{"id":105,"date":"2017-08-02T20:03:30","date_gmt":"2017-08-02T20:03:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/brandhoot.com\/blog\/?p=105"},"modified":"2017-11-17T15:58:36","modified_gmt":"2017-11-17T15:58:36","slug":"how-much-does-it-cost-to-develop-an-app","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/brandhoot.com\/blog\/how-much-does-it-cost-to-develop-an-app\/","title":{"rendered":"How much does it cost to develop an app?"},"content":{"rendered":"

A<\/span>pps run our lives. I use an app to read my emails, track my nutrition, and look at pictures, as Apple proclaimed<\/a> \u201cthere\u2019s an app for that.\u201d<\/p>\n

If you want to solve problems, creating an app can be a great way to do it. But, is building an app right for you?<\/p>\n

First we’ll look at how you can be sure your app idea is ready for market and then we’ll discuss what will affect its cost.<\/p>\n

Do You Need an App?<\/h3>\n

Thousands of apps languish at the bottom of the app store with a few hundred downloads. Think of the dollars and time wasted on them. You don\u2019t want to waste time or money. So, what can you do?<\/span><\/p>\n

To decide whether you should pursue your app, try answering these five questions. If you say yes to all them, then you should keep exploring your app concept.<\/span><\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Will this app save you employee time, bring in more revenue, or improve on your current solution? Make sure the return on investment is high enough to be worth your time.<\/span><\/li>\n
  2. Is there currently a product on the market with the same functionality as the app you want to develop? It\u2019s easier to use pre-existing code or Saas (software as a service) to test your idea or skip development.<\/span><\/li>\n
  3. Do you need full control and ownership of the app? Sometimes you\u2019ll need full ownership to meet organizational requirements.<\/span><\/li>\n
  4. Would a web app work just as well? If your app doesn\u2019t need to be used offline or leverage device sensors, then a web app can be a more affordable route.<\/span><\/li>\n
  5. Is speed and reliability essential to achieving your app\u2019s goal? Web apps are great, but poor connectivity can affect their operation.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    After answering these questions, does your app still seem like a good idea? If you aren\u2019t sure, then consider running a design sprint. This will allow you to mock-up your idea and test it on real users to see how it works.<\/span><\/p>\n

    Now that you know you’re onto something, what factors will affect how much your app costs to develop?<\/span><\/p>\n

    What Will Affect My App Development Cost?<\/span><\/h3>\n

    Just like any other product, an app\u2019s cost is affected by complexity, availability, and timeline. Let\u2019s look at how each one of these factors can play a role in your app\u2019s development.<\/span><\/p>\n

    Complexity.<\/b> Using user accounts, device sensors, and third-party services all make your app more complex. If your app concept isn\u2019t well-defined this will make development more complex.<\/span><\/p>\n

    Platforms.<\/b> The platform that you develop your app on will affect its cost. Creating a web app uses simple programming languages. A mobile app uses more complex languages, and developing native apps for both Android and ios adds to this. Since fewer programmers are able to develop mobile apps, they\u2019re in higher demand, which will increase how much you spend on human resources.<\/span><\/p>\n

    Timeline.<\/b> Being in a rush makes for a more expensive project. Short deadlines add pressure and may require overtime or turning down other work to hit your deadlines.<\/span><\/p>\n

    These three factors can have a big impact on how much your app will cost. The first two will also affect your timeline. But, what does a typical app cost to develop?<\/span><\/p>\n

    The typical cost for an app is higher than a website. A simple app might start at $50,000, while a more complex one can go well over $100,000. Given the size of this investment, how can you make sure your time and money is well-spent?<\/span><\/p>\n

    How Should I Start Developing My App?<\/span><\/h3>\n

    Before embarking on a major app development project, you need to test your concept. Ideas can look great in our imagination, but what we imagine doesn\u2019t always work out how we expect.<\/span><\/p>\n

    The solution is to prototype quickly and test. This will show you what adjustments need to be made before investing in the app. This can save months of work and thousands of dollars.<\/span><\/p>\n

    To achieve these results, consider running a design sprint<\/a>. This process lets you work closely with the team that will develop your app, create a prototype, test it, and roll everything you learned into your app.<\/span><\/p>\n

    \"Illustration
    The basic steps in a design sprint.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

    The five-day process looks like this:<\/span><\/p>\n