Citrus Suite is a Liverpool mobile app design agency developing on iPhone, iPad, Android, PC, Mac and Web. Email us here… projects@CitrusSuite.com
In the first of three special blog posts we attempt to demystify the business of commissioning an app.
Part One. Development Costs: Novice commissioners may be unaware of the associated costs of developing a mobile app, the production cycle, or the range of services offered by digital studios. Project costs reflect agency rates factored by the time it takes to create an app, so naturally it follows complex products take longer to make and require more money.
Costs are relative to client needs and type of level of technological innovation needed to achieve their goals. Bespoke apps may cost between £15-25K and represent excellent value considering the time and skill it takes to create a mobile product. Apps with more ambitious business objectives can cost much more than this. Every project requires a unique blend of expertise combined within the design process, which includes: Market Research; Creative Brief; Concept Development; User-Experience Design / UX UI; Wireframing; Design and Artwork; Development; Beta-Testing; Product Review; and Deployment To The App Store.
Device compatibility can also affect costs as functionality needs to take device size, speed and range of functionality into consideration. Commissioners need to think about the needs of their target audience, app functions, and the relationship to cost: Feature rich apps may feature the following:
• Does the app need database-functionality?
• Does it need a fully dynamic interface?
• Will users be able to generate content using ‘custom utilities’?
• Does the app need social functions?
At the lower end of the scale, ‘off-the-shelf’ apps requiring minimal production may cost as little as £5K, but ultimately, if the client wishes to compromise on budget they must ensure the development studio has pre-written code or a white label solution ready to be re-skinned. If you envisage mobile becoming an integrated strand of your campaigns, investing in quality will yield results over the longer-term.
Games require the most investment: A successful game such a “Whale Trail” which took a massive £150K to create, would need around 300,000 downloads selling at 69p to break-even after paying Apple’s 30% commissioning fee. It’s not hard to see why games companies are bullish about the potential to drive ROI: If a game-app is successfully deployed across both iOS and Android Markets, it can extend a brands’ reach to close on 2 billion users.
Speak to us about your app and we’ll produce a no-obligation quote.Email us here… projects@CitrusSuite.com
Getting the most out of an app on a tight budget represents a challenge to commissioners and designers, so communication is vital at all stages of the design process. Creating an app on a budget will feature in a forthcoming blog post.
Costs can be managed more effectively if commissioners clearly define client needs, business objectives and demographic. Citrus Suite’s own award winning app, “Chopsticks”, was a complex build and required a sizeable budget. You can read about the factors affecting project costs here in the Wall Street Journal.
The Brief clearly defines the goals of the app. Both commissioner and development studio need to facilitate a dialogue to negotiate app features and ensure expectations are in line with budget. Part Two in this series will cover how to write an App Development Brief.
Want to hire a Mobile App Developer in Liverpool? Need to talk iPhone, iPad, iPad Air, iPad Mini, iOS, OS X Mavericks or Android development? What Is The Cost Of An App? Email us here… projects@CitrusSuite.com
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Email us… projects@CitrusSuite.com
Call us… +44 (0)151 345 1979
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