Following the recent trends, most business try to build a mobile app of their own. In fact, the market is flooded with the mobile apps and technologies in each industry, where everyone from small café owners to CTOs of the Fortune 500 companies owns an app to support their business. So, if you are someone who is considering an app for your business in Singapore, then we say it is a brilliant idea and you must go ahead with it.
Now a lot goes when you go for iOS app development Singapore one question that pops in everyone’s mind as they think of creating a mobile app is, how much the app is going to cost. This is a big question and quite justifiable.
For everyone who is looking to get an on-demand app created for their business, they all want the mobile app to be relatively low-priced and still to be of high-quality. Be it UK, USA, Ukraine, or India, these are the mobile app development companies which startups and established firms all across the world look at to develop Android or iOS mobile applications. However, the Mobile app development cost in Singapore varies at these locations widely, and also for the platforms you are looking to create the app for, whether its iOS or Android.
If you are a Singapore-based business and looking to develop an app, then this blog will guide you all along with a detailed understanding of the factors that affect the cost of a mobile application.
Create Mobile App Singapore for Your Business Model
When we create mobile app Singapore for your business, our developer would first ask you to share your business model and revenue model. For mobile app development, these aspects play a major role. As we think of app development, it begins from its very core, i.e. revenue generation plans and business model, which happen to be the biggest driving force behind the mobile app development cost.
In this regard, the few points that need to be considered are:
Advertisements
Consider if you want to invest on your marketing or want to earn by advertising others. Market yourself on the right platforms to let people know of your existence and also showcase some other brands or restaurants on your app at a little extra charge.
App Model
When our app development experts build mobile apps in Singapore they want to understand what is your revenue app model basically. You can choose any of the models from the given:
Free App- If you ask for a free application that is simply available to the customers for download and use in that case app developer cost would be lesser. They need not work on payment related APIs thus the work becomes a little easier.
Premium App- The mobile app development cost in Singapore is highly influenced by the fact that you need to offer a paid (premium) mobile application that would need a little amount to sign in before the user can enjoy the services of the application.
Freemium App (Free + Premium)- The next model is freemium application that is an amalgamation of free and premium applications. The app development price would be dependent on the number of free and paid features that you would ask your developer to add to your app.
Right Platform
It is important that you choose the right mobile app development platform that can impress your target audience. The cost of developing an app in Singapore is highly dependent on the platform that you use. You can choose to build a native or a global app and work on android or iOS app. Choose a A platform that is most preferred by the target audience.
UI/UX Design for User-Engagement
The role of the visual design in the app interface is quite significant. For example, when talking about eCommerce mobile app development cost it becomes quite important for the application to display the elements and shopping cart in a way that it reflects all the results easily.
Responsive Applications for All Devices
Devices which requires to be integrated in order to make your app responsive. It is important that you bring on the screen customized solutions that can help you earn the best results that too without bothering about the cost of creating an app.
In-app Purchases
It is important that you let your customers enjoy the in-app purchases and they can make the journey stronger and better. If you are looking forward to creating an app that offers a few paid services you surely would have to invest a little more.
The Perfect Product
A product that you are trying to sell is defined by the features and the services that you have to offer. We have worked on the average cost of mobile app development when it comes to bringing on the screen an experience that keeps your user engaged.
There are several other factors too that affect the cost of the app, such as monetization strategy like the paid apps can be developed easily than the app that requires integrating in-app purchases. Also, more cost and time go into the development of an e-commerce app. When it comes to smartphone app development cost just make sure that you are all sure about the features that you want to include.
Find Your Target Audience
This is a significant aspect of a business model ‘To know your customer’. Often you lose the focus on what your customers really need. Often these mistakes are even made by the big startups, for instance, we have Snapdeal, which compromised quality over the quantity and lost its customers trust. Due to this very reason, we saw a drop in its market share from one-fourth to 4 percent in a year. Freelance mobile app developer makes it quite easier for the businesses to make it to the digital domain.
Hence you must strive to not commit it. Basically, you need to know the problem that your app will be solving. Through this question, you would be able to determine your target audience.
How Much Does It Cost to Host a Mobile App: Free Apps, Paid Apps and eCommerce
First, let’s understand how e-commerce works. Well, it is a marketplace revenue model that is mostly based to sell their own products, or say earn commission from the sellers who are listed on their app.
In the case of paid mobile apps, they make money straightaway via downloads. This way it generates revenues or covers mobile app development cost mainly as per the number of times the app is installed. Out there in the market, one can easily find a number of paid apps, where the cost may vary. Hence, it is clear that setting the right price of your app ultimately determines the holds the app would have on the market. While setting the price, do consider your audience’s willingness to pay for the app. Running a competitive analysis can also help.
Then come the free mobile apps. Now, these apps are free for downloading directly from app stores, but they have different models for revenue generation. Below we have explained how free apps earn money:
- The free mobile apps are basically an amazing way to expand your current customer base or to even build a user base, which later on you can sell to.
- These mobile apps require trust-building between the business and the customers, in order to build the value of existing products.
- Here the apps can generate direct revenue via advertising & affiliate marketing.
- The free app based on in-app purchases also has a way to generate direct revenue, mainly from addictive games.
- Ultimately, having a definitive model depend on your customers’ preferences and goals, but in any of the case, an app can prove to be extremely profitable.
When it comes to talking about the mobile app development cost it is well dependent on various factors. Let us now consider the type of mobile application that your developer can build for you.
What Are the Types of Mobile Applications?
Basically, a mobile app is a software program that is developed to function on smartphones and tablets. They usually perform tasks similar to a website, but here the overall process is considerably user-friendly and way efficient. This is the reason a common phenomenon attached to the mobile apps, is “ease of use”. The cost to develop mobile application Singapore is quite dependent on the type of application and the technology used in the development process.
But keep in mind that all of the mobile apps are not same, and if you are looking for creating a mobile app in Singapore, then do keep in mind that there are three kinds of apps, i.e.
i) Web Apps
ii) Native Apps
iii) Hybrid Apps
When it comes to developing a mobile app cost of bringing the best piece on the table is quite important. Make sure that you bring on the screen products that are interesting and can engage your customers easily.
The development procedure of these types of apps has been defined below.
- Web Applications
As per the research more than the 80 percent of smartphone users prefer mobile apps over mobile websites, and thus web apps serve this purpose as they are basically your website which is optimized for mobile users. - Native Applications
This kind of mobile app is created for particular operating systems, it could be iOS or Android, and it can be directly downloaded from the Google Play Store or Apple Store. Now native apps are certainly a little more complex, but the user experience offered by them is absolutely matchless. They are required to be built separately for the iOS & Android platform and require to be approved for being listed. - Hybrid Applications
These apps are easier and simpler for mobile app experts and they function on a single programming language, as well as work on both the platforms. Their performance is mostly the same as native apps but is easier to manage and develop. Still, the user experience is a lot better on the native applications.
Other than the type of the application that we are talking about, the factors that affect the cost of mobile application are quite significant. These features are the vital part of your application and can help it be a strong application to help you through.
Other Factors That Affect the Cost of a Mobile App
In this section, we are going to discuss in detail the Mobile app development cost breakdown. Bringing on the screen an interesting mobile app solution that makes it easier for you to hold your market. Now that you are aware of the factors that majorly affect your app’s cost, next we shed some light on the other budget factors that need to be considered to create an app:
App Complexity
The reason why app development cost is difficult to determine on your own is because of the presence of so many different types of apps present in the market. We certainly can’t discuss all the apps out there in the market, but three categories that do outline the complexity of the apps are:
Mobile Apps Sans the Web Servers
These kinds of apps that come without the web servers don’t have the remote data servers. Quite often they display the information on the different lists. They have these drop down menus (or say master table) enabling the users to pick from. After an option has been chosen by the user, s/he might be presented with a second list that is more specific. Here the user may keep on doing the same, till the time they land on that page consisting of desired information.
Read Also: How Much Does Augmented Reality App Development Cost?
Usually, the tale functioning apps lie in the category of calendar apps, email apps, and diet planning apps. The app development cost of these apps usually falls between $1000-$4000. Adding more functionalities, like third-party integration (such as social media), or geolocation will add to the cost further.
Mobile Apps with Web Servers
Here in this kind of apps, they house the app data on the remote data servers. The app data here transmits between the client-side & server-side. At the same time, these mobile apps enable users to carry out searches & input data in order to yield desired results.
Now connecting the apps to the remote web servers needs more sophisticated programming, and also an API, thus the app costs are higher and might range between $8000-$50000.
Gaming Apps
Even though the gaming apps are self-explanatory on their own, still it is tough to place a price tag here. Usually, this category consists of everything from the simple PONG kind functionality to these complex VR (virtual reality) games. For instance, the creator of ‘Flappy Hen’ app, which was a clone of this prominent game that is no longer available, Flappy Bird spent 40-50 hours to build the app. Calculating by the price of $150/hour, it takes the app cost to $6000-$7500. However, in case of the development of a racing game, using the gyroscope, it might easily cost around $125,000.
Other than the common functionalities that add to the app’s technical complexity and rake up the cost are the admin dashboard, third-party app integrations, and usage of the hardware components, like barometers, GPS, and Bluetooth. However, having a clear and exact idea of requirements helps in getting the most accurate cost estimate. Also, as you create your app’s MVP (Minimum Viable Product), ensure that you are considering the long-term app goals. Factors like, is this app going to be a backbone of your startup business, are you creating a simple prototype that in all probability will be rewritten later, needs to be considered before determining a cost estimate.
Who Is Going to Develop Your Mobile App?
This again is an important factor as you decide for creating an app in Singapore, like who ultimately is going to create your app, whether it will be in-house developers, development agency, or freelance developers.
In-house App Developers
You may choose to hire in-house app designers, developers & product managers for the app development process, or you could hire one developer who plays all these three different roles. However, getting a full-time developer, or say jack-of-all-trades mobile app developers can prove to be quite time-consuming as well as expensive. Also, in order to expand the time, you would again need hiring a few more app developers (Android, iOS, backend), but this team hiring will certainly be an expensive affair.
Consider the following questions in mind as you do so:
Will hiring a full-time app development team for the MVP would be a worthy affair?
Will it be a wise move to spend weeks and months finding an all-star developer for your MVP?
Most certainly, the answer to these questions depends on the amount of funding that you have and also what are your long-term plans. However, in case of funding is an issue and you are time-constraint, and then it is better to go for other viable options.
App Development Firm
Hiring a Development firm is another option. There are a number of startups that go with the app development firms as they have a package deal. As you hire an app firm, you get a team of developers, designers, project managers, and QA testers. Also, these firms have a great amount of experience at developing apps and this would only add to the quality of your app. So, pretty obviously this tends to be the most preferred option, however, is the most expensive among them all. They may charge you anywhere from $200/hour-$300/hour.
In case you are not having sufficient funds, then this option is not for you. At the same time, if you choose to take the firm-development app in-house, then you might experience more issues while following their development logic.
Freelance App Developers
This is yet another prominent option that is also very affordable and you get the assistance of high-quality freelance mobile app developers who can create a quality app for your business. However, there are a few downsides here too, and to avoid commonly faced issues one must hire carefully vetted app developers, follow effective project management procedures and take care of the platform regulations, as this would prevent the app projects from being re-distributed.
No matter who you may pick to work with, you certainly will be creating & sharing proprietary information and must go by proper legal protections. Here, the best way of safeguarding the trade secrets while working with the third-parties is using NDA (non-disclosure agreement). Also as you hire freelancers the cost could differ drastically according to the location of freelancers.
What Are You Making – an Android or iOS app?
There is a constant debate to this issue about ‘which is more expensive to build Android or iOS apps’? No, yet no conclusion has been yet derived but views keep changing on the same. Some say Android app development cost is more than the cost of developing an iOS app, while many over the other way around.
Meanwhile, we have the examples of Twitter, Uber, Airbnb, & Facebook that claimed to have spent less money in the development of Android MVP applications, still, the truth is that cost per hour to develop Android & iOS apps are relatively the same. But due to the fact that Android devices are wide in numbers and varying in terms of screen sizes, thus the development and design sides tend to be complex here when compared to iOS. This way, a time taken in Android app development is two-three times longer as compared to the iOS mobile apps. Now upon multiplying the hourly rate by the time taken to develop the responsive mobile apps, we can certainly say that Android apps are certainly more expensive to develop. This is the reason behind most firms first preferring to create iOS mobile apps prior to heading to Android applications.
Cost of the App Maintenance
Yes, mobile apps also need to be maintained and timely upgraded as is the case with any software. Now the average industry cost of maintaining software is around 15-20% of the original development costing. However, to give an understanding of the maintenance cost, here we have broken in as per cost of hosting, engagement, monitoring, licensing, marketing, and updates.
Licenses
In case your mobile application design is integrated with the technologies for which the license needs to be paid, then the overall development cost of the app will also increase. Usually, an app’s license fee to pay depends on the annual fee to be paid.
App Updates
You must know that every app that has been ever released on any app store, be it Android, iOS, or Windows Phone gets updated frequently post its release. Now an actual update release on the app store might take an hour, but the time taken to create an update hugely varies and depends on the complexity of the app.
Engagement & Marketing
The marketing cost of an app consists of activities that would increase user engagement with the mobile app. They consist of Cost Per Install (CPI), like in 2017, it was $1.91/install for Android and $1.24/install for iOS, then comes the cost of acquiring a loyal app user (begins from $2.78/user for iOS), and cost of acquiring a paying subscriber for the apps, which are based on subscription model (might go up to $160/subscriber).
Read Also: How a mobile application to achieve higher user engagement?
Monitoring
It is crucial to monitor a mobile app like its performance needs to be monitored by signing up for mobile analytics platforms. Now every app has its own audience and a widely variable number of users, hence it is difficult to get an estimate for application monitoring cost, however heading to the mobile analytics platforms you can determine expenses of app maintenance.
Hosting
For calculating mobile application backend data hosting cost, a calculator created by Niko Nelissen, VP of Mobile, Data & Engagement e-touches event management software provider can be used. It calculates according to the bandwidth per MAU, bandwidth per user, backend requests cost & more. It calculates the cost both in euro and USD.
When talking about the cost of maintaining the application it is important that all the factors are well taken care of and helps you reflect on the best of the solutions. The products that are delivered to you are developed with the utmost attention and can easily be scaled and flexible.
With future ready solutions that you get are quite interesting and can help you earn high ROI for the rest of your life.
Conclusion
A lot of factors need to be considered by a business to determine the overall cost of an app, and if you are looking to create a mobile app in Singapore and want to know more about the Mobile app development cost in Singapore, then the common factors that would play a role are the location of the development team and complexity of the mobile app. As both Android and iOS platforms enjoy a massive user base, thus it is beneficial for businesses to create the app for both the platforms. At the same, efforts need to be made to save cost on aspects like scalability, third-party app integrations, data storage, in case options are available to pick from.
