“Learn once, write everywhere”.
This is the paradigm, React Native works on. It refers to enabling developers with not learning particulars of every native platform, and just writing the apps the same way they used to. Businesses will also get facilitated with the reduced React Native app development cost. That’s why React Native has emerged as the preferred choice by professionals.
With time, there have been outstanding technological advancements, unleashing endless business opportunities at a global level. Consequently, entrepreneurs are keenly opting to create robust, secure, and advanced React Native apps.
Before jumping to any conclusion, it will be virtuous to overlook the average cost of React Native app development and other factors that might affect it highly.
In the below guide, we will discover the estimated costs indulged with React Native mobile app development, including cost breakdown, strategies to reduce the overall costs, and others.
Let’s delve into the details:
Overview of React Native App Development
Released in 2015, React Native is preferred by a large base of developers worldwide due to its flexibility, native-like performance, compatibility features, and lower cost compared to native apps. Facebook has launched this open-source mobile app development framework, integrated with a wide array of custom widgets and tools to develop cross-platform apps.
Due to its code reusability feature, mobile app developers have the chance to reduce the complete cost by 40% and development time by 80%. Moreover, businesses can easily go for worthwhile and faster cross-platform app development without thinking over Android vs. iOS.
React Native allows developers to build high-performance and scalable apps for both Android and iOS with a shared codebase, delivering users a native-like experience. Companies like Instagram, Facebook, Walmart, Airbnb, etc. leverage React Native to maintain the apps across different platforms.
According to Statista, there are recorded that around 790 apps using React Native framework generated revenue approx. US$ 10,000 to 100,000 in October 2024. On the other hand, 727 apps using the Flutter framework gained less revenue.
Key Factors Influencing React Native App Development Cost
While estimating the average React Native app development cost, you must consider several factors that influence the costs directly. The complete list of these factors is as follows:
1. App Complexity
The complete cost will vary depending on the app type you choose. Whether you go for simple apps, moderately complex apps, or highly complex apps, the cost of developing such apps is enhanced drastically due to the different requirements such as testing tools, development time, need for specific expertise, and others.
- Simple App: $10,000 to $25,000 (Few screens and basic features)
- Moderately Complex Apps: $30,000 to $60,000 (Interactive features and third-party integrations)
- Highly Complex Apps: $70,000 and more (Advanced features such as AR/VR, AI, real-time updates, etc.)
2. Added Features & Functions
Added features and functions have a direct impact on the total time and cost to develop a React native app. If you have decided to build an app with basic features and static pages only, you can go with the lower budget. On the other hand, you must extend your budget for a highly advanced app with the latest features and functionalities.
Therefore, you must focus on creating a simple app with the required features only according to your target audience base, while bearing a lower development cost.
3. App Design UI/UX
An app’s success highly depends on the provided design and delivered user experience (UX). Developing a React Native app with striking designs and an aesthetically pleasing interface ensures great user engagement, satisfaction, and retention, leading to long-term business growth.
Here, custom app designs require more time, competent resources, tools, and more, leading to heavier costs. However, if you go for a standard design, it won’t cost you that much.
4. Backend Development
Simple applications might not require a backend or make the use of AWS or Firebase essential, due to not increasing the overall cost. Whereas, complex apps significantly require a robust and secure backend with APIs, databases, and cloud services, leading to higher development costs.
Here, whether businesses hire Flutter app developers or React Native app developers, they will help them create a sturdy backend architecture using a shared codebase, reducing the average cost.
5. Third-party Integrations
The integration of third-party services such as social media logins, payment gateways, and Google Maps. Push notifications and reporting & analytical tools will surely affect your estimated React Native app development cost. Moreover, if you go for custom API development or other modifications, ready to elevate the development expenses.
Also Read: iOS App Development Cost: A Complete Guide
6. Development Team Location & Expertise
When you decide to hire React Native app development agency or dedicated professionals, considering their location and expertise is essential to maintain the development costs. You can go for freelancers, outsourcing firms, experts on per per-hour basis, and more, while comparing the costs based on their experience and skills.
Additionally, developers from different regions will charge differently. It would be more appropriate to go for experts in Asian countries (India, Vietnam, etc.)
7. App Maintenance & Updates
Post-launch support and maintenance services might increase your expected React native mobile app development costs as they include regular updates supporting new OS versions, bug fixes to keep the app working flawlessly, feature enhancement, and performance improvisation. These all will require additional investments while helping businesses stay competitive.
8. Testing & Quality Assurance
Conducting both manual and automated testing is required to ensure the app is working fine and has no errors to prevent any issues in the future. It will need automated testing tools to test the app quickly while guaranteeing the app’s compatibility across different devices and operating systems.
It will consume a lot of time and budget; hence, you can get help from a top-notch React Native app development service provider to make the process easier and cost-efficient.
The table below will help you understand the React Native app development cost breakdown in a better way. Check it out here:
| Factor | Description | Estimated Cost |
| App Complexity | Basic to advanced features such as AI/ML, AR/VR, and advanced security features. | $10,000 – $100,000+ |
| App Design (UI/UX) | Custom UI/UX, user-friendly interfaces, and animations influence cost. | $2,000 – $20,000 |
| Added Features & Functions | Features like push notifications, chat, payment gateways, geo-location, etc. | $5,000 – $50,000+ |
| Backend Development | APIs, cloud hosting, databases, and server architecture. | $5,000 – $40,000 |
| Third-Party Integrations | Social logins, Payment systems, analytics tools, etc. | $1,000 – $15,000 |
| Development Team Location & Expertise | React Native developers in the US/Europe charge more than those in Asia. | $15 – $150/hour |
| App Maintenance & Updates | Bug fixes, regular updates, and performance enhancements. | $5,000 – $20,000/year |
| Testing & Quality Assurance | Manual and automated testing, device compatibility testing. | $3,000 – $15,000 |
Breaking Down the Entire Cost of React Native App Development
Businesses must get a detailed analysis of the React Native app development cost breakdown to make an informed decision based on evaluated factors. Let’s understand these specific factors in depth:
1. Based on Different Regions
In the table below, we have described the different costs of React Native app development based on multiple regions. It will help you to hire skilled developers according to your determined budget. Have a look:
| Region | Average Cost Range (USD) | Average Cost Per Hour | Description |
| North America | $100,000 – $150,000 | $120 – $150 | Highly exclusive apps with advanced features, leveraging rich expertise |
| Western Europe | $80,000 – $120,000 | $80 – 130 | Modest rates compared to North America |
| Eastern Europe | $50,000 – $80,000 | $50 – $70 | Hire skilled developers at reasonable rates |
| South America | $40,000 – $70,000 | $30 – $60 | Inexpensive costs with adequate development experience & expertise |
| Asia | $30,000 – $50,000 | $20 – $50 | The best & affordable choice with cost-efficiency and endowed developers |
2. Based on App Type
Want to know the cost to develop a React native app? Let’s get details about the ultimate costs depending on the different app types and categories, including MVP, eCommerce app, and others. Check out below:
| Type of App | Cost Range (USD) | Description |
| MVP (Minimum Viable Product) | $10,000 – $25,000 | MVP with core features to test and get user feedback |
| Social Media App | $45,000 – $80,000 | Apps with chat features, notifications, real-time updates, and flexible backend support |
| E-commerce App | $25,000 – $60,000 | Advanced features such as product catalogs, payment gateways, filters & search bar, etc. |
3. Based on the App Size
Businesses can develop a React Native app as per their requirements, ranging from a simple app with core features to large & complex apps with advanced features. They must consider that different apps come with different costs. Here are they:
| App Size | Description | Estimated Cost | Development Time |
| Small (Basic App) | – Simple UI with core features (e.g., static pages, forms).- No backend or slight third-party integrations. | $10,000 – $25,000 | 3 – 4 months |
| Medium (Standard App) | – API integrations, custom UI, real-time data updates.- Features like push notifications, user authentication, and payment gateway. | $25,000 – $50,000 | 4 – 6 months |
| Large (Feature-Rich App) | – Advanced functionalities such as geo-location, real-time chat, and social media integrations.- Data storage, custom backend development, and cloud hosting. | $50,000 – $100,000+ | 6 – 12 months |
| Enterprise-scale Apps | – Higher security, added API integrations, and scalability with usage.- Highly complex apps with AR/VR, AI/ML, etc. | $100,000 – $250,000+ | 12+ months |
Why Should You Go for React Native for Cost-effective Development?
How much does it cost to develop a React Native app? This is the question asked by every business seeking to create apps for both Android and iOS. Here, we are going to tell you why choosing the React Native framework will be the most suitable for carrying out inexpensive and faster cross-platform development.
Read the following points:
Code Reusability
React Native is way better than any other framework due to the code reusability feature, leading to less development time. It comprises various pre-made templates, JSX, libraries, and more. Programmers can leverage their single codebase to build apps for multiple platforms, they don’t even need to write separate codebases for any of them. It makes the process a lot easier and affordable.
Hot Reload for Quick Changes
It is one of the best features of React Native, making it highly preferred by developers worldwide. It allows codes to view code changes instantly without restarting the application. As a result, it tests and removes errors rapidly, saving development time.
Moreover, it also implements UI changes without breaking the app flow, making it the right choice for app development.
Read More: How Much Does It Cost To Develop A Mobile App
Easy Update Feature
React Native greatly supports OTA (Over-the-Air) updates, enabling developers to push the updates to users directly without any approval from the App Store. With alleviated app downtime and smooth user experience, it fixes bugs and adds new features without re-launching the app.
Smooth Integration with Existing Code
As a business, if you are already running a native Android or iOS app, you can easily migrate it to a React native app. This framework is capable of integrating with the existing code smoothly so that you don’t have to re-develop the entire app from scratch. Moreover, you can add new features without hindering its current functionalities.
Easy Availability of Resources
React Native framework has support from a large and active community of developers worldwide. It also has a wide range of pre-built components and open-source libraries, beneficial in faster and low-priced app development. Choosing React Native will enable you to hire resources at an affordable rate, due to the easy availability of a wide talent pool.
If you are still confused between React Native and Native App Development, the table below will help you to understand better:
| Aspects | React Native | Native Development |
| Estimated Cost | $20,000 – $150,000 | $40,000 – $300,000+ |
| Development Time | Faster due to shared codebase for both platforms | Comparatively less, as separate codes are required for both iOS and Android |
| App Maintenance | Low maintenance for both platforms | Higher maintenance costs as changes needed to be done separately |
| User Experience | Native-like app performance | Flawless performance with platform-specific UX |
In Essence,
React Native has been preferred by mobile app developers for years as the best, cost-effective framework to develop solutions for both iOS and Android. With its code reusability, cross-platform capabilities, quick implementation of changes, reduced maintenance costs, and more, React Native is unleashing endless opportunities for ventures to bloom.
Choosing the right React Native app development company like Octal IT Solution will also help them experience a flawless, transparent, and low-cost development process. We boast a vetted and knowledgeable team of professionals to carry out optimized methods and approaches to deliver a feature-rich and scalable application at a reasonable cost.
Contact us to build faster with React Native!
FAQs:
React Native provides native-like performance, cross-platform compatibility, and hot reloading features, allowing developers to write a single codebase to develop apps for Android and iOS. This framework also takes the help of JSX markup and JavaScript for faster mobile app development.
There are multiple strategies we apply to optimize the cost of React Native app development. They include prioritizing MVP development, reusing the code for both iOS and Android, using pre-built components and templates, and more.
Businesses require considering hidden React Native app development costs which are App Store fees ($24 one-time for Google Play, and $99/year for App Store), compliances, and server & cloud hosting costs, and post-launch updates & bug fixing.
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