According to Statista, from 2016 onward, the number of mobile app downloads increased steadily, reaching 200 billion in 2019. Around 230 billion mobile apps were downloaded by customers to their connected devices in recent years, rising over 63 percent from 140.7 billion app downloads in 2016. It proves that the demand for custom apps is increasing day by day.

It is due to affordable smartphones (around 6.6 billion smartphone users worldwide) and the readily available internet. It’s not wrong to say that you can find your potential customers most of the time available on mobile. Hence custom web application Development is one of the best ways to increase the reach of your business.

Through customized user experiences and improved analytics feedback loops, mobile apps assist businesses in establishing stronger relationships with their customers. That’s why so many companies want to tailor their services to the smartphones on which their clients spend most of their time.

If you are wondering how much custom web App Development cost, this blog is for you.

Numerous studies have found that the typical cost of developing a mobile app is between $100,000 and $500,000, perhaps even more. The cost of a completely customized app can be over $500,000. Moreover, according to a VDC survey of enterprise app developers, the average cost of developing a mobile app is $140,000.

However, we can’t tell the exact custom web app development cost, as various factors affect the cost of app development. This article will cover all the factors affecting the custom web application development cost the average cost of app development, and how to control costs effectively to prevent unplanned expenses in the future.

Before diving deep into custom web app development costs, let’s first put some light on customized digital solutions.

What is Custom Web Application Development?

Customized solutions or applications are developed to achieve particular purposes. The features and functionalities added to these applications are based on specific user requirements. Creating custom web apps is called custom web application development. For example, developing a web portal for your company, membership subscription forums, etc.

Cost-effectiveness, uniqueness, improved functionality, and scalability are some of the top benefits of Custom app development. With the help of a leading custom web application development company, you can build highly customized digital solutions which have the potential to skyrocket your business.

Read our comprehensive guide on custom web app development to get in-depth knowledge.

Factors Affecting the Custom Web App Development Cost

The custom web app development cost is entirely dependent on your app requirements. The process of developing a great idea into a practical application can be done in various ways. A few elements that affect an application’s cost are its interface and function, UX design, functionality, complexity, data migration needs, etc. Let’s cover some major factors affecting the development cost.

• Complexity

The complexity of an app is affected by the number of features you want, the tech stack selected for app development, the number of screens, the level of customization, etc. Because designers have more work to do when there are more features and screens, as a result of which cost rises. Hence, consider your design’s complexity, use of animation, 3D, etc.

Simple apps require less time to develop and are less expensive. However, the app complexity will grow if you wish to incorporate more sophisticated mobile app features. The degree of complexity must be kept in mind since if your software has too many features, your budget may soon go overboard. So, to determine the app’s complexity ask yourself these questions:

• How many functions will your app have, exactly?
•  Is the business logic of the application complicated?
• How many displays, switches, and other features will it have?

• Features & Functionality

The most significant driving factors in custom web app development cost are features and overall functionality. The typical price for designing an application will vary depending on the features, but if your budget is tight, it won’t matter much. You must put the most critical elements first if you do not have a substantial budget for your app. There are some features you must have, though, in order for the application to work properly.

The crucial app features like push notifications, payment gateway, maps, navigation, in-app purchase, etc., increase app functionality and the cost of custom web application development. Let’s check out the below table; we have covered the cost of some of the basic features of an application.

• Team Location

The custom web app development cost is significantly influenced by the location of the custom web application development company. Depending on where they are located, you may pay a dedicated software development team between $15 and $250 per hour.

The United States, Australia, the United Kingdom, South America, India, Ukraine, and Indonesia are a few of the top locations for mobile app development. At these places, the costs associated with developing mobile applications vary substantially.

Asian nations like India, Pakistan, and Indonesia have a lower rate of app creation than nations like Australia, the United Kingdom, or South America. Thus, outsourcing developers from countries like India will reduce the cost of app development by half.

Here is what we discovered after researching average prices for development services in several nations:

• Platform Selected

The platform (iOS or Android) you choose also affects the custom web app development cost. Although the time taken to complete the app for both these platforms is almost the same, but the price for developing apps for iOS and Android is different. Because both have other SDKs, uses different programming language, and utilizes different development tools,

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If your budget is less, you can create an app for one platform, then subsequently construct it for another, using a stair-step strategy. For instance, Instagram was first made available to iOS users in 2010 and then to Android users in 2014.

The other best option is to use a cross-platform app development framework like Flutter. You can develop an app for both platforms with a single code base using Flutter. In this way, you can reduce the app development time and cost.

• Type of App

Mobile apps can be divided into three categories: Native, Web, and Hybrid. Based on its requirements, business logic, and functionality, each sort of app is distinct.

1. Native apps

They are created in a language specific to the operating system of the target device, such as Java or Kotlin for Android and Objective C or Swift for iOS.

2. Web apps

They are websites that have been optimized for mobile devices and use responsive design to provide a smooth user experience on devices with different screen sizes, such as tablets and smartphones.

3. Hybrid apps

They are best suited to meet the needs of a broad audience because they are created utilizing a combination of online and native technology.
Let’s see how much each type of app costs.

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• Team Size

Your project’s scope will determine the size of your dedicated development teams. You may require more expertise on your team as the complexity of the solution you wish to build increases.

You’ll need a project manager, a software designer, one or more developers, and a test engineer if you’re only building a website to promote your business. But if you want to create a fully functional online marketplace platform, you’ll need to increase the team’s developer count and add a business analyst.

A standard development team includes several critical roles:

• Project manager
• Business analyst
• Software designer
• Software engineer
• QA engineer

• Development Approach

The development approach greatly influences a mobile app, which isan essential factor impacting the custom web app development cost. Therefore, you must keep the development method in mind when developing a mobile app.

You can use the following development approach to create a mobile application.

Cost Breakdown of Custom Web App development cost for each Development Phase

Although the process of app development sometimes differs from project to project. But most of the time, six essential phases make up an effective app development process. The stages are the same regardless of the size and scope of the mobile app project:

• Business Analysis

Your app development idea must be run through deep competitors and market analysis. Going this way, you will end up adding only the required features and functionality in your app based on current user needs and what is trending.

Typically, the business analysis step would take 2-3 weeks and cost between $1,000 and $8,000.

• UI/UX design

As we all know, the first impression is the last impression! You need a perfect UI/UX design for your app to make an outstanding first impression. Users should enjoy the design, which will pique their interest. Obtaining a clickable prototype after your app’s requirements specs are in place is also a great idea.

You can create your click-through prototype using resources like Proto.io, Marvel, InVision, etc. These prototyping tools fit into your team’s workflow and are based on a subscription model.

On average, the UI/UX design costs of a custom web application development company range from $2,000 to $10,000.

• Development

More than any other stage of developing a custom web app, programming and coding have higher costs. The coding team typically consists of two or three individuals.

The average cost for developing the app’s architecture and functionality ranges from $1,000 to $50,000.

• Project management

Project management is a crucial stage in the development of apps. If you take a closer look, a project manager oversees the entire development process. Up to 10% to 15% of the total app budget is spent on the manager’s efforts.

The cost of this stage ranges from $900 to $10,000.

• Testing & Deployment

Testing is essential in custom web application development as it ensures your digital product’s quality. After developing your software, you must test it once more to see if it is ready to be released. A thorough testing phase makes sure that your users experience the fewest errors or malfunctions.

Typically, the app deployment and testing phase costs around $4,000

• Support & Maintenance

Releasing an app on the App Store or Google Play store doesn’t mean your expenses are over.

The maintenance costs for your mobile application must also be included in the overall development cost. Even if you don’t need to add new features to your app, you still need to have a maintenance plan and budget to keep your app up to date. Mobile app maintenance mainly includes fixing bugs, code optimization, improving app stabilities, etc.

Based on the experience of our dedicated software development team, the app maintenance cost is typically 10-20% of the overall development cost.

Tips to Reduce the Custom Web App Development Cost

We have covered some useful tips which will help you to keep the development cost of your custom web app under budget.

• Proper Communication

Use agile methodology to ensure continuous and smooth communication among team members.

• Testing

Testing is one of the crucial but challenging steps that need to be completed by a distinct group of QA experts. Ensure they attend daily team meetings and stay on the same page as everyone else.

• User Feedback

Customer feedback will help you evaluate whether your application is user-friendly. You will get an unbiased assessment of your product with continuous feedback, which will help you in improving.

• Flexibility

Software development must leave some scope for future changes or updates in this dynamic world with ever-changing user needs. Flexibility is needed, especially in today’s turbulent IT market.

Conclusion

Customized apps require extensive development. And you should be aware that developing an excellent mobile application requires particular knowledge and experience. You need to hire dedicated developers to turn your ideas into digital reality.

eLuminous Technologies has 20 years of experience delivering highly customized and user-friendly digital solutions. With our cutting-edge web and mobile app solutions, we have assisted numerous organizations, from startups to Fortune 500, expand their operations.