Introduction

Finding low-cost software might seem like a smart financial move, but it could often lead to disastrous consequences. Software development cost is about reducing the risk and increasing the return. The costs of the software development can always be related to the risk, and the risk is usually high. The failure rate of the average last software is mostly 70%. Many of the founders fall into the trap of the low-code pricing, or the freelancer’s rates, only to realize later that they have compromised the quality and the scalability. In the research of 2023, 3 out of 5 startups broke their budget due to inadequate development planning, proving that cost-cutting can lead to massive expenses down the road (CB Insights Startup Failure Report).

The hidden costs of software development go beyond dollars; the software is an investment that represents the brand and your team. At the end of the day, you need to deliver a good return on an investment that represents the brand and the team. The cheap developers often deliver unskillful code, lack proper Documentation, and ignore security protocols, which results in more fixes and rework. Keep reading this blog as it uncovers the hidden risks of finding the best option.

What is the Illusion for the Cheap Development?

Many of the other businesses believe that the lower software development costs mean better savings. However, it is one of the dangerous misconceptions. Cheap development can also mean the teams, with the rushed timelines and lack of proper testing. The study by CISQ found that poor software quality usually costs the US businesses $2.84 trillion in 2022 through operational failures and technical debt.

When you choose the low-code pricing or the offshore teams through the freelance developer rates, you would risk receiving a product that could barely function. The initial savings could disappear when you spend more and more on debugging, security patches, and scalability issues.

How Cheap Developers Could Cut the Corners?

To keep the software development costs as low as possible, many of the developers skip one of the most crucial steps:

• Inadequate Testing: Skipping the QA could lead to bugs post-launch.
• Poor Documentation Makes future updates and maintenance a nightmare
• Outdated Tech stacks: Using obsolete frameworks limits scalability 
• No Security Measures: It increases the vulnerability to cyber threats

The report by Synopsys revealed that 84% of the software breaches usually occur due to coding errors, which often result in rushed development.

What You End Up Paying Later

The real software development costs could reveal themselves after the launch:

• Restructuring the bad code: Rewriting the poorly written code, which costs more than 3x more.
• Security Breaches: Data leaks can lead to legal fines and reputation loss 
• Lost Customer: Frequent crashes drive the users away.

A Harvard Business Review study found that 60% of the software projects fail due to budget overruns, which are caused by initial cost-cutting.

Functionality First Value Over the Fake Savings

Instead of working on the low-code pricing or on the cheap freelance developer rates, the innovative businesses usually invest in robust development, which prioritizes long-term value over short-term savings. Here’s how the functionality-first approach makes sure that the software remains scalable, secure, and cost-effective for the long run:

Modular Architecture- Ensures the Scalability:

The modular design breaks the software into independent, reusable components. That means you can update or scale the individual feature without even rewriting the entire system. Startups that can adopt the modular architecture save 30-50% on future development costs (McKinsey, 2023) because the changes are quicker and less disruptive.

Automated Testing- Reduces the Long-Term Maintenance Costs:

Manual testing is slow and prone to errors. The Automated testing tools (like Selenium, Jest) catch the bugs early, lowering the post-launch fixes by 70% (Deloitte). Which means fewer crashes, happy users, and lower maintenance expenses over time.

Future-proof Tech – Adapts to Growing Business Needs:

Using the outdated frameworks locks you into the expensive migrations later on. In the modern tech stacks (React, Node.js, Flutter), ensure compatibility with future updates. The companies using the future-proof technologies experience a 40% reduction in scalability issues (according to Gartner), making the growth smoother and cost-effective.

Our Software Development Services

Below are the software Development Services:

Web App Development:

We build scalable, secure web applications that are tailored to the business needs, making sure the seamless performance across the devices all over. Unlike the low code pricing solutions which limit the customization, our web apps are built with the future proof technologies (like the React, Angular and Node.js) that can handle the traffic while keeping up with the web app development costs being optimized. The well structured web app reduces the long term maintenance expenses by 40% (Forrester), which makes it a smarter investment than the cheap ones, and the template based solutions.

Mobile App Development

Native App Development:

For high-performance mobile experiences, native apps ( built specifically for iOS or Android) deliver unmatched speed and responsiveness. While the mobile apps’ costs may be higher upfront, native app development reduces the crashes by 60% (Statista) as compared to the hybrid, saving you money on bug fixes and the loss of users.

Flutter App Development:

Flutter enables cross-platform apps with native-like performance, significantly reducing the software development costs without sacrificing quality. With the single codebase for iOS and Android, you save 30-50% on development time (Google), making it ideal for startups balancing budget and functionality.

Ionic App Development:

Ionic is perfect for the cost-conscious business needing hybrid apps that work across different platforms. With the freelancing developer rates for Inonic, the apps may seem attractive, but they often face performance issues. The Ionic ensures the smooth operation, which keeps the mobile app costs quite manageable.

Swift App Development:

For the premium iOS experiences, Swift delivers blazing fast performance and tight security. Unlike the cheaper alternatives, Swift reduces the app crashes by 50% (Apple). It ensures the users stay engaged. While the software development costs may be higher, the long-term savings in maintenance and user retention justify the investment.

Custom Software Development:

Off-the-shelf software often fails to meet the unique business needs. The solutions align with the workflows, which boost efficiency and growth. Meanwhile, the custom software development costs vary, businesses using the bespoke systems report that 35% higher productivity (McKinsey), proving the ROI outweighs the initial expenses.

E-Commerce Development:

A poorly built online store can cost you sales. Our secure, high-converting e-commerce platforms can integrate payments with fluency, inventory management, and fraud protection. While low-code pricing might seem a bit tempting, custom e-commerce solutions can increase conversions by 25%(Baymard Institute), making it worth the investment.

Through choosing the right development approach, you capitalize on software development that costs wisely and avoids the expenses of the cheap and unreliable solutions.

Conclusion

Choosing the solution purely based on the low software development cost can often prove to be one of the costly mistakes in the long run. While the budget-friendly options like the low-code pricing or the freelance developer rates can appear attractive initially, they can frequently lead to compromised quality, security risks, and scalability limitations, and ultimately demand expensive fixes.

The innovative businesses can understand the software capitalization that is incurred by the software development, which means investing in a strong architecture from the very start.

Frequently Asked Question

How much does software development cost?

The cost of hiring the software developer ranges from $70 to $150+ per hour. Always ask for a Work Breakdown Structure (WBSS) when getting the cost estimates for the software development project.

How much money does it cost to build the software?

Simply put, the cost of the custom software development services varies. In our experience, custom software solutions tend to range from $100,000 to upwards of $400,000 in the price, which depends on its scope.

Is it hard to build the software?

Software development is already the infamous long process; developing that on your own can especially be tough.