Quick answer
An app quote covers more than the screens people see. Accounts, server-side logic, administration tools, payments, integrations, testing and releases may all be needed. Two apps with similar interfaces can have very different amounts of work behind them.
Practical scope
Break your requirements into must-have, useful later and experimental features. Ask whether the quote includes design, the backend, both operating systems, content entry, analytics, security testing and store submission. Clarify who pays for cloud hosting, messaging, map services, payment processing and licences.
Plan for maintenance: phones and operating systems change, and user issues need attention. A proposal should state what happens after launch, how defects are distinguished from new features, and how change requests are priced. If budgets differ widely, ask vendors to show assumptions against the same written brief rather than choosing solely by the total.
What to define before requesting proposals
- Number of platforms and device coverage
- Backend, accounts, payments and integrations
- Custom interaction, offline use and notifications
- Testing, release, analytics and ongoing updates
Questions to ask service providers
- Which server-side services and usage fees are included?
- What assumptions determine the estimate?
- How will later operating-system updates be supported?
How to assess the answers
Compare the total product, including backend and operational tools. Similar-looking screens can conceal very different logic, integration and testing effort.
Related planning guides
- Mobile App Development Brief: A Practical Buyer Checklist
- Ecommerce Website Requirements Beyond the Shopfront
Next step: Put these decisions into one project brief, then ask providers to respond to the same scope.