This is an era where mobile apps have taken over the world of technology by a storm and not many businesses would reach their pinnacle without the help of an app to help them reach there. While some businesses might look at an app as a way to reach out to their customers and expanding their loyal user base, yet other businesses use the app as a medium of sale and bringing in revenue.
No matter what your reason or inspiration be, in the modern age, a business at some point in time does realize that an app may well be the answer to their worries about expansion in any measure. Once you have realized that having an app for your business is the right thing to do, it may be a good idea to go find yourself an app developer. Now, like everything else, there would be a price tag attached to this as well and when you are on a budget, every single buck would count!
Hence, when you set out on this particular project you must go in prepared for all the kinds of expenses that might be a part of the cumulative budget.
The cost for app development is decided by quite a few factors like the complexity of the app, the cost of designing, integrating design features, and the experience of the developer among others. So let’s get into the calculation of the cost to hire a mobile app developer and discuss the considerations that would decide this cost or your budget.
Complexity & Potential of the App
Is your app going to need some complicated features and complex functioning incorporated in it, or is it going to be a standard app with pretty much the basic features? Are you going to need some complex API integrations? It is only when you can sit down and answer these questions and more, that you are able to figure out the complexities of the app you are building. Now, it is possible that you do not have the experience needed to handle the scope of the project or predict any challenges, and in that scenario, it is a good idea to seek expert advice from an experienced app developer who has knowledge and expertise in multiple languages.
This is the prime factor in determining the cost of hiring an app developer for your project. The three primary aspects that contribute to the complexity of the app are – the technical complexities, the need for custom design and animations, and the number of operating systems and the devices in question. All these aspects come together in determining the complexity of the app you are going to build. At this stage, the amount of research that you put in on the features and functionalities that you wish to include is of critical importance. This research is what would guide you in determining the scope and the potential of the app.
Where the Developer is Geographically Located
Now the charges quoted by the app developer would be different for people based in a different location and would be in sync with the local standards. For example, if you were to hire an app developer based in Kuala Lumpur, the charges would be as per the Malaysian standards, but if you found someone who is based out of Mumbai, the charges would be as per norms in India, which might be significantly lower than Malaysia.
Now, this might not even have anything to do with the quality of the final product but more to do with the economic conditions of the country and the differences therein.
Clearly Outlining the Tasks of a Developer
The more experienced the developer, higher would be his charges. This can, in fact, be a big factor when it comes to determining the cost of the app development. The asked price of the developer would also depend heavily on the various tasks that they would be performing within the project. Is the developer going to edit or update an existing app, are they going to develop the entire thing right from the scratch, or would they be expected to fix bugs in the existing apps and these tasks will make a lot of difference to the fee they are going to charge finally. Depending on the kind of requirements you have, you would have to go for a suitably experienced app developer.
Choice of Platform and the Type of App
Now, the rates charged by an app developer is hugely based on the skill and the experience of the developer. The charges though are different for different platforms and for the different types of apps as well. The android app developers tend to charge a lot more than iOS developers because it is pretty tough to develop a certain Android app based on different platforms. The development time is higher, the testing process is longer, thus casting an impact on the total charges.
Now the type of app that you are building would also cast an impact on the cost, which means that a simple messaging app would cost lesser than a more complex app like a gaming app. It is only natural that the cost of hiring the app developer would vary according to the platform you intend to work on and on the type of app you have in mind.
Now, the cost of hiring an app developer is calculated on a 5-day week basis where a workday consists of 8 hours. Typically, an app developer would take somewhere around 4 to 5 months to develop an app.
Taking the aforementioned factors like complexity, the geographical location of the app developer, the platforms, features & functionalities, tasks that you assign to the developer and the type of app you want, the cost of hiring an app developer varies wildly! It could, in fact, be anywhere between RM$40 to RM400 an hour!
Wrapping It Up!
The factors mentioned above are key when you are trying to calculate the cost of hiring a mobile app developer for your project. It is always better to go in with a clear definition of the whole project because it helps you save time and gives you a clear idea of what and who are you looking for. It is important in this day and age to have an app for your business, but this app should be professional & functional without breaking your bank. It is therefore of great importance to hire the right app developer who can easily understand the requirements and then deliver an app that would successfully cater to your pre-defined requirements.