In the ever-evolving digital landscape, having an Android app for your business could be beneficial. For this reason, determining the factors impacting the Android app development cost becomes crucial.
Updated 26 July 2024
Global Delivery Head at Appventurez
As a business owner, investing in Android app development is a profitable step to enhance your digital presence. However, before initiating a project, your first and foremost query might revolve around the cost to develop an Android app.
Providing an exact value is challenging, considering every app has unique features and functionalities affecting the overall expenses. However, as a professional Android app development company, we have included the notable factors that profoundly impact the cost of developing an Android app.
This blog will discuss prominent pointers that help you build a robust Android app without overrunning your budget. After going through this informational piece, you will understand:
But first things first — let’s understand why businesses prefer investing in Android app development.
Android applications hold a separate popularity base in the realm of mobile app development. With over 3.55 million apps already available in the Google Play Store, it becomes quite obvious why businesses prefer investing in Android app development.
There were over 2.5 billion active Android app users in 2023. This figure is expected to boost in the coming years, considering more than 3.7K apps are added every day to the Google Play Store.
Moreover, users are expected to download 143 billion applications from the Google Play Store by 2026. This means if your app performs well and is integrated with great functionalities, it will ultimately garner a greater ROI. However, solutions catering to a diverse user base might incur more cost of app development.
You might be aware that Android is more cost-effective than iOS. Consequently, the cost to build Android apps is inexpensive since they just require a one-time $25 registration charge. Developers can easily create and test the software on their own devices after registering, which reduces overhead expenses. When it comes to the App Store, this price is roughly $99 a year.
Furthermore, Android is an open-source operating system offering robust Android app development frameworks. Using the integrated software development kit, Android app developers need not worry about licensing fees or royalties.
The Android platform enables internal app integration along with efficient customization that fulfills the needs of the business by offering the right tools. Because these apps are simple to link with third-party APIs, less time is needed for development.
Android applications work with a wide range of devices. This is another advantage of developing an Android app for your business. One of the major reasons for this is the Android development cost, which is relatively lower than other operating systems.
Also, since Android dominates the market, a significant number of consumer electronic manufacturers, such as Samsung, OnePlus, Motorola, Google, etc. create products based on the Android operating system.
Android applications may be customized to a great extent since the guidelines offered by Play Store allow for a lot of creative freedom. The adaptive applications may be used both as a standalone tool for process simplification and as an add-on to existing systems to improve capabilities.
High scalability is another feature that Android offers, which is essential for any startup or even a well-established company.
Evaluating the mobile app development cost lies in calculating the number of hours it would take for every single stage of the development process. The total is then multiplied by the chargeable hours of resources.
The below illustration comprehensively describes the process:
As per expert opinions, thinking of Android app development costs in terms of complexity is the most effective method to discuss them. Our categorization is as follows:
For an Android application with basic features, the cost of app development can range anywhere from $25,000 to $50,000. By “basic app”, we mean an application:
For a medium-complex Android application, the cost of app development can range anywhere from $50,000 to $100,000. By “medium-complex app”, we mean an application:
For a highly complex application, the Android app development cost will be over $100,000. By “highly complex app”, we mean an application:
You may use this preliminary estimate as a jumping-off point to determining the average Android application development cost.
Well, to be honest, no specific figure can represent the exact cost of app development over Android. However, getting a rough idea of how long it takes to develop an Android app can surely highlight the estimated app development prices.
Several factors impact the overall Android app development cost. These expenses may vary as per the needs, features, and functionalities of the app. Also, these factors vary from app to app.
No doubt, different teams have different skill sets. Even if you have a team of skilled developers, designers, and testers, there might come situations when you need to outsource app development. Hence, in such a case, the type of support will ultimately determine the Android app development cost.
For instance, imagine your in-house development team has designed the app but they also require some engineering support from outside. In such a scenario, outsourcing an app development project becomes a priority. Therefore, the type of work you are planning to outsource will play a key role in deciding the Android app development price.
The backend is the powerhouse of the application and every app project requires elements of engineering work that will help the app to communicate with the backend.
Various variables like API development are involved in the backend process. Their integrations play a major role in deciding on Android app development costs. One of the mistakes that are often made by app developers is designing both APIs and apps at the same time, directly impacting the Android app developer costs.
Several Android apps carry a series of different features that come from different sources. To integrate the app with specific features, sometimes, specific third-party integrations are needed.
If the app requirement consists of a particular UI design, social media analytics, location accessibility, etc, the Android mobile app development cost will increase automatically.
Who doesn’t like interactive animations and graphics?
Well, to offer the best-in-class experience while letting users stick to the app, building UI animations is the ultimate solution. These interactive animations can significantly increase engagement but they can impact the overall Android app development cost, as well.
Also, the incorporated graphics and animations will directly impact the UI/UX of the app. Due to this, the design cost might be affected, exerting an influence on the overall cost of app development.
The role of an Android app development company does not end with the release of the application. Even after the launch, it is required to be maintained along with constant updates and frequent feeds. This post-launch app maintenance cost can also trigger the overall Android app-building expenses.
Apart from this, fixing specific bugs and errors in the app needs expert consultation. Hence, app maintenance and support play a crucial role in impacting the final Android app development price.
If there are factors that can increase the Android app-building expenses, there are also some strategies to lower the cost to create apps.
When it comes to launching your Android app development process, planning is essential. To attain this, you must create a product requirement document (PRD), detailing the features of your app and the anticipated tech stack you will need to build your Android app.
For this, you should include the company’s objectives, features to be included, formulated strategies that will be used to create the app, projected costs, and platform needed.
Discuss the features you need on priority in your app before constructing your Android app. Make sure you first pick only those that are essential and sensible for your application.
Run a prototype with those features and gather user feedback to make improvements to your app. Once you are done with the improvements, continue building your Android app with the best Android app development tools.
Another way to reduce your Android app development cost is by leveraging MVP development services to build a minimum viable product. But, how?
Well, first of all, the cost of building an MVP is relatively lower and affordable, especially for startups. All you need is a proficient app development company with expertise in building an MVP for startups.
Secondly, with fewer features, both regular users and app developers can test it early on in the app development process, saving time, money, and effort of the resources. Also, if any problem persists, it can be fixed right away.
Last but not least, you can significantly lower your overall Android app development cost by choosing an Android application development partner that best suits your ideas and budget. In order to obtain the maximum return on your investment, finalize an app development company that aligns with your business goals and expectations.
Appventurez is a well-established and reliable mobile app development company that guarantees scalability with expertise in everything related to Android application development. Our Android app development services range from app development consultation to UI/UX design, software testing, and multi-platform deployment.
Once our client approves a rough estimate, we draft a detailed Android app development cost breakdown structure, stating the scope of work requirements and other project-related documentation.
Besides, exemplary Android app development services, we are also well-versed in cross-platform app development, software development services, and mobile app testing. In a nutshell, you get a robust solution, as per your requirements, and within your budget.
Q. What is the average cost of app development?
The average cost of mobile app development can vary anywhere between $10,000 to $500,000 based on the complexity of the app. The overall expenses can also be affected by your unique requirements and the quotation provided by the app development firm.
Q. How much does it cost to launch an Android app?
The cost of launching an Android app will depend on its intricate design and user engagement levels, such as button placement, color pattern, etc.
Q. How to estimate the development cost of an Android app?
There is a simple formula that is used to calculate the average Android app development cost — hours spent in development multiplied by the billable hours of resources spent.
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Global Delivery Head at Appventurez
Ashish governs the process of software delivery operations. He ensures the end product attains the highest remarks in qualitative analysis and is streamlined to the clientele’s objectives. He has over a decade of experience as an iOS developer and teams mentorship.
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