When you have a mobile app idea, the first question that comes to your mind is, "How do you estimate the cost of an app?" Many factors need to be considered to compute the cost of mobile app development, and one of the most important factors is the server that you need to host the content you want to provide to the users of your app. In this post, we will strive to provide some information on how you can calculate the server cost for your mobile app.
Why do you require server space for your mobile app?
You need to rent server space so that you can serve the content of your application to your customers unless your application doesn’t require network connectivity and the app download file contains all the content. However, the chances are that there will always be some dynamic content to be served to your users. This is because most mobile applications are cloud-based and need an external server to enable most of their functionality.
Sometimes, you might need multiple servers for the purpose. Apart from serving content to the users of your app, a server acts as a central repository for the app’s files with the help of development tools that allow you to exercise precise control over the version of the software.
What is the server cost for a mobile app?
The mobile app hosting cost could range anywhere from $70/month to as much as $320/month, depending on various factors that might be unique to your app. They include the content to be served to your users (video or static text), the active user count, and projected growth. The cost could also vary among mobile app server hosting providers. These factors are discussed below in a little more detail.
If you have a business in Canada and you are striving to calculate the server cost for an app in Canada, you must consider the following three aspects:
Different kinds of data you provide to app users
To determine what kind of server best suits your app, you should have a clear idea about the quantum of data you will be serving to the users. You should also be clear whether there will be an exchange of audio, video, and/or any other large amounts of data. In other words, you should know whether you will be largely exchanging text-based/static or video content.
If you have to provide a large amount of data, you need more server CPU memory and disc space. This can increase server costs. As it is difficult to exactly determine the requirement of server resources for your mobile app, start with a decent setup and then increase or decrease based on requirements.
In this regard, it may make sense to deploy multiple small servers to spread out the load, especially if the CPU power required is much higher than the memory. Furthermore, if you provide a game engine or an interactive product, the server you choose should be fast and have enough space. Besides, it is best to have servers located across different geographic areas.
Quantum of data you want to store
Applications like Instagram and Facebook, which store images and videos, need large server storage capacity. If you need to save account information, photos, preferences, avatars, and social media information, your server storage capacity might quickly increase.
Launching a beta version will give you a fair idea of the volume of data your users will make use of. You will also get to know how quickly server space is filling up. This will help you project the storage space you might need in the future. Further, you could consider setting limits on the storage space available to users.
Number of active users and projected growth
The server requirements of growing apps will keep changing based on the number of active users. Therefore, you should consider renting server space from a company that can cater to your requirements as you grow, and you should be able to add, remove, and change server requirements without any upfront costs.
Final Thoughts
Now that you have some idea about the factors that impact the server cost for an app based on the quantum of data to be provided, the number of active users, and storage requirements, you can get a quote from a few server providers, compare costs, and choose one that serves your needs the best. All said and done, the app server cost estimate is only a part of the total app development cost in 2022.
Zartek Technologies
Zartek is one of the leading web and mobile app development agencies in Toronto, Canada. The apps designed and developed by the company help you to grow your business. Zartek’s mobile app development team will work with you to understand your end customers’ needs and behaviour, design and build a scalable product, launch your app, and study customer feedback to improve the app.
