How Much Does Mobile App UX/UI Design Cost? (Design Only)
What mobile app design costs when you separate it from development: our ranges for an MVP, a redesign, a UX audit and a design system, what drives the price, and how to compare quotes.
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At Grona, design for a mobile app costs from $1,000 to $10,000 for an MVP, $800 to $8,000 for a redesign, $200 to $1,000 for a UX audit, and from $200 for a design system. These ranges cover design only, not development. Where a project lands depends mainly on how much of the product is in scope. A proposal after a short conversation gives the exact figure.
These are our ranges, set for the kind of work we do. Other studios and freelancers price differently, so use them as a way to understand what drives the number, not as a market average. If you are comparing quotes, the questions at the end matter more than the figures.
What are the ranges?
Type of work | Range (design only) | What mainly moves the price |
|---|---|---|
MVP design | $1,000 to $10,000 | How many journeys the first release needs, and how settled the scope is |
Redesign of an existing app | $800 to $8,000 | How much of the app is in scope and how deep the structural problems go |
UX audit | $200 to $1,000 | The number of journeys reviewed |
Design system | From $200 | The number of components, platforms and states the product needs |
These are starting points for scoping, not fixed prices. The final figure comes from a proposal based on your product and goals.
What does "design only" mean?
It means the figures cover the thinking and the design files: the scope, the journeys, the structure, the screens and a prototype, plus a handoff your developers can build from. They do not include building the app. We design and hand over to your development team, and we do not provide software development. What is in a handoff is covered in what a development-ready design handoff includes, and how design and development differ in MVP design vs MVP development.
What makes the price go up or down?
Scope. One core journey costs less than five. This is the biggest factor, and the one you control.
How settled the idea is. If the first user, the job and the boundaries are clear, design is faster. If they are not, part of the work is deciding them. We describe that step in why your MVP needs a clearer job.
Platforms. iOS only, Android only, or both, and whether there is also a web or admin side.
Research and testing. Whether the project includes talking to users, or testing a prototype with them.
Visual ambition. A custom illustration style or motion work takes more time than a clean standard system.
States and edge cases. A product with many roles, statuses and failure paths needs more screens. See empty, loading and error states.
Speed. A compressed timeline usually costs more.
How do you get the most from a small budget?
Design one journey first. The one that proves the product. Expand once you see how it works.
Settle scope before you start. Time spent debating what to build is time you pay for.
Start with an audit if the app exists. A UX audit tells you whether you need a few fixes or a redesign, so you pay for the right one.
Keep the design system small. Build the components the product needs now. See when your app needs a design system.
Bring what you have. A prototype, notes from users or analytics all shorten the work. See using an AI-built prototype as a design brief.
How do you compare quotes?
A lower number is not a better deal if it buys less. Ask each studio:
What exactly is included: flows, screens, prototype, design system, handoff?
How many journeys or screens does the price cover?
How many rounds of feedback are included?
Who works on it, and how much of their time?
What happens if the scope changes?
Does it include development, or only design?
We go through more questions in how to choose a mobile app design agency.
What to do this week
Write the one journey the first release must support.
List what you already have: prototype, notes, analytics, references.
Decide whether you need an audit, an MVP design or a redesign.
Ask two or three studios for a quote with the same list of inclusions.
FAQ
Does the price include development?
No. The ranges are for design only. Development is a separate cost with your chosen development team.
Is the price fixed?
Ranges are a starting point. After a conversation about your product, a proposal sets the scope and the figure.
Why is there such a wide range?
Because projects differ in scope. A single focused journey and a multi-role product with many states are not the same job.
Can I pay for the audit first and decide later?
Yes. An audit is a separate engagement with a fixed scope agreed upfront, and you can decide on the next step afterwards.
To talk through scope and get a proposal, book a free 30-minute Product Diagnosis. You can also read about our mobile app design, mobile app redesign and UX audit services.
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