Given the current surge in popularity of both web and mobile app development, this million-dollar claim is starting to seem more like a drift. The number of apps does not appear to be slowing down anytime soon, since the Play Store and App Store recently celebrated their 12-year anniversary.
There is still space for more app downloads from the Google Play and Apple App Stores, even though there have been 35–36 billion downloads total. enticing businesses to create remarkable apps that transform how people – Boomers, Millennials, and Gen Zs – interact with your business.
This brings up another important query that has been bothering company executives ever since the beginning: How much would app development cost?
So, let’s dive into the details for App Development Cost Breakdown:
App Development Cost Breakdown Based on Complexity [Quick Answer]
App development can cost anything from $5,000 and $2,10,000, depending on how complicated the program is. To learn more, look at the table below.
| Mobile App Complexity | App Development Timeline | Estimate App Creation Cost |
| Simple Mobile App | 3 – 4 months | $5,000 – $15,000 |
| Mid-size Mobile App | 4 – 7 months | $15,000 – $30,000 |
| Large-size Mobile App | 5 – 9 months | $30,000 – $50,000 |
| Complex Mobile App | 6 – 10 months | $50,000 – $90,000 |
| Enterprise-level Mobile App | 8 – 12 months | Starts from $90,000 |
Understanding App Development Costs Based on Development Stages
Let’s understand the detailed app cost breakdown based on the development stage. This will help you strategize, plan your app functionality, choose hiring models and plan budget.
Cost of Discovery/Strategy Stage
Pre-research, planning, discovery, or strategy means market study, business plan, and documentation. Any good development firm will ask you many questions about your business and application goals at this stage. If they don’t, it’s a red flag.
This stage costs 10% of mobile app development and takes 20-200 hours.
The final document should include:
- Competitive analysis
- Goal statement
- MVP idea
- Market and user research
- Project roadmap clarity
Based on 2-4 weeks, estimated cost is $1,200–$11,000.
Cost of Design Stage
Phase two involves app prototype, wireframing, user experience design, and UI design. As we all know, first impressions matter, therefore you must create a stunning app that wins users over.
Design may make or destroy your project, so don’t skimp on it. It will cost 10-15% of an app’s cost, and man-hours may be higher due to sophisticated displays, specialized components, visual complexity, etc.
$2,500–$10,000 (with a 3- to 4-week timeline)
Cost of Development Stage
This is the most crucial and costly stage of mobile app development, where functional complexity determines cost. Complex features take longer to develop, increasing costs.
Application architecture, data encryption and storage, userbase, third-party interaction, and functionalities are all important at this level.
Coding and programming cost more than any other phases, thus your developers must work together and pay close attention. Instead of developing many apps for different platforms, cross-platform mobile app development frameworks will save you a lot.
Two- to six-month estimate: $3,000–$60,000
Cost of Testing and Deployment Stage
Next, assess the quality of the app through testing. This phase helps estimate app development costs by preventing post-launch bug fixes.
Your customers will experience fewer crashes, malfunctions, and lags due to quality assurance testing. Release the app with few bugs to ensure customer happiness.
Testing and deployment costs depend on how complex and feature-rich your app is.
Estimated cost: <$5,000 (2-4 weeks).
Understanding App Development Costs Based on Region (Hourly Rates)
The location of the development team might affect the cost of producing an app because labor costs vary globally. North American and European developers earn more than Asian and South American developers.
Employment taxes & laws vary widely among countries and regions. Some nations compel firms to pay additional taxes, insurance, or perks when hiring developers, which might increase development costs.
Location also affects development team infrastructure costs. Some regions have greater office rent, cost of living, & other overhead expenditures. The average cost of app development can also depend on local talent. Finding the proper expertise for a given technology or skill set may be harder and more expensive.
Finally, collaborating with an experienced development team with a distinct time zone also creates little expense as they will be working under your timezone for which they might charge extra.Â
Cost is the most important aspect when picking the development team’s location. Look at our location-based cost range.
- On average, US app developers pay $120 per hour, which is highly expensive.
- After the US, the UK and Australia have the highest app development costs at $100 and $90 per hour, respectively.
- Western European app developers average $80 per hour.
- In Eastern Europe, app developers cost $60/hour, which is reasonable.
- Above all, India is known for its economical app development, with an average $40 hourly fee.
- Finally, app development in South America costs $50 per hour, which is average.
How to Reduce App Development Cost?
Once you understand the cost breakdown for app development, you now have the idea how much it is actually going to cost you. If you want to get an app on a budget, you need strategies to lower mobile app development costs. You can only develop an app within your budget. These research-based tips may assist.
Specify Project Details
A mobile app development services provider or a freelancer can design custom mobile apps. You have a mobile app concept. To realize your idea, you need a mobile app development partner. You must also offer project data after working with an app developer.
If your project requirements are unclear, your development team must study and define your proposal. This app development step is market research. How about telling your app development agency? It speeds up task completion and minimizes app development workload. Provide clear functional requirements while building a mobile app.
Develop Your App With Minimum Errors & Rework
Request simultaneous mobile app testing from your mobile development team. If problems are detected after your mobile app is developed, developers will need to rewrite it, increasing development costs.
More hours spent by developers on your mobile means a higher app cost. When selecting a mobile app development business, make sure they test your app alongside development.
Is it possible to test before product development? Let’s clarify.
Testing any app can happen alongside development. This is feasible because developers finish a feature or app component. Then functioning is tested.
Hybrid Mobile App Development
If your app budget is small and you want to develop for both platforms, choose hybrid mobile app development. Hybrid mobile apps can replace native ones.
You can simply reach more people with a hybrid mobile app. If your app relies on mobile hardware, a hybrid isn’t ideal. Only use hybrid app development if your app doesn’t need hardware. You could also reduce mobile app development costs without sacrificing quality.
The End Note
Understanding the app development cost breakdown is essential for making informed financial decisions and managing your project effectively. By considering the key components—design, development, testing, and deployment—you can anticipate costs and avoid unexpected expenses. Whether you’re building a simple app or a complex solution, knowing the rates across regions and how complexity affects costs will help you create a solid budget.
To ensure you’re getting the best value for your investment, focus on prioritizing features, exploring outsourcing options, and planning for future updates and maintenance. With a clear roadmap and budget in hand, you’ll be ready to bring your app vision to life.
Ready to develop your app and optimize your budget? Get in touch with Esferasoft to get app development cost breakdown based on your app type, features/functionality and market trends. We ensure to provide the best prices so you get the app and budget of your wish.Â
Our team of experienced developers can guide you through the process, helping you create a high-performing app tailored to your business needs. Let’s build something great together! Discuss your project with us.
