How Much Does an App Cost in Sri Lanka in 2026?

How much does it cost to build a mobile app in Sri Lanka? For a professionally built app on one platform (Android or iOS), expect to start from around Rs 350,000. Building for both Android and iOS raises the starting point to about Rs 560,000, and apps with logins, payments and push notifications often cost Rs 750,000 or more. These figures come from the pricing model behind our project cost estimator.

Typical app prices (LKR)

For startups and SMEs, our estimator applies a lower rate: a simple one-platform app becomes about Rs 245,000 to 840,000.

Android, iOS or both?

In Sri Lanka, most smartphone users are on Android, so many local businesses launch on Android first and add iOS once the app has proved itself. If your customers are abroad, for example diaspora listeners or customers in the UK, Canada or Australia, iOS matters more, and building for both from the start usually makes sense.

Building for both platforms does not cost double. We build cross-platform where it suits the app, so one codebase serves Android and iOS. In our estimator, "Android + iOS" is priced at 1.6 times a single platform.

What drives the cost

• Number of screens. Each screen is designed, built and tested on real devices.
• User accounts. Sign-up, login and password reset add Rs 40,000 to 90,000.
• Push notifications. Rs 30,000 to 70,000.
• Payments. In-app or online payments add Rs 50,000 to 120,000.
• An admin dashboard so your team can manage content, users and orders: Rs 60,000 to 150,000.
• Design. Semi-custom design adds about 25 percent; fully custom about 60 percent.

Costs people forget

• Store accounts. Google Play charges a one-off developer registration fee and Apple charges an annual developer programme fee. The account should be in your organisation's name.
• The back end. Most apps need a server and database for accounts, content and orders. That means hosting and maintenance.
• Updates. Android and iOS change every year, and the stores regularly require apps to target newer versions. Budget for at least one update a year.

Do you need an app, or a website?

An app earns its place when people will use it often: listening to a radio station, ordering regularly, checking a schedule. If customers will visit once or twice, a fast mobile-friendly website is cheaper and easier to find on Google. Our website cost guide covers that side.

Get an estimate

Try our free project cost estimator: choose "Mobile App", your platform and features to see an instant LKR range. Or read about our mobile app development service and the radio and media apps we build, and contact us for a written quote.