Having a mobile app has become necessary for businesses if they want to attract more customers and gain an edge over their competitors. However, like any investment, the cost to develop an Android app can vary depending on multiple factors. In some cases, these costs can even exceed thousands of dollars.
One critical decision is choosing the right platform. While Android users outnumber iOS users, the cost of developing an app for Android is often higher than that of an iOS app. This is due to Android’s diverse device ecosystem, which requires extensive testing and optimization. In this blog post, we’ll explore the cost for Android app development, covering key factors such as design, backend infrastructure, and security. We’ll also break down custom Android app development costs and the Android app developer cost, helping you make an informed decision.
5 Important Factors Affecting Android App Development Cost
1. Complex Apps Will Cost More Than Basic Apps
The costs of apps are not equal. Sometimes, apps within the same industry have different costs. One reason for this is that some apps are more complex to build than others. Consequently, they require more effort, time, and resources to develop. Therefore, the cost of such apps is higher than those that require fewer resources.
What makes an app complex?
Level of Features and Functionality: If an app includes more advanced features than others, it will likely cost more. In other words, the cost tends to increase in direct proportion to the complexity of the features.
Integration: Integrating an app with other services, platforms, or APIs not only enhances its functionality but also increases its cost.
Security Requirements: Android app development costs will rise if you implement robust security measures.
Below is a breakdown of the cost of developing an Android app, categorized according to the complexity of your application:
Basic Android App: The cost of a basic Android app is $15,000-$25,000.
Medium Complex Android App: The cost of a medium complex Android app is $30,000-$45,000
Complex Android App: The cost of a complex Android app is $50,000-$70,000.
2. Different types of Android apps incur varying costs
Just as we discussed above, even apps within the same category can have different pricing. So, it’s no surprise that apps across different categories also vary in cost.
For example, the cost to develop an Android app for e-commerce is generally higher than that of a fitness app. This is because e-commerce apps require additional features like payment gateways, inventory management, and customer support chatbots.
In summary, the cost of developing an app for Android depends on the app’s category, target audience, security measures, and unique functionalities. Whether you’re considering a simple app or a complex platform, understanding these factors will help estimate the custom Android app development cost and the Android app developer cost effectively.
M-Commerce Apps: These apps tend to be the most expensive because they are equipped with a plethora of additional features compared to other apps. Augmented reality (AR) product visualization, real-time order tracking, and personalized recommendations contribute to the higher cost of building M-Commerce Apps. The average cost of an M-commerce app is $50,000-$60,000.
On-demand apps: The cost of Android On-demand apps is comparatively lower than M-commerce apps. However, it can increase if you enhance its feature set by integrating numerous additional features. On-demand apps typically have separate versions tailored for users, businesses, and service providers. Just as with Uber, there are three versions of the app supporting passengers, drivers, and the company (admin). The average cost of an On-demand app is $40,000-$50,000.
Social media apps: Another popular type of Android app is social media apps like Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Snapchat. One factor that increases the cost of social networking apps is scalability. These apps attract millions of users, necessitating highly scalable user base support, which can potentially increase costs. The average cost of a social media app is $40,000-$50,000.
3. Highly Customized Design Will Increase Android App Development Cost
One major factor influencing the cost of developing an app for Android is design complexity. The more customized and advanced the Android app design, the higher the overall custom Android app development cost.
This is because, when comparing the resources, tools, and time required to create a simple app design with an advanced Customized Design, we can observe that an advanced design will require the use of more advanced tools and resources.
Additionally, not every app designer can create highly customized designs. Therefore, all these factors contribute to the increased price of Android app development.
What other factors increase Android App Design Cost?
- If you aim to make your Android app more unique and captivating, you’ll need to incorporate custom animations, intricate graphics, and unique visual effects, all of which can considerably raise design costs.
- If the app’s design is more complex or high-end, it will require multiple rounds of design iterations to achieve the desired design goals. This, in turn, will inflate the cost.
- Every year, Android apps are launched in various sizes, necessitating responsive design to ensure compatibility across all dimensions. Consequently, creating layouts, UI elements, and interactions that seamlessly adapt to diverse screen sizes and orientations demands additional design consideration and effort.
Cost of App Design
The cost of a basic Android app design is $10,000-$12,000.
The cost of a complex Android app design is $15,000-$25,000.
4. Android App Development Platform and Technology Stack
Whether you want to go with native Android app development or hybrid app development it depends on your preferences. However, it will have a considerable impact on the Android app development cost because native app development is more expensive than hybrid app development. There are several reasons that make native Android app development more expensive, such as platform-specific development, requiring a specialized skill set, codebase maintenance, and integration with the platform ecosystem.
Moreover, the hourly rate for native Android app developers is higher than that of hybrid app developers. The per-hour rate of a Java Android app developer in the United States is $56.70, while the average hourly pay for a Flutter Developer in the United States is $47.36.
5. Android App Submission Fee
To make your Android app accessible to users for download and use, you need to launch the app on the Google Play Store. However, this process isn’t as simple as just uploading the app. The cost to develop an Android app isn’t the only factor to consider—compliance with Google’s guidelines is equally important.
To successfully launch your app, it must adhere to the guidelines. If the Google team finds that your app violates any guidelines, they will reject it from being launched. Therefore, you must carefully review the guidelines before submitting the app and ensure that it complies with each one.
The cost of publishing an Android app on the Google Play Store is $25.
Other Factors That Increase Android App Development Cost?
The location of the Android app development team will have a significant impact on the cost of Android app development. If you choose an Android app developer from the US or Canada, you can expect a higher hourly rate compared to an Android app developer from India or Pakistan.
The maintenance cost of a complex Android app is higher than that of a basic Android app.
Wrapping Up The Cost Of Android App Development Cost
Keeping all these factors in mind, the average cost of Android app development starts from $25,000 to $50,000. However, it’s important to note that the cost can exceed this range if you incorporate advanced features.
