How much does a health or wellness app cost in the UK? (2026)

The short answer

A focused wellness app, such as a meditation library, habit tracker or programme of guided content, typically costs somewhere between £2,500 and £10,000 to build in the UK. Coaching apps with subscriptions and booking apps for clinics and therapists usually sit higher, at around £5,000 to £25,000 across the wider market. Apps that store personal health data, connect to wearables or include AI features can run from £10,000 to £50,000 or more. Software that diagnoses or treats a condition sits in a different category altogether, with regulatory work on top of the build.

These are wider-market budget examples, not quotes. At Appro Digital, every build is a fixed price agreed before development starts: Starter App £2,495, Full App £5,495 and App + Platform from £8,495, all plus VAT. The rest of this guide explains where a health app lands within those ranges and why.

Costs by type of health or wellness app

Wellness, habit and meditation content apps

The simplest health apps deliver content and track simple habits: audio sessions, breathing exercises, journalling prompts or a daily streak. Most of the work is design, a content structure that is easy to update, and push notifications that bring people back. If the app does one job well and does not need accounts or payments at launch, it can be a relatively small build.

Coaching and programme apps with subscriptions

Nutritionists, personal trainers, yoga teachers and wellbeing coaches often want an app that delivers programmes, tracks progress and charges a monthly subscription. That adds user accounts, in-app subscriptions through Apple and Google, an admin area to publish content and manage clients, and sometimes messaging. Our coaching and creator app development page covers this type of build in more detail.

Booking apps for clinics and therapists

Physiotherapists, osteopaths, counsellors, aesthetics clinics and private practices usually need appointment booking, deposits or payments, reminders and a dashboard for staff. Costs rise if the app has to sync with an existing practice management system, because that depends on what the other system’s API allows. Our page on booking app development for clinics and therapists explains how we approach these builds.

Apps that handle health data

Symptom diaries, mood tracking, remote monitoring, practitioner dashboards and wearable integrations all involve storing health information about identifiable people. The screens may look similar to a wellness app, but the data model, security, access controls and documentation need more care, and that is reflected in the price.

What drives the cost of a health app

• Number of core features. One well-built journey costs far less than five loosely connected ones. Every extra feature also needs testing, admin controls and maintenance.
• Apple HealthKit and Google Health Connect. Reading steps, sleep, heart rate or workouts from the phone’s health store is very achievable, but each platform has its own permissions, data formats and review rules, so the integration is built and tested twice.
• Wearables. Many devices already feed into HealthKit or Health Connect, which keeps things simpler. Connecting directly to a specific manufacturer’s API, or to custom Bluetooth hardware, adds noticeably more work.
• Payments and subscriptions. Digital subscriptions sold inside an app usually go through Apple’s and Google’s in-app purchase systems, which take a commission (often 15% for smaller developers on their reduced-rate programmes). Deposits for in-person appointments are typically taken through a payment provider such as Stripe instead.
• Admin dashboard. If practitioners or staff need to manage clients, content or appointments, that is a second product alongside the app.
• AI features. Personalised plans, a conversational coach or summaries of logged data are increasingly common. They need careful design, guardrails so the app does not stray into medical advice, and budget for ongoing usage costs. Read more about our AI app development work.
• Security and compliance work. Encryption, access controls, audit logs and supporting documentation for apps that handle health data.

UK compliance considerations

This is a general overview, not legal or regulatory advice. If your app handles health data or makes clinical claims, take specialist advice early, because it shapes the scope and the budget.

• UK GDPR and special category data. Information about someone’s physical or mental health is special category data under UK GDPR. You need a lawful basis for processing and an additional condition for special category data (for consumer apps this is often explicit consent), plus a clear privacy notice.
• Data Protection Impact Assessment (DPIA). A DPIA is required where processing is likely to result in high risk, and the ICO lists large-scale processing of special category data among the cases that need one. Many health apps will need a DPIA before launch.
• Data hosting. Decide where data is stored and who can access it. UK or EEA hosting keeps things simpler; transfers elsewhere need appropriate safeguards.
• Medical device rules. If software is intended to diagnose, prevent, monitor or treat a condition, it may be a medical device under MHRA rules, which brings classification, conformity assessment and registration requirements. General wellbeing apps usually fall outside this, but the intended purpose and the claims you make matter.
• NHS DTAC. The Digital Technology Assessment Criteria are only relevant if you plan to sell to NHS organisations. Apps sold direct to consumers or private clinics do not normally go through DTAC.

Apple and Google also have their own rules for health data, for example around permissions and not using health data for advertising, and these are checked during app review.

Ongoing costs to budget for

• Apple Developer Program: £79 a year (US$99).
• Google Play developer account: US$25, paid once.
• Hosting and backend services: often £10 to £50 a month for a new app, rising with users, storage and any AI usage.
• Maintenance: operating system updates, security patches and small fixes. Budget roughly 15–20% of the build cost a year, or a fixed monthly care plan.
• Third-party services: email, SMS reminders, video calls, payment processing fees and AI model usage, depending on your features.

How a health app maps to Appro’s fixed prices

Every Appro build covers iPhone and Android, includes custom design and App Store and Google Play launch, and you own the code. Full details are on our app development pricing page.

The Starter App suits a wellness app with one core feature done properly, such as a guided content library or a habit tracker with push notifications. The Full App adds accounts, payments, subscriptions or bookings, an admin dashboard and connections to tools you already use, which covers most coaching and clinic booking apps. App + Platform is for builds with a web platform alongside the app, multiple user roles such as clients and practitioners, advanced AI features or custom backend and integration work, which is where most apps handling health data at scale belong.

For a wider view of UK app pricing beyond health, read our guide to how much it costs to build an app in the UK.

Frequently asked questions

Can I build a health app for under £5,000?

Yes, if the first version focuses on one core feature, such as guided content or habit tracking, and does not need accounts, payments or sensitive health records at launch. Appro’s Starter App is £2,495 + VAT for that kind of focused build.

Does my wellness app need to be a registered medical device?

Not usually. General wellbeing, fitness and relaxation apps typically fall outside medical device rules. If the app is intended to diagnose, prevent, monitor or treat a condition, it may be regulated by the MHRA, so take regulatory advice before you build.

Can a health app connect to Apple Health and Google Health Connect?

Yes. With the user’s permission, an app can read and write data such as steps, workouts and sleep through Apple HealthKit on iPhone and Health Connect on Android. Each needs its own integration and testing, which adds to the scope.

Do I need a DPIA for a health app?

If the app processes health data, very likely. The ICO expects a DPIA where processing is likely to result in high risk, which includes large-scale processing of special category data. Even where it is borderline, completing one before launch is good practice.

What does a health app cost to run each year?

Expect the Apple developer fee of £79 a year, hosting from around £10 to £50 a month early on, any third-party services, and maintenance of roughly 15–20% of the build cost a year or a monthly care plan.