What Users See vs What Actually Exists
The answer lies in the difference between what users see and what actually powers a digital product. Even a simple interface often relies on a complex ecosystem of systems, integrations, and security controls.
Think about apps like Revolut, Uber, or Airbnb. For the user, the experience often feels effortless: send money, order a ride, or book a place to stay in just a few taps. But what users see on the screen is usually only a small part of the whole system.
Understanding this gap helps explain why apps are expensive and why custom mobile app development costs can vary significantly.
As Vitalis Kavaliauskas, our CTO, explains:
‘The mobile app is usually just the tip of the iceberg. Behind it there are APIs, integration layers and internal systems. Once you start modernising the app, you often discover that many internal systems also need to be updated.’
Because of this, mobile app development requires designing a reliable system that connects multiple technologies and data sources.
Let’s take a look at one example of this complexity: our project with the Mano Ežys mobile app used by prepaid customers of Telia.
Over time, the original app had become limited in functionality and could no longer fully serve as a convenient self-service tool.
To improve the experience, the Baltic Amadeus team redesigned the app architecture and introduced new integrations with internal telecom systems and the Ežys website, allowing users to manage services, check balances, and receive personalised notifications.
For users, this feels simple. Technically, it requires careful architecture and reliable integrations.
Why Building 'An App Like Revolut' Is Not Simple
When companies ask about the app like Revolut cost, they often focus on the visible interface.
But global digital platforms have evolved over many years. They also involve large engineering teams working continuously on new features and infrastructure.
Financial apps in particular rely on infrastructure such as:
- Secure payment processing.
- Identity verification systems.
- Fraud detection mechanisms.
- Encrypted data management.
- Regulatory compliance frameworks.
Even if a business builds a smaller product with fewer features, the underlying architecture still needs to support security, reliability, and scalability.
In other words, copying the interface of an existing product does not recreate the infrastructure behind it. This is one of the key reasons custom mobile app development costs are often higher than companies initially expect.
Security and Regulatory Compliance in Mobile Apps
Security is one of the most underestimated areas in app development.
Users expect their personal data, financial information, and accounts to remain protected at all times. To ensure this, development teams implement multiple security layers, including encryption, authentication mechanisms, and secure data storage.
For companies operating in regulated sectors, regulatory compliance becomes another major requirement.
Applications may need to follow frameworks such as:
- GDPR data protection rules.
- ISO/IEC 27001 security standards.
- Payment security protocols.
- Identity verification regulations.
Baltic Amadeus has worked with companies such as Hostinger, where evaluating security controls and ensuring compliance was an important part of the project.
Although this work was not directly related to a mobile app, it shows how much time and effort security work can require. In this case, a full IT security assessment took around 2 months. The process included gathering the necessary information, reviewing documentation, and preparing a report with findings and recommendations.
Even work that results in something as simple as a report takes time, expertise, and careful analysis. Similar security requirements increasingly apply to modern mobile applications as well.
Research by Guardsquare shows that while 93% of organisations believe their mobile app security is strong enough to prevent attacks, 62% still experienced at least one mobile app security incident in 2025. This gap shows how difficult mobile security can be and why development teams must invest significant effort in protecting applications and user data.
What Actually Drives Custom Mobile App Development Costs
The cost of building a mobile application varies widely depending on the scope of the project.
Based on Baltic Amadeus experience, mobile app development costs can roughly range from €20,000–€60,000 for a basic MVP to €500,000 or more for complex applications, while highly advanced platforms can cost even more.
It’s also important to understand that costs often come from many smaller features that users now expect as standard. For example, adding Face ID authentication, along with features such as push notifications, navigation, and personalised user flows, all add to the overall complexity.
Individually, these features may seem simple, but together they significantly increase the total cost of mobile app development. As Vitalis Kavaliauskas points out:
‘Apps that look simple to users are often the most complex and expensive to build.’
Let’s look at a more detailed list of what goes on behind custom mobile app development costs.
Product design and planning
Every successful application starts by defining the product.
This stage often includes:
- Product discovery workshops.
- User experience design.
- Prototypes and testing.
- Technical planning.
Many companies launch the first version known as an MVP.
According to Vitalis Kavaliauskas:
‘The first version of an app often exists to test market response. It may operate for a year before companies decide whether to expand the product further.’
This approach reduces the risk of failing but still requires significant design and engineering work.
Engineering and system architecture
Engineering is one of the largest cost drivers in mobile app development.
The development team must design a stable architecture that can handle thousands or even millions of users.
This includes building:
- Backend infrastructure
- Database architecture
- Scalable cloud services
- Integration layers
A mobile application rarely operates independently. It often connects with internal company systems and external services such as payment providers or analytics tools.
A good example is the self-service mobile app developed by Baltic Amadeus for Bitė. While the app allows users to easily manage services and monitor usage, it relies on complex integrations with internal telecom systems and customer data platforms behind the scenes. Designing these integrations requires experienced engineers and careful planning.
APIs and integrations
Modern mobile apps rely heavily on APIs that allow different systems to exchange data and functionality securely. These APIs act as connectors between mobile applications and backend services.
For example, a retail mobile app might connect with:
- Payment gateways.
- Inventory management systems.
- Logistics platforms.
- CRM systems.
If APIs are poorly designed, they can slow development and create technical limitations later. This means building reliable APIs becomes a crucial part of professional app development.
Testing and quality assurance
Modern applications must work reliably across multiple devices and operating systems.
A typical mobile app may need to support:
- Dozens of phone models.
- Multiple operating system versions.
- Different screen sizes.
- Varying network conditions.
Testing teams perform extensive checks to ensure the product behaves correctly under all these conditions.
Without proper testing, bugs can quickly damage user trust. If an app crashes, loads slowly, or behaves inconsistently, users are unlikely to keep using it.
Research by Forrester also shows that the success of a mobile app cannot be measured by downloads alone. Long-term success depends on user engagement and how often people actually return to the app. Reliability and performance play a critical role in keeping users active.
Product Lifecycle and Rising User Expectations
Another important reason why apps are expensive is that they are never truly finished.
Unlike many traditional products, mobile applications must evolve continuously. Operating systems change, devices become more powerful, and new interface standards appear regularly. What works well today may feel outdated in just a few years.
As Vitalis Kavaliauskas explains:
‘Typically, after around five years, a mobile app starts to feel outdated. Either the technologies used to build it become obsolete, or user expectations change significantly.’
At the same time, user expectations continue to rise. People no longer compare apps only with direct competitors. They compare them with the best digital experiences they use every day.
Our CTO notes:
‘Users don’t compare apps only with direct competitors. They compare them with global leaders like Google, YouTube or TikTok. These products constantly redefine what a good digital experience looks like.’
On average, around 2,113 new iOS apps are released in the Apple App Store every day, while about 1,717 new Android apps appear daily in Google Play. This means companies launching a mobile app enter a highly competitive environment where users always have alternatives.
Because of this, maintaining a successful mobile app requires ongoing investment. Companies regularly introduce performance improvements, new features, design updates, and compatibility changes to ensure their applications remain relevant and reliable.
Launching the app is only the beginning of its lifecycle.
Why Experienced Development Companies Matter
Choosing the right partner can significantly influence the success of a project.
Baltic Amadeus, as a top mobile development company, brings more than programming skills. They contribute architectural expertise, industry knowledge, and long-term thinking.
Over the years, the company has delivered more than 500 large-scale IT projects across sectors such as telecommunications, insurance, and digital services. Many of these platforms support hundreds of thousands of users every day.
Experienced development companies help organisations:
- Design scalable system architecture.
- Manage complex integrations.
- Maintain strong security standards.
- Ensure regulatory compliance.
While experienced partners may require a higher initial investment, they often prevent costly technical issues later. A lower upfront price does not always mean the total investment will be smaller in the long run.
Conclusion: What You Should Know Before Building a Mobile App
Behind even the simplest applications lies a complex combination of architecture, integrations, security requirements, and continuous development work.
This is why custom mobile app development costs can vary significantly depending on system complexity, compliance requirements, and long-term product goals.
Companies that treat mobile app development as a strategic investment rather than a one-time project are far more likely to build scalable and reliable digital products.
If you are planning a new mobile application or modernising an existing platform, discussing the right development strategy early can make a significant difference to the success of the project. Get in touch with our team and let's talk about your project.
