Logistics App Development Cost in 2026 for Delivery, Dispatch and Fleet Apps
Zubin Gala
Principal Mobile App Engineer, Unico Connect
In this article
- Quick Answer
- Key Takeaways
- Logistics App Development Cost by Build Type
- What Goes Into Delivery App Development
- Monthly Running Costs for 10, 50 and 200 Drivers
- Build, Buy or Extend Last Mile Delivery Software
- What Moves Logistics Software Development Cost
- WhatsApp and AI in Courier Delivery App Development
- How We Scope a Logistics Build
- Logistics App Development Cost in India, in Rupees
- Logistics and Delivery Builds at Unico Connect
- Frequently Asked Questions
Logistics app development cost comes with two price tags. The build is the one every guide quotes. The second arrives after launch, when every route plan, ETA and customer text is metered by the provider behind it. This guide prices both, the build from our published bands and the running costs from Google, Twilio and Meta list prices read on 8 October 2026, with the arithmetic shown.
Quick Answer
A logistics or delivery app costs $15,000 to $50,000 for a single workflow MVP, for example a driver app with proof of delivery or a dispatcher console. A multi role platform with customer tracking, a driver app, dispatch and admin costs $50,000 to $150,000, and an enterprise platform with ERP, warehouse or telematics integration runs $150,000 to $300,000 and up. These are our published estimate bands. Running costs are separate. At list prices on 8 October 2026, maps, routing and three SMS updates for a 50 driver fleet making 22,000 deliveries a month cost about $1,200 to $1,300, or 5.5 to 5.9 cents per delivery.
Key Takeaways
- Our bands run from $15,000 for one workflow to $300,000 and up for enterprise.
- At 50 drivers, usage fees run about $1,200 to $1,300 a month in a lean setup, or $3,050 to $3,150 with all three heavier design choices.
- Most customers need a tracking link, not an app. Driver apps that track in the background need Google Play approval.
- Delivery payments cannot use Apple or Google in app billing, so no store commission applies.
- If the US electronic logging device (ELD) rule applies, integrate a device on the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) registered list rather than become an ELD provider.
- Before SMS, three years of Onfleet Enterprise at 50 drivers start at $111,564, inside the $91,364 to $349,764 range for a custom platform.
Logistics App Development Cost by Build Type
Most logistics products fit one of three builds, each mapped to a band we publish. Rates run $25 to $50 an hour depending on seniority, and fixed scope projects have a $10,000 minimum.
| Build type | What it includes | Our estimate band | Timeline |
|---|---|---|---|
| One workflow MVP | A driver app with proof of delivery, or a dispatcher console for one depot | $15,000 to $50,000 | 6 to 12 weeks as a mobile app, 2 to 4 months as a web app |
| Multi role delivery platform | Customer tracking, driver app, dispatcher console and admin, with payments and notifications | $50,000 to $150,000 | 3 to 6 months mobile led, 4 to 8 months web led |
| Enterprise logistics platform | ERP or warehouse system links, telematics, an offline first driver app, compliance and high availability | $150,000 to $300,000+ | 6 to 12 months mobile led, 8 to 18 months web led |
Bands and timelines come from our mobile app cost guide and custom software cost guide. Every project is scoped before a number becomes a quote.
Keyhole Software puts logistics and supply chain software at $50,000 to $250,000 and up, covering route optimization, inventory tracking and API integrations (Keyhole Software, January 2026).
For a fleet operator in India, we replaced phone calls, WhatsApp groups and maintenance notebooks with one fleet management platform for vehicle onboarding, driver allocation, maintenance schedules and real time tracking, built on React, Node.js, Postgres and AWS. Vehicles became visible the moment intake finished, the change behind the 40% faster vehicle onboarding.
40%
faster vehicle onboarding on a fleet platform we built
Fleet management platform case study, India
2
WhatsApp AI agents live for a B2B courier
Quick Couriers case study, India
What Goes Into Delivery App Development
A delivery platform has four parts people use, plus integrations, and each hides its cost somewhere different.
| Part | Who uses it | What version one must do | Where the cost hides |
|---|---|---|---|
| Customer tracking | Your customers | Live status and ETA, delivery window, proof of delivery receipt | Rarely a native app. A web tracking link does the job |
| Driver app | Drivers | Job list, hand off to navigation, photo or signature proof of delivery, barcode scan, work without signal | Background location approval, offline sync, battery use |
| Dispatcher console | Dispatchers | Assign and reassign jobs, live map, exceptions | Live map updates, route planning rules |
| Admin and back office | Operations and finance | Vehicles, drivers, rates, invoicing, reports | Reporting depth, billing rules |
| Integrations | Your other systems | Maps and routing, SMS or WhatsApp, payments, ERP, transportation management system (TMS), warehouse management system (WMS), telematics | Each outside system adds scope and often a monthly fee |
Our mobile app cost guide prices maps and geolocation at $3,000 to $8,000 as a single feature, and live tracking sits at the top of the range. Three of these parts need a map, so budget for that feature more than once. The driver app is usually one Flutter or React Native codebase for Android and iOS.
Monthly Running Costs for 10, 50 and 200 Drivers
At Google Maps Platform list prices and Twilio US SMS rates, a lean setup costs $155.76 to $175.56 a month for 10 drivers, $1,202.80 to $1,301.80 for 50 and $5,321.20 to $5,717.20 for 200.
| Usage fee (US list price) | 10 drivers | 50 drivers | 200 drivers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deliveries a month | 4,400 | 22,000 | 88,000 |
| Route plan per driver, Route Optimization single vehicle, $10 per 1,000 shipments after 5,000 free | $0 | $170 | $830 |
| Traffic aware ETA once per delivery, Compute Routes Pro, $10 per 1,000 after 5,000 free | $0 | $170 | $830 |
| Customer tracking page, one web map load per delivery, $7 per 1,000 after 10,000 free | $0 | $84 | $546 |
| Driver app map, Maps SDK | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Three SMS per delivery, Twilio long code, $0.0083 plus a $0.0035 to $0.005 carrier fee per segment | $155.76 to $175.56 | $778.80 to $877.80 | $3,115.20 to $3,511.20 |
| Total a month | $155.76 to $175.56 | $1,202.80 to $1,301.80 | $5,321.20 to $5,717.20 |
| Per delivery | 3.5 to 4.0 cents | 5.5 to 5.9 cents | 6.0 to 6.5 cents |
Each choice below replaces the matching row above.
| Design choice | 10 drivers | 50 drivers | 200 drivers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Optimize the whole fleet in one request, Fleet Routing, $30 per 1,000 shipments after 1,000 free | $102 | $630 | $2,610 |
| Refresh each ETA five times, Compute Routes Pro, $10 then $8 per 1,000 | $170 | $1,030 | $3,670 |
| Add in app turn by turn, Navigation SDK, $25 per 1,000 destinations after 1,000 free | $85 | $525 | $2,175 |
| Total with all three choices and SMS | $512.76 to $532.56 | $3,047.80 to $3,146.80 | $12,116.20 to $12,512.20 |
List prices read on the Google Maps Platform and Twilio pricing pages on 8 October 2026, before tax. Usage fees only.
The tables assume 20 stops per driver per day over 22 working days. Each line is billable events minus the free monthly allowance, times the price per 1,000, with the cheaper tier above 100,000. Navigation counts one destination per stop. Each SMS is one segment of up to 160 characters to a US number. Geocoding and address autocomplete are not included.
Four switches that cut the monthly bill
- Optimize each driver once stops are split by zone, at $10 per 1,000 shipments instead of $30 for fleet routing.
- Refresh ETAs on events, like a completed stop, not on a timer.
- Hand drivers off to the Google Maps app with Maps URLs, which need no API key, instead of in app navigation.
- Send customer updates on WhatsApp where customers use it. At the Meta list rate of $0.0034 per utility message in North America, the 50 driver lean total drops to $648.40.
Mapbox is worth a quote too. Its Directions API is free up to 100,000 traffic aware requests a month, then $2.00 per 1,000 up to 500,000 (Mapbox pricing).
SMS also needs a Twilio number at $1.15 a month and 10DLC registration, which has one time brand and campaign vetting fees plus $1.50 to $10 a month per campaign. Push to drivers through Firebase Cloud Messaging is no cost. Beyond these usage fees, our custom software cost guide puts maintenance at 15 to 25% of the build cost per year and infrastructure at $100 to $2,000 per month at typical SaaS scale. Keep the maps and messaging accounts in your company name.
Build, Buy or Extend Last Mile Delivery Software
At 50 drivers, three years of Onfleet Enterprise start at $111,564 and a custom multi role platform runs $91,364 to $349,764 before SMS, so the two overlap. We build custom software, so weigh this section with that in mind. Onfleet, a last mile delivery tool, lists plans starting at $619 a month for 2,500 tasks, $1,349 for 5,000 and $3,099 for 10,000 or more, with SMS billed separately. A pickup and a delivery each count as a task. For 10 drivers, three years on Scale cost at least $48,564, below the floor of our multi role platform band before maintenance or hosting.
| Three years at 22,000 deliveries a month | Onfleet Enterprise | Custom multi role platform |
|---|---|---|
| Build | None | $50,000 to $150,000 |
| Plan or maps usage, 36 months | From $111,564 | $15,264 |
| Maintenance, 15 to 25% of the build a year | Part of the plan | $22,500 to $112,500 |
| Hosting, $100 to $2,000 a month | Part of the plan | $3,600 to $72,000 |
| Three year total before SMS | From $111,564 | $91,364 to $349,764 |
Onfleet list prices read on 8 October 2026. The custom column uses our band, our custom software cost guide ranges and maps usage of $424 a month.
Enterprise pricing is quoted by sales, so get a quote before you compare.
Buy a SaaS tool if
- your jobs are standard pickups and drop offs
- you run a few thousand tasks a month or fewer
- you need to go live in weeks, with no product owner on staff
Extend what you run if
- your telematics or dispatch tool already works
- the gap is a customer ordering channel, a combined dispatcher view or paperwork that staff retype
- a fixed scope project, from the $10,000 minimum, can close it
Build custom if
- the workflow is how you compete, like B2B ordering or multi stop freight
- per task fees at your volume pass build plus running cost
- you want to own the code, the data and every integration of your custom logistics software
What Moves Logistics Software Development Cost
Four scope items move a logistics quote, namely background location, payment rules, ELD rules and integrations.
Background Location and Offline Proof of Delivery
The driver app holds the hard engineering, because it keeps reporting location with the screen off. Google Play requires approval for background location, with a declaration form, a short video and a prominent disclosure, or updates can be blocked. Apple review guidelines allow background location only for its intended purpose, with consent first. Customer tracking needs none of this, because Google lists package tracking for customers, not drivers, as a foreground use. Proof of delivery photos, signatures and scans should save on the phone and sync when signal returns. Our app store requirements guide covers the Google Play target API deadline and the App Store toolchain, privacy manifest and trader status rules.
Payments Without App Store Commission
Delivery payments skip in app billing
Apple requires apps that sell physical goods or services used outside the app to collect payment with methods other than in app purchase, such as Apple Pay or card entry (App Review Guideline 3.1.3(e)). Google Play bars its billing system for physical services and names transportation and food delivery. So no store commission applies to delivery payments. Card fees still do. Stripe standard pricing in the US is 2.9% plus 30 cents per domestic card payment.
ELD and Hours of Service Rules in the US
The electronic logging device (ELD) rule applies when drivers must keep records of duty status in a commercial motor vehicle. Under 49 CFR 390.5, one trigger is interstate use of a vehicle with a gross vehicle weight rating of 10,001 pounds or more. Drivers who stay within 150 air miles of their normal work reporting location, return there and are released within 14 consecutive hours can be exempt from those records, so a local van fleet may fall outside the rule. Where it applies, Part 395 allows only devices on the FMCSA registered list, and each provider must certify every model and version. Building your own ELD makes you that provider.
Integrations With Telematics, ERP and Warehouse Systems
Each outside system adds authentication, data mapping, error handling and testing. If your telematics works, extending it usually costs less than replacing hardware. Our integration patterns guide compares four common ways to connect outside systems.
WhatsApp and AI in Courier Delivery App Development
Our AI agent cost breakdown puts a Production Single Agent at 8 to 12 weeks and $25,000 to $75,000, at our AI and ML engineering rate of $30 to $60 per hour. Since 1 October 2026, Meta also charges for service replies beyond the first 1,000 a month per business number, at $0.0034 per delivered message in North America, and model fees are extra.
A B2B courier and logistics operator in India served repeat business customers on WhatsApp, the channel they already used, and routine enquiries were tying up human agents. We built WhatsApp agents for Quick Couriers on their existing Laravel and Postgres platform. A voice agent answers status, pickup window and billing questions and hands off to a person with context when needed. An ordering agent recognizes returning business customers and confirms each order before pushing it into the platform. Both agents are live.
AI adoption in logistics is still early. Only about 10% of logistics providers have scaled AI across core operations, and they cite unclear ROI and capability gaps as the top barriers (BCG, 2026). Start narrow, with AI automation for operations that reads delivery paperwork or turns emailed orders into jobs.
How We Scope a Logistics Build
We scope a logistics build in four steps.
Map the workflow
We map the workflow, the systems it touches and the outcome that matters, then publish a scope with an estimate range against it.
Fix the scope for version one
We offer fixed scope for proofs of concept and MVPs, then move to a retainer for ongoing work. In logistics, version one should serve the role that loses the most time.
Build in increments and pilot
You get working software in the first weeks, demos every sprint and a staging environment you can click through at any time, with QA inside the build. We recommend piloting with a few real drivers before full rollout.
Launch and run
Launch comes with monitoring and a support retainer. Retainers run for at least 3 months, then continue month to month with 30 days notice.
Bring these numbers to a scoping call.
- Drivers and vehicles today, and what you expect in two years
- Stops or deliveries per driver per day
- Every role that needs its own screen
- Systems already in place, from telematics and ELD to ERP, warehouse and accounting
- How customers order and get updates today
- Whether drivers use company phones or their own
Logistics App Development Cost in India, in Rupees
In India, senior developers at strong agencies bill ₹2,000 to ₹4,000 per hour ($25 to $50), and GST at 18% applies on Indian invoices. On the Google Maps India price list, priced in US dollars for India based customers who use it mostly in India and are billed in India, free monthly usage is seven times the global allowance, and fleet routing costs $2.40 per 1,000 shipments before GST, against $30.00 globally. Two wheeler routing covers India, not the US, and on the India list bills as Compute Routes Enterprise at $4.50 per 1,000.
On the Meta rate card effective 1 October 2026, WhatsApp utility and service messages to Indian numbers cost ₹0.115 each, so three updates for each of 22,000 deliveries come to ₹7,590 a month before 18% GST, or ₹8,956.20 with it. Moving goods worth more than ₹50,000 generally needs an e-way bill. Direct API access expects about 10,000 transactions a month per GSTIN (API prerequisites), so smaller shippers can connect through a GST Suvidha Provider.
Logistics and Delivery Builds at Unico Connect
For logistics clients, Unico Connect has built a fleet management platform and WhatsApp voice and ordering agents. Unico Connect serves US clients through our US presence for contracts and billing, with engineering delivered from our engineering hub in Mumbai. Our mobile app development team scopes each build against your roles, routes and volumes.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to create a delivery app?
Delivery app development cost at our bands is $15,000 to $50,000 for a single workflow MVP, for example a driver app with proof of delivery, and $50,000 to $150,000 for a full platform with customer tracking, a driver app, dispatch and admin. Restaurant marketplaces with merchants and gig drivers are not priced here.
How much does a fleet management system cost?
Fleet management software cost depends on the job. Delivery management tools like Onfleet size their plans by completed tasks, from $619 a month for 2,500 tasks at list price on 8 October 2026, which says little about telematics pricing. A custom system falls in our $15,000 to $50,000 band for one workflow and $50,000 to $150,000 for a multi role platform.
What software do logistics companies use?
Most run a mix. A fleet tool tracks vehicles, an ELD records driving hours where the FMCSA rule applies, a warehouse system runs stock and an ERP bills. Custom software fills the gaps, for example a dispatcher console, a customer ordering channel or the integration that ends retyping orders.
Does fleet management software integrate with telematics systems?
It can, if the telematics provider offers an API or a data export. US carriers that must use ELDs need a device on the FMCSA registered list, so a custom platform should read hours of service data from that ELD rather than record it.
How much does last mile delivery cost?
The full cost per parcel depends on driver pay, vehicles and fuel, which this guide does not price. The software share is small. For 22,000 deliveries a month, maps, routing and three SMS updates cost about 5.5 to 5.9 cents per delivery at list prices, or about 14 cents with fleet routing, frequent ETA refreshes and in app navigation.
