How much does it cost to build an app with AI?
What building an app with AI really costs: the builder's plan, a domain, payment fees, app store accounts and ads, with the numbers you can check.
Building an app with AI can cost nothing to start. The running costs that follow are predictable: the builder's plan, a domain, payment fees on each sale, app store accounts if you go mobile, and whatever you choose to spend on ads. On ExaSpark the Free plan gets you a working app on a free address, and paid plans start at US$4.99 a month.
What are the costs of building an app with AI?
| Cost | When you pay it | What it depends on |
|---|---|---|
| The builder's plan | Monthly or yearly | How much you build and which features you need, such as your own domain |
| A domain name | Yearly, to a domain registrar | The name and the ending you choose |
| Payment fees | On each sale | The payment provider and the country; see Stripe's pricing |
| Apple developer program | $99 a year, for the App Store | Only if you publish an iPhone app (Apple) |
| Google Play developer account | $25 once | Only if you publish to Google Play (Google) |
| Ads | Daily, as you set them | Entirely your choice; start small |
| Your time | Throughout | How clear your first request is, and how many changes you make |
How much does an AI app builder cost?
Most AI app builders, ExaSpark included, have a free plan and charge for building in credits. Each request uses some, larger changes and stronger models use more, and paid plans add credits every month. ExaSpark's paid plans start at US$4.99 a month and add your own domain, more credits and more builders.
| Plan | Price | Credits | Builders | Own domain | No badge |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free | Free | 4,000 to start, then 1,000 on each day you open ExaSpark | 1 | — | — |
| Starter | $4.99 / mo | 10,000 a month | 1 | ||
| Starter | $15.99 / mo | 36,000 a month | 1 | ||
| Pro | $25 / mo | 60,000 a month | 3 | ||
| Pro | $50 / mo | 130,000 a month | 3 | ||
| Pro | $100 / mo | 280,000 a month | 3 | ||
| Pro | $200 / mo | 600,000 a month | 3 | ||
| Pro | $400 / mo | 1,250,000 a month | 3 |
Plans and credits explains how credits work, and pricing has every plan and the yearly prices.
What does it cost to take payments?
Nothing up front with most providers; you pay a fee on each successful payment. With Stripe the fee depends on your country and the card, so check Stripe's pricing page for yours. Payouts then go to your bank. Build the fee into your price from the start, especially for small amounts, where a fixed part of the fee weighs more.
How much does it cost to publish a mobile app?
Publishing to the stores needs developer accounts: $99 a year for Apple's program and $25 once for Google Play, as each lists in October 2026. If you start with a web app, you pay neither until you decide to go mobile. Web app vs mobile app vs PWA helps with that decision.
How does building with AI compare with hiring a developer?
A developer or agency quotes for a fixed scope, and those quotes vary widely with the scope, the market and the team. Building with AI moves most of that cost to a monthly plan and your own time. It works best when you can describe what you want clearly and are willing to change it step by step. For software with unusual requirements, strict regulation or deep integrations, a developer's judgment is still worth paying for.
How can you keep the cost down?
- Write a clear first request: what it is for, who uses it, what they do. Fewer rounds of changes use fewer credits. See How to describe an app so AI builds the right one.
- Ask for one change per message instead of rebuilding large parts.
- Start with a web app, and add a mobile app once people use the product.
- Give ads a small daily budget until you know which message brings paying customers.
To see what your own idea needs, start with a small, complete version:
Build a simple booking site for my dog-walking service with walk times, a $15 payment per walk through Stripe, and a page where clients see their bookings.
Frequently asked questions
- Can I build an app for free with AI?
- Yes. ExaSpark's Free plan builds a working app and publishes it to a free exaspark.app address. You pay when you want your own domain, more credits or more builders.
- How much does it cost to put an app on the App Store and Google Play?
- Apple's developer program costs $99 a year and a Google Play developer account costs $25 once, according to their own pages in October 2026.
- What are the ongoing costs of running an app?
- The builder's plan, a domain renewed each year, payment fees on each sale, and any ad budget you set. App store developer accounts add to that if you publish a mobile app.
- Is building an app with AI cheaper than hiring a developer?
- Usually, for standard apps such as booking sites, stores and portals, because the cost becomes a monthly plan and your time. For unusual requirements, strict regulation or deep integrations, a developer is still worth paying for.
