Cut Down Cost on Custom Web App Development, Here’s How!

“66% of Enterprise Software Projects Have Cost Overruns of around $66 billion” -McKinsey

Developing a custom web application can give you a competitive edge in the market. Apart from keeping up with the ever- increasing clients’ need to have a “state of the art” and “unique” application, it also reflects on your company’s skill set and ability to keep up with modern times. However, developing a custom app from scratch does not come easy on the company's account. Most of the app’s features have to be built from scratch, instead of by using pre-available templates. This practice is indeed beneficial for the client’s business as the application development will be unique.However, on the development side of things, it calls for a lot of effort by the team. That being so, more effort equals more cost.

This article will serve as a guide for developers to understand how custom software development costs can be cut down without compromising quality. Paying attention to planning inadequacies, lack of communication, technical in competencies or unattainable requirements are some of the main factors that can increase the cost of development.

Cost of custom software development services can be influenced by any of the following factors:

1. Number of platforms the app is supposed to run on. Greater the number, the higher the price.
2. The number of features to be incorporated in the app.
3. Timeline of development/ urgency of pushing out the application to the end-user market. This will determine your team size and skill sets needed.
4. Approach to be followed- Waterfall or Agile. Read on to find our best- recommended approach in the section below.
5. Once the application is developed and published to the market, will your company be responsible for timely updates and maintenance?

Here is our roundup of some steps to consider to lower the cost of your application development.

#1 Efficient Planning

The first step in any app development cycle is to create a precise product requirement document (PRD). This document should be focused on listing your app features, the projected tech stack, timelines, product objectives, app platforms, UI/ UX components, and budget estimates. This document needs to be presented to the development team as well as the client to eliminate the gap in understanding between the development team and the product owner to reduce the risk of the product having to be rebuilt multiple times.

#2 Outsource Developers

Opt for outsourcing development team members or custom software development services for on hourly basis. This will not only reduce costs but also move your project timelines at a faster pace. Ensure that you select a company with a good experience, client base and reputation. Go ahead and discuss your project requirements with them and hire developers from their company to start working on your project, usually right away. This also saves the overhead expenses related to employee management, infrastructure and operational costs.

#3 Functionality Check

While developing a custom web app, you need to keep in mind that every custom feature will have a cost associated with it. Filter out the unnecessary features and focus back on the product requirement document that was agreed on. Adding another feature to the already decided set of custom developments will have a cost associated on both ends.

#4 Development Approach

The agile methodology is a great way to keep your capital in check. Since it is an iterative and collaborative development method, the app being developed will be demoed for client review once an iterative cycle is completed. This helps the stakeholders to evaluate the software on a timely basis, ensuring that only the right and decided functionalities are being built into the application.

#5 Finalize the Technological Stack

The technological stack comprises of a set of programming languages, frameworks, and tech tools that will be used by the developers/ programmers during the project development life cycle. The tech stack chosen will have a major role to play in the average cost of app development, since it determines the development workflow, the style of development, the complexity of app maintenance, levels of risks and much more. Choose a tech stack that consists of front-end and back-end components to optimize the development process and save team resources.

#6 Develop a Minimum Viable Product

An MVP (Minimum Viable Product), is an initial prototype of the product with only the essential features. This gives the client a clear picture of how the app will function. Based on the MVP, the client and development team can decide what features to keep, add or eliminate. Developing an MVP before you build on the full- fledged product ensures that you will not spend all your capital on developing a full-size product with unnecessary features or major components missed out that should have been incorporated instead.

Final Thoughts

Create a strategic approach that will help you cut costs from various ways. Detailed research, accurate app requirement recognition, team formation and progress tracking will help you develop a quality product within the set budget. Looking for a trusted technology to develop a custom web app? Biz4Group is a leading custom web application development company with over 70 successful projects to its name. Our expert team of developers ensure to deliver a functionally adept app within 5-6 weeks of project initiation. Visit our website to know more.