The number of smartphone users has only increased thanks to the phones being affordable with time as well as the availability of internet that gives people the opportunity to use their phone for almost everything – more than just making calls. And this has motivated businesses to undergo digital transformation and make their services available to their customers through mobile apps.
If you observe the app development industry, you will see how development companies try to be in sync with the latest technologies, trends and standards at every step to create apps that help bring success to businesses across different industries. In terms of frameworks used to develop an app, the most popular one being used today is React Native. 42% of the developers across the globe prefer using React Native.
What is React Native?
React Native is an open-source JavaScript framework developed by Meta Platforms, Inc. It is used to develop applications across different platforms, including Android, iOS, Windows, web, etc., allowing developers to combine the power of React framework with native platforms. The framework allows 90% code usability between Android and iOS platforms and has native-like capabilities, making it one of the most used frameworks for app development. Since React Native allows using the same codebase for Android and iOS to create mobile apps, it is also the best choice for a framework to create cross-platform apps. Therefore, apps created using React Native are fast, robust, and cost-effective.
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React Native works like React and uses the same component-based approach. Therefore, a developer who is used to working with React will find it easy to work with React Native framework as well. React Native has large community support. So, React Native developers can easily get help when they face issues while developing an app using the framework.
Advantages of React Native
Why exactly is React Native one of the most preferred choices of app development frameworks? Let us have a look.
- Gives native-like feel
React Native gives the native-like experience to the app users, completely removing their doubts over the performance of the application. Also, the framework provides easy accessibility to third-party APIs and plugins, making it easy for developers to achieve the native-like experience and functionalities in the apps.
- Code reusability and ready-made components
Like we mentioned earlier, React Native allows 90% code reusability for Android and iOS platforms, making it easy to create cross-platform apps using the same codebase. Also, the framework has many libraries and pre-built solutions that developers can easily use while building an app. This helps increase the development speed and efficiency, which means faster time to market and lesser maintenance.
- Less manpower
React native app development does not require many resources compared to other native app development. So, you might need only a few team members for the work. This is one reason even small businesses use React Native framework to develop apps.
- Live reloading
React Native comes provides live reloading features that allow developers to work on the changes in the source code in real-time. The changes can be made as the app is loading and once done, an automatic reload will show the changes in the app. You can also reload a specific area of change to save time. This helps reduce the app development time.
- Saves cost
The reusable code of React Native helps reduce the app development cost by at least 40%. You do not have to hire development teams individually for Android and iOS. Also, the different pre-built components of React Native help lower the overall development costs.
- Focus on UI
React Native has a React Javascript library that helps developers build fast and responsive user interfaces. The good rendering abilities and the component-based approach make it easy to create both simple and complex UI designs.
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React Native App Development Scene in India
Compared to other parts of the world, the cost of React Native app development is economical while not compromising on the quality. However, there is no fixed cost for Reactive Native app development due to the different factors that affect the costs- the purpose of the app, developer costs, etc.
Let us have a deeper look into the different factors that affect React Native app development costs in India.
Complexity and functionality
We can calculate the time and cost taken for developing an app until its completion by determining the complexity and functionality of an app, which means this is one of the biggest deciding factors of the cost. A complex app with the latest features tend to take more time to complete than an app with simple features. The apps can be categorized into those of simple, medium and high complexity based on the following points:
- Development of Admin panel
- Architecture model of deployment
- Third-party integration
- In-app purchases
- Integration with legacy system
- Usage of in-built features and functionality
App features
The cost of app development increases with the increase in features. This is because the development time increases if there are more number of features. This is why feature-rich apps cost more than standalone apps like clocks and calculators.
Customization
Developers can use React Native to build robust and scalable apps. But if you need it customized as per your business requirements, especially if you need add-ons, it might cost extra. Integrating an app with social media or a third-party app can all affect the cost of app development.
Hardware
Use of hardware can add to the complexity as well as cost of an app. For example, when you develop IoT apps with React Native, it costs more than developing native apps.
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UI/UX Design
The front-end of an application plays a huge role in deciding the fate of the business and therefore, there is always demand for an efficient app that serves many users at a time. The visually appealing elements and the speed and efficiency are all important factors that are necessary to attract users and at the same time, affect the cost of development as well.
Maintenance
App development does not end with deployment. It is also necessary to maintain the app and keep it updated with the latest features to keep it interesting for users. The timely changes in design, bug and error fixing and app updates all come under maintenance. This has an effect on the app development costs. The cost of yearly app maintenance amounts to at least 20% of the app development cost.
Developers
The expertise of developers also affects the cost of React Native app development cost in India. For developing simple apps, hiring a React Native app developer of middle or junior level would be enough. But if it is a highly complex or feature-rich app you need, you will have to hire a senior developer with lots of experience. The salary of the developer also affects the cost of app development. If you want to reduce the costs, you can hire a junior or middle-level developer instead and have to maybe compromise the quality of your app,
Deployment platform
The platforms you choose to deploy your app also have an effect on the development costs. Deploying your app on any platform costs an amount and each of these platforms have a fixed cost. You need to pay $100 in Google Play Store and App Store as developer license costs. You will also have to take permission from the host to ensure that your app complies with the policies and standards.
User login
An app with user authorization or login costs more than the one that does not require a login. This is because including the functionality in the app increases the development time which will have an effect on the development costs. Also, the extra steps needed to ensure that the feature works well and is safe cost extra.
Size of development team and location
A software development team usually consists of the following members – front-end developer, back-end developer, project manager, QA analyst, and tester. Each of these members charges an hourly rate for their efforts which can vary with where they are located. When you hire a React Native app development company to develop your app, the labour costs will be more compared to that of hiring a freelancer. But the advantage is that each of these members takes care of a specific part of the app, which means there will be fewer errors and the apps will be of good quality.
Cost of React Native App Development in India
If you are looking for app development within a budget, React Native is the most cost-effective framework that you can use. In India, the cost of hiring a React Native developer costs around $15 to $25 per hour. However, like it was mentioned above, there are many factors that affect the development costs and therefore, there are no fixed charges. All you can do is look for the average cost and see if it fits your budget.
If you see the costs based on team size, hiring a freelance developer costs between $800 and $8000 in India, while for a small team of developers, it costs between $10,000 and $100,000. However, if you intend to hire a React Native app development company, it costs between $15,000 and $150,000.
Now, if you look at the costs based on the project complexity, a simple app development project takes around 2 to 3 months and costs $5000 to over $20,000. Developing moderate app takes about 4 to 6 months and costs between $20,000 and over $50,000. Complex app projects take over 8 months of time and cost between $90,000 and over 120,000.
If you need a proper breakdown of these costs, it is as follows: the requirement gathering and planning step costs between $500 and $1000. The design and development step would cost between $1000 and $20000. App testing costs between $800 and $5000. The maintenance and marketing costs between $1000 and $20,000.
Before React Native was launched in 2015, businesses had to pay a lot to develop different apps for different platforms. Meta Platforms then launched the React Native – the cross-platform framework to reduce the development costs. This framework allows developers to build different apps using the same code base. It improves the development speed while reducing the costs.
Developers can efficiently create native-like apps using React Native. The other factors that motivate developers to choose the framework are live reloading, code reusability and easy implementation of updates.
If you want to build a high-quality React Native app, hiring a professional app development company would be the best option. They would ensure to do everything that helps reduce the costs. A good development team will be with you through the development process and will further provide app maintenance and even community support.
If you are in search of an experienced company that can help you to develop a high-quality React Native app at a reasonable rate, we, at Redbytes Software can help you. Redbytes Software provides app development services that involve building applications across different domains and platforms for clients across different industries.
With an experience in the app development industry that spans over 13 years and over 350 projects to our credit, we have accumulated our knowledge and skills, while keeping up with the latest trends and industry standards to create quality applications that meet all requirements of our clients. We are ready to give you the best experience of our services and if you are ready to collaborate, you can get in touch with us.