus a monthly care plan.
Why are some quotes so much cheaper?
A low quote often covers only one app, uses a template, or leaves out the backend, testing, store publishing or maintenance. Compare quotes item by item and ask what happens after launch.
How long does it take to build an app?
Our configured packages take 3 to 6 weeks. A custom MVP usually takes 6 to 10 weeks, plus the time Apple and Google need to review the app.
Do I own the app?
Custom work is built for you and your accounts. Ready-made platform software is licensed for your business, not sold as exclusive source code; exclusive rights are a separate quote.
Do you charge per hour?
Our store items are fixed prices with a written scope. For changes outside a package, general development is PHP 1,500 or USD 40 an hour, always estimated and approved before work starts.
Freelancers, agencies and consultants can refer website and app projects to us through our free partner program and earn a share of what we actually receive (no income is guaranteed): partners.tuncertech.com/join/freelancers.