Mobile apps are currently and have been for quite some time the only way to expand the client base and achieve growth in any business. While building a mobile app is not particularly difficult (yes, anyone can build an app), there are certain areas that require more focus and as a result separate out a well-built application from an average one. The costs of development also depend on the type of app being developed, the services being offered by it, the complexity involved and so forth.

 

Further, designing a mobile app that fits your business model and has the ability to scale is a journey often full of confusion. It includes multiple stages and various factors like having to decide on an app development strategy, partnering with the right app development company or hiring developers, identifying resources, planning the app development lifecycle, having enough budget can be really strenuous.

 

This is why you need the expertise of a company that knows how to incorporate your ideas into a great app. Unless you have the team to do it properly and experience with software development, avoid making a mistake that could be potentially detrimental to your brand. Further, development of apps in-house is certainly a path you can take. It can significantly decrease the initial app development cost; however, it can increase drastically over time if your team lacks pros in various aspects of app development: design, QA, development experience, project management, etc. This all will result in the similar price tag you would get from any professional app development company.

 

While each development company will come up with different app development cost estimates, based on numerous factors, below is the bird’s eye view of the several aspects that are factored in while calculating an app development cost:

App’s Functionality and Purpose: Apps are either useful or popular. At first it might not seem like those two qualities go hand in hand, but there is a way to make both happen. An app is useless if it doesn’t have the functionality and purpose to do anything useful. The lack of features is one common reason people uninstall apps from their phones.

 

App Platforms and Supported Devices: Due to hardware diversification, you have to take several factors into account when choosing the target mobile platform. These include screen sizes and resolutions, available input and output capabilities, APIs (Application Programming Integration), SDK (Software Development Kit) and UI (User Interface) toolkits, patterns and protocols for handling events and connectivity.

 

App Integration: Making sure your app can easily connect to other apps may be one of the most important things you do when you develop. The key to a successful app is thoughtful integration. And when you plan from the beginning, everything will go smoothly when it comes time to launch.

 

App Maintenance: After investing a substantial sum in an application development project, it is only logical to expect long term benefits out of it. That can be possible only if proper post-launch maintenance plan is designed and the application is supported by its developer with regular updates and patches to ensure that bugs are fixed, and new features are added as per directions from business stakeholders.

 

Inclusion of visual elements: The amount of visual objects placed in an application is one of the major factors that directly influence app development cost. However, including complex visual elements allows you to build rich experiences, personalization and offer new experiences over time.

 

Use of high-tech features: The use of hardware features (GPS Navigation, NFC (Near Field Communication) technology, AR (Augmented Reality), etc.) that are common among smartphones can make an app much more attractive to current users and/or potential consumers.

Mobile app development costs are based on many factors. But let’s start with the most important ones. First, we can divide mobile apps and development time into following categories:

  • Basic Mobile App – $10,000 – $15,000 (3 – 4 months)
  • Intermediate level Mobile App – $20,000 – $30,000 (4 – 7 months)
  • Advance-level Mobile App – $40,000 – $50,000 (5 – 9 months)
  • Complex-level Mobile App – $75,000 – $90,000 (6 – 10 months)
  • Enterprise-level Mobile App – begins from $90,000 (8 – 12 months)

To get a ballpark estimate of the cost you have to pay, you should consider three things: the platform, the functional and design complexity, and where the work is carried out.

Mobile App Development Cost Standards

With rapid development happening in the app industry, the demand for professional apps is increasing day by day. And how much would it cost to make a mobile app is a question that plagues many business owners. It is also a complex task where software development, communication, localization, and testing costs need to be calculated and considered. Nobody has a perfect mobile app cost calculator, but you can still calculate the app development costs using a simple formula (refer it as an app development cost calculator), which is as follows:

 

Total App Development Cost = Cost per hour * Total Development Time

 

With a clear set of specifications, the cost of your app project will come under control. There are numerous aspects of your project that can affect app development costs. The factors that influence both the complexity and cost element of your app project’s budget always stays the same:

 

  • Business’s requirement gathering,
  • The Mobile App’s objective
  • The Mobile App’s functional and features requirements

Cost of a Mobile App for Different App Development Stages

Mobile app development is a process that includes many stages and requires a lot of work to be done. The best time to estimate the timeline and cost to develop an app is at the beginning of the process. Each stage of mobile application development defines how to go about completing your business objectives. 

Business Research and Analysis Stage:

Research is the first step towards building an app that will be a value to your customers and business. It defines what technology should be used in your mobile application. It also ensures that the choice of technology will help you achieve the objectives of your mobile project.

 

Throughout this business research stage, it is important to define your goals and determine the scope of your application. You have to briefly evaluate the competition and obtain an understanding of the environment surrounding your app. In addition, you must do an in-depth analysis of the problem that needs solving with the mobile application and methods that you will use to solve these problems. It further helps to: 

  • Save on app development timeline and costs
  • Validates details against standard processes
  • Helps to reach the app deadline on schedule
  • Decreases uncertainties of app development
  • Helps to match the solution to consumer demands

 

LocationApprox. Development Time Approx. Development Cost
Canada & United States 2 – 4 weeks $40 to $80/hour 
Eastern Europe & Latin America 1 – 3 weeks $35 to $90/hour 
Asia 1 – 3 weeks $30 to $50/hour 
App UI/UX Design Stage:

Customer experience is one of the most important things in app development. That’s why we create apps that have a lot of attention to detail as they are meant to be not only attractive, but also highly functional. A new trend in app development has led companies to prioritize the design elements of the app over other aspects. It helps your app users to:

 

  • Easily understand your app’s purpose and what it is meant to do
  • Improves app’s overall user experience
  • Improves user interaction with the app
LocationApprox. Development Time Approx. Development Cost
Canada & United States 120 – 200 hours $60 to $110/hour 
Eastern Europe & Latin America 100 – 170 hours $45 to $60/hour 
Asia 100 – 150 hours $30 to $45/hour 
App Development Stage:
The app development stage determines how your application will work when it is published. This stage is a major contributing factor to the amount or cost of developing mobile applications. It is imperative that you get the right app developers and develop your applications at the appropriate time to not waste resources while app building and avoid paying too much money. The total cost of an app depends on a number of factors; basically, it is the sum of a developer’s salary, hourly rates, number of hours an application will take, and the quality you require in your application.
App Developer  Approx. Development Time  Approx. Development Cost 
Front-end  160 – 170 hours  $80 to $100/hour 
Back-end  200 – 220 hours  $60 to $90/hour 
App Testing Stage:

When developers complete the development part, testers initiate the test phase. Software testers are essential in ensuring quality when the development process is finished. Your business will suffer if your application cannot meet the criteria outlined in your business plan. For example, they will attempt to break it by entering nonexistent data or clicking nonexistent links. They automate to run all the test cases at once. And if you want to build a great application, you need to recognize the importance of testing early.

 

Further, both the formation and testing of a certain function are done in one step. When the process of programming a specific function ends, its code is tested immediately. App testing stage makes it possible to detect errors and bugs in time when they are still young and easy to fix.

 

Location Approx. Development Time Approx. Development Cost 
Canada & United States 28 – 42 hours $60 to $90/hour 
Eastern Europe & Latin America 30 – 40 hours $30 to $55/hour 
Asia 25 – 20 hours $25 to $35/hour 

Without testing, an app cannot be released. This is the rule of thumb: if you want your app to be compliant with the different requirements of various users and work properly, then it is essential to think about how to test an app. By having proper testing, your chances of making a profit increase dramatically.

App Management:

An app development undertaking needs good project managers for effective teamwork. At the same time, a project manager is important in the app making cost estimation. You need to know that there are a lot of application development stages during which you will face lots of different problems and issues. The project manager will be the only person who deals with all these tasks and issues by managing them properly and effectively. Let’s count some responsibilities of a project manager:

 

  • Collaborate with designers, developers, service providers and stakeholders
  • Authorize project’s elements
  • Accountable for the overall app production and resolves drawbacks
Location Approx. Development Time Approx. Development Cost 
Canada & United States 200 – 440 hours $60 to $120/hour 
Eastern Europe & Latin America 150 – 350 hours $40 to $90/hour 
Asia 200 – 220 hours $35 to $50/hour 

Managing a project can be an overwhelming task both with clients and among employees. As the level of responsibility that comes with the title increases, it becomes more crucial to manage projects effectively. Having the right tools and know-how to complete a project is essential in today’s competitive business environment.

 

No matter what your projects’ budget is, you can look for a mobile app development agency that is willing to work on that budget. You will surely find a few agencies which will be more than happy to provide you with their services at reasonable prices.

To Conclude:

Developing a new app is risky and expensive for every business. So, you would better work with the best experts. To get the most out of your mobile strategy, always partner with the best Mobile App Development companies. If you are looking for an expert to work with – we at XDuce are here to help.