Android App Development Costs

The first question on everyone’s mind when they undertake a mobile app development project is “How much will it cost?”  If you’ve been researching Android app development costs, you already know that it’s pretty difficult to get a straight answer from anyone.  As with most elements of mobile app development, you need to be specificto arrive at a definitive answer to the cost question.  In other words, don’t ask, “How much does it cost to develop an Android app?”  Instead, ask, “How much will it cost to develop this Android app?”  Here are some of the factors that affect cost:

1. Scale.  Is your app a simple wallpaper app, requiring little functionality and interactivity?  Or is it a sophisticated, graphically intense app requiring high-end user functionality?  This is the single most important factor to consider when estimating cost; depending on the scale, your app could cost as little as $1,000, or upwards of a quarter million dollars.
2. Platform.  At the moment, only three percent of the Android devices out there are using Ice Cream Sandwich, the latest operating system.  The most popular Android OS is Gingerbread, which is already two generations old (and about to be three).  Developing and testing your Android app only on the latest operating system might reduce costs, but could also lead to bugs and access issues once the Android app goes live.
3. Hourly or fixed?  If you’re new to Android app development, you’re probably unsure as to how to go about paying your developer.  The developers themselves will offer you either hourly or fixed rates; for our part, we very much recommend hiring a developer who offers a fixed rate—and we can set you up with three of them if you contact us.
4. Maintenance and updates.  Will your app require frequent updates?  If so, there’s good news and bad news:  the bad news is that your costs will rise.  The good news is that you probably won’t have to worry about updates unless the app itself is already turning a tidy profit.