Everything You Need to Know About Web Application Development Cost
Gaurav G.
Oct 9, 2022
App Development
In today's age of social media scrolling and direct shopping website visits, establishing a digital presence for your business has become necessary. A professional web application assists your firm in meeting industry requirements and attracting clients to its products.
Consider Google Workspace as an example of the Google Office suite! It is one of the oldest collections of web applications. Additionally, Netflix is an excellent example of how web applications are ideally suited as content platforms. Web applications may now provide users with the appearance and feel of mobile phone applications and accessibility across all devices and operating systems.
Levels of Web Application Complexity
Simple Application
This category of online applications includes landing sites, one-pagers, and basic e-commerce. Calculator pages, modest online catalogs, rudimentary online portals, widgets, and new features for existing web applications are examples of basic websites.
Professional Web Application
This category comprises websites for small to medium businesses and e-commerce. It contains a substantial quantity of interactive components and content. Examples of intermediate web apps: Online stores, modules or additional features for current online applications, web applications based on a market.
Complex or Extensive Web Application
This category includes exclusive web apps with enterprise business models. Regardless of the number of concurrent users, scalability is the defining characteristic of any program, as it entails delivering continuous performance. Large-scale web applications manage massive amounts of data and traffic. In addition, it contains unique CMSs, vast databases, numerous features, and an abundance of material.
Cost Factors for Website Development Include
Some factors include: influencing the typical cost of constructing a custom website.
Variables by type and function
variables by phases
Essential factors
The Eight Factors Affecting the Cost of Web Application Development
In practice, it typically costs between $15,000 and $25,000 to develop a simple app (with a single utility), and it can cost up to $250,000 to create a large app with sophisticated functionality. Now, if we pay close attention to how our money will be spent, we will see that the cost of web application development services depends on several aspects, such as:
What Functionalities Does your Web Application Offer?
Platforms
When developing a native app for Android and iOS, the cost is typically nearly double that of a progressive web app. For instance, it requires 160 hours and $9,600 to design an Android application compatible with Samsung, HTC, and LG devices. iOS, which iPhone, iPad utilize, and other Apple products, follows suit. A WPA may cost around $1,200, but it is compatible with various devices.
Features
If it's a content platform, it typically comes with features such as Event Calendar (where users can see time, place, and event), Map & Location (which displays a map, allows location pinning, and performs basic distance calculations), Host documents (which will enable you to manage, organize, and share documents, images, and videos with your users), Task/Checklist Management (track and manage to-do lists for individuals and teams), and Scheduled Content (which allows you to schedule your posts by time and date). If it is a social networking platform, it typically includes Chat and message boards and links to other social sites such as Facebook and Twitter.
Likewise, a social media application should provide video and audio streaming and an image gallery. An eCommerce application should include a product catalog, shopping cart, payment, QR code scanning, and coupon functionality. A loyalty app should include an area for consumer feedback and loyalty points.
Occasionally, bespoke features are desired, and their size determines the cost. If it's tiny, meaning it's straightforward and only 1-2 screens profound, it may take 240 hours and cost approximately $15,000 to construct. However, if an entire part utilizes a custom backend or combines your current backend, the development time and cost might reach 960 hours and $58,000, respectively.
Users
Is it an email or a social login (using a pre-existing social media account, such as Facebook or Twitter)? What information do you require from your users (name, email address, bio)? What kinds of activities may your app's users perform? How do you engage your users using push alerts, newsletter subscriptions, or a chatbot?
Integrations
Camera, GPS, Bluetooth, gyroscope, accelerometer etc.
Monetization
How can you generate revenue from your app? In-app purchases (users are required to pay for premium features), upfront cost (users are required to pay a monthly membership fee), or free (probably you get money from ads).
Upkeep and Web Hosting
This is the monthly fee required to maintain and scale your application. It is used for databases, servers, firewalls, content delivery networks, load balancers, and occasionally for a technical team or freelancer that provides email or phone assistance for your apps around the clock.
The preceding list is merely a breakdown of app features. To evaluate the cost of developing a web application, we must additionally consider the development team, the target industry, and unforeseen circumstances throughout the development process.
Who do you Hire to Develop the Web Application?
A single mobile app developer cannot construct a massive project. Consequently, hiring a project manager, programmer, UX/UI designer, and QA professional is typically required. They may be a collection of freelancers, an in-house team, or a web application development outsourcing organization.
Internal Team
This method offers two significant advantages. First, internal team members frequently have a thorough understanding of your business. And because they are corporate members, they are typically liable for the project's outcome. By hiring an in-house team, confusion can be reduced through direct communication.
However, this is not cost-effective because you must invest significantly more cash than when hiring freelancers or outsourcing. To clarify, your funds will be allocated to recruitment and employee retention. You must give them attractive bonuses and incentives to retain your engineers.
Freelance Developers
With this approach, you may save 30 to 50 percent of the budget you would have spent on internal staff. Hiring freelancers is typically quick and painless, but their job quality is variable.
Outsourcing Mobile App Development Companies
This is a realistic choice for numerous businesses. By partnering with a software development business, you can access specialized talents and maintain complete control over the project's scope and budget. These agencies have developed project management platforms, so you need not bother about frameworks, languages, etc.
The Scope of the Work
The entire cost of developing a web application is directly proportional to the effort required. You must complete all of the standard software development lifecycle phases if you begin from scratch.
To reduce costs, you should only include the critical functionality in an MVP (Minimum Viable Product). Proofs of concept are the foundation for numerous successful products, such as Uber and Dropbox.
Desired Characteristics
It would help if you also considered what the web application would be capable of. Depending on your response, you will either create a simple app with specific functionality (such as payment systems, inventory management, etc.) or a very complex and costly app (banking apps, stock trading apps, etc.). The cost of developing a web application is proportional to the application's level of complexity. The cost of a web application increases with the number of features desired. Adding robust functionality requires time and an expensive professional labor force.
In general, there are four categories of web applications, ranging in complexity:
The typical development time for basic web applications is three to four weeks, and expenditures range from $5,000 to $17,000.
Custom web applications typically require 12 weeks to construct, with expenses ranging from $17,000 to $55,000.
Complex web applications typically take 24 weeks to develop and cost between $55,000 and $250,000.
Enterprise-grade web applications: development time is typically approximately 24 weeks, and expenses can exceed $250,000.
Location of the Web Application Development Team
The cost of developing a web application can vary based on the team's location. This is because the remuneration for web application developers might differ significantly from country to country. Software engineers who work for corporations headquartered in industrialized nations with high living costs typically earn higher money. For Designveloper, based in Vietnam, our developers offer comparable or superior services for a fraction of the cost.
Location of the Web Application Development Group
The cost of developing a web application can vary based on the team's location. This is because the remuneration for web application developers might differ significantly from country to country. Software engineers who work for corporations headquartered in industrialized nations with high living costs typically earn higher money. For Designveloper, based in Vietnam, our developers offer comparable or superior services for a fraction of the cost.
Third-Party Services
Do you want to create an app that can run independently or utilize third-party technology? The number of software connectors required will affect the cost of developing a web application. However, it would help if you weren't concerned, as the functionality you need is frequently already present in application programming interfaces (APIs) (Application Programming Interfaces). You can proceed as soon as you add these APIs to the product. If you implement this strategy, you won't have to spend time or money re-inventing the wheel.
The Seventh Factor is UI/UX Design
The design phase of developing a web application can be both a means to save money and a significant expense. Selecting a simple kit with built-in themes or templates can resolve the "design issue" at the lowest cost. However, this may be perceived as unprofessional, mainly if your target audience comprises seasoned consumers.
Conclusion
Numerous factors affect the cost of developing a web application; attempting to save money could be harmful. Nonetheless, after reading this quick tutorial, we hope you have a better understanding of what it takes to estimate a project. Similarly, Designveloper may be your best alternative if you wish to reduce expenses without losing quality.