App Development for Businesses: Costs, Options, and the Right Solution

An app can significantly simplify processes when it provides support where people work, make decisions, or need information. For employees, customers, or partners, it can be exactly the tool that makes tasks faster, easier, and more direct. After all, app development doesn’t start with screens and features, but with your goal: What should the solution improve in everyday life?

Many companies face exactly these challenges:

• Employees have to enter data twice because existing systems aren’t mobile-friendly
• Information is missing precisely when it’s needed on-site
• Service, sales, or field staff work with paper, Excel, PDFs, or emails
• Customers or partners need easy access to status updates, documents, or orders
• Existing software is too cumbersome to use on smartphones or tablets
• Processes stall because data is only entered later in the office
• A digital solution should be available on mobile devices, but the appropriate structure is unclear
• Systems, roles, data, and interfaces make the project more complex than anticipated

We develop an app that fits your processes.

• You’ll gain clarity on whether a native app, web app, or mobile web solution makes sense
• Users can complete tasks right where they arise
• Data is captured on-site and doesn’t have to be entered twice later
• Customers, partners, or employees get exactly the access they need
• ERP, CRM, databases, or specialized applications are seamlessly integrated
• Users, roles, permissions, data logic, and interfaces run through a suitable backend
• The solution remains secure, maintainable, and scalable

An app is the right choice when it makes everyday life easier. Not because a mobile solution is “just trendy,” but because it’s needed where people work on the go, where information needs to be readily available, or where processes need to be supported right when they’re being used.

Typical situations include:

• Service technicians need access to orders, checklists, or technical information while on the go
• Customers should be able to access orders, statuses, or documents on the go
• Internal teams currently work with Excel, paper, PDFs, or messages sent back and forth
• A digital solution should be available directly on a smartphone or tablet
• Existing software is barely usable on mobile devices or too cumbersome

At first, the decision often sounds easier than it is. Many people start by asking whether they need an app, a web app, or a mobile web solution. But what matters isn’t the label—it’s the problem it solves.

Where and how will the solution be used?
Will it be used directly on the job, on the go, or mainly at a desk? The closer the use is to the actual workflow, the more important speed, ease of use, and reliable availability become.

What devices are in use?
Smartphone, tablet, or both? And only internally, or also for customers and partners? This question influences not only the technical implementation but also the structure, user interface logic, and testing requirements.

Is offline use necessary?
As soon as a solution needs to function even without a stable connection, the technical architecture becomes more demanding. In practice, however, this is often a key consideration—for example, in field service, production, or while on the go.

Are specific device features required?
Camera, GPS, scanner, or push notifications may seem like minor details at first. In many projects, however, they help determine whether a classic app is a better fit than a browser-based solution.

How complex are roles, data, and processes?
As soon as different user groups, permissions, data logic, or multi-step workflows come into play, a simple interface is no longer sufficient. Then it comes down to how cleanly the solution is structured behind the scenes.

To what extent does the solution need to be integrated into existing systems?
When ERP, CRM, databases, or other applications are involved, many decisions are not made based on the user interface, but rather on the interfaces and data flows.

The question of “with or without a backend” is no minor detail. It affects the scope of functionality, effort, costs, maintenance, security, and future scalability. A backend handles key tasks in the background, such as data processing, user management, logic, and integration with other systems.

When is a backend necessary? When…

• …user accounts need to be managed
• … roles and permissions are important
• …data needs to be stored or processed
• … there are interfaces to other systems
• .. Content needs to be displayed individually
• .. Processes or status logic need to be mapped

A corporate app typically costs around CHF 40,000 or more. The exact price depends on the app’s complexity, the features required, and whether backend systems, interfaces, user roles, offline functionality, or custom UX/UI are included.

Feature Set
The more features, views, roles, and workflows an app supports, the greater the effort required.

Backend
As soon as data is stored, users are managed, or content is personalized, the effort involved increases significantly.

Interfaces
ERP, CRM, portals, databases, or third-party systems almost always make projects more complex.

UX/UI Design
A functional interface is more cost-effective than a custom-designed user experience with extensive fine-tuning.

iOS, Android, or Both
The more platforms and devices that need to be properly supported, the greater the effort required.

Offline Use, Permissions, and Security
These points may seem minor at first glance, but they often alter the architecture.

Costs That Are Often Underestimated

When it comes to app costs, many people initially think only of development. In practice, however, other expenses often come into play:

Operation and hosting
Cloud and backend costs are usually usage-based. Services like AWS and Firebase bill based on consumption. AWS generally operates on a pay-as-you-go basis, while Firebase offers free quotas and paid plans depending on the service.

Marketing for public apps
Anyone launching an app publicly often needs an additional budget for the launch, reach, and marketing. These costs are not part of the actual development but are frequently overlooked. One provider even suggests a budget range of CHF 30,000 to CHF 100,000as a rough guide .

Maintenance and Further Development
An app isn’t finished after “go live.” Operating system updates, new devices, security, bug fixes, and new requirements generate ongoing costs.

Many apps fail not because of their user interface, but because they aren’t integrated cleanly enough into the existing system landscape. Especially in a corporate context ,apps often need to interoperatewith ERP, CRM, databases, portals, or other systems.

If this integration isn’t handled properly, new problems quickly arise:

• Data is entered twice
• Information is not up to date
• Data transfers remain manual
• Errors occur at the interfaces
• Processes become slower instead of simpler

• People are too quick to plan an app, even though a web solution would suffice
• The user interface is designed, but the processes and data behind it remain unclear
• The backend is considered too late
• Interfaces are underestimated
• Roles and permissions are too vague at the outset
• Operation and further development are not planned for
• The project starts too broadly instead of with a clear initial focus