As e-commerce becomes a raging trend, businesses realize the value of building online stores to capture a fair share of the market. But having a website is not enough for a compelling online presence. The extensive growth of mobile technology, along with the huge popularity of smartphones, has made mobile applications essential for every business today. The benefits that a mobile app can bring for your business are absolutely endless.
- Mobile apps provide greater exposure for a business as they are easily accessible, at just a click of the finger.
- Brand building becomes easier with mobile apps as users are more likely to remember the business as an icon on their mobile screen.
- Enhanced customer engagement is another benefit of having a mobile presence. The buyers get a real-time shopping experience with step by step guidance to complete the transaction.
- Buyers can get updated information and offers through push notifications, which builds loyalty in the long run.
- Mobile apps serve as a powerful selling channel and are expected to have a brilliant future.
A business has to consider various factors while having an app customized to their requirements. These factors have a direct influence over the costing.
Business Model: The design, features, and functionalities of the app are to be decided on the basis of the business model. The parameters to be considered include the product/service being sold, target customers, budget, and more.
Platform: The development cost of the app depends on the platform it is going to be built for, Android or iOS.
Functionalities: Based on functionalities, apps are classified into basic, gaming, database, dynamic, and customized ones.
Design: The cost of app development largely depends upon the design, with a high-end design obviously being more expensive as compared to an average one.
Developer: A business can hire a freelancer, a small agency, or a large agency for the development project, depending upon their needs and budget. Though freelancers and small agencies make cheaper options, it is important to understand that the skill factors should not be overlooked.
Costing Estimates For Android And iOS Mobile Applications
Mobile app development is a complex procedure, involving a series of steps. The process starts with ideation, followed by deciding the design and functional layout. The app is then designed and tested before being made live on the app store. A development team comprising of a project lead, UI/UX designers, coders, and testers, oversee the entire development cycle.
The cost of the apps is classified according to the platform they are built for. An iOS app is cheaper as well as takes less time to develop as compared to its Android counterpart. Here are the costing estimates for various kinds of mobile applications:
iOS Apps Cost Estimates
Simple Apps: $1000-4000
Database Apps: $ 8000-50000
Games: $ 10000-250000
Android Apps Cost Estimates
Elementary Apps: $ 25000-35000
Standard Apps: $ 45000-55000
Complex Apps: $ 55000-100000
High-Tech Apps: $ 75000-150000
Overheads such as web services, in-app purchase capabilities, share capabilities, SDKs, and game centers may take up the estimate further. Mobile app development is a long-term investment for any business and brings lasting benefits. Therefore, a business should not cringe at investing in these apps and hire only the best developers for this purpose.
