Many progressive web app(PWA) examples exist, from Tinder to Telegram. But what makes each of them unique is the value they offer.
According to Forbes, PWAs offer 134% higher engagement than any other type of web app. It makes sense if you plan to develop a PWA for your business!
But before creating the web app, you need to analyze one aspect —“COST.”
Estimating the progressive web app development cost requires considering several factors.
Each factor contributes to the total cost of ownership differently. Additional costs, such as integrations, testing needs, and new feature development, must also be considered.
This article is your definitive guide on progressive web app development costs. It has everything from factors that affect cost to hidden expenses and how to reduce such costs through optimizations.
Progressive Web App Development Cost
The average cost of developing a progressive web app can be $10,000-$150,000. However, estimating these costs requires considering several factors, including project complexity, design requirements, tech stack, integrations, and maintenance.
If we consider each aspect, the cost breakdown is,
Now that you know the breakdown of the factors, it’s time to understand how each impacts the progressive web app development cost.
However, the above factors are just the tip of the iceberg; there is more than meets the eye! So, here are more factors, including the ones above, for a better understanding of progressive development costs.
Factors That Determine Progressive Web App Cost
Whether you are a startup, small business, or enterprise, the need for PWAs arises from specific functionalities.
Type of Project
Progressive web app development cost depends on what type of project you have. More complex projects lead to higher development costs.
For example, if you build a simple web app with static pages, the price can be as low as $10,000, and if it’s a complex enterprise web app, the cost can go beyond $100,000.
User Interface Requirements
Basic design costs will be lower. The reason is simple: You can use ready-made components, layouts, and minimal customizations.
At the same time, if you require a design with intermediate complexity, the development cost can be higher.
Design thinking takes center stage here, which requires a specific skill set. Designers with such a skill set will charge more, especially if you need advanced designing that includes,
- Dynamic design
- Interactive features
- Customer illustrations
- Fluidic animations
Location of the Development Team
The location of the team you are hiring can impact progressive web app development costs.
For example, hiring a web app developer in the US will cost you $32.03/hour. At the same time, hiring the same level of web app developer in India will cost $20/hour.
Similarly, the annual cost of hiring other team members can also differ based on which location you choose to hire your team.
Type of Development Solution You Want
Fully customizable solutions are expensive but offer much more for any business. They can help you build niche-based features, integrate advanced AI capabilities, and continuously improve.
At the same time, if you choose a pre-defined template-based solution, the scope flexibility is limited. However, you can choose a hybrid solution that balances customization and optimal costs.
The Pricing Model You Choose
The selected pricing model can also affect the cost of creating a PWA. Three main pricing models are per-hour rate, fixed price, and mixed (hourly + material).
1. Hourly Rate
In the hourly rate model, clients pay developers the time they spend on their projects. The difference between regions is enormous.
This model is suitable for projects that require changes in the requirements or where it becomes difficult to measure the total workload up front. This enables regular testing and iterative refinements throughout the development lifecycle.
2. Fixed-price
In this model, the project’s cost is already defined based on the agreed-upon scope of work. Clients know the specific cost before the project commences, which helps with budgeting and financial planning.
You can negotiate the project changes during the project, and each change will attract additional charges. Scope changes or additions after the agreement are expensive and prolong the time-frames.
3. Mixed (Time and Material)
This model combines some of the freedom of hourly rate(Open scope), reliability, and cost predictability (Fixed price).
This usually consists of a first fixed-price phase and then a time and material part. It is a well-structured model that can be adjusted during the project.
The hybrid model works best for projects with some initial requirements defined but significant features expected to change.
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Progressive Web App Development Hidden Costs that you should know
From integrating advanced technologies to dealing with development complexities, there can be several hidden costs while developing PWAs.
As progressive web apps grow and scale, they often come with hidden expenses regarding scalability issues.
Increased traffic and data storage needs can raise server costs. However, there are many other costs, too, like,
#1. AI integration Costs
Integrating the latest AI and machine learning technologies into a progressive web app costs a lot.
The data collection and processing needed to train the AI models are very costly, as collecting and preparing a massive quantity of data is challenging.
Further, the computational power to train the AI models will cost more for cloud services.
The constant maintenance of the AI models, including updating and monitoring, will further increase the long-term costs.
#2. Complexity in Development
The complexities in developing and maintaining a PWA can increase the cost.
For example, the cost of introducing new features and providing timely security updates accumulates over time.
Developing and maintaining a PWA with high-end features requires highly professional developers with specific skill sets, which adds to the progressive app development cost.
#3. PWA Optimization Costs
Providing sufficient resources, such as CPU and memory, to ensure peak performance for your PWA can increase development costs.
Further, code optimization requires steady investment to improve performance and decrease loading time.
Take an example of an eCommerce platform like Amazon. Such platforms must ensure web apps handle peak loads, especially during the sales season.
If a Prime Day Sale crash occurs, it can impact their business heavily.
Similarly, you need to understand the need for resources during.
#4. Compliance and Security Requirements
Compliance with different legal and regulatory requirements is of utmost importance to a PWA, which also comes with some costs attached.
Monitoring and adjusting to the privacy regulations like GDPR and CCPA will require constant investment.
Making the PWA meet the accessibility standards will further require added development and testing costs.
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Tips to Optimize PWA Development Cost
Optimizing progressive web app development costs requires a thorough analysis of processes, tech stack, and extensive testing.
While developing a PWA, you need to be mindful of not just development costs but also hidden costs.
This means progressive web app development cost optimization entails everything from planning to requirement analysis, tech stack, and testing.
#1. Analyze the Development Plan
Progressive web app development plans include everything from processes to approaches.
Analyze the process’s resource requirements and how you can optimize them. Similarly, development approaches impact cost.
For example, you can leverage agile methodology for incremental improvements and optimize progressive web app development costs.
#2. Find the Right Web App Development Partner
Cost optimization requires strategic measures you can obtain by partnering with an expert progressive web app development company.
For example, scalability requirements can contribute to development costs if you need a progressive web app for your eCommerce platform.
As you scale, more users interact with your platform, and you need more resources.
This is where a custom progressive web app development service can help. It will enable you to scale and leverage cloud capabilities.
#3. Make Sure You Avoid Tech Debt
Tech debt is when you develop PWAs using specific technologies that become obsolete or inefficient.
Later, upgrading your tech stack to the latest innovations and technologies will cost you dearly.
So, the best cost optimization practice is to ensure you choose a future-proof, easily upgradable tech stack.
One best practice is to use tech-agnostic tools and architecture so that upgrading later to a new stack is much easier.
#4. Test Your PWAs for Optimal Cost
Testing your PWAs ensures there are no bugs, which can add to the progressive app development costs later.
Debugging an error and ensuring the high availability of your web app requires skilled professionals.
Hiring such skilled personnel to ensure a bug-free experience for your customers can add to the total development cost.
In addition to the cost of hiring testers and optimization experts, you also need testing tools. This means you need to spend on acquiring or subscription testing tools.
Why Opt for Zennax’s PWA development services?
PWA development costs are many! From development costs to design expenses, you need to consider several factors.
The complexity of your project and the solution you need also add to progressive web app development costs.
Most significantly, you must consider all these factors and optimization expenses to estimate the total development cost.
Once you know all the costs, optimizing the processes and reducing expenses is the next big step.
However, it is the cost reduction and optimization that most organizations need help with. Fortunately, Zennaxx offers PWA development services with,
- Latest tech stack
- Flexible engagement models
- Comprehensive solutions
- Tailor-made processes
- End-to-end cost optimization
Get the estimate of your progressive web app development project now!
FAQs
- What factors should I consider when estimating progressive web application development costs?
- The primary factors affecting the cost of PWA application development are:
- Complex features and functionalities increase the development cost.
- Tailored UI /UX design nd branding will impact the overall development cost.
- The number and expertise of the development team members directly influence the project cost.
- The developers’ hourly rates can vary based on location, affecting the development cost.
- WHAT IS THE COST OF DEVELOPING A PWA?
- The cost of progressive web app
1. Technical documentation
2. Wireframing and prototyping of the UI/UX design
3. Application development
5. Deployment
The total cost can be determined by multiplying the estimated hours required for the project by the hourly rate charged by the developer or development company.
- HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO BUILD A PROGRESSIVE WEB APP?
- The time it takes to develop a PWA can differ widely, depending on the business’s specific needs and objectives. There’s no universal approach, as each project has its own distinct requirements. It’s recommended to steer clear of any provider who promises to launch your PWA within a set timeframe before fully comprehending your business goals and app requirements.
- ARE PWAS BETTER SUITED FOR ALL SECTORS OR JUST SOME PARTICULAR ONES?
- PWAs are well-suited for eCommerce, blockchain, and information technology businesses. Companies across different sectors can benefit from developing a PWA. It helps firms advance to the next level, regardless of their business model (B2B or B2C).
