How Much Does it Cost to Develop a Mobile Application?

Clients frequently ask us how much it costs to develop a mobile application. The price varies based on features and where you are in the mobile app development process but is typically between A$25,000 and A$250,000.

“How much will it cost to develop my mobile app? “ is generally one of the first queries we get from potential clients looking to build an app.

The cost for a high-quality mobile app ranges from $25,000 to over $250,000. Costs for a startup trying to build an app with a minimal viable product (MVP) ranges from $25,000 to $100,000. Businesses should prepare to spend between $50,000 and $250,000 on an app if they wish to digitise internal operations or integrate with external platforms.

The following six elements influence how much it costs to develop an app:

Number of platforms (including Web, Android, and iPhone)

The number of screens

The design of the app

Integrating the app

The requirement for backend development

The quantity and complexity of the features in the app.

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The platform

The number of platforms you need will significantly impact the development cost of your software. Will you be working with a developer to make an iPhone, Android, or web app?

Customers frequently ask us for a mobile app, but in reality, they need both a web app and a mobile app to accomplish their objectives. The management of the mobile app's administration is often handled by a web app to manage the users, push notifications, business reports, and content.

The job management app we created for our customer, Demurrage Solutions, is a fantastic example. Demurrage Solutions needed a web application so that their administrators could control the mobile app's professional development platform. This offered the option to create reports on jobs, health and safety documentation, manage employees, timesheets, and update mobile user data. Therefore, the design and development engagement for the iPhone and Android app was only a minor portion of the overall project. The web app was responsible for a sizeable percentage of the expense of developing the app.

Number of screens

Although it may appear simple, each screen on your mobile app requires design and development work. As a result, a five-screen mobile app will typically cost less to develop than a twenty-screen app. Reviewing your app's features and, thus the number of screens is one way to reduce the cost of your app build (see point 6 below).

Design

The more customised the app design, the higher the cost of developing your app. Think about when a house is built: you can choose an existing house design or you can approach an architect to design a custom-built home. App design is the same. This customised design requires more effort and so is more expensive.

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Integration

If your app must integrate with other systems, the type of integration will significantly impact cost of the app. Is it a proprietary integration or an integration to a publicly available, well-documented API?

ISH Technologies' app for McPhee Freight is a good example of how integrations are used within an app. The app makes use of both proprietary integrations to McPhee Freight’s enterprise systems and integrations with Blink Logistics management system API.

The nature of the integration will also have an impact of the cost. At its most basic, your app may transmit data to the other system. A more complex integration may involve data flowing in both directions.

Factors That Affect App Development Cost
  • App Features & Their Complexity

  • Customization of visual design

  • Location of Development Team

  • Number of Platforms

  • Native or Cross-Platform

  • Backend Infrastructure

  • App Administration

  • Which platform does your target audience like?

  • What’s the product or service that you want to sell?

  • Are there any devices that are required to integrate to make your application more responsive?

  • Is your app free or paid?

  • Does it have any in-app purchases?

  • Does your app feature any advertisements?

  • What kind of app maintenance is required?

Backend development

When you create an app, it can be self-contained or require backend development. A backend will increase the cost of developing your app.

A backend is essentially an API that allows data to be transferred between your app and a cloud-hosted database.

Complex features

The number and complexity of your app's features will influence its price.

Each feature has an additional cost, such as a map interface, payments, social media, or push notifications. This is because interfaces will be designed for each feature, as well as the rules/business logic associated with the features are also created. The cost will be higher if the app requires more business logic and developer effort.

A few more things to think consider

Some methods are better than others, and some cost more than others.

The key is determining which process best suits your concept and your budget.

"The truth is, you can build an app for almost any budget, from $25,000 to $250,000.It really depends on what you're trying to accomplish, which app developer you're trusting to build your app, what tools they're using, and how rigors their processes using your app development agency"

Also, keep in mind that there are additional expenses, such as legal fees and marketing, that go into developing an app that many people overlook.

The average cost of app development in Australia Estimates for different types of apps

Aussies adore their mobile devices and enjoy using a variety of mobile apps. They typically download native, hybrid, or web-based apps.

To estimate how much an app will cost, you must first decide what type of app you want to create. After designing and building apps for over a decade, we've categorised our app projects into three broad categories:

Size Screens Description Budget
Small 5-10 Limited integration 25,000 - 50,000
Medium 10- 20 screens Simple integration 50,000 - 100,000
Large 20+ screens Complex integration into existing systems 100,000 +

Why is the cost of developing apps so high?

Because there is a lot of effort involved in the app development process and a shortage of individuals with the necessary abilities, app development costs are often on the higher side. As the development of Apps differs from that of a typical website, the necessary skills are not transferrable. Coding for apps is more similar to creating a desktop application (like Word or Excel) than a website. The complexity of installed software, which is what an app is, is distinct from that of a website.

How can we help?

We are available for a free 30-minute consultation and can provide you with the following:

A reasonable estimation of the cost and timeline for your app project, as well as a clear understanding of what will be involved.

Information on the most crucial factors you should consider before starting your project.

Suggestions for further action

We'd be thrilled to hear from you. Contact us to book your free 30-minute consultation.

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