The mobile app market is evolving at a rapid pace. In this digital era, investing in custom mobile app development is one of the golden opportunities for modern businesses & entrepreneurs. App development refers to the process of making an application run on Android or iOS platforms. The process mainly involves making installable software bundles, executing backend solutions, and application testing. Continue reading to know three main aspects of the mobile app development process. Let’s get started.
Approaches to mobile app development
Before you invest in custom mobile app development, as a business owner, you have to decide which approach you choose to make your app. There are commonly 4 approaches available – native app development, cross-platform app development, hybrid app development, and progressive web app development. Have a look at the key comparisons of these approaches.
| Parameters | Native app development | Cross-platform app development | Hybrid app development | Progressive web app development |
| Definition | Process of making apps that only run on specific platform like iOS or Android | Process of developing all platform compatible apps. These apps can run on both iOS & Android | This is the blend of native & web development. Hybrid apps can run on Android
iOS & Windows. |
Process of developing web apps that offer native-app like experience. PWAs perform better |
| Tools & languages | Java, Python & Kotlin | Xamarin, Node.js & NativeScript | Objective C, HTML5 & Ionic | Javascript, CSS & Ruby |
| Benefits | High user experience
Direct access to APIs |
Easy to maintain
Single codebase Better performance Simple to build |
Single codebase
Access to device hardware & APIs Easy to build |
Improved performance
Consume less data |
| Performance | Highly efficient as they are platform-specific | Faster speed & high efficiency. | Slower than cross-platform & native app development | PWAs are decently fast & highly depend on the internet connectivity |
Steps to build a mobile app
If you would like to take your business to new heights with a custom mobile application, you need to follow certain steps to build a feature-rich mobile app. Steps include:
Step 1: Define your project goals
Step 2: Do research your target audiences
Step 3: Evaluate the market demands
Step 4: Decide your mobile app features
Step 5: Select an intuitive UI/UX design
Step 6: Hire a reputable app development company
Step 7: Create an MVP (minimum viable product)
Step 8: Test your application
Step 9: Final release
Step 10: Focus on app maintenance & support
Keeping updated with the latest trends and technologies helps to facilitate your entire app development process. Professional developers always focus on every stage of app development to give you 360° agile solutions.
How much does it cost to develop an app?
On average, the total cost of developing a custom mobile application usually ranges from $10,000 to $50,000. However, app development cost completely depends on too many factors like app complexities, app size, features and functionalities, app categories, developer’s charges, and so on. Check out the list of category-wise app development costs.
| App categories | Level of complexities | Estimated cost | Average timeline |
| Simple mobile app | Basic user interface
MVP functionality |
$5,000 to $50,000 | 2 to 3 months |
| Medium complex app | Custom UI
Sophisticated app features |
$50,000 to $120,000 | 3 to 9 months |
| App with high complexities | Advanced features
Bespoke UI |
$100,000 to $300,000 | 9+ months |
Final notes:
Mobile applications have become integral parts of our daily lives, transforming the way we interact, work, and entertain ourselves. Whether you want to build a native or a progressive web app, you need to consider some important factors to make the process hassle-free.
Moreover, mobile app development brings huge opportunities for businesses, entrepreneurs, and developers to create a unique user experience, drive high engagement & generate good revenue. With the ever-evolving demands for custom mobile apps, this field always promises continued innovation & exciting opportunities for everyone.
