How Much Does It Cost to Build a Messaging App? [2023 Cost Breakdown]

If you are looking for an exact number, you’ve got to the wrong place.

Chat app development costs can range between as low as $20,000 and as high as $500,000 or even more.

This article overviews some key factors that influence the development cost. By the end, you’ll understand how to calculate the cost to build a messaging app and how to cut the cost by up to four times.

KEY FACTORS THAT INFLUENCE THE COST TO BUILD A MESSAGING APP

In fact, there are a few influential factors to keep in mind.

DESIGN COMPLEXITY

The design complexity is one of factors that influence the final cost to build a messaging app. The more custom elements you add, screens you need to design, unique your logo and branding elements, the more you’ll have to pay.

TECHNICAL COMPLEXITY

The more features you want to develop, the more complex you need the back-end of your app to be, the higher price you’ll need to pay.

SUPPORTED PLATFORMS

Are you going to develop an app for iOS or Android? Do you need to create a desktop version? Are you going to develop a hybrid or a native app? To mitigate the risks, companies often start with an app for one platform – iOS or Android. After the first version proves successful, they start thinking about expanding to other platforms and devices.

DEVELOPMENT VENDOR’S LOCATION

Are you going to hire an app development company from the USA, or are you considering a European vendor? If you choose the first option, it may increase the price by up to five times. Developers in other locations, such as Europe, may charge a few times less. It doesn’t mean that they are bad. You just need to match your future project with the required skill set. Below you can see how the average hourly rate of development vendors ranges depending on their region.

USA and Canada – $150-$250

Eastern Europe – $50-$150

Western Europe & UK – $100-$250

India – $20-$80

Australia – $80-$200

BASIC FEATURES OF MESSAGING APPS

REGISTRATION

Development time: 35 – 40 hours

Cost: $1,750 – $2,000

CONTACTS INTEGRATION

Development time: 40 hours

Cost: $2,000

USER PROFILE

Development time: 20 hours

Cost: $1,000

MESSAGING

Development time: 150 – 400+ hours

Cost: $7,500 – $12,500+

VOICE AND VIDEO CALLS

Development time: 150 – 450 hours

Cost: $7,500 – $22,500

MEDIA FILES SHARING

Development time: 100 – 120 hours

Cost: $5,000 – $6,000

PUSH NOTIFICATIONS

Development time: 50 – 70 hours

Cost: $2,500 – $3,500

The messaging app development cost will range between $30,000 to $70,000 for a single platform. The final chat app development cost will vary depending on the outsourcing location, the number of platforms you’re targeting, the design and its complexity, the number and complexity of features, and even your timeline. Learn more about How Much Does It Cost to Build a Messaging App

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