Online shopping apps have become essential to the modern lifestyle. According to recent industry trends, mobile commerce now constitutes a significant share of total online sales, with millions of shoppers using their smartphones for convenience, variety, and seamless shopping. In 2025, this demand continues to grow, fueled by evolving consumer behaviors, rising internet perception, and increasing preferences for personalized shopping experiences.
 

Against this stituation, apps like Temu are making remarkable presence. With its comparatively low prices, intuitive interface, and data-driven product recommendations, Temu has redefined the meaning of value-driven e-commerce. As entrepreneurs and businesses look to launch or invest in similar ecommerce marketplace platforms, the main question arises: How much does it cost to develop a shopping app like Temu in 2026? As there is no fixed answer to this question, in this guide we will all the components, break down the cost factors, and present strategies to build a Temu like app at affordable price.

What Is A Temu App? 

Temu is a fast-growing online shopping app known for offering an extensive range of products at comparatively low prices. Launched by PDD Holdings, the parent company of Pinduoduo; Temu follows a “factory-to-consumer” (F2C) model that connects buyers directly with manufacturers. This allows the platform to eliminate mediator, reduce operational costs, and pass massive savings on to customers.
 

The Temu app functions as a global online marketplace, providing everything from fashion, beauty, and electronics to home décor, accessories, and lifestyle products, all within a single, user-friendly mobile app. Because of its user-friendly interface, vast product catalog, and addictive shopping interactions, Temu has quickly become a favorite among consumers worldwide.

Market Statistics Of Temu App!! 

• Since its launch in the fall of 2022, e-commerce platform Temu has rapidly expanded worldwide. By Q2 2025, the app had been downloaded over 1 billion times globally, with 416.5 million monthly active users (MAUs) — marking a 68% year-over-year growth.
• As of 2024, Temu achieved a gross merchandise value (GMV) of $70.8 billion, selling millions of products worldwide.
• Temu reached a major milestone in April 2023 with 100 million active users in the U.S., but by mid-2025, U.S. MAUs declined by up to 52%, dropping to around 37 million.
• Globally, daily active users hit 70.5 million, up 65% year-over-year, with strong growth in Europe (+74% MAUs) and Latin America (+122% MAUs).
• By June 2023, there were 9.2 million Australians who had downloaded the Temu app a number that continues to rise as Temu expands in new markets..  

How Much Does It Cost To Develop An App Like Temu? 

Temu like app development cost can range between $10,000 to $50,000+, But it depends on plenty of factors that affect the cost to develop an app like Temu altogether. These relate to the level of complexity of the app, the skill level of developers, and the ongoing maintenance and branding required so that the app performs correctly and attracts new users. 

Temu shopping app development costs according to its features, hence the cost to develop a shopping app that you wish to build will be right. Look at the table of cost to build a ecommerce app like Temu below:    

Factors Affecting the Cost To Develop An App Like Temu 

As a way to make more money and access a wider audience, startups turn toward app development. The cost to develop an app like Temu is sensitive to a number of issues. Let's look at the main factors that affect how much it costs to make the app that an online shopping mobile app development services company suggests:

App Design 

Any shopping app needs to have a clear and attractive interface to users. Usually performing between 100 and 300 hours or more, the process of shopping app development requires careful planning and creativity. This design work is vital for providing an effortless and enjoyable user interface, which ultimately determines the effectiveness of the app altogether.

   
Planning and Research

The first threads of any project are research and planning. At this level of complexity, the development team invests a lot of time and effort researching the project requirements initially. More complex aspects in the process include understanding who it targets and spotting the newest market trends. A 20 to 80-hour treatment helps define the strategy and foundation for building an app like Temu.

App Development

The app's functions are defined in code during the lengthy development process. The entire process may require 400–800 hours or more for a basic shopping app. The development time is influenced by the intricacy of features such as the product catalog, shopping cart, and user authentication.

         
Backend Development

A potent backend is critical for efficiently managing user data, transactions, and overall app functionality. The server-side logic, databases, and APIs that help the service work are built during this stage. Depending on the complexity, this step might take anywhere from 200 to over 500 hours. The more advanced the architecture, the more time is required to ensure secure and seamless performance.

Integration of APIs

When you add third-party APIs, like payment gateways to an app, it enhances usability and functionality. This step may take 40 to 80 hours. It’s vital that APIs work seamlessly together so that activities in the app remain secure, smooth, and efficient.

App Testing

The app’s functions are refined and validated during the testing phase. This procedure may take 400–800 hours or more for a basic shopping app. The overall app development time is influenced by the complexity of features, including the product catalog, shopping cart, and user authentication. Rigorous testing ensures the app works flawlessly across devices and scenarios.

Deployment and Launch

Major stages in deploying and releasing the app are completing the development and making it available for users. As per Temu, this part normally takes 20 to 40 hours and gives data on the cost to develop an app like Temu. Its success is set up by an effective launch which sets opportunities for user acceptance and great reviews. 

Maintenance & Support 

Keeping the app relevant and solving new issues that may come up relies largely on monthly maintenance and upgrades. Specific needs determine the cost of the monthly maintenance work, which might take 20 to 40 hours or more. It takes periodic updates to keep the app competitive and to satisfy users' changing needs. 
 

Key Features To Develop An App Like Temu

If you want to make a novel shopping app like Temu, you have to understand what the most important shopping app features and functions are. Take a look at these must-have features of developing apps like Temu to get ideas.

  
User Registration 

Users may register, log in, and enable safe use of their order history and profiles. It allows businesses to acquire data about users to give them greater convenience and keep track of their order history, which makes customers more likely to stay loyal and buy from them again.  

Product Listing 

To browse and find items a bit simpler, show them with sufficient data that always offer details, visuals, and costs. Listings that are clear and clean make the user experience UI/UX Design better, which directly leads to more sales. 

 
Team Creation and Management

Users may form teams using links or connections they have with others. This makes purchase decisions more collaborative. It also fosters a feeling of community surrounding the brand, which can help keep customers coming back.  

Ability to Bid 

Allows users to bid on items in real time, which boosts participation and makes prices more competitive. Businesses make more money as a result of the rivalry and user involvement it fosters.  

Add To Cart 

It saves time to shop when a virtual cart is available for customers to add, check, and complete their choices before completing checkout. At last, it streamlines the purchasing procedure and lowers cart additional costs, which increases sales volumes. Adding this can raise the cost to develop an app like Temu. 

Multiple Payment Options  

It allows safe online transactions using a range of ways by connecting the app to a payment gateway. Building user confidence and promoting greater online buying. It is vital to know this feature can increase the cost to develop an app like Temu.

 
Order Management

Places, tracks, ships, and handles returns for orders placed overseas for a smooth experience. Everything about this streamlines the order fulfillment process, which raises client retention.

User Accounts

Let users make profiles, sign in, and control them, and give them a personalized shopping experience. Higher sales result from focused marketing and individualized recommendations made possible by the business's ability to monitor customer preferences and purchasing history.  

Search and Filtering

It integrates a powerful search and filter feature to save consumers time and effort by enabling rapid product discovery. The ease with which consumers can locate items of interest thanks to this feature raises the possibility of a purchase and improves the user experience.    

Reviews & Ratings   

It allows users to share their thoughts, reviews, and ratings on goods, which will help build trust and openness. People who might buy from you will trust and believe in your brand more if you have this feature.     
 

Tips To Reduce the Temu Like Shopping App Development Cost

It can be fun to develop an app like Temu, but it's vital to keep costs minimal. You can speed up the growth process and save a lot of money by following these 5 tips to reduce the cost to develop an app like Temu: 

Choosing Open-Source Platforms

One great way to reduce the cost to develop an app like Temu is to use platforms that are free to use. You can get free apps on these platforms that you can change to fit the needs of your business. A digital shopping app is going to cost a little amount of money to develop. You can hire ecommerce app developers who can help you in any manner with open-source platforms. 

   
Simplifying App Design

To lower the cost to develop an app like Temu, you can also make the style of the app simpler. As such, you must focus on the important features and functionalities of the program rather than trying to include every function. By making the design simpler, the shopping app development cost can be cut by a large amount. 

Hire an Ecommerce App Development Company

Developing an online shopping app can be less expensive with a business that specializes in this field. Hire top ecommerce app development companies and take their advice to benefit from their experience. You can avoid mistakes if you do the work by yourself, even if you don't know much about it. The cost to develop an app like Temu will be much less without compromising quality. 
      

Limiting App Features

The vital features are added to lower the cost to develop an app like Temu. For instance, if you're going to spend money on an app like Temu online AI shopping app development, it's important to keep costs as low as possible by only adding the most important features and functions. It also promises, though, that the app will have more simple movement use, which is vital for user satisfaction. 
   

Conducting Beta Testing 

You can make your shopping app for less money by trying it in beta. Before the application is released, testing it will enable you to identify problems. It will guarantee a top-notch and operational app, which will save costs for future maintenance and support. 

Takeaway! 

Planning, developing, and testing a shopping app the size of Temu takes a lot of time. Still, if you do these actions, you may build an e-commerce app that your users will find simple to use, aesthetically pleasing, and offer a smooth buying experience.

A credible ecommerce app development company like IMG Global Infotech, which focuses on building mobile apps, will help you reduce the cost to develop an app like Temu that is ready for the future and that users will enjoy. Be smart about who you choose.