Apps have become instrumental for businesses looking to scale their operations online. However, they are quite costly. In Kenya, a regular app will cost anything from Sh100,000 running into millions.
Companies and large organisations may not feel the cost implications of developing an app, but for small and medium size businesses, it is quite a heavy investment.
Below are a few reasons why apps cost as much as they do
Functionality
Apps are developed based on various business models. Unlike websites, there is no basic app structure. They are all custom-made to fit the business model. That is why a news app differs from a shopping app or a supermarket app. Apps are developed with the user experience in mind, and backend elements such as servers or databases will also increase costs.
Read: Loan Apps Dominate Most Downloaded Apps On Google PlayStore
Demand
There is currently a high demand for apps. Most businesses have scaled their operations online, and for everything to work seamlessly, tools must be put in place to synchronize operations without disruption. Like any other business, the more skilled your app developer, the higher the price they will quote. Quality comes at a cost.
Shortage of Skills
Development of apps requires exceptional skills. However, the field remains largely untapped. This means there is more demand for apps, but low supply of developers. As a result, the cost of apps is quite high.
Value
Although apps are expensive to develop, it might be more costly for businesses not to have an app. It has become a crucial business tool for the digital market. Currently, one cannot operate a bank without developing an app. This has saved banks lots of time and money wasted through long and tedious in-person transaction processes. If you do not have an app, it is quite easy to lose out to your competition.
Multiple Versions and Processes
Apps present complete business operations on a digital platform. To develop this, many processes must be synchronized together to make it user friendly. In addition, app developers have to make different versions for different devices. Apps for Android devices, Apple (iOS) devices and web devices differ. Apps also require updates and uogrades from time to time depending on changing customer needs.
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