Apple’s iOS has had an evolution that will be remembered for ages to come. From a simple mobile operating system to a universe of its own with gadgets ranging from car to home devices, iOS has come a long way. Today as we speak, the iOS devices continue to expand their universe and serve us with the finest technology with their mobile, desk, automobile, home & wearable devices.
Considering the standard hourly rates for development and other factors like hosting, maintenance and third party integration costs, on an average a simple iOS app could cost somewhere between $20 to $30 One thing about quality is that it is never inexpensive. The prices across the spectrum of an iOS app & its subsequent experience are above the usual. Developing and hosting an app on iOS is as posh as having an Apple product. Some complex apps that include larger databases, layered user interactions and content streaming could cost in excess to $100,00 as well.
Reasons to choose iOS
Developers love working on iOS app projects. Businesses want to serve iOS device users with their apps. End consumers too want to use iOS products for their unmatched quality and state of the art technology inside. Here are some key reasons why iOS remains the preferred platform for all parties involved.
Security
iOS is one of the most secure platforms out there. Most studies by leading anti-virus software makers also suggest that iOS devices are less susceptible than Android devices. This is down to iOS’s strict policies towards third party ads & not allowing third party servers any access over their apps.
Preferred Demographic of Users
Apple hardly cares about the number of units they sell. Despite the underwhelming number of units sold compared to Android, iOS devices generate higher app revenue due to its user base demographic. Most iOS users are tech enthusiasts and don’t mind paying a premium for quality experience. That results in higher in-app purchases and higher revenue despite lower sales of number devices.
Best Experience
iOS is buttery smooth. Apple’s sole focus is on providing safe yet fast and intuitive user experience. Apple’s continuous innovation on technology and integrated hardware as well as software manufacturing results in a seamless experience on all iOS devices. Faster app launches and state of the art hardware support makes iOS app experience far superior than its peers.
Objective C & Swift
It is commonly believed that programs written in languages like Objective C & Swift are faster than the ones written in Java or any other languages that support app development for Android. Apple claims that apps developed on Swift, which is their own programming language dedicated to iOS apps, are 8.4 times faster than the ones developed on Python 2.7. This difference in speed is further enhanced by the immersive experience iOS provides as an operating system.
Higher RoI
All these factors culminate into a user experience like no other. This results in increased loyalty among iOS users. Due to the inexpensive nature of iOS devices and belonging to a tech savvy demographic, the iOS users tend to spend higher on in-app purchases than the ones on Android. Businesses essentially pay a premium app hosting and development fees for iOS apps to leverage on this demographic that returns them all their investment faster.
Things to Consider Before You Hire Dedicated Mobile Application Development Agency
Knowing your developers is the key to getting a strong app for your business. The cost of your iOS app can pretty much depend on a few factors that concern your agency. You can gauge the technical aptness of your development agency by discussing the following points with them before you carve the costs out.
Documentation
Documenting your project may not have a direct impact on the costs but it surely paves way for it. It is very essential to agree upon the services and technologies you are going to acquire. After assessing your needs, your agency defines an agreement which mentions all the human resources and technology they will acquire for your project. This practice makes things transparent and prepares you for a certain budget.
Monetization
It hardly makes any sense today to have an app that is merely informative and static. Apps these days are one of the biggest sources of revenue for businesses. Regardless of the products or services you are offering, your app must have monetizing features. Your developers must ensure you have multiple monetizing alternatives through your app.
Apart from payment APIs, your app also must offer content that helps you make revenue. Content creation can affect your app costs. Video editors take about 6 hours to edit 1 short video and charge somewhere around $25 per hour. Writers cost somewhere around $25 per post. Based on the frequency of posting, you can estimate recurring content costs for your app.
Application Programming Interfaces
APIs are the core of the dynamism that apps possess these days. Your app will need APIs for every major window of features like payment, navigation, content streaming etc. These APIs are pre-developed programs that your app can rent based on the sessions.
It is very difficult to estimate the costs of usage of these APIs because most of them charge per session. For example, there are no costs to host APIs like Core Machine Learning, Apple Map’s MapKit , Weather & Payment APIs for those enrolled in Apple’s Developer Program Membership which costs $99 a year to developers.
Updates
The world of technology changes very rapidly. Devices are usually enrolled annually but the software that runs those devices undergo many changes annually. There are enhancements, security patches & even UI updates that iOS goes through. Regardless of every minor & major change, your app must comply with them to offer the best user experience.
Every update is unique. Some updates require little changes to your apps. Some require very little programming while others may require a major rebuild. Based on these changes, your agency could quote $200 to $1000 per update.
Knowing Libraries
Businesses are usually unaware of this aspect of app building. If not worked out properly, using too many paid themes or libraries can have a significant impact on the costs of your app. Libraries or frameworks are a set of codes or building blocks that perform a certain task in an app that may be common across all kinds of apps. Knowing these libraries can reduce the number of hours taken to build an app and thus has a huge impact on the overall costing.
A standard theme for iOS apps could cost around $20 – $ 50 and knowing the right libraries could save you up to 100 hours of development. Based on the hourly development charges, right integration of libraries from your developers can save up to $4,000 overall.
Expertise on Programming
When it comes to technology, knowing the programming language acts as a make or break factor. Knowing the way around programming languages like Objective C & Swift defines the number of hours needed to build your app.
Sound developers at leading agencies take 750-1,000 hours to completely build an app. The standard rates for developing apps using these programming languages are $20 – $25 per hour.
Hosting
Apple charges $99 annually for developers to host their apps on the App Store. This is a whopping FOUR times than Android’s lifetime charges to host an app on their Play Store. The disparity is obvious but you get all the benefits of the iOS user base along with tight security and better returns on your investments.
The exact cost of your app still depends on what you want from the app and how many features and extensions you want from it. There is no thumb rule or a fixed checklist to ensure you get the best custom iOS app development services but inquiring on these aspects can give you a much clearer picture.
Other Key Factors Affecting iOS App Development Costs
There are some factors that affect the cost of your app in various different ways. It’s a huge world out there and technology helps you to collaborate with anyone who has the right skill set needed for your project. Let us take a look at some other key factors that affect the costs.
Region Wise Costs
Developers in different regions quote different hourly rates across the continents. This could be down to competition in that region or overall economy & currency status. For instance, app developers in the USA quote between $100 to $150 per hour while developers from India quote nearly half of it.
App Type
Cost estimation cannot be the same for all kinds of apps. There are different kinds of apps that you can come up with like eCommerce app, content streaming app, bookings app, blogging app, social media app etc. Features and functionalities on all these apps are different and can cost you differently.
Maintenance and Optimization
An app that looks perfectly fine at the moment may become totally obsolete in a year. This is down to the strict nature of iOS and continuous threat attacks and subsequent OS updates. You have no choice but to comply with these changes. You must decide with your development agency to offer you regular maintenance and updates for your apps for all future changes.
The Final Word
Technology is so dynamic in today’s times that it is exceedingly difficult to come to a common lowest denominator when it comes to cost estimation. As expressed earlier, quality is never inexpensive. To get the best iOS app, you need the right agency that has all the affiliations and development program memberships along with the apt skillset. By comparison, it’s always an expensive affair to deal with the iOS universe. In the hindsight though, you get better returns and an ideal user base for your business which is worth ignoring the cost differences.
Pinal is a React Native Developer working with Gtech Web Infotech Pvt. Ltd., a leading mobile app development company in India. Being capable of building cross-platform applications that are highly proficient and offer intuitive user experience is her forte.
