If you want a really good web application, don't think of going low budget, it might not hurt your pocket but it will surely hurt your expectations. Don't over expect, and if you do, just make a proper plan and then decide the budget accordingly. In this article, we will discuss the cost of building a web application. Web applications might open on a web browser, but they are not normal websites. They are powerful, attractive, and provide way more features than a website.
A PWA development company will describe a web app as the web versions of the native applications installed on our phones. This is better as it saves time, money, and efforts that the developers have to put in. Brands might not be using web applications as extensively now because of some performance-related issues but as the smartphones and development frameworks are improving, this will get more power. The more power web apps will get, businesses will shift towards them. Although, there is no alternative to native applications as they are and they will always be the best in terms of performance and handling high-end features.
Web Apps Vs. Native Apps Vs. Hybrid Apps (Cost)
When we compare these three the sequence in increasing order of cost will be Native apps>Hybrid Apps>Web apps. So, even though web applications come for more price than a website, they are still the cheapest option in application models. Also, they are in a way hybrid as they can run on any device. People just need to open a browser and just use the web address and they will be able to interact with the web app. Also, it takes a lot of time and effort to develop a native application. If a company wants both android and iOS applications, then the work just gets doubled. This also makes the cost double. The cost of the hybrid model is less but still, it is not as budget-friendly as web applications.
Businesses that don't have the budget to get a native or hybrid application can go for web applications. They are great in many aspects, they can be used by anyone irrespective of the device they are using. It also doesn't need any physical space hence the user will not have to think of installing it. Also, because it is a web application, business and website development services can use the power of search engines to increase their search.
JavaScript? Is It A Good Option To Go With When Developing A Web Application?
If you choose your web application development stack, you must keep in mind that it has a great impact on the final output. Javascript is a great choice for your web tech stack. Be it a website or a web application, Javascript can work as you want it to. JavaScript is recommended by most web developers and it has been used in a lot of great web applications. Also, it is more affordable than other languages. It is one of the most popular programming languages in the world and has a big community. Because of this, even if the developers face any issues while developing the web app, they will find a solution in no time. If you have an in-house team then even one team of developers can handle both the front and backend of the web application. You don't need to make two different teams. This will save hiring and development costs.
One more benefit is the JavaScript code can be reused if required at any stage in the future. The code can be used and modified according to the needs. This is something that makes Javascript better than most modern languages. Javascript might be older than all the new languages, but the way it has improved. The language is powerful, easy, and is better than most modern languages.
What's Better, In-house Team, Freelancer, Or Outsourcing The Project To A Web Development Company?
Companies need to decide that according to their project and their budget. All three options have different costs and the quality of the end product also varies. The best quality can be expected from the in-house team or an outsourcing company. To get great quality from a freelancer, you need to make sure you are always behind them. Let's understand how three of them are different from each other:
- Hiring in-house developers:
Hiring an in-house developers team might be the costliest. It all depends upon what resources are already present with the organization and what is the scope of the project. If the project is really critical and needs really experienced developers, hiring developers might be costly. If the project is not so big and can be developed without much expertise, then hiring fresh developers can be an option. This option can also be the cheapest among the three listed. Hiring developers for the in-house team increases the tasks. You have to do proper hiring tasks, rolling out vacancies, taking applications, conducting interviews, and more. These activities demand money and time and lots of effort. A company needs to understand if they need developers for a long time or not. If not, it is better to go for the other two options as it will keep adding expenses even after the project is over. The cost might increase as the developers will need some resources, systems, subscriptions, and other things. All the cost that has to be paid has to be incurred by the organization. Most of those costs are either yearly or monthly, hence they will be added at regular intervals as well.
- Hiring Freelancers:
Hiring freelancers might also be costly or in budget according to the level of expertise and experience wanted in your organization. If you are looking for a fresher, then you might get someone to work at less cost. But, if you want someone who can handle big projects and can provide great quality in the project, you might have to go for a bit expensive one. Yes, the cost of hiring a freelancer is mostly less than hiring an outsourcing company or custom software development company. Freelancers take a fixed amount most of the time and they are bound to work just for either the task assigned to them or till the project timeline. After that, the company doesn't have any liability for paying them. They also can join any other company as a freelancer and there are no conflicts. One thing that most companies are scared of is, their personal information and the integrity of the application being compromised. Freelancers are people who have to be briefed properly and they are temporary employees but they don't have to follow all the rules. They might have to follow the guidelines of the project they are working on. Their only duty is to complete the task that is assigned and maintain the quality and standards.
- Hiring a web development company:
Finally, this is something that we think most medium and big companies will want to go for. Website development services have a fixed cost, the headache of managing the developers and the quality of the project goes on to someone else. You are still in charge and can make updates from time to time. There can't be a better option than this if you want to focus on what your main company goal is while giving your web application development project to a company that specializes in that. In this business ecosystem, it is fair to outsource services that don't come under your area of specialization. The reason is, it helps you get the best quality and it helps you keep the quality of your main product or services high. Web development companies are also updated with all the latest trends in the industry. They know what will be the framework and what features might be useful for your web app. These companies have a strong team of developers and they make sure all the projects they work on, become the best. This improves their own portfolio. These companies take care of everything from the requirement analysis stage to the deployment stage. If you wish, you can also ask them for maintenance services as it is important that the web application is maintained after it has been hosted live for the users.
Fixed Or Variable: Which Pricing Model To Choose?
If you are hiring even the best web development company or a developer then you might have to decide between Fixed or Variable models. You have to look at all the things that might affect your project and then come to a decision. The fixed model might look really attractive but it can limit the scope of the project and that is something that might ruin your expectations. The variable model might go over budget but it will provide you with a web application that will be nothing less than best. It is important to properly think about it, the scope of the project, the nature of the project, and the goal of the project can play an important role in deciding.
If you go with the variable approach, you will have to pay for the time being spent and all the resources that are used. This will also have a fixed cost that counts as the fee that you pay to the developers or the company. In the fixed model, you just pay an amount and the development company has to make sure that they complete the project in that. They don't put in anything from their side even if they think that some part needs improvement as that will reduce their profit. One benefit of using the variable model is that the requirements if change midway, the development company can make the changes without thinking of costing. The same is not possible with the Fixed model.
Benefits Of Hiring An Outsourcing Company?
When your company plans of getting a web application developed, hiring an outsourcing company can be the best decision. It will provide you with the best value for money. Below are the benefits that a company will get when they outsource their web app development project:
- Spend Less On Development:
Hiring the best web development company to develop your application will help you spend less and get more. You will get high quality and you will not have to pay them as much as you will have to pay the developers that you hire. Also, they have the best of the developers and they are experts in their own domain. To hire that level of talent, you might have to spend a lot. When you hire a development company, all this cost has to be incurred by them. They do their work with sincerity as their work is their advertisement. If they work well for you, they will be able to show them to other people.
- Get Proper Reports:
The company that you hire will give you reports with all the details of the project. How much it is developed, whether it is a SaaS software development procedure, what is going to be done further, and all other things. This will keep things clear between them and your organization. This is important so that you also can give them feedback according to your requirement. They might understand app development better, but when it comes to the idea and the business, it is your own forte. You need to make them understand your vision at all stages of development.
- Change as you want:
You can get anything changed if you feel that the development is not going in the right direction. The company has to respect your opinion and work as per your requirements. Even if you want to change your plan in between, you can switch to the variable model and ask them to change the scope of the application. All the extra efforts that have to be put in, will all be the work of the web app development company.
- Work will go on smoothly:
Even if your company is going through some operational issues, the progress of the web application won't be affected. The PWA development company can keep working on the project. They don't need anything from your company other than feedback and suggestions as and when they ask. That is something that they might need regularly. And that can be provided by anyone who holds authority in the organization.
- More focus on core business idea:
When you remove the burden of developing your own web app, you get the time to focus on your core business idea. You can strengthen your services or products, and make your teams and operations strong. The outsourcing companies can help you a lot in improving your services as they already do a part of your job and they also reduce your efforts.
- No permanent (recurring) costs:
When you hire a web development company, the only project cost has to be paid. Once the web app is developed, the company has to pay nothing else, and the contract between them is completed. When you hire an in-house developer, you have to pay them a salary every month. This salary has to be paid even after the project is over. The cost that you have to repeat without getting much in return, goes against the rules of business.
Can You Calculate The Cost Of Web App Development By Yourself?
The answer is yes. But it is not possible to calculate the overall cost in an exact manner. However, one can have a rough estimation by putting light into the below points:
- Defining members of the team:
Firstly you need to define what is the number of people you want in the team and then it has to be segregated into different lists according to their roles. You need to decide if you need a graphic designer, data analysis, web developer, tester, or what. Then you need to understand how many of them would be perfect for the project. This is something that will give you clarity of thoughts and would make a streamlined process. This would add to the cost. Take the salaries and add them, also don't forget all the resources and subscriptions that the employees will need.
- Cost of web app development:
The major cost is the development process of the application. The cost of development by a custom software development company also includes the resources that were used and the subscription of the software. The cost also includes the money that has to be paid to the web development, and other things. The cost of the development of a web app includes majorly the cost of adding all the features and the plugins and coding. Basic features don't cost much but advanced features like AI and AR, are costly. They take up some resources that are expensive.
- Cost of landing page:
When you are developing a web application, it is important that you also have a landing page. A landing page can define what the users will get, what are the services that you offer, what are the things that can help them solve their problems. Landing pages are a must for a business, they serve a great purpose in converting the leads into customers. Landing pages can cost anywhere between $2000 to $10,000. This depends on the type of landing page you need. A full-featured web application would go approx 10,000 and maybe it can go higher according to the requirements and scope. These pages can be made live when the application is in the development phase. Landing pages also keep people excited. If you already have a community, you can circulate the landing page link so that people get to know what they will get. This pre-publicity has helped a lot of brands around the world.
Read the blog- A complete guide for Custom web application
- Cost depending on the type of application:
The type of application affects the total money to be paid by the company. For example, the development of a SaaS application depends on the functionality of the application. SaaS software development has extra costs associated such as moving the on-premises software to a SaaS business model. When the model and approach are present, the development process may cost $8,000 and up.
Similarly, if one aims to build a web-based enterprise resource planning (ERP) application, the cost will depend on the number of departments using the same. The minimum cost required to build an ERP system that will cover all the basic needs of a single department will vary from $15,000 to $50,000.
On the other hand, a marketplace app, that people use to buy and sell things, will have a smaller price range. The reason behind this is that almost every marketplace app has the same functionality and it depends on the developer how he/she makes it more appealing to the users. A marketplace application will cost anywhere from $25,000 to $50,000.
Conclusion
Countless factors affect the price of the web app. In this case, trying to save money can seem a lossy decision. One has to be smart and spend on the things that will give a heavy return in the future. It is important to ask for a detailed estimate before signing a contract otherwise the company can get attacked with long bills. Contractors must not include things such as support, bug fixes, and other services as it will largely affect the final cost. Development is a tricky process. Therefore, there should be no hesitation in asking for a detailed estimate for cost as far as web application development is concerned. This will help in saving a significant amount of time and money.
