How much does a mobile app development cost in 2022?

Table of Content

1 min read

- Features & Functionality
- How big will the application be? I.e., how many screens would it have?
Type of application?
- Native mobile applications
- Hybrid mobile applications
- Progress Web Apps (PWA)
Where will this app be released?
- Freelancer
- Hire a good software developing company

One of the popular questions we get when we have new clients come on board for developing a Mobile Application is - how much does it costs to make a mobile application? That is why we thought of writing a brief article about this!

In this guide, we will explain everything that goes into the cost of mobile application development. Although an accurate cost estimate is only possible after listing all the requirements in detail, it is possible to get an overall idea of a rough cost estimate after reading this article.

But, before we begin on the pricing part, as a customer, you must have an idea of what your application will be? Shopping, healthcare, traveling, business enhancement, or anything else? It is a crucial step as it helps working down on the requirements and identify the features on the app.

Simply put,

Price of mobile application ∝ Development Time (Man hours) and Hourly Rate

Let us take some chief factors that affect the cost of building a mobile application:

1. Features & Functionality:

The beauty of any mobile application depends on the features it includes and its performance. However, one needs to keep in mind that the more features you add, the more investment.

Some essential features in a mobile application are:

User Login/User registration: This can be via email, Facebook, phone number, Google account.
Search: Users can search for either goods, information, or services within the application.
Push notifications: This can be via built-in app alerts, SMS, or warnings. They play an essential role in user engagement and depend on your application's target audience.
In-App Payments: In-app payments done via Credit cards, PayPal, Google Wallet, or even cash ensure all the transactions are secure and safe.

Are you looking to build a mobile application for your business?

Some examples of domain-specific features added as per the project or customers need are:

Location Tracking: Used for tracking the device by using GPS.
Live Video/Audio streaming: A complex feature to add; it has plenty of settings, server setup, file formats, and much more to be implemented.
QR code: For easy contain data for a locator, identifier, or tracker that points to a website or application.

While many other standard and custom features go when building a mobile application, these are pretty common ones.

2. How big will the application be? I.e., how many screens would it have?

This is a major costing metric. A large number of screens in a mobile application increases unnecessary complexity for the end-user. It is hence, always advisable to keep the number of screens in mobile application development to the bare minimum. Instead of having one screen for each feature, try combining or feeding the data into a fewer number of screens.

Also, as the number of screens increases, the cost of developing the overall app increases too!

3. Type of application?

Mobile application development has three broad categories - Native, Hybrid, and PWA (Progressive Web Apps).

Native mobile applications
Native mobile applications are the ones that are large and do heavy processing. They provide the best user experience, excellent optimization, and are fast. Native applications are generally expensive and preferred by gaming applications because they need a lot of development and support. Also, native applications have to be developed separately for iOS and Android and impact the cost accordingly.
Hybrid mobile applications
Hybrid mobile applications are also known as cross-platform applications i.e. the application has to be developed on a common platform for both Android and iOS. The overall development and maintenance of the application are comparatively low, and it works on all the platforms. However, they are not highly optimized like those of the native applications and are preferred by lifestyle, business applications, education, and entertainment niche.
Progress Web Apps (PWA)
Progress Web Apps (PWA) built using web technologies like HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. It works on any platform that uses a standards-compliant browser, including both desktop and mobile devices. They work on the users' mobile browsers and do not need the user to install the application.

4. Where will this app be released?

One of the crucial steps in the mobile application development is its release, whether to release it on Google Play Store or Apple Store. Each has its fee structure and has its own set of details required before being officially released on the platforms.

While these are just a few vital factors, another critical factor is whom you hire for this project? Mobile application development is an enormous investment; one must choose the creator wisely; either you go ahead with a freelancer or opt for a company that knows how complex the process gets. Each has its pros and cons.

a. Freelancer:

They can certainly build superior mobile applications similar to professional companies and at a lesser cost. However, the only disadvantage of hiring freelancers is -there might be a need to look for designers, programmers, and testers separately.

b. Hire a good software developing company:

Not only does the mobile application development company have more skillful, full-time staff, but ensured of the timeline, paperwork, and every detail necessary to make your idea transform into a brilliant application.

Iotasol Pty. Ltd. has been in this business for over a decade now, and we have developed numerous mobile applications for a variety of niches. We are with our customers for every step to help and guide them, ensuring that the journey is smooth and fulfilling.

If you are looking to build a mobile application for your business or otherwise, Contact us now! We offer very competitive pricing and are the best in town!

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