How to Estimate Your App Idea with App Cost Calculator (It’s Easy as 1-2-3!)

What is the cost to build an app? How much it cost to make an app for the iPhone? Or how much time app development will take? These are a few questions that pop-up in everyone’s mind when thinking about going digital.

Indeed, you can barely look for an intuitive app with just a few dollars. However, spending tons on app development doesn’t guarantee success. So, here’s something that you should know!

No mobile app solution provider can give you exact quotes before they know the exact functionality you need to implement. However, it is tedious to discuss your business idea with every app development company.
With some similar questions in mind, we developed a complete guide to help you understand better how to estimate the development costs with the app cost calculator.

What is App Cost Calculator?

An app cost calculator is software that accounts for all your requirements and helps you calculate the cost to make an app within minutes. It also allows you to understand the difference in price between web app development and mobile app development. Each feature like push notification, QR code scanner, payment gateway, content management system comes with a cost to implement, so you need to pick the most relevant features for your app. Besides features, the cost is dependent on app design, user interface, team structure, and integration of advanced technologies (IoT, artificial intelligence, VR/AR, Chatbot, etc.). Depending on your business needs, you can choose the best features and functionalities and determine the app development costs.

Characteristics of a Good App Cost Calculator

The characteristics of a robust app cost calculator depend on what type of app you want to build. A reliable app cost calculator should contain at least prices of basic features and help you with valuable information about each step of the development process. It not only aids you in making your mind but also keeps the process transparent throughout the app development journey. Advantages of using an app cost calculator are:

• It allows you to evaluate how much does it cost to develop an app idea within seconds.
• You can figure out more details about the hourly rate of developers that makes it easy for you to negotiate in the future.
• It gives you more clarity over the app development cost structure regarding the features cost that you need in your app. Also, you can get knowledge about each functionality that you might require in the future.
• Last but not the least, using an app cost calculator you can save time and energy while finding the right app development partner.

How an App Cost Calculator Helps in Determining the Price to Develop an App

Now that you’ve got to know everything about the app cost calculator tool, let’s move further and how it helps in calculating the price of the application.

1. Project Scope

The project scope includes the number of features you want to have in your app. In this, any reliable Android or iOS app development company will advise you to go for MVP development. An MVP can be built in 8 weeks and can be launched in the marketplace with minimum but relevant features. Once your app idea gets tested, you start getting feedback based on which you can proceed next full-scale version. The cost of building an MVP can vary from $5000 to $50,000.

1. UI/UX Design

Nowadays, a user-friendly interface has become a mandate for delivering a delightful user experience. If you want that your application should be on the top, then you must focus on an intuitive in-app experience for your users. You can either go for standard or template graphic designs that are either free or can cost you around $2000. Or else you can choose fully custom app designs that you might feel expensive at first, however, give you great returns in the future.

2. Technical Complexity

Technical complexity and security measures influence app development costing to a great extent. An app with basic modules and standard authentication will cost you a lot less than an app with 2-step authentication and social media integration for registration.

3. Deadlines

Tight deadlines can be a crucial reason for higher development costs. Usually, a product idea can be built with a minimum team consisting of a front-end developer, a back-end developer, a project manager, a content writer, a tester. But in case you want to develop it faster than you need more people thus, the app development price will increase.

4. Company Type, Experience, & Location

The last factor that determines the cost to make an app is the company type (software development enterprise, agencies, or freelancers, geographical location (America, Europe, Asia), and experience. When finding details about how much does it cost to make an app in 2021, we found that the price of developing an app usually starts from $10,000 and can go up to $5,00,000, depending upon the complexity of the solution.

Mobile Development Cost Vs Web Development Cost

Another factor that is taken into consideration is the mobile or web platform. The approximate cost difference between mobile app development cost and web app development cost is around 15%.
The key to making a smart decision depends on your buyer personas. Do competitive research on the target audience, what are their expectations, and how you can fulfill them. Depending upon the end goal, you can decide upon the following variables.

1. Web Application

Web applications can be accessed seamlessly from any device, including desktop, laptop, or smartphones, by using a web browser. It eliminates the need to download it from app stores.

2. Mobile Application

It can be used on one platform, either Android or iOS or both. Users need to download it from the Play Store and App Store to access its features. Moreover, uploading your app on app stores comes with a cost. For instance, Apple charges $99 per year, and Google Play Store charges $25 for uploading an app in the store.

3. Both

You can also choose to build both; one will run on the browser and one that users can download from the app store. The decision is based on your futuristic business goals.

Exact Quotation Vs App Cost Calculator Report

The software development market is competitive, and to stay ahead of the competitive league, you need to partner with the right app development company. Besides quotes, you should check their portfolio to evaluate quality, what methodology they use, and what tools they can use to prevent cyber-attacks.
With the app cost calculator report, you can’t find all the details. However, it gives you a rough estimate covering only the price perspective. It can help you shortlist the best among the list of top mobile app companies. By choosing to ask for an exact quote, you can have a deep insight into how the company works and which technologies they are going to use based on your custom features in your app.

Summary

Budgeting is a challenge, not just for startups but also for established businesses. Price to build an app can vary from the development solution you choose, location, industry type, team skillset, and integration of new technologies. We understand that estimating the quotes isn’t easy, however, we believe that a reliable app cost calculator allows you to take all the factors into account that you need when calculating a rough estimate.