Software and app development · Chicago, Illinois
App development company in Chicago that replaces your spreadsheets
Need an app development company in Chicago to replace the spreadsheets, shared inboxes or old desktop app your team works around? We build web apps, mobile apps and custom internal systems. A typical project costs $7,000 to around $30,000, ships a first release in 5 to 10 weeks, and you own the code.
Written scope and quote after the call. NDA on request. You own the code.
Teams we have built software for
Chicago companies get the quoting tool, portal or app they have been patching with spreadsheets, live in about 7 weeks and handed over with the code in their name.
We are a San Francisco company with a 16-person in-house engineering team and 30+ remote specialists. Chicago is two hours ahead of us, so your late morning and afternoon overlap our full day. Citi, Spirit Airlines and the Miami Dolphins are among the clients we have built for.
What do you want to build in Chicago?
Pick the closest one. Each page shows how we build it, real examples and how to get a quote.
- Build a mobile appiOS and Android apps for your customers or your field team.
- Build a web app or SaaSBrowser-based products, client portals and multi-tenant SaaS with billing.
- Add AI to my businessAI features, assistants on your own data, and agents that do real work.
- Replace spreadsheets with softwareInternal tools, dashboards and custom systems built around how you work.
- Launch an MVPFrom idea to a first version real users can try, in weeks.
- Set up or fix my CRMHubSpot, monday.com, Pipedrive or GoHighLevel, set up and connected.
Apps and software we build for Chicago businesses
Freight brokers
Your reps price every lane by hand from history and carrier emails, so shippers wait and margins slip.
We build a quoting tool with pricing rules by lane, equipment and lead time, and a shipper portal for booking and tracking, so quotes go out in minutes.
Lenders, funds and fintech teams
Your deal flow lives in an inbox and a spreadsheet only one person understands.
We build a deal CRM with stages, owners, documents and a full change history, the same kind of system that took Edge Case Capital's memo prep from six hours to 90 minutes.
Last-mile delivery and courier firms
Dispatch calls drivers for status and customers call dispatch for the same answer.
We build a driver app with stops, photo proof of delivery and live status that feeds a customer tracking page, cutting the calls on both sides.
Food and consumer brands
Retail orders, subscriptions and wholesale accounts sit in separate tools with three different inventory counts.
We build one web app for orders, subscriptions and wholesale with a single stock count, so you stop overselling.
Planning something like this in Chicago? The first call is free and you leave with a clear next step.
Get a free project quoteBuilds closest to what Chicago businesses need
All 44 builds →What does it cost to hire our app development company in Chicago?
$7,000 to around $25,000-$30,000
Our own price for a Chicago build, project-based or hourly, in writing before any work starts. Design, the build, testing, store launch and a handover in your name are included; the pricing page lists what is in and out.
How a build works, from first call to handover
Across our published builds the first release shipped in 5 to 10 weeks, with a median of 7. Integrations and compliance work add more time than screens do. See how long our builds took.
Free 30-minute project call, then written scope and quote, then design you approve, then build with weekly demos, then test and launch, then handover you own, then support when you need it.
Get a free project quoteHow to compare app development companies in Chicago
Ask every firm on your Chicago shortlist for a written price, launch times on named projects, who writes the code, and whose name the code and store accounts are in. Our answers: $7k to $30k, a first release in 5 to 10 weeks, Shivam Pujara's in-house team, and everything in your name. The full list is in how to choose a software development company.
What clients say
“They translated very complex operational processes into software that feels simple for our team to use.”
“Communication was clear, timelines were realistic, and the final product matched what was scoped.”
“Working with [our team] was the best decision we made in this process. We went from a 6 month development cycle to a 10 week timeline.”
Why Chicago brokers and lenders hire our mobile app development company
Most Chicago clients come to us with one painful process: freight quotes built by hand, a deal pipeline in a shared spreadsheet, or orders split across three tools. We turn that process into software your team actually uses. Spirit Airlines' group desk went from 3-day quotes to 40-minute quotes on a pricing engine we built. Edge Case Capital cut investment memo prep from six hours to 90 minutes on a custom CRM we delivered in 6 weeks.
Working with us from Chicago is simple. One free call to scope it, a written quote, then a demo every week that you can click through, plus a staging link your team can test on their own devices. When it ships, you get a recorded walkthrough and written documentation. Founders get an MVP in front of pilot customers fast; operations teams get internal tools that replace the spreadsheet for good.
How to hire an app developer in Chicago: 4 things to settle first
- Which process should we fix first?
A focused first release ships faster and costs less. We help you pick it on the free call.
- Do biometrics or SaaS tax apply to our app?
Face or fingerprint features fall under Illinois BIPA. If you will sell the app as a subscription, Chicago's Personal Property Lease Transaction Tax can apply, so ask your accountant before pricing a SaaS product.
- Which systems must the app connect to?
Name the TMS, banking or commerce systems the app must connect to, and who grants access. That keeps the timeline on track.
- Is the scope and code ownership in writing?
Price, milestones, and code and accounts in your name, on paper. See our pricing page for what moves a build toward $30,000.
Which Illinois laws change how your app is built?
The Illinois rules we design consent screens, data retention and breach logging around. A planning summary, not legal advice.
| Rule | What it means for the build |
|---|---|
| Consumer privacy law | No comprehensive consumer privacy law in force as of 2026-10-31. Apps serving users in other states still need to meet those states' rules, and sector laws (health, finance, children) apply regardless. |
| Data breach notification | 815 ILCS 530/10 (Personal Information Protection Act): notice deadline most expedient time possible and without unreasonable delay (AG notice if >500 Illinois residents). We build audit logs that show what data was touched, so notice can be accurate and on time. |
| Biometric Information Privacy Act, 740 ILCS 14 | Written notice, written release and public retention policy before collecting biometrics; private right of action, $1,000 negligent / $5,000 intentional liquidated damages. (effective 2008-10-03) |
| SB 2979, Public Act 103-0769 (BIPA amendment) | Repeated collection of the same person's biometric by the same method is one violation (per-person damages); electronic signature satisfies the written release. (effective 2024-08-02) |
| HB 3773, Public Act 103-0804 (Human Rights Act, AI in employment) | Employers may not use AI that discriminates (incl. zip code as proxy) in hiring, promotion, discipline etc.; must notify employees when AI is used. (effective 2026-01-01) |
| Sales tax on SaaS | partial: 86 Ill. Adm. Code 130.1935: cloud software never downloaded not taxable; downloaded canned software taxable unless license meets all five conditions. Chicago Personal Property Lease Transaction Tax can reach SaaS (rate not verified).. Relevant if you will sell your app as a subscription. |
| Time zone | Central. Our team works from San Francisco (Pacific), with remote specialists covering other hours, so Chicago working hours overlap with ours every weekday. |
Checked 2026-10-31 against state sources; confirm with counsel before launch.
Engineers you can talk to
16 in-house engineers plus 30+ remote specialists, and 44 published builds with the results each client saw.
Alpit PatelFounder and CEOEngineering is led by co-founder and CTO Shivam Pujara.App development company in Chicago: questions people ask
How much does it cost to hire an app development company in Chicago?
With us, most apps and web apps cost $7,000 to around $25,000 to $30,000, and a Chicago client pays the same as a client anywhere else. One user type and a few screens sits near the bottom; payments, several roles and integrations push it higher. You get the number in writing after a free 30-minute call, priced per project or by the hour.
How fast can you build an app for a Chicago business?
Half of our 44 published builds reached a first release in 7 weeks or less, and none took more than 10. Edge Case Capital's deal CRM shipped in 6 weeks; Spirit Airlines' booking system took 10 because it connects to live fare inventory. Your date is set once we agree the written scope, and you see progress at a demo every week.
How much does an MVP cost and how long does it take?
With us, an MVP costs $7,000 to around $30,000 and the first release ships in 5 to 10 weeks, with a median of 7 across 44 published builds. One user type and one core workflow keep it near the low end. We agree the feature list in writing first, so the price and date do not drift, and you own the code from the first commit.
Can you build freight and logistics software in Chicago?
Yes. We build quoting tools, load boards, driver apps with proof of delivery and shipper portals, connected to the TMS you already use. Our pricing engine for Spirit Airlines cut group quotes from 3 days to 40 minutes, and our dispatch app for Life Line Ambulances cut request-to-crew time from 22 minutes to 3. Logistics builds usually fit our 5 to 10 week range.
Does the Illinois biometric law affect my Chicago app?
If your app collects fingerprints, face geometry or voice prints, the Biometric Information Privacy Act requires written notice, a written release and a published retention policy first, with damages of $1,000 to $5,000 per violation. We design that consent flow into the first release, or help you leave biometrics out if they are not essential.
Do I need an app developer near me in Chicago?
Not if the process is solid. We have no Chicago office: our in-house team works from San Francisco, two hours behind you, so 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Central is fully covered. Scoping, weekly demos and reviews happen on video, and a staging link lets your team test anytime. Clients in the suburbs get exactly the same process.
How much does it cost to make an app like TikTok?
A first version of a TikTok-style app, with video upload, a feed, profiles, likes and comments, is a larger build, so it sits toward the top of our typical $7,000 to around $30,000 range. Video storage and streaming add running costs you pay every month as users grow. We scope the smallest version that tests your idea and quote it in writing.
Is SaaS taxed in Chicago?
It can be. Illinois does not tax cloud software that customers never download, but the City of Chicago's Personal Property Lease Transaction Tax can apply to remotely accessed software. If you plan to sell your app as a subscription to Chicago customers, check with a tax adviser before setting prices. We can build billing so tax rules are easy to change.
How do I pick an app development company in Chicago?
Compare evidence, not pitches. Ask each one for published builds with named clients and results, who will write your code, a written scope with milestones and price, and confirmation that the code and accounts will be yours. Then choose the team whose weekly process you trust, wherever it sits. We publish all of that for our own 44 builds.
What are the top app development companies in Chicago?
Search results for that question are mostly directory listings and "top 10" lists written by agencies, which often rank the author first. A fairer way: shortlist from Clutch-style verified reviews, then ask each firm for its price in writing, named clients, who writes the code and whether you own it. We publish all four, including 44 builds with client permission.
More answers from our engineers
Nearby
Sources
- Illinois General Assembly, Public Act 103-0769 (Biometric Information Privacy Act amendment), checked Nov 3, 2026
- Illinois Administrative Code, 86 Ill. Adm. Code 130.1935 (cloud software and sales tax), checked Nov 3, 2026
- aibrevo published build results (Spirit Airlines, Edge Case Capital, Life Line Ambulances), checked Nov 3, 2026
Free project call
Building an app in Chicago? Pick a time for your free call.
Tell us what you want to build, then choose a 30-minute slot. You leave the call with the scope, the risks and a realistic timeline, and a written quote follows. Typical builds run $7,000 to around $25,000-$30,000.
- A written scope and price before any work starts
- First release in 5 to 10 weeks on our 44 published builds
- Code and accounts in your name from the first commit
- NDA on request, signed before you share details
Rather write it down? Send us your brief or email info@aibrevo.com.
- Details
- Time
- Confirmed
Free project call with Alpit Patel
Pick a day
You are booked.
With Alpit Patel
Before the call
- Accept the calendar invite so the call sits in your calendar with the Meet link.
- Jot down what the app should do: who uses it, the three or four things it must handle, and any deadline.
- Have examples handy: apps you like, sketches or screenshots, and the tools it needs to connect to.
Need a different time? Reschedule or cancel.