There is a stampede among large businesses that want their own app, even if it’s little more than a marketing sop to counteract a public perception of dullness.
This has led to plenty of opportunities for solo developers to build a handy portfolio of clients, with minimal outlay other than time.
“Most people in this industry already have a computer and sometimes finding a desk is the only thing you need,” says a spokesman for the Australian Web Industry Association.
“You can quite easily work from home initially, which helps with costs. Most small business software can be bought with monthly license fees, so just set aside that money per month out of your estimated income.”
Assuming an hourly rate of $100, you can quickly recover the modest initial investment if all other aspects of your business – expertise, customer acquisition and retention – are firing. According to technology site TechCrunch, the average app development costs $6,453.
If you’re developing an app as the basis for a business of your own, the predicted growth of web-based apps, which can be applied to any different platform, is set to lower costs further.
The other option – designing individual apps for the differing Apple and Android platforms – involves a serious investment in time and money.
