From 2022 to 2027, the global app market is forecasted to grow at a steady compound annual rate of 8.83%. This bustling market is expected to swell to over $6 billion in 2027.

This forecast is good news for small businesses, enterprises, and new entrants planning to launch new mobile applications.

However, app development isn’t a straightforward project. It involves extensive processes and integrations that can be costly, particularly for small companies and new entrants.

Application programming interfaces (APIs) are among the crucial integrations in app development. Because many popular APIs like Google are deemed expensive, companies and developers search for affordable but efficient alternatives.

This guide will provide the API alternatives that can help make your app development cost-efficient. We will also discuss the importance of APIs and how to evaluate the available solutions.

Let’s first discuss the factors affecting the expenses of app development.

Understanding the Factors Affecting the Costs of App Development

The factors that impact app development costs include:

Business model

Business models have varying functions and complexity. For example:

• Subscription-based models require account management and payment processing features.
• E-commerce models require shopping carts and inventory management. You’ll also need payment gateways. These integrations can be complex to implement.

Product requisites

Product requisites are specific capabilities your mobile app must have to meet user needs.

For instance, the development cost can increase if your app must be compatible with multiple operating systems, such as Android and iOS.

At the same time, if your app will handle confidential user data, such as payment information, it must have robust security integrations.

Design and functions

Functionalities like API integrations, location-based services, and real-time data processing have additional development effort and costs.

On the other hand, hardware integration, e.g., camera and GPS, can also increase development costs.

User interface and experience

Mobile apps that require iterative designs can increase the development cost. These designs involve creating and testing multiple concepts to determine what works best for users.

Development team location

Labor costs significantly vary depending on your development team’s location. For example, hourly rates in countries like the United States and Australia are often higher than in low-income countries.

Additionally, infrastructure can be relatively high in some countries. This could include electricity and office use.

The following processes can also influence app development costs and functions:

• Prototyping
• Coding
• Testing and maintenance
• Deployment
• AI integrations
• IoT integrations
• Accessibility features

The Importance of APIs

According to Postman’s 2023 State of the API Report, 92 percent of 40,000 surveyed global developers and API professionals say their API investments will increase or stay the same this year.

For this reason, APIs can provide the following benefits:

They help with business strategies

APIs help with business strategies in the following ways:

• You avoid creating a system with redundancies
• You can create various opportunities for different users who want to use your services
• You can allow access to your teams to ensure everyone obtains insights and develops solutions

They assist in data management

APIs can process vast amounts of data, particularly those too complex for humans to comprehend.

With their routines, tools, and protocols, programmers can build applications that communicate seamlessly with other applications. Plus, APIs can provide frameworks for data storage and usage.

API Alternatives To Reduce App Development Costs

Here are the API alternatives worth considering for your app development project:

Radar

Screenshot from radar.com

If you’re developing a location-based app or an app with location features, consider using Radar. This solution is an all-in-one location platform with geofencing, maps, and APIs for address autocomplete,  distance matrix, search, geocoding, and routing.

This enterprise-ready location platform also boasts the following features:

• Trip tracking with live estimated time of arrivals (ETAs)
• Geofencing with defined perimeters
• Fraud detection and geo-compliance
• Place visit detection
• Base maps and advanced location analytics

Signing up for Radar is free, and this starting point already offers many valuable API functions for small businesses. They also have paid and cost-effective plans for larger enterprises.

Many reviews noted that Radar is straightforward and can be implemented with just a few code lines. Their solution has also been touted for accuracy, privacy, and developer experience.

GraphHopper

Screenshot from graphhopper.com

GraphHopper is another location-based API. However, they focus on directions and route planning. You can use this solution to provide location and direction instructions to clients.

One of GraphHopper’s advantages is that its API offers global coverage and is designed for outdoor use. It is compatible with OpenStreetMap data and can be helpful for vehicles, biking, hiking, and other outdoor activities that require directions.

Signing up on GraphHopper will give you a free two-week package. Once you get accustomed to the platform, you can purchase tiered plans ranging from $56 to $479. They also have a custom package.

Dynalist

Screenshot from dynalist.io

Dynalist is an API designed to enhance documents and streamline productivity processes. This straightforward solution can be used to create lists and forms.

Other Dynalist features include:

• Google Calander sync
• Date and time filters
• Checklist
• Collaboration
• Auto backup
• Themes

You can sign up for free and access many functions. Then, you can buy the Pro package for $7.99 annually or $9.99 monthly. You can also test the platform through a live demo on Dynalist’s website before signing up or purchasing.

Sheety

Screenshot from sheety.co

Sheety is a platform for turning spreadsheets into APIs. You can obtain data from your spreadsheets using simple URLs and HTTP requests. This function helps developers develop apps, websites, and prototypes.

The good thing about this platform is that it requires little coding and is user- and beginner-friendly. You can even combine it with other databases and prototypes.

You can start with Sheety’s free plan, create unlimited projects, and make 200 requests monthly. If you like the platform, you can purchase tiered packages ranging from $9.99 to $79.99 monthly to access more premium features.

Crunchbase

Screenshot from crunchbase.com

Crunchbase is an API that helps businesses in the following ways:

• Find investors, brand members, and potential business partners
• Lead prospecting
• Competitive market research through industry trend and investment analysis
• Customizable queries for defined search purposes

This solution offers free trials for its Starter and Pro plans. For $29 monthly, you can view 1,000 results per search, access all company, investor, and funding data, monitor up to 1,000 companies, and import company lists to find prospects.

The Pro version has everything in Starter plus more advanced features. You can also purchase the Enterprise plan for a customized package tailored to your business and app development.

Stripe

Screenshot from stripe.com

Stripe is an API with a fully integrated suite of financial and payment products. It can manage all your payment-related needs, handle revenue operations, and launch or develop new business models.

If you don’t have developers on your team, use Stripe’s low- and no-code options to get started. The platform has a pre-integrated solution and no-code products that let you create invoices, accept in-person payments through phones, or share payment links directly from the dashboard to generate revenue within minutes.

Although Stripe doesn’t have a free version, you have tiered options to ensure the cost-efficiency of your app development.

Spoonacular

Spoonacular is a food API used for recipe analysis, meal planning, recipe management, and providing shoppable recipes.

Other Spoonacular features include:

• Nutrition data
• Ingredient substitutes
• Cooking tips
• Cost breakdowns for recipes
• Nutrition visualizations
• Product comparisons
• Information about over 800 U.S. restaurant chains

You can get started with the platform for free. If you like the services, you can purchase the Cook, Culinary, and Chef plans. The prices range from $29 to $149 monthly. On the other hand, the Enterprise plan starts at $300.

What To Evaluate When Choosing an API Solution

To ensure you maximize an API solution’s features, keep the following considerations in mind:

Functionalities that align with your needs

The first thing to ensure is the API’s alignment with your app development needs. You must know your project’s end goal before you even begin. Use these questions as your guide:

• What benefits will the API bring to customers?
• How will the API help complete the project faster?

Ease of integration

Besides ensuring the API fits in with your tech stack, ease of integration also covers API documentation.

API documentation contains information about API integration and usage. It involves information on endpoints, usage examples, and authentication methods.

These guidelines will help your teams avoid deciphering the API from scratch. This way, you can streamline the app development process, saving time and money.

Scalability

APIs must be flexible and scalable. Once your app’s demand increases after deployment, you must ensure the API can adapt and handle the influx of data and users.

As such, you won’t have to put extra effort and time into moving to a new system and starting the learning curve again.

Security features

APIs can be vulnerable to breaches and other cyber threats. So, thoroughly review the vendors’ privacy policies and security practices to ensure your data remains secure.

Vendor support and reliability

Vendors contribute significantly to the success of their APIs. Even the best APIs have the potential to fail without optimal support.

Thus, your vendor must be responsive by providing various contact avenues like phone support, email, social media, or live chats. You can also read reviews from past clients and case studies to gauge how the vendor helped them achieve their goals.

Invest in Solutions Where You Can Maximize the Benefits and Returns

App development is an elaborate process. The APIs alone can significantly impact the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of your project.

However, when you know what to look for, you can invest in a solution that optimizes your app economically and proficiently. This way, you can maximize an API’s benefits and potential returns without exhausting unnecessary funds and labor.

So, test these API alternatives today to unlock their potential and make strategic decisions to streamline your process and deliver high-quality services at a low cost.