In the tech-savvy era, you can easily find an app for everything. Whether you want to shop apparel from an eCommerce site or get some kind of service, there’s an app. More and more businesses are developing apps in order to enhance their reach to more target audiences worldwide and ensure optimum convenience for mobile users.
Did you know that the revenue of the mobile application market was USD 208.5 billion in 2022? Moreover, it is likely to reach USD 777.4 billion in 2032. So, to stand out in the competitive market, building the applications is a must.
However, an important question is how much does it costs to develop mobile apps? Read on to explore the details!
Average Cost of Mobile App Development
If you are willing to build a mobile app to make your products and services more accessible, you will have to invest somewhere between USD 25,000 to USD 150,000. However, when developing complex and custom apps, the development cost may exceed USD 300,000.
A point to note here is that the actual cost will differ from organization to organization. It depends on various factors, including features, functionalities, app design, development approach, and much more.
Factors Affecting the Cost of Mobile App Development
Still, wondering what factors exactly affect the cost of developing mobile applications? Fret not, we have everything covered. Let’s dive into the in-depth analysis of the various factors!
1. Complexity
Complexity is one of the prominent aspects impacting the cost of app development. If you want to build simple apps with a basic UI, it will cost you much less. However, developing highly complex apps with bespoke UI and advanced features can raise the total costs.
The average cost of a simple app ranges between USD 5,000 to USD 50,000. On the other hand, a medium complex app will cost you USD 50,000 to USD 120,0000. Finally, the complex apps may cost between USD 100,000 to USD 300,000. However, in some cases, it may be even higher.
2. App Type
The next factor is the type of mobile app you are designing. For instance, if you are building an Android app, it will cost you between USD 50,000 to USD 300,000. However, the starting price of iOS app development is USD 55,000. Similarly, a web app may require you to invest USD 60,000 to USD 300,000.
The average cost of other types of mobile apps is listed below:
- Startup App – USD 40,000 to USD 400,000
- Retail App – USD 50,000 to USD 150,000
- Social Media App – USD 50,000 to USD 300,000
- Game App – USD 60,000 to USD 250,000
- Business App – USD 50,000 to USD 200,000
- eCommerce App – USD 60,000 to USD 250,000
- Hybrid App – USD 40,0000 to USD 200,000
- Food Delivery App – USD 40,000 to USD 150,000
- Healthcare App – USD 55,000 to USD 300,000
3. Functionalities and Features
In order to enhance the user experience, businesses keep adding new features to their mobile applications. However, it is crucial to remember that the development cost increases with the rise in the number of features.
Some of the basic features of mobile apps include user login, messaging, profile creation, push notifications, and user management. On the other hand, the advanced features are maps, payments, calls, and more.
Depending on the features you choose, the cost of app development will differ. For instance, the user login feature costs somewhere between USD 500 to USD 1,000. However, functionalities like payments and maps can cost you between USD 2,500 to USD 4,000 each.
4. App Platform
Not every app can function on all the platforms. You need to decide on the specific platform for which you want to develop the mobile app. The choice of platform also plays a pivotal role in determining the overall development cost. Let’s dive into the costs of each of the platforms.
5. Web App Platform
If you want to build apps in a budget-friendly manner, developing web apps is the best option. Wondering why? Well, it is because web applications are much more cost-effective in comparison to the other platforms. Its cost will range between USD 15,000 to USD 50,000.
6. Native App Platform
The trend of developing native apps has been on the rise in recent times. To build native apps, you will have to invest between USD 50,000 to USD 100,000.
7. Cross Platform
More and more businesses are showing an interest in developing apps that can operate both on iOS and Android devices. It can help in connecting with more customers and growing the revenue of your brand. However, the cost of cross-platform apps is a little higher. The development cost will vary between USD 25,000 to USD 60,000.
8. Hybrid App Platform
The hybrid apps combine the web and native platforms. Developing such apps will cost you somewhere between USD 10,000 to USD 150,000.
9. Location and Size of Development Team
When it comes to the cost of app development, you must also factor in the development team. To build new apps, you have several options. For instance, you can either employ your in-house team, hire a dedicated app development company, or opt for freelancers.
However, if you want to develop a feature-rich and high-performing app, it is best to partner with an experienced app development company. Wondering why? Well, it is because they have expert professionals and access to different resources for mobile app development.
In terms of cost, the bigger the size of your app development team, the higher the cost. Similarly, the location of the team also affects the cost. Below is a complete breakdown of the development cost based on the team’s location.
- United States – USD 80 to USD 170/hour
- India – USD 20 to USD 40/hour
- Australia – USD 80 to USD 200/hour
- Russia – USD 60 to USD 150/hour
- United Kingdom – USD 100 to USD 120/hour
- Eastern Europe – USD 30 to USD 50/hour
- Western Europe – USD 80 – USD 100/hour
Hidden Costs of App Development
Apart from the costs mentioned above, there are some hidden costs too. To get a complete picture of the app development cost, you must have an idea about these factors. Let’s explore!
1. Maintenance Cost
Your task doesn’t end with app development. To keep it up and running and ensure optimal user experience, maintaining the app regularly is vital. The maintenance cost of apps will be twice the cost of development. It will include costs like infrastructure costs, cloud hosting services, app store subscriptions, third-party integrations, and more.
2. Marketing Cost
To increase the awareness of your business app, marketing is essential. For that, you may have to spend between x2 to x3 your development cost on a yearly basis. The marketing costs will include costs relating to social media ads, email marketing costs, search engine ads, PRs, copywriting, and more.
3. App Security
Security is a top priority among the users. Therefore, it is crucial to enhance the security of the mobile apps. For that, you may have to invest more, thereby increasing your overall development cost.
Conclusion
The demand for app development will continue to increase in the future. Now that you have a clear picture of the costs involved, it is time to get started. Hire the best professionals in the industry and build high-performing apps to deliver exceptional experiences to the users.
Author: Harikrishna Kundariya
Harikrishna Kundariya is the Co-founder, Director, & Marketer of eSparkBiz Technologies – an excellent Software Development Company. Also, a notable IoT, ChatBot & Blockchain-savvy Developer. His 12+ years of profound experience enables him to create Digital Innovations for Startups & large Enterprises alike based on futuristic technologies like IoT, Artificial Intelligence, DevOps, and ChatBot. Adopting a modern yet extremely flexible leadership approach, he believes in building businesses & lasting bonds with his clients in the process.
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