What is the Cost of iOS App Development?

Mobile applications let businesses increase customer retention, build their brand, and forge in-depth connections with their target audience. The users of the App Store are characterized by a higher loyalty to companies and general readiness for repeated in-app purchases.

In October of 2022 alone, nearly 36,000 mobile apps were released for the iOS platform, according to Statista. In 2021, consumer spending on mobile apps climbed to $170 billion. It’s no wonder many companies have aspirations to build their own iOS apps. So the question of “How much does iOS app development cost” is one of the main questions on the tech leaders’ agenda.

When planning your budget for the next year, you may wonder about the cost of iOS development. The general answer to this question is that iOS app development cost is not fixed. Moreover, it may differ by a large margin from case to case. Roughly speaking, the price may fall anywhere between $12,000 and $500,000 or even higher. We have put together this guide to help you understand how much it may cost to develop an iOS application, the key variables that influence the price, and ways to save on app development.

So, how much does iOS app development cost?

The iOS development cost is different for simple and sophisticated apps. With that in mind, we consider the complexity of the product as the main factor that affects the iOS development cost. It includes the need for customization, the intricacy of visual design and backend infrastructure, the number of features to develop, and the maintenance costs. Let’s take a closer look at the cost breakdown.

Simple apps. Such apps are popular with startups as a tool to verify a product idea or attract early users. Simple apps do not require a complex backend and have a short development time of 4-8 weeks. Their scope can be described as follows:

Minimum viable features
Up to 5 screens
A simple user interface without custom elements

The average cost for such apps can vary from $12,960 to $30,240, as per the GoodFirms survey.

Medium-complexity apps. Expanding the functionality of your simple app means the price will go up. Such apps include popular features and capabilities for users, for example, push notifications, geolocation, customer loyalty programs, etc. Medium-complexity apps consist of:

More complex business logic and functionality than in simple apps
More than 5 screens
Custom-made user interface with animated elements
Localization with several languages

A mid-level app costs from $34,560 to $60,480, as per GoodFirms. The average development time for medium apps is 8-14 weeks, including the work of developers and Quality Assurance specialists.

Complex apps. Complex apps usually deal with high loads and have a great number of features. Think of Uber as an example of an advanced app that builds routes for millions of clients around the world each day. The more features your app has, the bigger team you need for its development and maintenance. Such key roles as frontend and backend developers, software architects, DevOps, project managers, and Quality Assurance experts are involved in the works. Complex apps may include:

Advanced features tied to complex business logic
More than 5 screens
Custom user interface with animated elements
Multilingual customization
Intricate architecture and multiple integrations
Compliance with security requirements

With complex apps, you can expect the cost to go $100,000 and higher. The average time to develop a complex app is 13-19 weeks.

Ways to cut iOS development costs with nCube

The question of lowering the cost of app development is always on the agenda of tech leaders. As a company that helps businesses worldwide hire iOS developers, we want to share some recommendations you may find useful when looking for ways of keeping your iOS app development costs at bay.

Tapping into the talent pool in Eastern Europe

The simplest way to dial down the iOS app development cost is to have your product developed by a team located in an offshore region with a lower cost of living. One of the most affordable and skilled zones is Eastern Europe. As per Clutch.co, the average cost of iOS app development here is $25–$49, without taxes and vendor fees. We at nCube help our clients reap the benefits of Eastern European affordability while working with qualified iOS developers. We can help you build a team of iOS developers that will be more affordable than your in-house one but in no way inferior in terms of tech skills.

Going with the staff augmentation approach

We offer a model that lets you develop an app on a model where the price is defined by hours invested by the development team, which is less costly than a fixed-price model offered by traditional outsourcing. Whether you build a simple app or one with cutting-edge features, we can help you find iOS developers (and other talent as well) that will fit the bill. As a project leader, you will be able to regulate the time invested in your project. Our approach will offer flexibility and help you adapt your budget as you see fit. When working with nCube, your iOS app development cost will entail the salaries of team members and a fee that we invest in the comfort of your team members, including retention, IT infrastructure, payroll, insurance, and more.

Cutting the time to build your team

The quicker you launch the app on the App Store, the higher your chances of outstripping your competitors and start earning from your app. We can help you build your iOS unit within 2-4 weeks, letting you speed up the development process and reduce the iOS app development cost by eliminating expenses on team recruitment.

Eliminating IT infrastructure expenses

We at nCube take care of creating a solid remote IT infrastructure for the iOS developers we provide, so you can eliminate this costly point and significantly reduce the iOS development cost. Our approach ensures your team members work efficiently and are a sustainable part of your headquarters.

Delegating team retention expenses

The high turnover of software development talent is a bane of many businesses nowadays. When building your iOS team, we will take care of employee retention to keep your remote team member motivated and productive. Our average employee retention rate is more than 3 years thanks to our extensive employee benefits package.

MARYNA DEMCHENKO