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| Differences between web design software and web builders | ||
|---|---|---|
| Feature | Web design software | Website builders |
| Level of control | Offers deep customization over code, layout, and interactions | Limit customization to templates and built-in options |
| Technical skill required | Often requires knowledge of HTML, CSS, or JavaScript | Designed for users with little or no coding experience |
| Setup time | Takes longer due to design, development, and testing | Enable fast setup and quicker publishing |
| Flexibility and scalability | Works well for complex, custom, or large-scale sites | Best suited for small to mid-sized websites |
| Typical use cases | Custom brand sites, advanced web apps, unique layouts | Business sites, portfolios, blogs, and landing pages |
Mobile apps help businesses build stronger customer relationships through personalized user experiences and tighter analytics feedback loops. Having a mobile app can boost brand awareness and make it easier for customers to interact with your company. It's no wonder that so many businesses want to port their services to the devices where their customers spend most of their time.
Of course, the app development process requires expertise, which comes at a price. While a simple number would be nice, the final cost of developing an app can vary greatly depending on a number of factors. We'll take a look at some of those cost factors that go into building a custom app.
Note: These cost estimates represent the low end of potential app development expenses. Actual costs may be two to three times higher depending on project complexity, developer rates, and additional feature requirements.
How to calculate mobile app development costs
The cost of developing a mobile app can be calculated directly from the rates charged by your developers. For instance, a smaller-scale app that takes 800 developer hours at a rate of $18-$39 per hour would cost between $14,400 and $31,200. More complex apps with additional features, integrations, and design requirements can easily take 1,200 hours or more — increasing total costs significantly.
Development time varies widely depending on the types of features and the complexity of your app. To calculate the cost of developing a mobile app, you'll need to consider a number of factors:
- App developer rates, experience, and expertise
- iOS vs. Android apps
- Mobile app development technologies required (including third-party integrations)
- Mobile app features
- Additional talent needs
Upwork app developer rates, experience, and expertise
When hiring mobile app developers, price and experience usually go hand in hand. If you're looking to build the next Uber or WhatsApp, your startup may need to find the optimal mix of experience when building a development team:
- Beginner developers. With average costs in the $19 per hour range, entry-level developers can help with debugging, app maintenance, code documentation, and simple feature requests, provided you're willing to provide some training on the job.
- Intermediate developers. Charging around $25 per hour, intermediate developers have the general expertise needed to complete most app design projects and new feature requests.
- Senior developers. With rates at $39 or higher per hour, senior developers can lead your app development projects or implement advanced app features, as well as contribute to the app's scalability.
Typical rates for specific types of mobile developers
In addition to overall experience, rates also depend on expertise in the specific technologies in which an app developer is proficient. Developer rates vary between app platforms and the specific technical skills needed to build the app.
This breakdown should give you a cost estimate for mobile developers on Upwork:
iOS developer: Global hourly rate $16–$35
Beyond fundamentals like Objective C or Swift, and the Xcode IDE, iOS developers are also skilled in one or more frameworks and APIs like Foundation, UIKit, and Cocoa.
Skills may include familiarity with bug tracking systems like Bugzilla, dependency management tools like CocoaPods, and version control with GitHub — technologies that indicate experience working on project teams.
Android developer: Global hourly rate $15–$35
Beyond fundamentals like Java, Android SDK, and the Android Studio IDE, Android developers may also be skilled with one or more frameworks like Ionic, Corona, and Material Foundation.
Android developers will have familiarity with bug-tracking systems like Jira, dependency management tools like Gradle, and version control with GitHub — technologies typically learned while working on project teams.
React Native developer: Global hourly rate $24–$45
React Native is a JavaScript framework for cross-platform development of mobile applications using web technologies such as JavaScript, HTML, and CSS.
React Native developers can help build native-performing, modular UI components that work on both iOS and Android, reducing development time and integrating seamlessly with existing iOS and Android projects.
Developer hourly rates by region
Where your development team is based has a big impact on app costs.
Typically, industry-wide app development rates are affected by local costs of living, demand for tech talent in the area, and project complexity. This table shows a breakdown of average hourly rates for mid-level developers across major regions.
Platform choice: Android vs. iOS
Are you building an app for Apple's iOS or Google's Android? There's no question that you'll benefit from both markets, but you should consider starting with the platform that best suits your target audience and expand your customer base after you've made a return on your initial investment.
To help you make that choice, here's a brief breakdown of the pros and cons of each platform.
Android
Android is an open-source Linux-based operating system developed by Google for mobile devices. Examples of Android devices include Samsung Galaxy, Google Pixel, and the OnePlus.
The Android app development ecosystem includes:
- Android SDK
- Java
- Google Play Store submission requirements
Pros of Android app development include:
- Wider market penetration and reach with a larger overall number of users for every category, especially in emerging markets in developing areas.
- Large open-source community with access to Android mods like LineageOS or Paranoid Android.
Author Spotlight
Ted Liu is Research Manager at Upwork, where he focuses on how work and skills evolve in relation to technological progress such as artificial intelligence. He received his PhD in economics from the University of California, Santa Cruz.
