It feels like these days, there is an app out there for pretty much anything you may need or want.
As smartphone usage grows worldwide, this trend is only expected to intensify. Building an app for your business is no longer a luxury but a necessity.
But the costs of financing an app can be rather high. From the initial vision to the final launch, an app goes through many stages. Here are some of the factors that add to the final cost of an app:
- Cost of hosting and server charges
- App security charges
- Number of devices it will need to be optimized for [iOS or Android]
- The complexity level of the features it boosts
- Upkeep cost
Simple mobile apps can cost around $70,000. But not everyone has that kind of a budget. So if you’re looking for ways to reduce the cost but not the quality of the app, then we’ve got some helpful tips for you.
1. Understanding Your Target Audience
While understanding your audience may not seem directly related to reducing app development costs, it goes a long way to ensure your development budget is spent appropriately.
It will help you fine-tune your resources towards creating features that your audience wants. And save you from spending money in developing functionalities that are useless for your users.
Here are some metrics that can help you understand your customer better:
- Demographics
- Age
- Gender
- Language
- Interests and hobbies
- Spending habits
Doing thorough research on your audience is a worthy investment that starts off the app development process on the right foot.
2. Prioritizing Essentials
Setting priorities and conveying them clearly to your web development company can help you reduce development costs. That’ll give your developers a clear blueprint of what you need in your app. And you won’t have to spend money on revisions of the code.
Convert your app ideas into explicit and precise goals so that your developers can prioritize those.
To further save costs, you should focus on essentials that an app needs instead of going for fancier features. These essential features could include better load speed, good navigation, security, push notifications and SEO.
3. Simplicity
Many brands these days are opting for a simpler, more streamlined interface for their apps. Not only is this trendy, it’s also very effective for cutting costs.
The first impression your app gives to your customers is more than 90% design-related. That goes to show that design is important and you shouldn’t compromise on it. But you also shouldn’t overspend on it.
A minimalist or simple design can serve you on many fronts. Simpler designs are easier to navigate, aesthetically pleasing, and cost-effective.
4. Clever Use of Pre-designed Templates
Designing from scratch can get very expensive. You will need to hire graphic designers and artists for personalized animation and graphics.
The more people you take on board, the more the expense. The cost of all this can compound pretty fast.
That’s why using pre-made templates is another great cost-efficient tip for app development. These are proven to work for a diverse array of apps.
In-build features are much more economical. They can be tweaked for your needs for a fraction of the cost that custom-made intricate patterns will cost.
5. Out-Sourcing When Necessary
Your staffing structure can influence the bottom line of your project. Sometimes hiring full-time developers can get costly. You should consider outsourcing in such a case. About 30% of app development is outsourced globally now.
Advancements in technology have turned the world into one platform. You no longer need to be bound by location when selecting an app development team.
You can outsource either the entire project or only some fragments of it, such as designing. Check out mobile app development in Houston for the development of your custom-built app.
6. Employing the Right Technology
The right technology will prove to be your biggest asset in developing your app economically. Having a Minimum Viable Product [MVP] is a great way to put out feelers for your app before the actual launch. The feedback you get can help you save costs on less-used features and add-ons.
The set of technology you use will contain front-end and back-end modules. The right combination will optimize the entire development process and help avoid any waste of resources.
The Takeaway
Apps are just as versatile as the number of business models and technological advances out there. App development on a budget is certainly possible by the use of some creative and resourceful solutions. The right mix of these can help you generate an effective, smooth and appealing app without compromising on standards.