How Much Does it Cost to Develop an E-commerce Mobile App?
The thriving eCommerce sector brings new opportunities for startups and enthusiastic retailers alike. But then, intensifying competition and ever-changing requirements of customers can spoil the party. There, a feature-rich eCommerce mobile app lends a helping hand. Retailers want to harness the power of mobile apps to meet these challenges in a cost-effective and efficient way. However, it is necessary for them to know the cost of eCommerce mobile app development.
These days people prefer to give orders on the move or with the comfort of their home. The dependence on the mobile app is, therefore, increasing day by day. Shopping on the go with extensive search features and secure online payment are the most prevalent trends. As an eCommerce business owner, you can provide these facilities to your customers through an eCommerce app for iOS or Android.
Let’s go through the obvious business benefits of a feature-rich eCommerce mobile app-
- Effective Marketing- An eCommerce mobile app acts as a cost-effective and highly efficient marketing tool. It not only meets your customers’ shopping requirements but also enables you to come up with app-based discounts and real-time notifications for promotional offers. In a way, an eCommerce app for Android and iOS can boost customer loyalty.
- Data Collection- An eCommerce app needs the user’s email ID and social media account information along with their contact numbers. As a result, eCommerce companies can get valuable data from their existing and prospective customers.
- Improved Interactions- A customized eCommerce mobile app facilitates robust and real-time interactions between your company and clients. Apart from searching or shopping anytime, the app enables your customers to raise queries or give suggestions on a 24/7 basis.
- Spread Brand Awareness- The eCommerce app development company makes an app in line with your business model, thereby assisting you to increase your brand visibility. E-commerce apps with personalized experience can be a great tool for effective communication with customers.
Though eCommerce apps offer many benefits to retailers and startups, still many business persons have no idea about the cost of eCommerce app development. Let’s dig deep into this matter in this blog.
Let’s start with the top cost determining factors for your eCommerce app.
Key Cost-determining Factors for eCommerce App Development
App Development Platform- The platform selection depends on the target audience for your eCommerce business. For example, if you target the US or the UK-based people, it is better to bring an eCommerce app for iOS first. Also, the choice of platform depends on the type of app you want to build. For example, if you want an app that can seamlessly run across both Android and iOS platforms, then you should opt for cross-platform app development.
Native apps or in other words, eCommerce apps for iOS or Android are the most expensive with the best functionality as compared to hybrid or cross-platform apps. In native apps, Android app development is a bit costlier than iOS app development because it takes more time to develop and QA testing than its iOS counterpart.
Also Read- Top 7 Reasons Why Your eCommerce Business Needs Mobile App in 2021
Developer Rate- Hourly rates of developers is also a crucial factor for determining the cost of an eCommerce app. These rates are different as per geographical regions. For example, the hourly rate of developers in the US or Canada starts from $150 to $200, whereas the same starts at $30 an hour in countries like India. This variation makes a huge difference when it comes to developing a complex eCommerce app that takes more time to develop.
Design and Functionality- The app design can make or break the reputation of your business. It is one of the most important factors to consider during the eCommerce app development process. On average, the app design cost ranges between $1500 to $25000. The app’s features and functionality have a significant impact on the development duration, and therefore, they are also major cost-determining factors.
How to Calculate the Cost of E-Commerce Mobile App Development
It all starts with making a wireframe. It is nothing but the visual architecture of your app that includes the physical appearance and the arrangement of pages. Usually, the mobile app development company draft multiple wireframes for the project so that the client can select from various options. The cost of wireframe development depends on the app’s complexity. Wireframe making cost for 2-3 pages’ apps is less than $500.
The next phase of eCommerce app development is designing. The appealing interface can attract more people to use your app. Now, the app design has a number of elements, it is necessary to focus on the fine details and specific design guidelines. For example, an eCommerce app for Android needs to follow the Material Design and other guidelines given by the Google Play Store. The average app design cost can remain between $1500 to $30000.
The next crucial stage is app development. It also involves multiple factors like the number of app features or the level of complexity, the number of developers hired, and the like. Considering all these parameters and depending on your app project requirements, we can estimate that the cost of the app development phase can remain between $1500 to $70000. The QA or Quality Analysis for finding bugs and ensuring the app’s quality can cost you anywhere between $15000 to $30000.
The eCommerce app development cost does not include app promotion, support and maintenance, and update costs. Also, if necessary, you need to buy a license for your business and an eCommerce app, which is also an additional expense. On average, each of these factors can cost you around $500 to $2500.
Concluding Lines
Considering all the aspects mentioned above, we can mention that the approximate cost of eCommerce app development ranges between $25000 to $150000. Here, the level of complexity, development duration, and other factors play a vital role in determining the total cost of an eCommerce app. It is better to consult a reputed eCommerce app development company with your requirements to get an exact quote.
Suria International is a renowned mobile app development company in Singapore and the UK. We build a feature-rich eCommerce mobile app to boost our client’s online business. If you want to come up with a user-friendly, feature-rich eCommerce app, then simply send us an email at business@suriainternational.com and our expert consultants will get back to you with the right app strategy in line with your business model.