Android apps are gaining tremendous popularity across all industry domains. Nowadays, people are using their digital phones more than ever. According to an Android app development company, having a mobile app has become essential for businesses to expand their reach and establish good customer relationships. PWA app development has emerged as a cost-effective solution for businesses looking to enter the Android app market in India. Now, you must be thinking about how much it costs to make an app in India and what factors mainly influence the app-making cost.
This blog will discuss in-depth about the cost of developing an app and the factors to consider. Let's get started.
App Development Cost Statistics
According to the data from deep market research by Markets and Markets, owning a feature-packed mobile application will bring massive gains in the upcoming years. Some top-notch stats support this claim:
- In 2023, mobile apps are predicted to generate more than $930 billion in revenue
- 21% of users open an app more than 50 times per day
- As of Feb 2023, more than 87 thousands apps were newly launched through Play Store
- As of March 2023, approx 32 thousands apps were newly launched through App Store
- Average app usage grew more than 40% between 2020 & 2023
Thus, it is evident that market demand for mobile applications is rapidly growing & owning one will impact your business significantly. Well, an iOS and Android app making cost in India usually ranges from $30,000 to $400,000.
However, it totally depends on multiple factors including features and functionalities. Have a closer look at the list of average mobile app making cost in India & estimated time based on features.
|
Features |
Functionalities |
Estimated Time |
Avg. Cost |
|
User login |
|
30 to 42 hours |
$500 to $1,000 |
|
Messaging |
|
170 to 180 hours |
$3,000 to $5,000 |
|
Profile Completion |
|
30 to 40 hours |
$900 to $1,000 |
|
Admin panel (User management) |
|
66 to 90 hours |
$3,500 to $4,000 |
|
Push Notifications |
|
25 to 32 hours |
$1,000 to $1,200 |
|
Maps |
|
100 to 120 hours |
$3,000 to $4,000 |
|
Calls |
|
300 to 400 hours |
$14,000 to $15,000 |
|
Payments |
|
60 to 80 hours |
$2,500 to $3,000 |
Different Factors Involved In The App Development Cost India
A number of factors and elements influence the overall cost of app development. Understanding these factors will significantly help you make the right decisions and deliver an excellent return on your investment. Here are the top 6 factors involved in the app development cost in 2023.
1. Platforms
Mobile apps are developed on several platforms. Each platform has different characteristics, and the price range varies according to that.
On average, iOS app development costs start from $10k, while android app development cost starts from $5k.
Some of the popular mobile application development platforms are Native ($20-$25) , React Native ($15-$25), Xamarin ($20-$25), and Flutter.
The basic app development cost in India depends on the platform that you choose.
2. App Features:
The average cost of a mobile application with basic user interfaces ranges from $5,000 to $50,000. The cost to make an app depends on the set of features that you would like to incorporate, basic, medium, or complex.
Simple
- API Integration
- Database Integration
- Social Media Integration
Medium
- Custom UI
- Sophisticated features
Complex
- Geo Locations
- Chat Application
- Device Integration (Bluetooth)
- IOT
Apps with simple features are easier to build and don't cost much, whereas apps with complex features cost high. Apps with complex features like geolocation, sensor usage, offline mode, etc., help to build a solid customer base. However, these days, businesses include complex features to make the apps more dynamic. For your convenience, we have shared an app development cost breakdown based on complexity levels:
|
Complexity Level |
Basic Features |
Time frame (Months) |
Overall cost (USD) |
|
Simple app |
Simple UI/UX API Integration Database Integration Social Media Integration MVP functionality |
2 to 4 |
5,000 to 50,000 |
|
Medium App |
Custom UI Sophisticated features |
4 to 10 |
50,000 to 120,000 |
|
Complex app |
High-end UI Geo Locations Chat Application Device Integration (Bluetooth) IOT |
More than 10 months |
100,000 to 300,000 |
3. Development Tools
Now, in this section, we will discuss three different types of apps.
- Native Apps (Swift – iOS, Kotlin – Android)
Native apps are developed on a single platform. The native iOS apps or native android apps operate on some specific operating systems. These app features are non-changeable, so their codes cannot be reused. The native apps price range can go up to $100k.
- Web Apps (PWA)
Today, most people prefer to browse on web apps rather than websites because of their convenience. Web apps can be accessed via the Internet and can perform all actions on users' devices. The approximate cost of web app development can go between $500 to $5000.
- Hybrid Apps (Flutter, React Native, Xamarin)
A hybrid app has the features of both native and web apps. Although these apps look quite similar to native apps. The highlight of these apps is that they can be built quickly, load fast and give high ROI. The hybrid app development cost goes somewhere between $10,000 to $50,000.
4. Development Team
Hiring the right team of professionals for your mobile app development is important.
The proficiency and expertise of your team can help you get things done faster.
However, the mobile app development cost in India depends on the experience and expertise of the developers you choose. The cost of the app development team differs from company to company.
5. Maintenance Costs
Once you have developed an app, that's not all! You must constantly change or upgrade your app according to marketing trends.
Usually, the app maintenance costs go up to 15-20% of the total costs of building an app.
You must be thinking about why to update or maintain an app. Up-dating an app is vital to remove any bugs or issues that might hamper the functionality.
6. Developer's Hourly Rates
Last but not least, if you consider global factors, developers' hourly rates are a major one. Many companies prefer to hire a professional app-making agency to build an app instead of making an in-house development team. These app-making companies usually charge hourly rates for developing different apps and regions; these rates vary. The below-mentioned table will help you understand the developer's hourly rates based on regions or countries.
|
Region/Countries |
Android (Hourly) |
iOS (Hourly) |
|
India |
$25 to $50 |
$25 to $50 |
|
Australia |
$110 |
$110 |
|
UK |
$150 |
$150 |
|
North America |
$150 |
$150 |
Android Mobile App Development Cost Based on Application Type
Mobile apps differ based on their features, use, and technology stacks. We have given below the cost of making an Android app in India based on the application type.
Basic Applications
A basic application is a simple app with easy features. Example of a basic app is a calculator, and an audio or video player app.
This application type barely has five to six pages, and a backend isn't required for a network connection.
Basic application development doesn't cost much compared to complex apps.
- Native App Cost: Under $15,000
- Hybrid App Cost: Under $12,000
Authentication App
The apps with a one-step login and authentication process are a bit complex. The more you add intricate features, the cost of making mobile apps in India increases.
Two major examples of authentication apps are McDonald's loyalty app and Google drive.
You need to set up a professional development team for this type of app with complex features.
App Cost: $60,000+
Data-driven Applications
You must have used apps for calendars, weather updates, maps, etc. These apps are called data-driven apps.
Data-driven apps require a strong database at the backend to function smoothly.
This type of android app development price in India is on the higher end due to its ability to integrate with third-party services.
App Cost: $15,000+
E-Commerce apps serve a large customer base and thus require a robust backend.
These customer-engaging apps essentially need an admin panel to manage app pages, payments, user orders, and complex infrastructure.
Examples of E-Commerce apps are Amazon, Flipkart, eBay, Alibaba, and much more.
App Cost: $60,000+
On-Demand App
On-demand apps are like E-Commerce apps and have functionalities like login, call, chat, payment, delivery, user feedback, and much more.
There are many popular on-demand apps like Uber, UberEATS, and Postmates.
The cost of developing an app for Android and iOS like this depends on the development timeline.
App Cost: $70,000-$10,000
Marketplace App
A marketplace app owns some of the features of both on-demand and eCommerce applications.
The central concept of a marketplace app is demand and supply. Some examples are TripAdvisor and Booking.com.
The development process of these apps takes time, and they need to be refined regularly. This increases the overall project cost along with the maintenance cost.
App Cost: $300,000+
IoT and Hardware App
IoT and hardware apps help in connecting physical items with digital technologies, for example, Amazon, Beacons, Dash Buttons, and WeMo.
These apps can be called intelligent tools such as home assistance devices, pet collars, etc.
The backend of IoT and hardware apps need to be carefully developed and maintained to ensure the stability and functionality of the app.
App Cost: $60,000+
Tips to Reduce App Development Costs
With the massive popularity of custom mobile apps, there are plenty of challenges that many startups or SMBs come across. Along with the technology & functionality, they also deal with extra or hidden costs of mobile app development. In an app development process, different costs are usually involved. The following tips will help you reduce unnecessary costs and help you stay within your budget.
1. Focus on only key features:
Startups might assume that loading an app with a lot of features is a great idea, but it's wrong. While making a mobile app, it's important to only focus on the core features. Prioritizing app functionalities not only helps you save expenditure & time but also allows you to drive business value as early as possible.
2. Have an MVP or Minimum Viable Product:
The cost of developing a Minimum Viable Product app is comparatively less than the original product. Key benefits of making an MVP include:
- MVP helps to raise money for your mobile app
- You can publicly release an MVP
- Once you start gaining profits through an MVP, you can pay attention to your original product
- You can avoid spending money & time on developing the app on the first attempt
3. Go for Cross-Platform Development
Developing an app for just one platform is not a great idea for startups or SMBs. If you build a mobile app for a single platform, you may miss out on a wide chunk of the active user base as the target audience is always diversified and platform-independent.
In this scenario, the cross-platform app development process offers the best solution. It helps you save costs & time as it offers a single code base for multiple platforms. Technologies used for cross-platform apps include Flutter, React Native, Unity 3D, etc. The key benefits of choosing cross-platform development are:
- Less expensive and budget-friendly
- Massive chance to explore
- Single code base for multiple platforms
4. Make a plan for the future
The app developed today may look fully different in the future. For instance, if you make an MVP, you may want to modify or add some app features based on your customer feedback and market demand. Your market may start evolving in a new direction, pushing you to redesign your app as well. For this reason, it's important to make some short-term goals when making a mobile application. It will help you save money in the long run.
How Much It Cost to Develop an App In India?
Android application development cost in India depends on the multifarious factors mentioned above. However, it is essential that you choose the right app development company for your project.
Outsourcing your app development in India can help you reduce recruitment hassle and project timeline.
App development cost in India is low due to the availability of developers at affordable rates.
Sphinx Solutions is a leading and trusted app development company in India. You can get the best app for your business at cost-effective rates.
