Web Application Development Cost In 2023: An Extensive Guide
If you have found one of the best web app ideas and plan to convert it to reality, then one of the questions that appears in your mind is, How much does it cost to build a web application?
Surprisingly, there is not a straight answer to this question. Web application development refers to a single-page website as well as a highly complex web application.
But if someone provides you the exact figure straight away, then move away because no one can provide you with the precise cost just by knowing your web app idea. Unfortunately, web app development doesn’t work like this.
One needs to have detailed information to estimate the web application development cost. It includes various things, such as web application type, complexity, functionality, developer skills, location, etc.
Here we will provide you with the estimated cost to build a web app, factors that affect web application development cost, and effective ways to reduce the cost.
By considering the factors we have mentioned, you can easily estimate the cost of your web application.
Before we move ahead, let us know the demand for web applications worldwide.
Why Should You Develop a Web Application?
The demand for web applications is increasing every year. Many industries worldwide consider building web applications to reach a wider audience and grow business. Various companies use leading technologies like machine learning, artificial intelligence, and more for developing next-gen web apps.
Here are several latest statistics that prove why web applications have become the first choice of small to big businesses.
- According to SmashingIdeas, companies that switched from websites to PWAs have increased customer engagement from 20 to 250%.
- As per GlobalNewsWire, the global progressive web application market will reach US $10.44 billion in 2027 by growing at a CAGR(Compound Annual Growth Rate) of 31.9%.
Moreover, there are some crucial reasons to choose a web application. It includes easy customization, scalability, security, round-the-clock business availability, low maintenance, etc.
Develop Your Own Next-Gen Web App?
Share your project requirements. We will understand your needs,
propose a reliable solution and create a modern web app.
How Much Does a Web App Cost?
Usually, the web application development cost estimation depends on the complexity of a web app and the time required to build it. The average cost starts from $3,000 for a simple web app, and it can go higher upto $1,50,000 for a complex web app.
A web application is categorized into 3 types based on its complexity. Let us have a brief about them.
Simple Web Application: A basic web app with minimal features is called a simple web app.
Medium Web Application: A web app with multiple web apps and highly interactive content is known as a medium web app.
Complex Web Application: A web app consisting of many features & functionalities is known as a complex web app.
Let us know about these web applications in detail with their cost.
| Complexity | Simple Web App | Medium Web App | Complex Web App |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cost | $3,000 – $12,000 | $12,000 – $40,000 | $40,000 – $1,50,000 |
| Features |
|
|
|
| Example |
|
|
|
What Factors Affect the Web Application Development Cost?
Here are some of the essential factors affecting the web application development cost.
1. Complexity of the Web Application
The more complex your web app is, the higher its development cost. The web app complexity is very crucial in defining the estimated web app development cost.
There are three main categories of the web application. Here we will look at all of these web application types in detail.
Simple Web Application
A simple web application is quick to develop and use. It consists of static information, primary functionality, and simple coding. A web developer knowing HTML and CSS can create simple web apps.
Using various themes & templates and drag & drop builders, developers build simple web apps. Moreover, these apps are less interactive.
A user can visit, read and scroll through the entire web application.
Many MVPs are considered simple web apps. By considering MVP development, startups & businesses love to test their idea before allocating full-time to it. However, if there is a modern web app idea with next-gen features, a medium or complex web app is also considered an MVP.
Examples of Simple Web Apps
Some examples of simple web apps are simple landing page web apps, online portfolio web apps, HTML-based web games, and more
Medium Web Application
Medium web apps are usually highly-interactive compared to simple web apps. It consists of high-level coding and various dynamic elements.
There are various themes and templates available online to create medium web apps. Developers can customize the theme or template according to the requirement. Besides this, medium web apps also require various interactive elements like pop-ups, contact forms, animations, sign-up form, etc.
A developer having expertise in HTML, CSS, and JavaScript can build medium web apps. Developers having expertise in various libraries and web app frameworks is an added benefit as they can utilize them to create web apps. Moreover, these web apps require database integration.
If you plan to offer a sign-up option in a web app, you need to consider best security practices. You can also add a payment gateway like PayPal or Stripe according to the need of the project.
Examples of Medium Web Apps
Examples of medium web apps are simple eCommerce web apps, internal portals, etc.
Complex Web Application
A complex web application can handle massive traffic and possess many features & functionalities. It is custom-built according to the requirements of the project.
A sufficient amount of time is necessary to create a complex web application. Developers here code the entire web application from start to finish and assure that it works according to the need. Hence, it consists of a lot of code lines.
A complex web application requires a large database to handle vast traffic and protect data.
A complex web application is difficult to build with the help of a single person. To create a complex web app, you require a development team consisting of web developers, web designers, a QA tester, and a project manager.
Example of Complex Web Apps:
Gmail and Netflix are two well-known examples of complex web apps. Besides this, CRM web apps and progressive web apps like Twitter fall under complex web apps.
How can you determine the complexity of your web application?
Here are several features that help you determine the complexity of your web application.
Dynamic Content: Dynamic content changes whenever a user performs an action. For instance, a user enters an email & a message gets displayed like the email looks okay.
Database Integration: Do you want to store users’ data or not? If yes, you need to consider database integration.
User Accounts: Is there an option for a user to sign in?
Third-party Integrations: Do you want to integrate third-party tools like email or social media sign-in?
Security: Which type of security to add to the web app? Consider laws in your country and add accordingly.
Uniqueness: Do you want to integrate innovative features into the web app? How many?
2. Functionalities Required for Web Application
The complexity of a web application is directly proportional to the functionality. If you integrate any additional features, the cost of the web application increases.
The end goal of your web application helps you to determine the features & functionalities. Based on this, you can define the estimated web application development cost.
To analyze your features, ask questions as follows:
Do you want to integrate very few features into your web application? or Do you want to add advanced features like chatbot?
To understand this better, let us consider an example of an on-demand home services web app. The primary features include login, checking available services, booking a service, and knowing when you get the specific service.
To ensure that your web app looks the best in the industry, add advanced features like locating the professional, online payment, check ratings, etc.
These advanced features you add to your web app increase its development cost. These things fall under backend web app development.
Besides this, you also need to consider the frontend or UI of your web application. If you want a unique web application design, the cost will increase.
By asking crucial questions, you can determine the functionality of your web app.
Want to Develop a Fully-Functional Web Application?
Let us know your project needs. Our experts use the best technologies
& follow streamlined proces to deliver a fully-functional web app.
3. Composition of Development Team
Based on the complexity and functionality of your web application, you need a web application development team.
Here is the list of professionals usually working together to develop a web application.
Business Analyst: Analyze & research the entire market and define the target audience and features. It also makes various strategic decisions about the project.
Frontend Developer: Create the web app UI according to the latest design trends.
Backend Developer: Develops the app logic from start to finish. Use different libraries and frameworks to speed up the development process.
Quality Assurance Engineer: A QA engineer tests the entire web app and makes sure it remains error-free.
Project Manager: A project manager looks after the entire team. When you have a project manager, you remain stress-free about the project. A project manager coordinates with the development team and provides timely project updates.
Copywriter: Writes content for the entire web application.
4. Hiring Opportunities
The web app development cost depends heavily on whom you choose to develop it. In general, there are three ways to build it:
- Freelance
- In-house
- Outsourcing
Here will provide you with the pros and cons of each model so that you can choose the best according to your project needs.
Freelancers
Freelancers are basically independent contractors that work for themselves.
It is good to go with a freelancer for a small project or an upgrade. Upwork and Freelancer are two of the most popular platforms where you can find freelancers. Here are some of the pros and cons of freelancers.
Pros
- The cost of developing a web app from a freelancer is generally low.
Cons
- Spend a lot of time & effort to find reliable freelancers.
- They cannot provide you with the estimated project timeline as they don’t possess business analysis skills.
- They work on multiple projects. Hence, if they get a better opportunity, they might leave you in the middle of the project.
- In case you work with multiple freelancers, you have to play the role of a project manager.
- They have less accountability and transparency.
- Project quality is usually low.
In-house team
If you are searching for experts that work locally, or want to assemble an in-house team, go with this option. It is one of the most suitable solutions if your goal is to work on a range of projects and contribute your time & effort.
Pros
- Better communication.
- You have complete control over the team.
Cons
- Spend a lot of time & money on hiring the entire team.
- Hardware as well as software costs.
- Infrastructure costs.
Outsourcing
You allocate your entire project to an outsourcing company. They handle the project from start to finish. Here are some of the pros and cons of outsourcing.
Pros
- Highly experienced team of professionals.
- They are highly cooperative.
- Project management is effective.
- Timely delivery of the project.
Cons
- The cost of hiring an outsourcing company is higher than a freelancer & lower than an in-house team. However, it is worth it.
Looking for the Best Web App Development Company?
Guru TechnoLabs is a professional web app development company with a team of highly
experienced web developers. Contact us to get a reliable web app as per your business needs.
5. Developer’s Location
Location is another crucial factor that affects the web application development cost. Outsourcing your project to a company is more cost-effective than a local in-house team.
Web app development requires sufficient time & effort. The web application development cost varies based on the total number of developers you hire and for how much time.
The cost of hiring a developer also varies based on the country & continent. Moreover, there is also a difference in the cost of hiring developers in different states of the USA.
According to Clutch, the average cost of web development firms in the USA, Canada, and Australia is from $50-200 per hour.
However, in the UK, the average cost of firms for web app development starts from $50-99 per hour. The average cost of hiring web development firms in India is less than $49/ hour.
Hence, we recommend you choose India for web application development. Moreover, the professionals in India are talented and can deliver high-quality web applications.
6. Timeframe
The timeline you set for your web application should be precise. Allocating minimum time or more time increases the web application development cost.
The more time you spend on the development, the higher resources you need. It ultimately increases web app development costs.
However, if you allocate less time, it can also increase the development cost.
For instance, building a comprehensive eCommerce web app will take about 3-4 months.
If you decide on a timeline of 2 months, you will require more developers. It will increase the cost.
If you set a timeline of 7 months, it also affects the cost. You will be spending time on things that are not necessary. Hence, it would be best if you decide on a suitable timeframe for your web app.
Want to Build a Web Application?
We use a suitable coding language with best web development frameworks
to deliver web app development services for startups & businesses.
How to Reduce the Cost of Web Application Development?
What if the web application development cost is way higher than you thought?
You might look for an outsourcing company that does the work at a low price. But with low cost, the quality of the web app might also not be up-to-the-mark.
What can you do?
If you do not want to spend heavily on your web application in the initial stage, then you have got two options.
Start with MVP Development
One of the best ways to develop a web application is to go for MVP development first.
Why?
The reason is that it allows you to create a web application with minimal features, test your web application early in the market, and obtain user feedback. In short, create a basic prototype of your upcoming web application.
Based on the user feedback and your budget, you can integrate features and functionalities into your web application.
In short, you can invest in your web application gradually.
Use Third-party Tools
You can utilize third-party tools in your web app development to reduce its cost. For instance, you want to integrate a map into your web application.
You can add a third-party tool like Google Maps using an API instead of creating the entire thing from scratch. If you develop this tool from developers, it will consume a lot of your time & effort., which further increases the cost.
Want to Know the Estimated Cost of Your Web Application?
Tell us your idea. Our experts will understand your project inside-out and
provide you with a free quote for your web app.
Conclusion
Now you must have got a brief idea about web application development costs. By thoroughly following the process we have shared with you, you can easily calculate the cost of your web application.
However, if you are still confused and want to know a rough estimate about your web application, you can ping us anytime.
As a professional web application development company, we can provide you with a rough estimate for your web application. Also, we have an incredibly talented team of professionals who can understand your project and deliver you the best web application.
