Hire an agency or program iOS, native and progressive web apps yourself?

Program app yourself

Turning an idea into a successful mobile app is no walk in the park. So, if you have an idea for an app in mind, it pays to understand the different ways of app development. Making money with app programming works when you understand the basics of native app development as well as Progressive Web App (PWA) development.

Program app yourself - is that possible?

Program iOS, native app or progressive web app yourself

iOS and Android are the old familiar operating systems that apps run on. PWAs are a newer, emerging way to implement applications. So if you want to program apps yourself, you have to meet the technical requirements for the Android, IOS and PWA mobile application development understand and decide which option you will devote yourself.

The question "How long does it take to develop an app?" is independent of the operating system. It is rather a question of the complexity of the planned app and the skill level of the programmer. Regarding the hourly rate - programmers have their value - it should be said that you are of course fine with App Development DIY, because you create apps for free.

In the following, the three different development types (Android, iOS, PWA) are discussed with regard to the factors of Features, Tools and Costs under the microscope more closely. To see what you save if you use the project Program app yourself we bind the reference point to the App programmer salary (in the form of hourly rate programmer in €) with.

Progressive web apps and native apps

Comparison self-programming costs vs. app programmer salary

Android	iOS	PWA
Open source operating system, i.e. customization to your needs possible	iOS is a variant of Mac OS X, based on Unix	Stands for Progressive Web App
Programming possible from Microsoft, Windows, Mac OS X or Linux computers	iOS app creation via Visual Studio and Xamarin via Windows possible. Mac on LAN required for Xcode to operate.	Building block 1: JSON file that describes the basic data of the app, so that behavior like native app is possible. Building block 2: Service worker.
Large developer community and sufficient documentation	Installation of iOS on third-party hardware not allowed and only possible with jailbreak	Built on languages like HTML5, CSS3, JavaScript, etc.
Compatible with vers. Screens and resolutions	SDK released by Apple, so further development by developers possible	Execution via web browser
SQLite for storing data	True app multitasking	Operation is very close to that of a native application
Genuine app multitasking	Only versions after iOS 7 support the use of the Java platform and Adobe Flash	The heart of the PWA is a client-side JavaScript process that runs outside the application but is connected to the app
Includes device emulator, memory tuning tools and software performance analysis	iOS HTML5 as an alternative to Flash for versions up to iOS 7	The service worker acts as a proxy: when the application requests resources, the requests go through the service worker
Supports HTML, HTML5, Adobe Flash Player, etc.	Testing in iPhone emulator	Resources can be cached to manage offline access. Service Worker runs even when the app is not launched, allowing you to send notifications to your users' terminals

Progressive web apps and native apps

Cost of equipment and licenses

Android	iOS	PWA
One-time Android developer license of about 20 € for publishing on the Play Store.	iOS developer license: 99 € per year	no license necessary, therefore free of charge
Android smartphone - standard device approx. 200 €	iPhone - standard device approx. 400 €	Smartphones - Android and iPhone approx. 600 €
Powerful computer - standard model approx. 500 €	Mac PC or MacBook - approx. 900 €	Powerful computer - standard model approx. 500 €
Total cost: approx. 720 €	Total cost: approx. 1400 €	Total cost: ca. 1100 €

Expected additional costs

You can expect these costs

How to program apps for free? You can't! Not only the repair costs money, but also the maintenance. So if you want to program an app yourself, you have to consider not only the development costs but also the recurring costs. The recurring costs concern iOS, Android and progressive web app and are listed here:

1. Corrective maintenance

Possible irregularities that may occur during use - especially with older OS versions - are eliminated.

2. Advanced maintenance

To ensure that the app is always compatible with the latest version of the operating system of the various terminals, updates to your app are required. This mainly concerns native apps. PWAs are more "timeless" in this respect.

Subscription updates for third-party solutions must also be made if you have integrated them (push, payment, mapping, etc.).

3. server or hosting

Apps must be hosted on servers. The Costs depend heavily on capacity and traffic.

A PWA behaves like a conventional website and can therefore be hosted anywhere as long as it runs over HTTPS. A PWA is composed of service workers that operate in the background. To prevent tampering with service workers, it needs HTTPS.

Even if you get app programmer salary and thus the Programmer hourly rate you should think carefully about whether you should program apps yourself. The time factor plays an essential role here. The challenge "How do you program apps without the help of third parties?" should therefore be carefully considered. Gladly you can contact appleute App Agency for a free initial consultation to your app project at your disposal. Programming is fun!