Having general terms and conditions drafted for an app: costs and process

Having terms and conditions for an app drafted by a specialized SME lawyer typically costs between €500 and €2,000, depending on the complexity of your app. A simple, no-payment app falls at the lower end; an app with subscriptions, user accounts, and sensitive data falls at the higher end. For that amount, you receive a user agreement (EULA/license) and a GDPR-compliant privacy statement, aligned with Apple and Google's rules. Below, you can read what the process entails, what it costs, and when having them drafted is worthwhile.

The short answer

• Costs: €500 – €2,000 with an SME lawyer, depending on complexity.
• What you get: an EULA/license plus a GDPR-compliant privacy statement.
• Process: intake, drafting, revision round, delivery with explanation.
• Lead time: usually one to two weeks.
• Pays off for: in-app purchases, subscriptions, accounts, sensitive personal data.
• You can do it yourself: only with a simple app without payment or data processing.

Having terms and conditions drafted for an app: what does it cost?

The price depends on how much your app requires legal arrangements. An indication:

• Simple app (no payment, limited data): €500 – €900.
• App with payment or subscriptions: € 900 – € 1.500.
• Complex app (accounts, user content, sensitive data, international): €1,500 – €2,000 or more.

That price usually includes a round of revisions. If you work with a large law firm on an hourly rate, costs quickly escalate without the quality necessarily being better for an SME app. A specialized SME lawyer with a fixed price is the logical choice for most app developers.

What exactly you get

For the amount, you provide two core documents and often some additional documents:

• User Agreement (EULA): software license, prohibited use, intellectual property, liability, updates and termination.
• Privacy Statement: GDPR compliant, with purposes, legal bases, retention periods, and user rights.
• In-app purchases: provisions regarding prices, subscriptions, cancellation, and right of withdrawal.
• Data Processing Agreement: if you work with external service providers (often separately or upon request).

The process step by step

1. Intake: the legal expert maps out what your app does, who the users are, whether payments are made, and what data you process.
2. Drafting: based on this, the legal expert writes the tailored EULA and privacy statement.
3. Revision round: you read along and provide additions; the lawyer incorporates them.
4. Delivery: you will receive the final documents with a brief explanation regarding acceptance and App Store requirements.

The turnaround time is usually one to two weeks, shorter if you provide the intake information quickly.

What the lawyer needs from you

The better your submissions, the sharper and cheaper the result. Gather in advance:

• A description of the app and the main features.
• Whether there are in-app purchases or subscriptions, and how payment works.
• Which personal data you collect and which external services you use (analytics, hosting, payment provider).
• On which platforms you publish (Apple, Google, web).
• Whether you target consumers, business users, or both.

When is it worthwhile to have a draft drawn up?

Having it drawn up pays off as soon as there is something to lose. The key triggers:

• In-app purchases or subscriptions: consumer law and app store rules make this error-prone.
• User accounts and user content: ownership and licensing of content must be correct.
• Sensitive or extensive personal data: GDPR errors lead to fines and liability.
• International reach: in that case, foreign rules also apply.

A brief SME example: an entrepreneur launches a fitness app with a monthly subscription and a health profile per user. Adapting a template himself proved too risky due to the health data and automatic renewal. For approximately €1,200, he had a custom EULA and privacy statement drafted — significantly less than the cost of a single GDPR complaint.

Do it yourself or have it done

The assessment is realistic. For a simple app without payment and without data processing, you can manage on your own with a good privacy statement and a brief set of terms of use. As soon as payments, accounts, or sensitive data are involved, the cost of having it drafted does not outweigh the risk of a clause that does not hold up or a GDPR violation. Do not view it as an expense, but as risk insurance.

Honest recommendation

If you have a simple, free app without an account and without data processing, you do not need to hire a lawyer — a solid privacy statement and brief terms of use will suffice. However, if your app relies on subscriptions, accounts, or sensitive data, have the terms drafted by a lawyer familiar with apps. For €500 to €2,000, you will have documents that hold up and comply with Apple and Google's requirements. This is manageable and prevents costs that could end up being many times higher.

Read more: what are terms and conditions for an app and drafting them yourself: what should be included. You can have this arranged immediately via terms and conditions for an app.

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