10 Hidden Costs of Developing an App and How to Handle Them

Mobile app development is a booming business. More and more companies and businesses are slowly coming into the realization that they may need to come up with an app. However, most of these people may not realize the true price of developing an app starting from scratch.

In fact, the development of an app is just the start. Once this is done, deployment and maintenance come in. Most people do not take into account these two phases when planning for their app development. It is for this reason that many people are shocked by the hidden costs that suddenly pop up. Before you start developing an app, it is important to know what costs to anticipate.

How Much Does It Cost to Make an App For Your Business?

The estimated amount that you will need to develop a mobile app depends on the kind of app that you want. The mobile app development cost estimate in India is about $5000 for a simple one, with complex apps going up to $38000. This figure remains one of the most economical ones as compared to other countries globally.

However, this does not mean that you are immune to hidden costs. It is for this reason that you need a mobile app estimation template before you start on a project. Here is a list of 10 of the biggest hidden costs of developing a mobile app.

1. Servers

Once your app is developed, you will need a place on the web to host it. This is typically known as a server. Servers process data requests and give out responses. For your mobile app, you may need a back-end server to retrieve data, manage user information and send out push notifications. The server costs for a mobile app can go up to $12,000 annually.

2. Updates

The business world is constantly evolving and so are mobile apps. Whether your app is on the Android platform or the iOS platform, you are going to need to pay for constant updates. This may end up being very significant at times and you may find yourself spending up to $10,000 on updates only each year.

3. APIs

For your app to run successfully, it has to interact with certain APIs. Any change to these applications will require maintenance of your APIs. Say, for example, your app is integrated with Twitter. If Twitter does 3 updates to their API version, you will need to update your app to accommodate these changes. Additionally, you may find the need to increase the number of apps you integrate with.

4. Images

You may have to use a couple of images on your mobile app. If this is the case, you will need the services of companies such as Google and ImageX. These companies provide a platform for you to download, edit and deliver the images.

5. CDN

With a Content Delivery Network, your users from all around the world will be able to use the app comfortably. This is because the CDN delivers content to app users based on their geographical locations. You will have to set aside about $3,600 for CDN services.

6. Data Storage

Any app uses data to run efficiently. Large amounts of data are collected and stored depending on the kind of app that you have. Annual costs for data storage vary but could go as high as $3,600

7. Push Notifications

Almost all apps use push notifications. These help to increase their user engagement and encourage a particular action such as the purchase of a certain product.

8. Update Submissions

Sometimes, your app updates will require resubmissions. Although this is not always the case, it is important to bear in mind that you may have to spend some money on it.

9. Development Tools

You will need to use companies such as IBM and Appcelerator for development tools and support. In this case, you will have to subscribe to these companies over the life of your app.

10. Social Integrations

Social and chat integrations will help you to share your business content through social media. In this case, you will need the services of companies such as SendBird which could amount to $1,200 every year.

How to Handle These Hidden Costs?

As you can see from our mobile app estimation template, developing an app can be expensive. Most agencies will quote a price that does not include all these hidden costs. You end up having to pay all these extra fees that you had no idea of in the first place.

You are probably wondering; “How much does it cost to develop an app?” The only sure way to handle these costs is by using a mobile app development platform. Well, this is where we come in. At Osbay, we take pride in developing both Android and iOS apps for people all over the world.

At Osbay, we provide all the expertise and skills that you need. Whether you need a new app or simply want to upgrade an existing one to suit your business’ needs, you can be sure that we will deliver on time. You do not even have to worry about all these hidden costs. We will take care of everything for you!