![App Development Cost: How Much Can You Save? [Guide]](https://bimg.b-cdn.net/img/91.jpg)
Contact us anytime to know more — Kuldeep K., Founder & CEO CISIN
What To Budget For Your App Development?
What will it cost me? You're investing a lot of money
Mobile apps are a great way to reach out to customers since most use smartphones. TechCrunch reported that 85% of smartphone users use mobile applications.
Even small companies need help to justify the costs of their own. The cost of developing mobile applications can be high.
There are ways to save money on mobile application development.
App development costs can range from $500,000 to $1,000,000. This is great for big companies that have millions to spare.
But not for us.
Before outsourcing your mobile app development, you must know this: It can be very affordable. Don't be intimidated by large companies.
Small businesses spend less than a million dollars on mobile.
App developers can be found for as low as $50,000. I'll show you how to do it later.
Hiring the right developers can help you save money. These tips can help you save money.
Keep it Simple
Developing mobile apps may not be possible with a limited budget. This is not true. Ask your developers what they should do.
Keep things simple. Reduce costs by:
- Focus on just one or two features that maximize your clients' value.
- The best user interfaces are simple and streamlined.
You don't have to build the next Facebook. It is optional to create the next Facebook.
Consider the areas where mobile is needed - offer your customers something they could not get otherwise. You don't have to be the next Foursquare.
You could offer in-house deals and mobile ordering but ignore social integration or check-ins.
Your platform will more likely succeed if it has a simple and clean UI. Users will be turned off by too many features, cluttered home pages and excessive information.
The Key to Responsive Web Design
Want your app to be compatible with multiple devices without paying for multiple designs and versions? Responsive design is your one-stop solution to creating an affordable app.
In order to have a mobile app that works on all devices (including smartphones, laptops, and tablets), it is necessary to create different versions to fit each device's screen resolution and size.
This is a costly way to create a mobile application and will increase costs.
Good developers of mobile apps will be able to create a responsive design, even if they try to convince you to use different designs.
While it's better to have multiple versions of the same app tailored for different devices, this doesn't make sense if you're trying to cut costs.
It's cost-effective and efficient to use one responsive design. Users will not be able to tell the difference.
No Push Notifications
Would you believe me if I said you could save 30 percent of your budget by removing one feature? Yes, it's true.
Apps with more features are more expensive but require more maintenance.
Here's a seemingly simple concept: Push Notifications. (AKA, an expensive money-sucker that you must ditch as soon as possible unless you have to).
Here's why:
- Maintenance is required for Push Notifications.
- Apps that use push notifications can cost up to 30 per cent more.
- Most users only need Push Notifications if they are integral to their application.
Sometimes Push Notifications can be necessary. You can't abandon Push Notifications if your pharmacy app was built to alert users that their prescriptions have arrived.
If you want to save money, don't use it. Maintenance and costs are not worth the investment.
Reduce Configurability if Possible
In app development, allowing global configuration of elements such as text and colors is a good idea. It's worth going without it if you decide whether the app will be made.
This is a significant drain on your budget. Each element must be configurable, and this takes time.
It is sometimes possible to avoid this problem by removing the configurability of certain elements. However, it can be risky if one needs help to understand what they are doing.
Speak to the app developer about a possible solution.
Concentrate on essential elements, configure them and ignore the rest.
A Hybrid Mobile App Will Save You Money
Most businesses who develop apps have to make versions of their apps for Android as well as ios, so you end up paying twice for the same app.
Build a hybrid app to reduce costs. They are developed using HTML, CSS and JavaScript, a universal programming language.
The apps are packaged in the native wrapper required - iOS or Android. This makes them seem like native applications, even though they're not.
You can also convert an iOS app into an Android application or vice versa.
There are some disadvantages to hybrid apps. Hybrid apps can be slow and hard to customize. Although they are not as inexpensive as developing a single application for one operating system, you can save 30-40% on your costs overall.
Speak to your team of developers to determine if it is the best move. The sluggishness of your application may not matter if it is simple.
Estimating Your Project Costs In 4 Easy Steps
How do you calculate the cost of making an app for your company? You need to create a breakdown of the costs of developing a mobile application, including individual tasks and milestones.
Make a list of the tasks to be completed and the resources required
Your IT partner is responsible for the first step of the cost estimate process: breaking down your project into manageable and small tasks.
They will then need to assign team members. Calculate the time required to complete each task and then the rate per hour of the team you are considering.
This step also includes capacity planning. Make sure you have enough resources and skilled workers to accomplish the task.
Depending on your project, you may need to hire a team of two or three developers and several QA experts. Try staff augmentation, or hire someone to work on the project for a limited time.
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Choose a method of estimation and calculate
There are three ways to calculate the cost of your mobile application.
Ballpark
A ballpark estimate is an average rough cost for app development based on past experience and speculation. It could be a more precise estimate, but you can understand the cost of developing your app.
You can now contact a software company to get a rough estimate.
Parameter-based
In contrast to ballpark estimates, parameter estimation involves historical data and actual calculations. You should multiply the time previously estimated for each task by the hourly rate of the team members.
It is more complex, but the results are more accurate.
Three-point
This method incorporates a risk assessment. Your IT partner must create three projections for the average cost of developing a mobile app: realistic, optimistic and pessimistic.
This value is based on the worst-case scenario, considering all risks and uncertainty. The optimist number, which is the lowest value, represents the ideal scenario. Everything goes well.
Track budgets
You must ensure that your app development costs are within budget after the project begins. You should invest in software that tracks expenses and uses this information for future ventures.
If you hire the A-Z mobile app development outsourcing companies, the project manager assigned to your account will handle this.
Budgeting for App Development: Best Practices, Trade-offs and Decisions to Consider
Is it really that easy? This might not be the case. In the process of developing mobile apps, you need to take into consideration several factors, including best practices, decisions, and trade-offs.
This will help you find the perfect balance.
Consider the following as a project leader undertaking a software-development project:
1. Would you create a hybrid application like Uber?
Uber is a popular service that offers ride hailing. It has an app hybrid. Building a hybrid application is among the tips that we have discussed.
When you consider Uber, this does seem like an attractive option. It's a great option, but is it?
Consider your requirements carefully. Uber's first requirement is to connect users and drivers. This is not an arduous requirement.
Geolocation technologies are now available that make this a simple task.
Uber is a web application, so it loads quickly even on older mobile devices. The app does fulfill its main requirement.
Have you got such overarching and also simple requirements? Then, a hybrid application can be a good option for you.
If any of these conditions are true, it won't function.
- The user interface plays a major role in ensuring that you provide your users with the best experience possible.
- Apps must perform at the highest level.
- Information security is a must.
- Your app has complex features that utilize cutting-edge technology like "Artificial intelligence" (AI), Augmented reality (AR), and so on.
- You can use hardware-specific features such as Bluetooth, cameras, and so on to enhance your app.
If you want to satisfy these requirements, build native iOS and Android apps. Find developers who have native Android skills, including Java.
Look for programmers who have native iOS skills, such as Swift.
Read More: Outsourcing Mobile App Development is Less Expensive Than Internal Development
2. Long-term savings can be achieved by managing mobile backends intelligently
Do you want to save on both maintenance and development costs? It is possible to build a mobile app while managing the backend.
The following factors are involved in building and managing a mobile backend:
- Manage the IT infrastructure.
- It can be time-consuming to manage databases and storage.
- You must manage API integration needs.
- Implement features such as push notifications, in app messaging, user management and authentication.
You may not have made any investments in IT infrastructure if you are a founder of a new company. Cloud platforms are required.
We recommend you use a "Mobile-Backend-as-a-Service" (MBaaS) platform.
Our guide on MBaaS platforms explains that using MBaaS brings the following benefits:
- MBaaS platforms manage cloud infrastructure, servers, persistent storage, etc. It reduces the upfront cost of outsourcing mobile app development IT infrastructure.
- Maintenance efforts are reduced because the MBaaS platform manages the infrastructure aspects mentioned above.
- MBaaS platform integration is easier with different APIs.
- You can implement features like push notification, user management, etc. You can easily implement features like push notification, user management and more when using an MBaaS.
MBaaS platforms like AWS Amplify and Google Firebase can help you save on development costs.
3. Rationalize your app features
What are the needs of your stakeholders? How many of their requirements are actually realistic? This question is important.
Only real and legitimate needs should be considered as requirements. Dialogue with your stakeholders and learn their true requirements.
Assessment of the need for different customization requirements.
You will then be faced with an extremely long list of requirements. Some of these may only have limited effects.
The cost of development will increase, but the business user will see no real benefit.
Utilize tools such as a "Pain-and-gain map" to better understand the specific problems faced by business users. Prioritize requirements using modern tools such as the "Prioritization Matrix".
4. Justify your needs when choosing between a hybrid web application and a native app
We have already discussed the question of hybrid vs. native, but we'd like to elaborate a little. Now you know that native apps are the best option if your app needs to take advantage of an operating system's capabilities.
If you decide you do not need to create a complicated app, what then? It's possible that you decided to only offer the most basic of features.
It is important to have a good user interface. However, the experience does not need to be identical to native.
The hybrid app will not do all the work for you. Comparing this type of app to a native iPhone or Android app, you will find that it has several shortcomings.
You can still develop a nearly native app using React Native.
React Native apps can be run on both Android and iPhone. The code can be reused to an extent. The app offers an experience that is close to the native iOS or Android apps.
It also performs well.
React Native, which is JavaScript-based, does not require developers to be proficient in languages such as Java or Swift.
SDKs for Android and iOS are not required by developers. Maintenance costs can be reduced. Maintenance effort is reduced by using a single codebase.
5. The project can be outsourced to an offshore team of developers
Outsourcing the development project to a team of offshore developers can help you reduce costs. But you will have to make tradeoffs.
Hourly rates are lower in developed markets. The pricing plans of an offshore company that develops mobile apps will therefore be lower.
It can be difficult to manage a project that involves an outsourcing app development team located offshore.
Imagine being based in America and managing developers from Ukraine, or anywhere else in Eastern Europe. Time-zone differences can make it difficult to collaborate in real time.
Project management will take more time. When you use an agency that develops apps offshore, it can be more difficult to coordinate tasks such as quality assurance.
Another important point is also worth mentioning. It can be difficult to find a custom software company that is offshore.
Clutch is a good site to check out many different companies. You will also need to conduct a lot of research. You should analyze whether or not the cost savings of a mobile app are worth the increased complexity.
6. If you want to create a simple ecommerce app, should you choose a platform that is "Low Code" or "No Code"?
Platforms with "low-code" or "no-code"are becoming more popular. In certain cases, they can reduce development costs.
Low-code platforms provide blocks of code for common functionality and an intuitive IDE. The developers don't have to code all common and repetitive functionality.
Platforms with "low-code" typically use an established cloud computing platform. These platforms also integrate with tools such as Gmail, Google Drive and Microsoft Teams.
If you are using a platform that is "Low Code", then you need to hire a developer. You don't have to hire a developer with experience.
Only the features that are unique to the application or those which have been customized by the developer need to be coded. The developer can save time and money by coding only the unique or customized features of the app.
No-code platforms offer everything that Low-code platforms do. It allows people with no programming experience to build apps.
Users can create apps without any coding by choosing templates, layouts and integrations.
Do you need to use these platforms for your app development? These platforms are only suitable for developing a simple application, such as e-Commerce.
If you do not have any experienced developers, consider a platform that uses "Low Code". If you do not have a development team, or if they are all busy working on other projects, then consider implementing a platform that does not require any code.
Read More: Thinking of Outsourcing Your Next Mobile App Development Project
7. How can you lower app maintenance costs
The main focus is on app development, but app maintenance has a significant impact on lifecycle costs. You can reduce maintenance costs in several different ways.
For this, you can incorporate a few of the best practices into your development process. E.g. :
- When designing your app, keep maintenance in mind.
- Select a pattern of software architecture that simplifies maintenance.
- When coding, keep simplicity in mind.
- Use best software development practices, and include enough comments within your code.
There are also cheaper providers of app maintenance. Maintenance is not the same thing as app development. The majority of bugs would be fixed during the warranty or post-deployment phase.
A maintenance team that is offshore and has low rates per hour should work. Be sure to ensure the provider has a good governance process and invests in their project management.
8. Can you reduce app development costs by using freelancers?
Before hiring freelancers, we recommend you thoroughly review the requirements of your project. Negotiate a lower hourly rate.
This option is not without its risk.
Do you want to build a simple application like WhatsApp, or an e-Commerce App? Your development efforts will be limited.
You will be mainly working on:
- Coding the core functionalities
- Create the interface for your user;
- Integrate with popular tools
- Integrate social media;
- Try the App;
- Upload the app on app stores such as Google Play or the Apple App Store.
It is easier to include new features in such apps due to their limited scope. In such projects, you might be able to find freelancers who are suited for the project.
You should not hire freelancers for a complex project. It can be difficult to manage the part-time work of freelancers, especially when there are time zone differences.
Your freelancers may leave midway through your project. This will cause your project to be delayed as you will have to search for a new developer.
Reduce the cost of mobile application development by doing things correctly the first time.
Let's discuss the sustainable approach now that we have discussed the various tips, considerations and trade-offs regarding keeping your app development budget down.
The answer is simple: Do things correctly the first time!
This can be done in the following way:
1. Budgeting for mobile app development: Be smart when defining requirements
Analyze your target audience for the app you are planning. Working closely with business stakeholders will help you get your requirements correct.
Hire a qualified architect who can help you manage requirements and get non-functional needs right.
2. Software development: a systematic approach
This involves working with the architect and project manager to develop an effective approach. The following is involved:
- Select the best software development lifecycle
- Decide whether you want to create native or hybrid apps.
- Select the correct architectural design.
- Choose the best cloud computing platform.
- Select the appropriate technology stack.
- If applicable, identify external SDKs or APIs. Plan to develop your APIs.
- Test frameworks and testing tools.
- DevOps is a set of methods, tools, and processes that you can use to optimize your projects.
- Use our guide to estimate the cost of your project.
- Use our project planning guide to plan your project efficiently.
3. When planning your budget, consider the security of your application when planning.
If you do not pay attention to security, even the best app will fail. A data breach can negatively impact your reputation, and in industries with strict regulations you may face legal challenges.
Secure your app to save money in the long run. Follow these steps:
- Modern tools such as multi-factor authentication, antivirus, firewalls, encryption, digital signing, etc.
- Reduce application security risks proactively.
- Security and compliance tests require attention.
- Secure your APIs effectively.
4. The right team for development
Hire competent developers. A good development team will make the software development process easier. This team is organized and takes responsibility for the project goals.
Collaboration is facilitated by highly-skilled software development teams. The teamwork helps keep your project on schedule and prevents overruns.
5. Early detection of defects will help you to budget your app development effectively
It goes without saying that you will test your application. You can still find problems earlier. Software development teams that are successful conduct thorough reviews.
They include the following: requirements review; specifications review; code review and test plan reviews.
Want More Information About Our Services? Talk to Our Consultants!
Last Thoughts about Planning Budgets for App Development Projects
With the right idea and team, you can develop a mobile app at a low cost. The cost of app development is a combination of customisation and functionality.
Savings in the right way can increase ROI.
Hope I was able to provide you with some useful ideas for saving money while building mobile apps. CISIN a mobile app development outsourcing company is here to help you find the best team for mobile app development.
