Rates, 2026
What should a mobile developer charge in New York or LA?
About $1,300 a day for a mobile developer who is working and booked in New York or Los Angeles. $950 in the first years, $1,650 when senior. An app, version one runs about $47,500. Also called: ios, android, react native, flutter.
Other markets: a major city · remote · a smaller market
First years
$950
a day · $125 an hour
Working, booked
$1,300
a day · $175 an hour
Senior, sought after
$1,650
a day · $200 an hour
The rate card, working level
- Day rate$1,300 per day
- Hourlyfor anything that does not fit a day$175 per hour
- An app, version one$47,500 per project
- Monthly retainer$38,000 per month
Sold a project fee, by the day, a monthly retainer. The outcome is the unit; the day rate is for when a client wants your time instead.
What to charge for each thing
Ranges for New York or Los Angeles: the low end is the first years, the high end is senior. Working and booked sits in the middle.
- MVP$15,000 to $40,000 each
- New feature$2,000 to $10,000 each
- App store release and prep$500 to $2,000 each
- Maintenance month$1,500 to $5,000 per month
How the number is made
Mobile app developers at this level day at about $1,300 ($800 to $1,800 in New York and LA). Put in the year you actually want on the perfect price page and the number moves with it.
An app, version one runs $15,000 to $80,000 and takes about 250 hours of your time; at your hourly that is $43,750. The number is the higher of the two, because the client is buying the outcome, not the hours.
A retainer is the month, not the hours: a set scope, paid up front on the 1st. It is priced about 20% under the same work bought one at a time, in exchange for the certainty; three months minimum, or it is not a retainer.
Questions
- What is a fair day rate for a mobile developer in New York or LA?
- About $1,300 a day for someone working and booked, $950 in the first years, $1,650 when senior and sought after. Half days usually run 60% of the day.
- How much is an app, version one?
- $47,500 at a working level in this market. The client is buying the outcome, so the price is the higher of what the market pays for it and what your hours in it are worth.
- What does a monthly retainer look like for a mobile developer?
- Around $38,000 a month. About 20% under the same work bought one piece at a time, in exchange for certainty; three months minimum.
- Are these rates a rule?
- No. They are US 2026 ranges for the role, placed by level and moved for the market. What a client actually paid you beats all of it. The tool has a box for that, and it wins.
Your number, in five seconds.
Pick your level and market, get a card you can send the next client who asks. Then RostrLab quotes, papers, invoices and chases every job with it: free for 14 days, $29 a month, never a cut.
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