Mobile apps may not cost as much as a full-blown desktop application, but they can get pretty expensive all the same. Whether you are a budding software developer or a business owner, here are the top expenses to consider and manage in app development.
The Complexity
The more complex functions an application is designed to serve, the more it will cost to develop. It will also take more time to write the codes and run them through error checks, so time will also be factored into the final cost of the application.
The complexities of an app will often depend on multiple factors, and some of the more important ones are as follows:
- Functionalities expected
- Language support count
- OS support count (iOS, Android & Windows 10)
- Animation count
- Interface quality
- Complex back-end
- Real time syncing
- Third party app integrations
- API count and custom creation
- Customisations in UI, features, animations, graphics, etc.
- Integration of machine learning algorithms
The Comprehensiveness
Comprehensiveness becomes a serious factor when the app is meant to provide an experience away from the desktop. For example, a custom-made company software platform could be accessed easily nowadays from a mobile app as well. It keeps everyone onboard all the time, irrespective of their location.
The problem, however, is that the features which these applications offer are often very limited at best. Adobe has final released a version of their iconic Photoshop software on the App Store, exclusively designed to work with the iPad Pro and the Apple Pencil. Unfortunately, it lacks comprehensiveness, which means that users do not have access to all features that they have on the desktop.
Without going into the technical details, let us just concentrate on the fact that Adobe had to skip on some of the desktop grade features because it was proving to be too costly in relation to the expected returns from the release.
In order to make a truly comprehensive app that can replace its desktop versions/competitors, it needs to offer all the features that users are expecting. Depending on how complex those features are, the costs will increase exponentially.
Managing the Expenses an App with Intelligent Funding
It all depends on the scale of your project really, but it is possible to ensure that the application is high quality and comprehensive in its features eventually.
Take Out a Small Loan
If you are short by a small fraction, but the deadline for the project is approaching fast, do not release an incomplete version of it. If funding is the main issue, then you can get an easy loan these days from online payday lenders like BingoLoans, but make sure that the site is clear on all the details regarding interest rates, interest amount charged, late penalties etc. from the start. It cannot ever be complete on day one, but it’s never a good idea to release buggy, incomplete software, as it ruins reputations.
Intelligent Development: Keep the Updates Coming
A good software developer keeps the updates coming, which is the best way to add missing features, or those that the clients need over time. However, ensure that the code is update friendly, because if it isn’t, the back-end will become way too complicated soon.
If it’s a particularly ambitious project though, crowd funding might be exactly what you need. Plenty of developers have seen immense success in app development through crowd funding, and there’s no reason you can’t be one of them either.
