Web and Mobile App Development
How much does it cost to develop an iOS app?
Ready to develop an iOS app? The next logical question is, what’s the iOS app development cost? The cost depends on many factors we will discuss in detail in this article.
However, before we start, the short answer is that procuring the services of a US-based development company will cost you around $15,000- $450,000.
The same cost can be reduced to $10,000 – $200,000 if you decide to outsource the project to an offshore development company.
Now, before you make a decision, let’s examine the cost of iOS app development, how it can be reduced, and whether there are any hidden costs linked to it (yes, there are).
How to estimate iOS app development cost?
An easy way of estimating a ballpark figure for your iOS app development cost is to use the formula given below:
Total iOS app development cost = (Platform App development hours + UI/UX design hours + backend server development hours) x hourly rate of developers
However, keep in mind that this is only an estimate of the cost. The cost depends on a myriad of factors.
What factors determine the cost of iOS app development?
While the formula outlined above will give you a rough estimate of the iOS app development cost, it is imperative to understand the factors directly linked to the cost. Let’s go through them one by one:
Complexity Of iOS App
The complexity level of your iOS app has a direct bearing on how much its development is going to cost you. You can easily categorize iOS apps into three levels based on complexity:
- Simple Apps
- Mid-Level Apps
- Complex Apps
A simple app comes with basic features and a simple backend offering predefined templates and analytic features. In addition, you will get standard user interface components only.
The mid-level iOS apps take things to the next level. Your app will offer a custom UI, integration with APIs, real-time messaging, and a simple backend.
Finally, the complex apps will feature media processing capabilities, custom animations, real-time syncing, and a complex backend that can cater to various database relationships.
A simple iOS app will cost around $10,000 – $20,000, whereas medium and complex iOS apps can cost anywhere between $50,000 and $250,000.
iOS App Design
Your iOS app design and animations will also determine its cost. You do not want to cut corners on the design, though, because it will be the decisive factor in how users interact with your app.
A breakdown of iOS app design into different segments with their estimated costs is as follows:
- App Design Research – $100 – $350
- Animations & Illustrations – $1,000 – $20,000
- UI Design (Visuals) – $10,000 – $ 40,000
- UX Design – $2,000 – $8,000
- Branding – $5,000 – $20,000
iOS Development Cost Based On Size
An easier way to understand your iOS app’s size is to consider the functionalities you are trying to add to it. For each functionality, you will have to add more screens along with their animations, and as a result, the size of your iOS app will increase.
It is strongly recommended that you do due diligence to understand what your competitors are offering, what’s working for them, and what’s not. There’s no need to increase your iOS app size just for the sake of it, especially when the extra features aren’t something your target audience is interested in.
Here’s a breakdown of the cost for iOS app development based on its size (estimate only):
- Small iOS App – $8,000 – $25,000
- Medium iOS App – $25,000 – $50,000
- Large iOS – $50,000+
iOS App Category
The category in which you’re planning to launch your iOS app also plays a role in its overall development cost. One might ask why that is? That’s because for each category, different sets of requirements have to be catered to, apart from different demographics that you would be targeting via marketing.
Here’s a breakdown of iOS app development costs based on the category:
- Education App – $10,000 – $80,000
- Gaming App – $30,000 – $250,000
- Entertainment App – $15,000 – $100,000
- Business App – $5,000 – $150,000
- Travel App – $5,000 – $50,000
- Social Networking App – $10,000 – $60,000
- Health and Fitness App – $10,000 – $250,000
- Shopping App – $5,000 – $50,000
- Medical App – $30,000 – $90,000
Development Team Location
Your iOS development cost will have the most significant impact because of this factor. The location of your development team will decide whether you are paying a high cost or a more economical one. That’s because the development cost varies from location to location. For instance, in the United States, a developer would cost you around $80-$170 per hour. Whereas, the same developer would cost you around $18-$40 per hour in Asia.
Here’s a location-wise breakdown of iOS developer cost:
- United States – $80-$170/hr
- Russia – $60 – $150/hr
- Australia – $80 – $200/hr
- Pakistan – $20 – $40/hr
- Ukraine – $30 – $100/hr
iOS App Launch
Your iPhone app development cost estimate should also factor in the cost of launching it on the App Store. You can’t simply push your app onto the store. Certain guidelines must be met, and they come with their associated costs.
iOS Development Team Size
Are you going to hire freelancers? Maybe you’re thinking of building a team in-house? Or will you engage a development company for your iOS app development?
Depending on your answer, you will incur the associated costs. Check out the cost breakdown of individual team members you would need for your iOS app development project:
- UI/UX Designer – $15 – $50/hr
- Project Manager – $12 – $40/hr
- iOS App Developer – $20 – $100/hr
- Scrum master – $50 – $150/hr
- Business Analyst – $60 – $150/hr
- QA Engineer – $30 – $70/hr
Yes, you need all of these personnel if you want your iOS app development project to succeed. Furthermore, hiring individually for these roles can prove to be quite difficult. We strongly recommend you engage a development company such as Coding Crafts to address your iOS app development needs.
iOS App Maintenance
Your iOS app development cost should also factor in the ongoing maintenance of your iOS app. That’s because the work of your development team doesn’t end once the app is launched. In fact, a product is never completely finished. It undergoes iterations, and each iteration will come with its own cost.
The maintenance includes, but is not limited to, making design changes to the app, updating it based on new technology being released, and resolving any bugs when and if they pop up.
Some hidden costs of iOS app development
We have discussed the apparent costs of iOS app development; now let’s talk about the hidden costs. Yes, there are hidden costs, and it’s always a good practice to factor those in when you’re working on your iOS app development cost.
- CDN – $150
- Annual iOS Updates – $1,000
- CDN – $500
- Monitoring And Maintenance – $4,000 – $12,000
- App Developer Account Cost – $99
Again, keep in mind that these are estimates. Whenever you decide to start work on your iOS app, feel free to contact us for updated quotes.
Comparative analysis of iOS vs Android app development cost
One of the questions that most of our clients have asked is this: What’s the comparison if we were to develop an Android app instead of an iOS app? Truth be told, it’s quite a valid question. Let’s break it down and answer it.
Development Time
There are different forces at play when you are talking about development time, so this isn’t an easy comparison to make. However, for the same functionalities, the iOS development is quicker thanks to Swift (coding language) as opposed to Java and Kotlin, which are used in Android.
The development time is also considerably reduced because there are limited devices when it comes to iOS. Whereas, Android has a far greater number of devices against which development may take time.
Design
There’s not much of a difference between the two when it comes to design. So, there’s no considerable impact on the cost regardless of which OS you’re going with.
Hourly Rates Of Developers
Since iOS developers use Swift and Objective-C for iOS app development, they tend to charge 10-15% more than your Android developers
Testing Durations
You can’t talk about development without mentioning testing, right? Since the device fragmentation for iOS is quicker, the testing is more straightforward and less time-consuming as opposed to that of Android.
App Launch
Apple charges you $99 per year, while Google charges you a one-time fee of $25 only. Apple has stricter policies in place, whereas Google has relaxed policies. Therefore, app launch on the App Store is more difficult and will cost you more.
What are the possible ways to reduce iOS app development costs?
Up until now, we have talked about various factors that can impact the cost. Now let’s talk about some practices that can help you reduce or optimize your iOS development cost, shall we?
Thorough Testing
Instead of rushing to launch your iOS app, take your time with its testing. It is much better to fix any bugs pre-production as opposed to pushing out updates to a buggy app. Not to mention, an iOS app full of issues will also lead to users leaving it.
MVP – Minimum Viable Product
You should always start off with a minimum viable product. This is your app with its core features only, and can be launched to test how the users feel about it. This way, you will be saving costs in terms of development and design, and fixing anything that needs to be fixed based on user feedback.
Outsourcing iOS Development Project
This is something you might have picked up on already after looking at the drastic cost savings it offers. However, reiterating it again, it’s always a good idea to outsource your iPhone app development to an offshore development company. Given that you do your due diligence before partnering up with one, it is the most economical decision you could make.
How can coding crafts help you in iOS app development?
Coding Crafts is your premier choice when it comes to iOS app development. We have the required expertise available, and we are budget-friendly.
If you’re looking for a development company that treats your iOS app development project professionally and transparently, then you’re in the right place.
Get in touch with us today to learn more about our process and to partner up with us!