How Much Does it Cost to Build an Educational App?

Krunal Shah

Apr 26, 2023

9 min readLast Updated Nov 10, 2023

A report projects that the eLearning market will be valued at $325 billion by the end of 2025. Indeed, as the Edtech industry becomes the most appealing investment area, there is a growing demand for educational mobile app development.

With their digital learning options, certain well-known brands in the EdTech space, including Google Classroom, Khan Academy, edX, and Duolingo, have shown their potential.

How much does it cost to make an educational app? This is one of the most common questions that we get. Understanding market pricing is crucial if you're thinking about creating an educational app. The cost of developing an educational app can differ significantly depending on a number of variables, including the app's complexity, functionality, platform, and the location and experience of the development team.

In this article, we'll look at the elements that influence the price of developing educational apps and give you a detailed breakdown of how to estimate the price of your educational app. So let's get going!

7 Factors that Affect the Cost of Building an Educational App

Understanding these top factors is crucial before beginning any app development project.

1. Technologies You Choose

The technologies you choose to utilize have an overbearing effect on the cost of education app development cost. Software and hardware are the two primary types of technology used in app development.

a) Software technologies

Programming languages, databases, and frameworks are all examples of software technology. The performance, scalability, and security of the program can all be affected by the software technology chosen. For instance, utilizing well-known programming languages like Python or Swift can save money because there is a huge developer community and an abundance of tools for these languages online.

b) Hardware technologies

The tools and equipment needed to develop and test the app are referred to as hardware technology. It's crucial to test the app on several platforms in order to enhance its functionality and compatibility.

However, spending a lot of money on hardware equipment can raise the price of development. When choosing the technologies for your app development project, take into account the needs of the app, the app's target audience, and the project budget.

2. Platform You Build For

Choosing the platform is essential when developing an educational app. Since the functionality, performance, and development cost of the app can all be strongly impacted by the platform you choose it is important to do market and audience research before selecting the platform.

a) iOS and Android

Due to the different development environments and coding languages needed for each platform, creating educational apps for Android or iOS can be expensive.

b) Cross-platform

As you can create an app for various platforms using a single codebase, creating a cross-platform app can, nevertheless, be a more affordable option. Cross-platform apps, however, might not offer the same degree of user experience as native apps.

3. Development partner

Choosing a development partner, such as in-house or outsourcing, is important since it is a crucial part of the solution. A team consist of various members, which leads to the cost of your project. Here are some important development partner.

a) Project Manager

Any app development project's success depends heavily on project management. It entails organizing and supervising the development process to make sure the project is completed on schedule and on budget. Strong communication abilities, technological know-how, and expertise in app development are essential for a project manager.

b) Developers

Any initiative to develop an app depends on its developers. They are in charge of creating the app's functionality and coding the code. Ensure that your app developers are proficient in their skills and have extensive app development experience.

c) Quality Control Team

The app will be examined by a quality assurance team to ensure it satisfies the required requirements for quality. They run numerous tests to find flaws, fix them, and see that the program runs smoothly. The size and complexity of the project determine the cost of a quality assurance crew.

d) Back-end Developers

Building the server side of the program, including the database, API, and server infrastructure, is referred to as back-end development. The complexity and quantity of features required by the app will determine how much the back-end development will cost.

e) UI/UX Developers

Building the user interface and creating the user experience are both parts of front-end development. The design of the app, the number of displays, and the features it needs will all affect how much front-end development will cost.

Looking for the right software development company to partner with?

With over more than 10 years of experience in software development, we, at Third Rock Techkno, offer a broad range of software development services and solutions. Our expert professionals not only ensure timely project completion and product launch within budget, but also help your product find the right market positioning and help you grow to meet your business goals.

Get in touch with us for free consultation!

4. Design and Interface You Finalize

Design and interface are crucial to the project, as it will determine the user experience. The overall cost varies depending on the design and time to create MVP.

a) MVP Development

In order to evaluate the app's viability and gain user input, one can build an MVP (Minimum Viable Product) version of the app with the necessary functionalities. Building an educational app using the MVP (bare-bones) development strategy is a cost-effective strategy. This strategy can reduce expenses during the early stages of development and enable future development based on user feedback.

b) App Design

Designing the app's visual components, such as its icons, colors, and fonts, is known as app design. The complexity of the design, the number of displays, and the overall functionality of the app all affect how much it costs to create an app.

c) User Interface

User experience plays a key role in whether or not an educational app is successful. It entails creating an interface for the app that offers a seamless, understandable, and interesting user experience. The number of screens, the complexity of the app, and the intended audience all affect how much user experience design costs.


See More:  What is Edutainment? Definition, Benefits, and Examples

5. Types of educational apps

You can identify the features and functionalities required for your app and calculate the associated costs by having a basic understanding of the many types of educational applications.

a) Kids Learning App

Game-based learning kids' apps are designed to make the learning process enjoyable and engaging for children. These apps teach a variety of disciplines, including math, science, and language, using interactive games, quizzes, and videos. The level of complexity of the app, the number of activities and quizzes, and the intended demographic all affect how much it will cost to design a learning app for children.

b) Language Learning Application

Users who want to learn a new language are increasingly using language-learning apps. To teach language skills, these applications make use of interactive lectures, tests, and games. The level of complexity of the app and the number of languages affect how much it will cost to design a language-learning app.

c) Tutoring Apps

Tutoring applications let students interact with tutors online, giving them a flexible and practical option to get academic assistance. The level of complexity of the app, and its features, including scheduling and payment integration, will all affect how much it will cost to design a teaching app.

d) Online education App

Online course applications provide consumers flexibility, convenience, and access to a variety of courses in many different subjects. The intricacy of the app and the number of courses affect how much it will cost to design an app for online courses.

6. App Features You Want to Have

The education app development cost will depend on the number and nature of the features that you include in the app.

a) User - Friendly Interface: Simple, intuitive layout for effortless navigation.

b) Cross-platform compatibility: The capacity to function on several devices and operating systems.

c) Strong data management: Effective user data handling and storage.

d) Content management system: Creating, editing, and organizing content is possible using a content management system.

e) API integration: Integration with third-party tools and services.

f) Security and privacy: Protection of user data and privacy through security and privacy measures.

g) Analytics and reporting: Gathering and studying usage information to get knowledge.

h) Scalability: The capacity to manage growing data and user traffic.

i) Offline use and data synchronization: Possibility to use the app without an internet connection.

j) Reminders and push notifications: Users are automatically informed of updates or reminders.

k) Multilingual support: Ability to accommodate different languages for audiences around the world.

l) Social media integration: The linking of platforms for sharing and participation in social media.

m) In-app purchases: Ability to offer paid features or subscription plans via in-app purchases or subscription management.

n) Chat or messaging features within the app: Allows users to converse while using the app.

See More: Digital Transformation in Education Industry: All You Need to Know

7. Maintenance and Upgrades Your App Needs

Many times, companies neglect maintenance and upgrade costs while thinking about the question: how much does it cost to make an educational app?

a) Server Costs: Ongoing charges for hosting and keeping up the server infrastructure for the application.

b) Bug fixing and updates: Addressing app bugs and adding new features through routine maintenance.

c) New features testing: Testing and quality control to make sure new features work as planned.

Breakdown of How Much Does it Cost to Make an Educational App

Here is a breakdown of the education app development cost.

App Complexity

Platform

Country

Cost per Hour

Basic or MVP

iOS/Android

USA

$120 to $150

Basic or MVP

iOS/Android

Eastern Europe

$100 to $130

Basic or MVP

iOS/Android

India

$25 to $55

Basic or MVP

Cross-platform

USA

$90 to $130

Basic or MVP

Cross-platform

Eastern Europe

$70 to $100

Basic or MVP

Cross-platform

India

$15 to $45

Advanced

iOS/Android

USA

$150 to $190

Advanced

iOS/Android

Eastern Europe

$120 to $150

Advanced

iOS/Android

India

$35 to $90

According to our experience, an educational app's development typically costs between $40,000 and $500,000. However, for really complicated apps, this price may increase to $1 million or more.

For instance, a basic language learning program like Duolingo can cost between $20,000 and $50,000, while creating an app similar to Udemy or Coursera can cost anywhere from $80,000 to $500,000.

What are the risks and challenges that can affect the cost?

The following factors can increase the education app development cost.

1. Competition: There is competition among education apps to hire the best app developers.

2. Funding: There is uncertainty over funding for development and upkeep.

3. Technical complexity: Difficulties in designing and putting into practice complicated features.

4. Data privacy and security: You might need to implement data privacy and security measures according to the jurisdiction in which you are operating.

5. Educational standards and regulations: Need for adherence to rules and regulations for the industry can drive costs up.

6. Device compatibility and app updates: Updating apps and ensuring compatibility with new devices and OS versions.

7. Emerging technologies and trends: Keeping up with the newest developments.

Why should you work with TRT?

A leading educational app development company, Third Rock Techkno provides entrepreneurs and educational institutions with specialized e-learning solutions.

Case Study:


Our team created an application using Angular, NodeJS, MongoDB, and Elasticsearch for the National Institute for Newman Studies. The application's objective was to digitally preserve the institute's vast collection of historical records and make them available to users, including researchers and the general public.

Our developers create engaging and cutting-edge solutions using agile development techniques. In addition to total project transparency and post-delivery assistance, we provide competitive pricing.

We provide an innovative educational app that engages instructors and students, offers outstanding value, and has a track record of producing high-caliber work and expertise. Contact us to learn more about the cost and process of creating an educational app.

Check out our portfolio to know more about our development projects.

FAQs

1. How long does it take to build an educational app?

The time it takes to build an educational app depends on the complexity of the app and the development team's size and experience. Generally, simple educational apps can take between 2-4 months to build, while more complex apps can take up to a year or more.

2. Is building an educational app expensive?

Building an educational app can be expensive, but the cost varies depending on the complexity of the app, the number of features required, and the size and experience of the development team. It is important to keep in mind that investing in a high-quality app can yield a significant return on investment.

3. Will my educational app be profitable?

The profitability of an educational app depends on various factors such as the monetization strategy, the target market, and the competition. It is important to conduct market research and create a solid business plan to increase the likelihood of profitability.

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"Third Rock Techkno's work integrates complex frameworks and features to offer everything researchers need. They are open-minded and worked smoothly with the academic subject matter."

- Dr Daniel T. Michaels, NINS

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