This is one of the most common questions that potential customers ask us. Unfortunately, this question is not so easy to answer, because the price depends on many different factors. In this article I will explain the factors and why as an app agency at the beginning of the “app development” project you cannot get the mobile app development cost estimate and exactly what costs will arise.
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What Factors Do The Costs Depend On?
An essential factor is the compatibility of the app with the operating systems and device types. The worlds of iOS and Android are very different.
With iOS, it is sufficient to decide whether the app should only be used on the latest iPhone models and their operating system or whether older models including the previous operating systems must also be taken into account. (We do not recommend this because more than 70 percent of users update the operating system to the latest version within a week). Knowledge of this user behavior can significantly reduce costs when programming the iOS app.
In Android, there are many different manufacturers and versions of the operating system. We would be happy to advise you on the selection of suitable combinations so that the app works for your target group and you do not have to pay for the support of unnecessary variants. Unnecessary combinations would also drive up costs when programming apps. This would make the Android app, including comprehensive support and extensive test phases, more expensive than the version for iOS.
The Development Team Also Influences The Costs Of App Programming:
The composition of the development team also depends on your requirements, which also affects the overall cost to develop an app:
- The basic team consists of a project manager, a UI/UX designer, at least two mobile app developers, and a tester. A backend developer is usually required.
- The expanded team also includes DevOps administrators, web developers, and an additional two to four Android and iOS developers (depending on the exact customer requirements).
Of course, the complexity and functions of the app also have a major impact on costs when programming the app. The most common functions that extend the basic version of an app include:
- Backend infrastructure for connecting to databases
- Administrative web interface for data in the app
- Chat, messaging, and push notifications
- Possibility of additional purchase options within the app (in-app purchases)
- Integration of external functions such as parts in social networks or external payment portals
- Use of hardware components of the smartphone such as GPS, gyroscope, and others
- A dedicated user interface for tablets
- Use of analysis tools for data acquisition and subsequent optimization of the app
- Machine learning – machine learning from user behavior in the app
- A number of supported native platforms (iOS, Android) and other supporting tools (e.g. microsite, CMS).
These – depending on the project – useful components cause the additional cost of creating an app because of course they also make development work more complex overall.
Once we know all the features we want, we can define the user interface and set the visual design. There are three options:
- Strictly maintain the system graphics of the platform
- Develop a customized user interface
- An own user interface to add animations and data display in real-time (e.g. an approaching car on a ma
A tailor-made graphic naturally influences the mobile app development cost. But the result is worth it! Because this will make your app truly unique and distinctive. Additions such as animations or the display of events in real-time make the app attractive. If we only use the system graphics, the costs for app programming are of course significantly lower.
The other factors that influence the cost to build a mobile app are the support and updates required for your app. These are usually not included in the initial cost estimate. After the launch, each app requires continuous maintenance work: securing support for new devices, maintaining the back-end infrastructure and the cloud, as well as regular updates.
What Does An Average App For IOs / Android Cost?
Cost Of Mobile App Development:
A concrete mobile application development cost estimate is actually very difficult – especially for demanding projects, this is almost impossible. We, therefore, recommend agile development for larger projects. In this case, the entire development process into individual phases, so-called sprints, divided. Agile development has a great advantage in that customers receive testable intermediate1 results. They also have full control over the development process, which they can reformulate or interrupt after completing one phase for the next. This enables our customers to keep a close eye on costs when programming the app.
Here I present three sample apps, with different functions, different complexity, and the associated development effort:
- The simple app: Such an app-only offers basic functions and does not require the integration of third-party components or backend infrastructure. It uses simple system graphics without specially designed graphic elements. The development takes a maximum of 100 development hours per platform (iOS or Android). One example is the Mountimer app for iPhone and Apple Watch.
- The app with medium complexity: This app has, for example, a chat function, payment options, an adaptation of the UI design to tablets, connection to other services, and a backend basic structure for data storage. The development here is approximately 600-800 development hours per platform. An example is a Babysitting.today app. An integral part of this app is extensive web administration.
- The complex app: A complex app is able to edit video and audio files, has a feature-rich backend infrastructure, or contains components from third-party providers, such as machine learning. The development time is over 800 development hours. Examples are the “Second screen experience app” for T-Mobile, which supports augmented reality.
With app programming, the costs depend on the size of the project, the deadlines, and of course to your requirements. The basis of our calculation is the hourly rate agreed with you.
And That’s How It Starts With The App Development Project:
At the beginning of the app development project, the costs depend on the available budget and the preparations that have already been made. We usually provide our customers with a rough estimate so that they can get an initial overview and weigh up whether the project is on budget.
We do not use this rough cost estimate for tenders because it does not take into account many of the technical aspects that affect the total costs.
The analysis following the rough cost estimate of creating a mobile app deals with specific technical requirements. It takes about two to four days and, in addition to the precise task, also provides an estimate of the number of hours for the individual functions. This gives our customers a more precise overview of the technical requirements and the effort of the project. After this first phase, customers can still decide whether the app development project should be implemented at a fixed cost or agile. For the reasons mentioned, we usually advise agile development.
When this decision is made, you can start!
About the Author:Arun Goyal, founder and CEO at Octal IT Solution Technology, carries profound experience in IT industry and based on that he creates informative and engaging pieces of content. Explore him through his ideas on a number of domains and as a part-time author of this blog. 
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