Mobile applications allow you to increase customer loyalty, improve the image of your business and establish direct contact with each customer. iOS and Android are the two dominant mobile operating systems in the technology market. And if you are unsure which one to choose for your application development, our article is just for you.

In this material, we have collected interesting and useful information about how much it costs to develop a mobile app from scratch, compare the difference between iPhone and Android devices and give the selection of platforms to choose for mobile PoS.

Mobile App Development in 2022: Costs and Timeframes

An application for a mobile device is created for a target audience, so the business owner and the development team must decide on a strategy in advance. You can choose to write the native code so that the app will work on a specific Android or iOS platform or a cross-platform option that will work on two platforms. Each approach has its advantages and disadvantages.

The development price differs between simple and advanced projects. It’s important to consider and include the functionality you will need to implement and provide to users.

• Simple mobile applications - starting from $5,000
• Medium complexity applications - $10,000- $50,000
• Complex applications - $50,000+

In addition to writing the code, the program's creation includes numerous additional stages necessary to release the application. The cost of developing a mobile application depends on the complexity of implementing each step.

1. Technical task
Before starting the development, it is necessary to consider all the details and include them in advance in the final plan. It is important to correctly design the technical task to obtain the necessary results for each development stage. The task describes in detail how the future application should work, fixes the technologies used, load the security requirements, and also prescribes the services that should be integrated into the finished product. The cost of developing a technical task for a mobile application is 10% of the project's initial cost.

2. Prototyping
Mock-up of your future application is created during the prototyping stage. At this stage, the developers check how easy it is to use the program and how the functional elements work. This stage can be performed by a designer, project manager, or UX specialist. The price for prototyping the program depends on the number of screens, starting at $500.

3. Design
Medium to high complexity applications often have many screens. There is a great variety of elements for many screen resolutions, so the process can be time-consuming and quite expensive. The price for the design of a mobile application of medium complexity is $1,000.

4. Programming of mobile applications
During the development of the program, the main focus is on the creation of the technical part. Depending on the application's functionality, mobile application programmers and back-end developers are connected directly at this stage. To develop simple applications, the work of one programmer who knows a cross-platform programming language is enough. The small program can cost from $3,000.

5. Testing
Mobile application testing is a critical stage that shouldn’t be missed because it eliminates all possible errors and bugs that can lead to the loss of users.

6. Apple Store and Play Market
The finished product is placed on the Play Market or Apple Store platforms. Sometimes it is difficult to pass moderation due to the presence of inconsistencies in-store policies. Problems may arise with the provided content or data necessary for the operation of the application: geolocation, phone data, and other confidential information. Mind also, that to place an app to the AppSore, you need to purchase a developer licence from Apple. Usually, the cost of placing mobile applications on the Android and IOS platforms is included in the total cost of the project.

7. Further maintenance of the project
It is convenient to buy hours of maintenance service in advance so that the team is ready within a month to immediately start work on correcting the problems found after the release of the project.
Otherwise, you will have to wait for free gaps in the schedule of programmers and therefore lose time, money,and potential customers.

Each application for a medium or large business is a unique project evaluated directly at the planning and prototyping stage. If you don’t know exactly what influences and affects the price, the Rabbitpeepers team can help you with the app cost estimation and its development.

Android VS iOS Pros and Cons

What is the difference between IOS and Android? Let's see it in detail.

iOS is an operating system developed by Apple, specifically and exclusively for Apple smartphones.
IOS pros and cons
+ Convenient, intuitive control and menu;
+ Comfortable and thoughtful synchronization with Apple devices, both in manual and automatic mode;
+ Support for device updates with improvements to gadgets;
+ Own Apple Store with a huge number of all kinds of programs with free options;
+ Apple Pay option, which provides its contactless payment system for paying for goods in stores;
+ Reliability and security of the operating system - only Apple specialists make improvements to it, preventing a regular user from making changes to the program on their own. Such a policy makes it possible to make this system reliable and invulnerable and maintain stability in operation and overall quality at a very high level.

- The closeness of the operating system - If the users are not satisfied with Apple management, they can’t change this;
- Contactless payment is not available on older Apple phones, including the Apple iPhone 5S, as it requires the phone to have an NFC chip that starts from the iPhone SE models;
- There may be difficulties or failures in transferring data from an IOS device to any other existing smartphone or laptop operating system;
- The memory of Apple devices is built-in, there is no slot for a memory card, and the price of the device itself directly depends on the amount of built-in memory. Due to the lack of a memory card, users are limited in their ability to transfer information.
- IOS devices have their own cables for charging and data transfer, while the original accessories have a rather high price;
- The cost of Apple phones is always overpriced.

Android is a popular operating system that runs the vast majority of mobile phones in the world owned by Google.
Android pros and cons

+ A huge selection of Android phones for any budget, any appearance, and size;
+ There are no restrictions on built-in memory. A large selection allows you to purchase any options, including devices with a slot for a memory card;
+ Convenient menu that may vary in different devices, depending on the version of Android, however, it has the same structure and precise control;
+ Release of new Android updates that add improvements or changes to the operation of devices;
+ Convenient synchronization of data with electronic devices;
+ Own application store Play Market with a huge number of all kinds of programs with a great variety of free applications;
+ Android is an open operating system, any user can modify the device control and make changes to the software part.
+ Huge selection of Android programs written by users that can simply be downloaded from the Play Market or other reliable resources;
+ Android devices have universal cables for charging (micro USB) and data transfer.

- System update. Many models require support for operating systems of various levels. Because smartphones are released frequently, previous versions cease to be supported after 2-3 years.
- The system slows down. Compared to iOS on Android, there are bugs and freezes, especially after 1-2 years of use.
- Vulnerability. It is important to understand the source of data download to avoid subsequent incorrect operation of the device or a virus.

Custom Mobile Application Development Services

Mobile application development services can also be divided depending on the platform for which the application will be created. The main services include:

• Development of applications for iOS
• Development of applications for Android
• Cross-platform and hybrid app development
• Development of VR, AR, and MR applications

Many studios offer complete project development and management. In this case, the package of mobile application development services may include:

• Analysis of the assigned task and search for possible existing IT solutions
• Mobile consulting
• Legacy platform updating
• Technical task for developers
• Project development (including analysis of the competitive environment)
• Development of the design solution (UX / UI / IA design)
• Development of mobile functionality
• Testing, debugging and auditing
• Implementation of the program (as well as maintenance and support)
• Connecting analytics, adding the application to the online application markets.

Android Development Environment: The Best IDEs for Android Developers

The Integrated Development Environments (IDEs) are tools for Android app development that allow you to use your code. It packages the code as an APK file that you can easily install on other Android devices. One of the most popular Android IDEs includes the SDK, emulator, and other Android image files. Generally, Android IDEs support Java, Kotlin, and other major programming languages. These software systems often use a drag-and-drop interface that is easier to navigate without programming experience.

We selected some of the most popular IDEs for Android development:

• Android Studio
• Eclipse
• Visual Studio (with Xamarin)
• IntelliJ IDEA
• NetBeans
• Komodo
• Cordova
• PhoneGap
• Appcelerator Titanium
• App Inventor
• AIDE

Let’s look at some of them closer.

Android Studio is the official integrated development environment (IDE) for Android application development based on JetBrains IntelliJ IDEA software. Android Studio uses a Gradle-based build system, emulators, code templates, and Github integration to support app development on the Android operating system.

The emulator android studio Integrated will allow you to easily test all kinds of native applications as if you have a mobile device. In addition, it supports the ability to choose between different versions of Android for testing in different environments, as well as on different popular mobile devices in the market, such as Google Pixel, Samsung Galaxy, etc.

IntelliJ IDEA is an integrated development environment written in Java for developing computer software written in Java, Kotlin, Groovy, and other JAR-based languages. Among its advantages we can name the following:

• Faster debugging of values
• Autocomplete methods
• Refactoring (automatic selection of values)
• More convenient interface
• Great for Java programming

Eclipse — is a free integrated development environment by Eclipse Foundation. The program is the basis for the modules to connect. For example, you can connect Java Development Tools (for creating applications in Java), C/C++ Development Tools (for developing programs in C or C++), etc.

Benefits of iOS vs Android App Development

Both operating systems are becoming more and more similar. Android constantly increases the functionality and possibilities of individual customization. Let’s think on the iOS features that benefits it in comparison to the Google's mobile platform.

Let's consider the features of Android and iOS and try to answer the question what makes iOS stand out against Android App Development?

1. Convenience and style of the interface. The developers from Apple have created a simple and easy-to-learn interface. As for the design, there are various graphic effects, animations, and other useful features.
2. Programming languages. Objective-C or Swift. Objective-C is a compiled object-oriented programming language, while Swift is more functional and simpler. It contains dynamic libraries that are loaded directly into memory, reducing the initial application size and improving performance.
3. No compatibility issues. iOS is a highly specialized operating system that only runs on portable Apple devices. This allows developers to carefully work out the functionality, removing various problems and bugs. This fact simplifies the number of hours spent on the compatibility of the application with the OS since there is less testing compared to Android.
4. High performance. iOS is a more stable and easier to use platform. It's a closed ecosystem, with complete control over both the software and hardware, resulting in more strict regulations. The platform is responsive and flexible in terms of agility, applications are easy to create.
5. Device integration. There are only 20 different types of iOS mobile devices, unlike Android, which has a thousand device kinds with many system types and more rules. Because device fragmentation is significantly less, screen size and resolution are less important, while the development process is usually simpler and faster.
6. Intuitive UI/UX. When evaluating the benefits of iOS app development, you can’t ignore the iOS users. Apple has developed a detailed app UI design guide to help developers provide an exceptional user experience. It provides a reliable combination of software and hardware, followed by maintenance throughout the entire application lifecycle. As a result, almost every device in the Apple store works flawlessly.

When choosing the pros and cons of developing for Android and iOS, you need first to evaluate factors such as a business idea, budget, time to market, and others.

What is the Difference Between iPhone and Android Devices?

With each new release, the two most popular mobile platforms resemble each other more and more. Nevertheless, both the iOS and Android operating systems have many ardent supporters. It is worth figuring out why one OS is better than another. Let's consider the features of Android and iOS and compare them in the following table.

Which Platform to choose for Mobile PoS

With the mobile POS system, you can make the checkout process more convenient and efficient. Upgrading to a mobile Point of Sale system offers various benefits, for example, it significantly reduces the time of ordering.

All mobile POS systems require a mobile device and app to operate. The best mobile POS systems also integrate with existing POS software. The rising average transaction cost per user highlights the importance of moving to a mobile POS system, especially for small business owners. A simplified checkout process that includes accepting contactless payments with a credit card or accepting payments from customers using Apple Pay can improve profitability.

Let’s compare the top mobile POS platforms you should consider.

Square

Square, one of the market leaders in POS (Point of Sale) systems for modern business, has released a targeted solution for companies requiring appointments and bookings. Square introduced a new self-service ordering feature for Square Online sellers who sell food and drinks.

Square POS hardware covers all aspects of accepting and processing payments. If you need a fully integrated point of sale and payment terminal, then Register is perfect as it has a dedicated customer display. Alternatively, you can purchase a Square POS stand, and you can simply turn your iPad into a Square POS. Square also offers various accessories to enhance its services' usefulness, from cash drawers and barcode readers to printers and scales. The Square POS system provides interesting features, such as the company card on file, which allows users to store customer card information safely and securely. This can be useful for loyal customers who are tired of swiping cards. Card on File also works with Square Invoices using the Square API.

Square's prices may be higher than other credit card processing companies, but there are no overheads, and all retail and mobile customers get Square Reader for free. The company does not charge users a monthly fee, making this service ideal for businesses that only need to process credit cards from time to time.

Toast

The platform's core offerings are products for point of sale, restaurant operations, digital ordering and delivery, marketing, customer loyalty, and team management. Android-based software includes Toast POS, Toast Order & Pay (guests can order and pay directly from their mobile devices), and hardware – the company provides restaurant equipment from scratch to order. It includes:

• Toast Flex - the equipment can be used for ordering and paying at the checkout, self-service station, and others
• Toast Go (POS device) and Toast Tap (card reader) - software that integrates the kitchen and the cash register pushing the notification when orders are ready
• xtraCHEF - restaurant account management software

Toast also offers an online application for taking orders through its own website for customers, and provides a partner delivery network. The company offers a suite of customer restaurant loyalty and revenue-enhancing products (branded gift cards) and uses marketing analytics to engage with restaurant customers.

Shopify

Shopify is the most popular e-commerce platform on the market and is used in more than 175 countries worldwide. Founded in 2004, it helps merchants worldwide host and build websites, upload products, collect payments and earn money online.

One of the main reasons why Shopify is so popular is that it takes complex e-commerce operations and simplifies them with an easy user interface. You can connect your online store with all your other tools with the Shopify App Store. For example, you can associate Shopify with constant contact if you need email marketing software. If you are a growing company and need a 3PL or fulfillment service, you can connect with ShipBob. The list of features and possibilities is endless.

All Shopify plans offer great value and come with a wide range of features. You also get a 14-day free trial, which lets you try everything before you make a final decision. Their three plans include Basic Shopify, Shopify, and Advanced Shopify, starting at $29/month and starting at $299/month, billed monthly.

Conclusion

Android platform is suitable for

• free mobile applications that earn on ads. Such applications cover a large number of users and make a profit from advertising and its paid disabling.

Choose iOS development

• for paid and free apps with in-app purchases. Thus, you can maximize profit immediately after the application launch;
• for eCommerce apps that perform well on iOS, as platform users are ready to make more purchases from their smartphones.

It is difficult to say which platform costs less or more. Often, the price is affected not by the chosen platform but by the scale of the application, the required functionality, the need for cloud migration, and the development cost.

Choosing a platform is just as important as selecting a team of specialists to develop an application. If you are interested in building an app for iOS or Android, contact the RabbitPeepers team. Check our portfolio, and if necessary, we are always ready to help you choose a platform for your project.