App stores suggest millions of digital products that are in demand among users throughout the world. According to Statista, in 2022, US consumers alone are expected to spend over 34 billion dollars on mobile apps. Impressive, isn’t it?
However, along with users’ spending on applications, the app development cost will also increase. Therefore, if you want to create an app for iOS or Android to digitize your company, now is the right time!
Check out the factors that influence the average cost to develop an app to learn how to reduce costs without affecting the quality of your project.
Factors That Determine the App Development Cost
The app development timeline and cost are unique for every project. To define the budget you would need to spend on your digital product, you should know what influences an average app price the most. Keep reading to determine the top 6 factors that can potentially affect the cost of your project.
Application Type
There are many mobile application categories, depending on their purpose and function. The type of app directly affects the app development budget. So, if you want to figure out how much it will cost to make a mobile app, you need to get acquainted with the mobile apps classification types.
Here’s the list of the most popular application types along with their raw estimates:
- Data-driven app: stocks apps, news apps, weather apps, etc. (average cost is $15,000-30,000)
- Authentication app: Microsoft Authenticator, Google Authenticator, and more (average cost to produce an app like this is $50,000-70,000)
- E-commerce app: HubSpot, Amazon, Shopify, etc. (is estimated at $50,000-$250,000)
- Social media app: Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube (the usual price ranges from $60,000 to $300,000)
- On-demand app: Uber and food-delivery apps ($70,000-$200,000+)
Vendor Type and Location
Choosing a team for your digital product development also influences an app development cost. For example, freelance app developers will charge less than agencies, and they are more appropriate for simple apps. If you want to create a complex, multi-functional application, you’d better hire an outsourcing app development company.
Here are the approximate freelancers and agencies price tags depending on their location:
- USA/Canada: freelancer developers – $60/hour, agencies – $100-$250/hour
- Eastern Europe: freelancer developers – $40-50/hour, agencies – $50-80/hour
- India: freelancers – $20/hour, agencies – $40-$50/hour
Complexity and the Number of App Features
To estimate the average cost to develop an app, you need to define the number of features to be implemented in your application. If you have a limited budget, you can prioritize the features you want to include first and add others after your first users’ feedback.
Complexity of UX/UI Design
UX/UI design, i.e., the designers’ hourly rate and location, also affects the average cost to develop an app. Here are the approximate designers’ rates according to countries:
- Canada/USA: $60-$100/hour
- Latin America: $45-$55/hour
- Eastern Europe: $35 -$60/hour
- Asia: $20-$45/hour
Development Approach
The popularity of cross-platform development technologies like Flutter and React Native is constantly increasing as they help to facilitate the app development process. Such hybrid apps allow for your app hitting the market faster, thus cutting down the average cost to develop an app.
Ongoing Maintenance and Support
As a rule, app maintenance and support take 10-20% of the original app development budget. Thus, the average cost of app development at this stage can reach $5000-$10,000 annually. However, some companies also offer free maintenance for some period after release, so you have a chance to save some money.
Conclusion
Summing up, the average cost to develop an app depends on numerous factors associated with the app’s complexity and concept. Check out our infographic to define on average how much it costs to develop an app and reduce costs on its development and design.
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