How much does a mobile app cost in Quebec in 2026?
The honest answer comes in three tiers, published by Quebec and Canadian agencies. What moves a project from one tier to the next is almost never the number of screens: it is accounts, payments, real time and AI.
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Équipe Maison GR
Product studio, Quebec City
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2 min read
The three tiers published in Quebec
Bolle publishes these ranges for a mobile app in Quebec in 2026:
- aSimple app or MVP (showcase, forms, notifications): $15,000 to $30,000, in 6 to 12 weeks.
- bMedium complexity (accounts, sign-in, API, payments, bookings or catalogue): $30,000 to $70,000, in 3 to 6 months.
- cComplex app (AI, real time, advanced dashboards): $100,000 and more, in 6 to 12 months.
What drives the bill up
The tiers differ by what the app must do behind the screen. Sign-in adds accounts to secure; payments add edge cases and taxes; real time adds a server holding connections open; AI adds usage costs and quality measurement.
Our view: before comparing quotes, list these four elements for your project. Two quotes that don't cover the same ones can't be compared.
Market hourly rates
When a quote is billed by the hour, these are the published rates:
- aLocal agency in Quebec: $125 to $250 an hour (Bolle).
- bMontreal app agencies: $90 to $160 an hour (Clutch).
- cCanadian agency blended rate: $100 to $150 an hour (Modall).
- dSenior freelance developer in Quebec: $80 to $160 an hour (Bolle).
The cost after launch
A published app is not finished: operating systems update, app stores change their rules, security fixes come out. Bolle and Modall both put yearly maintenance at 15% to 20% of the initial build cost.
For a $50,000 app, plan on $7,500 to $10,000 a year, on top of hosting and the app stores' developer accounts.
Native or cross-platform?
Our view, from our own products: for most projects, one codebase for iOS and Android is enough. Rehearse's app is built with Expo and React Native, and shares its colours, value for value, with the web version.
Pure native is worth it when the app leans heavily on hardware (sensors, video processing, advanced Bluetooth) or on extreme graphics performance.
Getting an estimate that holds
A reliable estimate needs written scoping. Before asking for one, prepare:
- athe user roles and what each must be able to do;
- bthe list of integrations: payment, map, calendar, existing systems;
- cwhat must work offline, if anything;
- dthe languages, and whether Arabic or another right-to-left language is among them;
- ethe date that really matters, and why.
To do
The list to keep at hand.
- List the user roles and their actions.
- List the integrations: payment, map, calendar, existing systems.
- Decide what must work offline.
- Set the languages, French included.
- Budget 15% to 20% a year for maintenance.
Frequently asked questions
01How much does a simple mobile app cost in Quebec?
Bolle publishes $15,000 to $30,000 for a simple app or MVP, in 6 to 12 weeks.
02How long does it take to build an app?
Per Bolle: 6 to 12 weeks for a simple app, 3 to 6 months for medium complexity, 6 to 12 months for a complex app.
03How much does app maintenance cost?
Bolle and Modall put yearly maintenance at 15% to 20% of the initial build cost.
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