More businesses than ever are offering delivery to meet customer demand. Whether you run a restaurant, pharmacy, grocery store, or retail shop, having your own delivery app can help you grow faster and stay ahead of the competition.

But before getting started, one key question always comes up:

How much does it cost to build a delivery app?

In this blog, we’ll break down the main factors that affect the cost, give you realistic estimates, and show you how to save money without sacrificing quality.


1. What Makes Up the Cost of a Delivery App?


The price of a delivery app depends on several things. Here are the main parts:

App Features

The more features your app has, the more it will cost. Common features include:

  • Customer ordering interface

  • Real-time order tracking

  • Payment integration

  • Driver app

  • Admin dashboard

Each of these takes time (and money) to build.

Platforms (iOS, Android, Web)

Do you want the app on Android, iOS, or both? More platforms means more cost.

Design

A clean, user-friendly design is important. Good design leads to a better user experience but also increases cost.

Development Team

If you’re hiring a development team, prices vary depending on where they’re located:

  • US/UK: $100–$200 per hour

  • Eastern Europe: $40–$100 per hour

  • Asia: $20–$50 per hour

Timeline

The faster you want it, the more you’ll pay. Fast delivery often requires a bigger team.

2. Average Cost Estimates


Here’s a rough idea of what it might cost if you build from scratch:

Type of App Estimated Cost Development Time
Basic Delivery App $15,000–$30,000 2–4 months
Mid-Level App (with tracking, payment, etc.) $30,000–$70,000 4–6 months
Advanced App (with custom branding, AI features, etc.) $70,000–$150,000+ 6–12 months

And that’s just the beginning. You’ll also need to budget for:

  • Hosting and server costs

  • App maintenance and updates

  • Marketing and customer support

3. Hidden Costs to Watch Out For

Even if you build your own app, there are extra costs that sneak in:

  • Bug fixes and updates: Technology is always changing. You’ll need to update regularly.

  • Support team: Customers will always have questions.

  • Server costs: The more orders you handle, the more server power you’ll need.

  • Marketing tools: You’ll need tools to promote your app and attract users.

These can add up to thousands of dollars each year.

4. A Smarter, More Affordable Option: Zeew

Here’s the good news: You don’t have to spend $70,000 or more to get a powerful delivery app.

With Zeew, you get a ready-to-launch delivery system with:

  • A branded customer app

  • A driver app

  • Admin dashboard

  • Real-time tracking

  • Payment integration

  • And more

All without writing a single line of code.


It’s faster, smarter, and much more affordable than building from scratch. You can be live in just a few days, not months.

Building a delivery app from scratch is a big investment. Between design, development, and maintenance, the costs add up quickly. But thanks to platforms like Zeew, you don’t have to spend a fortune or wait months to launch your delivery business.

Why wait?

Let Zeew help you save time, money, and stress—so you can focus on growing your business.

Get started with Zeew today.

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