How much does an app cost?
One of the first questions we get asked is how much does it cost to build an app? Often our answer is - it depends. Just like buying a car, the costs will depend of all the bells and whistles needed to make it work. That said, entry level apps with minimal functionality tend to cost anything from £5k - £15k. Apps that might need more complex requirements like integration with web services or include user generated content tend to cost £15k - £50k. After that, you are in truely bespoke territory where large apps can cost £50k - £250k.
Use our app price calculator to get a detailed quote.
How do I know what is needed?
It’s our job to translate your idea into a working app. You may not know how the app should be built but it does help to think about what you want the user to do when using your app. Should a user be able to log in? Should users be able to search for something? Should users see lists of products? With these sorts of details we’re able to refine the costs and be more specific.
What affects the cost of an app?
The devil is in the detail when it comes to the costs involved with building an app. Some top level considerations when thinking about your app are:
- Do you need it for iOS or Android devices, or both?
- Should the app be compatible with tablet devices or just for phones?
- Do users need to log in? If so, do you want them to log in using social accounts or just by an email and password?
- How polished do you need the design of the app? Should it be a basic MVP interface or something quite bespoke?
- Does the app need to retrieve content from an existing website or database? If so, do you want the content available when the user has no network connect?
- Does the app need to use geolocation or include maps and calendars?
- Does the app require messaging or social sharing?
- Is the app to be free for users or is there a payment process or in-app purchase?
- Do you need the app include feedback or analytics?
- Is the app needed in more than one language?
- Is there any need for the app to use push notifications?
- What level of security is required like SSL or two factor authentication, or maybe none?
With these details we’re able to refine the cost of the app and provide a detail outline of what would be involved in building your app. We also highlight any ongoing costs that might be needed to continue operating the app. Often, there are residual costs for hosting or use of transactional email suppliers or support. These will depend on what the app needs to do.
Finding the right team
Not all app development agencies are alike. We all have different skill sets and it’s important to choose the right app developer to match the requirements of your app. When someone approaches Tinderhouse about creating a gaming app we are quick to tell them that we may not be the best fit for the project. It would not be fair on them for us to take on a project where we cannot add value. While games may not be our thing we can certainly deliver on enterprise apps and consumer apps. We love the diverse nature of the projects we get involved with from health and fitness apps through to financial service apps and everything in between.
I can’t stress enough how important it is to find the right team for your app. If you get that right then you’ll save yourself a lot of money in the long term. Get it wrong and it may end up costing you more when you need to get your app finished up by a new team. Spend some time to ask about the team involved and how they manage projects and of course check out examples of their work.
I hope that helps to shed some light on what your app might cost to get built. If you need help with an app then get in touch with us to discuss your idea.
Already know what you want?
Use our app price calculator to get a quote for your app or call us on +44 (0)1227 811771. We’d be delighted to help out if we can.
Need an app?
Get in touch with us to talk about how we help with create an app of your own or use our app price calculator to get a quote for your app.
