How much does it cost to create an app?
There are three most searched terms in search engines related to app development in the last two years. These most popular search terms are:?
I have explained the first two questions in my previous articles. So, today, I will tell you how much it'll cost to build an app.?
The cost of making an app has a wide range. A simple app, usually developed with basic features, costs an average of $10,000. On the other hand, the cost of making a complex app with more advanced features is up to $300,000. However, this wide cost scale does not provide useful information for entrepreneurs who will start building an app. To estimate how much it might cost to make an app, you must answer these seven questions:?
1- What purpose will your app serve??
Every app is created in different ways. That means each app has different requirements during development. First of all, you need to use software that is suitable for the purpose of the app you're going to create. Let's take as an example an app to be used for medical purposes. You may be planning to build such an app that’ll facilitate the use of patient data. In this case, you have to integrate the EHR into your app. Besides, the infrastructure of a financial app will have quite different requirements. It first requires using software that can integrate third-party apps and connect to them as needed. This software will be used to monitor all payment gateways.?
2- What functions and features will your app have??
The functionality of an app depends on the ability of different features to form a cohesive whole. The features of your app will differ mainly depending on what purpose it will serve. However, there are some basic features that should be in almost every app. These main features are:?
3- How should you design the UI??
No matter what purpose your app serves, the most important factor that'll directly affect the chances of success is the UI. Therefore, the amount of investment you'll make in the UI will affect both the success and cost of your app. In order to predict this expense item more clearly, you should consider the following issues:?
4- What will the backend infrastructure of your app be like??
The back-end infrastructure of an app is not as visible as the UI. But don't let that confuse you. It is mainly responsible for the data flow between the database and the app. Therefore, content and user management heavily rely on the back-end infrastructure. This particular position makes it the boss of activities such as in-app custom marketing and reporting. So, how much does this expense item affect the overall cost of developing an app??
The cost of back-end infrastructure is related to how advanced your app will be. Because an app with advanced features will be much more complex than simple ones. In addition, advanced apps need huge databases. You may foresee the cost of your app's backend infrastructure by taking these considerations into account. Some of the services you can use in this process are:?
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5- What additional services will you offer??
Services such as payment, messaging, and security that you'll offer will also increase the cost. Besides, you'll need to update these services periodically after you release your app. You may be launching your app for a specific platform. However, be it Android or iOS, you should take into account that these OSs are in constant development. In this case, you should also update your app in accordance with the updates of these OSs.?
6- Will you develop your app in-house or outsourced? (Corporate)?
You will need a good team to make an app. There's no doubt about it. In order to establish the right team, you have two options: Employing or outsourcing. You'll need to cover the expenses of the app development team you'll employ from in-house resources. On the other hand, outsourcing an app development team will cost you less. Of course, both methods have their own advantages and disadvantages. If you aim to build a more advanced and customized app for your institution, you should employ a team. That'll be more useful both during app development and afterward. Despite that, the biggest downside is the cost.??
The cost of an outsourced development team is almost half. However, an outsourced team will be more cumbersome in troubleshooting, maintaining, and updating the app. Depending on the scale of the organization, this can be a major disadvantage.??
7- Costs after launching your app?
Creating and launching your app doesn't mean you stop investing in it. In fact, making important improvements that can make your app successful is only possible after launching it. What does that mean? Once you release your app, large audiences of users will start using it. That means users may perform tests in a couple of weeks, which your own team may perform for months. As a result, users will send you feedback on many issues they encounter while using your app. These may be related to app errors. Or, they may simply provide recommendations that'll help you make your app more useful. You should consider this feedback, no matter what they are about. Based on them, your development team will need to develop new updates. That will be the biggest expense item after launching your app.
Cost-effective app-building methods?
In order to make an app that would be successful, it is necessary to invest enough money. You should invest in your app development team, necessary software, and hardware. Not to mention that you'll have to research the right ones for your app. Despite that, there are app builders that may save you from all these troubles. They may also save you costs at various stages of the development process.?
These platforms offer software to help people develop apps without any coding knowledge. Moreover, you may try many online app creator platforms for free at first. One of these platforms is Mobiroller. It allows you to start developing your app for free. One of the biggest advantages of such platforms is that they allow you to complete your app in a short time. With an online app builder, you can develop a simple app in minutes. On the other hand, you may complete and release more advanced and complex apps in a couple of days. Here is the crucial point: You won't have to have any coding knowledge to build your app. It doesn't matter if it is quite simple or extremely complex.?
Hybrid app vs. native app development costs?
If you're going to create a native app, the first step you need to take is quite simple: Deciding which platform to develop an app for. Android or iOS? There are clear guidelines to follow while building a native app. That means you can maximize the UX your app will offer easily. For example, a native app may access the mobile device's hardware and software seamlessly. As such, you won't have to invest more to increase UX. However, this is almost the only cost-benefit of native apps. Because building a native app is slightly more costly than hybrid apps. If your priority is performance and UX, native apps are more advantageous in these matters.
The effort required to build a native or a hybrid app is almost the same. However, building a hybrid app has a big disadvantage. You'll have to deal with problems that may arise from both native and hybrid systems. Besides, in order to create a hybrid app, you have to use a third-party hybrid wrapper. That means your team will depend on a cross-platform development tool like Cordova.??
So, is it more costly to build a native app or a hybrid app? To answer this question briefly, building a native app is a bit more costly. However, the effort required to build a hybrid app is much more than that of building a native app.?
Final Words?
I've mentioned that developing an app can cost between $10,000 and $300,000. But how would you estimate the cost of the app you want to build more accurately? In this guide, I have explained the most important dynamics that affect the cost of building an app. Considering these dynamics, I think you can make a more accurate cost prediction within this wide cost scale and adjust your budget accordingly.?