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A mobile app can be an excellent addition to any product, service, or idea. They are highly preferred by customers and clients, giving them a streamlined way of keeping up with everything your business offers.
If you’re considering having a mobile app developed, you’ve likely been wondering how much it will cost you. While there will be a wide range of factors affecting the cost of your mobile app, most people can expect to pay anywhere from $5,000 to $250,00+.
You’ll want to first assess how the invoicing will be structured, which will typically involve either an hourly contract or fixed-rate contract.
In an hourly contract, the cost will be determined based on the amount of hours spent working on it. A fixed-rate contract will take the same things into consideration, but won’t be based on the amount of time.
To establish a broad set of guidelines when determining the cost of your app, you can use the popular fast-good-cheap analogy. It is understood that you will typically have to settle for two of the three when choosing a mobile app development company.
To help you understand this, you can look at it this way:
- An app that is fast and good, won’t be cheap.
- An app that is fast and cheap, won’t be good.
- An app that is cheap and good, won’t be fast.
If you’re wondering what type of factors will go into the price of your mobile app development, we’ll dive into some of things that will make the biggest difference. Let’s take a look!
Is it going to be a native or hybrid app?
When it comes to mobile app development, a native app is one that is only designed to suit one specific operating system. On the other hand, a hybrid app will be compatible with a variety of different operating systems.
A native app will be the better option in terms of technical superiority, function, and performance. They will, however, cost more to make depending on how many operating systems you plan on releasing the app on.
A hybrid app will be much less expensive for those targeting multiple operating systems, but you will have to compromise some of the performance factor. Many people with a smaller budget will go this route.
What type of app do you need developed?
There are many different types of mobile apps out there and not all of them will be what you’re looking for. Here’s a list of some of the most common app types:
- Basic App – examples include clock, calculator, and local games
- Data-Driven App – examples include calendar, maps, and weather
- Authentication App – any app that requires a user to login
- Social Networking App – examples include FaceBook, Twitter, and Instagram
- E-Commerce App – examples include Amazon and eBay
- On-Demand App – examples include Uber, Lyft, and Postmates
- Marketplace App – uses both e-commerce and on-demand technology (TripAdvisor)
- IoT and Hardware App – examples include Amazon Dash Buttons and Beacons
The more basic of an app, the less expensive it will be. If you need an app that works off data, needs the user to login, and has a shop to sell products, you can expect your mobile app to cost a little more.
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How much of it do you have designed already?
One of the major factors when it comes to the cost of your mobile app will be time. The more time your developer has to spend on it, the more they will charge you.
If you’re looking to save money on your app, having a majority of the design completed will move things along smoothly in the beginning of the process.
Even having a small idea of what you want can save the developers and designers time when getting your project started.
Will you require the use of third-party integrations?
It won’t matter what type of app you’re building, you will likely require the use of third-party integrations and other settings that could cause the developers to take more time when building your app.
Some of the more popular integrations include payments, maps, notifications, analytics, search bar, offline mode, multi-language support, ads, synchronization, chat service, and in-app purchases.
Don’t forget about adequate testing and proper maintenance.
The mobile app development process will require every stone to be turned over twice to ensure everything is working properly and free of bugs. The best way to do this is with quality assurance, proper testing, and streamlined maintenance requests for a speedy recovery.
Most mobile app development companies will offer this, but those that don’t will force you to hire another company to do it. This will take more time and will likely cost you more than having a development team that does it for you.
As you can see, there are a wide range of factors that will go into the development of your mobile app. Since every app will be unique in its own way, the easiest way to get an idea on the cost would be to get a quote.
If you’re in the market for a mobile app, contact us today to receive a quote on your next project!
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