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Ask HN: Does it cost more to build an iOS app than a web app?

9 points by codingclaws 2y ago

CyberPioneer 2y ago
I've never developed for iOS, but I think building a web application is relatively simple.
stop50 2y ago
Yes: 1. web apps don't need an expensive development environment. So you don't need to buy or rent a mac just to submit the app to apple 2. Tools are free, no 99$ fee for ji'ust the right to submit apps. 3. No person can reject your app because you violated an vague rule or are thrown out because apple provides an very similar app.
- dtagames 2y ago
  All true. You'll also find the overhead of dealing with Apple on any topic will come back to haunt you again and again. On the web, no one can force you change the app you already shipped and no one can change the rules under which it operates. On iOS, Apple can and does do these things, which cost you money to keep up with.
  - jfoster 2y ago
    > On the web, no one can force you change the app you already shipped and no one can change the rules under which it operates. This isn't entirely true, in practice. It's not as bad as iOS, but browsers & search engines can effectively change the rules on you, even on the web. APIs you rely on can be deprecated, browsers can change their behavior, search engines can change your app's visibility, etc.
    - dtagames 2y ago
      Browsers really don't change to remove features very often. You can still use HTML 1.0 if you'd like and it works fine. API's, on the other hand, are a service like Apple provides with their store. If you rely on someone else's service (APIs), they might change. Your own don't have to.
- al_borland 2y ago
  As a counterpoint to this… 1. A lot of people are doing their web development on a Mac, so this becomes a moot point. 2. While it does cost $99 to get in the store, the app can be used by millions for no additional cost. Hosting fees for a web app will grow along with the user base. Even without users, a domain plus a basic hosting plan will easily be more than $99/year. 3. This is valid, but a problem for some apps more than others, and it doesn’t relate to cost.
  - meiraleal 2y ago
    > As a counterpoint to this… I saw no valid counterpoint for the question "Does it cost more to build an iOS app than a web app?". 1 is obvious, you can develop for web everywhere but can't build iOS apps everywhere. 2 also apply for web but without the $99 fee. 3 is the most nonsense defense of apple gatekeeping I read today, it obviously relates to cost if apps get denied for marginally competing with Apple.
  - chunkyguy 2y ago
    > While it does cost $99 to get in the store, the app can be used by millions for no additional cost. Hosting fees for a web app will grow along with the user base. Even without users, a domain plus a basic hosting plan will easily be more than $99/year. $99/year is just to host the 'client-side'. Most likely you still the backend so that cost is still the same.
    - al_borland 2y ago
      This is highly dependent on the app. Many apps use iCloud as the backend, if it’s just data and syncing that’s needed.
cebert 2y ago
We have a few web apps which are really PWAs. Due to Apple’s poor support for PWA discoverability, we also ship as an iOS “shell” app that loads the PWA. We haven’t had pushback from Apple on this. It has the advantage that we can still develop this is a web app while being able to publish in the store. We also have options if Apple were to change policy in the future since our apps are web first.
ja27 2y ago
Shrug maybe. In general I think you can get a decent front end webdev cheaper than a comparable iOS dev. Even as an iOS dev, I think most iOS apps should be mobile web first or instead. I've seen a few that are nearly abandoned for webapps.
bwh2 2y ago
The primary cost differences I have experienced come with maintenance and fees, not the initial build. Maintenance = iOS version updates, dependency upgrades, App Store requirement changes, etc. have been costlier and more out of your control than with web apps. Fees = the App Store's 15-30% fee is more expensive than using a web payment processor.

9 points by codingclaws 2y ago

I've never developed for iOS, but I think building a web application is relatively simple.

Yes: 1. web apps don't need an expensive development environment. So you don't need to buy or rent a mac just to submit the app to apple 2. Tools are free, no 99$ fee for ji'ust the right to submit apps. 3. No person can reject your app because you violated an vague rule or are thrown out because apple provides an very similar app.

dtagames 2y ago
All true. You'll also find the overhead of dealing with Apple on any topic will come back to haunt you again and again. On the web, no one can force you change the app you already shipped and no one can change the rules under which it operates. On iOS, Apple can and does do these things, which cost you money to keep up with.
- jfoster 2y ago
  > On the web, no one can force you change the app you already shipped and no one can change the rules under which it operates. This isn't entirely true, in practice. It's not as bad as iOS, but browsers & search engines can effectively change the rules on you, even on the web. APIs you rely on can be deprecated, browsers can change their behavior, search engines can change your app's visibility, etc.
  - dtagames 2y ago
    Browsers really don't change to remove features very often. You can still use HTML 1.0 if you'd like and it works fine. API's, on the other hand, are a service like Apple provides with their store. If you rely on someone else's service (APIs), they might change. Your own don't have to.
al_borland 2y ago
As a counterpoint to this… 1. A lot of people are doing their web development on a Mac, so this becomes a moot point. 2. While it does cost $99 to get in the store, the app can be used by millions for no additional cost. Hosting fees for a web app will grow along with the user base. Even without users, a domain plus a basic hosting plan will easily be more than $99/year. 3. This is valid, but a problem for some apps more than others, and it doesn’t relate to cost.
- meiraleal 2y ago
  > As a counterpoint to this… I saw no valid counterpoint for the question "Does it cost more to build an iOS app than a web app?". 1 is obvious, you can develop for web everywhere but can't build iOS apps everywhere. 2 also apply for web but without the $99 fee. 3 is the most nonsense defense of apple gatekeeping I read today, it obviously relates to cost if apps get denied for marginally competing with Apple.
- chunkyguy 2y ago
  > While it does cost $99 to get in the store, the app can be used by millions for no additional cost. Hosting fees for a web app will grow along with the user base. Even without users, a domain plus a basic hosting plan will easily be more than $99/year. $99/year is just to host the 'client-side'. Most likely you still the backend so that cost is still the same.
  - al_borland 2y ago
    This is highly dependent on the app. Many apps use iCloud as the backend, if it’s just data and syncing that’s needed.

cebert 2y ago

We have a few web apps which are really PWAs. Due to Apple’s poor support for PWA discoverability, we also ship as an iOS “shell” app that loads the PWA. We haven’t had pushback from Apple on this. It has the advantage that we can still develop this is a web app while being able to publish in the store. We also have options if Apple were to change policy in the future since our apps are web first.

ja27 2y ago

Shrug maybe. In general I think you can get a decent front end webdev cheaper than a comparable iOS dev. Even as an iOS dev, I think most iOS apps should be mobile web first or instead. I've seen a few that are nearly abandoned for webapps.

bwh2 2y ago

The primary cost differences I have experienced come with maintenance and fees, not the initial build. Maintenance = iOS version updates, dependency upgrades, App Store requirement changes, etc. have been costlier and more out of your control than with web apps. Fees = the App Store's 15-30% fee is more expensive than using a web payment processor.