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This question is commonly asked among people pondering the concept of having software built, but it isn’t the easiest question to answer. Some software programs will cost as little as $5,000, while others can cost upwards of $200,000.
The truth is, there are a lot of factors that determine how much software development will cost. The best way to determine the cost would be requesting a quote from the software developer, which most companies will offer for free.
Before doing this, knowing what factors into the cost can help you make wise decisions when figuring out what’s needed out of your software. You’ll have an opportunity to weigh certain features and characteristics of the software vs. your budget — you’ll thank yourself later for this.
Without further ado, here are some of the most important factors that affect the cost of software development:
- Time: When it comes to software development, time is king. The more it takes to build software, the more expensive it will be. Many of the factors below will directly or indirectly cause the developers to spend more time on the software, which is why this is the most important factor.
- Design: There’s a large difference between software design and software development. If you already have a good idea of the design of your software, it’ll save your developers a lot of time. After all, they’re developers, not designers.
- Size: Of course, the size of the software will play a large role as well. The more pages or screens included in the software, the more time it will take the developers to build. Small software will normally contain 10 pages, while large software can contain 50+ pages.
- Platform: The platform your software will operate on can affect the cost of software development. Web applications will typically take more time to build compared to mobile software. Even more specific than that, iOS software will normally require less time than Android software.
- Integration: There’s a good chance your software will need to integrate with other applications or third-party software. Social media integration, payment providers, scheduling, and other integrations can increase the complexity of any software.
- Experience: A heavy decision awaits when budgeting the cost of any software. While a developer with less experience will cost less per hour, the quality of their work might lead to complications and delays down the road. Those with a lot of experience will charge more, but you’ll have more confidence in your software.
- Testing: Testing software will take more time throughout the development. It can also lead to issues, errors, and bugs that need to be addressed, giving software developers more work to do.
Want to start your own startup?
If you’re still trying to figure out whether your company would benefit from adding a software, the answer is almost always yes. The real question is whether you’re going to continue waiting like everyone else or finally give yourself an edge over your competitors.
Now that we’ve covered the many factors to keep in mind when figuring the cost of software development, you can effectively brainstorm and design your software to fit the budget.
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