Knowledge
Build an app yourself or hire a team? The comparison
For simple standard apps without custom logic, an app builder for roughly €10 to €100 a month is often enough — you don't need an agency for that. Custom development from €15,000 pays off as soon as your own processes, integrations with your systems, or requirements on data protection and performance come into play. In between sit AI tools and freelancers.
- app builder
- from €10/month
- custom development
- from €15,000
- compared
- 4 routes
- read
- 6 min
Route 1: app builder (no-code) — the cheapest start
Builders assemble apps from ready-made blocks — without a line of code, on a subscription from roughly €10 a month.
- What it covers: info apps, menus, appointment booking, simple forms — standard cases that a ready-made block covers.
- Where it ends: your own business logic, connections to ERP, CRM or specialist applications, offline mode with sync, particular data-protection requirements, store-grade performance.
- The hidden price: your app lives on the provider's platform. If prices rise or the service shuts down, there is no code to take with you.
Route 2: AI tools and vibe coding — fast to a prototype
AI tools today generate runnable app prototypes from a description — good for testing an idea before money flows. For running a business app day to day, three things are usually missing: someone who understands and maintains the generated code; security and data protection at a provable level; and a clean connection to your systems. Our advice: an AI prototype as an idea test, yes — as a production system only with developers who take responsibility for the code.
Route 3: freelancer — flexible for small projects
An experienced freelancer (hourly rates typically €80–150 in the DACH region) fits when the project is small and well defined and someone in-house can judge the work technically.
- Strengths: lower costs than an agency, a direct line, a quick start.
- Risks: availability over the years (maintenance!), knowledge tied to one person, design, backend and testing rarely in one hand.
Route 4: agency or software company — responsibility for the result
From around €15,000 project volume, a team covering development, design and project management takes over — with a contract, acceptance criteria and operation after launch. That is the usual route once the app is part of your value creation: customer accounts, system integration, data protection, scaling. What to check when choosing: the 12-point checklist.
The cost comparison over three years
The entry price misleads — the routes only become comparable over time. A sample calculation over three years for the same use case:
- Builder: at roughly €30 a month, about €1,100 over three years. In return: no code of your own, no export, features and prices set by the platform provider. For standard cases still unbeatably cheap.
- Freelancer: say 200 hours at €100 = €20,000 for the build — maintenance over the years is the open flank: is the person available when the autumn OS update breaks something?
- Agency/software company: a simple app from around €30,000 plus maintenance (rule of thumb 15–20 % a year) ≈ €43,000–48,000 over three years. In return: your own documented code, plannable maintenance, one accountable contract partner.
- The real question: not “what does the start cost?” but “what is there after three years?” — a subscription without substance, or a system you own and can extend.
Three cases, three routes
- Restaurant with a menu and reservations: a standard case that builders cover out of the box — builder, decided in an afternoon.
- A founder testing a market idea: first an AI or design prototype for feedback from real prospects, then a custom MVP once the idea holds.
- A mid-sized company connecting field service to its ERP: own processes, integrations, offline mode, data protection — agency or software company, chosen with the checklist.
The decision guide in four questions
Four questions lead to the decision — for the full picture of costs, process and provider choice, see the guide:
- Does a ready-made block cover your case? → Builder. Then you don't need us.
- Do you first want to know whether the idea holds? → AI prototype or clickable design prototype, then decide.
- Small, clear project plus technical competence in-house? → Freelancer.
- Own processes, integrations, data protection, day-to-day operation? → Agency or software company. Entry without a big commission: Discovery for €1,900, ending in a fixed-price quote — credited when you order.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Can I create an app as a layperson?
Yes, with an app builder for standard cases: ready-made blocks, no code, from roughly €10 a month. The limits: custom logic, integrations, data protection — that takes developers.
What does an app cost in comparison?
Builder roughly €10–100 a month, freelancer by hourly rate (typically €80–150 in the DACH region), custom development from €15,000 for simple apps to over €100,000 for complex ones — details with a cost estimator on our costs page.
Is an AI-built app enough for production?
As a prototype and idea test: yes. For day-to-day operation with real user data it takes maintenance, security and system integration — in other words, developers who take responsibility for the code.
What if I start with a builder and need more later?
Switching usually means rebuilding, because builder apps don't hand over code. If you can foresee needing integrations or custom logic, a tightly scoped custom version is often cheaper than two attempts.