Published September 06,2022 by Tvisha Technologies

How Much Does It Cost to Develop an E Commerce Mobile App?

With mobile users accounting for more than 60 percent of the e commerce traffic, the e commerce sphere has gone way beyond just desktop experience. Besides, more and more shoppers have demonstrated their preference to use a mobile app to shop online.

Although developing an e commerce mobile app for your business will be rewarding, it can be a costly business too. Let's dive into some factors that determine the cost to develop an E-Commerce Mobile App.

Factors That Determine The Cost of Ecommerce Mobile App Development

From the features you want to include to the integrations, many factors come into play when determining the cost of e commerce mobile app development. Let's discuss these elements in brief.

1. List of Features

In general, all e-commerce websites include these standard features:

User login
User profile
Product search
Product catalog
Payment gateway
Checkout process

If you are contemplating on developing a regular application with basic features, you can expect to pay around $7,000-10,000 for both iOS and Android.

Besides, you can add some advanced features as well, such as:

Online chat
Social media integration
Wishlist
Multiple payment options
Product filters
Push modifications

And many more.

If you wish to include these features in your app, you will need to pay significantly higher. However, if you are just starting, opt the first step with a basic e-commerce app.

2. UI/UX Design

The design and use of a mobile app can play a vital role in engaging users and driving conversions. When it comes to e-commerce shopping, you need to provide your users with a seamless shopping experience which is possible only if your app has a great design. The process of designing a mesmerizing app includes creating prototypes, wireframes, and customer journey.

The cost of UI design Services depends upon the complexity of your app and the pricing of the development company. For a simple app, wireframing requires 14 hours, UI design 14 hours, and UX design 7 hours which can go as high as 150 hours per process in case of complex applications. The final cost of design will, therefore, depend on how much does the development company charge per hour.

3. Platform

iOS, Android, or both, you can choose the platform as per your target audience. However, the development process on either platform varies, which leads to a difference in the cost. Let's take a quick look at both Android and iOS development.

Android App Development:

Presently, Android has the most substantial market share, with more than 87 percent end-users being on the Android OS. If you want to choose one platform, Android is your way to go as it will help you reach out to a broader audience. However, the cost of e-commerce android app development is higher than iOS because of the model diversity of Android phones.

iOS App Development:

iOS users generally have higher income and engagement levels and are likely to spend more per app. Therefore, your audience might be small, but it will have a higher customer lifetime value and will help you generate more profits. The cost of e-commerce iOS app development can vary widely, ranging from $10 per hour to $100 per hour.

4. The Location of the Developer

The country in which a developer is located plays another vital role in the overall online shopping app development cost due to the varying rates per hour. Let's take a quick look at app development costs in different regions.

USA and Canada: $50 to $250 per hour
Australia and New Zealand: $50 to $150 per hour
The UK and Western Europe: $35 to $170 per hour.
Eastern Europe, like Ukraine: $20 to $150 per hour
India and Indonesia: $10-$80 per hour

However, if you are treating your e commerce mobile app as your primary business, don't rely on a single developer and hire an e-commerce team that takes care of all the aspects of the project.

5. Maintenance

Apple and Android both update their systems at regular intervals. To ensure your app operates well, ask the company you hire to provide post system updates and app maintenance as well. App maintenance can be expensive and can cost 20-30% of your total project cost. As an example, if your e commerce mobile app development cost was $50,000, its annual maintenance cost will be at least $10,000.

How much does it cost to develop a mobile app?

With so many factors coming into play, the total ecommerce mobile app development cost in India can range anywhere between $10,000 and $150,000, or more or less, depending upon what features, design, platform, and location you choose. The rate per hour is the primary determinant of the cost; if a development company charges $20/hour, you are more likely to get an app developed in $20,000, assuming the development process took 100 hours. The same cost can spike up to $100,000 if the developer charges $100 per hour.

How long does it take to build an eCommerce mobile app?

As mentioned earlier, for a simple app, wireframing requires 14 hours, UI design 14 hours, and UX design 7 hours which can go as high as 150 hours per process in case of complex applications. Thus, the objectives and product requirements determine the precise amount of time that goes into developing an eCommerce app. It can take 3-4 months to create the initial version of the minimum viable eCommerce app. It typically takes an additional 7 months to develop it into a medium complexity app.