Mobile app development has become more and more complex as the years have gone by. And consequently, it has also gotten more and more expensive. It’s a lucrative industry with many opportunities to grow your brand at breakneck speed. It’s essential for companies to have their own apps and give their customers the best features and options on the market. Apps fuel social media growth too, as better interactive features are showcasing onto the scene and connect users from all around the world. We looked at what kinds of costs you need to watch out for, so they don’t impact your app development in a detrimental manner.
Push buttons
One of the key factors that impact your mobile app development cost is push button features. These are features such as notifications, streaming options, geolocation, login, instant messaging and social media options such as emojis, gifs, photos, etc. Just keep in mind that these features give your users a lot of fluid options and the ability to utilize your app as quickly as possible.
The design
There are millions of apps on the market, and what will make yours instantly different? The design! This is where a lot of the time and costs will go, making your app look the part and look apart from your rivals. This is a hands-on requirement that you need to take seriously. Even if you have no design background, remain fully connected with the process. If not for the style of your app, it will help to control costs.
Platform costs
What kind of platform do you want to feature on? More than likely, you will want to go with either iOS or Android first. If you can afford it, go with both, but it’s best to get your app onto one platform before the other. Developing an app for a single platform will dramatically lower the cost than if you took on multiple platforms at once. Take your time to develop companion applications for platforms like TVs, earbuds, smartwatches, etc.
Back-end API
As you can imagine, apps take a lot of different things to develop and you would want to store all this data and content somewhere. So back-end API development costs are something to remember. This will help to group or protect the app’s ‘internal organs and veins’ so you can always come back to update.
The team
Perhaps the largest cost of all, is the team you hire to make your app. If you’re making the app in-house, the costs will be the salary of your workers, any overtime they do, and costs such as training programs, software, hardware needs, etc.
Testing costs
Apps need to go through a lot of testing before they can be released. As both Google Play and the Apple App Store have review ratings as standard, you never want your app to be released half baked. The ratings that users give you could sink your ship before it leaves port. So always be ready to pay for the testing of your app!
Servers required
You need to ‘house’ your app somewhere in order for users to actually use it. This is where server costs arise, as you need to host the apps from your own servers. It will allow you to collect data, improve your app, give your users non-stop reliability of service, etc.
UX improvements
Your app will not stop developing even once it has been released. The constant UX design updates will keep your app relevant. User experience is king in apps, as people only use your app with one hand and it needs to be enjoyable, straight to the point and easy to use. UX designers are invaluable in continued development of your app.
Social media features
As new and exciting social media apps come along, you need to be able to have your app adapt to their sharing and commenting features. TikTok has taken over the planet and if apps are not going to make themselves accommodate this platform, they will fall behind.
Security features
Perhaps the most valuable kind of development these days is security features. You want to give your users absolute confidence that you are looking after their data. So, having firewalls, data encryption and server protection features is highly desirable. Using biometrics for logins and other features is also advisable.
Mobile app development costs can mount up when you don’t know what you’re getting into. This is why working with a professional team of app developers is so crucial. If you would like to know more about app development and how to control costs, speak with us via our website inquiry page, email or social media.