HOW MUCH DOES IT COST TO MAKE AN IOS OR ANDROID APP: A MASSIVE REVIEW OF PAYMENT MODEL AND OTHER BUDGET CONSIDERATIONS?

Mobile App Development is a very exciting process since you are able to see your ideas coming to life.

Without wasting your time I will first answer your question about the cost.

Please note that this pricing is applicable to native android and ios app designing and development only. The cost of marketing is a separate issue that is usually not clubbed with development and design.

Basic Android and iOS App will cost $1000- $3000

What is a basic App?

Apps that provide basic information or perform basic functions like Calculator, Ringtone setter, Fake Call App etc.

Basically these apps do not have any backend or user input being processed at the backend.

Generally have 2–5 screens in total.

Medium Complexity Android and iOS App will cost $5000- $12,000

What is a Medium Complexity App?

These are apps that have 1 dominant function to achieve like chat or location based or photo-editing or dating.

These apps have backend and have to process user input.

These apps have user login and maintains user profiles

Generally have 10–15 screens in total.

A lot of startups are recommended to have at least $12,000 budget if they are seriously pursuing an app idea

Example Apps: Rant n Chat Android App, News Summed Up Android App

High Complexity Android and iOS App will cost $15,000–$50,000

What is a High Complexity App?

These are apps that have multiple functionality like chat or dating or trading or e-commerce or payments or analytics or notifications or social functions or in-app purchase. Your app developer will be able to guide you well here or feel free to email me at vidit@aprilinnovations.com

These apps have highly complex backend and have to process multiple user inputs and the app content is highly dynamic

In addition to creating user profile and login. The backend also needs to save a lot of data and process it to work dynamically

Well funded startups and large enterprises usually come in this range.

Example Apps: Kenya Law Android App, VRise Connect Android App, VRise Connect iOS App

Maintenance can be between 20%–40% of the project cost

Now coming to Payment Model

Although most app development companies have 2 stage payment.

2-stage payment consists of:

1. Advance Payment – 50%

2. Final Payment – 50%

We at April Innovations follow a more pocket friendly approach i.e. a 4 stage payment.

4-stage payment consists of:

1. Advance – 25%

2. Screen design freeze – 25%

3. Development – 25%

4. Launch – 25%

This way the client does not incur a huge sunk cost at the start and more importantly they have a clear timeline of events and can see actual deliverables from the team.