Not too long ago, we ran a series about all the considerations and questions that go into producing a mobile application. The bottom line is that app development costs are expensive! In this world, you get what you pay for. If you invest in cheap resources, your end product will feel cheap. If you invest longterm in a viable business plan, your product will be seamless, functional and valuable. Your product will be memorable.
As you can imagine, global app development costs are the highest in North America, the average cost per hour for an iOS or Android developer will set you back between $150-$250 per hour. With that said, one day can cost as much as $1600, which is about $8K a week, and most apps take between 4- 6 weeks with testing…. so you can do the math on that one.
One of the first reactions we get is that of sticker shock. That’s because much of the media landscape surrounding app development is clouded by stories of overnight successes, people building overseas at a fraction of the cost, individuals getting lucky with a viral crowdfunding success, but the fact to the matter is that it is a big investment to hire a company to build original, specially tailored software to serve a purpose that is not already being met.
With that said, there is growing pressure for agencies to raise app development costs because it’s a global trend. Businesses and companies are looking for more niche products with specialization, and pressures to compete with overseas prices can make it difficult to remain competitive in the market. Most North American app developers need to become full-service, multi faceted and dynamic to survive the climate. Not only that, but they need to offer complimenting digital services alongside mobile app publishing, like marketing, advertising, and graphic design.
App development costs have truly transformed the landscape of the tech economy in the past few years. While more and more are making the transition to mobile, more innovation breeds the need for more innovation.