How Much Does It Cost To Create An App In 2023

When it comes to developing an app, a question that arises in the mind of users is how much it costs to create an app in 2023. But there isn’t a right answer to this. It all depends on various factors that affect the mobile app development cost.   

In this blog, we will highlight the importance of app development through numbers, top apps, factors that affect the cost of developing mobile apps, and a step-by-step guide for you to estimate how much does it cost to create an app.     

So, tighten your seatbelts and get ready for this ultimate guide ……

App Development Market And Growth Stats

There are around 6.6 billion smartphone users worldwide in 2022, and this is expected to increase by 7.8 billion in 2028. As you can see from the figures, the demand for smartphone users is skyrocketing steadily. Mobile phones are treated as rocket science in today’s age.  

Not only that, but an average American also checks their phone 233 times a day. That’s once every 4 minutes.   

Many apps have been developed at an increasing rate, but if not, a single user downloads it, then it’s not worth it, and your business will likely fail in the future.   

As mobile apps grow exponentially, developers have been making money with in-app purchases and app downloads. Moreover, Research studies from app sales statistics highlight that it is estimated that mobile apps could generate $935 billion in revenue by 2023.   

Research studies suggest there are approximately 3 billion smartphone users. This number will skyrocket in the coming years, which in turn increases the demand for developing mobile apps that can make users rock the floor.   

You have probably heard the phrase – There is an app for everything. It’s true. According to Statista, the google play store powers around 3.5 million mobile apps globally, whereas the app store powers 2.2 million.  

With the increasing number of apps being produced daily, the revenue from mobile apps across various segments is expected to reach 613 billion US dollars by 2025.   

Investing in mobile app development generates good returns in the long term. So, why not think of creating a mobile app now? 

6 Factors That Define The Cost To Develop An App

App Platform

Before developing an app, you should be clear about the platform you would like to choose. It all depends on the target audience, and then you can develop an Android app, an IOS app, or a cross-platform app.   

Mobile app developers can develop an app for 2 platforms – Android and IOS. The development costs for developing a mobile app vary. Generally, the difference in the development cost depends on the type of programming languages chosen for creating mobile apps.   

To develop an Android app, you need to hire developers proficient in Java or Kotlin programming language. On the contrary, developing an IOS app would require developers with Swift or Objective C expertise.   

Considering the cost of hiring developers, IOS developers develop apps at a higher price than Android developers.   

You need to decide whether you want a native app that works locally and has inbuilt features and platform support or need a cross-platform app that works across multiple platforms using a single codebase.   

By performance, Native apps deliver an interactive experience to the customers, and these apps cost more than hybrid apps. If user experience and performance are customers’ concerns, then developing a native app would be a profitable option for developers.   

If you have a tight budget, you can focus on creating an app for one platform. Suppose you want to cover your target audiences that are using both IOS and Android. In that case, it’s preferable for you to develop an application for IOS and Android platforms, which also increases the development cost.   

Additionally, the cost to create an app depends on various factors, such as programming languages, tools, and resources needed for the platform.   

App platform	The average cost of creating an app
Android and IOS apps	$50,000 -$1,00,000
Hybrid apps	$10,000 -$1,00,000
Cross-platform apps	$25,000 -$60,000

App Features And Functionality   

An increasing number of app features and functionalities affect the cost of developing apps. Additionally, The cost of developing mobile apps increases with the number of new features.   

When you are developing an app for the first time, it’s better to concentrate on creating the basic features of an app. Instead, develop an MVP that acts like a functional app. MVP allows you to test the app against real users, get feedback and improve the product.   

Let’s talk about the cost of developing an app based on features it has –  

If the app developer wants to create a “User Login” feature allowing users to log in through social media, and log in through email address, then the cost of developing a mobile app would range between $500 -$1000  

If the app developer wants to create a profile completion feature that allows the users to add basic information, the average cost of developing a mobile app would be around $900 -$1000.  

The average cost to create a messaging feature of an app would be $3000 -$5000.  

App Features	The average cost of creating an app
User Login	$500 -$1000
Profile Completion	$900 -$1000
Messaging Feature	$3000 -$5000

App Design And Animation 

Providing a good UI/UX design to customers increases the business’s conversion rate. In addition, App design and animation affect the cost of developing an app. The cost will be lower if the app does not require complex functionalities or advanced features.   

2 options are available to the developer when developing an app – Standard UI and Custom UI.   

Creating a customized user interface is difficult to design and costs more than creating a standard UI. Customized UI includes more animations and an interactive user interface that enhances customers’ experience.   

For example – Developing a gaming app costs more than creating a basic app because gaming apps contain more animated features to provide a seamless user experience. Hence, the addition of every single feature increases the cost of development.  

App design and animations	The average cost of creating an app
UX design	$2000- $8000
UI design	$10,000 -$40,000
Animations	$1,000 -$20,000

App Category   

The cost of developing a mobile app differs from one app category to another. Shifting from one app category to another app category might increase or decrease the cost of app development, such as how many users there are, the type of functionalities, and other security features.   

Let’s understand this with an example.   

The cost of developing e-commerce apps such as Amazon is expensive because these applications are loaded with tons of features, advanced functionalities, robust security, complex design, and loads of userbase to deal with.   

Similar is the case with developing a social media app. These apps require tons of features and other functionalities, supporting millions of users at the same time, which in turn increases the cost of development.    

Here’s the breakdown of cost depending on each app category –  

App Category	The average cost of creating an app
Social media app	$50,000 -$3,00,000
E-commerce app	$50,000 -$1,00,000
Dating app	$60,000 -$2,50,000

Security Cost of Applications

Implementing security measures in an app cannot be compromised as any security breaches could affect the business’s reputation.

Business owners are interested in protecting their customers’ data as it comprises sensitive information. Furthermore, Your customers would not like to use an app that someone could easily hack.

The security of an app affects the cost of developing the app. If an app requires the implementation of security measures such as encryption, 2-factor authentication, etc., then the cost of development increases.

App Maintenance

Businesses must update their app to the latest Android and IOS versions. When it comes to developing an app, expenses would never stop, and maintenance of an app is something that can’t be ignored.

Mobile apps require regular maintenance as and when there are app updates. Additionally, app developers need to provide technical assistance regularly for the smooth functioning of the application.

Research studies suggest the cost of maintaining an app covers 50% of the initial app development cost after the app is launched. So, huge expenses are incurred in maintaining an app.

End Notes ….

So, you get a real sense of various factors that affect the cost of developing apps. Next time, when creating an app for your project, you won’t face any issues regarding “how much does it costs to create an app.”   

Developing an app that runs smoothly and supports loads of users often takes considerable time and effort, but with the help of the right app development company, you can get it done.   

Need help in creating an app for your project? Head to our website or leave your queries by filling in the contact us form.

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