How Much Does It Cost to Build a Food Delivery App?
By idea2appAdmin
July 21, 2025
Table of Contents
Are you curious about the cost of creating a food delivery app like Deliveroo, Uber Eats, Grubhub, or DoorDash? Then you’re in the right spot.
In 2025, the global food delivery industry is expanding, driven by the efficiency and ease that services such as Foodpanda, UberEats, and DoorDash provide. With 59% of all restaurant orders being delivered or taken out, the demand for streamlined, user-friendly apps is at an all-time high. The food delivery market is projected to hit $1.65 trillion in 2027, according to Statista.
What are the requirements to create a food delivery service that is distinctive in a crowded market? In this blog, we will examine the food delivery app cost, which range from $30,000 to $120,000, depending on the features you select, the technology stack, and location. Let’s examine the options and gain a clearer picture of the food delivery app development cost USA.
A food delivery app is an application that allows customers to place orders for food at restaurants, cafes, or cloud kitchens and then have them delivered to their doorstep. Customers can browse menus, place orders online, and pay for their food directly through these apps, which link them to restaurants. They typically offer various payment options, real-time order tracking, and delivery status notifications.
Zomato, DoorDash, and Uber Eats are well-known meal delivery apps. Some platforms also offer delivery services to grocery stores and convenience stores. Businesses can design apps for food delivery to increase the convenience for consumers. Furthermore, it could enhance the dining experience by offering AI-driven recommendations, as well as customized offers and delivery options that eliminate the need for contact.
Based on the variables discussed earlier, the food delivery app cost can range from $30,000 to over $120,000. Here’s a rough outline of the costs associated with each phase of development:
Be aware that these figures are estimates, and they may vary based on the specific needs of your business and the developer team you select.
Mobile apps are transforming the food industry in numerous ways, including facilitating food ordering and tracking nutrition information. They have a huge positive impact on the food industry.
Food delivery app cost may vary depending on several factors. Several factors influence the cost of developing an app for food delivery. To determine the price of your app development project, consider the following key elements. When you consider these aspects and plan the development process carefully, you will be able to estimate and budget the development costs of an efficient food delivery app.
The more features you’d like to include in your application, the higher the price. Food delivery apps can offer a variety of options. Your app may concentrate on food delivery and ordering services. It may also offer table reservations, restaurant management services, and food ordering. Based on your service, your app may require these features. Thus, developing these features will impact the overall food delivery app cost.
The quality and uniqueness of an app’s design impact its price. Minimal and simple designs will cost less when compared to an app that is a complex mix of animations, graphics, and branding components. Custom designs typically require more time and effort from UX/UI designers and developers, which in turn leads to increased costs.
The app’s development for several operating systems (iOS, Android, web) will cost more than creating it on a single platform. Each platform comes with its development specifications, design guidelines, and testing processes, which increase the development process and cost. Furthermore, optimizing the application for various screen sizes and resolutions complicates the process and increases the expense.
Integrating third-party solutions, such as payment gateways, geolocation, and mapping tools for analytics, as well as customer support platforms, can impact the development costs of an on-demand food delivery app. Some third-party applications may need license fees or usage costs. This could impact the overall development costs.
Implementing strong security measures to safeguard users’ data, transactions, and other sensitive information is crucial for food delivery services. This means implementing encrypted protocols and secure login methods, and ensuring conformity with data protection laws (such as GDPR or HIPAA). Ensuring the app’s security incurs additional costs to the food delivery mobile app’s development time and expense.
It’s one of the significant factors in the food delivery app cost. To build a complete mobile application for food delivery, you’ll have to hire skilled app designers or collaborate with an experienced on-demand delivery app development firm. It is necessary to allocate your money to hiring designers, developers, testers, a project manager, as well as other specialists involved in the app development. This can significantly raise your food delivery app cost.
The selection of the technology stack for mobile application food delivery development will also impact the cost. Certain technologies may require licensing fees or incur higher maintenance and development costs compared to others. Additionally, the use of sophisticated or specialized technology may necessitate the hiring of developers with specific expertise. This affects the overall development costs of the food delivery app.
The number of features you decide to incorporate is a significant factor in determining the development time and cost. Simple features, such as order placement and restaurant listing, are easier to develop and quicker to go live.
However, more advanced features, such as real-time tracking and AI-based recommendations, as well as multi-currency payments, require more resources for development, a longer timeframe, and higher costs. The more advanced and complex the features, the greater the effort needed to develop them and the associated costs.
The typical system for food distribution consists of three main modules that are accessible to users and a couple of internal/admin modules:
This module is utilized by customers who want to order food items. Its features include:
Restaurant owners and owners of restaurants. Some of the features are:
Delivery personnel use them. Its features include:
The platform’s administrator or owner.
Other modules can be supported. Includes:
A variety of factors affect the food delivery app cost, including technologies, features, locations, team capabilities, AI-powered features, and the complexity level of the app, among others. Here is an overview of the food delivery app cost based on the different regions of the world;
The demand for food delivery apps in the USA has increased significantly over the past few years. According to Statista, in 2025, 217.1 million people living in the U.S. used online food delivery services, including grocery delivery. Indeed, the demand for apps that deliver food is expected to grow significantly in the next few years. In the USA, the cost to develop a fully functional food delivery application can range from $50,000 to $200,000.
The cost is influenced by a range of variables, including the need for the latest technology, the high cost of labor, as well as security and compliance requirements. If you’re looking to develop an app that delivers food and are seeking an expert food delivery application development firm located in the USA, you’ll want to consider one that has the experience and is a leader in AI-powered features, such as real-time tracking and personalized user-generated recommendations. Simple cloud integration, third-party APIs, and UX/UI design can add additional costs to the overall development cost of a food delivery app.
The Dubai food industry has undergone significant expansion over the past few decades. The rapidly growing demand for food delivery apps, such as Talabat, reflects Dubai’s residents’ increasing preference for ordering food online. If you’re an amateur chef looking to sell your food online or a restaurant already established as an eatery seeking to expand your client base, you can create an app that delivers food like Talabat.
On average, creating an app for mobile devices like Talabat will cost between $20,000 and $120,000. Additionally, the development of food delivery apps in Dubai is influenced by several key factors, including the complexity of the app and technology platform, capabilities, and the integration of innovative AI features, as well as UX/UI design, team expertise, and other factors.
The online delivery of food in the Canadian market is growing each day. In 2027, the market is expected to reach $97 billion. This staggering figure demonstrates the importance of apps for food delivery. The cost of developing a food delivery app in Canada is influenced by several factors, including high security demands, the growing need for real-time internet food delivery tracking, and cross-platform compatibility, among others.
However, should you choose to develop a food delivery service like Uber Eats, the cost will vary. Uber Eats is a well-liked online food delivery service in Canada. You will find all essential information, including the Uber Eats food delivery service features, cost implications, and technological stack, among other details.
The food delivery app cost in the UK is comparable to the app like UberEats cost. In the UK, the Food delivery industry is among the largest in the world and is growing rapidly. It was valued at $44 billion by 2024. It is predicted to reach the $ 50 billion mark by 2030.
Furthermore, the United Kingdom’s internet-based food delivery industry is expected to grow by 7.6% between 2025 and 2030. This rapid growth is attributed to a variety of factors, including ease of use for consumers, shifting user preferences, and the pandemic’s impact on its spread.
Australian consumers are largely dependent on food delivery companies. In 2025, the drone delivery service, Wing, in partnership with DoorDash (a well-known food delivery service in Australia), created food delivery attainable in less than a minute. Australia had 8.3 million users of food delivery apps as of 2025. DoorDash is loved by Australians for their daily food needs. If you own an enterprise and would like to create an app similar to DoorDash, it is essential to be aware of its primary characteristics, development costs, steps to build it, and other key details.
Additionally, certain essential factors affect the food delivery app cost in Australia, for example, an automated contactless delivery service with AI-driven suggestions and real-time tracking options. Additionally, post-launch marketing and maintenance of the app add to the total cost.
In the case of Saudi Arabia, developing a food delivery application similar to Jahez or Hunger Station could cost between $25,000 and $30,000, or even more. Both apps, Hungestation and Jahez, are popular apps for customers in Saudi Arabia. Prices are similar to those of other apps, but they vary based on several factors, including the user interface design, feature list, payment gateways, and third-party services.
The app development process for food delivery primarily focuses on COD-related features, as well as digital payment options. Remember that the food delivery business in Saudi Arabia is highly competitive, and you’ll need competent designers and developers on your side. Hire Android app developers, or if you would like to create an iOS app, you can hire an iOS app developer to ensure smooth and speedy app deployment.
Although the above-mentioned apps for food delivery on demand have evident costs, there are also many hidden costs that you should not overlook. Let’s look at the following:
After your app for food delivery is designed, it will need to be thoroughly tested to ensure that it offers an excellent experience for all customers, including those with disabilities. Certain vendors might charge additional fees for quality assurance and accessibility services.
Changes may arise during the development process, leading to adjustments and ultimately affecting the overall development costs of the food delivery app. It is therefore essential to allocate funds for contingencies to handle the unexpected problems or demands that may arise during the development process.
After the app’s launch, it’s crucial to continue improving and maintaining your application to ensure it keeps pace with the changing needs of customers and the latest technological developments. Maintenance costs typically account for approximately 20% of the total annual development costs for apps.
The most effective food delivery application won’t be successful if there isn’t any awareness about it. To make your app more popular and increase customer gains, you should invest in growth strategies, including social media marketing, SEO, content marketing, and other relevant approaches.
In the world of app development for food delivery, licensing costs are associated with various elements of the app’s functionality and operation.
If your food delivery application needs to manage an expanding number of customers or requires performance enhancements, more infrastructure resources may be necessary. This might include investing in scalable server architecture, load balancers, caching systems, and cloud-based services. This can create additional costs during the app’s development process.
We understand that the food delivery app cost might sound a bit high. Particularly for food tech ventures or start-ups, it’s challenging to create a comprehensive food delivery app within budget constraints. As an experienced Food delivery application development firm, we are aware of the most effective techniques that can help you reduce the cost of food delivery app development.
Concentrate on the essential functions users require to start, including searching the menu, placing orders for food items, and tracking delivery dates. Ensure that you develop an initial product that is viable from the outset. Later, you can add additional features in the future based on user feedback. This approach to development will help you create your app at a minimum cost.
There are a variety of open-source and free frameworks and libraries that are available for food delivery application development. These options could help you save money on licensing fees compared to proprietary software.
The development process for iOS and Android applications is expensive. Consider launching initially on one platform and then expanding to the other when necessary. It can also be beneficial if you plan to develop applications for both platforms.
Developer fees can differ based on the location. A mobile app development firm located in the UK may charge different rates than one in the USA. Therefore, it is recommended to consider outsourcing to areas with less expensive hourly rates. But you shouldn’t sacrifice quality or communications.
Serverless and cloud-based architectures can allow you to expand your app efficiently, without massive upfront costs for infrastructure. You can integrate cloud-based services into your food delivery software.
Develop your app for food delivery with the ability to scale and grow. This method will enable users to easily incorporate features and accommodate additional users in the future without requiring a complete overhaul of your system.
In the table below, we’ve presented an estimated cost for the key characteristics of a successful delivery service that could impact your budget.
| Food Deliver App Features | Cost in ($) |
| Sub-menus, menus and items | 2500-3500 |
| Filters for prices, delivery costs and a variety of cuisine choices | 800-1000 |
| Add to cart and place order history | 1000-2000 |
| Chat and messaging support in the app | 4000-5000 |
| Register using 2FA | 1500-2000 |
| Sign in or make a purchase as a guest | 1000-2500 |
| Delivery tracking with live tracking at the location | 2500-3500 |
| Payments online | 800-1500 |
| Push notifications | 1000-2000 |
| Ratings and reviews | 1500-2000 |
There are likely to be a lot of concerns circulating in your head regarding hiring the most reputable food delivery app development company in US. When it comes to the highly regarded Food delivery application development business, Idea2App has earned an excellent reputation in the market. It has been able to serve clients across the globe and has earned them free advocacy by giving them complete transparency and recommendations to lower expenses whenever feasible.
Additionally, working on the best food delivery app development projects has provided us with a wealth of knowledge about maximizing the use of modern technology and human resources to achieve the best possible outcomes.
Due to the varying costs of labor, technological demands, market demand, and technological requirements, the cost of building an app for food delivery differs significantly between different regions. Asia, South America, and Southeast Asia have more cost-effective solutions, whereas North America and Western Europe are more expensive to develop. Before deciding on mobile food delivery apps, companies should carefully evaluate their budget and the market.
Companies can reduce the food app price USA that delivers food and improve performance in response to customer feedback with the help of an MVP. Cloud-based tools, cross-platform development, and outsourcing could further reduce the cost of building an app to order food without compromising quality. Companies can create a profitable, competitive, and efficient food delivery system through balancing costs and creativity.
The cost of building an app can range from $30,000 to $ 1,200,000 or more, depending on the level of complexity, features, and platforms used. The price will differ according to the following aspects:
The annual maintenance costs of a meal delivery app typically range from 15% to 25% of the application’s initial development costs. The range is between $5,000 and $50,000 per year, covering bug fixes, security updates, server maintenance, and feature enhancements. The higher maintenance cost is essential for sophisticated apps that utilize AI cloud hosting and have a large number of users.
A food delivery app typically features four panels: a restaurant app, customer apps, driver panels, and an administrator application.
Typically, a moderate-level food delivery application takes 6 to 9 months to create. It all depends on the features you’d like to include, as well as the complexity of the application. If you plan to develop an advanced app, such as Uber Eats, it can take up to a year to complete.