One of the many questions that we get asked almost on a weekly basis. Well, I share with you how our agency derives the development costs.
Generally, an app usually costs around RM30,000.00 - RM50,000.00 but there are several factors that can push the prices higher or lower.
In this article, we will go through all the various factors that can affect the final cost of building a mobile app and help you make a better decision.
1. No. of actors
An actor is a term used to define the type of people that will interact with your app. Simply put, the more actors there are, the higher the development cost would be. (Usually in the factor of 2x)
For example, the grabfood app has 3 actors in it. They are the user (who orders food), the merchant (who prepares the order) and the rider (who delivers it).
While most basic apps have 2 actors to it, we would consider those with more than 2 actors as a complex app.
2. The type of app
Well, most people out there aren’t aware of this part. But there are two popular type of mobile app.
We call it a hybrid or a native mobile app.
To put it simply, a hybrid app is an extension of your website (typically web application). It uses the content on your website and wraps them into a container that behaves like a mobile app.
This type of app is mostly used for less sophisticated app like (Booking, Ordering, Buying tickets,etc)
A good example in the market is our Air Asia’s App and GSC App.
On the other hand, a native App is an app that is coded to suit the operating system of the device. This gives access to hardware of the device, allowing us to create a more immersive experience on the app.
For example, with a native app, I can create a function that utilizes the gyroscope of the phone and do something whenever I shake the phone.
You get the point?
Typically this is true in a more sophisticated app like a trading app, a game, a running tracker, an app that uses your phone’s NFC sensors.
Examples include, your favorite PUBG game, Binance App and to name a few.
By now, you know that native is more expensive, and this could really push the development fees up to 6 figures.
3. Allocated timeframe.
Another huge factor is allocated time. You see, a typical hybrid development usually takes around 2-3 months.
This is considering that each process goes smoothly and nothing comes in between (delays in approval, content, testing)
However, a lot of people that come to us, majority told that they don't have 2-3 months to wait. So this is where our Rush Fee comes in.
It’s a fee that we impose to speed up development, (usually a factor of 2), which would bring the cost up.
4. Server Infrastructure
“If you want to host more people, you need a bigger house”
The same goes for the hosting part of your hybrid app. First, you have to understand how many people will interact with your app.
Most of the time, we would suggest to our client to overestimate the amount of users so that we have a buffer in case of a traffic hike.
By default, the server that we allocate for our clients would allow them to have up to 100 users smoothly.
And there will be a constant monitoring to see if there is a need to change the server or not. This will impact the final cost of building your app.
So, in conclusion. These are the variables that could affect the final pricing of your app. Although the final amount may seem high, there are various financing options that we offer that allow you to fund the cost of building your app in Malaysia.
P/s: If you're looking to get our help in building the real costing for your mobile app together the options, please feel free to contact us by clicking the "Contact Us" button.
