Cross-platform projects are becoming a lot more popular as app developers cut costs and save time where they can. If you want to build an app, you need a solid cross-platform app like Flutter.
Flutter is one of the most admired cross-platform frameworks on the market, but it’s very new. Which begs the question: How much does it cost to create a Flutter app?
Understanding the Cost to Develop a Flutter App
Flutter app development cost depends on several factors, including the complexity of the app and the Flutter developer hourly rate. In general, you can expect to pay between $25,000-35,000 for a simple app, $35,000 – 50,000 a middle complexity app or $45,000 – $55,000 for an app with complex features.
However, before estimating the cost, you have to examine the location of your developers. The price to develop a Flutter app can fluctuate from country to country.
How Much Does Flutter App Development Cost in Different Countries
In the United States, a developer can charge between $150-$200 per hour. In Australia and the UK, the rate drops to about $100 per hour. In India and Latin America, the average cost of a developer is $30-$40. In Ukraine, developers will probably charge you about $25-$50 per hour for the same work.
Aside from the obvious cost benefits, you will also access a vast talent pool, superior customer service, and some of the best equipment money can buy as part of the package. You won’t have to rent space or purchase equipment, and you only hire developers when you need them. There’s no need to spend your money on perks like bonuses, either. You can see why so many companies prefer outsourcing their projects to other countries.
Calculating the Cost of Developing a Flutter App
The cost of features is going to impact the cost of your project dramatically. If you require native features, like streaming or mapping, your developers will have to build them for iOs and Android then combine them with Flutter. You’ll probably need about 20 hours for native features.
You’ll likely use your own time and project managers and business analysts to do the necessary discovery and due diligence, but if you don’t have a team of your own, you should try to offshore them as well to cut costs. Fortunately, if you are offshoring your development team, you don’t have to keep paying a whole group of programmers.
You can scale operations down and only keep a few developers on board for maintenance, reducing the costs dramatically. You should also put aside some budget to maintain and update the project, which can send your expenses skyrocketing.
Other Costs
Expect to pay about $1500-$2000 a year to use server space. You should only use trusted, high-performing servers with a good response time to protect your users’ personal information. UI/UX design can be expensive, but it is necessary.
Your UI/UX team will advise you regarding typography, colors, navigation and will deliver prototypes, which can take a few days or even months, depending on the complexity of your app. Don’t forget you’ll also need to spend some money launching the app on the major app stores. There may be a one-time fee or an annual fee.
If you are releasing an internal app for use in your organization, the app store will charge $299 per year, compared to Google Play’s standard $25 one-time fee. The platforms will also charge a 30% fee for every in-app purchase made or 15% for every 12-month subscription.
Lastly, expect that the app maintenance cost will increase over the app’s lifetime, so set aside 15% of the total development cost to cover the fees.
Conclusion
The cost to develop a Flutter app may seem high, but if your app generates more profit than loss, you’ll recoup this in no time.
Keep your initial investment costs low by hiring developers offshore. It’s not only easier but can reduce the total cost by two-thirds if you recruit developers from Eastern Europe.