According to DataReportal, in 2020, the number of mobile internet users exceeded 4.5 billion. This stimulated the growth of demand for mobile sites, which are not inferior to mobile applications in terms of page load speed and usability. The popularity of regular mobile apps, on the contrary, has noticeably dropped.
As statistics show, almost every second mobile app today is deleted for various reasons during the first 30 days of use. The major reasons include intrusive ads, limited phone memory capacity, etc.
It is no coincidence that giants such as AliExpress, Twitter, Nikkei, Lancôme, and Forbes are actively investing in the development of progressive web applications (PWA) instead of or in addition to regular mobile solutions.
For example, Starbucks uses both solutions to collect orders. At the same time, PWA is 99.84% lighter. As a result of the “progressive approach”, the number of Starbucks orders over mobile Internet has doubled. PWA implementation has been successful for AliExpress as well. The conversion rate for new users increased by 104%. The PWA functionality also helped to generate twice as many visits per session, which increased 74% on average across all browsers.
In 2016, Lancôme noticed that mobile traffic to their site exceeded desktop traffic, even though the mobile conversion rate was only at 15%. The company decided to build a PWA and, as a result, increased the number of mobile sessions on iOS by 53%.
Progressive Web App Cost - the Ultimate Question
While for large companies the money invested in development may not be that significant, for small firms and startups, PWA creation rates can become a heavy burden. In this aspect, progressive web applications are undoubtedly beneficial to owners long-term, however.
Universal PWA development cost is not an easy thing to calculate. There can be no two identical projects since approaches, technologies, subject expertise, and developer rates are determined by the complexity of the solution. The price is formed mostly based on the total number of different types of screens and functionality. Development cost includes design, layout, and work in the application management system.
Progressive web app development cost is higher than a regular website’s as PWA offers a lot more features. However, compared to the cost of native applications, it turns out to be lower. This is because there is no need to create and maintain separate app versions for iOS and Android.
What's more, the developer has to put the native app in a store like Google Play, Apple App Store, Windows Phone Apps, etc. That’s a waste of time and money, with a $25-29 commission. Unlike a native app, your usual Progressive Web App doesn't require all of this.
The whole PWA development affair commonly costs between $5,000 in Asia and up to five times that in the US and UK. In Eastern Europe, developer hourly rates will be 30% lower.
PWA cost varies depending on the configuration of the original site, design requirements, and functionality of the online platform. The more complex the solution, the longer it takes to develop. Let's take a look at the key factors that determine the overall cost of building a progressive web application.
What Affects PWA Prices?
Here are some basic aspects that usually affect a PWA solution’s price:
site version;
server cost;
developer rates;
the complexity of the project;
the number of pages to be cached;
approach to development.
Project complexity
Getting a site to run faster without a PWA requires extensions, page speed optimizer, or performance optimizations. On average, they cost $100-300, plus installation - $ 50-100. But even plugins can’t always help you live up to the TA expectations.
Sometimes, they only help combine JavaScript and CSS files, minify HTML codes, add lazy loading, or resize images. As a result, none of the available modules can improve the loading speed of an entire site in the way that PWA can.
The end product cost is always influenced by its complexity. For example, converting multiple websites of a large marketplace would be a very expensive project. On the other hand, websites upgraded to PWAs are better indexed by search engines. This minimizes SEO fees. Email marketing costs $300-500 per month. Thanks to PWA integration, you will have to pay much less.
Number of web pages that require caching
Always keep in mind the number of HTML pages on the site that will need to be cached. The more pages a resource has, the higher will be the cost of progressive web apps.
Development approach
Now, let's take a quick look at different solutions and try to understand how the initial approach to their development can affect the final development cost.
Readymade powers approach
The most popular off-the-shelf products on the market are Deity Falcon, PWA Studio, and Vue Storefront. If special business needs cannot be met with off-the-shelf software, custom development is worth the effort. The process of turning a site into a PWA includes adding:
web application manifest;
Service Worker.
For this, you will need front-end developers with deep knowledge of JavaScript, HTML, and CSS. As for the rates of these specialists, they depend on their geographic location and experience. But these solutions help to reduce the time and cost of PWA implementation.
Custom approach - in-house team, freelancers or outsource?
The average freelancers’ charge for PWA development is affordable, but where is the quality assurance? If you don’t have your own specialists, only outsourcing or services of a well-known company will help you get a guaranteed high-quality end solution.
Conclusion
Because PWA is a fully integrated solution, it has a lot to offer to small businesses. It requires no base or setup fees, yet offers reliability, fast downloads, installs, and network independence creating better user experiences and higher conversions. This is why the future of the Internet is frequently associated with PWA.
Want to harness the potential of cutting-edge technology but don't know where to start? Let Multi-Programming Solutions help you out. We are experienced in building PWAs for industries such as finance, travel, automotive, insurance, eCommerce, and rental housing.
Contact us to share your vision of the project, and we will develop the optimal mobile solution for your business.
Every self-respecting business owner, at some point, thinks of improving employees' knowledge, mastery, and confidence. They may already succeed in creating an eLearning platform for corporate training. However, it still needs constant updating to keep the staff up with time and deliver the most relevant data. While developing online lessons is a lengthy process requiring experience and tech power, distributing tasks can become the only solution for companies searching for quick and efficient results.
Today’s busy and tech-savvy online customers are interested in mobile-friendly educational courses suitable for smartphones, tablets, and other gadgets. User-centric and accessible, gamified and bite-sized, mLearning can happen anytime, anywhere. You should learn how to implement it in the organization to make it a part of your corporate culture.
If you practice edtech in your organization, then you might already understand the crucial role of digital learning platforms in constant employee growth. Corporate training has a direct impact on your company’s productivity.
