Creating mobile apps involves a big decision: Which should you develop for first, iPhone or Android? This is important because the costs are different, and based on our experience many businesses follow a pattern where iPhone apps are more expensive than Android apps, even if these are the same Apps.

In this article, we will cover the top seven reasons why iPhone apps are more expensive than Android apps. And also include some popular apps that are used in our daily lives. To explain this clearly and help you understand theses matters and how to handle these costs better, we’ll use a simple approach called the PAS (Problem Agitation Solution) framework.

Problem

• If you are building Apps for the iPhone or Android, it’s a huge choice as it’s a huge cost factor.
• Agitation: For what no one expects, most companies are shocked by how much costs iPhone apps, and that can be a pain in the thought on budgets.

Solution

Here’s why iPhone apps cost more and how you can manage those costs:

• Premium Brand: If you are a premium brand, like Apple is, you are able to charge higher prices.
• Development Costs: Because iOS apps follow strict guidelines and have high standards, the cost of creating those apps is often higher.
• Revenue Model: The difference is that Apple takes a larger slice of the app sale, which is the main source of revenue for the companies.
• Security Features: That comes at an increased cost, since iOS apps need more security.
• App Store Policies: The review process is tougher, which is why it is more expensive but also the reason why they have higher quality.
• Market Dynamics: Apps sell more than they are downloaded.
• App Optimization: To match the smaller device variety of iOS, apps take more effort.

Key Point:

• Creating an iPhone app is about 20% to 40% more expensive than developing an Android one
• However, the price it depends on what level of complexity the app, the features required and level of development required.
• If we’re talking about apps with a design that needs to be optimised heavily or with security at a high level, apps that need to be updated regularly; cost difference could be much different between the two.
• With iPhones that are much more likely to require a more rigorous design process and on going maintenance due to Apple’s frequent updates and strict App Store guidelines, this tends to be a quicker process.

Tools and Development Complexity

And while Android apps need Java or Kotlin, iPhone apps are developed using Swift and Objective C. After all, Swift is a modern language, and if you don’t have time and expertise to master the language, iPhone developers tend to charge more since they have to use Apple tools like Xcode, which are unique.

Key Point: Since iPhone app development needs more of that specialised knowledge you end up paying more.

App Store Submission Process

So Google Play is generally easier than Apple’s App Store. The waiting is longer, the review and approval from Apple takes longer, and the apps are likely to be rejected more often. The process takes time and cost to fix the app and resubmit it.

Key Point: The delay and additional costs to which developers are subjected is all due to Apple’s strict review process.

Design Expectations

Better UI/UX Users of iPhone expect more polished apps. This means that developers spend more time in making the technology experience as pleasing visually and as pleasant to use overall. Android users (in general) accept less complex design so you can sometimes be more lazy in your design for Android apps.

Key Point: Increasing design expectations for iPhone apps will add to development curve and cost.

Apple’s Premium Hardware Ecosystem

Like Apple’s Retina camera and Face ID, Apple has a limited but high-end-ecosystem. Where it really matters is that any piece of iOS software has to work perfectly on all Apple devices – from the oldest iPhones to the newest models. It costs more time and more money to develop.

Key Point: It costs more because optimizing for their premium hardware takes more work.

Security Features

You know how Apple tends to put a focus on privacy and security. Typically, developers have to add additional security features like Face ID or encryption, to meet Apple’s standards. Implementation of these features takes a lot of time and hence involves additional cost.

Key Point: Development takes more time and more money because we’re following Apple’s strict guidelines.

Frequent iOS Updates

Part of being a developer, and particularly a developer with a focus directly on Apple’s products, is keeping up with their ever-changing iOS updates. However, it needs ongoing maintenance and it’s also more work than Android, where updates come in much smaller batches.

Key Point: Regular updates to Apple’s ever-changing iOS mean iPhone apps have an extra long-term cost to maintain.

Smaller pool of iOS developer

On the iPhone the developer pool is much smaller than on Android, so iPhone developers can charge more. Because skilled iPhone app developers have a limited supply, the price of building an iPhone app goes up.

Key Point: Yet more iOS developers mean that iPhone app development gets more expensive, by driving up prices.

Faq With Answer

1. Why is iPhone app development more specialized than the rest?

• Tools: The iPhone apps utilise exclusive tools to Apple’s ecosystem like Xcode, Swift and Objective C.
• Steeper Learning Curve: Swift is faster but then have a steeper learning curve than Android’s Java or Kotlin.
• Specialization: Being more specialised (more knowledge and experience needed), development processes on iOS are more costly (you pay more time and money).
• Frequent Updates: This means that whenever Apple updates their development tools, developers need to take the time to overhaul and change their own development to keep up.

2. Why does Apple’s App Store submission process drive up costs?

• Strict Review Process: Apple has to be relied upon to ensure the right app for their ecosystems exists, yet the app review process is still quite stringent and goes by demanding survival standards of security, performance, and user experience.
• Delays: App rejections are common. According to Reuters , around 30 per cent of apps are rejected on first submission, leading to delays and extra costs.
• Google Play Comparison: The Google Play Store is more lenient in their review process, meaning faster approval time and much cheaper submission costs then in the case of Android application submissions.
• Additional Testing: Assuring your software design and code is 100% ready to submit to Apple also means you may have to spend thousands of dollars to develop and test more information, which will Rapidly increase your costs.

3. Why are people more particular about how an app should be designed?

• High Expectations: Productivity and user reach is important, iPhone users want slick, intuitive, highly polished apps.
• User Experience: iPhone apps have more resource intensive UI/UX than Android.
• Design Effort: To get these high expectations, additional design iterations, testing, and fine-tuning are needed.
• Market Perception: Not cutting corners on design is not an option when it comes to iPhone apps because they are perceived to have a more premium user experience.

4. What effects does Apple’s hardware have towards cost of app development?

• Premium Hardware: Premium hardware such as A16 chip, Retina displays are part of the prime hardware that apple products like iPhone and iPad uses.
• Optimization Needed: Apps have to be optimised to work out of the box on all Apple devices, from the oldest to the latest iPhones.
• Testing Effort: To ensure consistent performance across the whole Apple ecosystem more rigorous testing is required.
• Fewer Variables: Total time spent in development increases because of the need to work with high-end hardware, though iOS only runs on Apple devices (a handful compared to Android), which means it’s even more limited.

5. What is the difference in cost to build an iPhone app vs an Android app?

• Cost Difference: iPhone app development can be 20 to 40 percent more expensive than Android. Example: For an app built on the basic Android, it might cost ₹7,00,000, while the same use on an iPhone might be as expensive as ₹9,00,000 or more.
• Complexity Adds Up: The cost gap between iOS and Android apps gets even wider the more complex the app.

6. Is developing for Android first somehow going to allow me to reduce costs?

• Cheaper Option: It’s certainly cheaper for many people to build an Android app first since it’s cheaper to do.
• Market Testing: It’s the fastest and cheapest way to market test on the market, which is good feedback. Using the login option, if we ask any Android user then it will help us to make the iPhone version better in the end.
• Phased Approach: So the phased approach can help startups with tight budgets reach iOS users and their users at the same cost.

7. Should iPhone app development outsourcing be a good way to save costs?

• Cost-Saving Strategy: Lower labour costs from countries can be employed through outsourcing to developers. Risks:
• Risks is communication barriers, time zone differences, quality control. Quality Over Price: Outsourcing can be a very cost effective option, but make sure you work with a good team to avoid cost versus quality.

8. Is there a costly difference between the security and privacy of iPhone apps compared to Android?

• Apple’s Security Focus: An app built for the iPhone should have more sophisticated features to ensure data security and privacy which is required in the iPhone, as deliberate by Apple.
• Stricter Guidelines: They have to go by strict security standards like mandatory end-to-end encryption, Touch ID, and Face ID.
• Higher Rejection Rates: Those apps rejected by Apple for not complying with the company’s privacy standards get pushed out into an expensive development process fork.
• Security Implementation: It takes time, expertise, and money to build these security features as compared to Android apps.

9. For frequent iOS updates, why do costs increase in development?

• Frequent iOS Releases: Every year, Apple releases major iOS updates once a year, and they release a couple of updates per year.
• Ongoing Maintenance: You need to update apps regularly because it does not work with the new iOS version.
• Additional Costs: There’s always extra work in the form of additional development, redesigns, and new rounds of testing for every update.
• Android Comparison: This means that Android’s update cycle is slower, and users update their phones less frequently, so fewer apps get updated immediately.

10. What’s the difference in the cost to develop an iPhone app versus an Android app?

• Cost Difference: Analyst’s estimate is that iPhone app development can cost you 20 to 40 percent more than Android.
• Example: Taking the example of a basic Android app may cost ₹7,00,000, but the same iPhone app will cost ₹9,00,000 or more.
• Complexity Adds Up: The greater the complexity of the app, the bigger the cost gap between iOS 18 and Android apps.

Here are some articles that cover the topic of why iPhone apps cost more than Android apps:

1. iOS App Store vs Google Play, Android Apps vs iPhone Apps – Fueled: This article discusses the differences in app pricing between the iOS App Store and Google Play, and why iPhone apps tend to be more expensive.
2. iOS Apps Are Still Better Than Android In 2021 – Screen Rant: This article explores why iOS apps are often considered better than Android apps, including aspects related to pricing and app quality.
3. iOS iPhone vs. Android: Which Is Better in 2024 – Techopedia: This comparison article delves into the fundamental differences between iOS and Android, including app costs and user spending habits.
4. Why iOS Apps Are Significantly Larger Than Android Apps: Explained – Mobility Arena: This article explains why iOS apps are often larger and more expensive to develop than Android apps.
5. iOS users spend more than double on subscriptions compared to Android – Phone Arena: This article highlights how iPhone users tend to spend more on app subscriptions compared to Android users, contributing to higher app costs.

If you have any problem related-to this content or anything else related to this blog, please contact Us. link