What information is needed to estimate an iOS app project?

iOS Development

Development for iOS apps deals with the programming side of the process. With most projects, an app development firm is going to roll up the design into the entire project since it’s a bear to try and piecemeal images into an app unless you build the entire thing dynamic and through XML via online databases. One thing to note is that these costs can vary depending on what devices you are developing for. Make sure you ask your developer what you are developing for — basic iPhone, iPhone 4, iPhone5, iPhone 6, iPad or all of the above. I’ll see what I can do break out typical development costs for different example projects.

• Simple, table based app — $1,000–4,000 — you provide all the content, clear direction, and example apps of what you want it to do. If you know your way around Photoshop, you can probably supply the graphics which will cap this project at $1,500. The additional costs are when you want to GPS locators, Social media integration or bells and whistles like that.
• Database App (native) — $8,000-$50,000 — Again, you provide every piece of content, image, writing, sound, etc. The cost is going to come from creating the logic within the app and architecting all the usability and/or game play. The content will usually be dropped in and then parsed accordingly. These projects tend to be front heavy since the data is what’s driving the entire game and the framework is so important.
• Games — $10,000-$250,000 — The hardest to ballpark. As a benchmark — I’ve heard Angry Birds cost anywhere from $125K-$180K to develop (although they were pioneers). Talking to some developers who are into the hardcore game source code (render, sound, maths, physics, etc), many of the racing games will that use the gyroscope will be $125,000 without even blinking — and that’s just for the code. Even if you try to keep it hyper simple, games get complicated quickly. Hooking into game center, having top scores, and integrating with an online community can be tricky. The benefit of a game is that they download in much greater number. As a marketer, there is nothing more viral than a fun game, which is something to keep in mind for your ROI. Ask yourself: how much do I need to spend to make a “fun” game? That’s only something you can answer. Interested in learning how to develop elite apps? Additional Includes — See below — here’s a quick list of additional functions you may want to add into your current app:
• In-App Purchasing — $1,000-$3,000 — this allows for users to buy new content or full versions of the apps. The cost spread comes from the amount of in-app purchasing, the complexity, and whether or not you build it all into the first app or if you are doing it from a server.
• Web Services — $1,000-$5,000 — This is taking the content to a remote access point so that you can update your app with an XML files instead of raw code changes. The degree to what you need varies but I would recommend having this conversation with your developer before getting too deep — it can save you HUGE headaches down the road.
• Game Center — $1,000 — Apple’s done a good job at making this integration easy with the SDK. As long as you keep the numbers clean, you should be able to integrate easily.
• Share Capabilities — $500-$1,500 — This is mostly for social media (twitter, facebook) and emailing, but there can be other integrations. WordPress websites, for example, may be one. Lots of options and most of these platforms have robust APIs to make it work well.
• SDKs and like Chartboost — $50-$200 — SDKs are an extremely important part of tracking our apps and making money off them. Generally you can get any SDK integrated for relatively cheap, but the more specific you are with your SDKs, the more expensive. SDKs that you may want to include are: Google Analytics, Chartboost, Applovin, Xplode, AdMob, and Tapjoy.

iPhone App Design Costs

The design of your app is going to make a huge difference in your overall ROI and user experience. The design will help convert viewers to downloads from the screenshots you decide to upload and will help people using your app feel more engaged.

Investing in a good design is easily the best way to increase your margins on a 2 year timeline. You can use a web designer, but often your best bet is going to be finding a mobile app designer who understands user flow and the space restrictions.

App designs usually come in packages, much the same way development does — you will buy a “suite” of .png and PSD files that fulfill all your needs. This includes all necessary screens and icons.

You will be surprised at how many different pieces there are, the icon alone needs about 4 different sizings for a universal app (iPhone and iPad). Here’s a rough breakdown of costs:

• iPhone only (usually the base line is not done for the retina display, as seen in the iPhone 4 as they require higher resolution files) — $500–10,000 — This will get you a base level design that you can send over to the developer who will be able to add these images into the code. HELPFUL TIP: ask the developer what they want the files named and do that for them before sending. It will save you both lots of time and headaches.
• iPhone 6 Plus Compatible — Add 25% to above cost — these images will be sized at2208 x 1242px height (more than twice that of the 640×1136 iPhone 5)
• iPad — Add 50% to above cost — this is assuming that the layout is very similar and user flow is also similar. In many cases you will have to create alternate functionality to accommodate for the iPad size and speed, which requires new designs. HELPFUL TIP: Most iPads contain retina images. These images can be large, be cautious of your codes file size when implementing.