Every time we get the question: “How much does it cost to create an app?” our answer is always the same: “The cost of a mobile application can range from USD 1,000 to USD 120,000. It all depends on the app requirements & specifications.” To explain as easily as possible this price difference, we could compare a mobile application to a mobile phone itself. We know prices vary strongly depending on a number of factors such as the quality, vendor, model, options or size. The total cost to make an Android app, for example, is known to be slightly less expensive than for iOS.
Therefore, it seems logical that a car with GPS tracking and voice control costs more than a standard car. In the case of mobile applications, the principle is the same… or almost, as, instead of paying for material, you pay for the time frame required to develop the application. While mobile application with simple features can be developed in 50 hours, whereas mobile app with advance features will need 500 hours to develop.
However, to get a quote, it is very important to translate your mobile app project details into documented requirements. Knowing how to make an app is very important before starting your project. Every professional in the field of mobile apps, whether it be a digital agency or a freelance app developer, will ask you for this information before asking to provide a quote.
One more advice: Do not hesitate to ask for a quotation to several app developers. You will be surprised to see how much the price can vary for the same mobile application.
As mentioned earlier, the cost of making an app depends on the combination of a number of factors. The most common ones are listed as follows:
Each feature of the mobile app requires a certain amount of development time. Some of them are “easy” to develop and won’t take much time for the app developer. However, other ones will require more efforts and, therefore, cost more, which is logical. For example, a contact form can be rapidly developed but an accurate geo-tracking system will need long hours of coding to develop this.
The user interface and app design are two importanct elements for the quotation and also for the success of your mobile app. On this point, it is also important that the client and the developer agree on the app objectives to develop. By sharing clearly your app ideas with the app developer, you ensure to get a complete application developed, without unnecessary functionalities.
To get the price of your mobile app, it is also essential to know on which app platforms it will be available for. Do you want to hire mobile app developers iOS or Android? A native, hybrid/cross platform or web app? In that case, you must know that a native mobile app will always be more expensive than a web or hybrid/cross platform app. But be careful: contrary to what you might think, a native app is not always the best solution. Hybrid and web technologies are more suitable for some certain kinds of app projects. Keep in mind that if you wish to develop an app on several platforms, the price will definitely be on a higher side.
Finally, you must not only consider the app platforms for which you want to develop the application in. Within the various operating systems, there are different lines of products with different features / functions. This is one of the factors we tend to ignore when defining a mobile app project requirements. Yet, it has an influence on the price of the app. For example, the iOS spectrum includes the iPhone 4S, the iPhone 5 and the iPhone 6, having different OS software and characteristics. The objective is to create an app with performing graphics on each device to ensure an optimal functionality and accessibility.
In the budget for your mobile development project, you will need to include the expenses related to the marketing strategy of your app. Similarly, administrative fees must be taken into account. The App Store and Google Play store do not allow you to sell your app free of charge. For iOS apps, the Apple App Store charges a fee around $100 per year. For Android apps, Google Play has a one-time fee arund $30. Mobile app data storage costs must also be taken into account in the financial plan forecast. Finally, do not forget the maintenance expenses, such as updates and bug fixes of the app.
Before an app developer can provide you with a precise quote for the price of your mobile app, you will need to define the functional specifications. The following indications can help to get an overall idea of the budget in case the app has to be developed from zero:
So, how much does it cost to develop an app at the end? If you want to receive an exact price estimation, we recommend to contact us you to submit your mobile app requirements. Our team will be happy to answer any questions you may have concerning mobile application development. After this, we will help you find the right app developer and support you throughout the development of your mobile app idea.
Tell us about your project, we’ll tell you how we can help.