In the technical world of intelligent and innovative custom apps, the question of complex app development cost cannot be considered less important for businesses that would go digital. The number of established and future mobile applications is increasing exponentially, and therefore, the growth of various factors potentially affects custom app development pricing.
Here, we move deeper into the key factors that contribute to the custom App development cost in the year 2024 and the essential understanding of planning decisions, development phases, and budgets.
Let’s start!
Why Custom App Development is Most Popular?
Such custom applications are one of the fastest-growing industries, with estimates suggesting it will grow to over $566 billion by 2030.
Custom app development means designing an application that is ideally built to suit the specific requirements of any particular user, who can be an individual or an organization. Custom apps are developed on the basis of verified needs and focused on solving specific tasks and functions.
Here’s why custom app development is essential:
- Enhanced Functionality and Efficiency: Work can become more efficient, with specific processes eliminated or automated, all while completely integrating with other systems. This means that your business’s operations will be enhanced in terms of both competency and productivity.
- Improved User Experience (UX): Custom apps give you complete UI and UX control as you develop the app to suit the end-users preferences and tendencies. As a result, users tend to stick around with the app.
- Competitive Advantage: Today, no business, small or large, can survive without the result that a custom application provides. It enables you to add value by positioning your offering effectively to stand out from the competition by presenting generic solutions.
- Scalability and Flexibility: These apps are developed with specific business characteristics that enhance flexibility and sustainability. In addition, they can be versatile enough to fit your requirements in terms of new features and functionality as you progress.
- Data Security and Privacy: One of the most significant advantages of using custom apps for your business is data sovereignty, meaning that you have end-user rights over the data. This should particularly apply to organizations that personally identify their clients in some way.
So, are you still waiting to know more about the cost of custom app development? Before checking that we can move to some detailed factors which affect the custom app development pricing.
In-House vs. Outsourced Custom App Development Cost
It is essential to note that the kind of development team that you are going to partner with is going to be one of the most significant factors that you will have to decide on. It has a major role to determine the custom app development pricing.
| Factor | In-House | Outsourced |
| Cost Structure | Salaries, benefits, equipment, training | Project fees, hourly rates |
| Development Cost (Basic Features) | Potentially lower (no agency markup) | Standard rates |
| Development Cost (Complex Features) | Higher (may require additional training) | Variable, may be lower if expertise exists |
| Communication | Streamlined, direct | More complex, potential misunderstandings |
| Project Control | High | Lower |
| Expertise | Limited to existing team skills | Access to wider range of specialists |
| Scalability | Less flexible, requires hiring/firing | More flexible, adjust team size easily |
| Management Overhead | High (HR, payroll, training) | Lower (managed by agency) |
| Integration with Existing Systems | Potentially easier | Requires careful planning and coordination |
| Learning Curve | Steeper for new development tasks | Faster if agency has relevant experience |
Location of development
The next decision that you will need to make, regardless of whether you agree to let your development team work from your office or not, is the geographical location of your mobile application development company, and this will, to a considerable extent, dictate their hourly rates. While the cost of outsourcing anywhere in the United States, Western Europe, Australia, and Canada will be relatively higher per hour than it is in India, Asia, and Eastern Europe, there are other strategic advantages.
For instance, there is the same time zone for ease of communication, the same language, and probably similar to your esteemed culture; if you are outsourcing and it becomes necessary, going there will be as easy as taking a walk.
The hourly rate commonly comes with a two-section price, with the lower figure being a novel developer and the higher figure being a senior developer with more than five years of working experience. You can use both throughout the project because it is unwise to invest in a senior developer to spend hours doing simple, repetitive jobs.
Actually, how much does it cost to build an app in 2024? Some complex applications need a senior developer to accomplish. Some example prices for app developers in 2024 are shown below:
| Region | Hourly Rate (USD) |
| United States | $50 – $250 |
| Australia | $80 – $200 |
| Russia | $60 – $150 |
| India / Asia | $20 – $80 |
| Eastern Europe | $20 – $120 |
| UK | $35 – $170 |
Custom app development lifecycle
The next step is to discuss the different stages approached during application design, construction, and functioning, as well as the corresponding expenses.
- Discovery, research, and planning
The discovery phase is the foundation for any custom app development project and plays a crucial role in cost estimation. During this phase, the development team works with you to understand your business goals, target audience, and desired app features. This collaborative process helps identify potential roadblocks early on, preventing costly rework down the line. By clearly defining the project scope in the discovery phase, you gain a more accurate cost estimate and avoid surprises later in development.
The discovery phase, often costing around $4,500, is an investment that saves money in the long run for custom app development. During this crucial phase, the development team collaborates with you to understand your business goals, target audience, and desired app features. This upfront planning helps identify potential roadblocks early on, preventing costly rework down the line. By clearly defining the project scope in the discovery phase, you gain a more accurate cost estimate and avoid surprises later in development, potentially saving tens of thousands of dollars on development.
- Design phase
A regular UI/UX designer can do this phase, but if the application has a wide range of features, the UI/UX designer should be a specialist in this phase. Thus, the UI/UX designer will know how to handle prototyping, wireframing, user flows, and mockups to ensure users can easily learn how to use the app.
The cost of development in this phase might differ significantly depending on the number of screens and the functionality you eventually decide to incorporate in the app. The time required in wireframing relies on the number of screens; wireframing between 5-10 screens will take 20-50 hours, while for 11-20 screens, it will take up to 100 hours. Graphics icons and images, for instance, could take as little as 20 hours in small and as much as 200 hours in highly detailed and complex designs. It takes 25-200 person-hours for the architecture and design of the screen layout. This can take between 150-300 hours if it is in the design phase and should cost between $5000-$15000 accordingly.
- Development phase
It is here that the developers begin writing your app, or, to use the technical term, they start building your app. This is the most significant phase of the build.
The development stage costs between $ 5,000 and $ 15,000, and the duration of this stage is between 150 and 200 hours. Still, considering that the size and the complexity of the app can grow, these numbers can be higher. This is not just due to additional hours but due to the amount of ‘demanding’ functionality that requires more experienced developers. The design and build phase of a simple app may cost between 150- and 250 hours, and a complex app may cost anything above 400 hours.
- Testing and deployment
What you probably do not know is that app testing is a profession and that entails going through lists of the uses and processes that apply to the app. At the same time, there are other ways of using the app that are quite impassive and that are meant to break the app because you can be assured that your client will try all of those things. You might also have to write a testing script that is capable of performing load testing on the app and the backend server with hundreds or thousands of Operations. This kind of testing may not be required in simple applications. However, it may be helpful if you are conducting a beta-testing phase; it may take 100 – 400 hours to complete and could cost $5000 – $25000.
- Continued support and maintenance
It should not be lost on the fact that apps require reinforcement to stay relevant and remain listed on the app stores. Despite the fact that some Apple and Google operating system versions have similarities, you may need to update your app each time there is a new operating system so that your codebase reflects the newer version. If the app is not updated, then it can be pulled from the store until the update is pushed, meaning that your business can be affected for a long duration because of the same.
Additionally, OS updates may cause problems for your app, and this is not alright for any business. If you do not plan on making constant updates on the app, then you may not want to hire in-house developers to keep updating the app annually or frequently; this is where hiring a development company may be of advantage; they can advise you when you need to start preparing your app update before the OS prepares its update and all you will be paying them is for the work done and not for the whole year. This kind of maintenance work will range between 20% of the development cost per year or $5,000-$10,000 per year.
Custom App Development Cost Breakdown (2024)
| Factor | Description | Price Impact |
| Discovery | Match audience needs and business goals | $4,500 |
| Prototyping & Design | User experience and app aesthetics | $15,000-$30,000 |
| Coding/Development | App development (50-70% of total cost) | $35,000-$75,000 |
| QA Testing | Ensure app functionality | $8,000-$18,000 |
| Deployment | App verification and backend transfer | $2,000 |
| Maintenance | Ongoing maintenance (25% of total cost per year) | N/A |
| Platform | ||
| Native App | Powerful and feature-rich | High Cost |
| Cross-Platform App | Reduced development cost | Up to 40-50% cheaper than native |
| PWA (Progressive Web App) | Affordable and cross-platform (limited hardware integration) | 30% of native app cost |
| Integrations | ||
| API Integrations | Mobile app works with external services | $1,000-$6,000 per integration |
| AI/ML | Machine Learning personalised app content | High impact |
| E-commerce | Ready-made platforms for mobile shopping | Varies |
| Geolocation | Using native SDKs is economical | $4,000-$8,000 |
| Phone Sensors | Using APIs increases development costs | $2,100 per sensor |
| IoT Integrations | External devices integration | $9,000 per integration |
| Accessibility Features | Crucial for inclusiveness | $15,000-$25,000 |
How Nintriva can Help you to Develop Custom Applications?
Nintriva is one of the best custom app development services worldwide. They built all types of apps, from the simplest to the most complicated, and for all sizes of businesses right, from small businesses industries, corporate to non-corporate, and even government organizations. Of Course, the best custom app development company depends on your specific needs and priorities. By considering Nintriva’s strengths alongside these other factors, you’ll be well on your way to finding the perfect partner for your project.
Here’s what makes Nintriva stand out according to their website and some general factors to consider when choosing a custom app developer:
Nintriva’s Strengths:
- Focus on Custom Solutions: They emphasize building apps tailored to your specific needs, not a one-size-fits-all approach.
- Experience in Different Sectors: They showcase experience in various industries like e-commerce, banking, and mobile apps in general.
- Security Expertise: They highlight their commitment to robust security features, which are especially important for banking apps (https://nintriva.com/services/banking-app-development/).
- User-Centric Design: They mention a focus on user experience (UX), which can make a big difference in app adoption and success.
Nintriva’s Top Projects
Toffee Ride is a learning program that is singularly focused on helping your child develop a thorough understanding of fundamental concepts and develop better language skills.
Kesher is a powerful fully-connected contact management platform for professionals and enterprises who need to master their contacts. Its cross-platform enhances contacts with a lot of features, while keeping them organized, synchronized, up to date, and safe.
Nintriva collaborated with a leading bank in Qatar to develop an end-to-end administrative module that managed their core banking activities. This experience provided them with great cultural insights.
Conclusion
From the above analysis, the custom app development pricing in 2024 can vary significantly depending on the complexity of your app, features, and the development team’s location. While a simple app can start at $5,000, expect to invest more for intricate functionalities and features. By carefully considering factors like development team experience, project scope, and ongoing maintenance, you can make informed decisions to bring your custom app vision to life.
Therefore, to most companies, it may be best in the interest of their business to seek the services of a competent developer to design and develop a business app. Feel free, contact Nintriva. The project’s relevance will be briefly described, and tips and recommendations for its implementation will be provided during a free consultation with one of their experts if necessary.