In 2022, most services and products can be found in the comfort of your own home, and while many individuals prefer in-person services, there has been a significant increase in remote browsing. As a result, this increase has motivated web developers to bring about the best software possible in order to provide the highest level of experience to their users. Among several considerations, the use of Saas (Software as a service) integration into user-friendly applications has revolutionized the web development scene. With that being said, as with any well constructed product or service, the price of building a Saas application is nothing to be ignored, but depends on certain key factors.
Saas elements and their costs
There are several aspects of Saas that should be taken into consideration along with the duration that it takes to execute construction using these components. It is important to keep in mind that there is no exact answer to either cost or duration but a generalization can be made. Rough estimation puts Saas costs in between 20,000 to +500,000 dollars depending on how much of it you can build yourself and whether certain areas are implemented and maintained.
Some of the core topics that should be considered when generating a Saas application include: API integration, Platform selection, UX design, implementation features (search, download/upload, sharing, etc.), Front-end development, Back-end development, Management, and Notifications. The duration and costs are best portrayed by glassdoor, however, they also depend on the region where the Saas application is being developed.
UX Design
Front-end Development
Back End Development
Everything that you add will increase the cost of your Saas application so making sure that you incorporate the basics first is a priority.
Considerations While Developing Saas
When brainstorming the purpose and functionality of your application, deciding whether it should be a platform to display a service/product or a tool to expedite a task, is step number one. In addition, the purpose of your application will also dictate whether you have specific features or a more complex platform that serves extra functions for the user. Most Saas applications include management and permission control such as login, sign-up, and editing of a user’s profile, which can be quite costly if done extensively. Analytical tools are also suggested as part of your Saas application as they provide your target audience with information and notifications about the data gathered from your application. Both security and communication are strongly recommended to add value to your app to denote that it can be trustworthy and you and your team are easy to contact in case of any hiccup that may present itself.
On the other hand, the use of API’s are quite beneficial when considering the proper structure and layout of your application. Deciding if you would rather build the back-end or your app from scratch or incorporating an API to manage that aspect can usually save lots of time and money. While focusing on building your Saas application, you should not ignore the compatibility of your design when displayed on different platforms. Mobile, tablet, or desktop versions of your application should display the same information and perform the same when using your application. Establishing a stable platform or introducing cross-platform access is something that should be thoroughly worked on and funded.
Estimating Overall Costs
Given the choice between a pirated smart watch and a series 7 apple watch, there is no hesitation involved when deciding which product is better. While the quality of both these watches are light night and day, the prices that correspond to each of them are too. This is similar when developing your Saas application and costs correspond to value depending on the components that are associated with your app. The following categories represent certain points in typical Saas applications with the average duration that each should be worked on.
- Application Layout (165 hours)
- Generating a prototype (+300 hours)
- UI/UX Design (185 hours)
- Front-end Development (500 hours)
- Back-end Development (500 hours)
- [Optional] Project management & maintenance (varies)
While these time values are not very accurate without a specific design or guidelines, it is a good estimate of the duration that should be expected from creating a Saas application. With regards to the cost of the overall development, it is much harder to estimate based on a variety of factors including team, quality, amount of work, etc. But to give a blind estimate, without you doing any work, it would be around $50,000 to $150,000. In conclusion, there are many ways to start your Saas application, but finding the right team or method that fits your criteria is a challenge. Virtual stoodeeoh may be able to help with that!
If you are looking for a much more accurate estimate with certain parameters, make sure to visit Virtual Stoodeeoh and get a quote today of how much it could cost you.
