Do you want to implement an advanced version of your beauty business? If yes, you’re already on the right track.
The beauty industry is rapidly shifting toward on-demand solutions that let customers book services with just a click. From salon visits to at-home treatments, all through mobile platforms.
The on-demand service app has become a key asset in today’s market, offering high returns for entrepreneurs. Whether you run a small salon or multiple studios, integrating technology is essential.
Now, let’s answer the question you came here for: how much does it cost to develop an on-demand beauty app?
The cost can range anywhere from $20,000 to $200,000, depending on the feature set, design, and overall complexity of your application. A basic app with simple booking is cheaper, while feature-rich platforms naturally fall toward the higher end.
In this blog, we’ll break down everything you need to know about beauty app development costs, features, and monetization strategies to keep your investment optimized.
What Is The Cost Of Making An On-Demand Beauty Service App?
On average, the cost of a beauty service mobile application varies from $20,000 to $200,000, depending on the number of features, the tech stack, wireframing, UI/UX design, platform choice (iOS, Android, or both), and more.
Here’s a rough breakdown based on app complexity:
- Simple app with basic features: $20,000 – $50,000 (3 to 6 months development)
- Medium complexity app with real-time features and advanced design: $55,000 – $100,000 (6 to 9 months)
- Highly complex app with multiple advanced features and designs: $100,000 – $200,000+ (9+ months)
Estimating the cost involves more than just features and tech stack. Time and design also matter. The final cost will depend on your specific business requirements and goals.
Factors That Affect the Cost to Build a Salon App
When you ask, How much does it cost to build a salon?, you will see there isn’t a one-size-fits-all answer. The cost of salon app development depends on many factors. Every choice you make about what features and designs you include can affect the cost to build your app.
Let’s break it down:
App Features and Functionality
When calculating the on-demand beauty app development cost, features play the biggest role.
If you only need a basic salon booking app for iPhone or Android with appointments, it will cost less. But as soon as you add advanced options like payments, loyalty programs, chat, or location tracking, costs rise.
That is why it’s important to decide early which features fit your business model. Start small, then scale once your customer base grows and you see consistent demand.
Here’s a breakdown of how features affect your budget:
| Features | Functions | Avg. Development Cost |
| Basic Booking Functionality | – Appointment scheduling– Service selection– Time/date slot booking | $5,000 – $8,000 |
| Payment Gateway Integration | – Secure in-app payments– Refund handling– Multiple gateways (Stripe, PayPal, Razorpay) | $1,500 – $7,000 |
| Loyalty Programs & Rewards | – Customer reward points– Cashback/discount integration– Loyalty-based offers | $5,000 – $10,000+ |
| In-App Chat & Call | – Secure chat with beauticians– Voice calls– 256-bit encrypted communication | Scratch build: $3,000 – $20,000+3rd-party API: $500 – $10,000+ |
| Map & Location Integration | – Real-time location tracking (with permission)– Pin start/end points for home services | $1,500 – $7,000+ |
App Design and User Interface
In the beauty industry, first impressions matter more than anything else. Even if your app functions perfectly, poor design can make users abandon it instantly.
Branding, user experience (UX), and user interface (UI) should always work in tandem to deliver a seamless user experience. Your goal is to create a design that feels attractive, simple, and effortless to navigate.
This requires a creative eye, industry knowledge, and strong design thinking from the right partner. For example, if you want a salon booking app for iPhone, design quality is everything.
The estimated cost for app design usually ranges between $5,000 and $50,000 or more. Most design projects take about two to four weeks, depending on the level of customization.
Pro Tip: Never settle for "good enough." Users form opinions within the first 7 seconds, and if your UI feels outdated, they won’t hesitate to leave.
App Platform Choice: iOS Vs. Android
In the development of a salon app for Android or iOS, this is a topic of discussion that each app designer who wishes to see it through goes into. Each option brings its own set of costs and audience reach.
- Salon Apps for iPhone:
Popular among premium members who care for design and smoothness. If you are after high-end salon apps for iPhone, you’ll likely need to hire Swift developers who can build a secure, native iOS app. The cost is higher, but iPhone users tend to spend more on services.
- Salon App for Android:
Android is the way to go if you are looking to reach out to a large audience, which includes users in emerging markets. While it does require more of your time in terms of device testing, developing a beauty app for Android will get you access to a larger customer base.
- Cross-Platform Development:
If budget is a concern, cross-platform development can save both time and cost. With frameworks like Flutter or React Native, you only need one codebase for both platforms. This approach can reduce costs by 30 to 40 percent compared to building separate native apps.
Location of App Development Team
The app development team’s size and structure are a large factor in determining the total cost for the salon app. Also, what area of the world your developers are from plays a big role, as they have very different hourly rates, which in turn will affect the bottom line of your beauty services app.
Here’s a breakdown of the average hourly rates across the globe:
| Region | Average Rate |
| North America | $30 – $120/hour |
| East America | $20 – $50/hour |
| Western & Northern Europe | $30 – $70/hour |
| Middle East | $40 – $70/hour |
| Africa | $25 – $40/hour |
| South, Central & Eastern Europe | $30 – $60/hour |
| Eastern Asia | $20 – $60/hour |
| Southeast Asia | $20 – $50/hour |
| Oceania / Australia | $40 – $70/hour |
The average hourly rate of developers around the globe highlights how location can drastically influence the salon software cost. If you are working on a tighter budget, outsourcing to a reliable beauty salon app development company often provides high-quality results at more affordable rates compared to Western countries.
