How to Build an App on a Budget

Always a few questions disturb when comes to developing an application. i.e cost of the app and how to reduce that. From this article, you can reduce costs by up to 40-50%. So, not waste your valuable time and let's dive into in.

Sanjay Shah
Created by Sanjay Shah (User Generated Content*)User Generated Content is not posted by anyone affiliated with, or on behalf of, Playbuzz.com.
On Oct 28, 2019
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No one internet sources provide you exact answer of how much does it cost to make an app because there is not any fixed price for building a mobile app i.e It depends on your expectation, features you want, complexity of your app has and much more.

Think about this way. You buy any product OR services. Let's say you have bought a Thermos, You have bought a glass, You have bought cans, You have bought Paper cup. Each has the same functionality i.e store water OR liquid even though prices of each are different. Same applicable over here.

Today mobile application becomes the most important part of a business because people nearly 4 hours spent on mobile to browse the internet and all other stuff. In this digital world your customer expecting your solution to be digital as well. Not only this but also when new technology roll-out in the world that also expect from your application. To lacking into this in direct proportion to lose of the customer.

One of the toughest things which trouble to most of the business person to get nearly amount of developing an application. As none of the internet sources provides you with near quotes of costing as well. But recently I have gone through one article i.e how much does it cost to make an app from where you can get all answer to your questions within one single spot.

Cost of a mobile application depends on various factor like,

  • A platform where your app builds on.
  • What type of application do you want to build?
  • What specific feature do you need?
  • Which level of design you are expected.
  • Which third-party API do you want to integrate?
  • And much more.


But the question is still as same how to reduce the cost of app development and build an app on a budget.

Here are a steps you will consider to reduce the cost of developing an app.

1- Commit to Business Model

Do you know major business faces a high cost of development due to constantly changing their business model? Business Model means how you can execute your ideas. Try to do proper market research, update your self with latest trends and make a dead-end business model which don't need updates until your 2X revenue.

If you can make your business model ready than it will reduce cost by 5%. Because in the design and development part you don't need any revision which indirectly leads to a cost of reduction.

From now, You have saved 5% of the cost

2- MVP is best to start with.

MVP stands for Minimum Viable Product. Means you have start with minimum OR high-level functionality what your customer need to use your business. As we have discussed that features and functionality both can increase the cost of application.

If you can start with all feature and functionality which might not be needed as the starting phase of your business, though it will increase the cost. Because it is not about features, there are much more post-procedure even after it. I.e design and development. Through all feature, you can increase the time of design and development which indirectly affects in cost of a mobile application.

It is better to start with the minimum and must-have functionality first and after getting a good response from a customer you can integrate extra functionality with it. If you apply this step to your business than it will reduce cost around 20%.

From now, You at least saved the cost of developing an application by 20%

3- Choose the Right Platform

Changes in the platform lead to a high amount of cost. As a single iOS application cost to develop start with 8000$. Now think if you don't select the right platform than what is result in cost. For that, you have to ask below question for choosing the right platform. 

  1. Where your customer more engage? - Android OR iOS
  2. Do you need a mobile application?
  3. Do you need web application?


Selecting your platform before development can reduce the cost of 10%

4- Choose a Cross-Platform

If you have not more focusing on performance than a select cross-platform for developing an app rather than a native approach. Cross-platform means write codes once which execute in many platforms. But keep in mind through this you have to slightly sacrifice in performance side. For starting phase of business OR for AB Testing your business ideas this is the best choice to start with.

If you select a cross-platform for developing application than it will reduce cost around 40%

5- Finalize Your Requirements

Now you have selected a business model and platform. But before going ahead you should finalize one more time your every requirement i.e your business model, features and functionality what do you need. I have seen in my experience that many people facing the issue of high cost due to a change in functionality in the middle of development. This is obvious because when change functionality it will indirectly affect to design and testing as well. So be finalize your every requirement and verify multiple time.

From this, you can reduce cost by 10%

6- Choose the Right Team

You have multiple options available i.e Freelancer, In-house team, Outsourcing. Each has its drawback and advantages. Select as per your convenient and check what the costing of your selection.

In-House team - If you have a high budget and don't want to let your development outside than higher all team you required to make your application. In one word you have to set up a whole infrastructure for your application needs. This blog is to reduce the cost of app development i.e for the cost this option we don't recommend to use.

Outsource- Means you can hire company OR agency who cares about everything from design, development, testing, deployment to maintenance. I.e in this you don't have to set up infrastructure on your own. You have to pay money and that it is. This is an option we have recommended to you.

Freelancer- This is best if you have very less budget. But many businesses found many cons in this option rather than outsourcing. One of the biggest issues is in development phase freelancer drop projects and business owner have to find a new freelancer who starts on the on-going project. 

It is up to you to which select but we recommended to go with outsourcing because from this you can at least save 10% of your overall cost.

Summing It up

Cost to make an app depends on various factor but if you consider 3 to 4 which mentioned above it then it will reduce your expense by 40 to 50%. Determine which option is best suitable to you and cross verify it many times. Because when you go backwards in anything OR anyplace than it will directly affect your cost and indirectly affect to time of development. 

Bonus

Don't forget to an analysis of on-going cost i.e Post-release cost. Try to ask a question to your development team about CDN cost, Maintenance cost, Third-party subscription cost, Hosting annually cost and another necessary ongoing cost. 

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