Mobile App Development: How Much Does It Cost?

IOS Mobile Application Prices

There are several factors that affect the prices for development of IOS mobile application prices. These factors include the complexity of the mobile app developers themselves, features, design, and properties of the app, backend development, integration of services, testing processes, support and maintenance services, and marketing services. The costs for IOS mobile application development can change widely depending on these factors. The average prices for IOS mobile apps change between $75,000 to $500,000.

Android Mobile Application Prices

The factors that affect the pricing for IOS mobile app development similarly affect the costs for Android mobile application development prices. The prices for Android mobile application development range between $20,000 to $300,000.  

Native Mobile Application Prices

Native mobile applications are developed with specific coding languages for IOS and Android. Native mobile applications can use the latest updates and customization for both IOS and Android. The prices for native mobile app development can change between $25,000 to $250,000.

Hybrid Mobile Application Prices

Hybrid mobile applications are developed using a unified coding language for both IOS and Android. If you do not need the latest updates from IOS and Android, you might use hybrid mobile applications. Hybrid applications are relatively more affordable than native mobile applications and cost around $25,000 and $150,000.

E-Commerce Mobile Application Prices

E-commerce mobile apps are becoming more and more common in our daily lives. The prices for e-commerce mobile applications change depending on UI design, the advancement levels of the features, and additional integrations. Depending on these factors the prices for e-commerce mobile applications can change between $16,000 and $72,000.

7 Key Steps of Mobile App Development Process

1. Planning: Define the app's purpose, target audience, and features, outlining a clear roadmap for development.

2. Design: Create wireframes and prototypes to visualize the app's layout, user interface, and user experience.

3. Development: Code the app's functionalities, using programming languages such as Java, Swift, or Kotlin, and integrate necessary APIs.

4. Testing: Conduct rigorous testing to identify and fix bugs, ensuring the app's stability, performance, and compatibility across different devices and operating systems.

5. Deployment: Submit the app to app stores like Apple App Store or Google Play Store, following their guidelines and requirements.

6. Marketing: Develop a marketing strategy to promote the app, leveraging various channels such as social media, email marketing, and app store optimization (ASO).

7. Maintenance: Continuously update and improve the app based on user feedback, market trends, and technological advancements to ensure its relevance and competitiveness.

Web Apps vs Native Apps vs Hybrid Apps

• Web Apps: Web apps are accessed through a web browser and are built using web technologies such as HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. They are platform-independent and can run on any device with a compatible browser. Web apps offer easy deployment and maintenance but may have limited access to device features and slower performance compared to native apps.

• Native Apps: Native apps are developed for specific platforms, such as iOS or Android, using platform-specific programming languages like Swift or Java. They offer the best performance, full access to device features, and a seamless user experience. However, they require separate development efforts for each platform and can be more complex to maintain.

• Hybrid Apps: Hybrid apps combine elements of both web and native apps. They are built using web technologies but are wrapped within a native container that allows them to be deployed on multiple platforms. Hybrid apps offer cross-platform compatibility, faster development time, and easier maintenance compared to native apps. However, they may suffer from performance issues and limited access to certain device features.

Hybrid vs Native Mobile Apps Development

Hybrid and native mobile apps have their own advantages and disadvantages. You can choose to use a hybrid or native mobile app based on your project's needs and priorities. For example, hybrid mobile apps are more affordable than native mobile apps because you can work with one developer instead of two developers. Therefore, you can choose a hybrid mobile app if you have budget constraints. On the other hand, if you want to develop a mobile that needs to integrate the latest features from both IOS and Android, like AR and VR integrated apps, you need to choose native mobile apps. We can summarize the different qualities of hybrid and native mobile apps in the table below:

Advantages of Native Applications (+)

There are many advantages of native mobile applications such as improving user experience and increased performance. We can list the advantages of native mobile applications developed as such;

• Native applications receive full support from Google Play Store and AppStore. They are highlighted more than hybrid applications by the relevant stores.

• Native applications can fully use all features of the operating system.

• The user experience of native mobile applications is much superior to others. Since the original interfaces of the operating system are used, the application looks more natural to the user.

• Native apps perform and run quickly, especially when compared to hybrid or cross-platform mobile solutions.

• The data of native applications is kept on the phone. Therefore, the content of applications loads much faster.

• In today's digital age, cyber-attacks and data breaches are becoming increasingly important. Therefore, companies should pay attention to the security of their software. Opting for native development is a great way to do this. The operating system's built-in security measures can be used by native programs. Moreover, when developing such applications, developers normally use only official, rigorously verified APIs. All this significantly increases the security of applications.

• By using a different operating system, you can change the native application as you wish. With this development method, you have access to the camera, microphone, GPS, and other devices, allowing you to create a truly outstanding mobile solution.

• Better scalability is another advantage of native mobile apps over cross-platform or hybrid ones. Again, all this is made possible thanks to development on various platforms. For example, native applications can quickly add new functionality. Because you don't need to make sure that newly added features work on both platforms. Applications scale independently of each other.

• The ability to work offline is another distinctive advantage of native mobile applications. Web applications, on the other hand, do not load until an Internet connection is established.

• Compared to other types of applications, launching a native mobile application is simpler. When it comes to native solutions, you follow all operating system rules. As a result, private app stores have a better chance of approving your program for release.

Disadvantages of Native Applications (-)

• Difficult programming languages ​​that require very experienced software developers are used to develop native applications.

• Since it requires two software, it is much more costly than Hybrid applications.

• It should not be used for simple applications.

• The total cost of developing and maintaining a native application is quite high. This is because there must be separate versions of the same application. A significant amount is required even for the maintenance of the application. But still, native apps are cost-effective in the long run.

• A native application requires different developers for each platform, which makes the process difficult. For example, creating an app for both Android and iOS requires working with separate developers.

• Creating native applications for various platforms takes more time. Compared to alternatives, native apps can take much longer to build. It takes time for native application developers to write code for specific operating systems.

• Before using a native application, it must be downloaded from the Play Store or App Store. The process of downloading a native app involves many steps. Users need to search for the app, read the terms and conditions, and then proceed with the download procedure. The download process can sometimes take so long that users become impatient.

Advantages of Hybrid Applications (+)

• Hybrid applications are developed more easily.

• Hybrid applications are written once and can be run on all devices.

• It can be updated more easily than native applications.

• It is much less costly than native applications. This is the most important advantage of hybrid applications.

• Since there is only a single code base, the maintainability is incredible. No matter how many platforms the application runs on, only a single database needs to be managed. Additionally, HTML codes are relatively easy to maintain.

• A significant disadvantage of web applications is the need for address book, camera, etc. They could not access device features such as. Hybrid applications overcome this drawback. Just like native apps, hybrid apps can access device features. This is possible with the help of the application development framework and relevant plugins.

• One of the biggest advantages that hybrid apps offer is offline usability. It is very useful in situations like constant travel or unstable network connection. Hybrid applications can store data locally. This ensures that the application is loaded with preloaded data. Thus, even if users cannot access real-time data, they can continue to use hybrid applications in offline mode.

• Hybrid apps offer a nearly native experience to their users. Its performance is consistent and offers excellent fluidity across various platforms. It manages to provide users with a seamless user experience.

• When it comes to performance, hybrid apps are faster than both responsive and progressive web apps. Since they are lightweight, application installation is very fast. What's more, they're network-independent for uploading, further improving performance.

Disadvantages of Hybrid Applications (-)

• Hybrid applications do not perform very well in terms of user experience.

• Hybrid applications may not be able to use all features of the device.

• Hybrid applications run slower than native applications.

• The interface used by a hybrid application has a poor user experience. Since each operating system works differently, the design of a hybrid application may not be suitable for all. For example, if the hybrid app is developed according to the requirements of the Android operating system, the experience may become worse for iOS users. The same may be true vice versa.

• Hybrid applications are known to face many quality issues. Unlike a native app, it cannot serve high-graphic images. Therefore, hybrid applications are not suitable for creating 3D graphics. Although there are many third-party tools to enhance the 3D graphics experience, still the efforts are much higher compared to a native approach.

• No matter how skilled the developer is at coding, there always tend to be bugs and errors. Since the code is written for multiple platforms, debugging and finding the exact problem can be a difficult task. Therefore, the developer needs to be extra cautious to avoid introducing new bugs.

• Whatever content is loaded in a hybrid app may be faulty. Similar to a native app, they cannot run more smoothly. However, there are some ways that can be used to prevent glitches.

• Unlike the native app method which displays apps on the home screen, a hybrid app needs to be opened using a web browser. Users need to type the URL, open the website, and then access the app. Therefore, many users are finding it difficult to interact with the hybrid app as it is not listed on the app store.

How to Choose the Right Mobile App Company for Mobile Application Development?

Before choosing a mobile app company, you need to ask the right questions to make sure you make the right decision. You need to ask some fundamental questions on topics like the development process, costs, and user experience. We can list some of the questions you need to ask the agency before working with a mobile app agency as such;

• What is your mobile app agency's experience and expertise?

• Can you explain how you manage your development process for your mobile applications?

• Can you tell us about your team and division of work through the project?

• Can we see references and your portfolio on similar projects?

• Have you ever conducted a project on IOS or Android mobile app development?

• Can you describe your design and UX approach?

• How do you address data security policies?

• What are your pricing policies and what are some additional cost structures?

• To what extent you are providing support and maintenance services?

• Do you see your mobile app agency as an agency that creates scalable results?

• Do you have clear contracts and legal teams that ensure a legally protected partnership?

• Do you have any emergency exit strategies for necessities?

• Do you see your agency as in touch with customer expectations and trends? 

Factors Affecting Mobile App Development Cost

This list of factors below has a direct impact on mobile app development costs.

• Cost Breakdown by App Type

Different app types create apps with different cost brackets.

• Platform-Specific Cost Variations

Different platforms build apps vary on the costs and has a direct effect on mobile app development costs.

• Basic vs Advanced Features

Advanced features require higher costs for development.

• User Interface (UI) and User Experience (UX) Costs

Improved User Interface and User Experience can create additional costs for the development process.

• Backend Development Costs

Backend development costs can vary especially if you are developing a native app and need to work with multiple developers on the backend side.

• Third-Party Integrations and API Costs

Almost every app requires third-party integrations and API, and these come with additional costs of development. 

• Development Timeframes and Cost Management

The time and budget you set for the mobile or web app development project have an effect on the development costs.

• App Maintenance and Updates

Whether you include maintenance and updating services and the cope and the extent of these services affect the cost of mobile app development. 

• Hidden Costs in App Development

There are some hidden costs in app development as with every project. These hidden costs can include marketing, rent, maintenance, and so on.

How Can Mobile Application Costs Be Reduced?

There are a few strategies you can follow to reduce the costs of mobile applications. 

• You can get clear on your expectations and requirements from the mobile app development process.

• You can use hybrid mobile app development to create a cost-effective strategy in the development process.

• You can prioritize some features that are key to your mobile app design.

• You can follow agile development processes to create the most time-efficient results.

• You can start your mobile app design with Minimal Viable Products (MVP) with your app. Later you can add on your MVP with user feedback.

• You can use available open-source materials.

Additional Expenses That Might Be Incurred During the Development of Mobile Applications

• Testing Costs

You need to run out tests during and after the development process, and these tests can create additional costs. 

• User and Confidentiality Agreements

You need to work with a legal team to create user and confidentiality agreements in line with the latest laws. 

• Marketing

After and maybe during the latest stages of the mobile app development process, you need to start designing your app idea and marketing processes with partnerships and establishing a marketing team.

• Maintenance

Maintenance services like updates and getting rid of bugs can create additional costs.

• Server

Different servers have different pricing policies and this can cause additional costs.

• Technical Support

Technical support includes getting rid of any bugs within the app after development and creating the necessary improvements regarding user experience.

Frequently Asked Questions

How Much Time Would It Take For the App To Develop?

Developing an app can be a long process; it can take two months or a year depending on your project and requirements. If you want a simple app it can be developed in a few months, but if you want to create a more complex app with additional features, it can require a longer process.

Is It Paid to Get Offers From Mobile Application Firms in Edvido?

No, it is completely free to get offers from Edvido. You can visit our website and fill out the form to get free offers from Edvido.

Can I Find the Most Appropriate Mobile Application Agencies For My Brand On Edvido?

Yes, you can find the most appropriate mobile app builder and application agencies for your brand on Edvido. Edvido can link you with the best mobile app development agencies considering your input and priorities.

How Can I Get Offers From Mobile Application Firms On Edvido?

You can get offers from web developers and mobile application development agencies on Edvido after you sign up by filling out the form on our website.