What makes up the price of an app?
The cost of your app depends primarily on the following:
- Complexity: Should your app have many features and interfaces or is it more simple?
- Design: Do you have special requirements for the interface including an elaborate design, or is a simple standard sufficient?
- Technical platform: Would you like a native app for iOS/Android, a web app or, if possible, everything together?
- Quality & safety: Do you need a very high level of security (e.g. for banking or health data)?
- Scope of aftercare: How much support and maintenance do you want after the release?
Native apps, i.e. apps that are specifically programmed for iOS or Android, are usually more powerful and offer more options — but are also more complex to develop. When it comes to web apps that are opened via the browser, there are big differences in terms of effort. But they are tends to get to the market faster In return, they may be less powerful in terms of performance and range of functions, depending on the project.
Typical cost drivers in app development in detail
The development of an app takes place in several phases, each of which involves a different amount of the budget.
Planning & conception
No excellent app can be created without specific planning. In this first phase, your concept is therefore sharpened, use cases are defined and it is determined which functions should be represented.
- Time required: From a few days for small projects to several weeks for more complex apps.
- costs: Depending on the hourly rate (see below), the costs for a solid design phase are usually in the low to mid-four-digit range.
App Design
When it comes to design, not only the superficial appearance is important, but also the user experience (UX). A truly intuitive app impresses your users from the very first minute.
- Time required: Small, simple design: just a few days Individual UI/UX for various platforms: several weeks.
- costs: Design can range from a few thousand francs (or euros) for small apps to five-digit sums for complex, tailor-made solutions.
Developing the app: The costs
The biggest task is usually the actual programming. Here we make a rough distinction between:
- Native apps for iOS and Android: Highest performance and full control over device functions. Usually higher development costs, as two platforms must be developed in parallel (Objective-C/Swift for iOS and Java/Kotlin for Android). Unless you want to target one Program the operating system.
- Web apps: Work on all devices via the browser, therefore one-dimensional development effort. In return, the app may have less access to the device's native functions.
Testing & quality assurance
To prevent major errors from finding their way into the live system, it is necessary thorough testing. It should also not be underestimated how users push an app to its limits or look for gaps. User testing is therefore also important.
- Expense: Around 10-20% of total development time.
- costs: Can quickly become a five-digit amount, depending on how many devices and test plans are taken into account.
project management
Project management is also a very important cost item. A good communication structure ensures that the project stays on track and that the team works in a targeted manner.
- Expense: A share of 10—20% of the total project costs is often underestimated but realistic.
Operation & maintenance
After launch is before update! Regular updates, bug fixes and new features keep your app alive. Depending on how extensive your project is, the ongoing costs can range from a few hundred to several thousand francs per month.
Hourly rates in app development: freelancer vs. agency
Are freelancers cheaper?
- Hourly rates: Between 50 and 150 CHF/€ per hour.
- advantages: Quick availability, often cheaper, direct communication.
- Disadvantages: Less capacity for larger projects, dependence on individual people, possibly no full-service offer (design, development, testing, etc.).
Do agencies work more reliably and comprehensively?
- Hourly rates: Between 100 and 200 CHF/€ per hour or even more, depending on the degree of specialization and location.
- advantages: An experienced team, various competencies (design, development, PM, testing) under one roof, more capacities, quality standards and processes are usually established.
- Disadvantages: Higher costs, sometimes longer lead times.
Ultimately, it depends on the size of your project and your requirements whether you choose freelancers or an agency. In the case of a complex project with a long-term perspective Can the Working with an agency Pay off quickly in terms of reliability and quality.
Cost examples: What does an app ultimately cost?
To give you price ranges, we've put together two scenarios based on working with our customers. Please note that the figures are indicative — the actual costs vary depending on project scope, functional requirements, design requirements and selected technology and cannot represent a binding price list here.
Learning and quiz app as a web app
Quiz or learning modules, evaluations, user registration, payment (e.g. for certificates) and gamification.
- Expenditure: 2 - 5 months
- Costs: 40,000 to 100,000 CHF
Typical B2C mobile app (iOS/Android)
Mobile application (iOS/Android) with user profile, in-app purchases, push messages, backend API and, if applicable, chat functions.
- Expenditure: 4 - 10 months
- Costs: 60,000 - 200,000 CHF
The lower values always refer to a minimum viable product (MVP), with which customers go into the market test first. After this More features are added to validation, which increases expenditure and thus drives the price to the upper end of the price range.
How can I reduce the costs of developing the app?
With the following ideas for saving costs, we deliberately omit quality compromises, as we Axisbits exclusively in the high-quality range move and have had the best experiences with it. Nevertheless, there are ways to manage costs very consciously, even with the highest quality standards:
- Define clear requirements: From the outset, specify in detail which requirements your app should meet. In this way, milestones can be processed in a targeted manner without costly detours or subsequent changes in the development process.
- First focus on an MVP: Start with a minimum viable product — i.e. an app version that only contains the core functions. This allows you to test your idea on the market at lower costs and gain valuable insights for further development before it goes into a more comprehensive and expensive full version.
- Using no-code/low-code platforms to get started: No-code and low-code tools are great for simple prototypes or MVPs. They allow the first app versions to be implemented quickly and cost-effectively, which can later be converted to tailor-made programming as soon as the range of functions grows.
- Use agile development methods: Through iterative development steps, as are common in agile methods (e.g. Scrum), the development process remains adaptable. In this way, adjustments can be made at an early stage and unnecessary expenses can be avoided, as the app is gradually adapted to your wishes.
- Make a strategic choice of platform: Consider whether your app absolutely needs to be developed natively for iOS and Android or whether a web app or a cross-platform solution is sufficient. The latter enable development for both platforms with a single code base, saving time and money.
- Consider long-term planning and scalability: Plan your app from the start so that it can grow, if that makes sense. This avoids expensive new developments later on when your app grows or additional features need to be integrated.
- Include realistic budget planning and buffers: Set yourself a realistic budget right from the start and plan a buffer of around 10 - 20% of the total costs to cover unforeseen adjustments.
With these approaches, you can consciously save costs even with the highest quality standards without sacrificing performance or the end result.
We know that it takes a lot of information to start app development. So before you decide on a path, you can visit our Axisbit's portfolio Find ideas for your project.
In addition, we always offer you a free consultation, In which we define the key points of your app and tell you much more precisely what price you can expect. The duration of the project can also be estimated more precisely in this way.
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What is the best way to plan your app budget?
- concept: Take time for detailed planning and define the MVP (Minimum Viable Product). This gives you a clear set of must-have features and reduces the risk of budget overruns.
- Get offers: Compare offers from several service providers, whether freelancers or agencies. Pay attention not only to the price, but in particular to their references, communication and reliability.
- Schedule buffers: Good rule of thumb: You should set aside 10-20% of the total costs as a reserve for unforeseen tasks.
- Iterative approach: Design your app in small steps (sprints) so that you can make adjustments and control the budget at any time.
