App creation is always a significant investment; however, apps now play a crucial role in shaping, promoting, and developing businesses. The actual profitability of digital solutions primarily depends on a number of factors, such as:
The need for the product in the target market.
The uniqueness of the app and its value to the audience.
The monetization policy followed by the app owner.
At the same time, the profit from a mobile solution can also be increased in another way, such as by reducing its cost. Yes, today you will learn about cost-effective mobile app development strategies and additional options for reducing costs.
Why Mobile App Development Can Be So Expensive
Application development, especially mobile solutions based on modern technologies, can be quite costly. And there is a simple explanation for this:
It sounds simple, doesn’t it? But that’s far from everything, actually, it’s a general description and explanation of the high cost of creating such solutions.
Lampa.dev, an app development company, calculates the cost of mobile app development based on their own models, which include:
Labor costs for each team member involved in the project.
Implementation complexity, meaning the technologies, design, features, and integrations chosen by the client.
The total number of specialists working on the app.
Licensing technologies, third-party libraries, etc.
Risks and potential problems that may require additional resources or time to address.
However, this is usually calculated as app development costs without compromising. If you're not a mega-corporation, you’re unlikely to afford this. So, let's briefly go over the pricing factors that can be personalized in a project.
Key Factors That Influence the Building of Mobile App Costs
The cost of an app development project depends on many factors, both those that can be calculated before the start and those that arise during the process. However, it's still worth mentioning the key factors, as they form the major part of the budget. These include:
target platforms the app needs to work on;
its design, animation, navigation, interfaces, screens;
features and characteristics of the product, integrations, technologies, etc;
post-release support, maintenance, and scaling.
Yes, app development strategies also include a depreciation cushion that should cover risks, but this is not always practiced. And the cooperation model here may also play a role. So, for now, we will break down only the key pricing factors.
Platform Choice: iOS vs. Android App Development
The cost of mobile development depends on the platform for which the solution is being created. More precisely, the price increases proportionally to the number of operating systems the app needs to support. This is mainly due to:
the need to adapt the app code to each system;
the need to integrate software and/or hardware components;
the implementation of authentic design and navigation logic;
compatibility with different types and formats of devices.
In other words, if you want to develop separate native apps for Android and iOS, the cost of an app from scratch may be too high. Okay, with Apple hardware and iOS app development services, there are fewer issues, since we’re dealing with a fairly limited range of device models. With Google’s OS, things get more complicated because there are more device formats, which means the requirements for Android app development services increase. But even here, there are ways to save — we’ll talk about that a bit later.
App Complexity and Features Impact the Budget
If we’re talking about hiring an app developer to create a simple app with a single screen and function, the cost of such a project will be quite affordable. Every additional screen and feature adds to the cost, meaning that yes, the complexity of the app affects the budget.
It’s also important not to forget about the type of app. If it’s a simple local solution, the cost will be accordingly low. However, if it’s being built using cloud technologies with AI components and additional APIs, the price will increase proportionally to the complexity and overall scale of the future system. And that’s assuming the client already has a concept, an understanding of how the product should work, and at least a draft of its design.
The Role of Design in App Development Costs
Speaking of design, it’s also a significant part of the budget, especially if it’s being developed from scratch. Why is that?
As a result, this component alone can cost the client around $2000, or even more.
Maintenance and Long-Term Costs to Consider
Clients are usually presented with the “bare” development cost, and only after the implementation do they find out that they’ll need to continue paying for the solution. Why is that?
If you choose technologies that can reduce development costs, that isn’t always the right strategy. What’s cheaper during product creation can end up being quite costly to maintain.
For example, you may need regular app updates for a tech stack that doesn’t scale well. In that case, you’ll pay more — even if it’s later on.
It’s important to remember that you can always cut building costs without sacrificing app performance and app quality. And next, we’ll explore how exactly you can do that.
Proven Strategies to Reduce Mobile App Development Costs
Now that we’ve covered the factors that affect the cost of app development, let’s move on to mobile app development strategies that can help save money.
So, to create a cost-effective app, you should:
focus on an iterative approach to design and development;
build a cross-platform app instead of using native development;
apply OSS (open-source software) technologies, platforms, and frameworks;
choose the most efficient models.
By following these tips, you can get a low-cost mobile app development service — and thus save money on your project. Let’s go over each point in more detail to understand how exactly it can help reduce your budget.
Start with an MVP (Minimum Viable Product) to Save on Initial Costs
Custom app development, in the context of cost-saving strategies, means using an iterative methodology to work on the product. In simple terms — you focus on releasing an MVP (Minimum Viable Product), which contains only the critical features and possibly a simplified design.
This way, you reduce the initial costs while gaining the opportunity to debut on the target market faster. This will allow you to start early promotions, product monetization, as well as collect audience feedback and use it in the future, particularly during the scaling and modernization of the mobile application.
Use Cross-Platform Development for Broader Reach and Lower Costs
Even if you need several development platforms, for example, you want to release an app for Android and iOS simultaneously, you can still save money.
Instead of using a development methodology with native technologies and platforms, you can take advantage of a number of cross-platform frameworks. This allows you to focus on a single codebase, meaning the creation of one instance of the application with further use of command interpreters. Yes, this may sometimes have side effects, such as weaker compatibility with system features, but it is significantly cheaper and faster than classic native development.
Don’t worry — in the end, you will get sufficiently productive and integrated solutions that will be well received by the target audience.
How Agile and Lean Methodologies Help Save Resources
To save more, it’s worth optimizing your app development process, particularly through the use of methodologies such as Agile and Lean. These approaches allow you to:
more flexibly manage both the development process and the number of resources involved;
run an iterative release cycle, focusing on a single feature and thoroughly working through it;
complete tasks faster and release versions with minimal resources and time gaps.
In other words, these are progressive models where you involve fewer specialists in the work, while still receiving results quite fast and efficiently.
How does this work? The project is broken down into tasks, which are assigned priorities. The components are implemented step by step, and the size of the development team is constantly adjusted, aligning your expenses with the team’s workload.
Leveraging Open Source Tools and Frameworks for Cost Efficiency
If instead of traditional development solutions you use open-source tools, technologies, and frameworks (or even platforms), you can save a significant portion of the budget. However, only if you don’t need specific functionality that the development team would have to create separately.
For example, if you need a personalized CRM, you can use oDoo, Espo, etc., as the foundation and then develop your own tools, design, and functionality based on these technical packages. Yes, the cost of the work will remain quite high, but you will save on licenses, support, and upgrades — especially if you choose an iterative model for development and updates.
Outsourcing vs. In-House Development: Which Saves More?
When planning the development process, companies often choose between partial or full outsourcing and in-house development. The latter is, by default, more expensive, but it may seem like a better option if the business has its own team with a sufficient skill level, although this is only at first glance.
What can be said in conclusion to this comparison? Both options are beneficial in their own way when creating mobile applications. However, it is important to understand that with outsourcing, or even outstaffing, you get better service and the ability to efficiently manage resource involvement — that is, to reduce or increase the costs of creation.
Advanced Strategies for Low-Cost Mobile App Development
If the basic recommendations and strategies are clear, let’s move on to the advanced ones. With these, you will not only save your budget but also potentially reduce development time. So, pay attention to the following opportunities to use cost-effective mobile app development solutions and cut product costs.
Streamlining Resources for Faster and Cheaper Development
The flexibility inherent in Lampa’s outsourcing helps you save money. The team applies modern methodologies by adjusting the involvement of resources in the project. Thus, during peak loads and complex tasks, additional specialists join the process. During lighter stages, their number is reduced. This allows for maintaining high development speed and optimizing its cost.
Planning for Scalability Without Overbuilding
If you plan to scale your application in the future, you should avoid overloading it at the beginning of the project by adding APIs and features that will only be needed later. Focus on using simple but effective technologies that match the current needs of your project. Leverage Lampa.dev’s experience to choose a scalable technology stack without high initial investments.
Choosing the Right Development Tools: Ready-Made vs. Custom Solutions
Balance between boxed and custom tools and solutions. In the first case, you can reduce development costs but face certain limitations in terms of app personalization. In the second case, you get a fully tailored solution that meets your business needs. Yes, this option is more expensive, but with Open Source Solutions (OSS), it can be partially cost-reduced, or you can simply choose an optimal framework.
Common Pitfalls in Low-Cost Mobile App Development
Cheaper rarely equals better — in fact, it’s usually the opposite. And app development is no exception. By saving money, you are following a path of compromises, no matter what anyone tells you. You will still have to deal with several challenges and pitfalls, such as:
Limited initial functionality. MVP is always about compromises. You focus on critical aspects that allow you to enter the market faster and at a lower cost, analyze the effectiveness of the solution, and launch monetization. So, in the beginning, you may encounter problems such as low demand or mismatched audience expectations.
Difficulty in planning development. With cheaper project execution, you need to plan your roadmap in advance. However, considering development timelines, you’ll need to adjust it according to market trends. This complicates scaling a bit, but it isn’t critical for valuable apps.
Lower product quality. Technical compromises may not be the best solution, as well as saving on design, QA, or support. Any budget cuts in these areas can potentially lead to problems with promoting and monetizing the product.
Potential risks. By aggressively cutting your development budget, you may encounter providers who promise to deliver the entire project at prices far below the market average. Choosing such teams is the most common reason for missed deadlines, poor product quality, or even complete market failure.
As for the latter, with an experienced team that has a good reputation, you will be able to avoid the problems described above and also reduce the costs of building the application.
Why Choose Lampa.dev for Your Mobile App Development?
A reliable contractor is the key to your project's success. You need a team with experience in your industry, high technical skills, self-organization, and responsibility. In fact, all of this describes the Lampa.dev team, which has a great reputation in the IT market, confirmed by a Clutch rating.
Lampa.dev is:
When working with us, you get a turnkey mobile solution with reasonable cost savings. We will bring you to the target market without draining your brand’s budget. Ready to start collaborating?
Case Studies: Examples of Successful Low-Cost Mobile Apps
Did you know that low-cost mobile app development can be very successful? In particular, the following solutions turned out to be just that:
Instagram – At the start, minimal functionality in the form of an MVP. Photo processing and filters with posting. Minimal launch costs, followed by investments and upgrades. Ultimately sold to Meta for $1 billion.
Summly – A promising MVP that gained attention and trust from investors and was later acquired by Yahoo for $30 million.
Flappy Bird – Perhaps the most hated but one of the most successful gaming titles, costing developers only a few thousand dollars. At its peak, it earned $50,000 per day.
It seemed simple, but these titles appeared at the right time and created legitimate hype. And yes, this is another factor for the success of apps, allowing for the launch of quite profitable MVPs with minimal costs.
Conclusion: Balancing Cost and Quality in App Development
As you’ve already understood, saving on mobile app development should be done wisely. That is, you need to maintain a balance between cost and quality and choose only those compromises that won’t negatively affect the product or the audience’s experience with it.
So, in conclusion:
Choose lightweight but scalable technologies for development.
Focus on MVP rather than investing in an extended solution.
Trust professionals with the process.
Contact the Lampa.dev team for an initial consultation and start your project quickly and with minimal budget costs.