Any business in need of progress and good numbers should invest in the development of brand-centric web applications or software. However, when planning something so big, you might need to keep in mind the overall budget. While the cost factor that comes into play for web or software development is no exact figure, several elements play a major role in deciding the overall cost.
Let us start with the factors that might affect the overall pricing of the development process, which includes time, outsourcing country, engineering approach, and features. In this blog, we will take an in-depth look at the complexities behind the development of a web application or software.
Factors Affecting the Pricing of Web Application/Software?
Even if you are a well-established company, there is always a need for a tech-friendly web application. Talking about the pricing, no two web applications are similar, even if they are designed for the very same business. There are several aspects that you need to keep in mind.
Let us take a look at these critical aspects that can help decide the rough price of the web application.
1-Type of Work:
The prime factor that influences the overall cost of the web application is its functionality. It surely matters whether you are creating a plain old online store or a complex yet unique system such as hotel management application. You need to consider aspects such as the application being one with 3rd Party Integration, standalone solution, or GPS navigation.
The higher the web application’s sophistication, the more time is needed to develop the same. With features such as database creation, APIs, mobile compatibility, or hosting, it is obvious that it surely will cost more for a company to get the application developed.
Plus, do not forget the quality of the code incorporated into it. If your developer team works within extremely strict deadlines, you might not get clear or high-quality codes. If this is the case, any bug or imperfection will sooner or later surface and cause mayhem during the peak operational hours.
Finally, you need to keep in mind that the project requirements can change with the progress of the development process. You might have to incorporate new design elements and features that help your business grow with the audience/customers. Plus, any change that comes later in the development process will affect the price.
2-UI/UX Design Complexity:
If yours is a business focused on serving the clients in a better way, you would surely need a web application that flaunts high-quality custom UI/UX. Plus, your cost can also vary depending on the elements added, the complexity of the UI/UX, animations, and so on. Besides that, app interfaces need to be much more than unique. They need to be intuitive, eye-pleasant, and convenient as well. Both the web application developers, as well as designers, need some time to drive things together to create synonymous software. Plus, there is a need to ensure seamless performance with each section of the application.
Of course, there are several ready-made templates available in the online platform that might cost you a buck or two. However, the highly desirable feature is having the product customized as per the customer’s needs. Surely you could opt for the pre-made designs, but they won’t ever be as unique or brand-worthy as a custom-made UI/UX design. In the online platform, where things keep changing by the minute, you need to be recognized and surpass your competition with the best UI/UX in place.
3-Business Niche:
When looking for processes that will take you high in the success ladder, you need to have well-developed software in place. So, the niche of your business obviously matters in this case. Plus, you also need to keep in mind the complexity of the same. Say, for example, you are creating an online store with an idea and designs like your previous one, the price will obviously be lower. However, if you need things from scratch, it will obviously cost you more.
Projects that need special skills and knowledge will be highly-priced while the ones that do not require special skills will surely cost you less. However, it is often advised that you go with uniquely designed suites for your business niche. It will help you build a whole different repute amid your customers while making sure you rank higher than the competitors.
Plus, you need to keep in mind that your web application should be developed by someone who has mastery in the niche of your concern. Complex and unique web applications cannot be created without the help of experienced and highly-qualified application developers. Having an expert to help you out will allow thorough management of the entire process while focusing completely on the business niche of your concern.
4-Location of the Developer:
While you can always hire your neighborhood Joe to get the job done, it might not be within your budget. In general, offshore development tends to be cheaper when compared to local development services. Depending on where you are from, you can always outsource the work to a reputed development service provider from a country of your choice.
Plus, you always get the benefit of hiring talented individuals that might be available within your budget. In general, it might seem that higher the price tag equals better work. However, this isn’t always the case. Most of the agencies dedicated to the software development process tend to keep in mind the need of the customer’s quality and their market reputation.
However, a high priced service provider might not provide you exactly what you need. You can always look for a quality service provider that is available via the help of outsourcing companies. It is surely a win-win deal where you can keep the prices within your budget and get the most skilled individuals to work for you.
How Can You Approach Your Idea for Web App/Software Development?
Describing the critical elements of your web application can be complex enough. It is especially true if you aren’t sure of the tools and technologies that need to be added to the process. Lucky for you, there are some working approaches to help simplify this process.
Let us take a look at them.
1-Look for the Final Result:
It is one of the most opted ways of estimating the cost of web application development. Start picturing the final result of the application post-implementation and trace your steps back all the way to the ongoing stage. You should ask yourself questions such as:
What should be done to get to the final point?
What could be the potential issues when working through the process?
However, keep in mind that this process might not work for products or applications that do not have any context to help you out. If your application is new, there is surely a lot of uncertainty that revolves around the entire process.
Still, the only question you need to ask is how to reach the final point! You need to communicate with the developers to prepare a plan chart and course of action for every step. In order to create a proper flowchart for the web application, you need to think about the things that will make your product user-friendly and unique. Further, you need to take a peek at the problems that your app can resolve for the customers. Remember to be specific when defining your need for the app developers. It will help them decide the tools and technologies that will fit in perfectly.
2-Build on an existing idea:
Now, this might be a less desirable option, but it surely works depending on how well you use the idea. Say, for example, there is an existing app in the market that fits almost perfectly into your business model. However, only replicating the idea might be downright cheating. So, the best way is to take inspiration from the idea and build on it with your brand’s motto at the center spot.
In this case, you already know about the technologies that can be used. Plus, you can modify it with additional features and make it more customized to the brand. This process might also help you save a lot of time, given the fact that you already know what goes into the making of the application.
Now, things aren’t as simple as it might look. While bringing in the changes to the existing idea, you might alter it a lot, and the final result might not be as appealing as it was when you started. So, when talking about the code and functionalities, make sure you keep it as close to the original as possible.
Average Cost for Web Application Development
The cost for the development of an average web app can start anywhere from $3,000 to $250,000+, depending on the complexity of the process. It might seem like quite a big price gap, but it all boils down to the need for customization. So, simply said, there is no magic formula when it comes to uncovering the cost for web application development.
However, to narrow things down, we have segmented the pricing into three different categories.
1-Simple/Basic Web Applications:
These web applications come with the most basic functionalities, landing pages, and simple stores. With minimum content, interactive elements, and minimum headway time, the pricing of a simple web application can range somewhere between $3000 and $15,000.
2-Medium Applications:
Pro-level software or web applications can be fairly challenging to make. They often house interactive pages and a lot of content. That is why the development of such applications might take somewhere between 3 to 4 months.
These web application-types include:
Internet Portal Prototypes
E-Commerce Portals
Web Applications Designed for Medium-Sized Companies
The pricing, in this case, can start from $15,000 and go up to $55,000.
3-Complex Applications:
Customized web applications come with the integration of exclusive CMS, higher complexity level, and properly outlined designs. These software applications are generally aimed at helping with the automation of business processes and better ROI. The complete development protocol for a complex website application can take as long as 6 months.
To get these types of web applications for your business, you might have to shell out somewhere around $55,000 to $250,000+.
How Can You Cut Down the Web Application/Software Development Cost?
Let us imagine that your project requirements have been set, but the estimations have fallen behind. So, what should you do if your web app development process goes higher than your estimated budget?
Of course, you might start searching for better development teams with lower prices. However, this will only prolong the pricing of the entire process and delay your project further. The only way is to cut down the cost through solutions which include:
Change Your Scope:
In this method, you need to keep the core segments of your web application required for delivering the MVP (Minimum Viable Product) while eliminating the unnecessary parts. Using this process, you can develop a basic model and try the same with actual customers, collect the feedback, and move over to the actual implementation process.
Hunt for alternatives:
When creating a web application or software, there are several tools and technologies involved in the process. Make sure you look through or ask around for cheaper substitutes but with a similar work portfolio. This way, you can keep up the functionality of your application without having to shell out a lot from your pocket.
Web Development Cycle for Proper Cost Estimation
Planning
Design
Development
Testing
Deployment
Conclusion
All-in-all, the perfection of the estimation technique is a learn-as-you-go thing. Although the prices might vary and fluctuate as the process proceeds forward, you have to set your budget. The role of the client is particularly critical during the designing and preliminary processes. While you might be on a deadline, you should never rush things. Work done in haste can lead to errors during the implementation process and create a negative impact on the customers who use them.