Mobile App Maintenance Cost: Affordable Solutions

App maintenance is essential to ensure that the functioning of the mobile app is occurring properly. Similarly, when you maintain the app regularly, it ensures that the app continues to operate correctly and manages any security and performance issues that can appear.

You know that the journey of the app doesn’t end after it has been launched on the Play Store or App Store, but it requires continuous maintenance in order to fix all the bugs and glitches that may arise post-launch.

And, this is where the question of “how much does it cost to maintain an app” strikes everyone’s head. Worry not as we are here to help you with the prices of maintaining an app in a simple and easy way. Let’s get started!

Analysis of Current Market Trends in App Maintenance

As per current market trends and statistics, the average cost of developing a mobile app in 2023 can range from $30,000 to $350,000. However, more superficial applications can be bought at lower prices with prices starting over $5,000.

Apart from this, the cost of more complicated applications with additional features can cost you $500,000. You must know that the cost of custom mobile app development is specified by the development platform.

As per Grand View Research, Since 2014, the Global application management services market has been on a surge. Trends such as cloud migration, mobility, social tools, and integrated platforms as a service are expected to have a profound influence on the service delivery models from 2023 to 2027.

There are certain differences in the tools and guidelines but the an iOS application development Service is more costly when compared to an Android application. Similarly, the location of the development team can influence the cost of the development of applications. Businesses and agencies in North America and Europe will charge you greater rates when compared with Asia and other areas of the world.

The cost of maintaining the mobile application can be 15% to 40% of the cost of development for the first year after it has been deployed. An application may require a lot of errors, bugs, updates, new features, etc in the first year. The app maintenance cost is reduced by 15% to 20% of the initial cost.

What is App Maintenance?

Maintaining an app is the continuous process of upgrading, enhancing and adjusting the software application. When you maintain a mobile app regularly, you will be able to ensure that your digital product performs flawlessly.

It will never contain any serious bugs and most importantly, you will be able to respond constantly to the current market trends and demands and work as per the expectations of the users.

When it comes to maintaining an app, you must be tense about thinking about “Is maintaining an app really a necessity?” You must know that it definitely is essential and should never be ignored or overlooked. You just need to consider two essential factors:

» The mobile market is highly competitive. With that in mind, you must provide unique and contemporary solutions so that you will stay caught up with your competitors.

» Technological advancements are changing at a rapid pace. Even if you used cutting-edge technology in order to develop your mobile application, you cannot be 100% sure that it will be updated over time or that newer and more ingenious solutions will replace it.

If you want your app to function properly, then you need to maintain it regularly.

The Risk of Not Maintaining an App

As the technologies are advancing at an unprecedented rate and there are continuous changes in the preferences of the user over time, you must keep maintaining your app as per the requirements of the current demands of the year.

If you do not maintain your app, then there is a high chance that your app will crash and burn with the advancement in time. Let’s understand why app maintenance should be your topmost priority and what are the risks of not maintaining the application.

1. Boosts Uninstalls

Mobile applications that have annoying bugs and crashes always push the users away from your apps. Likewise, if an application doesn’t provide an updated solution, the best security, and progressive functionalities, the experience of users is not good with the apps.

Due to this, your users uninstall the application. An app with flaws, inconveniences, defects, data breach threats, etc drives the users to click the ‘Uninstall’ button.

Maintenance and scalability of apps increase user retention rates by solving problems and improving the performance of the applications.

2. Deteriorates User Experience

Your duty doesn’t end when people download your app, but it ends when your app provides your user with the best user experience. Maintaining long-term relationships ensures the growth of your application and delivers the best user experience.

Nevertheless, if you do not monitor and update your application, it can deteriorate the user experience, reduce engagement, and push your users away from the app offerings. If your users are not happy with your app, then they may give you negative ratings and feedback.

3. Leaves You Behind in the Competition

Numerous applications in the market compete with one another in order to catch the attention of the users. It is obvious that a user will not download and use all of the applications.

If you do not update your app regularly, then your users will never use your application and move to your competitors. This way, you will be left behind in the competition.

4. Risk of Cyber Attacks Gets Increased

There is a constant progression in the technologies that are used to develop top-notch mobile applications in no time. With this, there is also a boost in data breaches and attacks. When you don’t update and maintain your application with the latest security updates and protocols, then you must know that hackers are continuously looking for loopholes and searching for vulnerabilities in order to execute their vicious plans.

With this, they can steal your sensitive information and data by hacking the entire system. As a result, it is crucial to ensure that your application has advanced security in order to safeguard the confidential data of your app users.

5. Reduces ROI Ultimately

If you do not update and maintain your app regularly, it can possibly reduce the ROI ultimately and boost the cost of acquiring new users. Once your application goes live, you will most likely face bugs and glitches over time and the cost of fixing those bugs and glitches will increase gradually if you do not monitor your application regularly.

In addition to this, when you don’t keep a check, you can face a technical issue that will significantly elevate the cost of average maintenance of the app.

Most Acceptable Techniques for Compelling App Maintenance

You must follow the most acceptable techniques in order to ensure the efficient maintenance of the app and provide your deliver your users with the best app experience.

Let’s understand all that you should consider in order to maximise the benefits of maintaining your app.

1. Consider App Maintenance from the Start

You must consider the maintenance of your application from the start when developing an app. You must use a functional platform that is easy to scale and technologically advanced and that will not become outdated once the development is finished.

Additionally, you must invest in performance, security, and other kinds of testing that will assist you with the maintenance and support of your application in the end.

2. Upgrade the Features

The structure and architecture of your application should be strong enough to handle and operate your growing number of users.

In order to cater to the changing needs and demands of your elevating users, you will need to update the features and other functionalities of your application. Otherwise, you can lose your users promptly and the money you invested in the marketing.

3. Stick to Your Development Team

When you work with an application development team, make sure to stick with them. This point is of utmost importance. When you hire new developers continuously, then they will need time to know your project and get acquainted with the technologies and programming languages that have been used to develop an app.

Contrary to this, when your app is maintained by the same team that developed it, the process becomes easy and quick. This team will know what needs to be done once a new feature is introduced and the latest operating system version is out.

4. Use the Right Analytics Tools

Once your application is live, make sure to use the right analytics tools in order to measure how your users will interconnect with your application. It will provide you with the best features that will be most liked by your users.

Adding new features and functionalities in your application as per the feedback of your users, keeps them retained for a longer period of time and helps them to be interested.

As a result, the right analytics tools will help your team to make certain changes and make improvements where they require the most.

5. Fix the Bugs On Time

If you don’t keep track of your app and fix the bugs on time, you will push your users away. Assembled bugs and glitches will cause your application to crash and multiply your expenses.

As a result, you must search for technical issues and bugs and fix them as soon as possible. You must keep track of user feedback and reviews in order to address issues and complaints effectively.

6. Schedule Regular System Maintenance

You must schedule regular system maintenance as it is the best solution if you want to fix the bugs and glitches that are appearing constantly.

Furthermore, you must inform your users about the scheduled maintenance earlier and help them stay prepared for such concerns. As a result, your users will not get frustrated when you provide your customers with the unexpected message “System Down for Maintenance.”

Types of App Maintenance Services

Maintaining an application is an endless process of upgrading and re-evaluating the existing software in order to scale your business and maximise profitability.

As a result, if you want your business to keep up with the competition, you need to hire mobile app support and maintenance services in order to enhance your mobile application.

A reliable app development services company provides you with various types of maintenance services options for mobile applications that include fixing bugs or glitches, adding the latest features, updates, and several others.

Some of the latest app maintenance services are explained below in a detailed and comprehensive way:

1. Emergency Maintenance

Just like its name suggests, this is a type of app maintenance service that is highly required at the time of an emergency. The errors or issues would be unpredictable and impulsive and will compel you to take direct action in order to manage and fix the issue quickly so that you can deliver a seamless user experience.

2. Adaptive Maintenance

This is a type of mobile application support and maintenance service that aims to track the changes in the application constantly in order to keep the product up to date. There are several factors, including software, hardware, and security threats that can change the performance of an app. As a result, those applications that don’t receive frequent adaptive maintenance can become obsolete promptly.

3. Preventive Maintenance

Preventive maintenance services provide standard app updating support in which developers eradicate the practicality of the occurrence of any error.

The focus of this service is to reduce the complexity of the application and enhance the factor of maintenance with the help of code optimization, code restructuring, and upgradation of documentation.

4. Corrective Maintenance

The chief idea of this corrective maintenance approach is to take care of the defects, faults, and repairs in the mobile apps for businesses. This is a type of maintenance service that includes fixing errors that are related to coding, designing, and developing the application logic.

5. Perfect Maintenance

Perfect maintenance hugely emphasizes on meeting the altering needs and the requirements of the users. It contemplates the feedback of the users and takes care of the functional modifications in the source code that will deliver a great user experience.

How Much Does App Maintenance Cost?

Thinking about the exact cost of maintaining the app can be a daunting task as it completely depends on multiple factors that can elevate or lower the final price.

Nevertheless, when we talk about the average app maintenance costs during the first year after it has been launched, the price for the maintenance of the app can be 50% of the beginning cost of the development of your application.

This cost includes the various modifications that you want to introduce in response to the feedback of your users. Later on, the cost of the maintenance of the apps on a yearly basis can be between 15% to 20% of the beginning price.

However, it is sensible to get in touch with a reputed and professional mobile app development company in order to get a rough estimate of the maintenance cost of the application and plan your budget accordingly.

Factors Affecting the Cost of App Maintenance

There are some factors that affect the cost of maintaining the application. These aspects include fixing bugs, introducing unique features and functionalities, focusing on system upgrades, and several others.

Let’s uncover the most acceptable aspects that determine the average cost of maintaining the mobile application.

1. Bug Fixing and Updates

When you update the applications regularly, it can help you fix the bugs quickly and improve the user interface. The cost of the upgrades differs on the basis of numerous components such as the complexity of the application and changes in the functionalities.

For instance, if your application has a bug or glitch that needs to be fixed quickly, then the estimated price can be approximately $50. Similarly, if you want to upgrade a functional factor of the application, it can take some weeks to get fixed, and the cost can go up from $1,000 to $2,000.

2. Provide Maintenance

The prices of app hosting and server are other essential aspects in order to demonstrate the final price to maintain the application. You must evaluate the type of server that you want for your application and then estimate the price for app hosting.

The cost of hosting a server for applications can range from $70 to $320 on a monthly basis. This depends entirely on the numerous components such as the number of functional users, content, and projected growth.

3. Analytics

The bugs, glitches, and crashes in mobile applications should be monitored regularly in order to ensure continuous and smooth app performance.

For this, you will require analytics tools such as Google Analytics that will provide deep insights into the behaviour of the users and the performance of the applications. This will surely help you to make better decisions.

Numerous free and premium tools are available that has different cost in order to provide crucial insights to keep track of the preferences and expectations of your users.

4. Location of Development Team

You must know that the location of your app development team also affects the app maintenance cost. For instance, the cost of seeking help from a development company in the USA varies from those companies in India.
As a result, you would have understood that app development and maintenance services around the globe differ greatly when it comes to quality and cost.

5. Update the User Interface Regularly

There is no more suitable way to ensure the success of your application than to provide a seamless user experience. With altering user habits and market trends, you must keep updating the UI and UX designs of your mobile applications.

You must know that the app should be up to date, only this way your users can be very happy. This way, you must have understood the average cost of maintaining the app.

Final Talk

With this, you would have understood that app maintenance is crucial to ensure the proper functioning of the mobile application. When you maintain the application regularly, it makes sure that your app is operating correctly and managing the security and performance issues in the best way.

We hope that this blog was beneficial for you, but still, if you have any doubts or confusion and require further information regarding this, then make sure to seek help from an experienced app development company that can help you profoundly.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1. How much does it cost to maintain an app in 2023?

Ans. The average cost of maintaining a mobile app in 2023 is around 20% of your starting development cost. In order to maintain your app effectively and make sure it is engaging with your users, you must look at daily and monthly functional users.

Q2. How much is app maintenance per year?

Ans. The cost to maintain the app can be 15% to 40% of the cost of development for the initial stage after it has been launched. Generally, an application may require numerous bugs and glitches, new features, upgrades, and feedback from the users in the beginning years. The cost of maintaining the app is reduced by 15% to 20% of the starting cost.

Q3. Is app maintenance a fixed cost?

Ans. The cost of maintaining an app is unpredictable. This means there is no fixed cost for them. However, if you step back and look at your expenditure, you will be able to understand that within a year, you will need to pay for the maintenance of the apps.

Q4. What is the monthly cost of maintaining an app?

Ans. The monthly cost of maintaining an app as per the type of application is mentioned below:

» Hosting charges: $70 to $320 per month.

» Bug fixing and updates: $1,000 to $2,000 per month.

» Functional services: $4,000 per month.

» API integration: $5,000 per month.