Android & iOS Developer Salary in 2026: 5 Cities Compared (With Real Numbers)
What mobile developers actually earn — and why Android developers out-earn iOS developers in most markets
Mobile development is one of the few engineering specializations where your platform choice directly affects your salary. Android developers consistently out-earn iOS developers in most markets — a gap that surprises many engineers and hiring managers.
The reason is structural: Android's device fragmentation (thousands of screen sizes, OS versions, and hardware capabilities) makes the engineering challenge harder. Android also dominates global market share (~72%), meaning more companies need Android-first experiences. iOS development, while technically polished, targets a more homogeneous ecosystem.
Here's how both platforms compare across 5 major markets.
The Quick Comparison
Android Developer Salaries
| City | Salary Range | Median | Currency |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Francisco | $114K–$272K | ~$176K | USD |
| New York | $97K–$279K | ~$164K | USD |
| Remote (US) | $102K–$150K | ~$126K | USD |
| London | £35K–£100K | ~£65K | GBP |
| Berlin | €60K–€75K | ~€74K | EUR |
iOS Developer Salaries
| City | Salary Range | Median | Currency |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Francisco | $87K–$235K | ~$135K | USD |
| Remote (US) | $70K–$180K | ~$125K | USD |
| New York | $81K–$157K | ~$119K | USD |
| London | £53K–£90K | ~£90K | GBP |
| Berlin | €44K–€77K | ~€57K | EUR |
The Android premium is clear: $176K vs $135K median in SF, $164K vs $119K in NYC. The one exception is London, where iOS developers earn more (£90K vs £65K median) — reflecting the UK's disproportionately high iPhone market share.
San Francisco: Android $114K–$272K | iOS $87K–$235K
San Francisco is where mobile development compensation reaches its peak. Google (Android's creator) is headquartered here, and Apple (iOS's creator) is just down the road in Cupertino. Both companies pay top-of-market for native mobile developers.
Google's Android team pays at the $200K–$272K range for senior developers. These engineers work on the Android platform itself — not just apps, but the operating system, core libraries, and developer tools used by millions of Android developers worldwide. It's one of the most technically demanding mobile engineering roles on Earth.
Apple's iOS teams in Cupertino/SF pay $180K–$235K for senior iOS engineers. Working on iOS, iPadOS, or watchOS at Apple means building features used by over a billion devices. The technical bar is extreme, and the secrecy culture adds unique pressure.
Beyond platform owners, Bay Area companies like Uber, DoorDash, Airbnb, and Block (Cash App) maintain large mobile teams. These companies build complex native apps that handle real-time maps, payments, location services, and hardware integrations — problems that justify premium mobile developer salaries.
Full breakdown: Android Developer Salary in San Francisco | iOS Developer Salary in San Francisco
New York: Android $97K–$279K | iOS $81K–$157K
New York has the most dramatic Android-iOS gap: Android's ceiling ($279K) is nearly double iOS's ($157K). This reflects NYC's finance and media sectors, where Android's larger global user base drives hiring priorities.
Financial apps — banking, trading, payments — need to reach the broadest possible user base, which means Android-first strategies. JPMorgan's mobile banking app, Bloomberg's terminal companion, and Robinhood all invest heavily in Android development. Senior Android engineers at these companies earn at the top of the range.
iOS's tighter range ($81K–$157K) in NYC reflects a more commoditized market. Many NYC companies treat iOS development as a smaller counterpart to their Android efforts, with correspondingly lower compensation ceilings.
The media industry (NYT, Bloomberg, Spotify NYC) provides interesting mobile roles for both platforms — building content consumption experiences, offline reading, and audio streaming. These roles are technically engaging but typically pay in the middle of the range.
See the numbers: Android Developer Salary in New York | iOS Developer Salary in New York
Remote (US): Android $102K–$150K | iOS $70K–$180K
Remote mobile development has an unusual pattern: iOS has the wider range and higher ceiling ($180K vs $150K for Android). This likely reflects the composition of remote-first companies — many are consumer-facing startups with iOS-first strategies.
The Android remote median ($126K) and iOS remote median ($125K) are nearly identical, suggesting the platform premium narrows in distributed work environments. When companies hire remote mobile developers, they're often more focused on mobile expertise generally than platform specialization.
Cross-platform mobile development (React Native, Flutter) has captured a significant share of remote mobile hiring. Companies that might hire separate Android and iOS developers in an office instead hire one cross-platform developer remotely. This compresses both Android and iOS remote salaries relative to their in-office counterparts.
Current ranges: Android Developer Salary — Remote | iOS Developer Salary — Remote
London: Android £35K–£100K | iOS £53K–£90K
London is the one market where iOS developers earn more than Android developers — £90K median vs £65K median. The UK has one of the highest iPhone market shares globally (~50%), which drives iOS-first product strategies.
The Android floor (£35K) is notably low — reflecting junior roles at agencies and small companies. Android development in the UK is often perceived as less prestigious than iOS, partly due to the iOS-dominant consumer market. This perception suppresses Android salaries at the entry level while leaving the ceiling (£100K for senior Big Tech roles) competitive.
iOS developers in London benefit from Apple's strong brand positioning in the UK market. Fintech apps (Revolut, Monzo) prioritize iOS experiences, and their mobile teams reflect this with competitive iOS compensation.
Full data: Android Developer Salary in London | iOS Developer Salary in London
Berlin: Android €60K–€75K | iOS €44K–€77K
Berlin's mobile developer salaries are compressed on both platforms. The Android median (€74K) exceeds iOS (€57K) by a significant margin — nearly 30%.
Android's advantage in Berlin reflects the European market generally: Android dominates with ~70% market share across the EU. Companies like Delivery Hero, Zalando, and HelloFresh build Android-first experiences for their European user bases.
The iOS floor (€44K) is the lowest salary on any chart in this guide. It reflects junior iOS roles at smaller companies in a market where iOS is less dominant. Senior iOS developers can reach €77K — competitive with Android's ceiling — but the median tells the story: Android experience is more valued in the Berlin market.
See the details: Android Developer Salary in Berlin | iOS Developer Salary in Berlin
Native vs. Cross-Platform: The Salary Difference
| Approach | US Salary Range | When to Choose |
|---|---|---|
| Native Android (Kotlin) | $102K–$279K | Performance-critical apps, hardware access |
| Native iOS (Swift) | $70K–$235K | Apple ecosystem, consumer apps |
| Cross-Platform (React Native/Flutter) | $80K–$180K | MVPs, content apps, rapid iteration |
Native developers earn 15–25% more than cross-platform developers at equivalent experience levels. The premium reflects the deeper expertise required and the fact that the most complex, revenue-critical mobile applications are built natively.
However, cross-platform skills are increasingly valuable for startups and small companies that can't afford separate platform teams. A developer fluent in both React Native and one native platform has excellent career flexibility.
The Bottom Line
Mobile development in 2026 remains a strong career with platform-specific salary dynamics. Android developers earn more in most markets (10–30% premium), reflecting Android's global dominance and greater engineering complexity. iOS developers earn more in iOS-heavy markets like the UK.
For maximum compensation, specialize in native Android development and target San Francisco or New York ($176K and $164K medians). For career flexibility, learn both platforms or combine native expertise with cross-platform skills.
The mobile market is mature — explosive growth has slowed, but replacements and new features keep demand steady. Every company needs mobile presence, and native expertise remains irreplaceable for complex applications.
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