Costs of Creating an App: What You Need to Know
So you’ve decided to develop your first app – good for you. While it comes across as a fairly simple process, there can be several underlying costs that you’re at first unaware of. So in this article, we set out to answer once and for all the question – how much does it cost to create an app?
Different Factors at Play
When formatting our budget for app development, we need to consider several factors, such as:
- The complexity and size of the project;
- The skill/experience level of the development team;
- The design and features you wish your app to have.
Obviously, the more complex a project, the more it is going to cost you. In order to find the right cost for your project, we suggest getting quotes from as many teams as possible and making sure they’re in different locations.
Living as we do in the digital age, we’re no longer bound by geographical constraints when it comes to app development. Through online platforms, we are able to hire developers from anywhere in the world. And depending on the cost of living in their part of the world, the developers will ask for higher or lower prices. For example, an app development team from the UK or the more modern westernized side of Europe will ask for roughly double the rate an Eastern European team will ask for. This doesn’t reflect the quality of the work, but rather the specific living costs of their country. So without sacrificing experience and quality, look for a team that can get your project done within the best possible budget.
What’s the hourly rate of app developers?
As noted, this varies greatly, but you can expect to pay an hourly rate of $20 – $170, with the lowest rates going down to $8 and the highest reaching over $200.
Consider hidden costs.
During development, you will also have to fork out some money for the various software used by your team, which will likely range from $20 to $100 a month.
We often think of the development alone, but it’s smart to remember that even once the app itself is built, there are a number of costs you’ll still need to cover. App maintenance, for one, will have to be performed more or less monthly. App security, again, is a huge problem in this day and age, so you’ll have to pay extra, to ensure that the data of your users is safe.
Then, of course, we have marketing costs to consider. If you want your app to be successful and to reach its full potential, you’ll more than likely need to do some intense promoting.
Tip: Also keep in mind that the app stores themselves will charge a small fee to display your app. For example, the Google Play Store costs $99/year.
Bottom Line – How much does it cost to create an app?
The final cost can vary a lot, usually depending on how big an app you’re building and who is building it. The development alone can cost anything from $1,000 to $100,000, and on top of that feel free to add another $1,000 – $5,000 a month for the hidden costs.
