3x
Higher Engagement
Rs 5-40L
Typical Cost Range
12 Weeks
Discovery to Launch
200%
More Retention vs Web
Framework
Flutter vs React Native vs Native: Which to Choose
Flutter
Near-native (95%)React Native
Near-native (90%)Native iOS (Swift)
Native (100%)Native Android (Kotlin)
Native (100%)Flutter
Near-native (95%)Best For
D2C apps, e-commerce, on-demand services, MVPs
Cost Range
Rs 5-30L
Timeline
10-14 weeks
PROS
- Single codebase for iOS, Android, web, and desktop
- Near-native performance with Dart AOT compilation (60 FPS)
- Beautiful custom widgets and animations out of the box
- Strong Google backing with rapid ecosystem growth
- Hot reload for fast development cycles
CONS
- Dart language has smaller developer pool than JavaScript
- Larger app size (minimum 5-8 MB)
- Less mature ecosystem compared to React Native
- Limited access to some native APIs without plugins
Industries
Mobile Apps by Industry Category
E-commerce / D2C
Custom shopping apps for direct-to-consumer brands with catalog, cart, checkout, and loyalty features
- Product catalog with search and filters
- UPI/Razorpay/COD payment integration
- Order tracking with WhatsApp notifications
- Loyalty points and referral system
- Push notification campaigns
Rs 12-35 Lakh10-14 weeks
On-Demand Services
Swiggy/Dunzo-style apps with real-time matching, live tracking, and multi-sided marketplace logic
- Real-time GPS tracking with Google Maps
- Driver/provider matching algorithm
- In-app payments with split settlement
- Rating and review system
- Dynamic pricing engine
Rs 20-50 Lakh12-16 weeks
Healthcare / Telemedicine
ABDM-compliant health apps with video consultation, prescription management, and health records
- Video consultation (WebRTC/Agora)
- ABDM/Aadhaar health ID integration
- E-prescription with digital signature
- Appointment booking and reminders
- Health record storage (FHIR compliant)
Rs 18-45 Lakh14-18 weeks
EdTech
Learning apps with live classes, recorded content, assessments, and progress tracking
- Live video classes with chat
- Recorded content with DRM protection
- Quiz and assessment engine
- Progress tracking and analytics
- Offline download for low-connectivity areas
Rs 15-40 Lakh12-16 weeks
SaaS / B2B
Enterprise mobility apps for CRM, field sales, inventory management, and team collaboration
- Role-based access and SSO
- Offline-first with background sync
- Dashboard and reporting
- Document management and e-signatures
- API integration with existing ERP/CRM
Rs 20-55 Lakh14-18 weeks
Social / Community
Community and social networking apps with feeds, messaging, groups, and content sharing
- Real-time feed with media uploads
- 1-to-1 and group chat (WebSocket)
- Content moderation and reporting
- Event management and RSVP
- Regional language support (Hindi, Tamil, Kannada)
Rs 15-40 Lakh12-16 weeks
Architecture
6-Layer Mobile App Architecture
UI/UX Layer
Flutter Widgets, Jetpack Compose, SwiftUI, React Native PaperResponsive component libraryDesign system with theme tokensAccessibility (WCAG 2.1 AA)Multi-language support (Hindi, Tamil, Kannada)Dark mode and dynamic theming
ROI
Mobile App vs Mobile Website: Business Impact
| Metric | Before (Mobile Web) | After (Custom App) | Improvement |
|---|---|---|---|
| Customer Engagement (Website vs App) | Website only | Mobile app | +200% |
| Repeat Purchase Rate | 15% | 38% | +153% |
| Push Notification Open Rate vs Email | 18% (email) | 45% (push) | +150% |
| Cart Abandonment Rate | 75% | 42% | -44% |
| Customer Acquisition Cost | Rs 350 | Rs 180 | -49% |
| Average Order Value | Rs 1,200 | Rs 1,800 | +50% |
| App Load Time | 4.2s (mobile web) | 1.8s (native app) | -57% |
| Customer Satisfaction (NPS) | 3.2/5 | 4.6/5 | +44% |
Pricing
Mobile App Development Cost Breakdown
| Tier | Scope | Cost | Includes | Timeline |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MVP / Startup | 3-5 core features | Rs 5-15 Lakh | Core user flows, authentication, 1 payment gateway, push notifications, basic analytics, single platform or cross-platform | 8-10 weeks |
| Mid-Complexity | 8-15 features | Rs 15-40 Lakh | Full e-commerce or on-demand flow, UPI + card payments, real-time tracking, admin panel, WhatsApp integration, multi-language support | 10-14 weeks |
| Enterprise | 15+ features, multi-module | Rs 40L - 2 Crore | Complex business logic, AI/ML features, offline-first architecture, Aadhaar/DigiLocker integration, custom analytics dashboard, multi-tenant SaaS | 16-24 weeks |
| Maintenance (Monthly) | Ongoing support | Rs 10K-40K/month | Server hosting and monitoring, bug fixes, OS compatibility updates, security patches, minor feature enhancements, app store compliance | Ongoing |
Comparison
Cartoon Mango vs No-Code vs Offshore vs Freelancer
| Feature | Cartoon Mango | No-Code (Adalo/FlutterFlow) | Offshore (US/UK) | Freelancer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Code Quality & Architecture | Clean architecture, SOLID principles, 80%+ test coverage | Auto-generated code, limited customization, no tests | Varies widely, often over-engineered | Inconsistent quality, rarely documented |
| India Integrations (UPI, Aadhaar, DigiLocker) | Native UPI, Aadhaar eKYC, DigiLocker, WhatsApp Business API | Basic Razorpay plugin only, no Aadhaar/DigiLocker | Limited India knowledge, requires extra guidance | May know Razorpay, unlikely to handle ABDM/DigiLocker |
| Scalability (10K to 1M users) | Architected for scale from Day 1, load tested | Hits performance walls at 5K-10K concurrent users | Good if properly scoped, often over-provisioned | Rarely considers scale, needs rearchitecture later |
| Total Project Cost | Rs 5-40L (transparent milestone billing) | Rs 1-5L (but hidden costs at scale) | $30K-200K (3-5x Indian rates) | Rs 2-10L (but scope creep adds 50-100%) |
| Timeline (MVP to Launch) | 8-12 weeks with fixed milestones | 2-4 weeks (but major limitations) | 12-20 weeks (timezone delays) | 8-16 weeks (unreliable availability) |
| Post-Launch Support | Dedicated support team, SLA-backed maintenance | Platform-dependent, limited customization | Available but expensive ($100-200/hr) | Often unavailable after project completion |
| Team Size | 4-8 specialists (PM, designer, 2-4 devs, QA) | Self-service or 1 consultant | 4-10 developers (often junior-heavy) | 1-2 people (single point of failure) |
| IP & Code Ownership | 100% client-owned, full source code handover | Platform lock-in, limited code export | Client-owned (verify contract) | Client-owned (verify contract) |
Timeline
12-Week Implementation Roadmap
Weeks 1-2
Discovery & UX Research
- Stakeholder interviews and business goal mapping
- User persona and journey mapping for Indian audience
- Competitive analysis and feature prioritization (MoSCoW)
- Information architecture and wireframes (Figma)
Product requirements documentUser personas and journey mapsWireframes and sitemap
Weeks 3-4
UI Design & Prototyping
- High-fidelity UI design with design system
- Interactive prototype for user testing
- Design review with stakeholders and iteration
- Asset preparation and developer handoff
Complete UI designs (Figma)Interactive prototypeDesign system and component library
Weeks 5-8
Development Sprint 1 — Core Features
- Project setup, CI/CD pipeline, and architecture scaffolding
- Core screens and navigation implementation
- Authentication (email, phone OTP, social login)
- Primary business logic and API integration
Working app with core user flowsAPI integration completeAuthentication system live
Weeks 9-10
Development Sprint 2 — Integrations
- Payment gateway integration (UPI/Razorpay/Cashfree)
- Push notifications and WhatsApp Business API
- Analytics SDK integration (Firebase/Mixpanel)
- Admin panel development for content and order management
Payment flow working end-to-endNotifications configuredAdmin panel ready
Weeks 11-12
Testing, Optimization & Launch
- QA testing across 15+ Indian-market devices (Redmi, Samsung, OnePlus, iPhone)
- Performance optimization (app size, load time, memory)
- App store submission (Google Play + Apple App Store)
- Post-launch monitoring and hotfix support (2 weeks)
QA sign-off reportApp live on storesPost-launch monitoring dashboard
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Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about AI automation for custom mobile app development for Indian businesses
How much does it cost to build a custom mobile app in India in 2026?
Custom mobile app development costs in India range from Rs 5 lakh to Rs 2 crore depending on complexity. An MVP or single-feature startup app costs Rs 5-15 lakh, a mid-complexity app (e-commerce, on-demand, SaaS) costs Rs 15-40 lakh, and enterprise-grade apps with AI/ML, real-time features, and multiple integrations cost Rs 40 lakh to Rs 2 crore. Indian development costs are 60-70% lower than US/UK rates while delivering equivalent code quality. Monthly maintenance adds Rs 10,000-40,000 covering server costs, bug fixes, OS updates, and minor feature additions.
Flutter vs React Native vs Native — which should I choose for my Indian business app?
How long does it take to build a custom mobile app from scratch?
Should I hire a dedicated mobile app team or work with an agency?
Should I build an MVP first or a full-featured app?
How does the app store approval process work for iOS and Android?
What is the ongoing maintenance cost for a mobile app in India?
Can you build a mobile app with offline support for tier-2 and tier-3 Indian cities?
How do you integrate UPI and Razorpay payments in a mobile app?
How do push notifications work and how effective are they?
What analytics should I track in my mobile app?
When should I choose native iOS/Android development over cross-platform?
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Written by the Cartoon Mango engineering team, based in Bangalore and Coimbatore, India. We build custom mobile applications using Flutter, React Native, and native technologies for startups, D2C brands, and enterprises across India.
