UI/UX App Design Cost in the UK: Pricing Guide
Shyam Singh
Last Updated on: 14 October 2026
UI/UX design for an app in the UK typically costs £3,000 to £10,000 for a simple app or MVP, £10,000 to £30,000 for a medium-complexity business app and £30,000 or more for complex and enterprise apps. Design usually accounts for around 12 to 18% of a typical app's total budget.
This guide breaks down what app design costs in 2026, what you get for the money, how freelancer and agency pricing compares, and how to brief designers so quotes are accurate and comparable.
- UX audit of an existing app: £1,500 – £5,000
- Simple app or MVP: £3,000 – £10,000 (2 – 4 weeks)
- Medium-complexity app: £10,000 – £30,000 (4 – 8 weeks)
- Complex or enterprise app: £30,000+ (2 – 4 months or more)
What UI/UX App Design Includes
UX and UI are related but different, and quotes often bundle them together.
| UX design (how it works) | UI design (how it looks) | |
|---|---|---|
| Focus | User needs, journeys and ease of use | Visual style, layout and interaction details |
| Typical work | Research, user flows, information architecture, wireframes, prototypes, usability testing | Colour, typography, icons, components, high-fidelity screens, design system |
| Outputs | Journey maps, wireframes, clickable prototype, test findings | Final screen designs, style guide, developer-ready assets |
A complete app design package usually covers both, plus a developer handover with specifications, so the build matches the design.
UI/UX Design Costs by App Type (UK, 2026)
| App type | Typical scope | Typical cost | Timeline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Simple app or MVP | 10 – 20 unique screens, core journeys, light research, one round of testing | £3,000 – £10,000 | 2 – 4 weeks |
| Medium-complexity app | 30 – 60 screens, accounts, payments, admin views, user testing, iOS and Android adjustments | £10,000 – £30,000 | 4 – 8 weeks |
| Complex or enterprise app | Many user roles, dashboards, design system, in-depth research and accessibility review | £30,000 – £80,000+ | 2 – 4 months+ |
| Redesign of an existing app | UX audit, analytics review, redesigned key journeys | £5,000 – £25,000 | 3 – 8 weeks |
Indicative ranges excluding VAT. Your quote depends on scope, research and the number of unique screens.
To see how design fits into the overall budget, read our guide to mobile app development costs in the UK.
UI/UX Design Costs by Deliverable
If you only need part of the design process, these typical prices help with budgeting:
| Deliverable | What you get | Typical cost |
|---|---|---|
| UX audit | Expert review of an existing app with prioritised recommendations | £1,500 – £5,000 |
| User research | Interviews or surveys with target users, findings and personas | £2,000 – £8,000 |
| Wireframes and user flows | Low-fidelity screens mapping every journey | £1,500 – £8,000 |
| Clickable prototype | Interactive mock-up for testing and investor demos | £2,000 – £8,000 |
| Usability testing round | Testing with 5 – 8 users, recorded sessions, recommendations | £1,500 – £5,000 |
| High-fidelity UI design | Final visual screens for all key journeys | £3,000 – £25,000 |
| Design system | Reusable components, styles and guidelines | £5,000 – £25,000 |
Freelancer vs Agency vs In-House Designer
| Option | Cost | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|---|
| Freelance designer | Usually the lowest day rate | Flexible, good for small, defined projects | Limited capacity; research, testing and development handover may be thinner |
| Design or development agency | Higher, often fixed-price | Research, UX, UI, testing and build in one team; continuity | Higher cost; check who actually does the work |
| In-house designer | Salary plus employer NI, pension and tools | Always available; deep product knowledge | Fixed cost; one person can't cover every skill |
London-based designers and agencies generally charge more than those elsewhere in the UK. Whichever you choose, judge them on relevant app work and process, not just price.
What Drives UI/UX App Design Cost
Good app design follows platform conventions, such as Apple's Human Interface Guidelines and Google's Material Design, so the app feels familiar. If you're building for both platforms, a cross-platform approach can share most of the design between iOS and Android.
The App Design Process and Timeline
- Discovery (week 1): goals, users, competitors and scope.
- Research (weeks 1 – 2): interviews or surveys to understand users' needs.
- User flows and wireframes (weeks 2 – 3): structure and journeys agreed.
- Prototype and testing (weeks 3 – 4): clickable prototype tested with real users.
- Visual UI design (weeks 4 – 6): final screens and components.
- Handover (final week): specifications, assets and design system for developers.
Timings above suit a medium-complexity app; simple MVPs can be faster. If you're testing an idea, see our MVP product development services.
Tell us about your app idea. We'll estimate design and development together, so there are no gaps between them.
Get a free app estimateHidden Costs to Plan For
- Incentives for user research and testing participants
- Design tool licences, such as Figma seats for your team
- Stock photography, illustrations, icon sets and font licences
- Extra revision rounds beyond those in the quote
- Brand identity work if you don't have guidelines
- Accessibility review and fixes
- Design support during development and after launch
- App store screenshots and promotional graphics
How to Reduce Design Costs Without Hurting Quality
- Start with an MVP. Design the core journeys first, then expand.
- Prepare your brand assets (logo, colours, fonts) before design starts.
- Agree decision-makers early to limit feedback rounds.
- Use platform conventions instead of reinventing standard patterns.
- Test early with a prototype, so problems are fixed before code is written.
- Use the same team for design and development to avoid handover gaps and rework.
How to Get an Accurate UI/UX Design Quote
Share a short brief covering:
- What the app does and who uses it
- Key features and user roles
- Platforms (iOS, Android, tablet, web)
- Existing brand guidelines or designs
- Apps you like and why
- How much research and testing you want
- Budget range and deadline
Then ask each designer or agency for an itemised quote showing deliverables, number of revision rounds, research and testing included, handover format, who owns the design files, and VAT.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does UI/UX app design cost in the UK?
As a guide, UI/UX design for a simple app or MVP typically costs £3,000 to £10,000, a medium-complexity business app £10,000 to £30,000, and a complex or enterprise app £30,000 or more. Design usually makes up around 12 to 18 percent of a typical app's total budget.
What is included in UI/UX app design?
UX design covers research, user journeys, information architecture, wireframes and prototypes, focusing on how the app works. UI design covers the visual layer: colours, typography, icons, components and final screen designs. A full package usually also includes a clickable prototype, usability testing and a developer handover with specifications and assets.
How long does UI/UX design for an app take?
Design for a simple app or MVP usually takes 2 to 4 weeks, a medium-complexity app 4 to 8 weeks, and complex apps 2 to 4 months or more, depending on research, number of screens, feedback rounds and approvals.
Is it cheaper to hire a freelance UI/UX designer or an agency?
A freelancer usually has a lower day rate and suits smaller, well-defined projects. An agency costs more but provides research, UX, UI, testing and development under one roof, with more capacity and continuity. For apps that will be built by the same team, an agency can reduce handover problems.
How is UI/UX app design priced?
Common pricing models are a fixed project price based on scope, a day rate for time and materials, or a monthly retainer for ongoing design. Some designers quote per screen, but this can be misleading because screens vary greatly in complexity.
Do I need separate designs for iOS and Android?
Not always. Many apps share one design with platform-specific adjustments that follow Apple's Human Interface Guidelines and Google's Material Design. Fully separate designs for each platform cost more and are usually only needed when you want each app to feel completely native.
What hidden costs come with app design?
Common extras include user research and testing participant incentives, design tool licences, stock photography, illustrations and font licences, extra revision rounds, accessibility reviews and ongoing design support after launch.
Can I save money by skipping UX research?
You can reduce research for small projects, but skipping it entirely is risky. Testing a clickable prototype with even five to eight real users often reveals problems that would be far more expensive to fix after development.
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I am Shyam Singh, Founder of Fulminous Software Private Limited, headquartered in London, UK. We are a leading software design and development company with a global presence in the USA, Australia, the UK, and Europe. At Fulminous, we specialize in creating custom web applications, e-commerce platforms, and ERP systems tailored to diverse industries. My mission is to empower businesses by delivering innovative solutions and sharing insights that help them grow in the digital era.
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