Are you looking to hire mobile app developers for your project? Do you want to know how much it costs to hire an app developer?
If yes, read this blog post.
Being an experienced app development company, we know how the mobile app development industry works and what are the average costs of developing mobile applications.
In this blog post, we provide you with a concrete answer on the cost to hire app developers by analyzing various reputed resources like Upwork, Arc, Clutch, Glassdoor, and PayScale.
Read on to get the answer to your question – how much does it cost to hire an app developer for your project?
Let’s get started.
Table of Contents
The cost to hire an app developer from the USA and Canada ranges $30 – $120/hr under the following conditions.
Take a look at the table below to get an idea of what app developers charge per hour on average in the different continents, according to their level of experience.
Continent | Junior | Mid-level | Senior |
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North America | $40 – $60/hr | $60 – $80/hr | $100 – $120/hr |
Australia | $35 – $50/hr | $50 – $70/hr | $80 – $100/hr |
Western Europe | $50 – $65/hr | $70 – $110/hr | $120 – $150/hr |
Eastern Europe | $30 – $50/hr | $45 – $60/hr | $70 – $100/hr |
Note: The above-average hourly rates are taken from various reputed resources like Upwork, Glassdoor, Arc, and Google. These app developer costs are just to give you a reference. The cost may vary depending on multiple factors and company to company.
Here are the points that provide information on why this table is reliable for the cost of hiring app developers.
Let’s learn about the major factors that influence the hiring cost of mobile application developers.
When you want to hire an app developer, the first thing you want to know is hourly rates. However, deciding upon hourly rates is not a feasible solution. The reason is different developers have different knowledge, technology, and work experience.
To help you understand this point, here is a comprehensive description of the major factors that influence the cost of hiring app developers which ultimately influence an app development cost. Let’s learn about the first factor which is the location of an app developer you hire.
We have provided the hourly rates of app developers from the different regions in the following table. Whether you hire an app developer from a top mobile application agency or from freelancing platforms, the app developer rates vary from location to location.
Check the following table to learn the average hourly rate of top development companies for hiring a team of mobile developers. The hourly rate data is taken as a reference from the Clutch website.
Countries | Approx. Hourly Rates | Local Economic Factors | Average Developer Experience | Specialization in App Categories |
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Canada | $100 – $149 |
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USA | $100 – $149 |
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UK | $150 – $199 |
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India | $25 – $50 |
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Australia | $100 – $149 |
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Philippines | $25 – $49 |
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Ukraine | $25 – $49 |
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Poland | $50 – $99 |
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Spain | $25 – $49 |
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Mexico | $25 – $49 |
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By going through the above table, you have learned the hourly rate of an app developer of different regions, average experience, local factors that impact rates, and specialization. Depending upon the local economic factors, experience, specialization, technical skills, and location, app developer rates differ. Let’s now learn about the next factor which is the complexity of a mobile app.
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When you want to develop a simple application, the cost might be less compared to a complex application. For developing complex mobile apps, a mobile app developer needs to spend more time coding, testing, and deploying your app on app stores.
In the following table, we have provided a simple bifurcation of app complexity with examples and a timeline. Check the following table and learn how complexity influences the cost to hire an app developer for your mobile app project.
App Complexity | Examples | Android Development Time | iOS Development Time | Approximate Development Cost |
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Simple App |
| 300 – 800 hours (1.5 – 4 months) | 250 – 700 hours (1.5 – 3.5 months) | $10,000 – $25,000 |
Mid-size App |
| 900 – 1300 hours (4 – 6.5 months) | 850 – 1200 hours (4 – 6 months) | $25,000 – $50,000 |
Complex App |
| 1400 – 2000 hours (7 – 10 months) | 1300 – 2000 hours (6.5 – 10 months) | $50,000 – $100,000+ |
Depending on the complexity, the app development costs differ which ultimately results in the total cost to hire an app developer. Check this blog post to learn about mobile app development costs in detail. Let’s now learn about the third factor which is the platform of your mobile app development.
Let’s learn how the mobile platform impacts the cost of hiring an app developer. Depending on the platform you choose for your app, you need to hire experienced developers for a specific platform. Different platforms need different knowledge, technical skills, and expertise to develop apps. Check the following table to learn about the different platforms.
Type of App | Programming Languages | Platforms | Frameworks & Technologies |
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iOS |
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Android |
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Cross-platform |
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Let’s learn in detail the difference between Android app developer, iOS app developer, and cross-platform developer.
iOS App Development
When you get an iOS app built, your iOS developers use Swift or Objective-C. Your iOS developers focus exclusively on the iOS platform which specifically allows them to develop applications for Apple devices. A key advantage here is the standardized nature of iOS.
This is the reason that helps an iOS developer to code faster and finish work quicker which results in lower app costs. However, every iOS mobile app developer needs to follow App Store guidelines firmly. Meeting the defined standards might require extra time and effort which impacts the development costs.
Android App Development
Building Android apps involves Java or Kotlin which is specifically built focusing on Android devices. The Android platform is fragmented with numerous devices, screen sizes, and OS versions.
This diversity means your Android app developers need to spend more time testing, which can increase your Android app development cost. However, Android offers an open ecosystem that offers more flexibility. Depending on your project, this might cut your costs.
Cross-platform App Development
Now, let’s consider cross-platform apps. These are designed to run on several platforms, generally including iOS and Android. Software developers use JavaScript (React Native), Dart (Flutter), or C# (Xamarin). The advantage you get by choosing cross-platform is cost reduction — your developers write one codebase for all platforms.
However, cross-platform apps might not deliver as smooth a user experience or as comprehensive access to device-specific features as native apps. And if your app needs a high-performance UI, your Android or iOS developers might have to use native code for some parts, which cuts the cost savings.
The critical thing is to choose the right approach for your app. Consider your specific needs and goals, not just the cost. Investing more in development can pay off in the form of a better product that brings a return on investment through user satisfaction and revenue. If you want to develop an Android app, choose Android developers. Choose iOS developers if you want to develop iOS applications. Next, let’s learn about how experience influences a mobile app developer cost.
Generally, app developers are categorized into three experience levels: junior, mid-level, and experienced. Let’s learn about each one in detail.
Junior Developers (0-2 years experience)
Cost: $20-$40 per hour
The junior developers possess foundational knowledge of a programming language like Swift or Java for native apps or JavaScript for cross-platform apps. Their tool kit typically includes basic integrated development environments (IDEs) like Xcode for iOS or Android Studio for Android. As the junior developers have limited skills, the hiring cost of the developers is less.
In addition, junior developers can handle the development of simple applications which includes from basic note-taking to a weather app. Junior mobile developers are also capable of creating basic UIs, implementing simple features, and integrating APIs for data fetching. However, they may lack experience in dealing with complex architecture or advanced features.
Mid-level Developers (2-5 years experience)
Cost: $35-$80 per hour
A mid-level mobile developer has improved skills. Mid-level experienced developers are not only proficient in various programming languages, but they’ve also gained experience in specific frameworks and libraries like React Native for cross-platform development or Flutter.
Due to their experience, mid-level developers can build more complex applications like an e-commerce app with payment integration or a simple social media app. Mid-level iOS or Android developers are comfortable setting up complex UI, managing local databases, and working with more sophisticated APIs. As mid-level developers’ problem-solving capabilities are higher, they can independently debug and optimize the app’s performance.
Senior Developers (5+ years experience)
Cost: $80-$150 per hour
Senior developers have command mastery over multiple languages and frameworks, be it native technologies (Swift, Kotlin) or cross-platform (React Native, Flutter). Highly-experienced mobile app developers have better technical expertise including advanced tools and methodologies like CI/CD, automated testing, Docker, or Kubernetes.
Senior developers have experience developing from social networking apps to real-time applications like ride-hailing services. They can architect the whole application, set up efficient databases, implement advanced features like real-time updates, build complex algorithms, and ensure high performance and security standards. They can also mentor junior developers and lead your development team. This is all above about the different experienced developers.
The choice to hire an app developer should align with your project requirements and budget constraints. You might not need a senior developer for a simple MVP, whereas complex and large-scale applications will certainly need the expertise of mid-level and senior developers. Remember, the right mix of talent can set your project on the path to success.
Freelance Developers: $20-$150 per hour
When you consider hiring a freelance app developer, you are dealing with individual professionals, each with a unique set of skills and expertise. Freelancer app developers typically charge on an hourly or per-project basis. Freelancers can be a cost-effective choice if you’re working on a small project or need specialized skills for a particular phase of your project.
However, remember that lower costs often come with more significant responsibilities. Overseeing freelance developers may require more of your time, especially when it comes to communication, project management, and quality control. Additionally, freelancers may be juggling multiple projects simultaneously, which can affect their availability and commitment to your project.
App Development Agencies: $25-$200 per hour
If your project is complex or you’re aiming for a high-quality application, hiring an app development agency might be the most sensible option. While they often charge higher hourly rates, this cost is typically inclusive of comprehensive services — from project management and app design to development, testing, and even after-launch support.
An agency employs a team of experts, each specializing in different aspects of app development. This means they can tackle complex projects head-on and deliver high-quality results. Moreover, you save time and resources on project management, allowing you to focus on other crucial areas of your business.
In-house Developers: $92,000-$110,000 per year
For long-term projects or if you intend to continuously innovate and iterate on your app, hiring an in-house developer might be a wise decision. While the costs are notably higher, you gain a team member dedicated solely to your project, leading to deeper understanding and potentially higher-quality output.
With an in-house developer, you get maximum control over the mobile app development process, and communication becomes much smoother. You also avoid potential contractual issues that can occur with freelancers or agencies. However, bear in mind that you need to cover all employment costs, including recruitment, training, benefits, and equipment.
In summary, the choice between a freelancer, an agency, or an in-house developer will largely depend on your project’s size, complexity, and duration. Remember that the cheapest option may not always offer the best value. Consider your project needs and the resources you can dedicate to project management when making your decision.
Let’s now consider the best resources for hiring talented app developers for your project.
Here is the table that provides informational answers on why the mentioned websites are best for hiring app developers for your project.
Icon | Website Name | Why Hire? |
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Space-O Technologies |
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Toptal |
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Upwork |
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Next, let’s now learn about the tips to reduce the cost of hiring app developers. These practical tips help you to reduce your app developer cost whether it be from top companies or software agencies or consulting firms.
Want to Hire a Team of Mobile App Developers?
Let’s talk. We have a team of app developers who have experience in languages like Swift, Kotlin, React Native, and Flutter.
Here are the top 11 tips that directly help you reduce your mobile app development cost.
By following these actionable tips, you can streamline the process of hiring app developers within your budget while ensuring a successful and efficient development journey.
Do you still have questions regarding an app developer cost? Check our FAQ section that answers the most asked questions of users on Google.
Yes, it is possible to hire app developers on a fixed-price basis. A fixed-price contract outlines the project scope and costs upfront. It provides budget certainty but requires a well-defined scope.
The cost of developing a simple app may cost around $10,000 – $50,000, while complex apps can go beyond $100,000. Moreover, the cost of developing a mobile app varies based on complexity, features, functionalities, hourly rates, location of developers, design, and platform.
Here are the popular and reliable platforms from which you can hire app developers.
In this blog, you have learned about the average cost rates of mobile application developers from different locations around the world. Moreover, you get a comprehensive overview of factors that impact the cost of a mobile app developer or software developer. Above all, you have gone through the hourly rates of developers when you hire from top app development companies.
So, if you are looking to hire an app developer or a software developer, let’s get in touch. We are a leading mobile application company in Canada, having experience working with over 100 clients for building custom solutions.
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