There is a growing need for reliable weather apps for individuals and industries alike. Weather apps have evolved a lot in recent years, thanks to the advancement in technology.

The role of weather apps has evolved over the years. In the early days, people only expected the basic information from weather apps, such as temperature, precipitation forecast, humidity, and a few others.

However, these days weather apps provide a lot of other information as well, such as air quality, wind details, pollen distribution, fire risks, and many more. So it is evident that the role of weather apps has become multifaceted, and will keep evolving in the future.

If you are considering developing a weather app for your personal or business needs, the cost is one of the first things that would come to your mind. In this article, we are going to discuss what all can affect the cost of developing a mobile weather app, so that you can make an informed decision. There are five major factors that can affect the cost of developing a weather app.

API Costs

Unless you have an unlimited budget and plan to install weather stations all over the world, you would be relying on an API to get the weather data. Startups and data scientists can choose from various API options to get the required data for their apps. These APIs collect weather information from a range of sources, such as satellites and weather stations.

Some of the best weather APIs also use mobile network towers, traffic cameras, and other virtual weather stations to gather data. When you choose an API for your weather app development, make sure that it collects information from as many sources as possible.

You can select an API plan according to your requirements. Standard API plans for businesses cost about $100 or more. Make sure that you compare a few API providers based on the cost as well as the information they offer. The more types of data they offer, the more features you will be able to add to your app.

Hourly Rate

Unless you are developing the app yourself, you would need to hire programmers to write the codes for your weather app. The hourly rates of developers can vary a lot all over the world. In America, programmers and code writers can charge you about $150 an hour.

However, if you outsource the job to an Indian or Chinese company, the hourly rates are significantly lower. You would be paying about $30-$40 per hour, depending on the complexity of the job. You will not find any major differences in the quality of programming if you outsource the job.

Development Platform

The next thing that will affect your cost is the platform for which you choose to develop. The services you hire will be able to program apps for Android, iOS, or both. Developing apps for Android is costlier than iOS.

That is because since Android runs on so many different types of devices, you may have to test your app on each one of them to ensure that there are no bugs. However, it also means that you will be able to cater to a wider audience.

Duration of Development

How long would it take to write the programs and develop the app? That depends on the number of features you want to include in the app. So if you wish to add several advanced features to your app, it would take longer to write the codes and test the programs. However, that would also ensure that your app meets a lot of requirements, which could directly affect the popularity, number of downloads, and revenue generation.

Complexity of the Features

Needless to say that if the UI and features of your app are complex, it could take longer to write the codes and run tests for smooth operation. Several complex features may require legal licenses, so make sure you check them beforehand, or you may have to start over.

The total costs of developing a feature-rich weather app for mobile phones can cost about $30000 or more. We would suggest that you consult a few reputable mobile app development companies and get quotes from them to compare.

You can include American as well as foreign companies to get quotations so that you can compare them. However, make sure that you consider essential factors other than the cost as well, such as delivery time, the reputation of the company, user reviews, and any other that you deem necessary.

Even though the demand for mobile weather apps has gained momentum, you need to choose the right options if you want to cash in on it.