We don’t have a generalized answer to the question of how much it costs to develop an application for business. The final cost of the app will include different components that depend on the purpose of the future app, its functionality, and the complexity of its development.  Of course, your geographical position also matters due to the great diversity in prices in different regions of the world and the general value of the IT services. In the countries of North America, there are the highest prices for the services of application development (average $150 per hour) in comparison to Indonesia ($12-$15), India ($20-$25), and countries of Eastern Europe (about $25-$30). That’s why among the widespread strategies in 2024, we can mention the cooperation with foreign developers instead of the locals. Of course, the process of finding a common language and fixing the timing within different time zones are among the cons of this cooperation. But choosing an oversea developer can help companies decrease the cost of the project and get a high-quality application for the same money they need to pay for a basic one in their country.

There are a long list of issues affecting the price of the app development, but the main of them have to be taken into account as sol as you’ve decided to get an app for your company.

Who will be the developer?

Except for choosing between the local and foreign developer, there are a lot of other options you need to take into account. First of all, you need to decide whether it is more efficient for you to hire a freelancer of an application development company. Freelancers often have lower rates, but beware of the quality they provide, because it’s better to start with a good application, than try to reengage the users who abandoned your app. It will be more expensive and time-consuming.

So, ask for the proved experience and demand an accurate scope of the project in order to know exactly how long the development process is going to last and whether the initial cost proposition will remain the same up to the end of developing. Companies always offer more time-efficient solutions, as different aspects of the projects are operated by different specialists, so it will take you less to get your app made. But the prices are usually much higher as the operation costs of the development agencies have to be covered.

Of course, you may ask about the DIY solutions. Depending on the type of the app you want, sometimes you can choose to subscribe some online app development tools and try to make it yourself. But the problem is that if you’ve got no experience in programming, in most cases you’ll get an application fancy by appearance, but heavy, static, unfunctional and absolutely user-unfriendly.

What application do I need?

Not everybody needs the application for $500,000, and the majority can’t even effort such. That’s why before ordering a development, think about what type of application you really need. Web, native, or hybrid can be the options. Native applications provide a high level of user experience, are fast, customized, and optimized. But at the same time, they are heavy, and the cost differs depending on the number of platforms they support.

Hybrid apps give you a possibility to get a multi-platform communication with a larger number of audiences at once, they are also less expensive in the means of development and maintenance. But the problem is that they are harder to optimize. Native apps are preferable for business and education when hybrid apps are suitable for games and lifestyle projects. As we’ve mentioned platforms, the international rates show that Android-based applications are a bit more expensive in development than those for IOS.

What functions do my users need?

Depending on the industry you operate in, the POPs, and the positive experience of your competitors, you should also predict the minimum needs of your clients, who will use the app to communicate with you. Here, among the added features affecting the price of the app users’ login type, feedback features, chat, and calls can be mentioned.

Of course, if we talk about the post-purchase support applications, the more you add, the higher the customer loyalty will be. The question is which of the abovementioned functions can be omitted if your budget is limited. Also, think about how many of the native functions of the smartphone are needed to be engaged in app functionality.

For example, the camera usage might be necessary, if your customers need to take pictures, make video calls, or simply scan QR codes. If you need to support the in-application purchase, then the app should have a payment option, and sometimes the location authentication when the business you have provides delivery services too. For activity tracking, diet, and nutrition apps the synchronization with other gadgets is a must. For, example, if it is physical training or a weight-loss application, it needs to provide the synchronization with smartwatches or smart floor scales.

What design is suitable for my app?

Games, especially those with realistic graphics, need a professional graphic designer to be included in the development team. Senior skilled designers have quite high rates per hour, starting with at least $50. Depending on the complexity of the app, the number of pages, and a number and length of different game levels, the designer will need more time to finish the app, and as a result, will charge you more.

The number of pages, as it was mentioned, is crucial in the application cost, but their type also matters, meaning how dynamic they are to be. The general complexity of the app will predetermine its cost. For example, the basic apps can be developed at least with $7000, the price of a medium complexity one will start from $10,000 $12,000 when the complex apps can be made with a minimum of $20,000. Of course, these were the lowest price limits. So, in order to get a successful application at a minimum price, the needs of the company, the industry, and, what is most important, the audience must be properly analyzed.