The new smartphone era has come to make our lives more comfortable by all means of mobile apps. The transformation of the smartphone age is all about new technologies and smart solutions. Every day we get something new, something bigger and more creative. But we hardly think of people who stand behind those technologies and the apps we use daily.
Besides being present-day technology, the mobile application is a powerful tool for business development and brand presence in the digital world. A simple and user-friendly mobile app can replace hundreds of marketing strategies and marketing campaigns targeted at customer engagement and retention. An app that is always in your customer’s pocket will give you
Mobile apps go through a comprehensive process of design and development that requires hours of research and work. The working process on different parts and elements of the app needs additional time and cost. It means cost estimation of the app development in 2022 is as complicated as creating an app. Nevertheless, let’s try to categorize the app development process through top factors defining the price.
The factors defining app development costs
The simple app development cost calculator pictures only general component of the development process:
Total development hours x Hourly Rates = App Development Cost
The formula should also include “Project complexity” which indicates all the elements and app features included when calculating app costs. Before going through the factors let’s sum up all the elements that affect the final price.
Choosing your app development team
Starting with an app development it is crucial to set the priorities for the final product quality, define approximate budget and characterize the workflow specifications. To do this, first, you need to decide which model of collaboration you would better go for.
Hiring an in-house team may be referred to as a luxury, and it may be suitable for the projects who have no budget limits and are more focused on communication and involvement in the process.
| Pros | cons |
| Culture fit Security control Close communication Complete involvement in the process Flexibility revisions Brand knowledge Development of internal ecosystem Quick adaptation to change No language boundaries In-project expertise | Highest rates for development A small talent pool The lack of expertise and specific skills Additional costs for office space, Expenditures for late-hours |
Outsourcing a software development team is so far the best option for small and large projects. This type of collaboration offers cost-efficiency for high quality. Of course, the collaboration may bring some difficulties that may be solved during close communication and discussions.
| Pros | cons |
| Large talent pool Full-stack team Low rates Quality service Expertise in different spheres Up-to-date skills and technology knowledge Fast team acquisition Developed R&D processes | The difference in time zones Personal control Communication gap Possible security risks Risk of getting unsupported code
|
The global talent pool of freelancers is an advantageous option to find professionals for your project. Depending on the location, the rates may be pretty attractive. Make sure the price is not your priority because, often, the low price may bring low quality.
| Pros | cons |
| No bureaucracy Cheapest option Large talent pool After-hours availability Flexibility Global reach Multi-tasking | Different time zones Team management Slow response time Frequent delays Limited expertise |
Any of the options listed above has its pros and cons and which one is more valuable and which one to go for depends on your business strategy and goals.
There are some cases where it is pretty hard to define which collaboration type is more optional for your business idea. In this case, you can always go for the third option. The hybrid approach supposes mixing in-house development teams with freelancers or outsourcing software development teams.
App developer cost by region or location
Your “big idea” would be big enough if your team is professional. The development team is responsible for making your idea come to life in all the colors you have imagined. The search for a qualified dev team should be your priority – first things first! Keep in mind that the more versatile the team is, the lesser the chance of opting for freelancers.
So let’s say you have chosen the option of outsourcing a software development company to build your app. The next step is to define the location of the dev team. Why is it so important? The app development cost estimation depends on the location of the hired team.
| Mobile App Developers As Per Experience | North America | Central Europe | Eastern Europe | Latin America | South Asia | Southeast Asia |
| Intermediate developer | $65 – $90 | $36 – $70 | $27 – $40 | $27 – $60 | $22 – $35 | $25 – $30 |
| Senior developer | $78 – $125 | $45 – $80 | $30 – $59 | $32 – $65 | $25 – $50 | $24 – $33 |
| UX/UI Designer | $65 – $85 | $55 – $70 | $25 – $57 | $44 – $70 | $20 – $45 | $24 – $50 |
| Scrum Master | $50 – 85 | $40 – $70 | $25 – $60 | $30 – $70 | $25 – $65 | $24 – $40 |
| Intermediate QA | $72 – $90 | $32 – $80 | $25 – $40 | $38 – $50 | $18 – $36 | $25 – $30 |
| Senior QA | $85 – $125 | $40 – $80 | $34 – $55 | $41 – $60 | $22 – $44 | $24 – $33 |
| Business Analyst | $72 – $85 | $50 – $80 | $30 – $67 | $23 – $40 | $20 – $45 | $25 – $35 |
The highest rates per specialty for building an app are registered in the United States, UK, and Australia, with $50 as starting price per hour. The cost for basic application may be up to $21000. The development of a simple app in Eastern Europe will cost about $30 for an hour and a total of $9000. The lowest rates are offered by Indian developers; simple application development will cost $6000 with a $20 rate per hour.
So the answer to the question “how much does it cost to build an app” ranges from region to region. Outsourcing a development company from other regions is an effective way to cut costs. It will save the budget for future marketing campaigns and business development.
Type of Mobile App Development
The multi-level cost calculation requires determining the platform type for the future product. With two mobile platforms, Android and iOS, project owners need to set priority on which one to choose or which one to start from. The choice is based on consumer and competitors’ market research and needs to be aligned with the business concept and budget.
The statistics show the present-day global app market infographics, where 87% is held by Android and 13% by iOS. The more distinctive research through each region and country yet has another percentage distribution. For example, in the United States, iOS holds a 56,22% market share.
According to platform classification, you should consider native, hybrid, web app development.
Native apps are built for a particular operating system, i.e, the app can be either for Android or iOS. This type of format supports all must-have features of the compatible device. Ideally, when building an app, two native apps for platforms are created separately thus targeting both customer markets.
| pros | cons |
| Higher responsiveness Secure and reliable Platform-specific UI implementation Interactive and intuitive | Can work only on a single platform Complex development process Costly |
Unlike native apps, this type is not downloaded from the markets and doesn’t take up space in a device. They are responsive and fully functioning websites with adapted interfaces. Those progressive web apps (PWA) run inside browsers and are popular forms for business accounting and CRM systems.
| pros | cons |
| Cross platforms usage No installation and updates Easy to maintain | Not always integrated to device hardware Require constant internet connection Extra promotional work after deployment |
This type of app looks and feels like a native app, but at a core, it is a web-based app. Hybrid apps may have icons like native apps. They are responsive and may even function offline. The development of a hybrid app uses a mixture of web technologies and native APIs.
| pros | cons |
| A single code base that saves time on development Smooth user experience Cheaper to build | Lacks the power of the native app Works slower Not all features may be available on certain devices No access to device hardware |
Estimating app development cost by the complexity
Another component defining the cost is complexity. It is clear that the more complex the app is, the higher the price will be. Every new feature adds functionality and price. Therefore, the initial stage of research should include the steps of defining MVP (minimum viable product) features and sorting must-have elements for the app. If your budget allows it to go further, you can think of MLP (minimum lovable product) features to make your app pop in the market.
| Estimating costs | ||
| Basic app | mid-level app | Complex app |
| 1 platform + basic features | 1-2 platforms + additional features + complex design | 2 platforms + advanced features + high-level complex design + ongoing support |
| 1,200 hours for development – $15,000-$60,000 | 1,800+ hours for the development – $95,000 | 3,000+ hours – $100,000-$300,000 |
The process of defining app development cost is complex and requires extensive research and analytics. To start with budget and cost estimation, it is important to get through the following steps:
Your decision on each stage is crucial for the final cost of the app development and the quality of the app. The best thing to do is to follow the goal of creating a valuable product that will meet the needs of end-users. After all, this is the key business goal of building an app.
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