How To Reduce The Cost Of Maintaining An App

Of course, it is impossible to escape the inherent costs of maintaining an app. But that doesn’t mean you can’t save. Much of the savings in-app maintenance is at the beginning, by making decisions that ensure ease and low cost of care later on.

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Invest In The Right Platform

Native or hybrid development platforms, depending on the budget and goals of the application, may incur different maintenance costs later on.

For example, a native platform implies a more stable and reliable app, but on the other hand, the maintenance of at least two platforms, considering Android and iOS.

On the other hand, a hybrid platform combines the best native media with the burden of not having so much lightness and speed, not all the features. Weighing between doing more at a higher cost will be at the discretion of the app’s own need.

Validate MVP With Users

Always consider that 80% of the value that users of an app perceive in it is due to 20% of functionality. It is rare for the bulk of users to use more than that. 45% of the features are never used.

But even knowing this, we tend to overestimate the features of an MVP. And you know: the more robust the app, the higher the cost of development and, therefore, maintenance.

So the bottom line is investing in elements that users will use. Doing this through an MVP, created through Lean Inception or Design Sprint, and producing validated knowledge with real users and stakeholders are ways to limit the initial scope to essentials and grow successfully.

Think Scalability And Maintenance From The Start

Bearing in mind that app maintenance costs will be constant and making decisions for the long term is the most effective way to save on app maintenance.

Unless the features, content, and the number of users do not vary over time – and even then, you will have to work forever – one way to avoid additional costs later, for example, is to ensure the scalability of the app, invest in testing and performance with an eye on the future.

Do Not Seek To Save On Development And Maintenance Teams

Working with a team of experienced designers and developers from the beginning of the project is also a factor that, down the road, will lead to savings in application maintenance. A poorly designed application may even be functional, but it generates a lot of problems, which are soon spent.

Another common scenario is that many companies, after investing in a large team of developers, look for cheaper units to maintain the application.

While the idea is interesting, it is not without its problems. When switching teams, for example, a lot of energy and time will be spent on the learning curve. New developers need time to adapt to the project, technologies, and working model.

Another point related to this will be the updates and addition of features. Perhaps, a different team sweats harder to produce the same results as the team that created the app. This one will know exactly what needs to be modified, weaknesses, etc.

Track Analytics

We cited the monitoring of user interactions as a cost above. But the ROI can be excellent if you use analytics to modify and optimize the application according to what comes first.

So, even if it is initially an expense, it is one of the most effective ways to save money on app maintenance in the medium and long term.

How Much Does It Cost To Maintain An App: Look To The Future

We’ve seen that while there’s always a cost to maintain an app after it’s published – even if you don’t want to add any functionality – this amount can vary greatly, up or down.

Of course, this will depend on the business objectives linked to the product. For an in-company app with a limited number of users, content, and updates, sticking to essential maintenance will suffice for a while.

If this app is your product, more effort will be needed – involving all the usual activities and additional items like analytics, team, features, external services, etc.

Also Read: Top 5 Ways To Monetize Your App