Android App Development: Cost, Tips, and Process

[vc_row][vc_column][blog_single_full_content]Android devices and Android OS both are ruling the market. The number of apps in the Google Play Store is 2.9 Million making it the largest app store worldwide. Also, when we make a comparison of the number of app downloads of Android and iOS, Android is way ahead of iOS.

Let’s take a look at Android vs iOS app download worldwide in Q2 of 2019.

If you were in confusion about which OS to choose Android or iOS, the table showed you the answer. There are various steps involved in developing a fully-fledged app. Let’s cover them one by one.

Choose Your Android App Development Platform

There are two ways to get your android app developed. Before you go ahead, it is important to choose one. Let’s check both the types and you can decide which one fits your needs.

1) Native App Development

If you want to develop your app only for the Android platform, native is your choice of platform. Native is best when it comes to developing a feature-filled app. The best things about this platform are high performance, personalization, speed, and reliability. The native platform also provides an enriched user experience to the app. You can customize the app the way you want, add all the features you want and make them function the way you wish. Also, with all the benefits comes added cost. Native app development is costlier and also requires more time.

2) Hybrid App Development

This platform is the apt choice when you want to target multiple platforms and deploy your app on both Google and Apple App Store. Hybrid basically allows the developers to code once and run the same on multiple platforms. Pros of picking this platform include cost-effectiveness, speedy development, and covering a vast target audience with multiple devices. There are certain cons to these platforms as well. The performance and the speed of this platform are not as good as the native platform. There can be glitches when there are more features. Also, you cannot customize the app as much as you can do it with the native platform.

So, check your app requirements and see which platform fits it properly.

Must-Have Features For Your Android Application Development:

1) Login

It is one of the most basic features to have in an app. Users can login with their contact number or email ID or they can login through their social media account.

2) Profile

The user can create a profile and make changes as per their likes and dislikes.

3) Push Notifications

This feature helps to keep the user updated about new features, discounts, deals, and other detail.

4) Multiple Payment Options

Any Android application must have the feature of multiple payment options. The users must have multiple options to pay like debit card, credit card, UPI, cash, and various others.

5) Social Integration

Almost every app has a social media integration feature. It allows the user to share their preferred content on their favorite social media channels.

6) Geolocation

Certain apps require location tracking feature. Say, for example, it is a taxi booking app or an eCommerce app, or restaurant app. These apps need a realtime location to reach users.

7) Chatbots

It is one of the most interactive features to integrate into the Android application. Chatbots improve customer engagement and increases sales.

8) QR Code Scanning for Wi-Fi Password

Certain apps provide the user with convenience to scan QR for sharing or receiving a wi-fi password. The need to manually show or type the password gets eliminated with this feature.

Process to Develop an Android App:

There are several stages of an app development cycle. Let’s take a look at all of them to better understand it.

1) Consultation

The first step of the process is having a one on one consultation about the app with the client. It is important to know what exactly the client wants from the app. The Android app development company must know the actual agenda of the client. There should be in an-depth discussion about the likes and dislikes of the client to deliver the client with what they desire. There has to be an accurate feature listing of the app to proceed with perfection.

2) Wireframing

The second step of the app development cycle is creating a wireframe of the app. A wireframe will help the client to know the flow of the app. It will also give a demo of the app design. The client can share their input about it and the developers can make changes at an early stage. This will increase client satisfaction and save the time and energy of the developers.

3) Designing

The third and very important step of the app development cycle is designing. The user lands very first on the design. They decide to stay if they like the design and if they don’t, they will not take a second before abandoning it forever. The mobile app designers know the latest trends and tools, colors, themes, and every other element. The design runs with the client to take their feedback. Changes are made as per the client’s suggestion if any before it goes into the next phase.

4) Development

Android developers integrate the design into the app. The developer will use the latest language Kotlin for development to make your app in tune with the trend. Developers will bring the Android app design to life. Make sure to hire Android developers experienced and skilled to do justice to your app.

5) Testing

Every app developed even by the best developers will have some bugs or performance issues. It is very important to test the app while developing it and even post-development. Launching an app with bugs and performance problems will drive your users away and lead to app failure. Testers conduct manual app testing in all the devices to know whether it works flawlessly or has any glitch. All the issues found are also troubleshot by the developers at this stage.

6) Deployment

Once the app goes through development and testing and confirmed it is glitch-free, it’s time to launch. The app launches in the Google Play Store for the users to download and get addicted to it.

7) Maintenance

The app development cycle doesn’t end with the launch. It is a continuous process. However, post-launch an app needs certain minor fixes, basic changes based on user feedback. Also, check whether there is any bug or not, if yes fixing it is important.

Factors Deciding Cost of the Android App:

Several factors decide the cost of your app.

1) Features

The cost is massively affected by the number and type of features you choose. If it is an MVP (Minimum Viable Product) with minimum features needed to develop an app, the cost would be low. On the contrary, if you are looking to develop a feature-rich Android app, it will cost more. If you are a startup, it is better if you opt for an MVP model. This way you can take your app for a trial run and see if it works before investing your entire savings. You can always roll out an update with new and advanced features. If you are an established business or brand and looking to launch your Android app, it’s better to launch a feature-rich app.

2) Time Needed

The cost of Android development is heavily affected by the time needed to develop the app. If there is a deadline for app development and deployment, the cost will be high. The Android developers will have to work extra hard and for more hours than usual to cope with the deadline. If the timeline is reasonable, the cost will be usual and not high.

3) Complexity

At times, the features of the app are less but extremely complex and advanced. Such projects will have a high estimate. There is a need for developers with a high skill set and experience is there for complex development. It will definitely cost high. If the app has the basic and regular features with low complexity level, the costing will be reasonable.

4) Domain

The category of the app you want to develop affects heavily on the estimate of the project. If it is a gaming app or an AR, VR, AI, ML apps the costing will be tricky. On the contrary, if you want to develop a social media app or an education app, the costing will be normal.

5) Hiring Model Chosen

The costing of the Android application development also fluctuates based on the type of hiring model you choose. There are three types of models to choose from.

• Fixed Cost Model
  In this model, the features of the app remain fix. Based on that a price is also decided. There are no changes in either the type and the number of features and similarly, there is no change in the decided price as well. This model is suitable for apps with limited features and not in the need for frequent changes.
• Hourly Based Model
  In this model, the client has to pay only for the number of hours the Android application development company has worked on the project. The rate per hour remains stagnant while the number of hours fluctuates based on the type of project. This model is suitable for the project which has fluctuating needs with plenty of changes
• Hire Dedicated Developer
  In this model, the client hires a specific developer for the project. The developer works solely on your project for the number of hours you want him to work. Here the rate per hour of the developer remains stagnant and the number of hours is flexible. This model is highly appropriate for a long project.

6) Experience

The budget of the app is also affected by the experience of the resource you are hiring. A highly experienced company with advanced skillset will charge more as they guarantee quality output. If you are hiring a freelancer or a company with less experience, they might cost comparatively low.

How Much Does it Cost to Develop An Android App?

Here is a detailed table showing the cost to develop an Android application.

How Can You Hire Android App Developers?

There is various way to hire Android developers for your project. You can search Google for the top companies to develop the Android app or there are some better ways to do it.

1) Hire A Company

The first option is to hire a company for your project. You can search for Clutch or Goodfirms to checkout for the top companies. If you want to ditch all that research, you can hire 360 Degree Technosoft, Top Android mobile application development company. The company is NASSCOM and ISO certified having 10+ years of experience with a profound portfolio.

2) Hire A Freelancer

You can hire a freelance developer for your project. You can search for them on platforms like Freelancer or Upwork. You can check their profiles, their work experience, their portfolio and decide whether you want to hire them or not.

3) Hire A Developer From A Company

If you want to get your Android app developed from a reputed app development agency but don’t want to hire a company. There is a middle way. You can interview the developers of the company and hire one dedicated resource from the company to work on your project. This way you have surety of the quality output and pay only for a single developer.

How To Generate Revenue From Your Android App?

Why do you want to develop an app? There can be various answers to this question but it all burns down to one simple agenda: Making Money. There are diverse ways to generate revenue from your Android app, Check them out.

1) Paid Apps

This is as simple as it sounds. The user needs to pay a certain amount to download the app from the Google Play Store. This can be tricky as there might already be several other apps of similar nature available for free. So, unless you have a strong USP (unique selling point), this is not advisable.

2) Premium Features

Have you ever used Tinder or a Tinder Like App? If yes, you must know you can use it for free except for certain locked features. You can do the same with your Android application. You can keep your app for free to download for the users and provide basic features. For some premium features, the users will have to pay a specific amount.

3) In-app Advertising

You can allow other business to post their ad on your app. This way you can keep your app for free for your users yet make money out of it.

4) In-app Purchase

This model is best if you are looking to make money in the long run. Here business can sell their services or products from inside an app and generate revenue.

Do you have any questions? We have some frequently asked questions covered for you.

1) Which programming language is used for Android apps?

Developers basically use two programming languages, Java or Kotling for developing Android apps. Before few years it was Java but then Google announced Kotlin as its official language. So majority developers now use Kotlin language for development.

2) How do I start my own app?

Here are the easy and simple steps to start your own app:

• Draft your app idea.
• Study the market for its demand and practicality.
• Make a wireframe or prototype of your app.
• Design your app.
• Build a landing page for your app.
• Develop and test your app.
• Launch your app.
• Market your app in the right way to your target audience.

3) How can I develop an Android application?

If you are not a developer, it is better to hire an android mobile app development company and leave the rest to them.

4) Should I learn Java or Kotlin?

Kotlin has more safety features compared to Kotlin. It is also advanced and interoperable with Java and announced as the official language by Google. So, learning Koltin is a better option.

5) How much does it cost to build an Android application?

The basic cost of developing an Android app is $10,000 to $20,000. This does not remain the same. Various factors like time, features, complexity, company hired affects the development cost.

Wrapping Up

So, all set for Android mobile app development? You have known everything you should know by now. It’s time to consult an expert, share your idea, and get an estimate for real.[/blog_single_full_content][/vc_column][/vc_row]