I'm a junior web developer with a BS in computer science and some experience using JavaScript and Bootstrap from an internship. I'm currently refreshing my skills with a JavaScript course on Udemy and thinking about a portfolio project. I have a cool idea for a mobile app where users can input personal data to track various things, and I want it to have a modern design. I've never built an app before but I've created websites. My questions are: How hard is it to develop an app with my current skills? I want to know how long it might take and what the costs will be, especially since I heard the iOS App Store has a $99 annual fee. Are there other costs I should consider? Also, besides advertising, how can I get people to find my app? While I'm passionate about this idea, as a stay-at-home mom, I don't have a lot of money to invest. Would it be challenging to create an app that can lead to potential financial gains?
6 Answers
The difficulty really depends on how you define success. Creating a working app isn't too hard, but making one that generates meaningful profit is a different game altogether.
To earn money, you need a great product and some marketing to get attention. It's normal for early versions to be rough before you refine them into something better.
As someone who’s also learning and building mobile apps with Flutter, I can say it's trickier than web development. Mapping out designs and coding takes time, especially when you're juggling all aspects of the app like design and business logic.
Creating an app isn’t hard or costly, but making one that's financially successful is pretty tough. Just having the ambition might not be enough without a solid plan.
For some perspective, Stardew Valley took one person about five years to complete, but keep in mind that games often require a lot more effort compared to standard applications.
And yes, applications usually require less time, but they still need good design and features to stand out.
It's less about your coding skills and more about understanding the market and providing quality. I started making money with my iOS app, and I don’t even have a formal tech job. You can learn both coding and business skills separately and they are crucial if your goal is to monetize your app.
True, games need a ton of extra stuff like art and music on top of coding, so it's not the best comparison.