Here are the top five hidden costs of creating an app to watch out for and how to reduce them.
1. Develop a cross-platform app
Unless your users are highly-concentrated on one specific platform, chances are you are going to have an equal distribution of Android and iOS users. Because of this, you will have to ensure that your app is present on both platforms. When developing an app, there are largely two options you can choose from: a native app (that works only on one platform) and a cross-platform app (that works on both). Clearly, if you want to minimize the cost of app development, choosing a cross-platform app is the best option. This way, you will only need to pay the cost of making an app once and will also speed up the app development process.
More about Native vs Hybrid vs Cross-platform
2. Choose an external vendor to develop your app
Unless you already have in-house resources to develop an app, it’s always a good idea to outsource this to an external vendor. If you had to develop it in-house, it would work out to a higher cost of creating an app in the long run since you will need to pay a regular monthly salary and other benefits to the developer. When you engage with an app development company, on the other hand, you will have to pay for the cost of the project alone.
There are also several other intangible benefits to choosing an app development company. For example, since they will have vast experience in the field, you can tap into this to understand industry best practices which you can implement to improve your app’s performance. Since these companies will have access to the best resources, you can also expect a better final product.
This should interest you: 5 Things to know before signing on an app development company
3. Add only essential features
App technology has advanced greatly in recent years and the possibilities for innovation are virtually endless. When developing an app, many companies tend to think of as many new features they can add to make a user’s experience more exciting. While a great app interface is critical to the overall performance of an app, it’s also important to remember that more complex features equals a higher cost of creating an app. Additionally, the extra cost might not even be adding actual value to your users. Too many features can prove distracting and hamper a user from taking action on the app. It can also slow down the speed of your app by a great extent which can reduce conversions.
The best way to select features that need to be added to your app is to ask yourself if they are actually important for a user’s experience. If the answer is yes, then adding them will be worth the investment.
4. Create an ongoing contract for app maintenance
Even the best apps require regular maintenance to ensure that they are operating smoothly. If you have engaged with an app development company, your partnership shouldn’t come to an end with the launch of your app. Always ensure that there is a clause for ongoing app maintenance over a specified period. Generally, apps need to be checked and updated every 3 months to ensure that they are functioning properly. Without this, you might have to engage with your app development company only when a problem occurs and at an extra cost. Including a section for regular maintenance in your contract along with the overall cost of making an app, on the other hand, can work out to be cheaper and will also proactively prevent any issues from arising before they can impact your app’s performance.
5. Choose cost-effective servers
Your app will collect a lot of data which needs to be stored on a secure server. The server you choose is extremely important because it will impact the overall security and speed of your app. Essentially, the server handles any requests that come through the app, processes them and sends back the required data to complete the request. The speed and effectiveness with which it does so largely depends upon the server you choose. Since the server also stores a lot of data, it is critical that it is completely secure.
Many companies choose the build their own server for security purposes, however, this option can be quite costly. There are a number of third-party servers which can be more cost-effective while also not compromising on security. Make sure you evaluate the various server plans carefully before choosing one.
With these actionable tips to reduce the cost of making an app, app development won’t have to be an expensive investment for your company. You can set a realistic app development cost breakdown and ensure that it doesn’t exceed your budget.
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