As another year passes, some are still wondering about their budget for software development projects. It is clear to everyone that software plays a vital role in any business. If it is any consolation, Gartner technology research and consulting company, predicts that total worldwide spending on software development will increase by 11.5% in 2022. Whether a startup or enterprise, there seems no way to reduce the final expenses. That is why many organisations turn to software development outsourcing companies. As TNation has plenty of experience, we will break down software development costs and see which segments influence software product pricing.
Which Segments Influence the Cost of Software Development?
If you ever had an opportunity to ask how much it costs to develop software? You probably got the same answer from any software development outsourcing company – It depends! Unfortunately, there is no unified pricing in the software engineering industry and no better reply. Instead, different project scopes, roles, and time define the cost of the software product.
The complexity of Software Product
Software complexity influences the cost of the final product. A multi-featured software product with complicated logic can cost more to develop. Additionally, invest some time to make specifications about the software, its features and functionalities before the development phase. Outsourcing companies cannot offer a specific price for software development if there are unknowns in the software product.
Different Roles on the Team
The complexity of the software plays a vital role in the choice of team roles as well. Simple software that does not have custom features are relatively easy to develop and cost less. That means the team is made of a few members. However, the bigger the solution, the team member roles list expands. For example, the project has a deadline and needs a project manager to guide them through the process. Other team members add up to the price for the completed solution. On the other hand, hiring in-house developers means higher costs for the business. That is why companies decide to hire outsourcing companies instead.
Additional Requirements
There is a well-known fact that during the pandemics in 2020, many businesses hurriedly released software to communicate with their isolated consumers. The time-to-market was more critical than the software quality. During that time, the users had plenty of time to get acquainted with high-quality software and the bad ones. According to market research of the regional World Quality Report for 2021-2022, 57% of business owners invest in QA testing and rectifying past mistakes.
QA testing is an additional requirement in this case. The latest trends show that the most successful software is the one that helps the user and has excellent performance. The main goal is to provide a software product to engage the consumer, including UX and UI design. The user interface that sends a clear message is equally important in a user-centred market. If the software has any troubles or upgrades in the future, it will need maintenance. These roles are additional costs, but they ensure the quality of the software and its success on the market.
How Long Does it Take to Develop a Software?
The complexity of the solution dictates the time it takes to develop a software product. For example, mobile applications with many back-end work and complex features can take between four to six months or more to complete. On the other hand, basic mobile apps take up to six months.
For comparison, websites are outsourcing projects that take less time to complete than applications. However, their completion time varies based on their complexity and design, just like other software. So, a standard website takes about a month or more to complete, while large complex sites can take up to three months to finish the first version.
Software development has its processes and phases. Each phase has a different activity, purpose, and each of them requires time depending on the type of software.
- Planning is when software developers gather requirements and plan the upcoming project.
- Design is a stage during which developers will outline the details for the entire application, alongside its specific aspects.
- Development is the most prolonged phase since software developers code the program and create it from the ground up.
- The program is deployed and installed in its specified environment during the implementation phase.
- At the software testing phase, QA and security engineers test the software for bugs, faults, flaws, and integration misconfigurations.
- The project team deploys the software package to the end-user at the production step of the Software Development Life Cycle.
Key Takeaways about Software Development Cost and Time
According to experts in the global tech industry, it seems the trends for 2022 are shifting toward quality software and a lot more testing. More accurately, 39% of companies claim the poor quality of their software stands in the way of business progress.
At first glance, the list of things to consider when developing software may appear to be quite extensive. However, organisations can easily calculate the project preliminary estimates and set a budget to cover research and development costs. The forecast allows you to evaluate the cost of various stages and makes it easier to decide on the software’s final structure and elements. The key to winning is collaborating with a software development company that understands your organisation’s demands and can deliver an accurate quote.
Are you looking for a new software development partner? TNation is an Eastern European company offering outsourcing and nearshoring services with experienced teams.
