How Much Does It Cost to Hire an App Developer in 2023

Semaphore-logo
Semaphore Software
  • Date Published
  • Categories Blog
  • Reading Time 5-Minute Read

This blog contains the answer to the frequently asked but difficult question: How much does it cost to employ an app developer?

Introduction

How much it costs to hire an app developer is the first thought that comes to business owners’ minds whenever they consider establishing an app. Without a feature-rich, user-friendly app, no business can compete and flourish in today’s mobile-driven market. But, because they are unsure of the expense of hiring an app developer, many business owners continue to hesitate.

A developer’s hourly rates have a significant impact on the cost of creating a mobile app. The complexity and category of an app, as well as its design, features, and maintenance costs are additional variables that affect how much your mobile app will cost.

Let’s dig deep into these cost-determining factors for your mobile app project.

Factors Affecting the Cost of App Development

The price of developing a mobile app is influenced by several key elements. By comprehending and taking into account these aspects, you can obtain an estimation of the development costs for your app. Let’s examine each of these elements in greater detail.

Platform (iOS, Android, or both)

Choosing the platform on which you want to build an app is the first step. Decide which platform is best for reaching your target audience.  Starting with an iOS application is advantageous if your target market resides in the United States, Canada or Europe. On the other hand, you can think about developing an Android app if your target market is Asian or African.

Cross-platform app development is a strategy chosen by some SMBs and even startups to market to both iPhone and Android consumers. Regardless of whether you use the iOS or Android operating systems, cross-platform apps can help you reach a large audience. However, creating cross-platform apps is still less expensive than creating native apps.

Complexity of the App

The complexity of the app is another important cost-determining factor. It takes longer to design an enterprise-level program if it contains a lot of interconnected features and complicated functionality. Depending on how complex they are, we can divide mobile apps into three categories.

Simple App

These apps have a set of basic user features including a user profile, dashboard, and an admin panel with limited features. It costs you between US$5,000 to 40,000.

Medium Complex App

These apps offers a plethora of features for engaging users and are capable of app monetization. They can have a payment gateway and social media integrations as well. They cost between $50,000 to 100,000.

Complex App

These apps have integrated advancements in emerging technologies including AI, AR/VR, and ML. IoT-based and AI-powered apps fall under this category. They cost you between $100,000 to 300,000.

Location

Different hourly rates are charged for developing mobile applications. If a development team is based in Asia, you’ll pay individual developers between US$30 and $80 per hour. If a team is based in the States, you’ll pay them between $150 and $250 per hour.

Development Team (In-House or Outsourced)

You can either hire developers and make an in-house development team or outsource the entire ios app development project. Outsourcing is much more cost-effective than assembling an in-house team because the former enables you to avoid purchasing cutting-edge tools and complying with the legal formalities of keeping developers on your payroll. Outsourcing can also give you an advantage based of currency difference. In other words, outsourcing can save you time and development costs for your app project.

App Maintenance and Support

The majority of businesses that create custom mobile apps provide technical support 24 hours a day, seven days a week. In other words, the estimate for the cost of developing an app does not include maintenance and support services. To keep your app updated, you must continue to budget for app support and maintenance expenses. A long-term user retention strategy for your app requires cutting-edge features and flawless operation.

App Development Cost Ranges in 2023

Based on many factors connected to the cost of hiring an app developer, we may provide a rough range for creating a customized mobile app. Simple apps cost between $40,000 and $50,000, while medium-complexity business apps might cost you between $50,000 and $100,000. If you want a sophisticated, future-proof app with all the features you require, the price of creating such an app will also rise – prices range between $100,000 and $150,000. The may go above $150,000 in exceptional circumstances.

Cost-Saving Strategies for App Development

Investing in mobile app developers is a wise move. App development and employing developers are essential to ensuring the expansion of your business, just as it is with your other projects. That being said, although mobile apps with lots of features are very helpful for companies with an eye towards the future, such apps also require a significant financial investment. The above recommendations should assist you to reduce the cost of hiring a mobile app developer.