Process3 min read
How to write an app brief that gets you an accurate quote
By Sannan MalikPublished
Short answerA good app brief answers six questions: who the app is for, the one job it does for them, the user roles, the screens or main flows, what is out of scope for the first version, and your budget and launch date. One page is enough. It does not need technical language, and examples of apps you like help more than long descriptions.
Why the brief decides the quality of the quote
Developers quote what they can picture. If the brief says "an app like Uber for cleaners", one developer pictures a two-screen booking form and another pictures live tracking, payments, ratings and a dispatch dashboard. Both quotes are honest, and they can differ by ten times.
A clear brief closes that gap. It lets you compare quotes for the same thing, and it lets a developer give you a fixed price instead of a wide range with caveats.
The six things every brief should answer
- Who it is for: your customers, your staff, or both. One sentence about who they are.
- The one job: what a user opens the app to do. If there are several, put them in order.
- User roles: for example customer, staff and admin, and what each one can do.
- Main flows or screens: sign up, browse, book, pay, see history. A rough list is fine.
- Not in version one: the features you want eventually but can wait.
- Budget and date: a range is fine, and so is a launch date tied to a real event.
Things that change the price the most
If you are short on time, make sure the brief at least mentions these, because each one can move a quote significantly:
| Feature | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Payments | Card payments need a gateway, receipts and refunds. Digital goods sold inside iOS apps generally have to use Apple's in-app purchase (App Review Guideline 3.1.1). |
| Admin dashboard | A web dashboard for your team is a second product on top of the app. |
| Multiple user roles | Each role has its own screens and permissions. |
| Real-time features | Live tracking, chat and live updates need extra backend work. |
| Integrations | Connecting to your ERP, POS or booking system depends on what that system allows. |
| Languages | Arabic and English means right-to-left layouts and two sets of content. |
What you do not need to include
You do not need to choose a programming language, a database or a hosting provider. You do not need wireframes, although a few phone photos of sketches on paper are welcome. You do not need a 30-page specification: a long document often hides the important parts.
If you are not sure about something, say so. "Not sure if we need payments in version one" is a useful line, because it tells the developer to price both options.
A template you can copy
Copy this into an email or a message and fill in each line. Short answers are fine.
- What I want to build, in one sentence:
- Who it is for:
- What a user does in the app, step by step:
- User roles (for example customer, staff, admin):
- Must-have features for version one:
- Features that can wait:
- Apps I like the look or flow of:
- Android, iOS or both:
- Anything it must connect to (website, booking system, ERP):
- Budget range:
- When I would like to launch, and why that date:
What happens after you send it
When I receive a brief, I reply with the questions that would change the price, then a written scope: the screens, the roles, what is included and what is not, and a fixed price. For most apps that fits one of my three packages ($999, $1,699 or $2,500). If it does not, I quote it as custom work against the same kind of scope.
The WhatsApp button on this site opens a message that already has the main questions from this template, so you can answer them in one go.
Questions
- How long should an app brief be?
- One page is usually enough. Clear answers to who it is for, what it does, the user roles, the main screens, what can wait and the budget matter more than length.
- Do I need wireframes before asking for a quote?
- No. Wireframes help, but a list of screens and examples of apps you like are enough to scope and price most first versions.
Sources
Platform rules and fees in this article were checked against these official pages on 6 November 2026. They change, so confirm before you rely on them.
Sannan Malik is a software architect and product builder with 8+ years in software, CEO of Alpha Notic FZC and a Certified Scrum Product Owner. He builds mobile apps and business software for companies in the UAE, UK and US.
