How to Build a Mobile App and How Much Does it Cost?

Small and large business owners alike, startups and entrepreneurs can all face the same questions at some point – “Do I need a mobile app for my business?”, “is it worthwhile?”, “Does it makes sense from a strategic perspective?”, “Will it help us increase revenue, onboard and convert new customers?” — to this end we prepared a rundown on how to build your first app, what to look out for and what to expect in terms of costs. 

At Coded Lines, we have worked with startups and enterprise level companies and have built mobile apps for various industries using cutting edge technologies and delivering unparalleled quality. If you’re interested in building a mobile app, don’t hesitate to contact us for a FREE consultation. 

What to consider before building an app? 

If you have never built a mobile app before and you’re not very familiar with the basics of the app building process, then the below guide will hopefully answer most of your questions and give you a solid understanding and a starting point.  

You have an app idea, what’s next? 

After you decide on your app idea, then you should make a list of all your requirements. What’s the problem that it’s trying to solve? What are the features you need it to have? 

Take notes of the answers to all these questions. The more thorough and detailed you can be, the easier it will be for the technology partner company to assess your requirements and come up with a proposal that’s completely tailored to your needs and objectives. 

If you want to go a step further, you can also think about the look and feel of your app. A good starting point is to find your direct competitors’ apps, download them and start using them. As you’re doing that, make notes of all the things you like and you dislike. Do you envisage any of their features being helpful and valuable to your app? 

Pay extra attention to the look and feel of their apps, their branding, how user friendly they are and if you think there are things that can be improved. 

Will my app be appealing to my users? 

Unfortunately, there’s no surefire way of answering that before you launch the app. If you have been in business for at even just a year, then you should have been collecting data from your clients. You have a proper understanding of your target audience, your different customer personas and you’re familiar with their needs and pain points.  

All this will be leveraged to inform the mobile app design and building process from the initial brainstorming to building additional features after your app is live. At Coded Lines we focus on your customers’ needs and desires. Everything we do starts and ends with your customers in mind — contact us now for a free consultation and quote.  

Mobile website or a native app? 

With multiple options available to target potential customers who are on mobile, it’s only natural that you’ll ask yourself: “should I simply build a mobile website, or is the additional investment to build a dedicated mobile app worth it?”. 

A mobile app is in most cases preferable over a mobile or responsive website. Mobile websites used to be the preferred route when mobile apps where still at an infant stage. 

With the latest technology developments and new programing frameworks, a mobile app is usually the best choice forwards.  

Mobile-only internet users have overtaken desktop users for a few years now and app usage has also surpassed computer users. 

In 2015, apps generated $41 billion in gross revenue, only to see this figure rise to $190 billions in 2020 and without any signs of stopping its aggressive trajectory.  

A mobile app also gives you additional chances for upselling, cross selling and converting your customers via different channels.  

So, if you’re looking to more efficiently and effectively engage your customers and appeal to a wider audience, a mobile app is the way to go.  

That said, industries, businesses and use cases vary widely. There is no ‘one size fits all’ that’s why we’ll always spend the necessary time with you, going over your specific requirements, needs and challenges to come up with the ideal solution that’s tailored to you, be that a mobile app, a responsive website or even a mobile website.  

Build it in-house or hire an external software partner? 

Another common question that will arise, especially if you have an in-house dev team is whether to build the app in-house or seek the services of an experienced and specialized software house.  

There’s no clear and definite answer to this question as it really depends on your budget, the in-house resources’ capacity and availability and a myriad other factors. 

It all comes down to resources, expertise and budget. Building an app can be a time-consuming endeavour and requires the necessary knowhow and experience to create something that will perform properly.  

Sofware houses usually specialize in a specific language or framework and some also stay within a specific niche, say for example: e-commerce apps giving them the advantage over inhouse teams who may not have the necessary experience and knowledge to build the app you need.  

Hiring a trusted partner can also come out cheaper than enlisting the services of your inhouse team and you can also enjoy the benefit of having your team continue working on your business as usual tasks without disrupting them. 

Are cross-platform and hybrid apps a good idea? 

Hybrid apps are mobile applications that are usually built using JavaScript, CSS and a cross-platform framework like React Native.  

This method allows for shorter development times and reduced costs in some cases. When developing a hybrid app, the code can be used again across platforms in a high percentage of 90% and speed up the development process while at the same time provide a superior user experience and ensures a consistent look and feel across devices.  

As such, mobile apps based on React Native are extremely popular among entrepreneurs, startups and more established businesses alike as you can go to market faster and more cost efficiently. 

How much does it cost to build an app? 

Unfortunately, this isn’t a straight one to answer. The cost of an app obviously depends on numerous factors, among others: complexity, features, functionality, platform, and number of integration points.  

According to a recent survey, in order to build a high quality app in 2020 the budget you need is in the range of $100,000 – $500,000. Obviously, this is just a very rough estimate and shouldn’t be taken as a blanket statement. Apps can cost much less than that or even much higher. 

Once you have your requirements and list of features, we will be happy to have an introductory call with you to identify and discuss your requirements and we’ll provide a quote that’s tailored specifically for you.