If you’re looking to build a career as an App developer in India, now is a great time. According to a recent study by Hyperlink Infosystem, the average cost to develop a mobile app in India, either on Android or iOS platforms, is almost ten times cheaper than in the United States.
These findings also come as great news for app publishing businesses who may now start looking at the Indian subcontinent for all their app developments. The vast cost savings associated with outsourcing to developers in India has created a thriving environment at this moment for app developers, who are keen, savvy, and skilled.
In 2016, India overtook the US to become the world’s largest country in terms of demands for mobile development courses, Google India said. In the last two years, India saw a whopping 200% YoY growth in search queries for the mobile development courses. The tech start-up boom still unfazed, there have also been companies such as Plobal Apps, providing small and medium-sized businesses with their own powerful apps, at close to one-tenth the actual costs. Further, the technology market in India is a star performer, attracting top tech companies from across the globe, and also providing a very lucrative field for entrepreneurial tech ventures. Factoring in that, India is now a rapidly developing nation moving towards a digital sphere. Hence, the app development space naturally sees a lot of scope for growth.
What are the chief factors driving this demand and growth trajectory in the Indian app development space?
- The expanding app ecosystem itself.
The global mobile app store gross revenue is expected to reach USD 102.5 billion in 2020, almost double of what it is now. Emerging markets such as India, Brazil will be driving much of APAC’s staggering growth in 2020. These markets will account for 76% of global app store downloads and 49% of global mobile app store revenue.
- The promising smartphone market.
As per findings from market research firm Counterpoint Research, in the third quarter of 2016, the smartphone shipments in India grew 18% more than the global smartphone market, in India.
- India’s young, energetic, and tech-savvy demographics.
The number of app developers in India is predicted to reach close to four million by the next year. This would make it the largest developers’ community in the world. As such, the steep growth in demand for apps has provided a very conducive environment for app developer enthusiasts, who no longer see app development as a menial career choice.
App development in India is so much cheaper for various contributing reasons. Right from the abundant availability of technologically skilled human capital, to the rising number of startups and small app development enterprises that offer their services at competing prices. However, app development may cost much lesser in India chiefly because of the amount of time spent on developing the app, and the infrastructure in place. Another key feature driving the low cost is that app entrepreneurs continuously look to lower their costs while still ensuring the quality of their service.
In its findings, Hyperlink InfoSystem provides an overview of the costs associated with the development of Apps in the Indian App market. While it is beyond argument that cost is one of the most critical aspects that businesses consider, the study proceeds to suggest that businesses would still invest in it if they find it worthy.
The elements that make up the gross cost of an app defines how expensive or cheap it is to make. Going by convention, the elements such as the app idea, the app’s functional layout followed by design, and finally the app development stage, make up the app development process. The app development stage is closely followed by the app’s testing, debugging, and deployment – all of which contribute to the cost break up of an app.
