While you are all excited about the mobile application that your business needs, it’s important to analyze what it is going to cost you too. App development costs matter as they impact your overall strategy – whether you are starting out or expanding an existing business. This is where the research gets tricky – there are just too many options and too many ways to go about it. So, don’t get bogged down or overwhelmed by it – we are going to slice and dice all the available information for you and present it so that you have just enough to make a decision.

To begin with, there are a number of factors that determine the cost of a mobile application. Here are a few:

• The number of features and the complexity of their nature in terms of development.
• The location you choose for getting the app developed
• Type of developers you choose and the platform you choose
• Design complexity

Freelancers or Mobile App Development agencies?

The choice here definitely impacts the price, but other than that, it’s essential that you analyze the pros and cons of both before you decide. While you work with freelancers, it’s definitely going to be cheaper, but there are a few risks involved too. You will be faced with the task of finding separate freelancers for separate skills. Further, transparency and accountability is also limited. So, you pay less for sure, but are also faced with some risks. When you work with a mobile app development company, you definitely get more quality, a cumulative of skill sets and work gets delivered on schedule and there is some kind of discipline while working on your project. Accountability and support (even post go-live) are some of the added advantages. Well, on the other hand, you could also find great freelancers and bad companies – or vice versa. Good mobile app development companies charge over $25 per hour (this could vary depending on the size of the company and the location). Well, freelancer rates may vary as there is no standardization for the costs. It completely depends on how you negotiate and come to a price that is good for both.

Location of the developer

Whether you choose to work with a development agency or a freelancer, the location of hire directly impacts the cost of the app. Looking for mobile app developers in India is the first thing that crosses our mind. It is however essential to consider other locations too. Exploring options will give you an idea about what you get and how much you pay for it – globally.

Here are some pointers to begin with. The most popular locations to choose from are North America, Asia (India falls under this category), Eastern Europe (Ukraine Falls under this category).

App development cost in countries like India and other Asian countries is different from those in the European and other Western countries. The US has the highest development rates.

The platform you choose

The cost of the mobile app also depends on the platform you choose. The choice is between the audience you choose – those using Android phones or iOS. Android and iOS have different market share and are also different when it comes to technical implementation.

Design complexity

The app design influences the cost of the app. The more complex the app, the more expensive the development gets. Simple app design mainly consists of standard, platform specific elements that are easy to implement. Adding custom elements and animations increases design complexity – and in turn increases the design cost.

Cost breakdown for mobile app development

App design cost

As mentioned earlier, the app design influences the design costs. Simple design, more complex design and complex app design.

App development cost

This is one of the most time consuming phases of app creation and the one that requires the most labour. There is however no fixed cost for application development, it completely depends on the features.

Cost of application testing

It is a given that wherever there is development, there is testing. There is absolutely no one who can create a bug free product. Testing is an important phase and as an agency, they do have a testing team – the cost of testing many times is not separate. It is only an assurance that your app will be ready to go live with as few as possible bugs and it will work as it should. Hiring separate QA services is however a business decision – just to be double sure.

Cost of app release

As compared with other expenses, app release costs aren’t too high. The first step for application launch is submission to the app stores (Android and iOS). These stores have their standard charges.

• Google Play app store fee is $25, paid once
• Apple Store fee is $99 and should be paid yearly

If your app is developed to be distributed solely within your organization, this price will change. For Apple Store it is $299 per year. For Google Play, there isn’t any extra price for this.

Cost of App Maintenance

You cannot develop an app and leave it to its fate. Maintenance is necessary. You cannot ignore it. Application maintenance tasks usually include upgrading to the latest OS versions, upgrading to the latest versions of third party services, keeping up with trending and new technologies, fixing bugs, code improvement and optimization, adding new features and controlling app stability and performance. 

If you would like to consult with an expert before you begin app development, you can contact our mobile app specialists in India and we can discuss your requirements in detail. Email us your requirements on info@eliteinfoworld.com or skype us on skype:dig4991?chat