Are you aware of the time and cost involved in custom application development? Whether for mobile or web, seeing the high demand for custom apps today, it is no surprise that people often fail to estimate the cost of custom app development services. In this blog, we’ll focus on how to determine the cost of developing a bespoke or custom application and the factors that affect a project budget. 

Domino's App

How Expensive is Creating a Customized Application?

It all depends on the type of product you need. To address this question, we first need to see what type of software is required and what purpose it should serve.

Typically, an app development process involves a project manager (PM) who explains the scope of work and creates a plan that includes:

Once all these phases have been accomplished, a proper deployment planning phase is planned out that determines the best method to deploy the application both internally and externally.

The time frame for custom app development could vary from a month to two years, contingent on the size and complexity of the app.

Other factors that contribute to the time needed for custom app development include:

Custom app development

Whether a mobile app or web app, the cost for custom app development varies depending on where the hired developers are located, not to mention the costs differ worldwide.

In the United States, app development costs are the highest, with an average cost varying between $80 to $250 per hour, with Android app development and iOS app development being on the higher end of that range.

Cost of app development

In countries such as Brazil, Colombia, Mexico, Argentina, the average cost of app development is somewhere around $50 to $125 per hour.

Even in Eastern Europe, app development prices are not the lowest but comparatively better price, averaging around $40 to $150 per hour.

In Asian countries including Pakistan, India, China, and Vietnam, the price range is much affordable with an average of $10 to $75 per hour, without any compromise on quality and functionality.

It is worth mentioning here that app development costs are constantly fluctuating depending on the market demand. Therefore, these factors should be considered when making a final decision as to who to hire for custom app development services.

The best practice is to settle the cost and project details with your developers or service provider before signing the contract.

It isn’t wise to just go for the least costing option. You also need to look into their level of expertise and skills to be sure that you make a sensible decision. 

What’s the Difference Between Custom Mobile App Development and Custom Web App Development?

It varies according to the requirements and time consumed. The cost of mobile app development cannot have a fixed price budget. An Android app development might not necessarily have the same cost figure as that of iOS app development. The best answer to this question is to jot down what you require versus your business goals. Once you come up with a solid idea, consult an expert developer or a custom app development company with the kind of expertise you seek and ask them to quote a price.

If you already have a budget, you can hire a less costing mobile app developer that gets the job done and can meet your needs. In case you can’t figure out a budget on your own, remember that there are different types of apps with enormously changeable price points. It may cost around $10,000 for a web-based project and can rise to millions if you require a native iOS/Android app development with custom hardware certification testing.

Here are some important factors that impact the cost:

Size does matter and so does complexity!

A simple app might not be very expensive, however, if you add more screens or pages, it’ll take more time to build and so the cost will be more. Depending on whether you need a simple, inexpensive app or a robust system, the complexity level largely influences the price range.

Customized app

Integration with External Systems

Most of the latest apps nowadays need to connect with an external system including a database, CRM, APIs, or other software applications to functions. If you’re looking to build an app that’s easy to integrate with external systems, then bear in mind that the cost of development and testing will increase. Moreover, if you’re looking to build an e-commerce app or add features such as push notifications, the cost can go beyond $100-500K.

Data Migration

In case you have an application and need to be a new and more enhanced one, you’ll need to migrate the existing data from that app into the new one. This is a time-taking process, simultaneously depending on the size and complexity of the existing application. Occasionally, your existing data might require reformatting into a different data type, which too takes time and may require specialized tools and expertise to get it done smoothly. These aspects need to be taken into consideration.

Hardware Requests

When developing an IoT (Internet of Things) app that generally depends on sensors or other hardware for data collection, you’ll need to purchase, configure, and install all the essential tools to make it happen. Migrating data from external sensors into your app is a complicated process and may call for an experienced app developer with expertise in hardware programming.

How Much Time Does it Take to Build a Software App?

It all depends on the type of product you need. To address this question, we first need to see what type of software is required and what purpose it should serve.

App development process

Typically, an app development process involves a project manager (PM) who explains the scope of work and creates a plan that includes:

Once all these phases have been accomplished, a proper deployment planning phase is planned out that determines the best method to deploy the application both internally and externally.

Even though, a custom app development time frame could vary from a month to two years, contingent on the size and complexity of the app.

Other factors that contribute to the time needed for custom app development include:

Whether a mobile app or web app, the cost for custom app development varies depending on where the hired developers are located, not to mention the costs differing worldwide.

In the United States, app development costs are the highest, with an average cost varying between $80 to $250 per hour, with Android app development and iOS app development being on the higher end of that range.

In countries such as Brazil, Colombia, Mexico, Argentina, the average cost of app development is somewhere around $50 to $125 per hour.

Even in Eastern Europe, app development prices are not the lowest but comparatively better price, averaging around $40 to $150 per hour.

In Asian countries including Pakistan, India, China, and Vietnam, the price range is much affordable with an average of $10 to $75 per hour, without any compromise on quality and functionality.

It is worth mentioning here that app development costs are constantly fluctuating depending on the market demand. Therefore, these factors should be considered when making a final decision as to who to hire for custom app development services.

The best practice is to settle the cost and project details with your developers or service provider before signing the contract.

It isn’t wise to just go for the least costing option. You also need to look into their level of expertise and skills to be sure that you make a sensible decision.

How is Software Cost Calculated?

For calculating the cost of developing bespoke software applications, you must consider the number of hours spent on the process. Keep in mind that it varies depending on the complexity of the project as well as other requirements you seek.

App cost calculator

For instance, a simple website can be built in approximately six hours, while an advanced web app takes around 150-200 hours.

On average, a software architect will charge somewhere from $80 to over $200 per hour. A mobile application with moderate experience will charge from $50 to $100 an hour, whereas an experienced mobile app developer will charge around $100 to $150.

These are just development costs; also bear in mind the charges for UX/UI design as well, which is an additional cost between 15-20%.

If the project scope is well defined, your agency should give you an estimate, including the different people on the team. They will break down the requirements and tasks, the hours needed for each one, and give you an estimate.

Conclusion

If you are looking to build a custom mobile app or web application, you need to set a budget in mind. Never compromise on quality just for cost, after all the investment you make should be worth it, even if it gets a little higher than what you had thought of, or even if it takes a bit longer to complete. That being said, remember that the cost of a custom web or mobile application is not set in stone, and it can vary depending on what you require.

origami studios

Custom app development is our specialty. We possess distinctive skills and expertise in building, maintaining, and integrating high-performance enterprise-class software products. Get in touch today and we’ll be happy to share our knowledge with you so you can make an informed decision for your next project.