What is the going rate for developing an iPhone app?
drewcrawford: I charge $40/hr, and I'm the cheapest guy I know.  Anywhere from $40-$150 hourly for competent people.Nobody looks at apps that are below about $5k in size.  So that's your starting point for something simple (tip calculator, etc.).  Web services, datacenters, anything algorithmic is way, way more (~50k?)Never hire people on eLance.Market: grows 10-20% every six months or so.  You won't get rich, especially if you expect Apple to do all your marketing.  You can make a living if you're competent.  Blockbusters are pure luck, but if you get one you can make 50k a month.  5-10k a year is much more common for niche apps with no marketing (what everyone seems to write).Free+in-app purchasing may change the market quite a bit ("oh, you want wheels with that car?"), but nobody really knows yet.App review is a bitch, so get a developer who's been around the block to advise you on getting through review.