From Sketch to Screen: Inspecting the Factors Influencing App Design Cost

When it comes to digital products, much relies on aesthetics. Appealing mobile app designs and intuitive UX play a significant role in capturing user attention instantly. Furthermore, according to Allied Market Research, the worldwide mobile application market is predicted to reach $407.31 billion by 2026. Therefore, the allure of developing the next groundbreaking app is undeniable.

Whether you are a startup with a game-changing idea or an enterprise looking to improve customer engagement, the journey from concept to a user-friendly application is both exciting and challenging.

App design costs are one of the most critical aspects that often linger in the shadows of this excitement. It’s the elephant in the room for those who want to design an app. The monetary factor can feel like a dense fog and can raise numerous questions. What are the major components that contribute to these costs? Are there hidden expenses waiting to trap your budget?

It is time to turn your uncertainty into understanding to make an informed decision. With more and more people using mobile applications daily, it is no surprise that the demand for app design services is skyrocketing.

What Does Mobile App Design Mean?

In simple terms, mobile app design is the endeavor of designing the interface and experience of the app. However, mobile applications have various types of usability, accessibility, engagement, and overall user experience.

The UI/UX of an app can facilitate user interest and improve user retention. As per reports by AWS, businesses that spend more money on UX design see a 75% increase in sales, as compared to businesses spending less that only witness a 60% increase in their sales.

Importance of App Design in Development

Mobile app design plays a significant role in ascertaining the success of any app. An intuitive and eye-catching app design not only lures users but also keeps them connected and satisfied.

1. User Interface (UI)

It includes visual elements of the application, such as colors, typography, and layouts. An appealing and interactive UI design can make the application more intriguing to your target audience.

2. User Experience (UX)

UX is an essential aspect of app designing, concentrating on how users interact with the app. An excellent UX design ensures the application is simple to use, easy to navigate, fulfills user expectations, and offers a flawless experience. Working with a leading UX design services provider would be best to build a successful app. They will listen to your needs and preferences and act accordingly.

3. Accessibility

Ensure that the design for mobile apps is convenient for various audience types, including those with disabilities. You can build a comprehensive application that encompasses a larger audience by including accessibility features like adjustable font sizes, screen readers, and alternative text for images.

4. Branding and Consistency

A robust and uniform brand identity can assist your app to stand out in the ever-evolving market. Make sure to design a mobile app that is consistent across all platforms and devices. An engaging user interaction imparts a more refined app experience.

How Much Does Designing an App Cost?

The average cost to design an app could be around $2500 to $35,000. It relies on many factors, such as the app’s complexity, the type of team & the team location.

Let’s see the app design cost breakdown based on these factors.

• Cost based on the complexity of the app

The complexity of the app is apparently equal to the complexity of the product idea. It comprises the number of unique functionalities, the number of roles, usability, and visual design. Evidently, the simpler the app design, the cheaper the mobile application development cost.

Complexity	Average Cost
Simple App Design	$2,500-$3,500
Average App Design	$10,000-$14,000
Complex App Design	$25,000-$35,000

• Cost based on the location of the app designing team

The app development team is the second key factor that determines the required budget for the design stage and software development.

Location	Average Cost
USA	$47,000
UK	$40,000
Australia	$35,000
Western Europe	$27,000
Eastern Europe	$12,000
India	$6,000

• Cost based on the type of team

The cost of designing an app also relies on the team’s location. You can go through the table below to know the average cost of mobile app designing as per the location.

Type of team	Average Cost
In-house team	$36,000
Local design agency	$48,000
Outsourcing agency	$12,000
Freelancers	$6,000

What Factors Influence the Cost of Designing an App?

Now, we will be discussing in detail the technical prospects of design that estimate the duration and cost to build a mobile app design.

1. Complexity of the application

In relation to designing a mobile app, the app’s complexity depends on the below-mentioned factors –

• Number of Roles

Foremost, you must determine the number of team roles for your product design. You will need a project manager for an average complexity project who will be responsible for the following roles.

a. Developing a user persona
b. Crafting app wireframes
c. Working on application prototypes
d. Building a user-friendly and interactive app interface
e. Making necessary modifications after testing by gathering feedback

• Number of Screens

There are different types of screens and numerous platforms that your app requires. You can take the help of a mobile app design company to integrate the following screens –

a. Welcome screens
b. Onboarding screens
c. Menu screens
d. Login screens
e. Screens to display the next step
f. Screens comprising buttons and icons
g. Other screens and pages, such as errors

2. Type of Design

There are two types of application designs that you can build, and the phone app design cost for both will be contrasting.

• Custom mobile app design

It implies that you have to build a UI and UX from scratch rather than utilizing the built center. However, the app design cost will be higher than the native app design and more efficient at the same time, it is also dicey and tricky.

• Native mobile app design

Nativity to mobile application design app suggests embracing the platform-specific design guidelines and element positioning. By following the native guidelines, you will get the application designing costs related to the custom design.

3. Type of Team

Teams can be categorized into four major groups, including project teams, self-managed teams, virtual teams, and operational teams. Each type of team has its own strengths and weaknesses.

• In-house team

Having an in-house team will lead to flawless communication and effective coordination, as the teams will be working under one roof for the same goal. However, hiring in-house teams can be a cost and time-consuming affair as it needs a lot of extra work.

• Local Firm

It suggests hiring a team within your local access. In the USA, hiring local app design firms can cost you around $150 per hour.

• Freelancers

Hiring a freelancer implies you can select professionals on your own. The average freelance app designers cost ranges from $15 to $25 per hour.

• Outsourcing Agency

It means hiring an app designing firm located in another country like the USA, India, UK, etc. You can get lower rates and high-quality products within the deadline. The cost of hiring an outsourced agency from India can cost you around $15 per hour or more.

4. Visual Designs

From colors to final user interface mockups, how you want to signify your software visually can influence the overall app design cost. Accurate colors can assist in setting the tone and feel of your application, and can also be utilized to highlight essential functionalities.

However, implementing too many colors can increase the cost to design mobile apps, as it will need more work to balance and reconcile the colors throughout the design. If you are on a tight budget, you should stick to a limited palette of two or three colors.

5. Illustrations and Animations

Illustrations and animations incorporate a graphic element that is not a photo. It involves icons, logos, vectors, GIFs, etc. Animations can be utilized to add individuality or usability to an application, but they can also increase the app design cost, as they need more time and effort.

6. Research and Planning

How to design an app is an imperative question that every business owner wants to know. The simple answer is research and planning. Research is the starting phase of app design. It includes a discovery workshop with stakeholders, market analysis, meetings, and matching the expectations and needs. This phase helps in the mobile app design process, which is discussed below.

• Assessing the Concept

It is critical to specify the obstacles and issues that your application will solve. By using the lean model canvas, it will be possible to align the client’s objective with the app design project.

• Problem — The application is truly unique if it is solving a huge problem.
• Customer segment — To make the app worthy, it is important to determine the target audience.
• Unique value proposition — Certain app design features will make the application stand out in the market.
• Solutions — The section incorporates the methods to solve pre-defined problems.
• Design cost structure —The section evaluates the resources and estimates the cost of making an application design.
• Key metrics — This is the critical section that defines the success of the application in numbers (number of downloads, revenue, etc.)

• Creating a mind map

After filling out the lean model canvas and assessing all the elements, it is now possible to build a mind map, the visualization, and the project’s structure. This phase makes it easy to group the app design ideas that come around.

• Market research on trends

A crucial aspect of creating a secure app design is to get it mapped with the latest trends. The comprehensive market and trend analysis will assist you in exploring the top app design features of 2024 that may be extremely valuable. Some mobile app design trends are mentioned below:

a. Vibrant and futuristic colors
b. Smooth swiping
c. Shadows, layering, and dimensions
d. Face ID
e. Dark mode
f. Transparent elements
g. In-app gestures
h. Serif fonts
i. VR & AR immersion

However, it does not suggest that the application should be filled with them. Furthermore, you must know that each new feature will add up to the app design costs.

• Building the image of the user

To create an app design that will attract users, the first step should incorporate researching the user persona. The correct way to get this is to go through three key components:

a. Behavioral model
b. Demographic data
c. Social standing

7. Designing Mobile Apps

Accessing your requirements upfront is key for allocating app design costs. It incorporates building a comprehensive list of the functionalities you wish your application to have. It will help mobile app development solutions providers in crafting designs aligned with your business needs.

• Using Wireframes

Wireframes are a fantastic tool for handling app design costs. They are sketches of your application’s layout and features. It offers a visual representation of what your software will look like. A wireframe design services provider can easily identify design lapses and make modifications before the app enters the development stage.

• Mockups

After completing the wireframes, the next stage is to build mockups. A mockup is a high-fidelity
design of a new project or product that demonstrates how the finished product will look. Mockups are essential for controlling app design costs because they help in identifying design issues before the development begins.

• From Sketch to Screen: Inspecting the Factors Influencing App Design CostPrototype

A prototype is an early model of a product that concentrates on features and provides your stakeholders with a glimpse of the final version. It is an integral phase that can save time, reduce app design costs, and increase the probability of success. You can consult with a leading prototype development services provider to create affordable iterative prototypes to ensure product viability and success.

• Manage App Design Needs

It means concentrating on the features needed for your application’s functionality and user experience. It will help you stay within budget and ensure your software is built within the deadline.

8. Developing Phone App Designs

When we talk about mobile app development, there are various phases, such as frontend development, backend development, and server cost. Below are a few pointers on managing app design costs during the development stage.

• Choose the right technology

Selecting the right technology can predominantly affect the cost to design mobile applications. Before moving ahead with the app development process, analyze the available technology options and choose the most suitable and cost-efficient one that fulfills your application’s needs.

• Select hybrid development

It is a great choice that unifies native and web app development. It can be effective as you have to build separate apps for different platforms.

• Hire a skilled mobile app designer

It may seem expensive, but hiring a skilled developer can help you in designing an intuitive app. You can hire UI UX Designers who have extensive knowledge and skills to build an app using the latest trends and emerging technologies.

The Final Mobile App Design Cost Breakdown

The app design costs primarily depend on the following factors –

• App Complexity

The nature of the application and its specific needs play a major role in evaluating the cost of app design. Each type requires distinct features and functionalities.

Complexity	Estimated Developers Cost Per Hour
Simple App Design	$40-$60
Average App Design	$150-$350
Complex App Design	$400-$1000

• Team Location

The development team’s location can have a huge effect on the cost of building an app design, since the labor cost differs across various regions of the world.

Location of the Team	Estimated Developers Cost Per Hour
USA	$100-$170
UK	$50-$100
Australia	$100-$150
Europe	$50-$100
India	$20-$40

• Team type

The type of team you hire also plays a significant role in app design costs. Therefore, it is crucial to choose accordingly as per your business requirements.

Type of the Team	Estimate Cost
In-house	$35000
Outsourced	$12000
Freelancer	$6000

How do you Choose the Best Mobile App Design Company?

Below are several tips that can assist you in deciding on the best app design agency for your business.

• Check Mobile App Designer Portfolio

Any agency that you consider collaborating with for application design should have a solid portfolio that demonstrates their work. When you check out a company’s portfolio, it provides you with a synopsis of its design knowledge and the types of apps they have designed for its clients.

• Examine Testimonials and Analyze Social Media Pages

Checking testimonials can also give you a fair notion of the company’s app design procedure. Additionally, checking social media platforms can assist you in understanding the company’s culture and values.

• Conduct Interview

Lastly, the best method to check if a team is suitable for you is to talk in person. In fact, searching for a common language is one of the basic principles of successful teamwork.

SparxIT Expertise in Mobile App Designing

SparxIT is a forward-looking digital transformation company with offices in the USA, UK, India, and UAE. For over 16+ years of experience, we have been helping businesses of various industries deliver custom app designs to increase their brand excellence and user engagement.

Our design professionals begin working from the very beginning of the application building to launching the final product. Here’s what you get by appealing to our UX/UI design services:

• Appealing mobile app designs for every screen size and platform.
• Wireframing and prototyping, mockup designs, sketching, and other designing services.
• Industry-grade UI/UX practices to offer a product that assists in achieving business objectives and satisfying user demands.

Conclusion

App design cost is evaluated on the number of parameters, including the complexity and features of the application, and also the time needed to create it. However, there is no definite answer to how much does it cost to design an app, comprehending the factors will provide you with a better idea. If you are searching for an exact figure on how much your app design costs, consult with our team.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q:1 How much does it cost to design an app?

A: The average cost to design an app could range from $2,500 to $35,000 based on many factors, such as the app’s complexity, the team location, and the type of team.

Q:2 What is the cost of designing a mobile app logo and icon?

A: The cost of designing app logos and icons is negligible in the overall app design cost. In fact, many custom mobile app design companies don’t charge for the logo design.

Q:3 How many hours does it take to design a mobile app?

A: The number of hours for designing an app depends on the app’s complexity.

• Simple App: 100 to 160 hours
• Medium App: 320 to 460 hours
• Complex App: 1000+ hours

You must also remember that the app designing process begins with comprehensive research and market analysis that might take up to 60 hours.

Q:4 What factors influence the app design cost?

A: The designing cost of a mobile app can be impacted by various aspects like—

• App Type and Size
• App Complexity
• App Platform
• App Features
• App Security
• Graphic Designs
• Illustrations
• Animations

Q:5 What is the cost of designing an app?

A: You can determine the app design cost by using this formula— (Hourly rate x No. of hours spent = App design cost).

For example- If you need UI/UX app design like Instagram and your mobile app designer charges $45 per hour x 320h (min design time for medium app) = $14,400 UI/UX design of iOS and Android apps)

Q:6 What is the process for mobile app design?

A: Mobile application design is a complex process divided into many steps:

Step 1: Research and Planning
Step 2: Wireframing
Step 3: Prototyping
Step 4: Testing
Step 5: Final Designing