Building an app takes time, effort, skills, and technologies. It can also be expensive. So, if your company is intent on making the most out of your Android app development cost, you should be prepared to accept the many expenditures that come with it. After all, investments are never free.
A lot of work goes into the making of an app. In some cases, it takes more than three months to complete just one application. The common factors that affect app cost include the choice of platform, features, hosting and server expenses, app security, and maintenance. As apps come with their own functionalities and features, costs vary significantly, and the amount can increase every year. A 2018 research revealed the rates for major app development were from $43,000 to close to $100,000. The Uber mobile app reportedly costs over $91,000. It was developed for almost 6 months.
If you’re building an application, there are several creative techniques you can apply to help reduce Android app development cost. These tips will help you minimise expenses without having to sacrifice the quality of your app.
Create a Plan
Before anything else, you have to create a detailed plan of what you want the app to have, what you want to do, and how this can be done. Take some time to research and conduct a survey. Gather all information that can help you determine your target audience and what their preferences are. Likewise, study your competition. Take a close look at their apps. Try them out so you’ll have first-hand information about how they work, what useful features they have, and what users like about them. Testing your competitors’ apps will help you determine what to do to make sure your app is unique and more engaging. Come up with a list of concepts, objectives, proposed timelines, execution of project, estimated budget, among others.
Take Note of the Requirements
Another tip for reducing Android app development cost is by ensuring that you have all the requirements you need for the project. Your list should include the specific features you want for your app, as well as UI and UX design needs, tools, technologies, and resources. With a good grasp of the most essential requirements, you’ll save a lot of time.
Decide: To Outsource or Not?
One of the many factors that affect development costs is developer location. As such, when you hire the services of mobile developers who are based in the United States or Europe, for instance, you’ll be paying a high price for their labor. This is one of the reasons why several companies outsource their Android app development projects. Aside from lesser costs, there are many other benefits to outsourcing, including access to a wide pool of experienced and highly skilled developers.
Do Not Rush, Consider Starting with a Minimum Viable Product (MVP)
What do Facebook, Instagram, and Uber have in common? These industry giants started with a minimum viable product or MVP. They launched their products in the market with only the minimum or basic features. After gathering feedback from users, they slowly introduced the full version of the app to the public. Do not rush things by launching a full-blown app as this can overwhelm you, particularly in terms of costs and features. You have to be sure first that what you have will work before going on full blast. This is the best way to secure your investment.
When Starting, Don’t Aim for a Feature-rich App. Go for Value
Again, do not rush things. Do not aim to launch a feature-rich app right away. You can improve and increase the features later on. What you should focus on is creating a value-rich experience for your users. Focus only on the most important features and functionalities. This will not only help create a satisfying customer experience but also prevent high development costs.
The Platform Matters – Android is KING
The platform you choose for your app is also essential in lessening app development costs. Choosing the Android platform has its benefits, especially because it’s the market leader in terms of users. According to August 2020 global statistics, Android has 74.25% of the mobile operating system market. This is particularly significant if your primary goal is to introduce and launch your app to a large consumer market. Some budget-conscious startups release an Android app first. iOS follows after a month or two.
These tips for reducing Android add development cost make up only half of the process; the other half involves you and the developers. Communicate regularly and collaborate with your mobile app developers to ensure that things run smoothly.
