The mobile app industry is growing rapidly as most organizations develop web products. Today, there are many apps you can access for different purposes. You can use an app to accomplish many tasks like paying utility bills, sending money, or monitoring your exercise routine. You will attract more potential clients if your business has a reliable and efficient app. But do you know the cost of developing an app? The app design cost is one of the most vital aspects that will guide you when building your app. Many business owners comprehend the significance of investing in a top-tier app. Thus, having the price estimates is a fundamental aspect of app development.
This article helps you gain useful information on how you can estimate the cost of your business app. But first, let us understand why the design cost matters in app development.
Why App Design Cost Matters
As mentioned above, the market is flooded with different apps to accomplish specific tasks. You can easily download any app on your smartphone and delete it if it no longer serves your interest. If you do not factor in the design aspect, you might end up with a mediocre app that is frustrating and unappealing to users. Failing to invest in a good design will compromise the user interface and ultimately result in an annoying user experience.
Many users will judge your app on the first impression, and they will either keep or delete it from their phones. If you have a seamless and intuitive interface, you will hook your users from the entry point.
Factors That Affect the Price of Mobile App Design
The ultimate cost of an app depends on several factors. But first, you need to know the price is calculated by multiplying the hours that go into the project by the cost rate per hour of the designer. Usually, the number of app features affects the design period and the cost. Thus, your cost will be higher if the app has many features.
Moreover, the app development time is also dependent on the complexity, number of platforms, the company’s objectives, and the designer’s ability. Not forgetting to include the hourly rates of the development team. The rates usually vary according to the location of designers; for instance, designers in Europe charge a maximum of $55 per hour for product discovery, while Asians charge $25 per hour for a similar design process.
Let us take an in-depth look at the major factors influencing the price and the estimated work hours:
User Research
The first step is to know the app requirements and what you aim to achieve. Most business owners aim to create an app that caters to the users and meets the company’s objectives. Thus, the design team needs to understand this aspect. Hence, ensure the team conducts extensive market trends and target audience research. You must also find out what your business competitors are offering to give you a good start on the development process. This analysis will help you build a product that meets users and business objectives.
The approximate hours that go into user research range from 20-40 hours.
User Experience
After a thorough market analysis, your team can move on to the next design phase, which entails user experience. In this stage, the UX designers turn their ideas into reality. They primarily focus on user interaction with the app. So, you must ensure the users can easily navigate the app and have a seamless experience. Assess the user flow to establish the exact path of the app’s entry point to the last section.
This phase entails drawing up wireframes that display the vital app components such as the button locations, the labels, and data, among others. Specifying their navigability and structure is essential in ensuring the design flows as required.
Therefore, you need to bring in skilled UX/UI designers because they understand the intricacies of mobile app usability and appeal.
Thus, expect an approximate task time of around 60-120 hours when dealing with UX design.
User Interface
Now that you have streamlined the UX design, it is time to focus on the user interface. It entails polishing the design and adding authentic and creative elements with a modern twist.
The market research will also determine how you present your app to the intended audience. You have to make the apps attractive and user-friendly. Incorporate unique design patterns, color combinations, and text typography to capture your users.
Sometimes UI designers might opt to use ready templates, which take less time to complete. However, creating a tailored UI from scratch takes more than 100 hours since you need original styles and graphics to make the app stand out. Thus, completing this phase might take approximately 50-100 hours, depending on the UI complexity.
Usability Testing
This phase often entails developing a prototype to test in the market. You need to test usability to check if the app is functional and assess the market reception. Launching a web product blindly is a recipe for disaster. Your app might flop and cause business losses.
This process usually takes around 40 hours to complete.
App Design Price Calculation
The team’s location and what they charge per hour are critical in determining the final cost. For instance, American designers charge a maximum of $200 per hour, while in India, it goes for $40.
Therefore, to know the ultimate cost, you will multiply the rate per hour by the number of hours it takes to complete the app design.
Below is an overview as per the information in our article:
- User Research: 40 hours * $200
- User Experience: 120 hours * $200
- User Interface : 100 hours * $200
- Usability Testing: 40 hours * $200
Total hours 300 * $200 per hour = $60,000
Bottom Line!
Today, the app industry is big business since most people are in the digital space. That is why the design phase is very crucial. Who wants to use a boring app without appealing visuals? Thus, modern app developers go out of their way to design functional and attractive products in equal measure. Even if it costs an arm and a leg, large tech companies ensure the apps they launch into the market will meet the users’ needs and provide a pleasant user experience.