Posted by Mobile technology has taken over our daily lives so much that in a minute over 4,50,000 apps are downloaded across the globe, however, users do not think twice before uninstalling these apps if they show any performance issues. As a result, businesses do not want to compromise on timely updates, user-friendliness and maintenance of their apps, however, despite knowing the advantages of mobile apps businesses often neglect maintaining their app. There are various reasons why businesses neglect the maintenance of their app, and one of them is more clarity about the cost of maintaining an app. In this detailed guide, we will explore the importance of maintaining an app and the various costs associated with maintaining an app.
Why is it important to Maintain an app?
The advancement in technology spotlights the importance of app development as well as app maintenance. There are numerous reasons for businesses to invest in the long-term maintenance of their apps and understand the various costs associated with it. Here, we will share the importance of this process and the repercussions of avoiding it in the long run.
Staying updated with the trends
With the ever-evolving technologies in the digital world, apps must reflect that they are in tune with technological advancements. iOS and Android versions are updated almost every year, so businesses need to keep up with those changes. Providing a good user experience has many advantages, including:
- Strong long-term relationships with users
- Positive user reviews and feedback
- Increased user loyalty and trust
Focus on navigation and loading time, to hook your customers and improve user retention on the app. Further, integrate your apps with new technologies, redesign the interface, and introduce new features to keep up with the pace.
Reduced Downtime due to bugs
Information technology is subject to frequent downtimes which can not be avoided, even extremely well-tested apps can face unexpected issues. These downtimes could lead to substantial revenue loss, big brands like Amazon Web Services, Bank Of America Online Banking and Blackberry have suffered severe losses due to such downtimes. Regularly maintained apps ensure the identification of such downtimes before they become a major problem. A scheduled maintenance plan can ensure prompt and efficient solutions in such situations.
Secure and stable
Security concerns evolve at the same pace as technology does. Businesses and app owners can lose big if they do not keep an eye on security concerns over the long run. Even the best security protocols can last for a limited period due to hackers and cyber attackers continuously looking for loopholes to exploit. The absence of proper maintenance can leave your apps vulnerable to them and expose sensitive user data to malicious use. However, regular maintenance can ensure that your app remains secure against potential breaches and vulnerabilities. It also includes complying with the privacy policies of the platform (Google or Apple) and local regulations like GDPR or CCPA.
Types of Mobile App Maintenance
Various situations occurring from different types of apps developed for different platforms (Android or iOS) require different types of app maintenance services :
Adaptive Maintenance
This type of app maintenance ensures that the app is in sync with the changing versions of operating systems as well as hardware and software upgrades. This maintenance timely upgrades the stability and functionality of the app. Developers need to make sure that the apps work seamlessly with the changing environment.
Preventive Maintenance
An app can face errors due to its complex structure at any time on its working, it is imperative to fix those issues. This maintenance strategy focuses on preventing potential errors by reducing the app’s complexity to increase its sustainability. This is an active monitoring process that includes code restructuring, code optimization, and documentation updating to enhance the efficiency of the app and prevent future issues.
Corrective Maintenance
The errors or faults concerned with daily app functions can be addressed by corrective maintenance. This may include design and coding defects being fixed within the app development timeline after they have been reported, making it different from preventive maintenance.
Emergency Maintenance
This type of maintenance is mandatory due to unforeseen issues that may occur unexpectedly and require urgent attention. Such issues come from nowhere and quickly interrupt the app’s performance, emphasizing the need for swift action to ensure a seamless user experience.
Perfective Maintenance
As the name suggests, this type of maintenance helps perfect the app for evolving user needs and mobile features. Feedback received by the users is an important part of the process of perfective maintenance as it involves responding to user’s feedback and making changes to keep them satisfied and ensuring enhanced user experience.
Factors Affecting the Maintenance Costs of the App
When it comes to maintaining an app, these factors play a major role in determining the cost of maintaining the app:
Complexity of the app
A small, basic app will need less time and effort in maintenance as compared to an app with extensive and advanced features. This is because the small, basic app has fewer features and less code while the latter has more features and code. As such, the larger and more complex the app is, the more expensive it will be to maintain it.
Approach for Updates
Apps that undergo frequent updates require more resources than an app that requires infrequent updates. As each update requires mobile app testing and deployment which can be time-consuming as well as expensive. Not only this, each update has the potential to introduce more bugs, which makes it more complicated and hence expensive.
Operating systems and Platforms
Not only the iOS app development cost is high but the app maintenance cost is also high as compared to Android apps. This is because iOS and Android operating systems have different architectures. Developers also have to comply with the coding standards and UI guidelines, which further increase the price of app maintenance.
User Base
An app with a large user base has to cater to a large amount of user feedback and must be designed according to their diverse requirements. Developers need to understand the issues faced by the users be it from the bugs, or obsolete app UI. They also need to add new features to the app to keep pace with the trends in the market.
How Much Does It Cost to Maintain an App in 2024
The cost of maintaining an app in 2024, according to industrial norms is about 15-20% of the overall app development cost. However, the costs of maintaining an app depend on various factors. Following are the few categories of costs associated with mobile app maintenance:
- Hosting fees – The server cost and hosting fee is an essential expenses head in your app maintenance cost. This fee can vary from $70 to $320 per month based on the complexity of your app. If you have a simple, basic app without database requirements(including text-based, static, audio or video data), getting a basic shared hosting plan will be easy. However, apps with complex features like user login or eCommerce components will cost more for dedicated or VPS hosting.
- Updates and Bug Fixing – Many issues related to user experience can be resolved with regular updates and bug fixing. If you have a bug in your app, it may cost you around $50 to fix it. However, if you take a couple of weeks to fix it, the expense on developers will also rise. This price and time will depend on the size of the app and the nature of changes in the functionality.
- Support – Once your app is in the market, you will have to provide customer support. The cost of customer support varies depending on your customer base as well as the customer service reps you need and the hours they work. Customer support reps charge between $15 to $19 per hour, hence again, the total cost depends on the project’s scope.
- Playstore Fee – Listing your app on the Apple AppStore or Google PlayStore requires a fixed price. For a developer account, you have to pay an annual listing fee of $99 for Apple AppStore or a one-time fee of $25 for Google. In addition, both stores take a 30% cut of all in-app purchases through their platforms, however, there are some exceptions.
Conclusion
Mobile apps are the future of marketing and an essential part of sustainable success for businesses. As an app owner, you will always want your app to be the most successful in the market, and for this, you have to work on investing in the long-term maintenance of your app. Mobile app maintenance plays a crucial role in establishing a strong relationship with customers ensuring trust and loyalty.
Whether you need app development services for maintenance or developing a new app, MMF Infotech is your trusted partner. Our skilled team helps you gain that competitive edge by ensuring your app delivers a top-grade user experience with the latest technologies. Contact us today to discuss your app goals and how we can launch or strengthen your digital presence in 2024.
