How Much Does It Cost to Hire an App Developer? A Comprehensive Guide

Have an app idea? Want to develop an app? Looking to hire app developers for your projects who can turn your app vision into reality? If your answer is yes to all, then you have landed at the right page!

Hiring an app developer determines the course of your app development journey. Choosing the right developer at the right cost depends on several factors, such as the developer’s skillset, experience, region, etc. You need to understand every cost aspect of hiring app developers to ensure talent hiring at the best price.

All of this can be overwhelming, and finding the right resources from the vast options available globally can be a difficult task. As a leading on demand app development company, we understand the importance of the ideal developer for building mobile apps.

That’s why, based on our years of experience and discussions with our dedicated developers and consultants, we have created this guide to help you decode the real cost of hiring an app developer so it can get easier for you to decide. Get an in-depth understanding of topics such as cost to hire an app developer, factors affect the cost of hiring mobile app developers, where to hire from, hidden costs involved, and tips to reduce the cost of hiring app developers.

How Much Does It Cost to Hire an App Developer? [Quick Overview]

Navigating the “Hire app developer cost” subject can be tricky, as it fluctuates based on experience level, skill set, and the cost of living in different regions. Check the following table for a quick understanding.

Now you know the app developer’s hourly rate according to different regions and levels of experience they have. But do you know what to expect from an entry-level developer, mid-level developer, or senior-level developer?

Follow the next section for skill set expectations from mobile app developers with different levels of expertise.

Skill Expectations From Entry-Level Developers

• Understands fundamentals of Android and iOS platform development.
• Aware of UI/UX principles to create user-friendly mobile app design.
• Familiar with using collaborative tools such as Bitbucket or GitHub.
• Basic skills in deploying native applications to the Apple App Store and Google Play Store.

What to Expect in Skills From Mid-Level Developers

• Skilled in key frameworks and libraries such as Retrofit and Room for Android.
• Proficient in key frameworks and libraries of iOS such as Alamofire and Core Data.
• Expertise in relevant programming languages like Java, Python, JavaScript, etc. and Android SDK for Android app development.
• Experience working with popular programming languages such as Swift, Objective-C, Kotlin, etc., for iOS and Android application development.
• Familiar with testing tools/frameworks: JUnit and Espresso for Android and XCTest for Swift.
• Capabilities of optimizing app performance and resolving bottlenecks.

Skill Expectations From Senior-Level Developers

• Detailed knowledge and experience of Xcode, including smart debugging and profiling tactics.
• Proficient in designing resilient and scalable architectures with the help of patterns like MVP, MVVM, or VIPER.
• Expertise in RESTful and GraphQL API integrations with data parsing, synchronizing, and error solving.
• Complete knowledge and experience with app security protocols and encryption techniques, including OAuth and JWT.
• Knowledge of GDPR, CCPA, and other data protection regulations.
• Deep knowledge and expertise with Android (with Java, Kotlin) and iOS (with Swift, Objective-C) development paradigms.
• Expertise in mobile app development trends such as AI, IoT, and Beacon technologies (only in case your project scope needs it).

Let’s move forward to understand the factors that are responsible for the cost of hiring app developers.

Top 5 Factors Influence the Cost of Hiring Mobile App Developers

From geolocation to app complexity, many factors affect the final cost to hire an app developer. Let’s check the top 5 factors in detail.

Note: All the prices listed are based on rates for developers in the USA. For rates in other countries, the specific country name is mentioned alongside the respective rate.

1. Hourly Rate for App Developer Based on Location

As the cost of living changes from country to country, the hourly rate for app developers from top mobile app development companies also varies. We have listed the per-hour hire app developer cost location-wise. Have a look.

Now, let’s discuss the experience factor, which is one of the important parameters that affect the cost of hiring a mobile app developer.

2. Cost of Hiring App Developer Based on Years of Experience

Developer’s experience is proportional to their expertise, and that plays an important role in app development. The app performance and hiring cost are both affected by years of experience developers have.

Hiring a junior app developer might be pocket-friendly, but it comes with an experience curve. Working with experienced developers might cost you a lot, but they are skilled. If you hire Vibe coding developers instead of traditional developers to increase development speed, then it may cost you more.

Get an idea of the average expenses associated with hiring app developers with distinct experiences. Check out the following table.

3. Cost to Hire App Developer Based on Level of App Complexity

App complexity depends on the app UI/UX design, development platform, and choice of technology stack. With these factors, you can determine the hiring cost of app developers. Simple app development doesn’t need high investment for hiring while developing a highly complex app with intricate UI/UX design, multiple features, and API integration can lead to a high cost of hiring mobile app developers.

We listed out the table that helps you compare how the complexity of mobile app development affects the cost to hire app developer. Check the details:

4. Cost of Hiring Mobile Application Developer Based on Type of Development Platform

Before starting app development, you have to choose on which platform you are going to develop your mobile app: iOS, Android, or Cross-platform. As per the type of mobile app development platform, the technology stack also varies, and this affects the final cost to hire app developer. Get a better understanding of the cost to hire iOS, Android, and cross-platform app developers in the table:

All three types of platform development need different sets of technological expertise, programming language, design guidelines, and fragmentation. Compared to Android app development, iOS app development is costly as it needs to follow strict design guidelines, specify development tools and technology, and have high app store fees. That means if you hire iOS app developer, then it will cost you more than an Android developer.

5. In-House Hiring vs. Outsourcing

In-house hiring refers to hiring your own comprehensive team of app developers for every expertise you need. This might stretch your financial budget in the long run. In addition to giving a fixed salary to your developers, you have to take the burden of paying for benefits, training, insurance, workspace, and yearly increments. Also, the fear of losing great developers in between app development is always there.

On the other hand, outsourcing a top mobile app development company like Excellent Webworld gives you all the benefits of experienced developers and consultants for successful mobile app development. With this choice of hiring, you eliminate the challenges of managing an in-house team, such as recruitment, training, and employee retention. The outsourced team handles everything—from ideation to deployment—ensuring your app is built efficiently without the stress of micromanagement, unexpected delays, or skill gaps.

Many global startups prefer to outsource to a country like India due to their well-established IT ecosystem, a vast pool of skilled developers available at competitive hourly rates, and strong English proficiency, ensuring seamless communication and collaboration. You can enjoy getting quality work for USD 20 per hour instead of USD 100 per hour if you are outsourcing with Indian app developers.

Now you have a clear idea about key factors involved in determining how much does it cost to hire an app developer, but do you know where you can find them? Go through the next section to learn about popular platforms that allow you to find the best talent for your mobile application development.

Where to Hire the Best Mobile App Developers at an Affordable Price?

There are many successful mobile app development agencies, online platforms, and networking sites that help you hire a dedicated app developer as an in-house team member or freelancer developer seamlessly.

You may get confused between the multiple options available to hire app developers. That’s why we have created a table to get things sorted for you regarding hiring developers. Explore the table to get the right details on hiring sources, their advantages, and their suitability for hiring short or long period projects.

Sources to Hire App Developers (With Prominent Examples)

We recommend you hire a mobile app developer from a reputed mobile app development company like Excellent Webworld, which has experience in delivering successful 902+ projects. With 650+ happy clients, we have expertise in app development for every industry. We have created a special FAQ page to answer all the questions that you may have regarding us and our practices.

However, if you are still having difficulties finding an app developer for your project, then you can refer to our comprehensive guide on how to hire best app developer. This guide will help you understand how to find the best developers with ease and all the necessary information you need to hire the right developer.

Moving on how much does it cost to hire an app developer, let’s explore more. We’ll share with you the hidden costs involved in hiring in-house. Because just like buying a car comes with fuel, maintenance, and insurance costs, hiring an app developer isn’t just about their hourly rate. There are hidden expenses like onboarding, software licenses, project management, and unexpected revisions that can add up quickly. Let’s break them down in the next section.

Hidden Costs Associated With Hiring an In-House App Developer

Some entrepreneurs prefer to hire an internal team for mobile app development in the hope of saving costs. Startups may not have any idea regarding the hidden costs involved in hiring in-house app developers. They think it’s a cost-effective solution rather than outsourcing with an app development company. What they overlook is that there are often hidden costs, such as software licenses, project management, revisions, maintenance, and unexpected delays, that can add up over time. Understanding these expenses upfront can help you make a more informed hiring decision. Let’s dive into the details.

1. Equipment and Licenses Costs

Your company is responsible for providing developers with a computer system, proper workspace, infrastructure, software licenses, and software development tools. Hardware maintenance and software subscriptions result in a substantial operating cost. You can save this cost by outsourcing with experienced app development companies like Excellent Webworld.

2. Project Management Costs

For productive outcomes, you need to invest in project management tools to establish better communication, collaboration, growth tracking, and documentation. This includes hiring of supporting staff and managing internal documents. Again, outsourcing with expert agencies like Excellent Webworld will take care of everything related to project management. You don’t have to hire a project manager or other supporting staff separately to ensure an efficient app development process.

Want to know some hacks to reduce cost of hiring developers? Let’s move to the next section for valuable tips on reducing the cost of hiring mobile app developers.

Top 3 Tips to Reduce the Cost of Hiring App Developer

The three tips listed in this section will save you app development costs. Implementing these strategies for effective budget management when hiring app developers ensures a cost-effective app development process.

1. Opt for the Right Hiring Model

You can avoid in-house hiring to save costs and choose freelancers or top outsourcing app development companies. An hourly rate for an app developer as a freelancer is generally cheaper than an outsourcing agency, but there are possibilities of getting poor-quality outcomes.

Instead, partnering with a reliable app development company like Excellent Webworld can free you from project management and long-term financial commitments. This collaboration saves you money as well as time and gives you quality work with on-time delivery. You can focus on marketing, sales, branding, and other necessary activities to grow your business revenue rapidly.

You can refer to our guide on how to hire developers for startups, small businesses, and even established enterprises from non-tech backgrounds for a detailed understanding of choosing the best hiring model.

2. Negotiate the Best Rates

When you compare quotes for hiring an app developer, you might find that some are more expensive than others. For instance, some developers may ask for a higher rate in the context of uncertainties in app development. In this case, you have to clarify your app development requirements while negotiating, this may reduce the cost.

You can try negotiating your payment terms in different ways to check which will give you the best price. For example, some developers may charge low with a huge advance payment. The important thing is to negotiate, considering the market rate.

3. Ensure Quality Within Your Budget

Of course, you want to hire an app developer with the lowest price possible, but before doing this, ensure they can match your expectations of project delivery. Avoid hiring red flags that might cause you expensive problems later in the project.

For example, if you’ve planned to hire a developer at a low cost because of his/her lack of experience, their learning curve may cost you more with an increasing number of hours required to complete some basic tasks.

Some developers may refuse to offer post-launch support and ask for an extra payout if the requirements are small. Before hiring an app developer, it is mandatory to review past work and skills and have clear terms and conditions.

Wrapping Up

Providing exact numbers on how much does it cost to hire an app developer is a bit difficult, as every developer charges different prices for different reasons. However, you can still estimate the nearest cost by considering your app development cost, collaboration model, and hiring source.

Normally, you have more control over your in-house team, but it costs you more resources and attention in the long term. On the other hand, outsourcing with experienced agencies like Excellent Webworld can be your smart decision and get you skilled developers for every need.

So, don’t hurry. Consider all the aspects carefully before hiring an app developer. It will save you money, time, and effort in the long term and help you grow your business efficiently. Hire dedicated developers from Excellent Webworld to ensure quality results and on-time delivery.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Article By

Paresh Sagar

Paresh Sagar is the CEO of Excellent Webworld. He firmly believes in using technology to solve challenges. His dedication and attention to detail make him an expert in helping startups in different industries digitalize their businesses globally.