Most white-label pharmacy apps in the UK are quoted rather than listed with a price, which makes them hard to budget for. That is not always evasion: the cost genuinely depends on a handful of variables. This guide explains what those variables are, what "custom pricing" usually covers, and what to ask so that two quotes can be compared.
Why apps are quoted, not priced
A website is much the same for every pharmacy: pages, forms, a dashboard. An app adds per-pharmacy work that varies: branding assets, store listings that have to be created and reviewed for each pharmacy, per-branch configuration for groups, and sometimes custom features. Providers who price it per pharmacy are usually reflecting that, though you should still expect a clear quote once they know your shape.
What drives the quote
- The website or shop tier it runs on. Most white-label apps mirror the pharmacy's website and shop; the app's features are the website's features. Providers therefore require (and price in) the relevant website plan — typically the tier with the shop and customer accounts, since that is what the app draws on.
- Number of branches. One app for one pharmacy is the base case. A group wanting branch selection, per-branch stock and hours, and per-branch dashboards multiplies configuration.
- Branding work. Logo, icon, splash screen, colour scheme. Straightforward if you have a logo in a usable format; more if it has to be created.
- Store publishing. Creating and managing the Apple and Google developer accounts, submitting the app, responding to review. Each store has its own annual fee for a developer account, which either you or the provider pays.
- Features beyond the standard set. Anything the provider does not already have — a loyalty scheme, a specific integration, a bespoke booking flow — is development, not configuration, and is priced accordingly.
- Support and updates. Ongoing maintenance, operating-system updates, store compliance changes. Usually part of the monthly fee.
What "custom pricing" should include
Ask the provider to confirm, in writing, that the quote covers: the app build and branding; publishing on both stores; ongoing updates and security fixes; support; and the data processing terms. Ask separately about developer account fees, any setup fee, and whether the price changes if you add a branch. If the quote is a monthly figure, ask what the minimum term is; if it is a one-off, ask what the ongoing fee is — there always is one, because app stores require maintained apps.
Typical structures
- Monthly subscription on top of the website plan, sometimes with a one-off setup fee for branding and publishing. The most common structure for independents.
- Per-branch monthly, for groups.
- One-off build plus annual maintenance, more common from agencies than platforms.
Marketplace (third-party) apps, where you are listed inside the provider's own app, are a different product and usually cheaper; the comparison is in white-label vs third-party apps.
Comparing two quotes
Put them side by side on: the website tier required and its price; the app fee; setup; developer account fees; per-branch cost; what features are included; whether the app shares the website's dashboard, stock and content; data terms; and exit terms. A cheaper app that needs its own admin, its own stock and its own content is more expensive in staff time than a dearer one that shares everything with the site.
Is it worth it?
The value of an app is retention: repeat patients who reorder in a tap and receive "ready" and "on its way" notifications stay. Put a number on that with the nomination value calculator — if the app keeps a handful of nominated patients a year who would otherwise have drifted, it has paid for itself. If your repeat volume is low, or the website is not yet doing its job, the money is better spent on the website first (app vs website).
How PharmGrowth prices it
PharmGrowth's White Label App is quoted per pharmacy. It includes everything in PharmGrowth Plus (the website, shop and dashboard it runs on) plus the branded app; Routly and Ledgerly can be added. Tell us the shape — branches, branding, services — and we quote. Full plan details are on the pricing page.