Last time, we introduced three necessary app development costs, where labour cost and development time account for the largest part of the total mobile app development price. If you have not read the previous article, you can start there first. This time, we will guide you through the remaining five necessary expenses.
4. Risk: mobile app development time
Because app development time is long and development cost is high, clients naturally want to build their own apps in the most favorable way. App development prices fluctuate in the market. Some may ask whether a team of six roles can be reduced to fewer people to cut labour cost. Theoretically it is possible if the employees have all required skills, but in practice we do not recommend it because the risk to the client becomes too high.
It is difficult to hire people who are extremely all-rounded, and even if such people exist, their salary will not be low. Having three people complete the work of six also takes more time. Overall, the cost difference may not be large. As development time becomes longer, labour cost also rises, contributing to the final app development price. If employees are overloaded, performance and productivity fall, which affects product quality and does not benefit the app development project.
5. Cost and time of app launch procedures
No matter what type of mobile app it is, it needs to be launched before users can download it. Google Play and App Store are the app stores for Android and iOS respectively. Before launch, you need to pay for a developer account. Developer accounts have different levels and fees. App Store charges include USD 99 and USD 299 options, while Google Play charges USD 25.
However, app launch involves many procedures, and the time required is no less than development itself. You need to set up developer accounts on both platforms, submit company or business documents, upload app code, and repeatedly test and repair the app on the relevant platforms. Designers also need to create the app logo, app introduction screenshots, basic instructions, and other materials. After that, you must wait for approval from the two app stores. If the launch is rejected, you may need to repeat parts of the process. Launching an app is far more than paying, uploading, pressing a button, and waiting.
6. Mobile app promotion cost
There are many apps in the market, so competition is intense. If you want to stand out, you need to invest in promotion and attract users effectively. If your target audience never hears about your app through advertising or other channels, few people will search your business keywords in App Store or Google Play, find your app, download it, use it, and keep it installed.
If you already have an app development plan and understand development time, price, and cost, you should also plan mobile app promotion. A simple way is to create a dedicated website to strengthen SEO and run SEM ads on Google. This makes your app easier to find through search engines or browsers and can increase both exposure and installation rate.
7. App maintenance cost
Have you ever received app update notifications? These updates are part of mobile app maintenance. Many people think no follow-up is needed after app development is complete, but this is a misconception. Developers often include one to two years of maintenance fees in app quotations.
Maintenance fees are used to fix app bugs and comply with the latest launch regulations of the two app stores. Smartphone models also change constantly. Can you ensure that your launched app remains compatible with the newest mobile models and latest iOS or Android systems? Without regular maintenance, your app may be removed from the app store. Maintenance fees are therefore necessary for keeping your app available and secure.
8. Cloud server rental
Cloud server rental usually costs several thousand Hong Kong dollars per year on average, depending on hardware performance, network traffic, server location, server brand, and other factors. Servers located in Hong Kong are more expensive because of land constraints, while well-known brands such as Amazon AWS and Microsoft Azure generally cost more.
The advantage of cloud servers is that you do not need to hire your own IT staff to monitor operations. Major cloud providers have technical teams supporting operations around the clock. Backup, restoration, and data security solutions are mature and up to date, making cloud servers safer and easier to maintain than local servers. Considering the manpower, resources, and time required, app development pricing is reasonable. If you have enquiries about app development, please contact technine.
Translation supported by AI.