Engineering Quality Solutions
Building a mental health app involves balancing feature complexity, platform choice, team expertise, and compliance with data regulations. The cost typically ranges from $20,000 for basic apps to $200,000+ for advanced versions with AI and video capabilities. To reduce expenses, focus on core features and consider cross-platform development.
By Paresh Mayani
Last updated on: March 18, 2025
The global mental health apps market is expected to reach around USD 36.44 billion by 2034.
With emotional wellness becoming a priority for individuals, there is a surge in demand for mental health apps in the market.
With this increase in demand comes a big business opportunity.
(Which, by the way, you should definitely utilize!)
But the first question (probably) that will pop into your mind once you decide to build a mental health app is, “How much will it cost to develop a mental health app”?
Well, that’s why we are here!
In this blog, we’ll discuss in detail the key factors that shape the cost of building a mental health app and share some practical tips that will help you save money on your mobile app development.
Let’s get into it!
Here, we have explained in detail the factors that are responsible for deciding the cost of building a mental health app from scratch.
PS: Don’t forget to take note of them!
The primary factor that determines the cost of mental health app development is the kind of app you want to build.
Do you want to build a simple meditation app with guided audio sessions or a telemedicine app that connects patients with mental health professionals through video calls?
Why does it matter?
Well, most mental health apps will have advanced features like AI-powered assessments or video conferencing, which take a lot of time and resources to develop. And that, of course, adds up to the cost!
The maths is super simple here! The more advanced your app is, the more expensive it will be!
Remember: If you want to add the latest AI features to your app, consult a Generative AI Development Company.
The features you will have in your app are one thing!
But you also need to add third-party integrations like payment gateways or reporting tools to enhance the functionality of your general mental health app.
Undoubtedly, they will improve the overall functioning of your app, but yes, they also contribute additionally to the cost.
The answer to how much it will cost to develop a mental health app also depends on the development platform.
Here are different app development platforms you can choose from:
Here is a helpful tip: If you are just starting and have a basic budget, then we recommend that you build an app for one platform and then expand on to multiple platforms.
The next factor that decides the development cost for mental health software is the design & animation.
Now, investing in the design of your app is important because, after all, the entire user engagement, like how much time a user spends on your platform, depends on it.
If you are going for standard designs like a clean and user-friendly interface, it will not cost much. But if you are using custom graphics or animations to make your mental health platform more intuitive, it will definitely be expensive.
Another factor to consider here is the wireframing. It is usually employed by the developers to map features for an effective user experience.
The most important factor that greatly affects the mental health app development cost is how you hire mobile app developers.
You can either go for
While Freelancers might look like a convenient option, but often, they lack consistency, and building a house team requires a lot of money and time.
Therefore, our best bet is to go for mobile app development companies as they bring expertise, reliability, and cost-effectiveness in one place.
Another factor that attribute to this cost is location. The developers in North America and Europe usually have higher rates compared to those in Asia or Eastern Europe.
So, these are all the factors that will answer you how much it costs to develop a mental health software query. Next, let’s find out what is often overlooked but adds up to the cost of developing the mental health platform.
We know you are looking for NUMBERS!
Here is a rough estimate of what the cost of mental health application development will range from:
| App Type | Estimated Cost Range (Overall) |
| Basic App | $20,000 – $50,000 |
| Medium Complexity App | $50,000 – $100,000 |
| Advanced App (AI & Video Integration) | $100,000 – $200,000+ |
In this section, we will discuss the hidden cost of mental health app development. Understanding them will help you to be prepared for the expected financial cost and not get any shockers.
Security is a big concern nowadays, especially for such apps. Users should be able to trust your app with their data. Therefore, to build that trust among your users, you have to comply the mental health application with data security laws like:
And getting the certification from these laws comes at a hefty price.
The infrastructure of your mobile is just like the foundation of the building. It has to be solid; otherwise, your app can crash at any time. The cost of infrastructure includes data storage, servers, and hosting.
When you build a mental health application, don’t forget to consider the app publishing cost.
The cost of publishing an app on the Google Play Store is a one-time fee of $25, whereas the cost of publishing an app on the Apple App Store is $99/year.
Your job is not done just by launching the apps. You also have to promote it on social media platforms like Instagram and Facebook or run ads on Google.
The more your app is in front of your users, the more likely they are to sign up for it.
We have been talking about the cost of building mental health apps, but now, let’s talk about saving some bucks!
Fortunately, there are some strategies that can help you to reduce some of the costs of mental health app development.
Follow these strategies!
Where to launch my app first? Android or IOS?
This is a common question asked by almost every entrepreneur.
For such scenarios, we recommend that rather than building native apps, you go for cross-platform app development.
If you build an app for any one platform, then you would be missing out on the large chunk of users on the other platform.
Choosing to outsource your project or build an in-house team is again a dilemma that many face. Well, if you choose to outsource, you will get a team of experts who have the resources and experience to deliver you quality work.
However, if you build your in-house team, you have to go through the hassle of hiring the best talent pool, training them, and investing in providing them with additional resources.
When you start developing your app, it is important that you prioritize mental health tracking features smartly. You should not go all in at once; first, you should prioritize must-have features, and then later on, you can go for all the nice-to-have features.
By following this tip, you can save huge bucks right when you start.
So, we have concluded that mental health app costs depend on various factors. However, if you need to know the exact cost of building the mental health platform, you can contact a development agency.
SolGuruz has a team of specialized developers who have delivered innovative and scalable apps with out-of-the-box features.
Therefore, if you want to partner with a mobile app development company to build a successful mental health app or just get a quote for your project, consult our experts.
During the first year of your app development, the cost can be a little high, ranging up to almost 50% of the development cost. However, it will not cost more than 10-20% after the first year.
Well, the time to develop a mental health app would range from 4 weeks to 3 months depending on factors like:
Here are the reasons why investing in a mental health app is a good idea:
Written by
Paresh is a Co-Founder and CEO at SolGuruz, who has been exploring the software industry's horizon for over 15 years. With extensive experience in mobile, Web and Backend technologies, he has excelled in working closely with startups and enterprises. His expertise in understanding tech has helped businesses achieve excellence over the long run. He believes in giving back to the society, and with that he has founded a community chapter called "Google Developers Group Ahmedabad", he has organised 100+ events and have delivered 150+ tech talks across the world, he has been recognized as one of the top 10 highest reputation points holders for the Android tag on Stack Overflow. At SolGuruz, we believe in delivering a combination of technology and management. Our commitment to quality engineering is unwavering, and we never want to waste your time or ours. So when you work with us, you can rest assured that we will deliver on our promises, no matter what.
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For over a decade, I’ve been at the forefront of turning bold, ambitious ideas into groundbreaking solutions. As the CEO of SolGuruz, I’ve had the privilege of helping startups and businesses not only tackle their biggest challenges but scale to new heights with products that don’t just compete - they dominate.
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Paresh Mayani
CEO, SolGuruz
paresh@solguruz.us
Once we commit, we deliver it no matter what happens.
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