Design can make or break an app since it has a direct dramatic impact on user experience because every element of a well-designed mobile app serves a unique purpose which takes it a step towards better usability. For instance, breadcrumbs help users understand location and input controls offer dropdowns which help customers seamlessly navigate, find what they need, and take relevant actions. This way, there are fewer risks of confusion or frustration and they relate your brand with technological sophistication. Rounding off, all of these reduce the possibilities of app churn rate which improves revenue and profits along with brand reputation.
Therefore, the app design software market size has been valued at $198.27 billion in 2024 and is poised to reach $674.81 billion by 2031 growing at 18.25% CAGR. Given this proliferating market plus the previously discussed benefits, it is truly worth dedicating some time understanding and evaluating the expenses. A mobile app design cost typically ranges between $3,000 and $30,000 and depends on several factors. Let us learn in detail to be able to plan and allocate capital efficiently.
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Which factors affect the design costs of an app?
Designing a standard mobile app is a core necessity to stay relevant in the industry and fuel business growth. However, there are certain factors affecting app design cost that must be considered. Below is a list for both startups and enterprises for clarity.
1. Platform
iOS apps that follow the standard Apple’s Human Interface Guidelines typically cost less in comparison to custom apps that are packed with high-fidelity animations, layouts, and designs. On the other hand, Android solutions are required to match multiple formats and solutions which automatically increases the prices. The point is if you are looking to launch a simple iOS app on the Apple Store, the mobile app design cost would be lower.
Keep in mind that the number of platforms also determines the expenses. For instance, a cross-platform app will be more reasonable than native apps that need multiple programming languages and design specifications.
2. Visual design
Colors, shapes, typography, contrast, scale, texture, and general aesthetics make up the overall app’s visual design. The more complex these elements are, the higher the expenses will be. This means, costs will typically rise if you use fine details and integrate top-notch technologies like AI in UI UX design. Therefore, it is necessary to ensure the right balance between affordable design while being able to ensure high-end engagement and thus an intuitive app experience for end-users.
3. Animations and illustrations
Clean UIs with minimal designs will cost less than apps that are laced with smooth transitions, motion graphics, custom vectors, and GIFs. However, their benefits cannot be undermined since they are necessary for several reasons. For instance, animations and illustrations help :
- grab user attention
- increase interactivity
- provide visual cues
- lower cognitive load
- add a personality to the app
All of these need to be upgraded or modified regularly as per the latest trends or simply to suit different growth stages. Further, the cost of custom app design will be higher since animations and illustrations could be typically unique than that of general ones. So, it is a good idea to partner with industry experts who can help you with cost-effective ideas without compromising on the app’s quality.
This is where we at Simublade, a top UI UX design company, come into the picture. We hold immense expertise in scroll animations, buttons, and icons to name a few which help us curate an app as per your business theme and overall vision. We use the agile development process and merge AI to boost the scope of conversion and turn your app viral.
4. Features and functionalities
The more features are required to be designed, the higher the expenses would be. Further, sophisticated functionalities of an app like AR/VR, GPS, or social media integration add on to the costs. While a few of these could be unnecessary in certain apps, others require these to run efficiently. So, carefully analyze their impact on user satisfaction and revenue by enrolling in a beneficial discovery workshop before implementing these features to be able to tackle the overall UI UX design cost.
5. Design team
The skills, tools, and experience of a design team along with their location can impact the cost to design a mobile app. This is due to the different levels of expertise and technologies that different designers use across the world.
For example, Simublade offers an affordable rate starting at $9/hour for the services of new on-the-job creative designers for simple and minimal design requirements which is helpful for small projects. However, this increases as per the complexity of the UI UX requirements and the usage of advanced tools like Adobe Animate, Sketch, and Invision Studio. Further, the charges of the mobile app design services will vary if you wish to utilize strategy workshop and end-to-end design consultancy.
Similarly, there are other companies across the globe with different rates for their services as per their local and industry standards which must be considered before hiring them.
Now let us see the average cost of mobile app design services.
UI UX design stages – the cost of each one
A breakdown of the mobile app design costs will help businesses understand which areas incur significantly higher charges and adjust their requirements accordingly. Have a look at the UI UX expenses of a basic mobile app.
Step 1: Research and plan – $5,000 to $25,000
This takes approximately 20 to 40 hours which includes tasks like rigorous research of competitors, target users, and the niche market demands.
The project scope is decided and the product roadmap is created along with conducting a discovery workshop session to solidify the app vision. A design sprint session is further included in the research and planning phase of app design which helps find customer pain points and their solutions.
Step 2: Wireframing and prototyping – $10,000 to $40,000
This is a 40- 80 hours’ activity where both the wireframe and prototype are finalized.
Wireframe is a low-fidelity layout of the app design with basic content and structure that focuses mainly on the app functionality. It is useful for getting approvals from stakeholders. The following stage is prototyping which is close to the final product in terms of aesthetics, features, and overall UX design. This sample helps in testing and refining before developing an MVP and releasing it to the first batch of audiences.
Step 3: Visual design – $10,000 to $50,000
This takes around 80-150+ hours depending on the complexity.
Visual design is quite a broad discipline focusing on the overall look and vibe of an app with colors, fonts, graphics, and images. Design elements like grid, space, shape, and color are made to be cohesive with one another to polish appeal. Studies have found that 90% of the information that the brain processes is visual. Another study says that 75% of users judge an app’s credibility with just aesthetics. Clubbing this, it makes visual appeal a top priority while determining the mobile app UI design cost because the stats prove that an app’s charm is the fine line between engagement and abandonment.
Step 4: Usability testing – $5,000 to $20,000
This takes not more than 60- 90 minutes and includes testing the workflow after the design has been successfully implemented. Designers test for interactive capabilities and functionalities along with the designs’ reactivity in certain scenarios.
Step 5: Maintenance – 15% to 20% of the total cost
This is a lifelong process and includes tasks like bug fixes, cybersecurity, performance monitoring, analytics and reporting, compliance updates, user feedback monitoring, and data updates so that businesses take pride in offering bespoke apps to users.
Now, the cost to design a custom mobile app UI/UX, however, will vary depending on the chosen design and the brand personalizations. To put things into perspective, book a free consultation with your designer.
What are the hidden costs of designing an app?
Maintenance, specific tools, unique technologies (AI/NLP/ML), and mid-project changes of the UI/UX design are the top hidden factors affecting app design cost which businesses must be careful of. These are initially non-visible but both enterprises and startups must get an idea beforehand from a trusted designer agency.
They will give you a transparent estimate so you are not financially burdened later and can maximize resources efficiently. It is helpful since businesses can keep aside a spare amount to accommodate these expenses rather than having to cut costs elsewhere, like, negotiating with the features.
Hacks to lower the costs of designing a mobile app
While designing an app might require a substantial investment, below are a few simple tricks to lower the expenses. Consider following these to maximize your UI UX design budget as well.
Build a prototype
Prototypes can identify design issues early, even before the MVP is built. This is because it is meant to test and change ideas until it is precise enough to resemble the final app. You can visualize the product and suggest changes as per brand needs. At this stage, it is quite easy to implement them since the usability is being cross-checked.
This saves plenty of money which would otherwise be spent on redesigning or rectifying errors once it has been released. Find out how much does it cost to design a mobile app prototype and get started with it.
Careful planning
This means making sure business vision and UI UX design are in sync. For this, you must understand brand aesthetics, color and typography consistency, and the app performance that you wish to offer to your customers. Consider simple content, user-centric design, different screen sizes, and the best security practices. You can also sit for a mind-mapping session with designers to get help with menu structure and user journey.
Simple UI UX design
A Google survey found that 76% of users prefer an app with a simple design. So, minimalism does not mean you are missing out on something but, in fact, increasing the chances of success. Go ahead and choose a simple design without too many animations, drop downs, different typographies, or heavy color contrasts which are just noise. Prioritize features and make sure the design goes hand in hand.
Outsource the design
The smartest way to lower costs is to outsource it to a trusted UI UX design company. The best one provides the services of in-house industry experts who offer free consultation calls and conduct strategy workshops, defining user persona, information architecture, and both high-fidelity and low-fidelity sketches without burning your pocket.
Businesses can get help with interface design, brand storytelling, experience design, and an entire design revamp too – in short, comprehensive services under one roof at reasonable rates. The best part is that you can hire designers at hourly or project-based rates to suit your budget.
Conclusion
There is no concrete answer to the cost of designing a multi platform mobile app. It will depend on unique requirements which ultimately shape the expenses. However, an estimate of the same is helpful to set a budget and cut down expenses that you once thought were necessary. Thus, the best way to navigate the UI UX design process is to partner with trusted companies, like us at Simublade, which offer end-to-end design solutions and support even after the app is launched. Rest assured, businesses never have to worry about budget overruns and can enjoy the countless benefits of an aesthetically pleasing app.
FAQs
Q. What factors affect the cost of designing a mobile app?
Ans. Platform, animation, illustrations, visual design, features, and functionalities impact the overall mobile app design cost.
Q. How much does it cost to design a basic mobile app?
Ans. The UI UX design cost of a basic app is approximately between $3,000 and $30,000.
Q. How does the number of platforms affect app design cost?
Ans. Designing an app for a single platform is evidently less than the cost of designing a multi platform mobile app since different requirements are required to be met.
Q. What is the cost of custom mobile app design?
Ans. The cost to design a custom mobile app will depend on the extent of customization that you require. To give an idea, a basic app costs between $3,000 and $30,000 and thus the amount will be higher for personalized applications.
Q. How can you reduce mobile app design costs?
Ans. The cost to design a mobile app can be lowered by building prototypes, careful planning, choosing simple UI UX designs, and outsourcing to a trusted design company to lower the risks of costly errors and revisions.
