How much does it cost to build an Android App?

Google Play Store enjoys over 2.5 billion active users worldwide. That’s how much potential Android has to offer as it remains one of the most profitable mobile app development platforms.

According to a study, the Android market will hit $567.19 billion by 2030. This shows just how much demand for Android apps still exists and why you should venture into this very lucrative market. 

However, before doing that, you need to know the development cost. So, how much does it cost to build an Android app? The short answer is anywhere between $5,000 and upwards of $30,000. This post answers the question in detail, covering the details of what makes up this cost and how it can be kept at a minimum. Read on to learn more! 

Key factors influencing the Android app development cost

The Android app development price depends on different factors. You need to understand them before you can move on to the process of estimating the cost. Let’s take a look at some of the key factors and how they contribute towards the Android app development cost:

App Functionality And Complexity

This one is quite straightforward: the more functionality your Android app offers, the more complex it is going to be and the higher its development cost. You can divide the Android apps into three categories based on their functionality and complexity:

• Simple Applications
• Moderately Complex Applications
• Complex Applications

Design and UI/UX

The design will contribute quite a lot to your Android app building cost. That’s because it plays a pivotal role in ensuring that your application is a success. You might have the best application out there, but if its UI/UX is subpar, users won’t engage with it. An amazing UI/UX design goes a long way in ensuring user retention, engagement, and satisfaction. 

However, a custom UI/UX design can be very budget-intensive. Nonetheless, it is not something that you can ignore. 

Device and Platform Compatibility

The average cost to develop an app goes higher when it is being developed for a large number of devices and platforms. Take an example of an Android app that has to work on different devices such as tablets, wearables, and smartphones, you will have to ensure that your app has the necessary functionality and design to work seamlessly on all devices. 

In addition, you need to consider the various Android OSs being used. How many years of back-compatibility do you want to offer? What about the upcoming OS updates? All of these factors contribute to the average cost to build an app. 

App Integrations And Features

The Android development price will increase significantly when you add more features and integrations to your application. For instance, geolocation services, payment gateways, social media sharing, two-factor authentication, push notifications, and similar features can easily increase the cost. 

App Development Team And Its Location

The app building cost depends greatly on the size of the development team and its geographical location. 

That’s because rates vary based on the geolocation of the development team. 

• North America/Western Europe – You can expect an hourly rate from $100 to $250. 
• Eastern Europe and Latin America – Relatively economical since the hourly rates here are $30 to $75. 
• Asia – The most affordable option since the hourly rates range from $20 to $50. 

Cost is a crucial factor, but you should also consider the expertise of the development team you hire for your Android app.

Maintenance And Updates

Many businesses ignore the post-launch cost when answering the question, “How much does it cost to build an Android App?” In reality, regular updates, performance improvements, bug fixes, and changes to ensure that the Android app remains adaptable to new Android OS versions make up for a huge chunk of ongoing investment. 

It is always a good idea to set aside 15-20% of the initial development cost annually for maintenance and updates. 

App Testing

Rigorous testing of your Android application is part of its development process and can contribute to its overall cost. However, it is crucial since ensuring that your application works across all devices and platforms without fail is a given if you want to retain your market share of the target audience. 

Furthermore, it is important to understand that the more complex and feature-laden your application, the more testing is needed to ensure that everything is in working order. 

How to calculate Android app development cost?

Here’s an easy and industry-acceptable way of calculating Android app development cost:

You will add all of the time that’s needed for the app development process. This includes UI/UX design hours, development hours, backend server deployment hours, and any other billable hours of the resources engaged during the development process. 

Once you have this number (in hours), you will multiply it by the hourly rate of resources used during the development cycle. 

Estimated Cost Ranges for Building an Android App

We’ll be discussing the estimated cost ranges for three different types of Android apps based on their complexity. 

Simple applications offer basic features and can cost around $5,000 to $15,000.

Moderately complex applications generally require user authentication, social media integrations, third-party API integrations, and small databases. Such applications can cost from $15,000 to $50,000. 

Complex applications offer advanced features and require complex databases. They typically cost around $50,000 to $200,000. 

In addition, you should also factor in the maintenance cost, which is 15-20% of your entire development cost yearly. 

Additional costs you should consider:

Apart from the cost components discussed so far, there are certain additional costs that you must keep in mind when you’re calculating the average cost to build an Android app. They include the following:

App Store Fees

Whether you’re talking about the Google Play Store or any other alternative Android app store, you must pay a certain fee to get your app listed. Google Play charges a one-time fee of $25 as part of its registration process. 

App Marketing Costs

Once your Android app has been developed, you must market it to your target audience. This may include, but is not limited to, influencer collaborations, app store optimization (ASO), social media marketing, and paid ads. 

Third Party Integrations

If your Android application relies on third-party tools or APIs, such as push notification services, payment systems, etc., you may have to pay a certain fee to such service providers. 

Comparing Android and iOS app development cost

iOS and Android are two of the leading mobile operating systems. So, it stands to reason to compare the development cost of both. As a business, you always have the option to either develop separate applications for both platforms or to create a cross-platform app using Flutter or React Native. 

Let’s talk about different factors to help you compare the Android and iOS app development cost:

Design Of The Application

There’s not much of a difference in terms of the time it takes to design an application for any platform. However, Android does allow for more experimentation and innovation than iOS.

Testing And QA

Android app testing and QA are much more complex than iOS apps. That’s because a much larger number of devices have to be tested for their screen displays and resolutions to ensure a consistent app experience. 

Cost Of App Development

While the cost of app development will depend on various factors, generally, iOS development is 10-15% costlier than Android app development. 

App Launch

Thanks to Apple’s strict policies, it is difficult to get the go-ahead for application launches. However, Android apps are easier to launch. 

Therefore, you might expect the cost for iOS apps to go up in this regard. 

How to cut Android app development costs?

We’ve talked a lot about different factors that contribute to the Android app development price. Let’s talk about how you can make the process more cost-effective and avoid any unnecessary costs:

Be Clear On Requirements

If you’re not planning it properly, your app development project is bound to go above budget. Always ensure that you create a detailed requirement document outlining the following:

• Potential project timeline
• App features
• Budget estimates
• Rationale for the app
• Requirements of the platform

Understanding Critical Features

While you are in the planning phase, make sure that all stakeholders are aligned on critical features and completely understand them. It is also a great idea to conduct feedback surveys once you have an MVP to ensure that you refine the functionality. 

MVP – Your New Best Friend!

MVP stands for Minimum Viable Product. Whether you’re a budget-conscious business or not, creating an MVP is crucial for ensuring that your app is headed in the right direction. 

By developing an MVP, you’d be able to get a feel for the app and test it out via your development team and test groups. Any issues identified or tweaks needed can be catered to during the product’s development life cycle, helping to save time and cut down costs. 

Working With The Right Development Team

Finding and working with the right development agency can be the biggest factor in reducing the cost of Android development. It is imperative that you look for an agency that has the right development experience and offers transparency and effective communication. 

How long does it take to build an Android app?

There’s no fixed timeline when it comes to building an Android application. The process can take anywhere between 3-5 weeks to well over 18 weeks, depending upon various factors such as the following:

• Number Of Features
• Third-Party Integrations
• Testing And QA
• Complexity Of The Application
• Platform Compatibility
• App Design And UI/UX
• Project Management And Communication
• Size Of The Development Team And Its Expertise

However, once you have agreed on the project’s scope, you can get an estimate of a timeline from your development partner. 

How can Coding Crafts help you with Android app development?

Coding Crafts has been building Android applications for years and understands the nuances involved. Our team of skilled Android developers can easily develop even the most complex applications. Furthermore, our transparent process and effective communication help us ensure that our clients enjoy a hassle-free experience. 

Simply reach out to us and we’ll take care of the rest!