How Much Does it Cost to Develop an eCommerce Mobile App?

The Future Of Ecommerce Industry

In 2023, the forecast said that global retail e-commerce amounted to $5.8 trillion. Over the next few years, this amount is predicted to rise by 39%, reaching 8 trillion dollars by 2027. The eCommerce industry is projected to bring in $3,226 billion by 2024. Revenue growth is expected to accelerate to an estimated 9.79% yearly rate (CAGR 2024–2029), bringing the market’s projected volume to $5,145.00 billion by 2029.

This blog will explore each factor that influences ecommerce mobile app development costs. Let’s begin!

What Is an eCommerce Mobile App?

An ecommerce app, commonly called a mobile commerce app is a kind of software allowing users to browse and purchase items from an ecommerce store, shop online, browse product catalogues, create wish lists, add items to a cart, and complete purchases. It also provides payment processing, shipping, and order management capabilities.

The main objective of an eCommerce mobile app is to have an intuitive and easy purchasing process for its users. For this reason, users must be able to navigate through various items offered by these mobile apps, perform searches for specific items they wish to buy, and drop items into shopping carts securely using multiple means of payment available on smartphones, including other means of payment such credit card among others; track order status or any delivery issues from anywhere using the same device that they made payment with earlier on. These apps also provide tailored suggestions, fast customer assistance, and user usage convenience.

Now, let’s explore the factors that add up to your ecommerce app development costs.

Factors Influencing the Cost Of Ecommerce App

Various factors influence the costs charged by eCommerce mobile app developers. Some of the primary factors are:

1. Platform Choice

The platform you choose to launch your app on would be the first determinant of app development cost. Android and iOS are the two primary mobile operating systems; you can choose to develop a different app for each platform or apps that run on multiple platforms.

A hybrid app is half the price of a native one, so you don’t need to build another for Android and iOS. This reduces the finances used to establish an eCommerce app on the two platforms to $30,000 because developing it takes less time and energy

2. App Complexity

The features you decide to incorporate into your app will determine the costs. Complex features require more maintenance, time, effort, and testing. Here are some of the basic features for your app, Real-Time tracking, Analytical dashboard, Easy user signup, Multiple payment options, Admin dashboard, Inventory management, and Feedback and reviews

If you want to offer something more than essential to your users, then here are some of the moderate features worth integrating, such as Voice assistants, Multi-language currency, Detailed product descriptions, and so on. Some of the advanced features include – AI chatbots, Livestream shopping, Social media integration, Loyalty programs, and Augmented Reality.

3. Design Requirements

Users download their app because of some unique selling points created by eCommerce features, but it’s the design people keep coming back for that makes them come back and shop again. Between $4000-$25,000 is what it would cost to have a visually appealing output using stunning interfaces in addition to rich graphics, illustrations, animations, etc. Moreover, designers must establish an adaptive broad-spectrum design that functions properly on any device irrespective of the operating system copies or display dimensions. Customizing your UI/UX to create glitch-free, engaging designs for your users would cost you more than standard designs.

4. Development Team

Generally, the charges would depend on the development partner you select to make your mobile app. It depends on location, hiring model( in-house, outsourced, or freelancers), and level of expertise of your development partners.

Also, app developers from different regions set different fees because they have other skills, living standards, and modern technology experience. For instance, developers from Eastern Europe charge $30, while theirs in America go up to $150, and Indian developers charge as low as $20 per hour.

5. Technology Stack

Technology stack includes the combination of technology required to develop your mobile app, such as APIs, Frameworks, programming languages, and databases. To use these technologies, you need programmers who can apply them correctly.

Also, in a mobile eCommerce application, one may need to combine different third-party services like payment gateways. Depending on the kind of business you have and what you need, there might be other services that should be included, thus making it more expensive to develop such an app.

Let’s move on to the cost associated with different factors of mobile app development.

Cost of Creating an eCommerce Mobile App

The app’s complexity would influence the cost of creating an eCommerce mobile app. Let’s see how:

Basic eCommerce Mobile App

Basic eCommerce mobile applications cost between $5,000 and $50,000. They are equipped with features such as product listing, checkout, payment gateway connection and shopping cart.

It is more affordable for start-ups and small companies that intend to establish their presence on the internet. Consequently, this cost bracket provides everything you need for an easy-to-use experience when buying something online; hence, it can be considered when thinking about coming up with your first eCommerce business.

Moderate eCommerce Mobile App

A moderate eCommerce app costs $ 50,000 – $ 100,000 and provides an improved UI. It comes with personalized product recommendations depending on how individual users behave and engaging push notifications, among other features such as user account management or seamless integration into social media platforms. Such a selection suits any company that aims to have an attractive buyer-centric purchasing approach; hence, this will eventually increase customer retention rates and promote expansion initiatives.

Complex eCommerce Mobile App

A complex mobile commerce app with numerous advanced features costs around $100,000 to $500,000. Its advanced features include effective inventory control, support for multiple languages and numerous suppliers, and seamless CRM/ERP integration into company operations.

Such applications fit very well into large enterprises seeking growth by providing classy online shopping. The cost of these applications is high because they have more features and are designed with a broader context in mind. That makes them appropriate for companies that want to be dominant players in the eCommerce industry by using a platform that has so many features

Let us see how the app complexity adds to your app development costs.

Cost Breakdown eCommerce App Development Cost

Here is an eCommerce app development cost breakdown to help you plan your expenses better:

1. App Design Complexity

The app design cost would include what a UI/UX designer charges for making wireframes, user interface designs, and overall user experience design in building an eCommerce app. It depends on how complex the design is and how experienced the designer is. The cost can fall within $500 to $5000, depending on the complexity.

2. App Development

The cost of developing an application for mobile devices largely depends on the technology and framework used to build the app. The other factors determining the price include the expertise of an app developer and the features that will be included in the app. It can range between $5,000 to $25,000 or even more on average.

3. Payment Gateway Integration

Fees charged by the payment gateway provider for integrating their payment gateway into your eCommerce app constitute the payment gateway integration cost. It depends on the provider’s fee structure and the extent of the integration needed. Payment gateway integration can cost around $100 to $1000

4. Maintenance and Upgrades

Ongoing maintenance, software upgrades, and bug fixes are required to ensure the smooth running of your eCommerce app and make up the maintenance and upgrade costs. The cost depends on the app’s complexity and the frequency with which updates are needed. You can expect to pay around $1,000 to $5,000 every year.

Now, let us see how you can minimize the app development costs.

Ways to Reduce eCommerce Mobile App Development Cost

Let us explore the tips to reduce your eCommerce mobile app development costs:

1. Choose Open-Source Platforms

Selecting open-source platforms helps to minimize costs during eCommerce mobile app development. This is because, through such platforms, one accesses free software that they can easily adjust according to their business requirements. It, therefore, implies that you will spend less when building an app from scratch. Moreover, by using these platforms, an individual can interact with others within such a community who can offer assistance if any challenges arise in the future.

2. Simplify App Design

One more helpful technique for reducing the expenses involved in developing eCommerce mobile applications is simplifying the layout. This will include concentrating more on basic app features and functionalities instead of trying to have everything. By doing this, designers can significantly reduce development expenses while maintaining high-quality apps.

3. Prioritize Key Features

Another way to cut costs is by limiting the application’s features for eCommerce applications. This can significantly reduce the development price, and attention is paid only to this program’s core functionality and main features. The latter also makes this tool user-friendly and navigable enough – this is one of the most crucial factors for serving customers well.

4. Start with MVP (Minimum Viable Product)

An MVP is a prototype with a design or features, such as a user interface, that allows those involved to see its final version instead of investing all resources, including time and money, into making one just like that from scratch. In this scenario, development teams release the first MVP and then raise funds using it to develop the final application.

Conclusion

Building a mobile eCommerce app can be quite costly; nonetheless, it brings immense returns to businesses. Therefore, it is advisable to involve the services of a company with a long-standing reputation in the field of app development. On average, ecommerce mobile app development costs can range between $100,000 to $500,000 and even higher depending on the factors mentioned in this blog. At Dolphin Web Solution, you get everything you need to deploy a fully working mobile shopping app in a short time. We have a mobile app development team of professionals offering the best ecommerce mobile app development cost. We are known to offer cost-effective and time-efficient solutions. Book a Consultation now!