As you are reading this article, it implies that you want to enquire about the cost of software development. Cost is very crucial to anyone who is wishing to develop something digital. However, determining the cost of developing software is not an easy task. Uncover the challenges associated with estimating software development costs in this insightful article.
With this article, we have tried to give you a comprehensive pricing structure of software development and what are the key factors which influence the cost of it.
Software Development Cost
In today’s era, web applications and mobile applications are the most demanded software across the world. Hence, we are focusing on these two software. Now these applications can be further divided into 3 different categories:
Basic Web Applications
For creating a web application it may take 500-700 hrs. The development is quite fast however the features and functionalities are quite simple.
Medium Complex Applications
To develop these applications it will take nearly 700-1200 hours. These applications have more complicated features.
Complex Applications
It can take more than 1200 hours for developing highly complex applications. These are time-consuming to develop as they have complex architecture, more secure, multiple integrations, etc.
The categories we have mentioned are quite subjective. So we have also categorized them on the industry basis for a better understanding. The prices are based on the south-east Asian countries rates (India) – $25 per hour.
| Application Type | Platform | Time Estimation | Cost Estimation |
| Basic Marketplace Application | Web | 1070 hours | $26,750 |
| | Android | 840 hours | $21,000 |
| | iOS | 830 hours | $20,750 |
| E-commerce application | Web | 700 hours | $17,500 |
| PWA like Uber | Web | 1080 hours | $27,000 |
| Streaming App Like Deezer | Web | 930 hours | $23,250 |
| | Android | 830 hours | $20,750 |
| | iOS | 820 hours | $20,500 |
| Booking App Like Airbnb | Web | 1300 hours | $32,500 |
| | Android | 930 hours | $23,250 |
| | iOS | 920 hours | $23,000 |
If you want to have a proper quote for your requirements, you can share the requirements with our team. They will review and give a proper consultation for it.
What our team generally ask?
Concept or idea: If you want to develop an app like Airbnb then explain your idea to our technical team and they will develop an app like Airbnb for you.
List of Features: For developing software it is important to jot down the important features that you want to implement in the app. More complex features will increase the cost.
Wireframes: If you provide a vision of design then the developer can understand your need in a better manner.
References: It would be great if you can provide a reference for your competitors’ websites or apps.
Specification: If you need any custom specifications.
Factors affecting the Software Development Cost
As we mentioned, there are numerous factors that can affect the cost of Software development such as the number of platforms, architecture complexity, animations, design, etc. We will discuss each of these factors in more detail.
There are 3 main modern platforms for which you need to develop an application. Do you want to develop an application for iOS or Android or both? Or you just need a web application? There are some important points that you need to consider.
If you wish to create an iOS application then you can’t convert it to an Android app and vice versa. The reason is that these apps require different languages and platforms to develop. They have different SDKs and development tools. Hence, you should have enough budget to develop an application for multiple platforms.
UI and UX Design
People use what they seem attractive to them. Hence, an attractive user interface is a key factor for developing an application. Apart from an attractive interface, you also need to provide a rich user experience to the users. Design development is also a time-consuming task in both iOS and Android app development.
Development
This is the most important thing about any type of software or app. Firstly there are types of development, frontend development, and backend development. In frontend development, the visible part of your app would be developed while the backend is like an engine for your application. For example, when a user clicks the registration button, the app first connects to the server to check the data and then returns a value to the user (e.g. wrong credentials, a user already exists, registration successful). That’s where back-end starts to work.
It is considered that iOS app development takes 20% – 30% less time in comparison to Android because of the devices are android based hence it is necessary for apps to support with a lot of versions of OS.
Testing
No developer in this world can make a program without producing an error in the first attempt. This is the reason why Quality analysis and testing play a huge role in software development. QA or testing cost also depends upon the complexity and size of your project.
Other Crucial Factors which affect the cost
Apart from the technical factors, there are some locations and experience-based factors on which the cost of your software development may depend. Let’s discuss these points too.
Software Development Experience
In most of the companies, the developers are divided into 3 different categories on the basis of their experience, knowledge, and skills. These are junior developers, senior developers, a
Junior Developers
These developers are a novice and have just begun to work in the development industry. During development, they may require the support of senior developers and can perform only simple tasks. They are limited to one or two programming languages or frameworks. Their efficiency is a bit lower. If you don’t have a time constraint project and have a limited budget then you may choose these developers.
Experience: 0-1 year
Senior Developers
When the junior developers get an experience of more than 2 years they get more knowledge. They can work on a project independently and can deal with complex technical problems.
Experience: 2-5 years
Experts
As the name suggests, these are the most efficient programmers of their niche and have experience in almost each and every aspect of the technology they work in. They also require less time in comparison to other developers for developing a project.
Experience: 5+ years
The hourly rates of developers depend upon their experience. More experience increases the cost but also give you more efficiency. A junior developer can’t deal with complex tasks while an expert or senior developers can. So, it depends on your project requirements to identify which type of developers you may require.
Read more: How to set up your iOS App for the App Store: The Complete Guide
Hiring Option
There are many different opportunities offered by companies like Amplework for hiring a good software developer. Some of the popular options are freelance developers, in-house teams, and outsourcing development companies. There are many different benefits of each of these hiring options.
Freelancers
There are many different platforms where you can find freelancers for your software development project. This is the cheapest option as you have to pay directly to the developer and no intermediaries are involved. However, it is not the most trustworthy option. You can’t control the freelancer work and no one is guaranteeing you that the project would be done within deadlines. You can’t do anything if you are not satisfied with the delivered work.
Popular freelancer hiring platforms:
- Upwork
- People Per Hour
- Freelancer
In-house software developers
In this approach, the developers build the project in your office, so you have complete control over the work. You can contact the developers at any time, and thus there is no communication gap and the possible bugs will be solved faster. However, hiring in-house developers is always time-consuming and requires considerable investments in salaries, taxes, hardware, and software.
Popular platforms for hiring In-house software developers:
Outsourced Software Developers:
There are many benefits to hiring outsourcing companies for developing software. You can find many different companies that provide the service of mobile apps development or website development. You can also choose any software development company as per your suitability and cost. The only drawback you may face is time zone difference but now many companies are even providing the services as per client time zone.
Popular platforms for finding outsourced developer companies:
Both in-house developers and outsource software developers are the best options for software development because you have control over the work.
Location of developers
This is another most important factor which can impact the cost of development by a great factor. You can find the most expensive developers in USA or Australia. While countries in south-east Asia especially India provide the same level of services at much less cost with better client services.
Here are the detailed costs for developers as per their locations:
| Region | Junior Developer | Senior Developer | Expert |
| North America | $95-100 | $120–$130 | $130-$150 |
| South America | $25-35 | $35-45 | $35-50 |
| Western Europe | $35-45 | $45-55 | $50-65 |
| Easter Europe | $25-35 | $30-40 | $40-50 |
| Asia | $10-$15 | $15-25 | $20-30 |
How we will give you a cost estimation for your requirements?
There are two different approaches to give you the estimation of your requirements.
Rough Estimation
If you just require a rough estimation of your idea or requirements, then you can share some basic information about the project idea for e.g. I want to develop an app like Swiggy. We will tell you the cost of developing an MVP. We will also give you an estimated cost with an accuracy of ± 25%.
Detailed Estimation
If you are highly serious about your idea then you should definitely consult for a detailed estimation. Our senior business analyst will consult with you to get all your requirements. We will give you estimation after checking all possibilities by the developers.
Read more: Significance of Home Inspection Software Development: The Complete Guide
Why choose us?
We at Amplework Software, one of the best mobile application development companies in India is having expertise in almost every type of app development on both iOS and Android platforms. Let us know your requirements in detail, and we will give you proper estimation.
