In today’s digital world, mobile apps have become an integral part of our daily lives. We use them for everything from ordering food to booking a cab, from shopping to entertainment, and much more. However, developing an app is not a one-time job. App maintenance is equally important to ensure that the app is running smoothly, updated with the latest features, and bug-free. App maintenance is an ongoing process that involves fixing bugs, updating features, and ensuring the app’s compatibility with the latest OS versions. In this blog, we will discuss how to reduce app maintenance cost while maintaining the quality of the app.
Latest Market Stats of App Maintenance
According to a report by Statista, the global mobile app revenue is expected to reach 935 billion US dollars by 2023. With the increasing demand for mobile apps, the cost of app maintenance is also increasing. As per the CleverTap report, the cost of app maintenance can range from $5,000 to $11,000 per month, depending on the app’s complexity.
Why Mobile App Maintenance is Important?
Mobile app maintenance is important for ensuring the app remains functional, secure, and user-friendly. It helps to address issues before they become major problems and keeps the app up-to-date with the latest technology and user needs. Mobile app maintenance is important for several other reasons, including:
Bug Fixing: Even the most carefully developed app can have bugs or errors, which can cause issues for users. Regular maintenance can help identify and fix these bugs quickly, ensuring that the app runs smoothly and without interruption.
Security Updates: With the rise of cyber attacks, app security has become a top priority. Regular maintenance helps to identify and fix any vulnerabilities in the app’s security, protecting user data and ensuring that the app remains safe and secure.
Performance Optimization: Over time, an app’s performance may degrade due to changes in the operating system, updates to other apps, or other factors. Regular maintenance can help optimize the app’s performance, ensuring that it runs smoothly and quickly.
User engagement: Regular maintenance ensures that the app is up-to-date with the latest features and trends, which helps in increasing user engagement.
User Feedback: App maintenance can also provide an opportunity to incorporate user feedback and make improvements to the app based on user needs and preferences. This can help increase user satisfaction and retention.
Compatibility: As new mobile devices and operating systems are released, it’s important to ensure that the app remains compatible with these changes. Regular maintenance can help identify and address compatibility issues, ensuring that the app remains accessible to all users.
What are the Different Types of Mobile App Maintenance?
There are generally three types of mobile app maintenance:
Corrective Maintenance
This type of maintenance is focused on fixing bugs or errors that occur in the app. Corrective maintenance is typically reactive and is performed in response to issues reported by users or identified by the development team.
Adaptive Maintenance
This type of maintenance is focused on adapting the app to changes in the operating system or other external factors. For example, an app may need to be updated to work with a new version of iOS development or Android. Adaptive maintenance may also be necessary to ensure that the app remains compatible with other apps or third-party services.
Perfective Maintenance
This type of maintenance is focused on improving the app’s performance or adding new features. Perfective maintenance may be performed in response to user feedback or to address issues that were not initially identified during development.
In addition to these three types of maintenance, there are also ongoing maintenance tasks that should be performed regularly, such as updating third-party libraries, monitoring app performance, and testing the app on different devices and operating systems.
It’s important to note that the type of maintenance required for a particular app will depend on a variety of factors, including the app’s complexity, the number of users, and the frequency of updates to the operating system or other external factors. A comprehensive maintenance strategy will take into account these factors and ensure that the app remains functional, secure, and user-friendly over the long term.
How Much does it Actually Cost to Maintain an App?
The cost of maintaining a mobile app can vary widely depending on a variety of factors, as we discussed earlier. However, to give you a rough idea, here are some estimates of app maintenance costs:
- For a small app with basic features, maintenance costs can range from $5,000 to $10,000 per year.
- For a more complex app with more features and integrations, maintenance costs can range from $10,000 to $50,000 per year.
- For a large app with a large user base, maintenance costs can range from $50,000 to $250,000 per year or more.
It’s important to note that these estimates are rough and can vary widely depending on the specific factors involved, such as app complexity, user base, and third-party integrations. Additionally, the cost of maintenance may not be evenly distributed throughout the year and can depend on the frequency of updates and the extent of changes required.
Ultimately, the cost of maintaining an app is an investment in its continued success and user satisfaction. By prioritizing maintenance and regularly updating the app, businesses can help avoid unexpected costs and ensure that their app remains relevant and useful over the long term.
Factors that Determine the App Maintenance Cost
The cost of maintaining a mobile app can vary widely depending on several factors, including:
App Complexity: The more complex the app, the more maintenance it will likely require. An app with many features or integrations with other services will generally require more maintenance than a simple app.
User Base: The number of users using the app can also impact maintenance costs. An app with a large user base may require more maintenance to ensure that it remains stable and responsive.
Operating System Updates: Updates to the operating system can impact app performance and compatibility, which may require maintenance to address. The frequency of updates and the extent of changes made to the operating system can impact maintenance costs.
Third-Party Integrations: Apps that integrate with other services or third-party libraries may require maintenance to ensure that those integrations continue to function properly.
Security: Ensuring the app’s security is up-to-date is essential for protecting user data and maintaining user trust. Security updates and maintenance can be a significant cost.
Development Language: The language in which the app was developed can also impact maintenance costs. Some languages or frameworks require more maintenance than others, and it may be more expensive to find developers with the necessary skills.
Size of the development team: The larger the development team, the higher the app maintenance cost will be.
Type of maintenance required: The type of maintenance required, such as corrective, preventive, or adaptive, will also affect the maintenance cost.
App Store Guidelines: Changes to app store guidelines can also impact maintenance costs. Apps may need to be updated to remain compliant with new guidelines, and failing to do so can result in the app being removed from the app store.
In general, it’s important to consider these factors when estimating the cost of maintaining a mobile app. A comprehensive maintenance plan should take into account these factors and ensure that the app remains functional, secure, and up-to-date with the latest technology and user needs.
Tips to Reduce App Maintenance Cost- Best App Maintenance Practices
Mobile app maintenance is a crucial aspect of ensuring that your app continues to function smoothly and provides an excellent user experience. However, it can also be a significant cost for app developers and businesses. Here are some tips to help reduce app maintenance costs:
Keep it Simple: One of the best ways to reduce maintenance costs is to keep the app simple. Avoid adding unnecessary features or functionalities that may require maintenance in the future. A clean and streamlined app will be easier to maintain over time.
Plan for maintenance from the beginning: It’s essential to plan for maintenance from the beginning of the development process. This will help you identify potential maintenance issues early on and save costs in the long run.
Regular Updates: Regularly updating the app can help reduce maintenance costs in the long run. Small updates that address bugs and other issues as they arise can help avoid larger, more costly issues down the line.
Use Third-Party Libraries: Utilizing third-party libraries can help reduce app development costs and speed up development time. However, it’s important to carefully vet these libraries and ensure that they are reliable and secure to avoid any potential maintenance costs down the line.
Test Thoroughly: Testing the app thoroughly before releasing it to the public can help identify and address any potential issues early on, which can help reduce app maintenance costs in the long run.
Choose the right development team: Choosing the right development team is crucial for reducing maintenance costs. A skilled and experienced team will develop an app that is easy to maintain.
Keep Up with Trends: Staying up-to-date with the latest technology trends can help ensure that the app remains relevant and reduces the likelihood of becoming outdated, which can require significant maintenance costs.
Prioritize Security: Ensuring that the app is secure and protected from potential cyber-attacks is essential for maintaining user trust and avoiding potential legal costs. Regular security updates and maintenance can help avoid costly security breaches.
Follow best practices: Following app development best practices, such as writing clean code, will make the app easier to maintain.
Use automation tools: Using automation tools, such as testing and monitoring tools, can help reduce maintenance costs by identifying issues early on.
In summary, reducing app maintenance costs requires careful planning, regular updates, and prioritizing security. By following these tips, app developers and businesses can help ensure that their app remains functional, secure, and cost-effective over the long term.
Conclusion
Mobile app maintenance is an important aspect of ensuring the app’s longevity, security, and performance. However, it can also be costly, especially for complex apps. By following the tips and best practices mentioned above, app owners can reduce app maintenance costs while maintaining the quality and functionality of the app.
Why Choose QSS for your App Maintenance?
QSS Technosoft is a trusted provider of software development and maintenance services, with over 11 years of experience in the industry. We have a team of skilled and experienced developers who can help you maintain your app at an affordable cost. Our team follows the latest app development best practices and uses automation tools to reduce app maintenance costs while ensuring the app’s quality and performance.
How QSS can help you Reduce App Maintenance Costs?
Choosing QSS for your app maintenance can help you reduce your maintenance costs while ensuring the quality and functionality of the app. Some of the reasons why you should choose us to include:
- Skilled team: Our team of skilled developers can identify potential maintenance issues early on, reducing maintenance costs in the long run.
- Latest tools and technologies: We use the latest tools and technologies to automate the maintenance process, reducing the time and cost required for maintenance.
- Security updates: Our team regularly updates the app’s security features to prevent any vulnerabilities and keep the user’s data safe.
- Regular updates: We provide regular updates with new features and improvements to keep the app up-to-date and engaging for the users.
Want to know more about how to reduce app maintenance cost? Connect to our top mobile app experts for a free consultation!
