Last updated on June 23rd, 2023
Have you heard the expression, “there’s an app for your every need?” well it’s true. According to a report from Statista in the 2nd quarter of 2022, Google Play Store was the most popular. Google Play Store powers over 3.5 million mobile applications worldwide while its Apple App Store stands close at 2.2 million mobile apps.
In addition but it is also the Statista Digital Market Outlook forecasts that the market for mobile apps revenues across different segments will grow and be around $ 613 billion in 2025.
Given the popularity of mobile apps, it’s not surprising to find every business investing in the development of mobile apps. When it comes to the investment in the development of mobile apps, the most frequent concern is What does the development of mobile apps cost?
This guide will give an exhaustive answer to that question, along with specific information on the aspects that affect the cost of developing apps as well as the different models of app monetization, mobile app development procedure, and how you can cut costs on the development of your mobile app.
An Overview of Mobile App Development Dubai Cost Estimate
In simple terms, the estimated cost of creating mobile apps can range between $25,000 and $150,000, and may even exceed $300,000 for custom complex applications. The use of the term “probable” means that the cost of development is contingent on many variables, including the complexity of the app, the capabilities and features, the design approach, and so on.
But don’t fret as we have an in-depth analysis of all the crucial aspects that influence the cost of developing mobile apps.
Once you’ve mastered these aspects, you can calculate the amount it will cost to create an app using the basic calculation formula. The formula, or answer to the question of what the cost of creating an app is in calculating how many hours are required to complete each development step and then multiplying that number by the number of billable hours for resources.
Most Popular Mobile Apps and Their Development Cost
- Uber
- Snapchat
- TikTok
- Coursera
- Netflix
Below are some examples of well-known apps that have redefined and reshaped the idea of user experience and are currently the top app in the market. We also have mentioned the typical development costs of these apps.
1. Uber
Uber is a well-known ride-sharing application that connects riders and drivers across the globe. With the app, users can book a ride immediately or at a time. These requests are accepted by drivers who are nearby. The typical price of creating an app similar to Uber can vary from $30,000 and $100,000.
2. Snapchat
With more than 300 million active users, Snapchat has become a game changer in the world of apps for social networks. Snapchat is a popular messaging application that is a pioneer in providing augmented reality to its users via filters as well as interactive lenses. The app allows users to send multimedia messages that “self-destruct” within 10 seconds. The cost of building an app that resembles Snapchat could range from $50,000 to $100,000 on one platform, and up to $200,000 on both platforms.
3. WhatsApp
Whatsapp is a messaging application that lets users send messages with audio and video calls in real-time as well as uploading photos and videos as well as uploading videos and photos. The typical price to create an app for messaging similar to WhatsApp could be between $30,000 and $700.
4. TikTok
This app for sharing videos is now a necessity and an important revolution in the world of entertainment. TikTok lets users perform lip-syncs of dialogues and recreate their most loved scenes from various films and music videos.
The app also comes with a variety of filters and effects that can enhance your images and videos. The typical price for creating an application like TikTok will range from between $60,000 and $100,000 on one platform and as high as $150,000 for hybridization.
5. Coursera
Coursera is an online learning app that has gained immense popularity for teachers and students because of the amazing advantages it provides. The app provides a wide range of distance-learning programs that offer courses in skill development that lead to university degrees around the world. The mobile app’s development costs could range from $60,000 to $120,000.
6. Netflix
Netflix is the globe’s top streaming media platform. It lets users stream movies and shows at their own pace. The average cost for developing an app similar to Netflix is between $25,000-$200,000.
Important Article: Top 10 Tips to Find Android App Development Company in Dubai
How Can iTechnolabs Help You With Mobile App Development Dubai Cost Estimation?
Top 8 Factors That Impact Your Mobile App Development Cost
- Mobile app complexity
- App features and functions
- App Category
- E-commerce apps
- On-demand apps
- Hardware-dependent applicationsÂ
- App design & animation
- App platform
The development of mobile app costs is contingent on a variety of significant elements. Knowing the cost-affecting factors will allow you to make the most efficient decisions and provide you with the highest return on the development. Additionally, it will aid you in staying on budget.
So, let’s look into the key factors that influence the total price of developing mobile apps.
1. Mobile app complexity
The cost of developing an application is between $5,000 to $50,000. The basic app has basic features for users, such as an account login system and a user profile feature as well as a dashboard, and a limited admin.
The cost of a moderately complex app ranges from $50,000 to $120,000. A moderately complex application comes with numerous features to increase user engagement as well as the possibility of monetizing apps. Apart from the basics such as social media integrations as well as payment gateways, audio/video streaming, and privacy for users, among others.
One of the most notable examples of development on a medium scale could be iTechnolabs redefining the UI/UX strategy of Domino’s, increasing its conversion rate by 23 percent.
An advanced app may cost anywhere from $100,000 to $300,000 and beyond. The apps are based on the most recent technology, such as AR/VR as well as AI and Machine Learning. The apps also have features such as multi-language support, high-end data logic, and many more.
An example of a difficult app could be iTechnolabs working on a banking core technology for blockchain that is being used by Asian Bank to make crypto purchasing and selling more convenient for its customers. The app is popular with over 50,000 cryptocurrency transactions and more than 250,000 downloads.
2. App features and functions
The cost to build an app is contingent upon the features you include in your application. The basic cost of mobile app development Dubai for the kind of app you plan to create keeps increasing as you add new features.
It is therefore recommended to focus on the essential features of the first version of the application. It will enable you to offer an excellent customer experience for reasonable prices. The ideal solution is to have an MVP designed. It’s the first release of an application that has a basic set of features. MVP can save time and money as well as gather valuable feedback from users.
3. App Category
The cost to develop an app differs greatly between categories. When we change between categories to the next and vice versa, many factors change, such as the number of users, the functionalities as well as security standards, and so on; which in turn leads to different prices for developing an application.
Let’s look at the most popular categories for developing mobile apps.
4. E-commerce apps
E-commerce applications such as Amazon and Wayfair are at the peak of their popularity because these applications are loaded with tons of features that enable the applications to perform effectively in real-time, handle millions of users at once, and have robust security.
Social Networking applications- Social media applications are built using third-party integrations. They can connect to hardware functions like cameras or audio recorders. They also are highly adaptable as they can support hundreds of thousands of customers at any one time.
In the end, the social media app’s cost tends to be more expensive than the costs of mobile apps that are less complicated.
5. On-demand apps
Even the most basic of apps on-demand is available in three variations: For individuals, for those offering services, and also for businesses.
For example, Acti drive is an application for on-demand services that are based upon IoT technology that allows drivers to drive without hassle.
6.Hardware-dependent applicationsÂ
All IoT-based apps are typically dependent upon hardware doing things like the extraction of data or sending out instructions for a particular task.
One of the most well-known examples of IoT-based, hardware-dependent applications includes “Moo” which is the eScooter app. It is the future of mobility, which regulates transport at a micro-level, which is why the application is entirely hardware-based.
7. App design & animation
The final factor to add to the equation of the cost to develop an app is its design. Ensuring that your users are spending their time using your app is a must. the focus to be on the app’s design.
When it comes to deciding on the design of an app there are generally two choices – the Standard and Custom UI. Customized UI is more challenging to create as well as implement than standard UI which is why it’s more costly.
Other aspects of the design of mobile apps include animation and wireframes.
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Wireframing-
To create maps and features for users, Wireframing is employed by developers. Tools like MARVEL, Balsamiq, and Photoshop are utilized.
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Animation-
Animation has emerged as an extremely popular technique to make specific aspects of any app appealing and user-friendly. Most of the time gaming and social media apps use animations in large amounts.
8. App platform
At the beginning of the development of mobile apps it is essential to choose an appropriate platform. Based on the target audience You can decide to create an iOS, Android, web, or cross-platform application. If you’re a new startup with a small budget, it’s best to choose one platform at first and then, as time goes on you could switch to a variety of platforms.
Here are the top platforms for app development that you can select from
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Platform for native apps (Android and iOS):
The HTML native app platform (Android and iOS)Â Linguistically, iOS app development happens using Swift as well as Objective C, whereas Android App Development takes place using Java or Kotlin.
Also, take a look at what it costs to build the iOS app.
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Web App Platform –
Apps such as Progressive Web apps and other kinds of web apps are efficient in comparison to native applications. Regarding the expense of development, web application development costs range from somewhere around $15,000-$50,000.
- Cross-platform –Â developing an app that works on iOS as well as Android simultaneously is a new trend in cost-effectiveness. This platform has numerous advantages like the use of a single code and lower development costs. The cross-platform market is currently split between Flutter as well as React Native platforms.
- Hybrid App Platform –Â Hybrid apps are a mix of native and web applications. While it’s installed just like an app that is native, however, it is executed as a web view component.
Related Article: How to Hire an Expert Mobile App Development Company in Dubai?
Want to Know the Cost to Create a Mobile App in Dubai?
What is the cost to create a Mobile App in Dubai? There’s no exact answer to this question. The analysis of all the influences will help you determine the most accurate price to transform your creative app concept into a reality.
If you are still feeling that the process of calculating the cost of mobile app development is a challenge, seek out a reputable app development company such as iTechnolabs for top-of-the-line developing mobile app solutions.
The specialists here are experts in developing a creative and flexible app that has the latest features and functions. So, if you’re looking to create these innovative mobile applications or have a rough estimate for designing the app you need for your company, contact our experts to start.
