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Steve Johnson
Steve Johnson

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How Much Does It Cost To Make An App? A Guide To Pricing Your Apps

Pricing your apps can be a daunting task. There are so many variables and things to keep in mind that pricing your app may seem like it’s an impossible task. However, if you approach the process logically, it will be much easier than you think. This article aims to provide clarity around how much does it cost to make an app and how you can price your app accordingly.

How much does it cost to build an app?

To get a better understanding of what it takes to build an app, let’s first look at the various stages of the app development process - Development, Design, and Testing. As you can see in the diagram, development is the process of taking the app’s idea and turning it into a working product. During this stage, the core features of the app are built, along with any additional features that are requested by the customer. After development, the app moves to the testing stage where it undergoes rigorous testing to ensure it meets customers’ expectations and doesn’t have any bugs. After testing, the app is ready to be designed and finally, it’s published. However, the app development process is not finite. It can go on until the app’s core features are working as expected and all user issues have been resolved. So, let’s now look at how much does it cost to build an app.

How Much Should You Charge For An App?

There are a lot of factors that play into the decision of how much to charge for your app. Below are a couple of these factors that you should keep in mind while making the decision.

  • How Easy Is The App To Use? - One of the major factors that affect the price of your app is how easy it is to use. If your app has a lot of complicated steps, people will have a hard time using it, which means they won’t be able to use your app even if they pay you for it. On the other hand, an app that is super easy to use can also mean that it has a lot of basic features that are easy to understand and use, which could mean that there are a lot of people who would be interested in using your app even though it may be a simple app. So, how easy your app is to use plays a major role in how much you should charge for it.

  • What Are Its Unique Features? - This factor is closely tied to how easy your app is to use. If you build an app that has a lot of unique features, people will naturally expect your app to be more expensive than apps that don’t have these features. However, it’s important to understand that you can’t base your pricing on a few unique features that you think are worth the price. Instead, you have to understand if your app has valuable core features that would justify a higher price.

  • How Much Does The Market Expect To Pay For It? - This factor mainly affects the price of your app on both the high and low ends of the pricing spectrum. If the market is expecting your app to fetch a high price, then you will also have to charge a high price for it. On the other side, if the market is expecting your app to fetch a low price, then you can also charge a low price for it. Like how easy your app is to use, the market’s expectation to pay for your app affects both ends of the pricing spectrum. Now that we looked at how much does it cost to build an app and how much you should charge for an app, let’s talk about the other aspects of app pricing.

Other Aspects of App Pricing

  • How Many Chances Do I Give Users To Use The App For Free? - One of the most important aspects of app pricing is how many chances you give your users to use your app for free. If your app is free to use and there are no limitations, then these users are your app’s advocates. On the other hand, if the app has a price or a subscription attached to it, these users are your app’s detractors. It’s important to understand the difference between these two groups of users. After all, a marketer’s goal is to have as many people use your app as possible, so you have to keep this factor in mind while pricing your app.

  • How Much Will You Charge For An Upgraded Version Of The App? - A lot of app developers keep their users in suspense by not announcing how much they will charge for an upgraded version of their app. However, it’s important to announce how much you plan to charge for an upgraded version of your app so that potential customers know how much they will be paying for your app.

  • How Many Apps Does Your App Compare To? - One of the most overlooked aspects of app pricing is how many apps a specific app compares to. For example, an app that is priced lower than other similar apps or an app that is priced higher than other similar apps is an app that is undervalued. On the other hand, an app that is priced higher than other similar apps is an app that is overvalued. A marketer’s goal is to sell as many apps as possible, so it’s important to keep this factor in mind while pricing your app.

Summing up - Should you charge more for an app?

Now that we’ve discussed how much does it cost to build an app and how much you should charge for an app, it’s important to understand if you should charge more for an app. The general rule of thumb is that you should charge more for an app that has a higher price tag. After all, you have to compensate for the cost of creating an app, but also the cost of advertising it. If your app has a high price tag, it means that you have to spend more money on advertising it, which means that you have to charge higher prices for your app. Now, if someone buys your app because they love it and they feel like they’re getting their money’s worth, then they’re actually paying you more than someone who buys your app because they feel like they have to. However, it’s important to understand the expectations of your market. If your market is expecting your app to fetch a high price, then you should also charge a high price for it.

Should you charge more for an app?

OK, so now you know how much does it cost to build an app, how much should you charge for an app, and how many chances you give your users to use an app for free. Now, you can decide if you should charge more for your app. Based on these factors, you can decide if your app is overvalued or undervalued. If your app is overvalued, then people will expect to pay a lot for it and they will also feel like they’re getting their money’s worth. On the other hand, if your app is undervalued, then people will expect to pay a low price for it and they will also feel like they’re getting their money’s worth.

Conclusion

Our guide to how much does it cost to build an app and how much you should charge for an app provided clarity around the cost of building an app. You also got a better understanding of the factors that affect app pricing and how to decide whether you should charge more for your app. Now, it’s time to dig into some numbers and find out how much it would cost to build your next app. However, don’t worry. We’ve already done the work for you with our How Much Does It Cost To Build An App?

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