How much does it cost to build an app?
When was the last time you put your phone down for more than a few hours, deliberately?
Never, I assume.
We live in an era where our lives are run by technology, specifically our smart-phones. Everything you may need is available in a pocket-sized phone now.
Contact diary, calculator, and weather forecasting, even something as minuscule as a flashlight now comes embedded in most cell phones. But the chance of good entertainment beats all those reasons, to buy a smart-phone.
YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, Whatsapp and PubG are just a few examples of the applications that have become an imperative part of our lives. Ranging from entertainment and communication to gaming pleasures, our phones now hold the world in them, replacing even television.
One thing that is common in the aforementioned examples is that they all are applications. One can access them on smart-phones, tablets, desktops, laptops, etc, grabbing the attention and interest of different sections of customers.
The world of applications (Web and mobile) has seen a boost like no other and is arguably one of the most profitable business choices.
But before taking on any business opportunity, one must think about the expenses that they would have to bear in order to get things going. And since money is the second biggest motivation for humans (first being the person’s dreams) it won’t be wrong to say that it is among the major factors when taking a decision.
While there are people who want to create applications for personal pleasure and dream fulfilment, there are some who wish to earn from those applications and turn it into a business.
The most blatant example of the latter would be the widely used, taxi-booking applications like Uber and Ola. These applications are pulling a massive amount of profits and taking over the more traditional ways of hailing a cab or taxi.
There are a million apps out there and a million people who are dreaming to launch their own. But before deciding to invest in an application, one should know not only the amount of capital it will require but also the factors that will eventually constitute that cost.
People, who sort to companies for app development without the knowledge of the factors that they are paying for in the ultimate cost, often end up overpaying. Knowing where the company is putting efforts and for how long, while working on your application will help in conducting efficient funds management.
Before we discuss the quantum of money required for building (customizing) an application, let’s take a look at the factors that derive that cost.
Market Research
To create an application that can uphold its own in the market and thrive, it needs to deliver what people need and with minimum or no glitches. To ensure the same, the developers perform market research and analysis. The purpose of this research is to understand market demands, trends and the demographic that the application is created for.
Proper research demands time, focus and precise execution of the formulated plans, so as to deliver the correct required information. A number of people are needed to do this research which contributes to the cost.
Hence, companies which are research centric tend to charge more for market research than those who rely on their knowledge about the market and opt for a lighter research approach.
Human Resource
The number of people working on the development (creation/coding) of an application is directly proportionate to the cost of that application while it is inversely proportionate to the time taken for completion, of the app.
So if you are in a hurry and money is not that big a concern than ask for more people to work on the development of your app and if you do not wish to chuck off the extra bucks for a quicker result than hang back and let the developers take their time.
Also, there are two types of personnel that work on applications, In-house developers and offshore developers.
Indicated from the title, In-house developers are the developers who are employed within the company and work on site. While the offshore developersare the people who are hired specifically to work on a singular app; they can be seen as professionals who are lending their expertise for specific projects and are not regular employees of the company.
In-house developers tend to cost less than the offshore developers as they are working from within the office, are salaried and are not freelancers.
Hence, the human resource appointed on the development of an application is vital to the final cost of the application.
Features
An application is defined by its features. The number of features, their use, their performance and their uniqueness, it all contributes to building a successful application.
People often commit the mistake of lading their application with loads of features that do not necessarily make the application better, instead, in turn worsens the experience for the users.
There needs to be a fine balance between the basic features of the app and additional ones.
The objective is to attract people with features that are new and different than other applications in the competition while making sure that it does not waver the performance of the app.
The number of features and the complexities of designing and coding those features have a direct effect on the cost of an application. Therefore, choosing wisely is of utmost importance when it comes to features of an application.
Platform
The platform on which the application is to be launched makes a lot of difference in the cost of that application. While choosing among the leading platforms like iOS, AndroidOS and WindowsOS, can be overwhelming; the targeted audience must be kept in mind while making the choice.
The decision to launch the application on iOS alone will attract the consumers associated with Apple products only and although the cost will not be as much as launching on AndroidOS or WindowsOS, the market size will dwindle down in comparison to other platforms.
If the goal is to reach as many people as possible then you may go for a combination of two platforms or even launch the app on all the three platforms but keep in mind that the cost will rise accordingly.
Complexity
It is known that complex projects require more efforts and focus than the simplified ones. The level of complexity of an application contributes majorly to the cost of that application, due to the extra efforts put in by the developers in making the application.
Although there are numerous functions and features that can increase the complexity of an application, mentioned following are some the most popular features that are considered almost basic these days.
- Admin panel development: Having an admin panel helps to operate applications, manage user data, and view statistics, etc without much hassle and confusion. Generally, admin panels are quite rigid which may result in wavering performance. A flexible admin panel is more efficient but is quite hard to get a hold on. Whereas building your own customized admin panel can be very expensive and can further bump up the cost of the application.
- Third-Party integrations: Almost all applications need to integrate with third parties to provide different features now. For example, integrating with Google+, Facebook, Instagram, Hangouts, etc, for providing the option to share through different platforms and connecting with e-wallets like Paytm, PayPal, etc, for online payments. To facilitate seamless performance of these features, protocols are to be followed which further complicates the process of development.
The complexity of an application may result in an excellent finished app but at the same time might make the application difficult to use and too complex.
The developers and the client need to have a clear picture of the end result that is desired before they start programming.
Testing
Any application cannot be introduced in the market in its raw form. The final version of an app shall be free of any defects and glitches. To ensure that the application is flawless, a series of tests are to be performed on the said application, to check its performance.
These tests are performed by the non-technical members of the team, who are not working on app development, to get genuine user response and feedback.
Based on the results of the tests conducted, changes are to be made in the current version of the application. This cycle of testing and modifying keeps on going until the application is at its best and ready to be launched in the market.
The cost of testing followed by modifying the application is the cost that cannot be avoided since no app can be launched without testing first. The cost depends on the number of tests done and the modifications that had to be incorporated each time.
Native apps or Hybrid apps
Before deciding to launch the application in the market, the owner needs to decide whether the app is to be a Native app or a Hybrid app. This will decide the future of the app and the market that it will go on to capture as well.
A Native app is a smartphone application developed only for the operating systems, for example, AndroidOS, iOS, WindowsOS, etc. A native app works seamlessly on these systems as it is developed within the framework of the operating systems.
They can only be downloaded through the respective app stores of operating systems like play store, apple store, etc. Since native apps are available on operating systems only they play better with the inbuilt features of the device and download most of the user’s data upon installation of the app.
Hybrid apps are those which are developed to be launched on both, the website of the company and stores of operating systems. They are generally developed using HTML5 and JavaScript and load the data as the user goes through the application to create a more personalized experience for the user.
So, basically, Native apps are faster and they perform on only one platform whereas Hybrid apps can perform on multiple platforms and websites. But the cost of Hybrid apps, despite the ability to perform on multiple platforms, costs less than a native app.
Hence, the decision between a native and hybrid app can greatly affect the final cost of the application.
Time
Time spent on developing an application is the biggest cost factor out there. This is one cost that is negotiated (cost per hour) beforehand; the number of hours put in, by the developers, are counted and multiplied with per hour cost, upon the final payment.
An application with fewer features and complexities will take fewer hours to develop when compared to the application with a plethora of complex features.
Most companies charge a fee that varies between $20 and $250 per hour, depending upon the quality of work provided and the people working on the team.
Professionals charge higher than others but the work done is justifiable of the charge.
However, one has to admit that big development companies do incorporate their profit percentage in the cost which may breach the budget of some people.
One way out of the massive cost that is charged by these companies, is to approach startups.
Startups are more driven, eager to work, flexible and less costly. Most startups do a fairly good job since they are run by talented individuals looking for better opportunities. They cost a lot less than the big shot companies and provide the results that can compete with professionals.
Any human without a background in technology and programming might get overwhelmed by all the information stated above.
And to think that it is just the tip of the iceberg will also be justified.
There are a bunch of different other factors that will decide the cost of your application, subjective to each individual and the prevailing market situation at that moment.
So, how does one be assured of the result that they desire without increasing their blood pressure over the mammoth factors that are to be considered?
Contact CodeNicely.
We make sure that you get the product of your dreams without any worries or compromises. Our team is comprised of diverse, talented and passionate people with the goal to be better each passing day.
We do not rest until the work is done in an efficient and effective way. We recognize the importance of each passing second and aim to deliver before the deadline.
Unlike most of the corporate companies, we do not wish to rob you of your hard earned money in the name of service charge. Instead, we want you and the product to grow with us.
Visit us at CodeNicely and let’s have a chat.
CodeNicely; where ideas are being moulded into reality.
