What making an app really costs
Honest numbers on free plans, watermarks, monthly fees and the Apple developer account, and what you can skip.
- Honest costs
App builder pricing in 2026: what $20–40 a month actually buys
Entry prices look alike. The unit you pay in doesn't: credits per change, users per month, or apps per plan.
7 min read - Honest costs
Low-code app builder pricing: which meter you're on, and what isn't in the plan
The plan price is the part you see. Overage, store fees and expiring credits are the part you pay later.
6 min read - Honest costs
A free iPhone app maker: the three routes that cost nothing
The App Store is never free. Your own iPhone can be: through the Home Screen, a Mac with a free Apple account, or an iPad.
6 min read - Honest costs
What it really costs to have an app for your own use in 2026
Developer accounts, builder tiers, hosting — the full bill for each route, laid side by side.
5 min read - Honest costs
Do I need an Apple Developer account to use my own app?
Only if you want to publish it. The $99/year fee is for distribution, not for having a tool on your phone.
3 min read - Honest costs
Free app makers with no watermark and no monthly fee — what’s actually free in 2026
“Free” usually means a watermark, a row cap, or a trial. A plain-words guide to reading a pricing page, the four kinds of free, and how to know what you will really pay in year one.
6 min read