App development is a long process that involves a number of steps, from project planning to design and development. To make an app from scratch, many things need to be considered such as project planning, development team size, market demands, etc, but, above all of these factors, budgeting is the most crucial factor that can make or break your entire app development project. The average cost to develop an app starts from $5000 and it goes up to $1,50,000 or more. No doubt, the price range is huge. 

Technically, this cost varies depending on project complexity levels, features & functionalities, choice of app-making platforms, development team size, developer’s hourly rates, and geographical location. Before kickstarting any app development project, making a proper budget estimation is a necessity as it helps to save you from hidden costs and budget overruns. How? In this blog, we will shed light on the hidden factors that increase project budgets and tips to minimize app development costs. Let’s dive in.

Hidden costs of mobile app development

The process of mobile app development is complex and it requires huge resources, effort, and time. While the upfront cost is the most prominent, there are some hidden factors that strongly influence the overall cost of app development.

1. User experience & design: Crafting a mobile application that looks appealing and user-friendly often requires a huge amount of design work - from user interface designing to graphics & icon making. These factors increase overall app development costs significantly.

2. App updates & maintenance: Every mobile app needs updates and ongoing maintenance solutions to stay trendy and functional. This includes everything from adding new features to fixing bugs. App maintenance plays a big role in determining the total cost of app development. 

3. Debugging & testing: Testing and quality assurance are the most important parts of the mobile app development process. You have to test the application to make sure it functions properly. The testing process involves several steps like usability check, debugging phase, etc that add additional costs to app development.

4. App promotion and marketing: Getting your mobile application recognized and downloaded needs excellent marketing efforts. This may include everything from promoting on social media platforms to running ad campaigns. All these things add additional charges to the total cost of mobile app development. 

5. App store fees: You have to pay different charges for publishing apps on app stores like Google Play or Apple App Store. For the Play Store, you need to pay a one-time fee of $25 to release an app successfully. On the other hand, you must pay a yearly fee of $99 to publish an app on the Apple App Store. Once you've developed your app and ensured it meets all guidelines and requirements, you can proceed to learn how to publish an app to the app store. 

Tips to reduce app development costs

The mobile app development process is expensive - especially when you start developing it from scratch. However, optimizing your mobile app-making costs will help you save from budget overruns & boost ROI. Here are the important tips to reduce app-making costs:

1. Well-defined project scopes: Before you kickstart your project, you must have a well-defined and clear project scope. This will help you manage other steps and minimize the overall time & cost for development. 

2. Select open-source technologies: While developing your app from scratch, use open-source technologies to save additional costs on licensing & manage your total budget for custom mobile app development.

3. Hire reliable developers: Consider hiring a reliable and dedicated team of developers for your project. Reliable app development companies offer comprehensive services at affordable rates. They also help you estimate your project budget flawlessly. 

4. Prioritize features: When you kickstart your app development project, focus on the core features and functionalities of your app. This will effectively allow you to save your money on unwanted features as well as designs. 

5. Focus on testing: Conduct testing and quality assurance to identify bugs or performance-related issues. Thorough app testing may add additional costs but in the long run, it will help you save your money. 

6. Use the Agile method: Consider the Agile development method that will allow you to create your application in iterative steps. This will significantly reduce the overall cost of mobile app development.

Final words

Proper budget and planning can streamline your entire mobile app development journey. While estimating your project budget, never ignore hidden factors as they play a vital role in determining the total cost of developing an app. Experts suggest using an app cost calculator to calculate your budget estimates. This is a simple tool that gives detailed and transparent estimation based on your business requirements, preferences, the number of features you would like to add, etc.