Cost and Benefits of Developing Cross-Platform App

In today’s dynamic environment, users of all devices and platforms expect a seamless user experience. This includes Android, iOS, and even tablets and desktops. This means most businesses nowadays want their apps to be connected across all platforms with high performance. Cross-platform mobile app development enables the development of an app with a single codebase for both Android and iOS, rather than developing two separate apps for iOS and Android. Cross-platform development is a smarter, faster, and more affordable way of delivering apps across multiple platforms.

But will this approach be suitable for your business?

This article will cover the costs and benefits associated with cross-platform app development, helping you to make an informed decision. Whether you’re a startup looking to develop an MVP or a business enterprise looking to expand across different platforms, this article will break down everything you need to know.

What is a Cross-Platform App?

A cross-platform app, developed using tools like React Native or Flutter, is a mobile application built using a single codebase. This app can run on multiple operating systems. Cross-platform development allows a business to save on time and money because instead of developing two separate apps for each platform, cross-platform application development leverages frameworks that compile to both systems.

Popular examples of cross-platform apps include:

• Instagram
• Slack
• Skype
• Microsoft Teams

Cross-platform apps can be easily built using frameworks like Flutter, React Native, or Xamarin. This is a faster and more efficient method of getting apps to work on multiple platforms rather than developing two separate apps.

Key benefits of Cross-Platform App development

There are several advantages of Cross-Platform development, which make it a strategic choice for businesses. Let’s explore the more compelling benefits in detail.

1. Cost Efficiency

One of the most significant benefits obtained by cross-platform app development is the cost efficiency that comes with it. Businesses can cut costs by up to 40-60% if they opt for cross-platform app development rather than developing separate apps for separate platforms.

This is because of several reasons; Instead of having to hire two development teams, you only have to hire one. It is also easier to develop and then maintain a single codebase. Post-launch costs arising from updates and maintenance are reduced. Similarly, fewer tests and quality assurance have to be carried out.

This is a huge benefit and potentially a game-changer, especially for small startups. Instead of having to be present in the stores of both platforms, you can focus on developing newer features and bettering your app, consequently growing your user base.

2. Faster Time to Market

Speed is critical to the success of any business, especially those in a competitive environment. Cross-platform development helps accelerate the project lifecycle, and this is because:

·  There is only one codebase, and so the code is only written once and deployed on multiple platforms.

·  There are shared components, which reduce rework as well as testing duplication.

·  Since there is only one codebase being developed, developers spend less time switching between the different tech stacks and tools.

This efficient and quick development allows startups to build and launch their MVP within 6-10 weeks. This same development for two different platforms would’ve taken from 3-6 months. This time saved by developing through cross-platform frameworks can be used for gathering feedback, iterating, and scaling.

3. Easier Maintenance

Developing an app is the easy part; maintaining it after its launch is the tough part, in terms of money and effort both. This is exacerbated when there are two native versions of an app that require constant maintenance and support. Cross-platform mobile development reduces this problem as updates and bug fixes only need to be done once.

This has two key benefits. One advantage is the lower costs associated with post-launch support, and the other is the faster and simultaneous rollout of new features and patches across all devices and platforms.

4. Market Reach

When a business opts to develop its app through cross-platform frameworks, it’s building apps for both iOS and Android. This automatically expands their reach, allowing them access to a wider range of markets. This presence on both platforms allows a business to:

• Access a wide range of audiences from the start.
• Improve chances of gaining new users and retaining them.
• Collect more data, and do better data analytics and user behavior data across ecosystems.

Best Cross-Platform App Frameworks

There are different technology stacks, and the effectiveness of cross-platform development depends on the chosen technology stack. Here are some of the top frameworks:

Flutter

Flutter, created by Google, is a cross-platform development framework. There is a strong community behind Flutter from the very start. Flutter uses the language “Dart” and is often used by businesses looking to develop high-performance apps.

React Native

React Native is one of the most well-known frameworks for cross-platform development. Initially developed by Meta, it runs on JavaScript and has a diverse ecosystem full of many different plugins. React Native is considered to be an ideal option for MVPs and scalable apps.

Xamarin

Xamarin, often used for enterprise-grade app development, was developed by Microsoft. Xamarin runs on the C# language, and its deep integration with Microsoft’s ecosystem makes it a good option for enterprises looking to build their app on multiple platforms.

Ionic

Ionic runs on multiple languages such as HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, and is one of its kind in the cross-platform development frameworks space. Ionic makes the transition to mobile developing from web developing a relatively more comfortable process, and this is one of its biggest strengths. Ionic is good for basic to intermediately complex apps.

Cost of developing a Cross-Platform App

While it’s hard to exactly estimate the cost associated with developing a cross-platform app, a rough estimate can be made based on different factors such as features, design complexity, and team location.

Cost Range: Small, Mid-size, and Enterprise-level

Here’s a general idea of the cost and how it differs for different sizes of apps:

An MVP or a small/basic app that focuses on a single functionality, like a calculator or a torch, takes the least amount of time and money to develop. These range from 1 – 2 months and $10,000 – $25,000, respectively.

A medium-sized app that has a decent amount of features as well as some third-party integrations costs substantially more than a small app, and this cost can be anywhere between $25,000 – $70,000.

Enterprise apps are mammoth and have a lot of features, integrations, and APIs. This makes them very complex to design and develop. Furthermore, complex features and integrations, such as payment gateways, significantly increase the cost. The cost for enterprise apps ranges from $70,000 – $200,000+ and can take over half a year to successfully develop.

Again, it’s recommended to take these figures with a grain of salt as the real costs depend on various factors that aren’t always in your control.

Factors affecting cost:

The single biggest factor that determines the cost of an app is its complexity. Complexity refers to the features an app offers, its animations, and screens, all of which drive up costs.

Design is a huge part of any app and plays a huge role in attracting and retaining customers. Custom design work, including custom UI/UX elements, is more expensive than using standard templates, and hence the choice of design also affects cost.

Third-party integrations can significantly increase the cost of an app. If you’re a manufacturing or retail business, then having a payment gateway on your app is a necessity, and this increases the cost of your app. Similarly, APIs and CRMs also add to the cost of your app.

The geographical region in which your chosen development team is based also affects the cost. Some regions are cheaper than others while offering the same quality of work. Offshore teams based in Pakistan, India, or Eastern Europe charge significantly less than teams based in the US or UK.

Cross-Platform vs Native App: Cost comparison

When Should You Choose Cross-Platform App Development?

Cross-platform app development has its benefits, and it simplifies many processes, but it isn’t always beneficial. You should opt for cross-platform development in the following scenarios:

• When launching your MVP, cross-platform development is helpful as it offers all the core features and has less time to market.
• Businesses that want to expand their reach in the market but have a limited budget can opt for cross-platform development.
• Through cross-platform development, it is possible to scale fast and effectively with limited resources.
• When you need access to hardware-level features, cross-platform development can be beneficial.
• When you want pixel-perfect animations and a custom interactive UI/UX design fit to your needs.

Tips to minimize costs without sacrificing quality

Cross-platform mobile application development costs are already 40 – 60% less than what it would cost if you built separate apps for separate platforms, but here are some tips on how you can reduce these costs further:

MVP

You should start small and develop an MVP with the core features, and prioritize your time to market. Start lean, and then slowly add features as your product grows.

Pre–Built Components

Where applicable, pre-built elements should be incorporated into the product. There’s nothing remarkable about login screens, calendars, or menus, and these are readily available. Furthermore, some frameworks like Flutter and React Native have massive libraries and plugins for this purpose.

Outsourcing

If you’re based in North America or any other geographical region where development teams are either scarce or prohibitively expensive, you should outsource development to a trusted offshore development team. This will help reduce development costs by 40 – 70% depending on the geographical region where the chosen development team is based.

Features

Unnecessary features that add nothing of substance to the app should be avoided. You should think of it as “Which features solve real user problems?” and go from there. Extravagant and shiny features may look good, but they add nothing of value and take up avoidable time and cost.

Develop top cross-platform apps with Coding Crafts within your budget

Coding Crafts is a reliable and cost-effective choice for mobile cross-platform development. What sets Coding Crafts apart is its ability and proven track record of delivering high-quality apps across various industries, including healthcare, education, and fintech.

Coding Crafts is a good option, especially for startups on a limited budget and looking to launch quickly without compromising on quality. Coding Crafts offers custom solutions tailored to the needs of a specific business, as well as end-to-end support, which continues from launch.

In conclusion, after reviewing the costs and benefits of developing a cross-platform app, we can see that this option is ideal for businesses looking for efficient, scalable, and budget-friendly solutions. Native apps offer certain features that aren’t available through cross-platform development and hence offer better performance. Still, for companies looking to attract users on both platforms for their new app, cross-platform app development is a more budget-friendly option.

Whether you’re building an MVP or scaling your product, choosing the right team makes all the difference, and that’s why you should choose Coding Crafts if you’re needs align with what we offer.