A Complete Guide To iPhone Apps Development Costs
How much is the cost for developing an iOS app? Perhaps this is the first question that every iOS app developer, whether an experienced or a beginner, considers before launching an iOS app development project.
An iPhone app development company has to follow multiple steps in order to process its iOS app development project. These steps involve careful planning along with a proper timeline as per the experience accumulated by the respective iPhone app development company in the mobile app development market.
If you, as an iOS app developer, are new in this profession and want to create your own iOS mobile app from scratch, you must be curious about what would be the total estimated cost for your iOS app development.
Well! No worries. We are here to provide you with a solution.
This compound article will take you on a ride where you will understand the cost formation of developing a mobile app in the iPhone app development. You can also read about cost of web app development on this blog. You will also be able to:
- Effectively manage the budget required in your iOS app development.
- Lower the app development cost.
- Calculate the total estimated cost of your iPhone app development using Cost Calculators.
What is the Cost of Developing an iPhone App?
The cost of iPhone app development ranges between USD 30,000 to USD 2,00,000. This range depends on the app’s complexity and its different features. There are several factors influencing the cost of iPhone app development, such as:
- Type of the mobile app.
- Total number of screens provided by the app.
- Complexity of the app.
- Functionality and app design (UI/UX).
- Location of the mobile app developer.
The approximate hourly rate of iOS app development ranges between $30 – $45. Mainly there are three categories of iOS apps;
- Simple iOS app.
- Mid-Level / Medium iOS app.
- Custom & Complex iOS app.
The below-created table will brief you about the estimated cost of iPhone app development along with an estimated time taken by each category of an iOS app.
| Level/Type Of The App | Estimated Cost | Timeline |
|---|---|---|
| Simple iOS App | $30,000 – $40,000 | 2 Months |
| Mid-Level/Medium iOS App | $50,000 – $75,000 | 3-6 Months |
| Custom & Complex iOS App | $80,000 – $2,00,000 | More Than 6 Months |
The hourly rate of iPhone app development also varies in different locations & complexity of the app across the globe. The below graph states the minimum hourly rate of an iOS app developer in USD for different worldwide locations.
Our next section includes checking the total cost of iPhone app development based on its different processes and phases in detail and with more clarity.
iPhone App Development Process
The process of iPhone app development involves four different phases; Initial Stage, App Designing, iPhone App Development, and Testing & Launching. In this section, You will get a clear idea about the amount of investment needed in each phase of the iOS app development.
| iOS App Development Phase | Categories Of Phase | Estimated Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Initial Stage | • Research & Analysis • Compliance with App Stores Guidelines. | $5,000 – $45,000 |
| App Designing | • Concept & Wireframing • UI/UX Design | $3,000 – $20,000 |
| iPhone App Development | • Software Architecture • Backend Development & API Design • API & Logic Integration And Design Integration | $25,000 – $50,000 |
| Testing & Launching | Launching The App | $7,000 – $45,000 |
1. Initial Stage
The initial stage of mobile app development is divided into two categories;
- Research & Analysis
According to one of the research departments of iOS app development, there are already more than 2,097,100 apps accumulated by the Apple App Store.
According to the graph shown above, there is a tight competition of applications in the mobile app development market and you should avoid taking the risk by creating a similar iOS app, which is already available in the Apple App Store.
In order to get more satisfactory results for your iOS app, you must conduct good market research to cross verify the similarity of the developed mobile app and to enhance the features of your app.
It is also a good practice to identify the mobile apps of your competitors by analyzing the rating section of their iOS apps where you can get to know the experiences shared by the app users.
- Compliance With Apps Stores Guidelines
While developing an iOS app, you must successfully meet the guidelines published by Apple for design, user privacy, security, and several other essential aspects needed for the iOS app development. Along with the right guidelines, an iOS app also must meet the requirements set by the Apple Store.
| Location | Approximate Timeline | Estimated Cost (Approx) |
|---|---|---|
| India | 1 – 3 Weeks | $30 – $50 Per Hour |
| Europe | 1 – 3 Weeks | $35 – $90 Per Hour |
| Canada | 2 – 4 Weeks | $40 – $80 Per Hour |
| USA | 2 – 3 Weeks | $45 – $90 Per Hour |
In this phase of iOS app development, Concept & Wireframing and UI/UX are the two parts that must come under consideration while developing an iOS app.
- Concept & Wireframing
When you are done with the concept of your iOS app, the next step is to start the documentation process for the requirement of the app’s design.
The designing process includes developing wireframes, which are the digital sketch or blueprints of your iOS app that show how the iOS app will look after the finalization.
- UI/UX Design
In order to make the app more compelling and impeccable, you should determine the user experience of the app to see how the app would look.
Our main objective in this step is to create an appealing design that is easily navigable for app users. However, you also have to keep the guidelines published by Apple in your mind, while creating the UI and UX of the iOS app.
| Location | Approximate Timeline | Estimated Cost (Approx) |
|---|---|---|
| India | 100 – 150 Hours | $30 – $45 Per Hour |
| Europe | 100 – 170 Hours | $35 – $60 Per Hour |
| Canada | 120 – 200 Hours | $60 – $100 Per Hour |
| USA | 120 – 180 Hours | $60 – $110 Per Hour |
3. iPhone App Development
Now, we will start the iPhone app development process in this step. This stage is divided into three parts; Software Architecture, Backend Development, and API Design, and Design Integration & Logic & API Integration.
- Software Architecture
This part is considered one of the most important steps in the process of iOS app development. Here, you have to plan for the architecture of the app and account for the components of the Model View Controller (MVC).
There are three components of MVC; the user, the data, and the software. The requirement of app architecture is necessary in order to ensure the stability and scalability of your iOS app. Also, you need to make sure that all the steps are going in a sequence.
- Backend Development and API Design
Backend development plays a vital role in the mobile app development process. Backend development is responsible for handling the server-side development that includes:
- The functioning and maintenance.
- Authentication of the user account.
- Push notification services.
- Customizing the user experience.
- Account management.
Now, let’s understand the role of API design in iPhone app development.
Application Programming Interface (API) plays a crucial role in mobile app development because APIs are responsible for connecting the frontend and backend of an iOS app. In simpler words, API serves as a bridge between the frontend and the backend developments.
- Design Integration and API & Logic Integration
In the Design Integration stage, the iOS app developer needs to integrate the UI/UX and create a navigation flow with dummy data using the Xcode Storyboard.
Once you are done with the navigation process and UI/UX integration as per the requirement of the iOS app, you will enter into API & Logic integration stage. In this stage, the iOS app developer needs to work on API integration in order to show the live data rather than dummy data that the developer has used for navigation flow and UI/UX integration in the above step.
| App Developers | Approximate Timeline | Approximate App Costs |
|---|---|---|
| Frontend Developers | 160 – 170 Hours | $35 – $45 Per Hour |
| Backend Developers | 200 – 220 Hours | $35 – $50 Per Hour |
4. Testing & Launching
This is the last stage of iPhone app development where you will test and launch the application. Let’s understand both of these parts for more clarity and to know their costs.
- Testing
Once you are done with all the technical aspects, you will enter into the Testing stage. This stage is very crucial as you have to consider Apple’s approval and all the challenges while submitting the iOS app.
You, as an iOS app developer, also need to review several essential factors like debugging, security, optimized performance, optimal memory, impeccable user experience, and checking the guidelines published by Apple for the compliance part in order to launch your iOS app.
| Location | Approximate Timeline | Estimated Cost (Approx) |
|---|---|---|
| India | 20 – 25 Hours | $25 – $35 Per Hour |
| Europe | 30 – 40 Hours | $30 – $55 Per Hour |
| Canada | 28 – 42 Hours | $60 – $90 Per Hour |
| USA | 40 – 50 Hours | $70 – $90 Per Hour |
- Launching
In the Launching stage, make sure that you review and test the iOS app properly in order to avoid rejection from the Apple App Store.
Important! The submission of your iOS app on the Apple App Store can take up to two weeks depending on the quality of the submitted app and how well the guidelines are followed.
Now, we have discussed the iPhone app development cost phase-by-phase. However, there is one more iOS app development cost that you must know, which is the Project Management Cost that is required to manage your iOS app development.
| Location | Approximate Timeline | Estimated Cost (Approx) |
|---|---|---|
| India | 200 – 220 Hours | $35 – $50 Per Hour |
| Europe | 150 – 250 Hours | $40 – $50 Per Hour |
| Canada | 200 – 440 Hours | $60 – $100 Per Hour |
| USA | 200 – 350 Hours | $70 – $120 Per Hour |
Now that we have understood the iOS app development cost based on each phase, it’s time to shed some light on the costs of some of the iOS apps running on today’s date.
| Type Of App | Features & Functionalities | Timeline | Approx Cost | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| On-demand Apps | • Push notification services. • Security & Authentication. • Live Tracking. • Review & Rating Options. | 3 – 6 Months | $25,000 – $80,000 | Uber |
| E-commerce Apps | • Shopping Cart. • Product Sorting & Filtering. • Barcode Scanning. • Sales & Discounts. | 3 – 9 Months | $25,000 – $1,00,000 | Amazon |
| Social Networking Apps | • Profile Customizing Options. • In-app Messaging. • Newsfeed & Notifications. • Easy Contact Sharing. | 3 – 9 Months | $50,000 – $1,50,000 | Instagram, Facebook |
| Fleet Management Apps | 4 – 6 Months | 4 – 6 Months | $65,000 – $2,00,000 | Baloora |
How to Create an iOS App On a Lower Budget?
There are several recommendations based on which, you can consider developing an iOS app under a low budget depending on the requirement of your iPhone app development company. Here are some tips that would help you in creating an iOS app within budget.
- Opt For MVP
Well! It is wise enough to initiate a minimum viable product (MVP) before staking everything for an iPhone app development project. Creating an MVP app would allow your target audience with the only essential minimal features of the iOS app.
With an MVP app, you rely entirely on the feedback and suggestions of your target audience in order to improve the features of the iOS app in the second stage. This stage includes all the pending features and functionality of the iOS app development.
MVP saves time, is cost-effective, and is a great alternative required for your audiences.
- Know Your Requirements
It is a great practice to know the exact requirements of your iPhone app development company because infusing useless services and features in your iOS app would be just a waste of money.
In order to analyze the exact requirements of the iPhone app, an iOS app developer must focus on the target audience, revenue model, scope, and overall functionality of the iOS app. Thus, you can remove the unwanted features from the list and proceed further with the iOS app development process.
- Blueprint Designing Of The Final Product
Well! It is wise to design the blueprint of your iOS app in order to expect better results out of an iOS mobile app. An iPhone app development company needs to coordinate with the iOS app developers in order to explain the overall functionality of the iOS app.
Therefore, blueprint designing plays a vital role in budget-friendly iPhone app development.
Now that we have also understood how to develop a budget-friendly iOS app, let’s take a step forward to know the iOS app maintenance cost.
What is the Cost for Maintaining an iPhone App?
There are various aspects, when combined together, that are responsible for the cost formation of maintaining an iPhone app. Generally, it depends on the complexity and the type of app.
The iPhone app maintenance costs vary from 5% – 15% of the total iPhone app development cost. Here are some of the important aspects for maintaining an iOS app:
- Fixing Bugs.
- Upgradation of the operating system.
- Features upgrade.
- Pushing fresh content.
What are the Factors that Increase the iPhone App Development Cost?
There are a number of factors that are responsible for increasing an iOS app development cost. Some of these factors are as follows:
- Functionality & Features.
- UI/UX design.
- Complexity and type of the iOS app.
- App security.
- Maintenance of the app.
- Location of the iOS app developer.
How Can an iPhone App Make Money for You?
An iPhone app allows you to make money out of it by:
- Advertising.
- Subscriptions.
- Referral marketing.
- Crowdfunding.
- Infusing in-app purchasing options into the iOS app.
What is the Cost of Hiring a Mobile App Developer?
Many iPhone app development companies hire iOS app developers for the better results of their iOS apps. According to a recently conducted survey, the average cost of hiring a mobile app developer in the US is approximately USD 89000 on an annual basis.
The graph mentioned below states the highest paying cities for the iOS app developers in the USA, in USD, in thousands.
Cost Calculators for Mobile App Development
There is huge competition in the mobile app development market with the availability of millions of mobile apps in the Apps Store. So, the question is how to reach the target quickly? The answer to this question is mobile app development cost calculators.
Cost Calculators play a crucial role in quickly calculating the mobile app development cost for many iPhone app development companies. Here are some of the available cost calculators for mobile app development:
This calculator helps you through more than 10 questions in order to create a mobile app from scratch based on the specific requirements. As you will keep on answering the questions, you will get the estimated mobile app development cost and time right there.
Buildfire is a seven-step calculator that helps you through various filters, which define the price tag for mobile app development. These filters include platforms, integration, features, maintenance & hosting, and more.
Inoxoft calculator is considered one of the best mobile app development cost calculators because it provides you the estimated range of a price tag on each step of the price calculation process.
Conclusion
We hope with the help of the above information, you would be able to develop your own iOS mobile app within a limited budget. In this article, we have discussed the cost of iPhone app development based on each development phase with their respective estimated costs. However, you can contact any iPhone app development company for help in case you are stuck somewhere.
Mohit Kinger writes about blogs and e-books on enormous and in-trend technologies for 4waytechnologies from the past two years. Before hopping into technical content writing, he got a graduate degree in Bachelor’s of Technology, which helps him to approach various blogs based on cutting-edge technologies efficiently.
