Cost To Develop A Stock Trading App: Factors & Budget

Key Takeaways

• The global digital trading market is growing rapidly, reaching over $140 billion by 2030, making stock trading apps a strong business opportunity.

• The average cost to develop a stock trading app ranges from $20,000 to $150,000, depending on features, design complexity, and team location.

• The key factors impacting the cost to build a stock trading app include app features, UI/UX design, backend strength, API integrations, and security requirements.

• The hidden costs, such as licensing, hosting, data storage, and third-party APIs, can increase overall development expenses if not planned early.

• The cost can be reduced by investing in an MVP, choosing cross-platform development, early testing, integrating pre-built APIs, and more. 

Stock trading and share markets are not new; traditionally, they used to happen in physical format with physical share certificates. But with the digitalization of industries and services, stock trading has also been digitalized. 

The global digital trading is expected to cross 140 billion by 2030 at a CAGR of 18.3%. A key contributor to such growth is the stock trading apps that have made stock trading convenient and easy for users. 

The cost to develop a stock trading app can range anywhere from $25,000 to $200,000 or even more, depending on app features, complexity, and other associated factors. 

If you are looking for a more in-depth explanation of the cost to build a stock trading app, then this blog is for you. We will discuss the cost, along with the key factors that impact the cost, and tips to control the cost. 

Stock Trading App Market Stats

The Stock Market is the backbone of every economy around the world; it allows companies to get public investments and use them for their scalability. 

Further, the increasing financial awareness and the smartphone have pushed the growth of the stock trading apps in the economy. 

• The global investment apps market is projected to reach USD 254.9 billion by 2033.

• The mobile segment holds the largest revenue share of more than 60% and is further increasing as more users switch to mobile phones for their digital activities. 

• The revenue of the stock trading app companies has crossed $24.7 billion in 2024, and with a total of 145 million users. 

• Robinhood is leading the global market with a valuation of $112 billion in 2025. Hence, reflecting the market growth potential. 

• A key trend taking over the stock trading app market is AI and other tech upgrades. As per reports, in 2025, the global AI trading platform crossed a market valuation of USD 13.5 billion and will cross $70 billion by 2034. 

Why You Should Build a Stock Trading App?

If you are looking for how much does it cost to create a mobile stock trading app, you should first focus on understanding why you should invest in building one. Such an understanding can help you better understand how your investment will be worthwhile in the long run. 

Several reasons exist that justify why you should build a stock trading app. These include: 

► Market Growth & Demand 

A stock trading app is no ordinary app on one’s mobile phone. But having them reflects that the individual is responsible for their finances and ready to make healthy financial decisions. 

Such a shift in the user’s attitude is leading to the rising demand for stock trading apps. Further, the industry reports reflect that the stock trading app market will grow at a CAGR of 13.6% between 2025-2030. 

► Mobile First & Accessibility Advantage

The rise in smartphone usage is another factor that is contributing to an increasing focus on stock trading apps. Users can easily be a part of the stock market through a few clicks on their mobile.

Hence, investing in building a stock trading app can help you cater to these changing industry expectations. 

► Diversified Revenue Opportunities 

Along with the shifting industry trends, a key reason to afford the stock trading app cost and build on is the diversified revenue opportunities that entrepreneurs can take advantage of. 

These apps most commonly earn through innovative mobile app monetization strategies, including premium analytics, in-app tools, API access, subscriptions, and other in-app advertisement approaches. 

► Technology and Innovation Enable Differentiation

As an entrepreneur, you can leverage modern-day technologies to establish a differentiation for your app. Such differentiation can be a key competitive aspect that can lead to your app's growth and scalability.

Such tech and innovation are important, as modern customers are strictly looking for apps that can blend features with convenience, offering a complete experience. 

How Much Does it Cost to Develop a Stock Trading App?

Now, let’s come to the most important part: How much does it cost to build a stock trading app? 

The average cost to develop a mobile stock trading app ranges from $20,000 to $150,000 or even more for a full-featured, advanced platform. 

Such cost of mobile app development depends on several factors, ranging from app features, complexity, design, and more. 

Below is the comprehensive breakdown of how the stock trading app development cost is utilized throughout the process. 

Factors Impacting The Cost To Build A Stock Trading App 

The stock trading mobile app development cost depends on diversified factors that need to be strategized, as your choices can impact the final budget.

These factors are decided based on what you want the app to do, how you want it to look, and who builds it. Some factors are easy to measure, like design or features, while others stay hidden until later in development.

1. App Features and Complexity

The app features define the app's usability and the solutions that your app is offering to the user. But the more features your app has, the more it will cost. 

A basic trading app that lets users buy and sell stocks is cheaper than one that includes advanced charts or smart recommendations.

2. Platform Choice

Another key factor that impacts the cost to develop a mobile stock trading app is the choice of platform. Developing a stock market app for a single platform, whether for Android or iOS, is affordable. 

Further, creating two separate or cross-platform versions can result in being expensive, but can result in improved reach.

A] Native App Development

You can plan to build dedicated apps for the Android and iOS platforms. 

Android App Development: Invest in Android app development built with Kotlin or Java, delivering smooth performance and full access to Android features with easy page linking.

iOS App Development: If your target audience is iOS users, you can invest in iOS app development that uses Swift or Objective-C, which ensures fast, responsive performance and smooth in-app navigation.

B] Cross-Platform App Development

Also, you can plan for cross-platform app development that works with frameworks like Flutter or React Native, resulting in building a single app runs on both Android and iOS. 

It is cost-effective and time-saving, though slightly less powerful than native apps

3. Design and User Experience

When planning to develop a stock trading app, you need to ensure that your mobile app design feels easy to use. A good trading app must feel easy to use. 

The simpler the design and the smoother the flow, the better the user experience. But more design work also means more development cost for a stock trading app.

4. Backend Development

The backend is the core of your app and ensures the smooth working of your app. A stock trading app manages trades, stores user data, and connects to stock markets. 

A strong backend helps your app run smoothly, even with thousands of users. Such a development can be costly, but it is important for the creation of a stable and scalable stock trading app. 

5. Security and Compliance

Along with all, security and compliance are also among the key factors affecting stock trading app cost. For stock trading apps, security and compliance are important, as users invest and transact with their real, hard-earned money.

Security features like two-step login, encryption, and KYC checks protect your app from fraud. Further, innovative features like AI in finance can help improve your app security, but can also result in increased cost. 

6. Tech Stack and Development Tools

The choice of app tech stack and development tools also affects the cost to build a mobile stock trading app. Modern tools and frameworks make development faster, but may need specialized developers.

Hence, it is important to consider and plan for an appropriate tech stack before proceeding with the development process. 

7. API and Market Data Integrations

Building every feature in your stock trading app is possible; hence, the alternative is to get APIs that can bridge the feature gap and offer a comprehensive experience to your users. 

Stock trading apps need to connect with APIs to show live data and allow trades. However, each integration adds time and cost, especially if you want access to real-time or multiple exchanges.

8. Developer Team Location 

Where your development team is based affects your overall cost. For instance, a development team from a mobile app development company in the USA charges more compared to developers from Asian or developing countries. 

However, such a cost is directly proportional to the quality of the mobile app; hence, it is important to plan strategically when you hire dedicated developers for your project. 

9. Testing and Launch

Testing your app is a major step before launch. The testing allows for the detection of any performance gap that exists, and it can be fixed before launch. It makes sure the app works smoothly under real conditions. Skipping it can lead to crashes or lost users later.

Once the app is tested, the next step is to publish your app to the Play Store or submit your app to the App Store. 

10. App Maintenance and Updates

Post app launch, your responsibility doesn’t end. The app needs ongoing updates and technical upgrades to ensure it aligns with the changing industry trends and user expectations. 

Investing in app maintenance services keeps features running, improves performance,

and fixes new bugs. This cost is ongoing but necessary for user trust and market stability.

Hidden Factors Affect the Cost to Create a Stock Trading App?

Apart from the mentioned factors, several hidden factors exist that impact the stock trading mobile app development cost. 

These hidden factors often go unnoticed and result in surprise expenses. These hidden factors include: 

► Licensing and Legal Requirements

Stock trading apps are required to follow strict data rules and fintech app compliance. From FINRA/SEC Licensing to GDPR and KYC/AML requirements, each compliance needs to be followed. 

Skipping any of them can result in impacting user trust, penalization, and even a ban on your app from the Play Store or App Store. 

However, such licensing and legal requirements require you to pay registration fees and consult with legal experts, resulting in an increased cost to build a mobile stock trading app. 

► Third-Party Services and API Fees

Most trading apps depend on external services to display market data, execute trades, or verify user identities. These services work through APIs that charge based on usage or subscription.

Even though these payments or subscriptions may seem small initially, they gradually increase as your user base and activity grow. 

Hence, needs to be considered when planning for “how much does it cost to build a stock trading app?”

► Cloud Hosting and Server Costs

After development, your app needs servers to stay online and run smoothly. These hosting costs depend on your app’s traffic, storage needs, and how much data is processed in real time.

Cloud providers like AWS, Google Cloud, or Azure charge based on usage, which means your bills may increase as your app gains more users. For trading apps that require consistent uptime and speed, reliable hosting is essential and should be included in your ongoing budget.

► Data Storage and Backup

Stock trading apps handle a lot of sensitive user information and transaction history. Storing and protecting this data comes with its own cost. For this, there is a need for secure storage, regular backups, and encryption tools to keep everything safe.

As your user base grows, the amount of data your app needs to store will increase as well. Hence, such an aspect needs to be planned when focusing on cost to create a mobile stock trading app.

► App Store and Payment Platform Charges

Publishing and maintaining your app also has a cost. Apple charges a yearly developer fee, while Google Play requires a one-time registration. These are small expenses compared to others, but they are recurring.

If your app includes in-app purchases, subscriptions, or transactions, payment platforms will take a percentage of each transaction. 

These deductions are often overlooked when deciding how much does it cost to develop a stock trading app, but can affect your revenue when your trading volume grows.

► Marketing and User Acquisition

Building a trading app is only part of the job; attracting users is the other half. Marketing is often underestimated, but it plays a major role in your app’s success. Hence, you need to invest in promotions, social media ads, and app store optimization to reach your target audience.

A portion of your budget should also go toward brand awareness and user retention strategies. Even small marketing efforts at the start can make a big difference in how fast your app grows.

► Compliance Renewals and Policy Updates

Financial laws and data protection policies change frequently. Hence, following such, your app must stay updated with the latest regulations like FINRA, SEC, or GDPR to remain compliant. 

This may include renewing licenses, hiring consultants, or updating your stock trading mobile app security and privacy policies regularly. Keeping up with compliance is an ongoing process, not a one-time task, and hence attracts a recurring cost, rather than just a one-time cost to build a stock trading app.

► Scaling and Feature Expansion

When your app starts gaining traction, you’ll likely want to add new features or handle more users. This scaling process requires extra development, testing, and infrastructure upgrades.

Adding advanced tools such as algorithmic trading, crypto support, or AI-based suggestions increases the overall stock trading app development cost. Hence, such a scaling approach needs to be thoroughly planned so that your budget load can be better managed. 

Tips To Reduce The Cost To Build A Stock Trading App

The development cost of a stock trading app can vary depending on the vision you have for your app. But such a cost can better be balanced or managed through strategic planning. 

When planning for cost management, don’t just cut corners to save money, but focus on spending wisely and on what really matters.

Here are some practical tips that can help lower the cost to develop a stock trading app while still giving users a secure and well-performing app.

1. Start with an MVP

The best way to control costs is to begin with a Minimum Viable Product (MVP). An MVP version or an app prototype includes only the most important features, such as account setup, live market data, and trading options. 

It allows you to test your idea, get user feedback, and improve the app over time. Building an MVP helps you avoid wasting money on features users might not need.

2. Choose Cross-Platform Development

Instead of building two separate apps for Android and iOS, go for cross-platform development. Tools like Flutter or React Native allow you to create one app that works on both platforms. 

A cross-platform app development can help save time, reduce the overall stock trading mobile app development cost, and allow expanded reach in the market with users present on both platforms.

3. Use Pre-Built Tools and APIs

Many features of a stock trading app don’t have to be developed from scratch. Rather than that, focus on ready-made APIs and SDKs for features like stock data, KYC verification, and payments. 

These pre-built tools are reliable, secure, and easy to integrate. Also, using these APIs can help control the cost to create a stock trading app and avoid unnecessary coding work.

4. Keep the Design Simple

A simple and clean design costs less to build and test. It is recommended to focus on smooth navigation and a clear layout instead of fancy animations or complex visuals. 

A minimal design makes the app easy to use and keeps development time shorter. You can always add design improvements later once the app starts growing.

5. Ensure App Testing 

Mobile app testing can add to the development cost of a stock trading app, but it can help reduce or even eliminate the further costs associated with fixing bugs. 

It is recommended to include small testing cycles during design and coding to make sure everything works properly. Such an approach to fix bugs early is much cheaper than doing the same after the app is live.

6. Schedule Regular Maintenance

Mobile app maintenance is an aspect that can’t simply be ignored. Hence, it is important that when planning regarding “how much does it cost to create a stock trading app?”, set aside a fixed budget for maintenance. 

Such maintenance, regular updates, bug fixes, and security improvements can keep your app stable and avoid bigger costs later. 

7. Focus on Core Features

The current app market is flooded with innovative features and tech upgrades, and the new-age stock market players are investing in such tech upgrades to differentiate their apps. But, to control cost, don’t try to overload your app with features at the start. 

Adding too much can confuse users and increase your cost. Hence, when deciding how much does it cost to create a stock trading app, begin with the features your users really need: simple trading, fast updates, and an easy interface.

8. Work with an Experienced Partner

If you are too concerned about the cost to create a stock trading app, then you should look for an experienced mobile app development company in Denver. An experienced company or the right development partner can make a big difference. 

They can guide you through every step, from planning to launch, and will help you avoid unnecessary spending and build a reliable app within your budget.

How Stock Trading Apps Make Money?

Stock trading apps earn money in different ways that help compensate for the cost to develop a stock trading app while keeping trading simple and often free for users. 

Each method helps them stay profitable and continue offering new features.

1] Commission and Transaction Fees

Some apps charge small fees on trades like options, futures, or crypto. These apps earn from minor service charges or quick withdrawals. These small amounts add up as the active users scale.

2] Subscription and Premium Plans

Most apps rely on the freemium model. The free version lets users trade and view basic data, while the paid version gives access to deeper insights, live stock alerts, expert advice, and advanced charts. This model brings recurring monthly or yearly income.

3] Interest and Margin Lending

When users keep money in their app wallet for trading purposes, the company earns interest on that idle amount. Some apps also lend money to traders for margin trading, earning profit from the interest charged on those loans.

4] Payment for Order Flow (PFOF)

In this model, trading apps get paid by larger market players for routing user trades through them. It helps apps offer free trading, but some countries have rules to keep this process transparent and fair.

5] Advertising and Affiliate Partnerships

Stock trading apps also make money by showing ads or partnering with banks and financial brands. When users click, sign up, or use a promoted service, the app earns a small commission.

How JPLoft Can Help You Get A Budget-Friendly Stock Trading App?

Stock trading apps are not just apps; they are a tool that individuals make use of to invest their money and track finances. Hence, it is important to partner with an agency that not only builds apps but can help build a dedicated stock trading app.

JPLoft is a leading stock trading app development company that helps businesses build powerful, secure, and affordable trading apps. Our team focuses on smart planning and efficient development to help you launch faster while keeping your costs under control.

We use modern technologies and frameworks like Flutter and React Native to create apps that work seamlessly on both Android and iOS. Every app we build follows strict security and compliance standards, including KYC, AML, and data protection rules, so you can meet U.S. market regulations with confidence.

From designing a clean interface to setting up real-time trading features, we handle everything with care and transparency. Our goal is to help startups and enterprises create reliable apps that users trust, without stretching their budget.

So partner with JPLoft’s developers who can turn your idea into a high-performing trading platform. 

Conclusion

Creating a stock trading app takes planning, focus, and the right development strategy. Each stage of the process, from design and coding to testing and updates, plays a role in both the performance and development cost of a stock trading app. 

Hence, it is important to plan for key factors that can help manage the cost to develop a stock trading app. By focusing on key features, choosing the right technology, and planning for future growth, you can estimate how much does it cost to develop a stock trading app without affecting quality. 

With a thoughtful plan and the right support, you can launch a trading app that performs well, keeps users engaged, and grows with your business. Smart planning today can help you build an app that delivers long-term value and stability.