So how to reduce the cost to create an Android app? As mobile applications have become a popular platform for businesses to stay connected with users and keep them engaged in their services, therefore many startups are turning to mobile apps.

So are you ready to create a mobile app for your business and migrate your business model to digital platforms?

Well, with 7.5 million apps already available in the app store, many of you have three major questions in mind:

• How much does it cost to create a mobile app?
• Is there any scope for another mobile app in the market?
• How To Reduce the Android App Development Cost?

No matter what type of mobile app you plan to develop, the competition in the app market is too high to compromise the quality. So whether it’s an MVP solution or full-feature-rich native app development, firstly app quality will be your priority. 

But high quality comes with higher price tags!

This is why startups easily fall for quotes like “Develop a mobile app for $15000 to $20,000+”. If you also get excited to collaborate with the experts claiming you to develop innovative mobile apps for a lower budget, then you might be trapped in a marketing strategy.

“At Xicom, being leaders of mobile app development services in USA for 20+ years, we have empowered 1500+ clients worldwide with top-notch, highly engaging app solutions without breaking the bank. Our simple mantra is to consolidate our market learnings from different market niches and experiences from developing these apps for different budgets and clients, so we better cater practical ways to reduce the cost of creating an Android app.”

All great apps, start with the top mobile app development ideas and trends- Uber, Airbnb, Threads, and Snapchat are a few great examples of innovations.

If you are a startup, Fortune 500, or a leading entrepreneur, who has decided to jump the app bandwagon, you will need a brilliant Android app idea. Then you need to hire an Android app developer in USA to transform your app idea into a competitive product. But how to break down the budget for mobile app development? 

For the same, we have figured out some great strategies to reduce the app development cost for startups…

But before you get into the tricks and tips to reduce the Android app development cost, let’s understand the mobile app development cost structure and the top factors affecting the app development cost. 

Average Mobile App Development Cost: Building an App On Diet!

Are you looking to create an Android app on a strict budget? There will be a high possibility of getting disappointed knowing the average cost to develop an app!

To give you a rough idea, the overall budget for creating a mobile app can vary between $20,000 to $45,000+ or even more. This estimation is calculated by taking the reference from a survey report of GoodFirms covering all three major questions that probably every startup has in mind…

• How to find the right mobile app development partner?
• How much does it cost to develop an app?
• How long does it take to build a mobile app?

Since these three questions are the pillars of estimating the overall app development cost, let’s bring the limelight to these questions first and try revealing a quick answer.

For the first one, there are hundreds of mobile app development companies rolling out each day to meet the increasing mobile app development requirements. For this, you need to evaluate experience, expertise, project estimations, quality of work, portfolio, certifications and accreditations, and more to prioritize the service providers.

Secondly, to provide a real estimation of mobile app development, GoodFirm has compared three types of apps : 

• The average cost to create a social media app like Instagram or a taxi booking app like Uber with complex features integrated will be between $70,000 to $100,000+.

• The moderate level of messaging apps like WhatsApp will most likely cost between $61,000 to $69,000+.

• The user-friendly basic level of mobile apps with the least-functionalities like Tinder and dating apps would cost between $40,000 to $60,000. 

Thirdly, to understand how long it takes to develop a mobile app, you need to understand how much effort goes into the app development process. The more complex app development requirements would require you to hire a mobile app development company in California that offers a higher level of development skills, which would impact the overall budget of the app. 

Now come to the major components that contribute to the app development cost. Before you learn how to reduce the cost of creating an Android app, you need to understand what exactly goes into the app development cost…

So how much does it cost to build an app practically? Before you decide to throw in the app idea and start coding an app, let’s understand what impact the cost of app development:

Major Factors Affecting the Overall App Development Cost

Operating Platform: Let’s take an example of an audio chat app like Clubhouse which is initially launched as an invite-only, iOS-app only. It means users can use it if they have an invite or an iPhone. Choosing a single platform has given the Clubhouse team an option to see if Android users are excited to use it or if is it viable to launch an Android version. If they had decided to launch the app version on both platforms in one go, then the app development cost would put a hole in the pocket. 

Technologies: Choosing the right tech stack can make a huge difference in the overall price of your app development. Integrating the app with third-party platforms or adding all the latest technologies into your app development process will quickly add up to the cost. 

Features and Functionalities: They are the integral and major success-driving factor of any app. But every single addition of the feature will add up to the overall cost. 

Development Partners: How to choose the right app development partners? It can be a major decision, there you need to consider outsourcing the app development needs to the mobile app development company that ensures a perfect balance between quality and pricing.  

So these are the few major factors that influence the app development cost, but how to reduce the overall cost to create an Android app.

Top Strategies To Reduce the Cost to Create an Android App

No matter whether you are a startup or a leading entrepreneur, you are always looking to learn “how to reduce the app development cost?” Though it can’t be slashed right 50%, still there are ways to make it at least affordable for businesses looking to create an app with a limited budget. 

Here are some possible ways to shrink the overall development cost of Android apps:

1. Start A Process With Careful Planning 

Though it could be exciting to get started with your very first Android app, soon that excitement can turn into a blunder, as your app development team is not a mind reader. So do some research work, come up with detailed specifications, and clear business goals. The more clear your area with your objects, the better your output will be. Moreover, the team can plan things with the right development track and avoid going over budget.

In that case, you need to ask these questions:

• What is the purpose of developing an Android app?
• How is it addressing the user’s needs?
• What devices are you targeting at the initial stage?
• What functionalities do you need to implement in the app?
• Who will be your competitors?
• How much budget do you have for the app?
• What are the development team and tech stack requirements for the app?

With a detailed project description, your development team can easily estimate the timelines and budget. 

2. Start With MVP Solution

Building an MVP or Minimum Viable Product can help you test the waters before launching the final app. This would be a smart move, as MVP is a basic app version of your product with a minimal set of features that can satisfy the target groups’ expectations. The biggest benefit of launching MVP is you can market it early, get user feedback, and improve your final product based on the user’s feedback. 

Top app giants like Airbnb, Groupon, and Uber have followed the same pattern as it enables them to launch cleaner and high-quality products.

3. Consider Developing Cross-Platform App

As Google App Store and iOS Play Store contributed to dominating 80% of the app market share, therefore every entrepreneur who wishes to launch a mobile app would prefer launching an app on both platforms. 

But launching two native apps dedicated to iOS and Android devices would be a costly deal. Missing out on any one of these will lead to missing out on a large chunk of potential customers.

This is where they leverage the excellence of top cross-platform frameworks like React Native, Flutter, Xamarin, and more to create an app that seamlessly runs on multiple platforms using the same code base.  

“Considering the market survey, Flutter being the youngest cross-platform framework, is already loved by 46% of developers. So if you are looking to create a cross-platform app, then consider hiring a Flutter app development company in USA.”

4. Outsource Your App Development Requirements

When it comes to developing a mobile app, you probably have three options. Hiring freelancers, and an in-house team or outsourcing it to the top mobile app development company in Los Angeles. Out of these options outsourcing it to the top tech company would be the most economical and feasible option. 

Here’s why?

• Reputed mobile app development companies in the USA work with a pool of in-house app developers
• They work in a collaborative environment and keep clients in a loop right from starting.
• Remain committed to their deadlines and quality.
• Assure 100% bug-free solutions and post-launch services. 

Read More: How To Hire the Right App Development Team in the USA?

5. Pay Attention To Ready-To-Use Solutions

There is no sense of reinventing the wheel when the desired task can be easily resolved by using ready-made components and frameworks. All you have to do is to configure the elements for the specific purpose. 

This is one of the easiest, quickest, and most helpful tips to reduce the cost of creating an Android app development. There are a plethora of frameworks, libraries, APIs, plugins, and other solutions available to implement specific features, which can simplify your task. 

However, if you are choosing to hire an experienced app development team, they will be able to better advise you when it is worth developing a component from scratch and when it is better to use a ready-made solution. 

6. Never Compromise on Quality Testing

Are you rushing to launch the app? No matter whether it’s a large or small app project, if you think there is no need for a QA specialist to test your app and if automated app testing with limited options is enough for your project, then you might be putting your entire project at huge risk. 

App testing is not as straightforward as you are assuming. If your app is having errors and flaws in your development process then it can lead to additional costs even after release. That’s not all, it will even hurt the users and harm your business reputation. 

Read More: A Quick Guide To Build A Successful Enterprise App

7. Using Agile Methodology

Are you still relying on the traditional approach of creating an Android app right from development to its final launch? If yes, then it’s time to consider Agile Methodology as it will reduce the risk of going over budget.

However, to make this methodology work, you’ll need to first think about a full-scale idea together with the development team and then break this idea into separate versions. The number of versions depends on the size of the idea, and usually, it will come up with 2 to 4 versions and more.

Conclusion

Though developing a mobile app has become an urgent need of businesses of all levels, applications don’t come at a cheaper cost. However, you can plan the process strategically to reduce the cost and make it affordable without losing the quality. By following the above listed strategies and tricks, you can reduce the cost to create an Android app. However, this would require you to hire a mobile app development company in Dallas to make it work rightly without compromising on the quality. 

If you are looking to create an app or want to migrate your existing app to the latest platforms, but budget is the major constraint, then you can drop a query below or contact us to implement best possible strategies to minimize the app development cost. 

FAQs

If you still doubt developing an Android app and looking for ways to reduce the overall development cost, then clear your doubts with this FAQ section.