How Much Does React Native App Development Costs?

It takes a lot of time and money to create top-notch quality apps for different platforms, including Android and iOS. And that’s the reason why more and more businesses across the world are investing in cross-platform app development. The approach not only helps your business to widen its reach but also saves you time and money.

When it comes to developing cross-platform applications, React Native is one of the most sought-after frameworks. More than 14.85% of the most downloaded apps in the US are developed using React Native, as per the data given on the Google Play Store and App store.

In this article, we will give you a penetrating insight into how much React Native app development costs and what are the various factors affecting it.

Determining the React Native Development Cost

In general, the cost of react native mobile apps can range from $15,000 to $300,000. The overall cost of the application can vary according to the app’s complexity, feature list, total hours taken to write the code, the hourly rate of the developers, distribution platforms, etc. In addition to this, the location of the React Native mobile app development company also affects the overall cost of development.

How Much React Native App Development Costs: The Deciding Elements

Every app development process requires a designated team, and a lot of planning. From choosing the custom features to deciding on the development team size, here is the list of factors that affect the total cost of creating a react native app.

Complexity of the App

Every app present in the stores can be divided into three segments – Low Complexity, Medium Complexity, and High Complexity.

The segmentation depends on six factors:

Deployment Architecture Model – For Backend development, there are two options – Custom or BaaS. In the Custom option, clients get their mobile app architecture, while in the case of BaaS, they work around a ready-made backend architecture.

Admin Panel Development – It is the part that helps entrepreneurs manage the app – keep track of app activity, view statistics, and update content without involving React Native app builders. The more feature-rich the admin panel, the more is the app complexity.

Third-Party Integration – To be truly user-friendly, your app needs to interact with other functionalities to ease processes like login and payment. These integrations are slightly more complex when building a React Native app over a native one.

In-App Purchase: Although a good percent of apps active in the industry today have the in-app purchase functionality in one form or another, its inclusion is not easy. So the more in-app purchase options you give, the more complex your React Native app would become.

Use of Device’s In-Built Features – The modern-day range of smartphones and tablets come packed with several features such as Bluetooth, GPS, Nearby, Barometers, etc., which can be linked with an application to better its performance.

Integration with the Enterprise/Legacy System – Some apps have to be connected with an in-house legacy system – as typically seen in the case of enterprise apps. These application types, by default, fall under the medium to high complexity scale, as they are not standalone.

Here are a few features and their estimated integration cost:

User Authorization

If you are planning to create a mobility solution that requires user login or authorization, the cost to build an app with react native would be slightly higher than one without users signing up or signing in.

App Category

Several elements change when we move from one app category to another: functionality set, security considerations, number of real-time users, etc.

Changing with these intricacies is the React Native app development cost. For example, a standalone app (like a timer or calculator) will cost much less than a feature-rich mCommerce or on-demand application.

Focus on Hardware

The more hardware you connect with your application, the greater React native app development pricing. While developing an IoT application is still easier under the Native approach, achieving the same using React Native is challenging in terms of attached development complexity, and this adds to the overall development cost. Want to know how much does IoT-based app development cost? Head on to this article – How much does it cost to develop an IoT application.

App Design

Ensuring that users spend maximum time with your application requires a well-devised design strategy with a well-articulated user flow that uses timed animation and transitions to move from one screen to another. But, designing screens and experience that is bound to hold users’ attention come with a cost.

However, the cost to design a mobile app in the case of React Native app development is much lower when compared to Native app design cost, as only one app version needs to be designed.

App’s Maintenance

Unquestionably, the expenses do not end at the app launch, and you will have to update it regularly to keep up with users’ expectations. Recently, we were working on developing a custom app for Domino’s, and we saw a sharp increase in user retention and engagement levels at the back of an app redesign.

When we talk about app maintenance, we mainly talk about three individual processes –

• App Updates
• Design Changes
• Bug Fixes

The app maintenance cost estimate is calculated yearly as 20% of the total React Native development cost.

Team Size

The cost to hire React Native mobile app developers would vary in three ways

• If you plan to take the help of freelancers
• If you plan to associate with a mid-cap company
• If you plan to partner with a high-cap company

When you are choosing React Native for app development, hiring freelancers is the most cost-effective option. But it won’t be quality efficient. On the other hand, if you plan on partnering with a high-cap agency, the base price would be very high because that is how they sustain themselves in the market.

Ideally, it would help if you went with a mid-cap company whose base hourly rate starts at $30-$50, for there is a chance that they are more open to an innovative app idea than one with a hefty React Native app price tag.

Agency’s Location

Location is an essential criterion when determining the mobile app development cost. App development companies in different locations charge differently for React Native app development. For example, opting for a React Native app development company in the US is much higher than what Eastern or Asian countries ask for.

Here’s a map showcasing per hour React Native development cost across the world. It will give you a clear idea on how much React Native developers cost.

Add-Ons

Custom add-ons are crucial in pricing. If you intend to launch a customer-centric application, you might want to incorporate it with various other social media channels or supply add-ons.

How React Native Reduces the Cost of Mobile App Development?

Here are a few reasons why choosing React Native can help you reduce the overall cost of your mobile app while guaranteeing a maximum ROI.

1. Synced development

At the back of our custom mobile application development services, you get all the versions of a React Native application on targeted operating systems at the same time – this not just cuts down the incurred react native app cost but also the time it takes to develop the application.

2. One team

App development with React Native calls for the inclusion of only one team, as opposed to two teams that native app development calls for – specific to Android and iOS.

3. Use of existing frameworks

The React Native app development frameworks enable developers to speed up the process by giving them a skeleton framework to work on.

4. Reusable code

Developers will be doing half the work they usually do with Native app development as they will be working on shared codes used to develop Android and iOS versions of applications.

5. Low Maintenance Costs

Maintenance costs for a React Native app mainly includes design changes, fixing bugs, and app upgrades, but it is not limited to only these services. Building cross-platform apps with React Native leads you to deal with a single codebase as there is a single app to be maintained for both iOS and Android platforms. This simplified cross-platform app and single codebase automatically eases the maintenance and reduces the cost estimation for React Native mobile app development.

6. Ready-Made Solutions and Libraries

Since React Native is open-source, it has ready-made solutions and libraries for development problems. These ready-made solutions and libraries are accessible to the developers in their community. It also helps simplify the development process and gives more time for the developers to focus on bug-free writing codes.

React Native libraries and component libraries such as Xamarin, Lottie, Teaset, and much more provide developers the assistance to deploy apps in less time, which ultimately benefits your business.

7. Seamless Third-party Integration

One can develop customer-centric apps using React with a low investment cost to save the developers’ time. To add functions on both platforms (iOS and Android), developers can use third-party plugins without much effort. Choosing React Native for app development allows developers to integrate plugins to the module for quick, seamless, and feature-rich mobile apps.

Factors that Increase the React Native App Development Cost

Here are the few factors that increase the overall cost of the React Native app. Understanding these factors can help you optimize costs while keeping the scalability and robustness of the app in check.

1. Crossing UI limitations

Using a standard code for the development of both the Android and iOS sides of the application can, in turn, harm the performance of an application. Shared codebase, more often than not, make apps appear similar on inherently different platforms.

2. Optimizing performance

The one central point of difference that stands between React Native and Native apps is performance. The app quality that Native apps come packaged with uses in-device features and enable easy third-party integrations to improve the user experience. Bringing React Native to Native Apps’ standards is complicated with an attached cost.

3. Investment needed to learn new frameworks

While React Native comes with a low learnability curve, your developers will still have to invest time in getting to learn and perfect the nitty-gritty that the React Native frameworks come with.

4. Security assurance

Compared to Native apps, React Native app development offers less security, which can make a security breach a massive issue. The solution lies in investing in a team of QA experts specializing in cross-platform testing and maintenance.

When Should You Opt React Native for Mobile App Development?

While we have discussed both the pros and cons of choosing React Native, how can you actually decide what’s best for your business – Native or React Native app development? Here are the few scenarios where you should choose React Native for app development:

1. When you already have native apps

You can switch to React Native platform when you already have native apps. Since the platform allows you to reuse the code, the overall migration process is easy and quick.

2. For creating an MVP

Choosing a React Native platform for creating an MVP is one of the most effective ways to test your product idea in the market. Since the cross-platform framework allows you to build two applications quickly without investing in a hefty team, the overall time to market is reduced significantly. In addition to this, using the platform allows the developers to make changes to the code quickly as compared to the native apps.

3. For rewriting an app

React Native is one of the best platforms that allows easier rewriting of the app from scratch. The platform further helps in increasing the overall developer’s productivity by allowing them to share large chunks of code.

4. When you already have a web app

Choosing React Native for a mobile app is one of the most sought-after decisions an organization can make, if they already have a web app. You can simply reuse the code between the web, Android as well as iOS, thereby saving the overall time and budget.

[Also Read: How to Convert Your Website Into a User-Friendly Mobile App?]

Why do Businesses Choose React Native App Development?

A majority of the startups aim to make a mobile presence in a cost-efficient way while keeping the performance quality intact. Here are a few reasons why businesses choose React Native app development:

1. Low mobile app development cost

The mobile app development cost you would typically have to pay in the case of Native app development is at least two to three times higher than the cost to develop a React Native app. The reason behind this difference in price is the shared codebase and low resource requirement: both developmental effort and cost-saving factors.

2. Expedited go-to-market time

Since the development time is less than when you choose the Native approach, it makes it possible for entrepreneurs to launch their application in the market within the stipulated time. This expedition is the most significant factor in React Native app cost-benefit analysis.

Want to know how long it actually takes to develop a mobile app? Here’s an insightful blog to answer your question – How long it takes to build a mobile app

3. Less workforce

One of the significant React Native advantages is that React Native application development requires the inclusion of one team – one project manager, one designer, two developers, and one QA expert. While in the case of Native application development, the required team size gets multiplied by two – one for each platform.

4. Native-like look & feel

The only thing that kept entrepreneurs on the fence regarding investing in cross-platform app development was the uncertainty related to the app’s performance. React Native, with its easy accessibility to third-party plugins and APIs for accessing in-device features, solves the issue by offering the app user a native look and feel.

5. Simplified user interface

React native development has established itself in the app industry as an enabler of beautiful UIs. It is of prime importance to build an action sequence when building a mobile app – React Native makes the process efficient. The best part is, React Native is constantly evolving to become more responsive, seamless, and work around a decreased loading time.

6. Easy transformation from the web to app

The single-codebase advantage of open-source React Native apps is not just between Android and iOS apps; it can also transform your web app into a mobile-centric application.

7. Greater community support

React Native is an open-source platform, meaning all the documentation specific to the technology is accessible to every React Native application development company. The best part of high community support comes in the face of the ability to find help from the experts in the community or find all the tech and support information easily on the web.

8. Pre-built component and reusable codes

It is one of the most significant advantages of react native mobile app development. Because of the framework, developers don’t need to build a separate mobile application for every platform, for 90% of the React Native code can be shared among Android and iOS apps.

A shared codebase translates into cost and time getting divided into half for businesses.

Another great pro developers avail when they build an app with React Native is the expansive list of ready-made solutions and libraries which aid quicker and more efficient mobile application development. Add this to the fact that React Native is compatible with all the JavaScript libraries, and you will get a platform proving to come on the same grounds as mobile app development with React Native.

9. Live Reloading

React Native comes loaded with a live reloading feature, allowing developers to view the changes made in source code directly on the application without recompiling the app. This feature helps reduce the time needed to develop React Native applications by manifold.

Global Organizations that Use React Native

Facebook

The technical owners of React Native use it as an underlying platform for their apps. Facebook is one of the most popular social media apps that has held its ground for decades. On average, the cost of React Native apps like Facebook may vary between $25,000 and $100,000.

Instagram

Well, being a part of Meta technology, Instagram is another social media platform that uses React Native. The app switched to React Native in 2016, allowing the business to integrate new features faster while simultaneously maintaining it easily for both Android and iOS platforms. Cost to build a React Native app like Instagram is around $30,000 to $500,000.

Pinterest

Pinterest, the heart of creativity, is another app that uses React Native as its underlying platform. Switching the app’s platform to React Native was basically done to share the code from one platform to another, thereby improving the overall operational productivity. The cost of developing a React Native app like Pinterest varies from $30,000 to $150,000.

Bloomberg

Bloomberg’s app with the same name is another popular application that features React Native as its underlying platform. The app offers business and market news across the world. The organization switched to React Native because it can provide automated code refreshes to update users’ news every time they open the app. The cost of react native mobile apps such as Bloomberg can vary from $40,000 to $150,000, depending on the features and complexity.

React Native app development has also made it easy for apps like Salesforce, Shopify, Wix, and Vogue to offer regular updates to their Android and iOS users simultaneously. The platform further profits the developers with reusable code and pre-built practical components.

Summing Up

Mobile app development is one of the viable solutions for businesses that are looking for long-term growth. But, the age-old dilemma of choosing between a native app or a cross-platform app remains the same.

React Native framework allows the creation of separate mobile apps by sticking to one programming language, i.e., JavaScript. Furthermore, influential organizations are leveraging its benefits without compromising performance or security.

This kind of business improvement is only possible with the help of qualified native mobile developers. Appinventiv is a dedicated react native app development company that can help you put things into perspective and offer a clear idea of the overall cost. If you have an impressive business idea, get in touch with our team now!

Frequently Asked Questions

Q. How much does it cost to develop a React Native app?

A. The React Native pricing for app development is dependent on several factors

• App complexity
• App Category
• Design
• Maintenance
• Location of the agency, etc.

Giving a numeric answer to sum up the React Native app price will call for an in-depth understanding of the project. Share your app idea and get a free estimate from our team of React Native app developers.

Q. Apart from React Native, what other frameworks can I choose for cross-platform applications?

A. Other cross-platform app-development frameworks that allow you to create robust apps includes Flutter, Ionic as well as Xamarin. The advantages of using these frameworks includes faster development and overall great app performance.

Q. Why use React Native for your mobile app?

A. There are many benefits that React Native app development agency offers to app entrepreneurs –

• Low Mobile App Development Cost
• Expedited Go-To-Market Time
• Less Manpower Requirement
• Native-like Look & Feel

Q. Is React Native a good choice for your app development project?

A. The answer to this question depends entirely on your business app needs and expectations. For example, if you wish to enter both the Android and iOS markets with a lower budget and shorter timeline, React Native is the right choice for you. However, it is not a suitable option when looking for multiprocessing options or integrating the latest native elements into the development architecture.

THE AUTHOR

Dileep Gupta

DIRECTOR & CO-FOUNDER