6 Key Factors Affecting the Mobile App Development Cost
So you’ve got a fantastic idea for a mobile app. And you want to know how much it will cost to develop an app. First and foremost, read our recent blog post about why you should consider how to prove the value of your app even before you believe how much it will cost to build it.
Nobody should start estimating total development costs until they have a detailed definition of their app’s requirements.
However, whether you build the app internally or with the assistance of a mobile app development company, there are critical decisions you’ll need to make during the project that will have a significant impact on cost.
Factors That Influencing Mobile App Development Cost
Business Model Type
Consumers worldwide spent approximately USD 22.6 billion on mobile apps. In addition, over 178 billion apps are downloaded each year, which is expected to rise steadily to 258 billion by 2022. These figures indicate massive spending on various aspects of business app development services.
Substantially, fundamental factors such as the type of business, target users, and services help to shape the app’s budget design. The length of the process increases as the sophistication of the business app model increases. As a result, as time passes, the cost associated with it grows.
App Development Team
The significance of apps varies according to their purpose and value with the core business function. As a result, enterprises can form an in-house team of the best app developers based on the app’s adequacy and complexity.
Otherwise, businesses can rely on any app development firm. Furthermore, there are hundreds of freelance app developers available to assist businesses. All three solutions provide the same service, but the throughput varies. In contrast, their services’ prices and turnaround times are vastly different.
The Platform for App Development
As the number of app-powered devices grows, deciding which platform to use when developing an app-based experience becomes more difficult. Apps for traditional mobile (Android or iOS), virtual assistants (Alexa or Google Home), messaging platforms (Messenger or Slack), IoT products (e.g., connected televisions, home automation, smart cars, etc.), and even niche applications for virtual reality can be designed and developed. These platforms all necessitate very different approaches to user experience design and engineering. Even if you only consider traditional mobile, Android and iOS are vastly different. This is due in part to the sheer number of other devices available on Android, which can raise the app development cost and testing also.
Back-end infrastructure and API
Integrating third-party services and external APIs to enable certain app features is another important factor in determining whether the cost of mobile app development is reduced or increased. Expect expenses to exceed your budget, primarily if your mobile app relies heavily on paid (premium) APIs/service providers.
Database and CMS
Will your app include user-generated content such as images, videos, reviews, and comments? Will you edit and add data to the app yourself? If you answered yes to these questions, your app would require a database to store user-generated assets and a CMS to add, edit, or delete any database details. Both of these factors can significantly raise the cost of your app development.
App Security and Publishing:
Suppose your app collects sensitive personal data from users. In that case, you must invest in a powerful mobile app security tool to protect it from hackers, which will undoubtedly affect the overall cost of your mobile app. Furthermore, if you want to publish your app in app stores under your or your company’s name, you must pay a one-time fee of $25 to Google Play and $99 per year to Apple. Include these costs when calculating the cost of mobile app development.
Conclusion
In addition to the primary cost drivers listed here, numerous secondary factors account for increasing mobile app development costs. As the features and functionalities expand, so do time and cost associated with them. Furthermore, incorporating advanced technology partners like AI, BlockChain, and Cloud-based services increases its complexity. As a result, the factors influencing app development costs vary dramatically depending on the various features and services employed.