Hire an App Developer: Cost per Hour and Region Rates Comparison

With the advent of mobile devices, every business has moved online, and even more so — with the rise of smartphones and tablets. Nowadays, even local businesses such as corner shops have apps with loyalty programs and discount bonuses.

With that being said, having an app developer to turn your business idea into reality is an essential part of the quest.

In fact, how much does it cost to hire an app developer?

This blog post has been created especially for those who want to determine the average cost and the average hourly rate for app developer and make the right decision on where to hire. Let’s get started!

Factors Affecting the App Developers’ Cost

Now, if you want to know what factors affect the app developer rates per hour, things can get a little complicated because several of them tend to affect the price in different proportions. The most important factors are:

1. Qualifications / Skills

The more skills a developer has, the higher their hourly rate. Some skills go hand-in-hand (like UI design and UX design), but a full stack developer, who can work on all parts of the project, will be more expensive per hour.

2. Experience

Hourly rate for a mobile app developer with a higher level of experience is more than for developers who have just graduated from respective courses. Moreover, experienced mobile app developers are more likely to perform higher-quality work than less-experienced counterparts.

3. Location

Factors that affect hourly rates include the standard of living, cost of living, and the availability of labor in a given country. For example, software developers in the US can be up to seven times more expensive than those in Central Europe.

4. Technology

The cost per hour of a programmer also depends on the particular technology stack you are interested in. Generally, programmers who specialize in rare technologies (such as a particular programming language or framework) tend to command higher prices than their peers.

You shouldn’t also forget that the estimated app development cost also depends on the app features you want to include. the more features – the higher the app development will cost.

5. Complexity

The cost of your project depends on more than just the app developer hourly rate. Some developers prefer working with patterns they know well and stay within their comfort zone, while others love a challenge, it can also affect prices.

6. Industrial Vertical Expertise

Developers with expertise in a specific industrial vertical will be able to charge more than those without such expertise. For example, if you need an app for your accounting firm, you should hire an app developer with experience in that field who has worked on similar projects before. This is because they have developed a certain approach to solving problems and may have developed tools they repeatedly use while working on similar projects. The same is fair for gamification apps for education.

Cost of Hiring an Android App Developer vs. an iOS App Developer vs. a Cross-Platform App Developer

As Statcounter states, there are four times more Android apps than iOS – mostly due to their flexibility, ease of publishing, and learning resources. However, iOS platforms are well-known for their performance, smooth and flawless UI/UX, and ability to access the Apple ecosystem. To engage both audiences, you should consider developing a cross-platform application.

Contrary to popular belief, the average cost to hire an app developer to create an iOS app is lower than developing an Android one, as the iOS applications are created in less time. As a result of the overall simplicity of the coding, the hire app developer cost per hour decreases. Just have a look (the hourly rates are mentioned):

Cost of Hiring an Android App Developer

	Junior	Middle	Senior
UK	$15	$35	$45
US	$20	$32	$40
Estonia	$10	$25	$30
India	$8	$19	$40
Croatia	$10	$15	$30
Portugal	$19	$25	$40
Sweden	$20	$35	$52
Germany	$28	$42	$60

Cost of Hiring an an iOS App Developer

	Junior	Middle	Senior
UK	$20	$30	$40
US	$20	$30	$45
Estonia	$18	$25	$35+
India	$8	$20	$40
Croatia	$16	$25	$35+
Portugal	$16	$20	$25
Sweden	$20	$30	$40+
Germany	$20	$25	$35+

Cost of Hiring a Cross-Platform App Developer

	Junior	Middle	Senior
UK	$18	$25	$30
US	$20	$33	$40
Estonia	$10	$15	$25
India	$7	$15	$20
Croatia	$12	$16	$20
Portugal	$20	$30	$48
Sweden	$13	$25+	$42
Germany	$20	$30	$35

For example, the cost will depend on the location, market density, and available tech stack in case you’re mulling over how much does it cost to pay an app developer. But in general, the hourly rate for a developer who can create an iOS app in the US ranges from $20 to $60 per hour, $20 for a junior developer, and $60 for seniors and even mid-level. Multiplying this number by the number of hours will give you the final cost.

Now let’s compare the cost of hiring a developer for the Android platform. Android encoders charge $54.89 per hour on average (in the US).

Now, if iOS and Android developers’ hourly rate is around $48, what is the cost of building a cross-platform one? Flutter app developer hours in the US can range from $20 to $40, but this is the most attractive option for those who want to reach their target audience on Android and iOS.

However, remember that Android app development takes longer, so the final amount will be higher. At the same time, building a cross-platform app costs about the same as building an iOS-only app, and that’s a big benefit and savings. Therefore, you reach not only more users but also save your money.

Cost of Different Hiring Options, Their Pros, and Cons

When finding developers for startups, you are presented with three options: doing it by yourself, hiring with staff augmentation companies, or using a recruiting agency. So let’s find out the cost of hiring an app developer.

1. Hiring a Freelancer By Yourself

Freelancers may seem like a perfect option when you think about the price. Among other options, they are more budget-friendly, with freelancer rates per hour varying from $15 (coders from China or India) to $50 (in the US). With this wide range, anyone can find someone in the middle to meet their budget.

Yes, you can hire a freelancer. However, it’s not only the hourly rate you need to worry about but also an overall cost to hire a mobile app developer – and by that, we mean recruitment and hiring hassles, which are inevitable when you do it yourself. As stated in a study by the National Association of Colleges and Employers, hiring an employee in a company with 0-500 people costs an average of $7,645. So when you hire an app developer, cost depends not only on the rate. Imagine how much more money you can lose if a developer writes the wrong code or ruins all the work done before him. This is where the main risks of hiring a freelancer lie.

It’s also worth noting that Upwork-alike sites charge fees for using their platforms to find and hire freelancers. These fees vary depending on the platform and the type of project, but they typically range from 5-20% of the project’s total cost. It’s important to keep in mind that these fees are paid by the freelancer, which means that employers may end up paying additional fees on top of the freelancer’s hourly rate.

2. Hiring with a Recruiting Agency

A professional recruiting agency will work to match your business needs with the right candidates. They can provide development teams worldwide and can do it in a fraction of the time it would take you to search for them on your own.

A significant disadvantage of recruiting agencies is the lack of deep technical expertise among managers and recruiters working in such agencies, so they are forced to rely on resumes, as well as what candidates say about their experience.

On top of that, keep in mind that besides paying the developer itself, you would also need to pay a fee from the developer’s first salary, which can increase your costs up to 50%.

3. Hiring with a Staff Augmentation Company

Staff augmentation companies help their clients save money by performing background checks on new employees and sending only those suitable for the job. Moreover, such companies may have previous experience with your industry and know what skills your team needs to succeed. For example, you can get a seasoned developer without the hassles and bustles of a hiring process, and after the project, the developer can be dismissed without any problems.

At ProCoders, we offer staff augmentation services to those who want to save time and resources and use our extensive software development expertise. We have access to a large pool of top Central European developers ready to make your business dream come true. If you mull over how much do app developers charge per hour and would like thorough research about the cost of hiring app developers in Central Europe, you can schedule a call, and we’ll reach you in no time!

How Much Does an App developer make Per hour Depending on the Region

We have already mentioned that how much does an app developer make per hour can vary greatly depending on the location. Here we would like to explore prices and software development rates in several regions in more detail.

1. North America

According to Salary.com, developers in the USA are the most expensive worldwide, with the cost per hour ranging from $35 to $80. The median in this case (the developer salary that 50% of the specialists have) is $58, which isn’t expensive on its own. However, when you add annual bonuses and benefits to it, the median goes up to $100. Not to mention that if you want to hire a senior developer with 3+ years of experience, the average hourly rate for an app developer can skyrocket to $120. If you want to hire an app architect, the cost would be even higher.  

The cost per hour in Canada isn’t substantially different from the USA – the median is $37. The most experienced developers make $60 per hour. This is largely due to the close intertwining of the economies of neighboring countries.

PayScale says the average cost in Mexico is $25 – $50. However, due to the proximity to the United States, wages in Mexico are on a steady upward trend, and they are forecast to grow by 23% over the next five years, so the hourly rate is expected to rise.

2. South America

The cost in South America is fairly homogenous and differentiates ever so slightly (the only difference being Panama). The cost in Brazil hovers between $25 and $50, in Colombia – between $10 and $18, and in Argentina, it is in the $51 – $59 range.

3. Western Europe

Key countries in this Region include Germany, the UK, and France. Another region where developers are more expensive, albeit less, compared to the US.

As a rule, developers in Western Europe are in great demand, and therefore their rates on the labor market are slightly more expensive than their counterparts from Central and Eastern Europe. This happens because the demand in the labor market greatly exceeds the supply.

The average cost to hire a mobile developer in Germany is $45. Along with Switzerland (the hourly rate ranges from $40 to $60), Germany is the most expensive country to hire remote developers.

The developer rates in the UK are around $27 – $57, and in the Netherlands – $26. 

To summarise, it will probably be less expensive to hire a developer in North America than a coder from Western Europe, but more importantly, it will take much time from both sides to find a seasoned developer who’s not already working on any projects.

4. Central and Eastern Europe

What is the cost of hiring a programmer from Central or Eastern Europe? The cost of hiring from countries like Poland, the Czech Republic, or even Hungary will not be significantly lower than in Western countries since they are located closely and share the labor market.

The median in the Czech Republic is $20, in Poland, it is $35, and in Hungary and Serbia – $50. However, the cost in Eastern Europe is drastically different number. The density of coders is higher, meaning there are more available developers on the market, creating a competitive space with lower app development rates per hour compared to the US or the EU. In Estonia, for example, the median is $25.

More importantly, the price from Eastern Europe does not affect the quality. There are some reasons for it: 

• The Central and Eastern European countries have always been known as a region with great technical education. Czech Technical University and Slovak Technical University are among the best universities in Europe. 
• When it comes to work, Europeans tend to have a no-nonsense attitude. Younger populations in CEE countries are open to new ideas, enabling them to develop apps faster and more efficiently than their counterparts elsewhere.
• The high competition increases the quality of the work. Many developers are competing for clients, creating a need for innovation and high-quality standards.

For example, coders from Estonia are as capable of creating complex, intricate digital products as their colleagues from the US, so your project will be delivered in less time and with outstanding quality.

5. Asia

Asia is by far the cheapest Region to outsource app development to. In India, the average cost per hour is $15. The hourly rate in Vietnam is $5.

However, with that comes one drawback: if you want to hire an app developer cost for this low, you’ll probably end up with a flawed product because tasks for that price are stamped out on the assembly line. The cost should be around $25-$30, which puts countries like India much closer to the European range.

Countries like China used to be cheaper, but now the hourly rate there is $23, in Singapore, it is $35, and in South Korea – $23.

You also have to remember about hidden costs.

On top of the typical salary, you will need to cover:

• hiring costs (for professional HRs and recruiters to help you find a rockstar);
• insurance costs;
• bonuses;
• equipment (so your project is developed faster);
• software costs (so you have a higher quality of development);
• onboarding costs (every developer needs time to get to know the project, the processes, and the team);
• external vendor costs (additional fees for their services).

At the same time keep in mind that if you hire incompetent employees, your costs may increase even more, as you would need to invest more in Q&A and fixes.

5 Tips for Hiring an App Developer at Reasonable Cost app Development Process

Knowing how much app developers charge per hour is important not only to small companies with limited budgets but to medium-sized enterprises who want to make the most out of their investments. In this case, knowing solely the rates per hour may not be enough, that’s why we prepared for you this list of tips on how to hire most effectively:

Tip 1. Carefully analyze the market to determine the mobile app development hourly rate

When setting up a mobile app development process, you should analyze and consider the average mobile app development cost per hour on the market to be sure that it meets your expectations. You can do it on such websites as Glassdoor, Indeed, Salary.com, Talent.com, etc. When it’s time for an interview and your candidate names their desired salary, you can compare their mobile app development hourly rate to others in your field and determine whether or not it’s reasonable.

However, you should keep in mind that you will likely pay more if you work hourly with a developer. For example, you may find out that 40 hours per week would cost you more hourly than the fixed price. The reason is that usually, the hourly rate is applied when a developer isn’t needed for a long time or only to solve a couple of developing problems that your internal team isn’t able to solve.

Tip 2. Invisible, hidden costs when you work with freelancer sites

If you decide to use freelancer sites like Upwork, be aware that they charge a fee for initial consultations and any other paperwork. This can add up quickly if you’re working with multiple sites, so make sure you know how much each consultation will cost before you start work.

Tip 3. Consider offshoring to lower the cost of hiring a mobile app developer

Offshoring is a great option for those who want to save money but don’t want to sacrifice product quality because the cost varies greatly from country to country.

Offshoring gives you access to a wider range of options and allows you to hire the most appropriate employees for your project. For example, you can hire a coder with a very small skill set that suits your project exactly and thus save money.

Tip 4. Use staff augmentation services

Staff augmentation companies can be a good option if you need a developer for a project. This way you can:

• avoid hidden costs like sick leave, vacations and providing equipment for your developer;
• easily ask a staff augmentation company for another more experienced developer if you feel that a particular developer isn’t a good fit;
• not to worry about someone leaving unexpectedly: a dedicated team will work on it until it’s complete.

From the experience of the ProCoders’ clients, hiring workers through this mechanism is affordable and greatly enhances their projects. Want to experience the same? Contact us!

Tip 5. Be sure to ask questions and be careful whom you hire

It’s important to choose the right developer for your company and your budget. It’s crucial not only to look at their CV but also to test their skills and knowledge through test tasks. For example, ask them to write a piece of code to solve a small problem in an app. You can also ask them to do the same while live coding during a technical interview. This method works well because it allows both parties to see if they want to work together or not. 

At ProCoders, we know that it is important for developers not only to have technical skills, but soft skills as well. Being able to collaborate with other team members and clients, having basic management skills and being able to ask for help when you need it are all important skills for developers to have.

These tips hopefully helped determine how much should it cost to hire an app developer. But how can we directly help you launch your app?

Get a High-Quality App and Spend Less Hiring an App Developer with ProCoders

At ProCoders, we know everything about outstaffing first-hand and can not only share our extensive experience with you, but also provide you with the services of our professional developers.

Everything you need to do is to contact us and tell us what you need to be done for your project! After that, we can provide you with two options: 

1. If you need to expand your team with one or two specialists, then we can provide you with a Staff Augmentation service.
2. If you need a completely new development team, we would be happy to make a discovery service for your project and then gather a dedicated team for you.

ProCoders assemble a team of seasoned Central European developers for every client in no time, with an average cost lower than in the US or Western Europe. Although a mobile app developer hourly rate in Central European countries may be higher than in India or Vietnam, the quality of our developers is unmatched across the globe.

Usually, in the beginning, ProCoders offer our services based on your needs. This allows us to customize our solutions for you. However, If we don’t have a service that meets your requirements or you don’t like the options offered, we can find specialists for your particular project.

For example, one of our partners, Roth River, came to us with only the idea, and we have done everything else:

• provided the Discovery phase; 
• gathered a dedicated team;
• delivered the project steps planned. 

To summarize, Procoders can help you develop your project from start to finish. With experience in various industries, Procoders can assist you in developing a one-of-a-kind product that will find a market niche. If you’re thinking about outsourcing app development, contact us!

Conclusion

A mobile app is a must-have for any business in 2023, so if you’re thinking about developing one, the question of how much it costs to hire an app developer has probably crossed your mind.

It’s crucially important to know how much it costs to hire an app developer in order to have everything in balance: quality and costs. You should remember that price varies depending on:

• The type of hiring:
  • in-house;
  • by contract basis (for example, when working with freelancers);
  • outstaffing/outsourcing.
• Skill set;
• Developers’ location;
• Experience. 

There can also be hidden costs, which are inevitable if you hire an employee for your in-house team. 

ProCoders hope we gave you a general idea of how much an app developer will cost. Of course, everything depends, but we gave you as much precise information as it’s possible depending on our experience. 

Feel that you’re a businessman and not an accountant? Well, come to ProCoders with your idea, and we’ll calculate the budget for your app development project for you! Contact us today.