2 min read
What does a mobile app cost – and where does the price come from?
An app's price isn't one number but the sum of many choices. Here's where the costs come from and how to make a budget go further.
Author: Don HämäläinenChief Executive Officer
“What does an app cost?” is a question we hear in almost every first meeting. The honest answer is that it depends – but not on just anything. The price comes down to a handful of factors you can recognise before the first quote arrives.
Scope matters most
The biggest single factor is what the app needs to do. Every screen, feature and edge case has to be designed, built and tested. Sign-in, payments, notifications and real-time data are each a project of their own.
A good rule of thumb: if you can't justify a feature from the user's point of view, it doesn't belong in the first version.
iOS, Android or both?
Most services need both an iOS and an Android version. Cross-platform technology builds both from one codebase, which costs considerably less than two separate native apps.
Backend and integrations
The app is often just the tip of the iceberg. User data, content and payments need a backend, and many projects connect to existing systems such as an ERP or a point-of-sale system. Integrations are a cost many people underestimate.
Design isn't decoration
A well-designed app is easy to use, and that shows directly in whether people come back. Design also saves money: changing a prototype costs a fraction of making the same change in finished code.
What does design include?
- User flows and wireframes
- Visual identity and a component library
- A prototype to test the idea before any code is written
After launch
An app isn't finished on launch day – that's when it starts to live.
Operating system updates, security and user feedback all call for ongoing maintenance. Set aside part of the budget for maintenance and further development from the start.
Making the budget go further
- Start small. Build the core feature first and let the rest grow around it.
- Test with a prototype. Try the idea with users before code is written.
- Use existing services for sign-in, payments and analytics.
- Agree on maintenance up front, not after launch.
Thinking about an app idea of your own? Get in touch and we'll work out together what your project's price would be made of.
