Mobile Apps: How much does it cost to develop an app?

We recently discussed the cost of a web application. It’s time to talk about how much it costs to develop mobile applications. What influences the price and what to expect when you put your ideas into practice on mobile platforms. As with web applications, it all depends on the complexity of the newer application and the desired platform.

Following the structure in the previous article, let’s go through the main factors.

What are mobile apps?

Technically, mobile apps are applications created specifically for a certain type of mobile operating system. Currently, Android and iOS, the late Windows Phone is no longer relevant. These are also called native applications. We say native, because there are also web applications or universal applications that are built generically and universally compatible.

These applications have a high degree of optimization for the operating system on which they run. The operation is perfect with very few (not at all) compatibility issues. Unlike the other type of applications that depend on other factors to operate in the parameters.

The advantages of a mobile apps:

Compared to web or generic applications, mobile applications have the advantage of making the most of the resources provided by the device. Thus, data loading times are very low. Most of the required resources are already present on the device.

• No internet connection required for use.
• There are no monthly costs such as hosting.
• The level of security is higher.
• You have native features like notifications, widgets, fingerprint or even facial authentication.
• It does not require downloading the interface and in most cases the usage data is pre-installed.
• Does not require a browser to use.
• The orientation of the device can be controlled.
• The sensors and the camera of the device can be used together with the vibration motor.

Disadvantages of a mobile apps:

Although everything sounds good in theory, mobile applications also have some important advantages:

• The cost of development is high compared to web and generic applications.
• Requires download and installation.
• Different applications need to be developed for Android, iPhone and iPad.
• They depend on the processing power of the host device.
• It may stop working if the device storage space is full.
• Troubleshooting problems is more difficult as many devices are targeted.

Cost decision factors

In the development of mobile applications, as in the case of other applications, complexity and size matter a lot. Different, compared to the others, the desired platform also comes in. An application developed for Android will not be able to work on iOS or vice versa. So from the start you need double development. Although on Android an application can be optimized for both phones and tablets, on the Apple platform, you need a separate application for iPhone and one for iPad.

Although an application may initially seem small, the cost may be higher than you would expect. For example, 3-page mobile applications may be more expensive than a 20-page application if they require advanced integrations such as a database, synchronization with an external server, or document generation and processing.

The more elaborate the application makes calculations and exports the information in as different formats as possible, the higher the price of the application development process.

The elements that represent the decision makers in the cost of a mobile application in descending order of weight are:

1. The platform for which it is developed
2. Database integration.
3. Payment processing.
4. Generating documents.
5. Number of pages.
6. Integration of external services.
7. Using native functions.
8. Type of information entries and queries.
9. User authentication and number of user types / permissions.
10. Application design.
11. Application security.
12. The amount and type of information to be processed.
13. Generating emails, alarms or notifications.
14. Connecting with Social Media
15. Calendar implementation
16. Implementation Geolocation and maps

Actual cost

In Romania, the cost of developing a mobile application starts at 1200 euros + VAT and is a service that we can offer you. To help you calculate how much the desired application might cost you, we have created a specialized tool! Use our instant calculator to find out the estimated cost. If you leave us your email address at the end, we will confirm the final price according to your choices.

Let’s develop together!