How Much Does it Cost to Develop a Mobile App?
Mobile continues to grow in digital media time, accounting for 53.5% of time spent online by working-age internet users. The desktop is now considered a secondary touchpoint. By 2025, the global mobile app revenue will also reach $613 trillion.
App development is a lucrative business opportunity for entrepreneurs who want to start a company. You, as business owners, prefer to see a realistic estimate of the cost of creating an app.
This guide will provide a breakdown of the costs associated with launching an app.
- Based on the following standard factors, the average app development price
- App platform plays a critical role in the final app-making cost
- The cost structure will be affected by how the application development process is conducted
- How to keep the app development costs stable compared to the initial estimate
The Factors That Determine How Much It Costs to Develop a Mobile App
These are the top three considerations for calculating how much it will cost to develop a mobile app.
1. There are many platforms
Native Application
Native apps are written in the same programming language for all platforms. Native apps for iOS use Swift programming language while Android apps use Java. Native apps are often faster and more reliable. These applications can be used to access the settings and features of a mobile device, such as a camera and address book.
Native app development often results in a better user experience (UX) and a more intuitive design. This process is more costly than other apps.
Cross-Platform Application or Hybrid Application
The application can run on both iOS or Android platforms. These apps use a combination of native technologies and web functions, which are available via an app store.
2. Design Requirements
A template will make it easier to create your app design. This will also help you save money on app development costs. The general rule of thumb is that the more customizations you require, the higher your app-making expenses will be. These are the design standards to be aware of:
Visual Design
Visuals will give your product its appearance and feel. App’s aesthetic appeal is crucial to its functionality. App users will also be affected by how the application looks.
UX Design
User experience design is the way that an app works. It is a design discipline that analyzes user behavior using data to deliver specific results. These results include:
- User Engagement
- Subscribers that succeed
- Everyday use is an integral part of a user’s life
Remember that UX design is an ongoing process. It needs to be tested, updated, and improved regularly.
Logo, Icon, and Branding
Your branding is a powerful asset that can either make or break an app development venture. It is important to invest in creating a memorable logo and icon design. They will help you stand out in both the App Store and Play Store, attracting online users to your application.
These factors influence the decision of people to download your app. Keep in mind that the icon design of your app needs to be updated every few years.
Copywriting materials
A compelling and engaging copy makes for a unique UX. Finding the right tone and voice for your brand takes effort and time. Use persuasive copy to motivate users to look into your product.
69% of online shoppers believe that brand messaging has an impact on their perceptions of products. Your copy should clearly communicate the app’s advantages. It should aid users in navigation so they can make the most of the app’s many features.
Many development companies will assign a design team to handle everything for you, from the logo, icons, and graphics to UX design. For a junior designer, an hourly rate of $50 is reasonable if you’re looking to hire an in-house designer specialist. The hourly rate for a senior UX designer can be as high as $250.
3. Complexity
Complex features can complicate the design, development, and quality assurance (QA), making it more difficult.
These intricacies can include:
- Email login: Useful for data collection and marketing.
- Social login: This allows users to quickly log in via Facebook, Instagram or Google. This is important for data collection.
- User profiles: These should be included with your login credentials.
- Social page Integration This feature allows apps to post to an individual's account on social media. This functionality can be used to increase brand recognition and awareness through virality and social sharing.
- Rating system: You have the option to use thumbs up and down. Stars can also be very effective. Users have the option of adding text to their rating.
- In-app purchases: This allows you to charge your customers for additional downloads or services they use within the application.
- Geolocation - You can gather information about the location of users and locate them. It will not only provide valuable data for area-focused advertising, but it will also make the user's experience more personalized and relevant.
- Data sync: With this setup, users can store and sync data across multiple devices. This feature is great for apps that are available on desktop, mobile, and web.
Simpler features like login and social integration can increase the cost of app development by $3,000-15,000 Complex features like geolocation or user profiles can increase the app development cost by $7,500.
App Development Pricing Models
An app developer will give you an hourly estimate based on a pay-as-you-go model. It will be determined by the scope of work. These are the most popular payment methods for developing an app.
App Development Pricing Models
The app development company will prepare an estimate based on the concept. Fixed app development costs are predictable. Only make changes and deviations as the project progresses.
These are the most popular payment methods for developing an app.
Fixed Rate
The app development company will prepare an estimate based on the concept. Fixed app development costs are predictable. Only make changes and deviations as the project progresses.
Monthly Payments
Your monthly payments will be based on an upfront estimate. This pricing structure is best suited for projects that have greater scope and can be further defined during the development course. The app-making fees can also be paid on a weekly basis.
What Does it Cost to Develop a mobile App?
These are the three main factors to consider when determining app development costs:
- Concept - All the features and functionalities that you would like to integrate into your application
- Stories - All requirements must be met to implement the concept
- Speed Time it takes to build an app
Your developers will be able to break down the workflow by understanding the app’s concept and how it matches your features. These stories will then be compared to the app creation speed. These will indicate the time and resources required to complete the project. These requirements will determine the app development costs.
What to do if the initial app cost estimate changes
Transparency is key to any transaction you make with your agency. Clarify your expectations of the agency’s output. App-making costs rise as the product grows, typically because it has a wider scope. You want your business to be able to offer the best product possible. You might come up with innovative ideas and try out new concepts. This will allow you to expand your visions of the app. This can change the scope of the app.
You can then take the following steps.
Change the features in your mind
If you have a new idea, consider whether it is feasible and practical to replace the one that was there. You might also consider whether there are more affordable and feasible alternatives to your current idea. This will allow you to keep the app’s scope and development costs at the same level.
Average Time Taken to Develop an App:
It can take up to 20 weeks to build a high-quality MVP (minimum viable product) or four to five months. Simpler apps might take around three months to create. It may take up to six months to create a complex, high-end application.
Four Ways to Develop a Mobile App
How many people work on your app will impact the cost of its development. Your app’s idea and functionality are just as important as who you hire. Although it may be tempting to choose inexpensive services for your application design, choosing the right developers will require careful decision-making. Here are the advantages and disadvantages of each option for building your app.
1. Offshore Teams
A remote team of developers might be the most cost-effective option to develop your mobile app. The only risk can lead to a reduction in the quality of the final output. To at least view their past work, you can request a portfolio. Outsourcing app development to offshore experts means that you only get a small team to create simple products.
However, you don’t get a full-fledged staff of product managers, designers, or senior developers. But some of the offshore development teams give you full hands on your project and are very reliable for you.
2. Freelancer Developers
Employing freelancers is similar to remote developers. However, it will be less expensive. There are no benefits to hiring freelancers. They could be friends, students, or professionals looking for freelancer opportunities. One of the disadvantages is the lack of quality communication. The process can be slower because junior freelancers might not have enough experience in the field.
3. Tech Co-founders
Your technical co-founders can be a great option and will make an amazing asset. They are experienced entrepreneurs who have a track record of software creation. They will commit to long-term software development success because they receive equity compensation and often have a large share of your company.
4. An Established App Development Company
You can explore many app development companies. Look through client reviews to find out about their reputations and awards. After you have narrowed down your choices, you can meet with them to find out more about their specializations. To verify their reliability and quality of work, ask for references from clients or people they have worked with. Choose the company that can fulfill your needs. We can help you to find the best mobile application development company in Canada.
We’ve already defined in a blog how to find the perfect mobile app development company for you. Although app development companies may seem expensive, this is the best way to ensure a great product.
Conclusion:
So, how much does it cost to build an app? It will totally depend on how you plan and execute the app and what you want to achieve with it.
Here are some more questions to consider before getting an app development cost.
- Who will develop the application?
- The team you've hired had any past experience for your project.
- Which tech stack will you use?
- What coding language you will using between Native or Hybrid?
- Need to ask for the after development or maintenance cost. Know more about how much does it cost to maintain an App?
Connect with our specialists to know how you can make an indispensable
About the Author
Essence Tech Labs is the best mobile application development company in Ontario, Canada. We help businesses or enterprises to build their successful digital businesses. We are top-rated IT solutions providers in Canada, we bring tech into your ideas.
