In today’s dynamic world, mobile app development is not only transforming our lives but also revolutionizing the modern business landscape. Custom mobile applications have become integral tools that help you reach & engage with more audiences. However, when you’re planning to build an app for your business, one of the most important considerations will be how much app development costs.
Technically, the total cost to create an app is not fixed, it depends on a multitude of important factors, and one of the very influential among these factors is geographical location. In this blog, we will discuss how much it costs to build an app in different locations across the world and other crucial aspects. Let’s get started.
Region-wise App Development Cost Breakdown
The total cost of mobile app development significantly depends on the developer’s location. This is because different locations or regions have different labor costs, market dynamics, and demands, skill levels, etc. All of these effectively impact the overall cost of mobile app making. For your convenience & better understanding, below we’ve shared a table with the estimated cost of custom app development based on several geographical locations:
| Countries or Regions | Hourly Rates in USD | Description |
| India | $20 to $40 per hour | Low labor cost & high quality services |
| Eastern Europe | $30 to $70 per hour | Good balance between quality & costs |
| Western Europe | $80 to $100 per hour | High labor cost with good quality works |
| Australia | $100 to $140 per hour | High labor cost & development rates |
| United Kingdom | $120 to $150 per hour | High labor cost with top quality works |
| United States | $140 to $160 per hour | Highest labor cost & development rates |
As you can see in the table, the price differences are fully substantial.
If you consider US-based developers, you need to pay $140 to $160 per hour for app development, which is more expensive than in other regions.
If you want to get premium quality services at a budget-friendly rate, it’s best to choose India based app making agencies that offer comprehensive solutions with the lowest app pricing.
Indian app developers proficiently adopt advanced approaches to coding that make mobile applications more resilient, secure, and scalable.
Industry-wise App-making Costs
Custom mobile app development is dominating almost every industry – from fintech to eCommerce. Therefore, the total cost of app development deeply varies depending on the types of industry domains. This is because every industry or sector has different requirements as well as complexities. Here is a complete breakdown of industry-wise app-making costs based on typical features and functionalities:
- Lifestyle Apps
Range of costs: $15,000 to $300,000
Industry domains: Fashion & beauty, online dating, traveling, etc.
Description:
Lifestyle apps are always in great demand. These apps are primarily designed with basic functionalities, intuitive user interfaces, and eye-catching content. Developers take 900 to 1200 hours to make sophisticated lifestyle apps for users. Some of the prime examples of lifestyle apps include Myntra, Zivame, Uber, etc.
- eCommerce Apps
Range of costs: $30,000 to $150,000+
Industry domains: Fashion, online retail, electronics, etc.
Description:
eCommerce apps are known for their revolutionized online shopping experiences and user engagement. As per a report, the number of eCommerce app users will hit 2.77 billion worldwide by 2025. A sophisticated eCommerce app with basic features like shopping carts, product listing, user accounts & payment integration usually takes 1200 hours.
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- Social Networking Apps
Range of costs: $50,000 to $250,000+
Industry domains: Social media, online dating, and networking.
Description:
Social networking apps have a separate fanbase across the world. From Instagram, and Snapchat to Facebook, and WhatsApp, social media apps are extensively used for sharing photos, and videos, connecting with friends, streaming videos, and so on. A feature-packed social app (features include messaging, notifications & user profiles) usually takes 1200 to 1400 hours to develop.
- Healthcare & Fitness Apps
Range of costs: $80,000 to $200,000+
Industry domains: Health monitoring, telemedicine, fitness tracking, etc.
Description:
Mobile apps are transforming the healthcare industry with real-time tracking, streamlined patient care, health data integration, and medical data security features. From creating custom diet plans to measuring vitals, these apps take healthcare solutions to the next level. Developers take 900 to 1200 hours to create feature-rich healthcare & fitness apps.
- Fintech Apps
Range of costs: $50,000 to $500,000+
Industry domains: Online banking, insurance, online payment processing, etc.
Description:
FinTech or Financial Technology applications are known for their top-end security features. Developing these apps with advanced technology requires proper tech skills and knowledge. Professional app developers usually take 1200 to 1400 hours to build FinTech apps with sophisticated features & functionalities.
- EduTech Apps
Range of costs: $20,000 to $150,000+
Industry domains: Online tutoring, e-learning, language learning, etc.
Description:
EduTech mobile apps effectively streamline online learning and teaching methods. A sophisticated education application with intuitive features like personalized learning, a user-friendly interface, interactive content, and progress tracking usually takes 1000 to 1200 hours to develop.
- Gaming Apps
Range of costs: $60,000 to $500,000+
Industries: AR/VR, mobile gaming, etc.
Range of costs: $60,000 to $500,000+
Description: Nowadays, the gaming app market is excessively competitive. Therefore, the average cost to develop an app significantly depends on graphics, the game’s complexity levels, UI/UX design, and other functionalities. Developers usually take more than 1800 hours to develop a feature-rich gaming application.
How to Develop an App?
From conceptualization and planning to final deployment, the process of developing an application involves different stages. Here’s a quick overview that you must know:
- Project Planning & Research
- Define your project first and address the pain points that you need to solve through your app
- Conduct deep market research to know the competition, user demands & target audience
- Create a rough sketch of the UI and concept of your app, including key features & functionalities
- App Design
- Hire a developer’s team who will create wireframes & prototypes to visualize UI/UX
- Check and evaluate the app design, ensuring that it will perfectly align with your expectations
- Development
- Developers use the right technology stacks like frameworks & tools for your project
- They create the front-end and back-end infrastructure of your application
- Focus on features, functionalities & third-party integrations that will make your app secure and scalable
- App Testing
- Conduct usability testing to address bugs and fix them instantly
- Perform compatibility testing on different operating systems and devices
- Test your app to evaluate data privacy and security vulnerabilities
- Deployment
- Prepare the application for final release by making app store listings
- Create a developer account with the app store & follow submission guidelines
- Launch the application and make it live for your users
- Maintenance and Deployment
- Gather user feedback & track your overall app performance
- Enhance your app by providing updates with the latest features & bug fixes
- Keep the application up-to-date with the new operating systems & devices
Final Words
Any app development project is a long-term investment. Therefore, carefully evaluating all your project requirements & budget constraints is essential before embarking on the journey. If your budget is very high, North America and the United Kingdom will be the best location to find your app development partner.
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On the other hand, if you want extremely high-quality work within a limited budget, India will be at the top of your list. However, the ultimate choice is completely yours. There is no fixed value of mobile app development cost, whether you choose India or the USA, the total cost will vary in many ways.
FAQ’s
How much does it cost to develop an app in Dubai?
AED 25,000 to AED 100,000. The mobile app development cost in Dubai mostly depends on several factors such as app complexity levels, app categories, developer’s hourly rate, and so on. For your convenience, we have shared a list of app making costs in Dubai based on complexity levels:
- Tier 1 apps (Basic features): AED 20,000 to AED 40,000
- Tier 2 apps (Custom features with mid complexity): AED 40,000 to AED 60,000
- Tier 3 apps (Highly complex apps): AED 60,000 to AED 100,000+
How much does an app cost in the UK?
£50,000 to £300,000. The custom app development cost in the UK usually varies depending on the types of apps you create, the features you need to add, and the experience of the developers you hire. For your convenience, we’ve shared a list of app making costs in Dubai based on features and complexity:
- Simple apps with basic features: £20,000 to £50,000
- Custom apps with medium complexity: £50,000 to £100,000
- Apps with high-end features: £100,000 to £250,000
How much does an app cost in India?
$20,000 to $1,00,000. The iOS and Android app development cost in India depends on multiple factors including app category, chosen platform, developer’s rate, app features, and more. Based on complexity levels, the average cost to build an mobile app includes:
- Simple apps: $10,000 to $50,000
- Medium complex apps: $50,000 to $100,000
- Highly complex apps: $100,000 to $250,000
