Thank you! Your submission has been received!
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.
You’ve probably come to this article with questions such as, “How much does it cost to hire a mobile app developer?” or “How much will it cost to make an app for my business?” or even, “Are there cheaper ways to build my mobile app?”
As much as we want to give you exact figures, it will be hard to compute how much an app development project will cost as there’s a lot of factors involved throughout the process that influence the total cost. Until you find a mobile app developer or talk to an outsourcing company or agency, all you will be able to find are estimates based on the complexity and functionalities of your app.
In this article, you’ll learn the factors that influence the costs of making an app as well as the estimate of developer rates, helping you prepare well for your mobile app development project.
Before anything else, you should know that there are three types of apps:
A web app, when put simply, is a mobile version of a website. Web apps have become increasingly important as studies like that by Statista shows that users now spend more time on apps than on mobile websites. A web app can help your business strengthen its online presence and audience reach.
A native app, on the other hand, is a type of mobile app that’s built for a specific operating system (say, exclusively for iOS or Android). Native apps are downloaded from an app store and can be accessed on certain devices only. They are among the more complex apps as they are built using certain languages only and they are built to provide the ultimate user experience.
Lastly, a hybrid app is a combination of a web app and a native app. Just like a native app, you can download hybrid apps from app stores; just like a web app, they are built with HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. Hybrid apps run in Webview and operate on more than one platform. They are also more popular because they’re easier to develop and manage.
Related article: 5 Reasons to Hire a Mobile App Developer Offshore
App development cost comes from a combination of several factors and aspects. There are factors that you should look into for you to at least get an idea of how much you’ll be spending, such as these:
App Functionality and Purpose
This item includes what your app will be doing for its users. The complexity and the functionality of your app directly affect the development cost; more complex features will need the expertise of a higher level developer, thus increasing your app development costs.
Integration of Third-party Apps
Will your app take content or data from third-party apps, or will your app be concentrated on its own platform? This is another factor that influences your development cost. Connecting your app with a third party app will require API development along with some very meticulous safety measures, so this can potentially increase your app development costs.
Visual Complexity
The complexity of the visual objects inside your app is directly proportional to the development cost. Take note that more complex visuals will require greater effort and skills from both your back-end and front-end developers, and naturally, this all comes with a price tag. For example, using the AR/VR technology will definitely be more costly than using simple transitions and animations.
Use of Smartphone Hardware Features
Will your app be using smartphone hardware features such as GPS, the motion processor, and NFC technology? Determine whether your app will be dependent on smartphone features or not and to what extent. Apps that are more dependent on smartphones’ inbuilt capabilities will require API integration, thus costing more.
Maintenance Plan
Generally, estimate costs of mobile app development do not include the update or maintenance cost as they are generally incurred after the app is launched. Nevertheless, this is certainly one factor that you should allocate budget and tech talent for.
Team Size
The scale of your project and the number of tasks dictate how many developers you will need to work on your app. Often, if not always, the number of your team members is directly proportional to the app development cost. When considering the team size, you should take into consideration the skill level of the developers and tech talents you need to hire.
Apps differ greatly in functions and complexity, so they also differ greatly in costs. Here is a table with estimates of developer rates and hours needed during development for 6 types of mobile apps:
To compute for the app development cost, multiply the rate per hour and the hours required. In the table below, you’ll find sample computation for simple, moderate, and complex apps:
Aside from tapping your local talent pool to find your mobile app developers, the technology today has made it possible for other types of collaboration, which, in some instances, are even more cost-effective than hiring professionals.
Do-it-Yourself building platforms
There are many free platforms online that lets users drag and drop features to build an app. However, you really can’t expect sophisticated features as well as security updates, bug fixes, and the like with apps built on these platforms. While these platforms can help you get started, know that this is only for simpler projects.
Freelancers
The good thing about working with freelancers to build a mobile app is that they tend to have lower rates than in-house mobile app developers. However, maintaining communication with freelance developers can become difficult and exhausting in the long run if not done right, and there’s also no guarantee of future support and maintenance.
Hiring in-house developers
Building an in-house development team is advantageous for businesses despite it being a long and expensive task. When you build your own development team, remember that there should be at least these roles:
Be creative in reaching out to your local tech talent pool as competition for skilled mobile developers nowadays can be especially fierce.
Related article: Top 9 Criteria for Choosing the Right IT Outsourcing Partner
Outsourcing companies
When none of the above options suits your needs and your budget, partnering with IT outsourcing companies may be the best route to take for your business. Outsourcing companies are able to help startups and SMEs find and hire mobile app developers at competitive costs in as fast as two weeks.
Price is an important factor, but there are other equally important aspects that you should look into when looking for app developers, such as tech expertise, UI/UX skills, developer locations, and more. For a more comprehensive guide, we’ve compiled the do’s and don’ts when hiring Android developers in another blog.
If you’re interested in working with outsourcing companies and agencies, it’s important to check their online presence. Visit their website or their LinkedIn page to get as much information about who they are and what they do. Head next to their history and reviews to have an idea of how long they’re in the business and how they handle their clients. Lastly, check their expertise and the previous projects they’ve handled.
Based on your research, go with the outsourcing company or agency that will bring you the most value and the most hassle-free experience at the most competitive price.
.png)
One of our recruitment officers will get in touch with you today!
One of our recruitment officers will get in touch with you today!
We are seeking a motivated and dynamic Business Development Representative to join our team. This role is crucial for driving our business growth by identifying potential clients, conducting direct outreach, and setting appointments for our sales team. The ideal candidate will have a strong passion for sales, a successful track record of achievement, excellent communication skills, and the ability to thrive in a fast-paced environment.
We are seeking a Fullstack Developer with a strong emphasis on front-end development and user experience to join our team. This role requires a balance of front-end and back-end skills, with a preference for candidates who excel in creating visually appealing and user-friendly interfaces.
We are seeking an experienced IT Project Manager to oversee the planning, implementation, and tracking of IT projects. The ideal candidate will have strong technical skills combined with excellent leadership abilities to ensure projects are completed on time, within scope, and within budget
We are looking for a talented Software Tester to join our expanding QA team. You will be working as part of a highly skilled team, helping build high-quality interactive web and mobile applications. You will work on implementing automation tests for our products to make sure they are kept robust.
Asan Android Developer, you will demonstrate an understanding of clean, object-oriented code, good architecture principles, and knowledge of common software design patterns. As a team, we’re committed to producing high-quality, maintainable code, so you’ll need to display a familiarity with the creation of well-tested code. Experience of interaction with XML and JSON data served via HTTP APIs is also essential. We make use of several additional technologies including many of the Android support libraries
As a Full-Stack Developer, you will play a pivotal role in advancing our core product, which is market-ready and positioned for continuous improvement and innovation. You will be integral to the entire development lifecycle, enhancing existing features and deploying new functionalities. You will stay abreast of industry trends to continuously innovate and improve our product, taking ownership of projects from conception through to implementation.
As an iOS Developer, you lead technical excellence and management within our team on a leading VOD platform. You ensure iOS projects are delivered on time and within budget while providing clear solutions to complex technical issues. Your role fosters innovation and excellence through the adoption of new technologies and best practices, supporting the team to produce top-tier work.
This role will be to collaborate on the Quality Assurance of the company’s application, whilst also taking responsibility for the back-end architecture. You will assume responsibility for a wide range of activities that will include candidate support, client and integration support activities, and project-based work to improve our overall effectiveness
As a QA Engineer, the ideal candidate will have a strong background in both manual and automated testing, with a focus on mobile and web applications. This role involves working closely with developers, product owners, and UX/UI designers to ensure the highest quality of our software products.
We seek a Video Editor with a strong creative eye. You'll create high-quality YouTube videos, repurpose content, and streamline workflows using Adobe Premiere, Frame.io, CapCut, and other AI tools to maximize your video editing efforts. You will create videos on a weekly basis for our company and our CEO's personal brand. The job is completely remote, but we have offices in Makati, where you might be asked to join us occasionally for team gatherings.
This is an exciting opportunity for a video editor who has a growth mindset, who takes pride in their work and enjoys working from the comfort of their home.
As a React Native Mobile Developer, you will be responsible for developing and maintaining mobile applications for both iOS and Android platforms. You will collaborate closely with our product, design, and backend teams to create seamless, intuitive, and high-performance mobile experiences for our users.
As a Senior Developer specializing in Zuora Subscription Billing, you will be responsible for the design, development, and maintenance of Zuora Subscription Billing solutions to support our subscription-based business model. You will work closely with cross-functional teams to understand business requirements and implement solutions that align with the company's objectives.
Cloud Employee is a UK-owned Philippines business established 8 years ago. We connect high-performing software engineer talent in the Philippines with some of the world’s leading and most innovative tech companies. Developers join to work from the Philippines as part of international engineering teams and grow their CV and skill-set.
We pride ourselves on being supportive and cutting-edge work that continuously invests in staff development, engagement, and well-being. We provide security, career paths, individual training programs, and mentoring.
Cloud Employee is building a ‘Future of Work’ AI driven talent tech platform in the remote software engineer staffing space.
In this strategic and hands-on creative role, you'll have the opportunity to shape the narrative of remote work and impact the tech industry at a global scale.
With team members across the US, LATAM, Europe and Asia - we’re on a mission to bridge the talent gap with our matching platform and employee experience programs.
We need your storytelling strategy skills to ‘share the journey’ and the human stories behind our business
Cloud Employee, is a UK owned Philippines business established 8 years ago. We connect high-performing software engineer talent in the Philippines with some of the world’s leading and most innovative tech companies. Developers join to work from the Philippines as part of international engineer teams and grow their CV and skill-set.
We pride ourselves on being a supportive and cutting edge workplace continuously investing in staff development, engagement and well-being. We provide security, career paths, along with individual training programs and mentoring.
Cloud Employee is a fast-growing UK-managed offshore recruitment and staffing company in the Philippines. We tackle the growing global IT skills shortage by connecting tech companies based in Europe, the US, and Australia to our pool of expert software developers in the country.
We are now seeking a passionate Senior/Team Lead Full-Stack PHP Developer to join our team of skilled talents. This is an excellent opportunity to join a fun and dynamic work environment and to significantly advance your career.
Cloud Employee is a UK-owned business established 8 years ago. We connect high-performing software engineer talent worldwide with some of the world’s leading and most innovative tech companies. Developers join to work from the Philippines and Brazil as part of international engineer teams and grow their CV and skill-set.
We pride ourselves on being a supportive and cutting edge workplace continuously investing in staff development, engagement and well-being. We provide security, career paths, along with individual training programs and mentoring.
Cloud Employee, is a UK-owned Philippines business established 8 years ago. We connect high-performing software engineer talent in the Philippines with some of the world’s leading and most innovative tech companies. Developers join to work from the Philippines as part of international engineer teams and grow their CV and skill-set.
We pride ourselves on being supportive and cutting-edge work that continuously invests in staff development, engagement and well-being. We provide security, and career paths, along with individual training programs and mentoring.
Cloud Employee, is a UK-owned Philippines business established 8 years ago. We connect high-performing software engineer talent in the Philippines with some of the world’s leading and most innovative tech companies. Developers join to work from the Philippines as part of international engineer teams and grow their CV and skill-set.
We pride ourselves on being supportive and cutting-edge work that continuously invests in staff development, engagement and well-being. We provide security, and career paths, along with individual training programs and mentoring.
Cloud Employee is a UK-owned Philippines business established 8 years ago. We connect high-performing software engineer talent in the Philippines with some of the world’s leading and most innovative tech companies. Developers join to work from the Philippines as part of international engineering teams and grow their CV and skill-set.
We pride ourselves on being supportive and cutting-edge work that continuously invests in staff development, engagement, and well-being. We provide security, career paths, individual training programs, and mentoring.
Cloud Employee, is a UK owned Philippines business established 8 years ago. We connect high-performing software engineer talent in the Philippines with some of the world’s leading and most innovative tech companies. Developers join to work from the Philippines as part of international engineer teams and grow their CV and skill-set.
We pride ourselves on being a supportive and cutting edge workplace continuously investing in staff development, engagement and well-being. We provide security, career paths, along with individual training programs and mentoring.
Cloud Employee is a UK-owned business established 8 years ago. We connect high-performing software engineer talent worldwide with some of the world’s leading and most innovative tech companies. Developers join to work from the Philippines and Brazil as part of international engineer teams and grow their CV and skill-set.
We pride ourselves on being a supportive and cutting edge workplace continuously investing in staff development, engagement and well-being. We provide security, career paths, along with individual training programs and mentoring.
Cloud Employee, is a UK-owned Philippines business established 8 years ago. We connect high-performing software engineer talent in the Philippines with some of the world’s leading and most innovative tech companies. Developers join to work from the Philippines as part of international engineer teams and grow their CV and skill-set.
We pride ourselves on being supportive and cutting-edge work that continuously invests in staff development, engagement and well-being. We provide security, and career paths, along with individual training programs and mentoring.
Cloud Employee, is a UK-owned Philippines business established 8 years ago. We connect high-performing software engineer talent in the Philippines with some of the world’s leading and most innovative tech companies. Developers join to work from the Philippines as part of international engineer teams and grow their CV and skill-set.
We pride ourselves on being supportive and cutting-edge work that continuously invests in staff development, engagement and well-being. We provide security, and career paths, along with individual training programs and mentoring.
Cloud Employee, is a UK-owned Philippines business established 8 years ago. We connect high-performing software engineer talent in the Philippines with some of the world’s leading and most innovative tech companies. Developers join to work from the Philippines as part of international engineer teams and grow their CV and skill-set.
We pride ourselves on being supportive and cutting-edge work that continuously invests in staff development, engagement and well-being. We provide security, and career paths, along with individual training programs and mentoring.
Cloud Employee, is a UK-owned Philippines business established 8 years ago. We connect high-performing software engineer talent in the Philippines with some of the world’s leading and most innovative tech companies. Developers join to work from the Philippines as part of international engineer teams and grow their CV and skill-set.
We pride ourselves on being supportive and cutting-edge work that continuously invests in staff development, engagement and well-being. We provide security, and career paths, along with individual training programs and mentoring.
Cloud Employee, is a UK-owned Philippines business established 8 years ago. We connect high-performing software engineer talent in the Philippines with some of the world’s leading and most innovative tech companies. Developers join to work from the Philippines as part of international engineer teams and grow their CV and skill-set.
We pride ourselves on being supportive and cutting-edge work that continuously invests in staff development, engagement and well-being. We provide security, and career paths, along with individual training programs and mentoring.
Cloud Employee, is a UK-owned Philippines business established 8 years ago. We connect high-performing software engineer talent in the Philippines with some of the world’s leading and most innovative tech companies. Developers join to work from the Philippines as part of international engineer teams and grow their CV and skill-set.
We pride ourselves on being supportive and cutting-edge work that continuously invests in staff development, engagement and well-being. We provide security, and career paths, along with individual training programs and mentoring.
Cloud Employee, is a UK-owned Philippines business established 8 years ago. We connect high-performing software engineer talent in the Philippines with some of the world’s leading and most innovative tech companies. Developers join to work from the Philippines as part of international engineer teams and grow their CV and skill-set.
We pride ourselves on being supportive and cutting-edge work that continuously invests in staff development, engagement and well-being. We provide security, and career paths, along with individual training programs and mentoring.
Cloud Employee, is a UK owned Philippines business established 8 years ago. We connect high-performing software engineer talent in the Philippines with some of the world’s leading and most innovative tech companies. Developers join to work from the Philippines as part of international engineer teams and grow their CV and skill-set.
We pride ourselves on being a supportive and cutting edge workplace continuously investing in staff development, engagement and well-being. We provide security, career paths, along with individual training programs and mentoring.
Our Client
A leading UK-company that specializes in providing foreign currencies solutions
Cloud Employee, is a UK-owned Philippines business established 8 years ago. We connect high-performing software engineer talent in the Philippines with some of the world’s leading and most innovative tech companies. Developers join to work from the Philippines as part of international engineer teams and grow their CV and skill-set.
We pride ourselves on being supportive and cutting-edge work that continuously invests in staff development, engagement and well-being. We provide security, and career paths, along with individual training programs and mentoring.
A completely integrated innovation studio within the corporate framework, with a primary emphasis on making the future of the food industry accessible to all. Their core objective is to discover, create, and expand tailored automation remedies, utilizing a team of proficient individuals covering domains like engineering, robotics, and artificial intelligence. Our central mission revolves around constructing automation technology solutions that empower individuals to achieve greater feats.
Position Summary
In your role as a Robotics Software Engineer, your expertise in Robotic Software Engineering will be the key to your success. Collaborating with our skilled team, you'll play a pivotal role in advancing our cutting-edge product development accelerator. Your responsibilities will involve crafting, programming, and evaluating top-notch software essential for ensuring the dependable and secure operations of commercial robots.
Cloud Employee, is a UK-owned Philippines business established 8 years ago. We connect high-performing software engineer talent in the Philippines with some of the world’s leading and most innovative tech companies. Developers join to work from the Philippines as part of international engineer teams and grow their CV and skill-set.
We pride ourselves on being supportive and cutting-edge work that continuously invests in staff development, engagement and well-being. We provide security, and career paths, along with individual training programs and mentoring.
Cloud Employee, is a UK-owned Philippines business established 8 years ago. We connect high-performing software engineer talent in the Philippines with some of the world’s leading and most innovative tech companies. Developers join to work from the Philippines as part of international engineer teams and grow their CV and skill-set.
We pride ourselves on being supportive and cutting-edge work that continuously invests in staff development, engagement and well-being. We provide security, and career paths, along with individual training programs and mentoring.
Cloud Employee, is a UK-owned Philippines business established 8 years ago. We connect high-performing software engineer talent in the Philippines with some of the world’s leading and most innovative tech companies. Developers join to work from the Philippines as part of international engineer teams and grow their CV and skill-set.
We pride ourselves on being supportive and cutting-edge work that continuously invests in staff development, engagement and well-being. We provide security, and career paths, along with individual training programs and mentoring.
Cloud Employee, is a UK-owned Philippines business established 8 years ago. We connect high-performing software engineer talent in the Philippines with some of the world’s leading and most innovative tech companies. Developers join to work from the Philippines as part of international engineer teams and grow their CV and skill-set.
We pride ourselves on being supportive and cutting-edge work that continuously invests in staff development, engagement and well-being. We provide security, and career paths, along with individual training programs and mentoring.
Cloud Employee, is a UK-owned Philippines business established 8 years ago. We connect high-performing software engineer talent in the Philippines with some of the world’s leading and most innovative tech companies. Developers join to work from the Philippines as part of international engineer teams and grow their CV and skill-set.
We pride ourselves on being supportive and cutting-edge work that continuously invests in staff development, engagement and well-being. We provide security, and career paths, along with individual training programs and mentoring.
A completely integrated innovation studio within the corporate framework, with a primary emphasis on making the future of the food industry accessible to all. Their core objective is to discover, create, and expand tailored automation remedies, utilizing a team of proficient individuals covering domains like engineering, robotics, and artificial intelligence. Our central mission revolves around constructing automation technology solutions that empower individuals to achieve greater feats.
Position Summary
The position of Mechanical Engineer corresponds to a mid-level role. An ideal candidate for this position possesses robust practical expertise in various technical systems. The responsibilities encompass a combination of individual input within projects and actively leading teams towards achieving a remarkable standard of technical proficiency.
Cloud Employee, is a UK-owned Philippines business established 8 years ago. We connect high-performing software engineer talent in the Philippines with some of the world’s leading and most innovative tech companies. Developers join to work from the Philippines as part of international engineer teams and grow their CV and skill-set.
We pride ourselves on being supportive and cutting-edge work that continuously invests in staff development, engagement and well-being. We provide security, and career paths, along with individual training programs and mentoring.
A completely integrated innovation studio within the corporate framework, with a primary emphasis on making the future of the food industry accessible to all. Their core objective is to discover, create, and expand tailored automation remedies, utilizing a team of proficient individuals covering domains like engineering, robotics, and artificial intelligence. Our central mission revolves around constructing automation technology solutions that empower individuals to achieve greater feats.
Position Summary
In the role of an Industrial Design Engineer with a focus on cobotics, you will assume a crucial position in envisioning, crafting, and honing both the tangible and operational facets of our collaborative robotic solutions. Your collaboration will extend to cross-functional groups, including mechanical engineers, software developers, and UX designers, in the pursuit of devising cobotic systems centered around users. These systems will redefine effectiveness and safety within industrial settings.
Cloud Employee, is a UK owned Philippines business established 8 years ago. We connect high-performing software engineer talent in the Philippines with some of the world’s leading and most innovative tech companies. Developers join to work from the Philippines as part of international engineer teams and grow their CV and skill-set.
We pride ourselves on being a supportive and cutting edge workplace continuously investing in staff development, engagement and well-being. We provide security, career paths, along with individual training programs and mentoring.
A top rated and state of the art cloud based video interviewing solutions company based in the UK catering to over 5000 prominent companies around the world such as Samsung, Uber, Boohoo, Coinbase, 7-Eleven and many more.
Cloud Employee, is a UK-owned Philippines business established 8 years ago. We connect high-performing software engineer talent in the Philippines with some of the world’s leading and most innovative tech companies. Developers join to work from the Philippines as part of international engineer teams and grow their CV and skill-set.
We pride ourselves on being supportive and cutting-edge work that continuously invests in staff development, engagement and well-being. We provide security, and career paths, along with individual training programs and mentoring.
Cloud Employee, is a UK-owned Philippines business established 8 years ago. We connect high-performing software engineer talent in the Philippines with some of the world’s leading and most innovative tech companies. Developers join to work from the Philippines as part of international engineer teams and grow their CV and skill-set.
We pride ourselves on being supportive and cutting-edge work that continuously invests in staff development, engagement and well-being. We provide security, and career paths, along with individual training programs and mentoring.
Cloud Employee, is a UK-owned Philippines business established 8 years ago. We connect high-performing software engineer talent in the Philippines with some of the world’s leading and most innovative tech companies. Developers join to work from the Philippines as part of international engineer teams and grow their CV and skill-set.
We pride ourselves on being supportive and cutting-edge work that continuously invests in staff development, engagement and well-being. We provide security, and career paths, along with individual training programs and mentoring.
A completely integrated innovation studio within the corporate framework, with a primary emphasis on making the future of the food industry accessible to all. Their core objective is to discover, create, and expand tailored automation remedies, utilizing a team of proficient individuals covering domains like engineering, robotics, and artificial intelligence. Our central mission revolves around constructing automation technology solutions that empower individuals to achieve greater feats.
Position Overview
In the role of an Electrical Engineer, your expertise and proficiency in designing electrical-mechanical systems will be a key asset, enabling you to stand out. Collaborating with our skilled team, you will play a vital role in expediting product development processes.
Cloud Employee, is a UK-owned Philippines business established 8 years ago. We connect high-performing software engineer talent in the Philippines with some of the world’s leading and most innovative tech companies. Developers join to work from the Philippines as part of international engineer teams and grow their CV and skill-set.
We pride ourselves on being supportive and cutting-edge work that continuously invests in staff development, engagement and well-being. We provide security, and career paths, along with individual training programs and mentoring.
Cloud Employee is a fast-growing UK-managed offshore recruitment and staffing company in the Philippines. We tackle the growing global IT skills shortage by connecting tech companies based in Europe, the US, and Australia to our pool of expert software developers in the country.
We are now seeking a passionate Front End React Developer to join our team of skilled talents. This is an excellent opportunity to join a fun and dynamic work environment and to significantly advance your career.
Cloud Employee, is a UK-owned Philippines business established 8 years ago. We connect high-performing software engineer talent in the Philippines with some of the world’s leading and most innovative tech companies. Developers join to work from the Philippines as part of international engineer teams and grow their CV and skill-set.
We pride ourselves on being supportive and cutting-edge work that continuously invests in staff development, engagement and well-being. We provide security, and career paths, along with individual training programs and mentoring.
Cloud Employee, is a UK-owned Philippines business established 8 years ago. We connect high-performing software engineer talent in the Philippines with some of the world’s leading and most innovative tech companies. Developers join to work from the Philippines as part of international engineer teams and grow their CV and skill-set.
We pride ourselves on being supportive and cutting-edge work that continuously invests in staff development, engagement and well-being. We provide security, and career paths, along with individual training programs and mentoring.
Cloud Employee, is a UK-owned Philippines business established 8 years ago. We connect high-performing software engineer talent in the Philippines with some of the world’s leading and most innovative tech companies. Developers join to work from the Philippines as part of international engineer teams and grow their CV and skill-set.
We pride ourselves on being supportive and cutting-edge work that continuously invests in staff development, engagement and well-being. We provide security, and career paths, along with individual training programs and mentoring.
Cloud Employee is a fast-growing UK-managed offshore recruitment and staffing company in the Philippines. We tackle the growing global IT skills shortage by connecting tech companies based in Europe, the US, and Australia to our pool of expert software developers in the country.
We are now seeking a passionate Full-Stack Developer to join our team of skilled talents. This is an excellent opportunity to join a fun and dynamic work environment and to significantly advance your career.
Cloud Employee, is a UK-owned Philippines business established 8 years ago. We connect high-performing software engineer talent in the Philippines with some of the world’s leading and most innovative tech companies. Developers join to work from the Philippines as part of international engineer teams and grow their CV and skill-set.
We pride ourselves on being supportive and cutting-edge work that continuously invests in staff development, engagement and well-being. We provide security, and career paths, along with individual training programs and mentoring.
Cloud Employee, is a UK-owned Philippines business established 8 years ago. We connect high-performing software engineer talent in the Philippines with some of the world’s leading and most innovative tech companies. Developers join to work from the Philippines as part of international engineering teams and grow their CV and skill-set.We pride ourselves on being a supportive and cutting-edge workplace that continuously invests in staff development, engagement, and well-being. We provide security, and career paths, along with individual training programs and mentoring.
Cloud Employee, is a UK-owned Philippines business established 8 years ago. We connect high-performing software engineer talent in the Philippines with some of the world’s leading and most innovative tech companies. Developers join to work from the Philippines as part of international engineer teams and grow their CV and skill-set.
We pride ourselves on being supportive and cutting-edge work that continuously invests in staff development, engagement and well-being. We provide security, and career paths, along with individual training programs and mentoring
Cloud Employee is a fast-growing UK-managed offshore recruitment and staffing company in the Philippines. We tackle the growing global IT skills shortage by connecting tech companies based in Europe, the US, and Australia to our pool of expert software developers in the country.
We are now seeking passionate mid to senior-level Fullstack PHP Developer to join our team of skilled talents. This is an excellent opportunity to join a fun and dynamic work environment and to significantly advance your career.
Cloud Employee is a fast-growing UK-managed offshore recruitment and staffing company in the Philippines. We tackle the growing global IT skills shortage by connecting tech companies based in Europe, the US, and Australia to our pool of expert software developers in the country.
We are now seeking passionate Lead Full-Stack PHP Developer to join our team of skilled talents. This is an excellent opportunity to join a fun and dynamic work environment and to significantly advance your career.
Cloud Employee, is a UK-owned Philippines business established 8 years ago. We connect high-performing software engineer talent in the Philippines with some of the world’s leading and most innovative tech companies. Developers join to work from the Philippines as part of international engineer teams and grow their CV and skill-set.
We pride ourselves on being supportive and cutting-edge work that continuously invests in staff development, engagement and well-being. We provide security, and career paths, along with individual training programs and mentoring.
Cloud Employee, is a UK-owned Philippines business established 8 years ago. We connect high-performing software engineer talent in the Philippines with some of the world’s leading and most innovative tech companies. Developers join to work from the Philippines as part of international engineer teams and grow their CV and skill-set.
We pride ourselves on being supportive and cutting-edge work that continuously invests in staff development, engagement and well-being. We provide security, and career paths, along with individual training programs and mentoring.
Cloud Employee, is a UK-owned Philippines business established 8 years ago. We connect high-performing software engineer talent in the Philippines with some of the world’s leading and most innovative tech companies. Developers join to work from the Philippines as part of international engineer teams and grow their CV and skill-set.
We pride ourselves on being supportive and cutting-edge work that continuously invests in staff development, engagement and well-being. We provide security, and career paths, along with individual training programs and mentoring.
Cloud Employee is a UK-owned business established eight years ago. We connect high-performing software engineer talent worldwide with some of the world’s leading and most innovative tech companies. Developers join to work from the Philippines and Brazil as part of international engineering teams and grow their CV and skill-set.
We pride ourselves on being a supportive and cutting edge workplace that continuously invests in staff development, engagement, and well-being. We provide security, career paths, individual training programs, and mentoring.
Cloud Employee, is a UK-owned Philippines business established 8 years ago. We connect high-performing software engineer talent in the Philippines with some of the world’s leading and most innovative tech companies. Developers join to work from the Philippines as part of international engineer teams and grow their CV and skill-set.
We pride ourselves on being supportive and cutting-edge work that continuously invests in staff development, engagement and well-being. We provide security, and career paths, along with individual training programs and mentoring.
Cloud Employee, is a UK-owned Philippines business established 8 years ago. We connect high-performing software engineer talent in the Philippines with some of the world’s leading and most innovative tech companies. Developers join to work from the Philippines as part of international engineer teams and grow their CV and skill-set.
We pride ourselves on being supportive and cutting-edge work that continuously invests in staff development, engagement and well-being. We provide security, and career paths, along with individual training programs and mentoring.
Cloud Employee is a UK-owned Philippines business established 8 years ago. We connect high-performing software engineer talent in the Philippines with some of the world’s leading and most innovative tech companies. Developers join to work from the Philippines as part of international engineering teams and grow their CV and skill-set.
We pride ourselves on being a supportive and cutting-edge workplace that continuously invests in staff development, engagement, and well-being. We provide security, and career paths, along with individual training programs and mentoring.
February 16, 2024
You’ve probably come to this article with questions such as, “How much does it cost to hire a mobile app developer?” or “How much will it cost to make an app for my business?” or even, “Are there cheaper ways to build my mobile app?”
As much as we want to give you exact figures, it will be hard to compute how much an app development project will cost as there’s a lot of factors involved throughout the process that influence the total cost. Until you find a mobile app developer or talk to an outsourcing company or agency, all you will be able to find are estimates based on the complexity and functionalities of your app.
In this article, you’ll learn the factors that influence the costs of making an app as well as the estimate of developer rates, helping you prepare well for your mobile app development project.
Before anything else, you should know that there are three types of apps:
A web app, when put simply, is a mobile version of a website. Web apps have become increasingly important as studies like that by Statista shows that users now spend more time on apps than on mobile websites. A web app can help your business strengthen its online presence and audience reach.
A native app, on the other hand, is a type of mobile app that’s built for a specific operating system (say, exclusively for iOS or Android). Native apps are downloaded from an app store and can be accessed on certain devices only. They are among the more complex apps as they are built using certain languages only and they are built to provide the ultimate user experience.
Lastly, a hybrid app is a combination of a web app and a native app. Just like a native app, you can download hybrid apps from app stores; just like a web app, they are built with HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. Hybrid apps run in Webview and operate on more than one platform. They are also more popular because they’re easier to develop and manage.
Related article: 5 Reasons to Hire a Mobile App Developer Offshore
App development cost comes from a combination of several factors and aspects. There are factors that you should look into for you to at least get an idea of how much you’ll be spending, such as these:
App Functionality and Purpose
This item includes what your app will be doing for its users. The complexity and the functionality of your app directly affect the development cost; more complex features will need the expertise of a higher level developer, thus increasing your app development costs.
Integration of Third-party Apps
Will your app take content or data from third-party apps, or will your app be concentrated on its own platform? This is another factor that influences your development cost. Connecting your app with a third party app will require API development along with some very meticulous safety measures, so this can potentially increase your app development costs.
Visual Complexity
The complexity of the visual objects inside your app is directly proportional to the development cost. Take note that more complex visuals will require greater effort and skills from both your back-end and front-end developers, and naturally, this all comes with a price tag. For example, using the AR/VR technology will definitely be more costly than using simple transitions and animations.
Use of Smartphone Hardware Features
Will your app be using smartphone hardware features such as GPS, the motion processor, and NFC technology? Determine whether your app will be dependent on smartphone features or not and to what extent. Apps that are more dependent on smartphones’ inbuilt capabilities will require API integration, thus costing more.
Maintenance Plan
Generally, estimate costs of mobile app development do not include the update or maintenance cost as they are generally incurred after the app is launched. Nevertheless, this is certainly one factor that you should allocate budget and tech talent for.
Team Size
The scale of your project and the number of tasks dictate how many developers you will need to work on your app. Often, if not always, the number of your team members is directly proportional to the app development cost. When considering the team size, you should take into consideration the skill level of the developers and tech talents you need to hire.
Apps differ greatly in functions and complexity, so they also differ greatly in costs. Here is a table with estimates of developer rates and hours needed during development for 6 types of mobile apps:
To compute for the app development cost, multiply the rate per hour and the hours required. In the table below, you’ll find sample computation for simple, moderate, and complex apps:
Aside from tapping your local talent pool to find your mobile app developers, the technology today has made it possible for other types of collaboration, which, in some instances, are even more cost-effective than hiring professionals.
Do-it-Yourself building platforms
There are many free platforms online that lets users drag and drop features to build an app. However, you really can’t expect sophisticated features as well as security updates, bug fixes, and the like with apps built on these platforms. While these platforms can help you get started, know that this is only for simpler projects.
Freelancers
The good thing about working with freelancers to build a mobile app is that they tend to have lower rates than in-house mobile app developers. However, maintaining communication with freelance developers can become difficult and exhausting in the long run if not done right, and there’s also no guarantee of future support and maintenance.
Hiring in-house developers
Building an in-house development team is advantageous for businesses despite it being a long and expensive task. When you build your own development team, remember that there should be at least these roles:
Be creative in reaching out to your local tech talent pool as competition for skilled mobile developers nowadays can be especially fierce.
Related article: Top 9 Criteria for Choosing the Right IT Outsourcing Partner
Outsourcing companies
When none of the above options suits your needs and your budget, partnering with IT outsourcing companies may be the best route to take for your business. Outsourcing companies are able to help startups and SMEs find and hire mobile app developers at competitive costs in as fast as two weeks.
Price is an important factor, but there are other equally important aspects that you should look into when looking for app developers, such as tech expertise, UI/UX skills, developer locations, and more. For a more comprehensive guide, we’ve compiled the do’s and don’ts when hiring Android developers in another blog.
If you’re interested in working with outsourcing companies and agencies, it’s important to check their online presence. Visit their website or their LinkedIn page to get as much information about who they are and what they do. Head next to their history and reviews to have an idea of how long they’re in the business and how they handle their clients. Lastly, check their expertise and the previous projects they’ve handled.
Based on your research, go with the outsourcing company or agency that will bring you the most value and the most hassle-free experience at the most competitive price.
Have a question?
