Mobile Applications are a vital resource for every business these days. As per the latest data available, over 2.8 Million Mobile Apps on Google Play and over 1.9 Million Mobile Apps on Play Store are available for download. Mobile Apps elevate a business’s brand image and automate several business processes, making business management easier for businesses. However, almost every business desires a captivating mobile app, expensive IT services bother all. Especially, mobile app development cost in India bother businesses seeking mobile app development services a lot.
This blog discusses mobile app development cost estimates, factors that affect the costs, and some tips on how to negotiate the cost with the mobile app development company. So, let’s unlock this precious treasure by scrolling down!
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Mobile App Development: Types and Benefits for a Business
Mobile Apps are a key resource for almost every business these days. As not every business houses a dedicated IT team, therefore, for their IT needs such as website, software, and mobile app development, hosting, and maintenance, businesses take help from IT companies. When it comes to mobile app development, generally there are 2 types of mobile applications that a business might require-
- Mobile App for Employee Management: Mobile Applications like employee attendance, leave tracking, location tracking, pay slip management etc.
- Mobile App for Customer Relation Management: online shopping apps and customer relation management apps.
Having a well-designed and smooth-functioning mobile app has multiple benefits for a business. Some anecdotal benefits of having a mobile app for a business include-
- Brand image enhancement.
- Easy employee tracking.
- Hassle-free customer relation management.
- 24*7-hour business activity.
- Data Insights for Business Planning.
- Anytime, anywhere business data accessibility and management.
And there are many more. However, these myriad benefits come at high mobile app development costs. Did you know that in India, mobile app development cost estimates range from $8000 to $150,000 depending upon certain factors? Before diving into the cost structure, it is important to first know the factors affecting it. So, let’s find them out in the next section.
5 Factors that Affect Mobile App Development Cost (2024)
There are various factors that affect Mobile App Development Cost in India. However, 5 are major. These major factors include the following:
Technological Stacks
The technological stack includes the programming language, mobile app development frameworks, and coding techniques. Also, there are 4 types of mobile app development techniques till 2024 including:
- Web Application Development: When a business needs a web page (a website section) that demonstrates mobile-app-like functions, it is called web app development. For example, Uber’s website offers a cab booking function just like its mobile application does.
- Native Development: When a business needs a mobile application specifically for either iOS or Android platform, it becomes native development.
- Cross-Platform Development: Cross-Platform Mobile App development is a technique in which the mobile app developer develops a single app that runs effortlessly on both iOS as well as Android platforms.
- Hybrid Mobile App Development: Going one step forward, hybrid mobile app development is another latest technology in which the mobile app developer codes a mobile app in a way that it runs effortlessly on the web as a web app and on the iOS and Android platforms.
Choosing the right technological stacks optimizes the cost to a great extent.
App Complexities
The more complex features, animations, and functions you wish to add to your business mobile application, the more you have to pay for the same. Also, heavier animations, image sizes, embedded videos, and gifs take more device memory. They take longer to develop, test, and deploy. Therefore, it increases the app’s complexity and cost.
Mobile App UI/UX Design
Mobile App UI or User Interface is the appearance of the mobile app and the way a user can interact with it. Say for example, when you open any mobile application and see options on your device screen that help you interact with the app. The way a user interacts with an app makes user experience. The more fancy you keep the mobile app UI design, the higher you incur the mobile app development cost.
Brand Image of the Mobile App Development Company
The brand name and reputation of the chosen mobile app development company also matter a lot. However, it is not necessary for a high brand to offer high-quality mobile applications. But many businesses fall prey to this mentality. Eventually, they choose a higher brand. However, the same quality (or maybe better) they can also get from a relatively smaller mobile app development firm.
Mobile App Developer Hiring Model
Mobile app development cost in India also depends upon the hiring model. If you hire a freelance mobile app developer, she might charge per hour. On the contrary, if you choose to hire a mobile app development company, it will charge you as per the project duration. In 2024, a freelance mobile app developer might charge between $200 to $500 per hour. However, hiring a freelancer might allure you for being pocket-friendly, but its associated risks of getting tricked are high.
Mobile App Development Cost Breakdown Considering Technology Stacks
Now coming to the Mobile App Development Cost in India in 2024, as per the technological stacks we can consider the following factors:
- Choosing the Latest vs Outdated Programming Language: Always go for the latest and more compatible programming languages such as Python, Java, JavaScript, and Swift. Opting for a rare one can incur additional costs.
- Choose Open-Source Mobile App Development Frameworks: There are many open-source development frameworks available for iOS App Development and Android App Development. For example, React Native for Cross-Platform App development, Xamarin for Android App Development, Flutter for iOS App Development, and Ionic for Hybrid App Development are some best choices in 2024 to reduce the mobile app development cost.
How much does it cost to create an app in 2024?
When choosing these technological stacks, the minimum cost incurred can be
- iOS App Development Cost:
iOS App Development is a less popular skill in India. However, it is rapidly growing popular these days and in comparison to countries like the USA and the UK, iOS App Development cost in India can be much more optimized. In India, iOS App Development Costs can range from $75,000 to $150,000.
- Android App Development Cost
Android is the most popular Operating System used in India. So, Android App Developers are easily available here. Android App Development costs range between $35,000 to $100,000.
- Cross-Platform App Development Cost
Cross-platform app development is a more budget-friendly option as a single code base gives a native-like performance on both operating systems iOS as well as Android. The Cross-Platform app development cost in India ranges between $20,000 to $55,000.
- Hybrid App Development Cost
Hybrid App development costs can fall between $25,000 to $200,000. With hybrid app development, you get a mobile app compatible with web, iOS, and Android platforms. So, Hybrid app development is also a great option.
Table 1.1: Mobile App Development Costs (A Breakdown)
| Target Platforms | Estimated Cost |
| Web Application Development Cost | $12,000-$25,000 |
| iOS App Development Cost | $75,000-$150,000 |
| Android App Development Cost | $35,000-$100,000 |
| Cross-Platform App Development Cost | $20,000-$55,000 |
| Hybrid App Development Cost | $25,000-$200,000 |
Mobile App Development Cost Estimate Considering App Complexity, Features, and UI/UX
Mobile App Features are directly proportional to the app complexity and app development cost. The UI/UX design plays a vital role in developing mobile application features. Considering Cross-Platform Development, here is an estimated mobile app development cost breakdown as per mobile app complexity, UI/UX, and features:
Table 1.2: App Development Cost Calculator
| Mobile App Features | Estimated Cost | UI/UX Style | Estimated Cost |
| Log-in | $99-$500 | Menu-driven (Common in All Social Media and E-Commerce Apps) | $12,000 |
| Profile Creation | $599-$999 | Touch Screen Enabled | $25,000 |
| Remember Me | $499 | Voice Command Enabled | $20,000 |
| Admin Panel (for app owner) | $999-$1499 | Gestures Enabled | $35,000 |
| In-App Messaging | $2500-$3500 | – | – |
| In-App Calling (Voice) | $10,000-$15,000 | – | – |
| In-App Calling (Video) | $25,000-$35,000 | – | – |
| Push Notification | $999-$1499 | – | – |
| Payment API Integration | $2,500-$3,000 | – | – |
| Map Integration | $2,500-$5000 | – | – |
*This is the minimum mobile app development cost in India for Cross-Platform development. So, at this cost, you can get an iOS and Android-friendly mobile application. When it comes to native mobile app development cost, it will be lower than the estimates above by at least $700-$1200. Likewise, for Hybrid app development the mobile app development cost will be higher by $1000-$1500.
Mobile App Development Cost Estimation Considering Other Factors
Apart from the factors above, mobile app development cost also depends upon some other factors in India as we have already discussed in the section above. Some other factors that will affect the development cost are:
Location of the Developer
The location of the developer also decides the cost of mobile app development. If you are hiring a mobile app developer from a metro city in India like Delhi, Gurgaon, Mumbai, or Bangalore, then per-hour rates can be as high as $1200.
On the contrary, if you hire a mobile app developer from a small town in India such as Jaipur, Lucknow, or Dehradun, the per-hour charges can be as low as $400. However, the price difference does not mean any quality sacrifices. So, choose a developer who fits your budget and provides great quality!
Brand Image of Mobile App Development Company
Just like the developer’s location, the brand image of the mobile app development company also decides the cost of mobile app development. The higher the brand you choose, the higher you will have to pay for the mobile app development services. For example, a simple E-Commerce app can cost you around $100,000 at a company of higher repute with multi-national locations.
On the contrary, the same E-Commerce app can cost around $40,000 at a small company. Likewise, a new IT startup can also provide high-quality services at even lower prices. So, always do thorough research on mobile app development companies and try to figure out who is ready to provide the best quality at the lowest prices.
Hiring Model for the Mobile App Developer
There are 3 types of hiring models when it comes to hiring a mobile app developer. The hiring model also affects the mobile app development cost in 2024 to a good extent. These hiring models are as below:
- Hiring Freelance Mobile App Developer: The lowest cost model, in which you hire a freelance developer on per-hourly rates that we have already disclosed above. Depending upon the location the freelance mobile app developer might cost anywhere between $400-$1200 and the cost incurred will depend upon the project duration accordingly.
- Staff Augmentation: In this outsourcing hiring model, a business can invite a mobile app developer team to its place and monitor their progress. In this hiring model, the mobile app development cost can range between $50,000-$150,000 depending upon App complexity and project duration.
- Hiring a Dedicated Team of Mobile App Developers: The most common and best-suited hiring model is to hire a dedicated team of mobile app developers from an IT company. In this case, you outsource your project to them and they will develop your project at their place. The cost estimates we have already discussed in the table above. The average cost of mobile app development with this model can be anywhere between $20,000-$150,000.
Tips for Reducing Mobile App Development Cost
Not all mobile app development companies are honest and money-making is the sole profit of most of the businesses in the present scenario. Eventually, an IT company may or may not be fair when providing you with cost estimates. Therefore, you have to act smart and negotiate the cost judiciously with them. Follow the tips given below and get a fairly priced quotation:
- Always set clear objectives for mobile app development. Make an ideation on the mobile app and list all the features you wish to have in the mobile app. This will help you avoid unnecessary features and save costs.
- Try not to feel tempted by fancy animations and keep the UI/UX design as simple as possible. The more animations, the higher be costs.
- Also, act tech-savvy and ask the mobile app developer company to use open-source code libraries, development frameworks, and some low-code techniques to reduce development efforts, time, and cost. This will help you seem technologically advanced and the company will find you not gullible enough.
Final Thoughts
So, it can be concluded that mobile app development costs in India can range between $20,000 to $150,000 on average. However, if you need a more customized and complex mobile application, the mobile app development cost in 2024 can go beyond $150,000 as well. You must always be aware of the latest development technologies and also you need to be clear on your mobile app target audience and goals. This will help you eliminate unnecessary features and optimize the cost of mobile application development. So, follow the tips we have provided above and save your mobile app development efforts, time period, and costs. Enjoy a low-cost mobile app development with thorough research!
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