You know you need an app, you have an idea of what it will look like… but you can’t seem to get a definitive answer surrounding how much the build will cost.
Fortunately, there are some app development cost calculators on the market to get you closer to that magic number, but you want to assign value to the right areas and ensure that your budget includes the unique selling points that are going to give your app its edge.
Today we are going to look at how much it costs to develop an app in Australia, and what those considerations are that you want to include in the scope of the work.
The platform of your app
All apps are not made equal, and so you will want to have a think about where you wish your app to be found and used by your intended audience. This decision will also impact the cost of your app development.
A web-based app is a more affordable build than an iOS or Android app, although if you choose to use a cross-platform framework like React Native you can bring your app to iOS and Android for greater value. Understand what your needs are and speak with your developers so you can choose the best platform for the right cost.
Scope of the project
Now that you know which platform you are going to use and what that will cost, you can start to define the scope of your project and understand the next cost framework. App developers will categorise a project scope into one of three projects: proof-of-concept, minimum viable project and fully-featured app.
The scopes increase in cost from former to latter, with the fully-featured app exactly what you imagined and ready to launch. The project scope you choose will really depend on where you are in your app journey – are you testing the waters, or have you done your user testing and you’re ready to put those insights to work?
Type of app and features
The type of app you require is going to also inform the cost, and it will typically signal what sort of features you are going to need. The more features you require in your app, the more expensive the development will be, and some features are going to cost more than others.
Haven’t been able to put a label on the type of app you are hoping to develop? Some common app types are online stores, 2D or 3D game, dating apps, social network, fitness tracker, meditation and so many more.
Existing branding
If your app is going to come with an existing brand presence, you are really going to save some money. Don’t underestimate the time and cost that is investing in building an identity, logo, colour palette, font and all those attributes that help with recognition.
If you have this in place you can literally hand it over to the developer to apply that brand guide to your app build. If you don’t have these assets already and have planned to build them into the overall cost, feel confident with the fact that app development agencies have designers, copywriters and the right creatives working on your brand.
Technical considerations
Another consideration that will impact the development and cost of your app is the technical features. For example, does your app offer two functions like Uber services patrons and drivers?
You also want to note which other parts of the phone or computer will be deployed for the app to work – camera, location settings, pedometer, connection to inbuilt payment options and features such as this.
Using the app development cost calculated will really shed light on the overall cost of the app, but the above inclusions are going to be where the spend is allocated so get very clear on what your priorities are for the app.
