WeChat convenience and ease of use has made it the default app on 1.34 billion users’ smartphones – a majority of whom are based in China. For the rest of the world, the WeChat phenomenon has set an example of how a connected app ecosystem is what’s next for user experience – an event that has not gone unnoticed and is being pursued by tech giants like Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerburg. The situation where we stand at today, it is only a matter of time before the application model will become a revolution in the US too.

Now before we dive into what it would take to build apps like WeChat, let’s look at the element that is the deciding factor for every aspiring entrepreneur – the cost to build a mobile app like WeChat.

Cost Breakdown of WeChat App Development

Developing an app like WeChat, with features like messaging, social media integrations, mobile payments, and various other services, would involve several cost factors spread across design, development, and maintenance. Here’s a detailed breakdown of the expected costs:

1. Design Costs

Designing a visually appealing and user-friendly interface typically costs between $5,000 and $15,000. This includes creating wireframes, user flow diagrams, and final design prototypes.

2. Development Costs

The actual coding and setup of the app, including both frontend (user interface) and backend (server-side operations), generally cost between $20,000 and $150,000. This range depends on the complexity of the features and the geographic location of the development team.

Additionally, implementing features like in-app payments, chat functionalities, and social media feeds can increase the complexity and, consequently, the cost. For a feature-rich app like WeChat, you might expect to spend on the higher end of this range.

3. Quality Assurance

Ensuring the app works flawlessly across multiple devices and operating systems can cost between $10,000 and $25,000. This includes both manual and automated testing to catch and fix bugs before launch.

4. Maintenance and Updates

Apps like WeChat require continuous updates and improvements, especially to stay current with new mobile operating system updates and security patches. For the cost to build a mobile app like WeChat and then its ongoing maintenance, expect to spend around $1,000 to $5,000 per month on maintenance, depending on how frequently you update the app and how extensive those updates are.

5. Additional Costs

Depending on whether you use cloud services or manage your own servers, this can cost anywhere from $500 to $2,000 a month initially, which can increase as your user base grows. Moreover, depending on your location, incorporating elements like payment processing may require compliance with various regulations, adding to the initial setup and ongoing operational costs.

Thus, the total estimated cost for developing and launching an app with the complexity and functionality of WeChat can be estimated in the range of $40,000 to $200,000.

This high-level WeChat app development cost is a range that comprises several interlinked elements – features, design system, technologies, and development team’s location. Let us look into all these elements to get you a holistic idea of what it would take to create a messaging app like WeChat.

[Also Read: How Much Does It Cost to Build a Super App?]

Must-have Features of an App Like WeChat

The fact that the app made the concept of super app mainstream, it would be an understatement to say that apps like WeChat are built to be vast. The kind of features that the app comes with is constantly expanding.

Let us give you a brief of the functionalities that you can consider when you build an app like WeChat, but note that the final list would depend on the elements you find important in the MVP phase.

Messaging and Calls

The most prominent part of WeChat app development is that it was built as a messaging and call platform and continues to be one. We recommend building an architecture which is end-to-end encrypted, enables text messaging, voice and video calls, group calls. Additionally, there can be features like media and document upload, AR filters for calls, timed chats, NSFW integrations to ensure users safety, etc.

In-App Payments

The app comes with a digital wallet which can be used to store money or do transactions both within the application and off it. Known as WeChat Pay, the function saves users from entering their financial information on different platforms, tracking expenses on multiple sources, or worrying about security.

In-App Stores

WeChat has several stores operating within the application, which enable users to purchase items from within the software. These stores can have a range of articles categorized according to their usage and type.

In terms of payment, the app gives users the option to choose their preferred payment mode – WeChat Pay, cards, cash etc. Moreover, it comes with a proper order management and tracking functionality to keep the experience at par with any eCommerce shopping experience.

Mini-Programs

The USP of WeChat and super apps in general is ‘mini programs’. These mini programs are several unrelated applications operative under one roof. Imagine being able to book a ride, order food, book movie tickets, plan trips, etc. without switching between multiple applications. Well it becomes possible when you build apps like WeChat.

Channels

Both users and businesses can create their WeChat Channel Account to broadcast their short form videos to an audience. It also comes with a Livestream function to conduct eCommerce sales without even leaving the platform. The feature also enables viewers to give the livestream channel gifts, which can then be redeemed as cash.

Moments

In essence, the moments feature is similar to Facebook’s News Feed. When you develop a mobile app like WeChat, this feature can be envisioned as a social media interface where users can view, like, and comment on their connections’ posts – photos and videos.

At Appinventiv, we suggest creating a secure architecture built on NSFW model which also has a strong moderation and report feature to ensure a safe social media experience.

In-App Games

WeChat application development also entails building in-app games. These games are usually simple (yet engaging) in nature, giving users a reason to spend more time within the application. They also typically work as an additional source of revenue by making app owners take a portion of money that users spend in buying in-game elements.

WeChat for Companies

What makes the app truly unique in the super apps space is its focus on the companies side of users. In your plan to invest in something like WeChat app development, you can also explore a feature similar to the ‘WeChat Official Account’.

The account grants companies the opportunity to get in touch with customers and promote their brand on the platform, create mini programs, work on an in-app CRM, and access WeChat Work – a messaging platform that can track working hours, manage emails, send announcements, etc.

WeChat Design System: Diving Into the Uniqueness of the App

Designing apps like WeChat will need you to dive into the concept of “everythingness”. The app, through its business model, has created an ever-expanding media ecosystem which touches every aspect of users’ daily activities. On the design system level, however, the app has maintained its simple and unattractive look since decades. WeChat rarely changes its logo to celebrate holidays or send admin notifications to users.

However, the lack of attention-grabbing design is actually intentional. Allen Xiaolong Zhang, WeChat’s founder emphasized that WeChat’s design principle is to “get users out of the app as fast as possible”. Zhang claims that to sustain users’ daily engagement in the long run, it’s crucial to let them leave the app as soon as possible. He believes that a low demand for time and effort is the key to bringing users back into the app without exhausting them.

Another aspect of the WeChat design system is how it makes it necessary for users to type in the service they are looking for, instead of giving them an easy to access list of “mini-programs”. While this works for the Chinese market which is predominantly accustomed to a simple interface, following the same design principle in the US market can be counterintuitive.

If you break down the different services entailing full-fledged WeChat application development and treat them as separate entities, you will get a list of applications already active or ruling the US space – Uber, Lyft, DoorDash, Amazon, Chime, etc.

Now, these and similar apps have made the US audience accustomed to a certain experience and interface standard driven by the concept of intuitiveness and immersiveness. So if you plan to design a super app that combines these different applications under one umbrella, the experience should be in line with what they are used to.

With this, we have looked into two critical aspects that define the cost to build a mobile app like WeChat – Feature list and Design system. The third element that can bring a sharp shift in the chat app development pricing is the location of the chat app development company you choose to partner with. An agency working out of the US will charge anywhere between $100-$120 per hour while an India-based company will take $40-$80 per hour for the same efforts and quality.

How to Build an App like WeChat?

To build an app like WeChat, which integrates messaging, social media, and financial transactions, you will need a comprehensive strategy and meticulous execution. Begin by defining the scope and features of your app, such as instant messaging, voice and video calls, digital payments, and integrated mini-programs. Conduct thorough market research to understand your target audience and pinpoint the unique solutions your app can provide.

During the design and development phase, prioritizing user experience is essential. Try to craft an intuitive interface that efficiently manages multiple functionalities. Now, collaborating with a skilled development team is crucial here as they will use cutting-edge technologies suitable for both front-end and back-end development. It’s also important to ensure your app is scalable, secure and performs well across all devices.

For more insights into mobile app development and expert advice, check out our blog on mobile app development. You will find detailed guides and best practices to help elevate your project from a concept to a market-ready product.

How Does Apps Like WeChat Make Money?

Apps like WeChat generate revenue through several strategies. These monetization methods have made the platform capitalize on a number of users by offering diverse offerings, increasing the overall user engagement. Let us look at the strategies in detail below:

Advertising

WeChat offers targeted advertising services that allows the businesses to reach millions of users as per their demographics and areas of interests.

In-App Purchases

The super app facilitates various transactions within its ecosystem, from games where users can buy virtual goods to mini-programs that sell actual products.

WeChat Pay

This payment service allows users to perform mobile transactions seamlessly. The app earns revenue using this model by charging a transaction fee on each payment made.

Subscription Services

Premium features like sticker packs or enhanced account functions can be accessed via premium subscriptions plans.

Mini-Programs

By hosting third-party services within its app, the app takes a cut of the revenue generated from these mini-programs.

Now that we have looked at the technical and monetary aspects of WeChat app development, let us touch upon something you must have heard or come across during research – low success rate of super apps in the US market and how to counter it to ensure your app’s success.

Dissecting the Low Success Rate of WeChat-like App in US Market and How to Break the Fate

Super apps like WeChat have seen tremendous success in various parts of the world, particularly in Asia. However, they haven’t replicated this success in the USA for several reasons:

1. Market Structure and Competition: The U.S. digital market is highly segmented with specialized apps leading different sectors (e.g., Amazon for shopping, Uber for transportation, WhatsApp for messaging). This specialization forces new entrants like super apps to compete with established leaders in each category, which can be a significant challenge.
2. Regulatory Environment: The U.S. has stringent regulations and compliances regarding data privacy and antitrust laws. Super apps, which consolidate vast amounts of personal data across various services, might face tougher scrutiny and regulatory challenges in the U.S. compared to other countries where data governance standards might be different.
3. Cultural Preferences: U.S. consumers tend to prefer using different apps for different services, possibly due to concerns about privacy and data security. There is also a cultural aspect of customization and control over the services they use, which can be more limiting in a super app environment.
4. User Behavior and Expectations: In the U.S., users are accustomed to apps that perform singular functions exceptionally well rather than multiple functions adequately. This preference aligns with the market structure of separate leaders in each app category.
5. Late Entry: Super apps are relatively late entrants into the U.S. market where users already have established preferences and loyalties to existing apps. Changing these habits can be particularly difficult without a significant value proposition change.
6. Technical and Integration Challenges: Integrating multiple services into one seamless experience is technically challenging. In the U.S., where each service category has a well-established leader, integration across these varied platforms can be more complex due to different standards, technologies, and user expectations.

Fighting these events to create a messaging app like WeChat and get similar response as China in the USA as well would require two things –

1. Partnerships with companies that have a trusted audience
2. Slow features scaling instead of a functionalities-rich application deployment.

At Appinventiv, we have partnered with two companies – eCommerce and Fintech – for their super app development projects focusing on the US audience. For both the projects our intent is same – build and deploy bundled services first and move to the next post user acceptance assurance. Moreover, we are working on a reward system to help users get a good value add from the time they spend in the app.

We are positive that the approach will give the user base time and reason to accept this new revolutionary business model.

Need help with your super app vision? Get in touch with us – a social media app development company trusted for converting innovative ideas into viral products.

FAQs

Q. How to develop a messaging app like WeChat?

A. Developing a messaging app similar to WeChat will need you to work on a mindset that the version will be more extensive than a simple messaging functionality – that is where the USP of the app lies at. However, you can start the development journey with the messaging feature with the intent of scaling later, by following these stages –

• Drafting a user persona
• Running extensive market research
• Finalizing the features and technologies combination
• Designing an immersive interface
• Developing a feature-rich application

Q. How much does it cost to build a mobile app like WeChat?

A. The WeChat app development cost – if you plan to build an exact replica of the product – can be anywhere between $40,000 to $200,000. However, we recommend taking a phase wise approach where you slowly scale the application by introducing features gradually. This would give users ample time to get accustomed to the model and eventually replace their specific applications with your product.

Q. How much time does it take to build an app like WeChat?

A. The timeframe to develop an app like WeChat generally varies as per the overall app complexity. For instance, a simple app with minimal features may take around 5 to 6 months. On the other hand, a highly complex app with an extensive feature set and functionalities can take around 9 to 12 months, on average.

The market is filled with a variety of applications, right from basic editing tools like Instagram’s Reels to complex software such as Final Cut or even KineMaster. Because of their user interface, there was a need for a solution that would have all the necessary editing features and won’t have a steep learning curve. This is where CapCut comes into the picture.

The video editing application took very little time to become the go-to editing platform for TikTok users (with the number of downloads on the Play Store surging over 500 million), which didn’t go unnoticed by entrepreneurs . In this article, we are going to backtrack to the one question that is also the most asked – What is the cost to build an app like CapCut?

The Cost of Developing a Video Editing App like CapCut

We understand how difficult it is to give an exact range of CapCut app development costs, considering its wide ranging factors. However, having studied the application and its offerings, we can say that a replica of it could cost anywhere from $30,000 to over $250,000.

The general rule of thumb when planning the video editing app development cost like that for CapCut or any other software is simple – combine the app complexity (decided by the design, features, and technologies integration) with the development hours. Here, the development hours is the total estimated time required for all phases of development, including, planning, design, coding, testing, and deployment.

A general formula that can be used to arrive at a rough CapCut app development cost figure includes: Total Development Hours X Hourly Rates of Developers = App Development Cost

Now that we have looked into the costing part of CapCut, let us look into the different elements that go into deciding these costs.

Also Read: A comprehensive business guide to understanding mobile app development costs

Key Factors Affecting CapCut-like App Development Costs

From platform compatibility to app maintenance and updates, multiple factors affect the overall cost to build an app like CapCut. Let’s check those out.

Platform Compatibility

One major aspect affecting the cost to build an app like CapCut is platform compatibility. Creating an app for both iOS and Android increases expenses due to the need for separate coding, testing, and optimization for each platform.

When choosing platform compatibility, it’s important to consider your target audience and respective iOS and Android market shares. Understanding user preferences and market dynamics will help optimize your budget by aligning platform choices with your app’s potential reach and impact.

Complexity Level of Features and Functionalities

The cost of developing a video editing app like CapCut is directly related to the complexity level of the features implemented. The development process becomes more complex when features like advanced video editing capabilities, an extensive range of filters, smooth transitions, and eye-catching special effects are included. The investment required to develop, test, and optimize these components rises with the depth of functionalities.

Video Processing and Rendering Capabilities

Implementing advanced video processing and rendering features directly impacts the cost to build an app like CapCut. High-quality rendering, real-time processing, and intricate video editing capabilities contribute to the complexity of the app’s architecture. Adding complex video processing algorithms is necessary to ensure smooth user experiences, but it also means investing more in development time and skills.

Location of the Hired App Development Agency

The location of the hired app development team is also another major factor affecting the overall development cost. This when added to the location-wise video editing app development cost like CapCut, can look like this:

Size of the Development Team

The success of developing a video editing app like CapCut is greatly influenced by the size of the development team. It is affected by the intricacy of the project, the amount of time allotted, and the expertise needed. A larger team could speed up the development process.

The size of the team directly correlates with the project budget, as larger teams generally lead to increased costs. The optimal team size, tailored to the specific needs of the project, is determined by the intricacies of the development requirements.

Implementation of Robust Security Measures

Strong security features must be incorporated into your application to protect user data, prevent illegal access, and give user-generated content extra security. Strict authentication methods, ongoing monitoring, and extensive encryption methods are all necessary for implementing strong security features, and they all add to the overall cost to build an app like CapCut.

Considering user privacy is important, and there are possible legal ramifications, investing in extensive security measures makes the app more reliable and protects against data breaches and vulnerabilities.

Adherence to Regulatory Compliances

Ensuring regulatory compliance is critical, especially regarding user privacy and content sharing. Following the legal requirements demands close attention to detail, which could result in more expenses and development work.

Adhering to content rules, industry-specific regulations, and data protection regulations protects the app from legal threats while building user trust. Prioritizing regulatory compliance is crucial for long-term sustainability and positive user experiences.

Maintenance and Updates

Updating and maintaining an app is essential to keeping it successful after launch. It is imperative to allocate resources for continuous bug repairs, security improvements, and operating system and device compatibility updates. This proactive strategy reduces potential security risks while simultaneously guaranteeing a flawless user experience. However, it also adds to the overall video editing app development cost like CapCut

The Must-Have Features of an App like CapCut

When you build an app like Capcut, you must consider making the application live on two platforms – Mobile and Desktop. While you can keep a similar feature set, keep in consideration that the screen size will affect the editing experience, so modify the interface according to the use of magnification elements.

Extensive Templates Library

One of the key elements of video editing app development like Capcut is how easy the app makes it to create videos with its user-friendly templates. Creators can easily put clips in these templates with customizable animations, color schemes, transitions, and soundtracks. This is one of the features that immensely expedites the creators’ time.

One of the connected features of apps like CapCut here would be an easy discovery of templates – something that the application does effortlessly through its extensively demarcated library and a handy search.

Intuitive Interface

CapCut delivers an extremely organic interface that makes the entire process of video editing straightforward – something to be considered when you perform custom video editing app development. The creators can efficiently execute a wide scope of tasks, consisting of breaking and merging clips, modifying video formats, resizing canvases, adjusting the playback speed, and even switching clips – all through the timeline.

Another very critical part when you develop an app like CapCut is to keep adding new elements or experiences in the interface. For example, the CapCut app recently launched ‘speed curve’ which are speed ramps that let creators add seamless transitions in videos.

Text Solutions

The next critical element that can add to the cost of building an app like CapCut is extremely informative and engaging in a video – Text. CapCut offers efficiency by having preset templates for text as well. This removes the necessity to work around multiple tabs for adjusting font styles, sizes, and formats. This simplifies the text addition process, making it efficient.

When you are in the process of custom video editing app development, you can also think of using ‘Auto Captions’, which generates captions and assigns them to time codes.

Audio Toolset

CapCut comes with an extensive music library having copyrighted songs, but you also have the option of importing your music or taking audio out of existing videos. Like other features, when you build an app like Capcut you should keep sound effects easily accessible as well with a users-oriented search bar and a saving option.

In addition to adding audio, editing them is also extremely easy with creators having the option of adjusting volume, determining starting and ending points, and trimming as required.

Chroma Keying

One of the most beneficial features that the CapCut app development process has cracked is the video background remover offering. You can effortlessly take out an object from the videos and replace it with some other object or even overlay the subject on another layer.

This approach, denoted as chroma keying, seamlessly combines objects into multiple backgrounds, bettering the visual look of the videos.

Stickers and Effects

CapCut app development cost also includes the development and integration of well-categorized stickers such as emojis and themes like festivals, snowfall, etc. The issue with this feature, which you can solve when you build an app like CapCut is the lack of a search bar for stickers and effects, which can hinder users’ experience.

With multiple video effects such as CapCut blur and CapCut 3D zoom present, the creators can add different effects on one video clip and modify them individually.

Filters and Transitions

These two factors play a key role in setting the vibe of a video. CapCut offers multiple pre-built filters that can be customized according to the users’ needs. Using these filters can be extremely time-efficient and can speed up the workflow.

In addition to filters, CapCut-like video editing app development also keeps transitions in the picture. They are clips that connect one shot to another seamlessly. The application comes with multiple options in this regard such as MG, camera, mask, and effect, enabling easy transition between clips.

In-App Payment

The next feature that tends to add to the CapCut app development cost is in-app payment. Like every other video editing app in the market, CapCut has also categorized its functionalities into free and paid versions.

For accessing the paid version users have to give a certain amount. On the business model front, you can either charge this amount on per paid feature/element basis or simply offer access on a subscription mode where the users will have to pay a certain amount every month or year to unlock all the functionalities.

Also Read: Payment Gateway Integration: The Process and What Nexts

Forums and Community

Giving a place for app users to connect and ask questions from the app team or other users is another feature that must be considered during custom video editing app development.

When building this functionality you should make sure that there is an algorithm that prevents users from posting inappropriate, dangerous, or spammy content.

Save and Share

The last in our list of must-have features to be added when you develop an app like CapCut is giving users multiple format options when it comes to saving their files.

Additionally, there should be a one-click share functionality to share the image or video with others through social media, email, chat apps, or work applications. This would save the hassle of downloading the file and then sharing it with others.

With the functionalities now looked into at a high level, it is important to note the scope at which you will build them. The complexity of design, addition in features, integration of technologies like artificial intelligence, etc. – will ultimately help plan out the cost of developing a video editing app.

Now that we have looked into the features of apps like CapCut and the cost range that you can plan for when building a replica of it, there is one thing that shouldn’t be ignored – the process that the custom video editing app development experts would follow.

The quality that your partnered app development company follows will decide the future of the application in terms of the time when it hits the market and the quality of the software.

Steps to Develop an App Like CapCut

The approach your developers would take will more or less be the same with other applications’ development on a high level. Here’s a rough look into the steps around video editing apps development like CapCut.

Market Research and Planning

• Identify your target audience and analyze the competition.
• Define the core features and functionalities of your app based on user needs and market trends.
• Create a detailed project plan, including timelines, milestones, and resources required for development.

UI/UX Design

• Design the user interface (UI) and user experience (UX) of your app.
• Create wireframes and prototypes to visualize the app’s layout, navigation, and interactions.
• Ensure that the design is intuitive, visually appealing, and aligns with your brand identity.

Frontend Development

• Develop the app frontend using programming languages and frameworks such as Swift (for iOS) or Java/Kotlin (for Android).
• Implement the UI/UX design, including navigation, user input forms, and interactive elements.
• Ensure that the app is responsive and compatible with different screen sizes and devices.

Backend Development

• Set up the backend infrastructure, including servers, databases, and APIs.
• Develop the backend logic to handle user authentication, data storage, and processing.
• Implement security measures to protect user data and prevent unauthorized access.

Integration of Features

• Implement core features of the app, such as video editing tools, filters, effects, music library, and social media sharing capabilities.
• Integrate third-party services and APIs for functionalities such as cloud storage, analytics, and payment processing.
• Test each feature thoroughly to ensure functionality and performance.

Testing and Quality Assurance

• Conduct various testing activities, including functional testing, usability testing, performance testing, and compatibility testing.
• Identify and fix any bugs, errors, or issues found during testing.
• Ensure that the app meets quality standards and provides a seamless user experience.

Deployment and Launch

• Prepare the app for deployment to app stores (e.g., Apple App Store, Google Play Store).
• Create app store listings with compelling descriptions, screenshots, and promotional materials.
• Launch the app and promote it through marketing campaigns, social media, and other channels.

Maintenance and Updates

• Monitor the app’s performance and user feedback after launch.
• Release updates and patches to address bugs, add new features, and improve performance.
• Continuously optimize the app based on user feedback and market trends to ensure its long-term success.

With the technical and functional parts of the CapCut app development process now addressed, let us get down to the business-impacting factors of the app creation journey.

How Does the CapCut App Make Money?

The intent of every entrepreneur who spends a certain amount as the cost to build an app like CapCut is to get a good ROI and give a great editing experience to the creators. More often than not, the two intents are inter-connected. The more users enjoy themselves in your application the more likely they will make purchases and get new users to you.

CapCut, for example, has come up with a program called ‘CapCut Creator’ where the application pays users for their efforts towards editing videos and producing video templates. So every time a user downloads their video, they get money.

While this is a more indirect approach toward getting ROI for the CapCut app development cost, here are some direct monetization models.

• Freemium – The app is free to download but has some premium features and elements that can be used upon purchase.
• Subscription – There is a fixed subscription plan that users pay to get full access to the application.
• Ad Revenue – Users see ads when in the app and CapCut earns from ad clicks and impressions.
• Brand Collaborations – CapCut might partner with brands for sponsored content and special features.
• Data Monetization – The app might collect anonymous user data and monetize from it by providing insights to third-party companies or using it to improve their services.

These monetization models, while helping you with getting returns on the invested cost to build an app like CapCut, can do less when it comes to getting your application a competitive edge in the already crowded space. Here are some ideas that we give to our clients when they come to us with their ideas.

How Can Your App Get a Competitive Edge?

CapCut-like video editing app development would call for a mix of the best feature sets and the right business model. While we have discussed them in detail, let us dive more into the business model part to understand how your application can rule the space in the shortest time.

With the assumption that you will keep adding new editing features in the application to meet the market demand, here are some other avenues we recommend:

• Collaboration features enabling multiple users to work on a project together with clear changes tracking
• Expanded sound and music library
• AI-powered features such as generated script, intelligent screen recognition, and automatic video editing
• A greater focus on security and data encryption

How Can Appinventiv Help in the Journey?

At Appinventiv, we know the video editing software space inside out. We have worked on multiple projects that carried elements of image and video editing, filters and transitions, real-time processing, and more.

In addition to being technically sound in all things related to the complex-level CapCut app development process, we have also gathered a deep understanding of the social media market and its end-users. This allows us to integrate exactly the same kind of features and functionalities that users look for to share reels and videos on different social media platforms.

This mix of both technical and market understanding has prepared us to be the best video editing software and social media app development company of every business looking to enter the domain.

Get in touch with our development experts to witness the Appinventiv expertise in action.

FAQs

Q. How much does CapCut app development cost?

A. The cost of developing a video editing app like CapCut can be anywhere between $30,000 and $250,000 or a lot higher depending on the features you add, the technology combinations you apply, and the location of the software development agency you partner with.

Q. How long does it take to build an app like CapCut?

A. Like cost, the time to build an app like CapCut also doesn’t come with a sure-shot answer. Based on exactly what your needs are we would be able to give a time range. On a ballpark level, however, the application can take anywhere between 5 to 9+ months to be developed.

Q. How can you monetize an app like CapCut?

A. There are several ways you can monetize from your app and get returns on your cost to build an app like CapCut such as – In-app advertisement, Subscription model, Ad revenue, and Brand collaborations.

Designed to cater to diverse interests and trending topics, Threads enables users to connect with like-minded individuals and follow their favorite creators. Whether you seek to join discussions on current affairs or explore upcoming trends, Threads empowers you to share your ideas, opinions, and creativity with the world while building a loyal following of individuals who share your passions.

Threads provide a seamless sign-up process by using your existing Instagram login credentials. As new accounts join Threads, you will automatically follow the same accounts you already follow on Instagram. With Threads, you can share posts up to 500 characters long, along with captivating images, gifs, and videos up to five minutes in duration.

The platform’s interface is reminiscent of Twitter, featuring concise text-based content and options for liking and reposting. Users also can quote a thread, similar to the functionality of retweets. Threads combine the best features of multiple social media platforms, resulting in a unique and interactive user experience. With such robust features, considerations often circle around how much does such a platform would cost to develop? To give you a rough idea, the cost to build a text-based like Threads can vary from $45,000 to $300,000 depending on various factors detailed later.

In the current landscape of Twitter’s challenges, several tech companies have sought to capitalize on the situation. However, Threads possesses a distinct advantage with the strong backing of Meta, leveraging its substantial resources and the extensive user base of Instagram, which exceeds two billion monthly active users globally.

This blog will help you understand how to build a text-based app like Threads. In addition to comprehending its features, and development process, we will also look at the cost to build an app like Threads and the factors that affect it.

Now before delving into the costing details and the development process, let us first understand why launching a social media app like Threads is the astute move for Meta that will solidify its position in the industry.

Why is the Social Media Text-Based Apps Industry the Lucrative Option to Dive Right In?

Remember the recent cage fight that is expected to take place between Mark and Elon in the upcoming days? Whether that happens or not, Meta has taken the first move and launched the Threads messaging app, a direct competitor to Twitter.

Musk’s implementation of a temporary “rate limit” on Twitter limited the number of tweets users could view, resulting in a negative user experience and increased public complaints. This created an opportunity for Meta to capitalize on the social media landscape and introduce Threads as a more engaging and user-friendly platform a little early before its planned launch date. Meta’s goal is to address the deficiencies of Twitter and attract users by offering a compelling alternative in the ever-changing world of social media.

Meta’s decision to integrate Threads into its existing infrastructure and user base is a strategic move that aims to capitalize on its resources and create a seamless and improved social networking experience. The Threads app can change how people talk online, create fun communities, and help users connect with their favorite creators and people who share their interests. As the app gains momentum, it will further enhance Meta’s platforms and provide users with an enhanced social networking experience.

Twitter’s turmoil not only proved beneficial for the early launch of the text-based app Threads but also proved favorable for BlueSky, another Twitter rival that witnessed inexplicably high traffic, all thanks to the recent gimmicks carried out by Musk.

According to recent reports, the social media ecosystem is expected to witness a market share of $310.3 billion in 2030. The increasing surge in the app market size can be attributed to the growing demand of social media apps across the consumers. Thus, now is the right time to leverage the growing market space with a social messaging app like Threads.

How to build a Text-Based App Like Threads?

To build a text-based app like Threads, hiring a dedicated app development firm like Appinventiv, which has prior expertise in delivering similar applications is vital. Here is the extensive Threads app development process that needs to be carried out for developing a similar social media app:

Requirement Analysis

Begin by fully comprehending the app’s requirements and objectives. This phase of text-based app development includes clearly defining the target audience and the features and functionalities that will go into the app.

Market Research

Extensive research is essential for analyzing the market landscape, identifying competitors, and gathering insights into user preferences and trends. It will be crucial in refining the app’s overall concept and positioning in the social media space.

Design and User Interface

Once the above functionalities are mapped out, it’s time to start creating the app’s wireframes, mockups, and prototypes to visualize its interface and user experience. For an app similar to Threads to gain instant traction, an intuitive and visually appealing design that aligns with the brand’s overall essence will take you a long way.

Technical Architecture

During this phase of text-based app development, define the technology stack and infrastructure needed for the app’s development. In addition to this, carefully select frameworks and programming languages based on scalability, performance, and compatibility requirements.

Backend and Frontend Development

This phase involves developing the backend infrastructure, which includes servers, databases, APIs, and other necessary components. Implementing robust security mechanisms to protect user data and ensure data privacy is vital. Following this, the app’s user interface components, screens, and interactive elements will be developed. The focus while Threads like social media app development will be responsiveness, usability, and seamless navigation across different devices and platforms.

Testing and Quality Assurance

This phase of the Threads app development process requires thorough testing to identify and resolve bugs, glitches, or usability issues. Functional testing, compatibility testing, and user acceptance testing will be carried out to ensure a seamless and error-free user experience.

Deployment and Maintenance

After the app has been deployed across the respective app stores, it is vital to regularly monitor its performance, gather user feedback, and make necessary updates and improvements, to ensure seamless functioning across all platforms.

[Also Read: How to Create a Social Media App in 2023 – A Comprehensive Guide]

Features to Build an App Like Threads

Thread is a platform that stands out due to its distinctive features and its emphasis on fostering connections between individuals. Threads offers users a unique opportunity to build communities centered around shared interests by providing a fresh approach to online conversations. Here are some key features that can be launched initially while developing a text-based app like Threads:

Seamless Integration: Threads allows the users to sign up with their existing Instagram account, making it easy for them to connect with their friends and followers on Instagram directly within the app.

Follow Accounts Automatically: Once you’re on Threads, you can automatically follow all the accounts you already follow on Instagram as they join the app, ensuring you stay connected with the people you care about. You can also search for other accounts over the home page and follow them to view their content and posts.

Enhanced Messaging: With Threads, you can share texts, quotes up to 500 characters, photos, links, and videos up to 5 minutes in length. The app allows you to share your content at the Instagram story while linking your Threads account to other apps.

Threads:  The app has a familiar interface similar to Twitter, with short text-based content, options to like and repost, and the ability to quote a thread, similar to retweeting with quotes.

Communities: Threads is a platform that intends to foster vibrant communities where users can engage in meaningful discussions and connect with like-minded individuals who share their interests. Social media apps allow users to build a loyal following and share their ideas, opinions, and creativity with the world.

Tune Out the Noise: Threads provides a “Turn Out the Noise” feature that empowers users to take control of their conversations. It is one of the most sought-after Threads app features that allows users to customize their experience by selecting who can mention or reply to them, filtering out replies with specific words, and managing profiles through unfollowing, blocking, restricting, or reporting. Additionally, any profiles blocked on Instagram will automatically be blocked on Threads, ensuring a more positive and focused conversation environment for users.

Compatibility with Interoperable Networks:  Threads plans to support the ActivityPub protocol, an open social networking protocol established by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C). This compatibility will allow Threads to connect with other apps supporting the ActivityPub protocol, such as Mastodon and WordPress. By being interoperable, Threads opens up new possibilities for connections and interactions not typically available on most social apps. This will allow users to engage with a wider network across different platforms, thus fostering a more inclusive and expansive social experience. For  carrying out Threads-like app development, it is vital to ensure interoperability across multiple networks.

Now that you have understood the multiple factors and features that impact the cost of Threads app development, let us move ahead and check out the various differences between the recently launched Threads and its closest competitor-Twitter.

How is Threads Similar to or Different From Twitter?

When comparing Twitter and Threads, it is essential to analyze their distinctive features and functionalities. These two popular platforms in the digital realm provide avenues for communication and expression, but they possess unique characteristics that cater to diverse user preferences. From character limits and video lengths to content discovery and threading experiences, some nuances set Twitter and Threads apart in the social app ecosystem.

• Threads have a character limit of 500, while unverified Twitter users are limited to 280 characters. Twitter offers a paid subscription that increases the character limit to 25,000.
• Threads require users to have an Instagram account, allowing for easy importing of bio information and followers from an existing Instagram profile.
• Threads allow users to post videos up to five minutes long, while non-verified Twitter users can post videos up to two minutes and 20 seconds long.
• Twitter’s homepage showcases trending topics and personalized recommendations, while Threads primarily relies on the home feed for content discovery.
• Threads currently do not have a draft-saving feature, unlike Twitter which allows users to save drafts of their posts.
• Starting a thread on Threads requires hitting the enter key three times, whereas, on Twitter, it can be done with a simple click on the plus button.
• Unlike Twitter, which provides this option, threads does not offer a separate tab to view other profiles’ likes.
• Threads follow the same content rules as Instagram, providing controls for muting and blocking accounts.
• Threads is built on the ActivityPub social-networking protocol, allowing users to interact with a wider community beyond Instagram, similar to Mastodon and other decentralized social-media apps.

Exploring the Threads App Development Cost

To give you a brief idea, the cost to build an app like Threads can vary from $45,000 to $300,000. Several factors can impact the overall cost of development, such as the overall complexity of the app, the location of the hired app development agency, the features integrated into the social media app, the tech stack used, aesthetics, etc. In general, the higher the overall complexity of the app, the higher its cost.

Even though it is difficult to determine the exact text-based app development cost, a dedicated app development firm like Appinventiv can offer you a clear budget based on your custom requirements.

Factors Affecting the Cost to Build a Text-Based App Like Threads

There are multiple factors that can impact the cost to build a text-based app like Threads. Ranging from integrated feature list, the UI/UX design, wireframes to the location of the development company, let us understand the Threads app development cost analysis and the factors that affects it in detail below:

UI/UX Design

An effective UI/UX strategy is essential for the overall success of a mobile app. It plays a crucial role in enhancing user engagement while increasing the user retention rate. Implementing multiple testing procedures to tailor the app to specific requirements directly impacts the Threads app development cost.

App Platform

The choice of the platform has a substantial impact on the overall text-based app development cost. Choosing between iOS or Android platforms or adopting a cross-platform approach involves different cost considerations based on various factors. To ensure an optimized budget in the early stages, starting with a single platform is generally recommended and transitioning to a cross-platform app once it gains popularity.

Team Size

The size of the app development team contracted by the company directly impacts the cost to build an app like threads. The selection can involve choosing between freelancers or an in-house team or outsourcing the app development project to a dedicated organization. Each option possesses distinct advantages and disadvantages that need to be carefully evaluated.

Data Encryption

Implementing robust data encryption mechanisms is crucial for protecting user data and ensuring its confidentiality. However, it is important to note that implementing these mechanisms can lead to increased text-based app development cost. To effectively safeguard sensitive information, it is necessary to carefully implement encryption algorithms and secure data transmission protocols.

Authentication and Authorization

Developing a robust authentication and authorization system is crucial for safeguarding user accounts and stopping unauthorized access. Including advanced security measures like two-factor authentication (2FA) or biometric authentication may necessitate additional development work and potentially impact the overall cost to build a text-based app like Threads.

Location of the App Development Agency

The geographical location of the app development agency also influences the Threads app development cost. For instance, hourly development rates in Asia tend to be comparatively lower than those in the UAE, UK, or the US.

App Development Rates as per Regions:

• Eastern Europe: $60 – $70
• Asia: $40 – $50
• America: $100 – $120
• Africa: $20 – $40

Maintenance

Proper mobile app maintenance is crucial for ensuring its success in the rapidly evolving social media ecosystem. Implementing measures to ensure smooth functioning and optimal performance across all platforms is important. In addition to bug-free app expenses, maintenance costs also encompass app upgrades and the adoption of new technologies as per market demands.

Tech Stack

A well-designed mobile app, integrated with a strong tech stack, is crucial for its success. Using the latest technologies and resources to build a text messaging app like Threads is essential to stand out from the competitors. However, the cost of Threads app development can vary as per the multiple technologies that are to be implemented in order to incorporate multiple features.

Features

The feature list is a crucial factor in determining the overall Threads app development cost. An app with an extensive feature list usually costs you more than one with minimal features. Defining a well-crafted feature set that sets the app apart from its competitors is crucial to ensure easy market acceptance.

How to Make Money From an App Like Threads?

Text-based messaging apps like Threads and Twitter are gaining popularity in this rapidly growing social media space, earning millions of bucks within just a few hours of their launch. But how do you make money from an app like Threads or Twitter? Well, let’s get onto that:

Meta is not yet using any monetization strategy for Threads as of its launch. If you are looking to launch a text-based app in the social media space, here are the the various monetization strategies available for you to try out:

Advertising: The app allows you to generate instant revenue with the help of targeted ads, sponsored content, or paid partnerships with brands.

In-App Purchases: You can offer the users premium features, exclusive content, etc., for purchase within the app.

Premium Model: You can offer a basic version while developing an app similar to Threads for free while offering premium upgrades or verified tags and advanced functionalities for a monthly premium.

Sponsored Content and Influencer Collaborations: Collaborate with influencers or brands for sponsored posts or content promotion within the app.

How Can Appinventiv Help You Dominate the Text-Based Social Media App Market?

The introduction of Threads by Mark Zuckerberg addressed users’ need for enhanced personal connections, private messaging, and temporary content, resulting in a valuable contribution to the social media landscape.

Now that you have understood that the cost to build a text-based app like Threads varies from $45,000 to $300,000, now is the right time to jump on the bandwagon to leverage the growing social media space.

Appinventiv is a dedicated social media app development company with more than eight years of expertise in the field and has helped multiple clients leverage the social media ecosystem across various genres.

For instance, we recently developed a social media app called Vyrb that allows the users to share audio messages optimized for Bluetooth wearables.

The app paves the way for voice posting across social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter using Bluetooth glasses. The app has witnessed over 50K+ downloads and received funding of $1+ million.

In today’s social media era, leveraging platforms like Threads can give your business a significant advantage. Embracing new social media apps and enticing users to join can put you ahead of the competition. If you wish to develop an app like Threads, feel free to contact us. We are here to offer consultation and project estimates tailored to your custom needs.

FAQs

Q. How much does it cost to build a text-based app like Threads?

A. The cost to build an app like Threads varies from $45,000 to $300,000. There are several factors that impact the overall cost of development including the complexity of the app, API integrations, the location of the hired app development firm, the UI/UX design of the app, etc. Get in touch with our experts to get clear cost estimates based on your custom business requirements.

Q. How long does it take to develop an app like Threads??

A. The time frame to make an app like Threads depends on the overall complexity of the app. For instance, a highly complex app with an extensive feature list will take around 9 to 12 months while developing a simple app with minimal features will take around 3 to 4 months.

As one of the significant players in the messaging app industry, Botim has earned considerable popularity because of its comprehensive features and smooth user experience. If you’re considering messenger app development that lives up to Botim’s standard, it is crucial to understand the financial investment or cost to develop a messenger app like Botim required which can range from $50,000 to $300,000 or more­.

Embarking on instant messenger app development similar to Botim that offers robust functionality and engaging user experience necessitates careful planning, adept development teams and obtaining realistic estimates of associated costs. Entrepreneurs, businesses and developers aspiring for such an initiative must understand the financial aspects’ complexities before assigning resources and making strategic decisions.

This article aims at providing you with extensive insights into an often-debated question: How much does it cost to build an instant messenger app development like Botim? We will explore various statistics and factors influencing messenger app development costs while providing essential information to make informed decisions about building your successful messaging platform.

Why is Botim Such a Popular App?

Botim is an exceptional free video and voice-calling app that is widely used by millions of people in the Middle East. With its cutting-edge features, Botim provides safe and confidential voice and group video calls with pre-installed emoji dashboards, effortless funds transfers, digital KYC validation, bill payments, mobile recharges, and online games. One of the standout Botim app features is that it allows a group chat with as many as 500 people globally.

This state-of-the-art app uses end-to-end encryption technology to ensure confidentiality during conversations on 2G-5G networks and WiFi connections without requiring a VPN. It utilizes AES-256 encryption techniques for data security, guaranteeing a fast and reliable connection.

How Much Does the Botim Messenger App Cost?

There are various factors influencing the cost of developing messenger app like Botim. Here are some key messenger app development cost considerations:

• Developer Team: The cre­ation of a high-quality messaging app highly relies on hiring compe­tent develope­rs. The messenger app like Botim development cost is contingent upon various factors such as te­am size, expertise­ level, geographical location, and hourly rate­s. The two common avenues for hiring de­velopers are through age­ncies or project-based te­ams with costs ranging from $25 to $150 per hour.
• Features: The messenger app development cost hinge­s on the nature and range of its fe­atures. A basic messaging app that allows text me­ssaging and media sharing would usually cost less compare­d to an advanced app with features such as voice­ and video calls, encryption, group chats, and file sharing.
• User Experience and Designing: Investing in a visually appe­aling and intuitive UI/UX design can significantly enhance­ user engageme­nt. The cost of UI/UX design varies de­pending on the complexity of the­ project, customization needs, and e­xpertise of the cre­ative team. Gene­rally, one should expect to spe­nd between $10K-30K or more­ for high-quality UI/UX design.
• Platform Compatibility: Developing for multiple platforms (iOS, Android, and potentially the web) will increase the development cost. Each platform requires specific development and testing efforts, adding to the overall time and resources required. Alternatively, you can opt for cross-platform development frameworks like React Native or Flutter to streamline development and reduce costs.
• Servers or Backend Infrastructure: Deve­loping a solid backend infrastructure that can smoothly manage me­ssaging, enable real-time­ communication and store data requires a conside­rable investment in se­rver setup and manageme­nt tools. Additional expenses may include­ cloud infrastructure utilization fees for hosting your se­rvers and implementing se­curity measures to safeguard against cybe­rsecurity threats. The e­xtent of complexity and scalability require­d by your application will influence the total cost of the­se process, which could range from around $20,000 to $50,000 or more­ based on specifics.
• Testing: To ensure­ a seamless and error-fre­e experie­nce for users, thorough testing and quality assurance­ is crucial. This involves functional, performance­, security, and compatibility testing across various device­s and operating systems. Depe­nding on the complexity of your app’s scope, te­sting costs can range from $5,000 to $15,000 or higher.
• Maintenance and Updates: After launching your product, re­gular maintenance, bug fixes, and update­s are crucial to ensure use­r satisfaction. Allocating a budget for these tasks is ne­cessary based on the e­xtent of required update­s and the size of your developme­nt team. The cost of maintenance­ largely depends on the­ scope of neede­d revisions.

Providing an exact messenger app like Botim development cost e­stimate for creating a Botim-like app pose­s several challenge­s. However, taking into account various factors like your spe­cific requirements and the de­velopment team’s e­xpertise, the total de­velopment cost can range from $50,000 to $300,000 or more­. To get a precise cost e­stimation tailored to your project’s nee­ds, performing a thorough evaluation with your deve­lopment team is crucial. Check out the below tables to get some idea of pricing according to the complexity of the application:

Botim-Like App Development: App Features and Development Hours

To develop an app similar to Botim, several key features must be considered for optimal functionality and user experience. These include

User Registration and Authentication

This Botim app features allow users to create an account, log in, and authenticate their identity through email, phone numbers, or social media accounts. To implement this feature properly, it can take between 30-50 hours of development time.

Messaging and Chat

The core functionality of a messaging app includes real-time messaging, text formatting options, message delivery status indicators (read receipts), and the ability to send media files such as images, videos, and documents. Developing these Botim app features could require anywhere from 60-100 hours of development time.

Voice and Video Calling

In order to include voice and video calling capabilities with this messenger app features like call initiation, call management (mute, speakerphone option), and optimizing call quality could require up to 80-150 hours of development time.

Group Chats

Providing users with the ability to create group chats which also come with functions such as adding/removing participants or naming the group along with group admin controls, may need around 50-80 hours of development effort.

Push Notifications

Push notifications are incredibly important since they alert users about new messages, calls or any other relevant activity on the platform, even when they’re not actively using the app. The development time for implementing push notifications varies from 30-50 hours.

Contact Synchronization

It allows users to sync their contacts from their devices and help them find friends already using the application. Implementing this feature takes approximately 30 -50 hours of development effort.

User Profiles

Creating user profiles where they can customize their avatars add posts/status updates, and set privacy preferences takes around 40-60 hours during development.

End-to-End Encryption

It enable­s developers to cre­ate a security shield for use­r data and confidential conversations by establishing robust e­ncryption protocols. The developme­nt timeline require­d for this project is estimated be­tween 50-80 hours.

Customization Features

Users can e­asily customize their app expe­rience with options that include the­me selection, chat backgrounds, and notification sounds. The­ estimated deve­lopment time for these­ customization messenger app features is betwe­en 30 to 50 hours.

Cross-Platform Compatibility

To ensure­ that the develope­d app works seamlessly on various platforms like iOS, Android, and we­b, cross-platform development frame­works including React Native or Flutter are­ used. The estimate­d development time­ is between 100-200 hours, subje­ct to the complexity and features spe­cific to each platform.

Deve­lopment hours for your app can be variable, typically base­d on factors such as the complexity of the fe­atures required, the­ development te­am’s experience­, and specific project require­ments. It is advisable to see­k guidance from a skilled deve­lopment team to rece­ive an accurate estimate­ tailored to the unique ne­eds of your app.

How To Build A Messenger App Like Botim?

It takes a comprehensive messenger app development process to create a platform like Botim. To make an app similar to Botim, follow these steps:

Define Objectives

Before­ beginning the deve­lopment of a custom messenger app, a crucial step for any app is to de­fine its objectives cle­arly. It involves identifying the unique se­lling points that set it apart from competitors and targeting the­ audience accordingly. This important initial step lays the­ foundation for the developme­nt journey.

Do Market Research

To create­ a successful messaging app, conducting thorough market re­search is essential. By diving de­ep into user prefe­rences, competition, and pote­ntial opportunities, you can refine your app’s fe­atures and functionalities according to the ne­eds of your target audience­.

It is recommended to analyze­ existing messaging apps such as Botim meticulously. This proce­ss will give you valuable insights into their stre­ngths, weaknesses, and are­as for improvement. Ultimately, the­ conducted market rese­arch will help your app stand out in a crowded digital landscape by providing use­rs with what they need and want.

Make a Development Plan

To optimize resource allocation efficiently through streamlining processes within development operations, defining a well-constructed plan is essential. Careful analysis of suitable technologies, platforms and frameworks, such as natively developed applications for iOS/Android devices or utilizing alternate choices like React Native or Flutter, is crucial at this stage. Defining targeted objectives within sub-tasks and forming small instances of progress throughout code development also increases simplicity among complex solutions present during project completion stages.

Define Budget

Developing an effective budget is required to complete your app creation journey successfully. It is important to analyze factors like feature comprehensiveness, platform compliance and overall level of complexity while settling on a feasible budget plan. Following this methodology guarantees that there are no major monetary challenges encountered throughout the period of building your application.

Hire Developer Team

Developing an app like Botim requires careful planning to deliver a comprehensive product without cluttering it with intricate elements. One way of accomplishing this is by consulting with a professional development team who can create a minimum viable product (MVP) that includes core features while excluding more complex components.

Testing

To maximize success with an app, a thorough evaluation is essential through extensive software testing methods such as functional testing, compatibility checking and assessing security protocols which allow us to detect any technical faults or drawbacks hindering the app’s performance.

Launch and Maintenance

To launch the app on major app stores like Apple App Store and Google Play Store, generating persuasive descriptions, enticing screenshots, and engaging promotional materials is essential. Continuously monitoring the app’s performance, collecting user feedback and updating its functionality will ensure a satisfactory user experience. Regular updates enhance the app’s usability and keep users engaged in the long run.

What can Appinventiv Do for you in the Development of your App?

Appinventiv specializes in creating innovative social media applications that can help businesses connect with their customers in a unique way. A recent example of our work is the development of Vyrb, a social media app we created for Innovative Eyecare.

Vyrb allows users to send and receive audio messages specifically designed for Bluetooth wearables. It also enables users to post voice messages on social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter using Bluetooth glasses. The app has been downloaded over 50K+ times and received funding of $1+ million.

If you’re interested in developing a similar social media app, Botim. Contact us at Appinventiv, an exceptional social media app development services company to learn more about our offerings.

FAQs

Q. How long does it take to develop an app like Botim?

A. Developing an app similar to Botim needs multiple steps that may impact its delivery timeline. Such measures range from its complexity level to the integrated features and the developer team’s experiences. Usually, creating an app may take 3 to 9 months or more depending on different aspects like the preparation, designing and testing.

Q. Are there any limitations to the Botim-type app? Will it work on both iOS and Android?

A. An app similar to Botim can be created for both iOS and Android platforms, providing users access to the app on either operating system. This cross-platform compatibility significantly increases its effectiveness and popularity by widening its reach and user base.

Q. Is it expensive to make a platform like Botim?

A. The development of a messenger app like Botim can carry significant costs. Various factors contribute to these expenses, including the expertise level of the development team, desired features, platform compatibility, backend infrastructure, testing protocols, and ongoing maintenance requirements. The total cost to develop a messenger app like Botim can span anywhere between $50,000 to $300,000 or even more, depending on the project’s unique needs and specifications.

There are ample influencer marketing platforms across the globe, each with a different set of features and offering unique capabilities for brands to engage. Still, each platform has its shortcomings, thereby making space for improvement in the ecosystem.

Since the global influencer marketing platform market was valued at $10.39 billion in 2021 and is expected to witness a CAGR of 33.4% from 2022 to 2030, now is the right time to invest in the market by developing an influencer marketing platform and leverage the growing market share to ensure a constant revenue stream for your business.

So, this blog will help you understand the complete process that goes behind influencer marketing platform development. In addition, we will also look at the cost of building an influencer marketing platform and the multiple features that go into creating it.

How to Develop an Influencer Marketing Platform?

Influencer marketing has become an intriguing option for brands due to the challenges faced by programmatic advertising. Privacy regulations, ad-blocking software, and banner blindness are all contributing factors. Thus, creating a well-defined and robust influencer marketing platform that offers it all is the need of the hour. Let us look at the influencer marketing platform development process in detail:

1. Define the project scope

This step requires assembling a dedicated social media app development team consisting of a project manager, a software developer, and a few business analysts. The team’s primary objective will be to work closely with your business stakeholders to create a project scope statement. This statement will define the project plan and how the development process will unfold, which will be critical in guiding the team’s efforts.

2. Choose the right development methodology as per your project scope

After finalizing the project’s scope, it is time to analyze the market and choose the development methodology. To keep the costs optimized initially, starting with MVP development for your project is usually recommended. After MVP is launched in the market and the initial customer feedback is gathered, you can switch to a fully-fledged mobile app with an extensive feature list.

Generally, this stage involves analyzing the shortcomings in the influencer marketing platform ecosystem, analyzing the risks involved, and finalizing a project plan based on them.

3. Finalize a development approach

If you wish to create a web app, using a Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS) platform is recommended. On the other hand, to build an influencer marketing platform for a mobile device,  using a Mobile-Backend-as-a-Service (MBaaS) platform is advisable.

Now that you have decided on the development approach, it is time to choose between iOS or Android platform for your app. Native apps are capable of offering the best UX as well as improved performance. But, to reduce the overall costs to build an influencer marketing platform, choosing a cross-platform mobile development is advisable.

4. Choose the right managed cloud services platform

Now that you have finalized the development approach and have gathered a strong development team that includes designers, developers, quality analysts, and more, it is time to choose the right managed cloud services platform for your project. We recommend you use AWS since it offers well-known PaaS and MBaaS platforms while managing your cloud infrastructure, security, middleware, and networking effectively.

5. Finalize an influencer marketing API solution

Using a leading 3rd party API solution to integrate the influencer marketing features is recommended. We advise you to use the Upfluence API since it can offer you access to the audience demographics in its database while making way for you to fine-tune your search effectively.

6. Find a suitable project management tool

Now that you have procured all the required tools and methodologies, it is now time to find the best project management tool that resonates with your custom project requirements while making way for you to manage the related tasks efficiently. We recommend you use a scrum framework to manage the agile project methodology implemented at your end.

Another best option is using a DevOps methodology. DevOps project management allows project managers to act as coordinators, working closely with multiple contributors to ensure that timelines and dependencies are met. By tailoring project management to support the DevOps model, the project can be completed with greater efficiency and productivity.

7. Carry out the UI/UX design process

This stage requires conducting a thorough business analysis, benchmarking against industry standards, and learning how to create good UX design. By developing UX/UI concepts and writing detailed specifications for the project prototype, you can ensure a user-centric approach. The process will conclude with your approval of the prototype, ensuring all requirements are satisfied and a good UX design is achieved.

8. Complete the coding process

After the design prototype has been finalized through multiple testing iterations, it is time to start writing the code to create an influencer marketing platform. This stage involves the development of the app or platform frontend and backend using a dedicated programming language and multiple technologies.

9. Assure Quality and deploy the app

Before the app is deployed on the app store or Play store, it is necessary to carry out a thorough quality assurance process that helps ensure the smooth running of the platform and its bug-free nature. After the app/platform testing, the app is deployed on the required platforms.

10. Maintenance

Once the app is available across the globe for users, it is necessary to carry out proper maintenance to ensure that it runs smoothly on all platforms. Further updates should be offered to the app according to the latest market trends, ensuring its success in this competitive ecosystem.

Cost to Build an Influencer Marketing Platform

To give you a brief idea, the influencer marketing platform development cost can vary between $40,000 to $200,000. There are further several factors that impact the overall cost to build an influencer marketing platform, such as the location of the app development agency, the design and coding process, quality assurance, the underlying app platform, etc.

In general terms, we can say that the overall app complexity is the major deciding factor that impacts the app/platform development budget. For instance, a highly complex influencer marketing platform development process will cost you more than building a simple platform with a minimal feature list. Here is the influencer marketing platform development cost breakdown as per overall complexity:

Furthermore, let us try and offer you a sure-shot formula to estimate influencer marketing platform development cost:

Here the total development hours is the time frame required to complete the app’s wireframing process, design, code, quality assurance, maintenance, etc. The hourly rate of development varies according to the hired influencer marketing app development organization.

Factors Affecting the Cost of Influencer Marketing Platform Software Development

To ensure that you are setting aside an appropriate budget for your influencer marketing platform, finalizing the type of software you wish to develop is crucial. Once you have a clear idea, it is recommended that you hire a dedicated influencer marketing app development organization that can offer you maximum ROI. Here are the major factors that affect the final cost of influencer marketing platform software development.

UI/UX Design

To develop an influencer marketing platform that is robust and easy to use, a well-defined UI/UX strategy is crucial for success. A seamless software design enhances user engagement and retention. Since multiple testing procedures are necessary for handling custom client requirements, this further impacts the overall development cost.

Underlying Platform

The platform chosen for influencer marketing app development has a significant impact on the budget. The budgetary requirements vary for iOS, Android, and cross-platform apps. To optimize the budget initially, starting with a single platform and switching to a cross-platform app is recommended once it gains traction in the market. This approach can help save costs in the long run.

Team Size

When it comes to influencer marketing platform development, the team size has a significant impact on the development budget. When selecting the right team size for your development project, it is important to consider the trade-offs between cost and quality. While hiring freelancers may reduce the pricing, the quality of the software may be compromised due to their lack of professional expertise. On the other hand, outsourcing the project to a dedicated software development agency like Appinventiv can optimize the overall cost while allowing you to leverage their years of expertise.

The minimum team requirements for influencer marketing platform software development:

• 1-2 project managers
• 1-2 business analysts
• 2-3 frontend developers
• 2-3 backend developers
• 1-2 designers
• 1-2 quality assurance analysts

Location of the Software Development Agency

The location of the hired software development team is another deciding factor that impacts the overall development costs extensively. For instance, the hourly rate of development in regions like Asia is comparatively less than in the UAE, UK, or the US. Here is the estimated rate of development as per various regions:

Maintenance

It is important to note that proper app/software maintenance is crucial for its success in this competitive digital ecosystem. Significant actions must be taken to ensure optimal app performance across all major platforms. The maintenance cost usually includes the charges to ensure the bug-free nature of the app, as well as the charges required to offer software upgrades or implement new technologies as per market requirements.

Tech Stack

A well-defined influencer marketing platform integrated with a robust tech stack is imperative to achieve instant traction in the market. Incorporating the latest technologies in the app is crucial to gain a competitive edge. However, it is important to note that the cost of integrating these technologies can vary accordingly.

Features

A well-defined feature set that addresses the shortcomings of other similar software available in the market is crucial for gaining traction. Therefore, carefully considering features and prioritization is necessary for the app’s success. Analyzing the feature list of the influencer marketing software will help you understand its costs better.

Influencer Marketing Platform Features

An influencer marketing platform is designed to serve a specific purpose for its user base, and its features are tailored to meet the requirements of that purpose. Let us try and help you understand the core functionalities of the influencer marketing platform development process:

1. ​Easy Signup

The registration process needs to be simple and intuitive. Users should be able to register an account and sign in using Twitter, Facebook, or other social media accounts. Users can begin using the app more immediately thanks to this feature, which lets them avoid registering an entirely new account.

2.​ Relationship Management

An ideal influencer marketing platform should automate all the tedious tasks involved in influencer marketing, such as messaging influencers, signing contracts, price negotiations, and payments. Furthermore, the platform should allow the marketers to keep track of their relationships with influencers. Automating these tasks would save marketers a lot of time and effort, allowing them to focus on other important aspects of their campaigns.

3.​ Influencer Search and Discovery

A key component to include when you develop an influencer marketing platform is the search bar. Users can utilize the influencer search capability to locate and contact influencers depending on their region, niche, target audience, and other pertinent details. Users may now look for influencers near them, which makes influencer marketing programs more affordable for companies with tight budgets.

4.​ Advanced Filters

Another crucial element of influencer marketing software is advanced filters. By reducing time and increasing their chances of success, this tool aids businesses in locating the most appropriate influencers for their initiatives. Users can use advanced filters to focus their search for influencers based on various criteria, including the size of their following, engagement rates, the types of material they provide, and more.

5.​ Analytics and Reporting

Brands can monitor the success of their influencer marketing programs thanks to the analytical tools feature. It offers information on how influencer marketing is performed, including engagement rates, audience reach, conversions, and more. Brands may evaluate the effectiveness of their influencer marketing efforts and tweak their plan to get better results by having analytical tools at their disposal.

6.​ Profile Creation

The ability to create a profile is crucial for influencers to highlight their strengths and abilities to potential brands. The tool makes it simpler for marketers to find influencers who are a good fit for their campaigns by enabling influencers to establish a profile that highlights their work, abilities, and accomplishments.

7.​ User-based Content

User-based content is one of the powerful influencer marketing platform features. It enables influencers to produce and distribute content to their followers while exhibiting their expertise, originality, and sense of fashion. The user-based content function allows marketers to find influencers whose work is compatible with the look and values of their brands, increasing the likelihood that the two parties will work well together.

8.​ AR technology

Augmented Reality (AR) is one of the latest trends that have redefined the influencer marketing platforms. Using augmented reality (AR) technology, creators may produce interactive, immersive content that engages viewers and offers a distinctive user experience. Businesses may develop distinctive campaigns that stand out and draw the interest of their target audience by incorporating AR technology into an influencer marketing app.

9. Campaign Content Management

The platform should act as a comprehensive campaign content management system that enables users to manage various ad campaign features for multiple brands and influencers. These features include ad text and graphic creatives, hashtags, mentions, campaign duration, deadlines, giveaways, and sweepstakes.

10. ​AI Chatbot

An AI chatbot is a unique element that can improve the user experience in an influencer marketing app. Artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots are automated programs that communicate with users by responding to their questions promptly and correctly. Businesses may offer round-the-clock support to their consumers, speed up response times, and lighten the effort of their customer support personnel by incorporating an AI chatbot into an influencer marketing platform. The software can be more engaging and dynamic by using AI chatbots to make personalized recommendations based on the user’s interests, preferences, and behavior.

Popular Monetization Models for Influencer’s Marketing App

Here are a few beneficial monetization models that can help you ensure a constant revenue stream for your influencer marketing platform:

1. Advertisement model

The most common method of funding an influencer marketing app is through advertisements. Under this business model, companies make money by running adverts on the app. The advertisements can be seen in various media, including video advertising, sponsored posts, and banner ads. The number of clicks and views the adverts receive determines how much money the app makes.

Businesses like the advertisement model since it’s simple to set up and needs little upkeep over time. However, if there is too much advertising or if they are unrelated to the user’s interests, this model may be invasive and negatively affect the user experience.

[Also Read: How Do Free Apps Make Money: A Descriptive Guide]

2. Premium subscription model

Another well-liked strategy for making money off an influencer marketing app is the premium subscription model. Under this model, companies provide consumers a premium membership service that gives them access to extra services like ad-free browsing, exclusive content, or premium customer assistance. Users can cancel their subscription to the premium subscription service at any time, and it is typically offered on a monthly or annual basis.

Businesses like the premium subscription model because it offers a consistent income stream, and consumers are more willing to pay for a premium subscription if they value the service. To keep users happy and interested, however, this model needs a lot of continuing upkeep and customer care.

3. In-App purchases

Another monetization strategy that may be applied to an influencer marketing app is in-app purchases. With this approach, companies provide customers the option to buy extra features like premium content, virtual items, or unique experiences. The price of the in-app purchases might vary based on the goods or services offered, and they can be made with real money or digital currency.

[Also Read: How Much Money Can You Earn Through An App?]

How Can Appinventiv Help You Achieve a Competitive Business Edge in Influencer Marketing?

We hope this blog has gauged everything you need to know to develop an influencer marketing platform. It is important to note that the market for this type of software is highly competitive, and your product should stand out. Our guide offers a variety of platforms, tools, and frameworks to assist with the development, but it is important to understand that creating such an app is a complex process.

Appinventiv is a dedicated social media app development company that has a team of highly experienced social media app developers who specialize in creating influencer marketing mobile and web apps. We take pride in our expertise and are dedicated to providing the best possible solutions to our clients. Our apps, integrated with cutting-edge artificial intelligence services, are equipped with the latest technology to cater to all stakeholders’ current and future needs in real time.

We recently developed VYRB, a social media application that enables users to send and receive audio messages optimized for Bluetooth wearables. Our app development practices made the organization bag a whooping $1+ Million in seed funding as well as more than 50K app downloads.

Get in touch with our experts over a free consultation for your custom business requirements.

FAQs

Q. How does an influencer marketing platform work?

A. Influencer marketing platforms make use of advanced algorithms to simplify the process of finding influencers that can promote your business or brand. They feature extensive searchable databases of potential influencers along with features like relationship management, campaign management, third-party analytics, influencer marketplaces, etc.

Q. How much does it cost to build an influencer marketing platform?

A. It costs around $40,000 to $200,000 to develop an influencer marketing platform. There are several factors that further affect the overall costs, such as the location of the influencer marketing app development agency, the UI/UX design of the app, the development process, the underlying platform, etc.

Q. How long does it take to build an influencer marketing platform?

A. The time frame to complete the influencer marketing platform development process varies according to the overall complexity. For instance, a highly complex app with an extensive feature list will take around 8 to 9 months for development, while a simple app with a minimal feature list will require 3 to 4 months.

To stay relevant and competitive, it is important to consider the inclusion of the latest technologies. However, when talking about investing in app development, the most common question that strikes our mind is – How much does it cost to create a dating app?

When you approach the development partners, the general answer one gets is – it depends on the features, tech stack, and geographical location of the development partner. To give you an approximate idea, a basic social dating app development will consume over 1,200 hours. Based on the geographical location, app type, and total time, the cost may range between $25,000 to $ 1,25,000.

Considering the cost range, if you have dating application development in your mind, this is the right time to convert your idea into a reality. A market survey by Grand View Research clearly indicates the high market potential of dating apps.

The global market for online dating applications was valued at $7.5 billion in 2021 and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 5.5% from 2022 to 2030. The infographic below will provide you with a broader perspective of the market opportunities.

Now that we have established that it is profitable to enter dating app development services, let us dig deeper into the factors that will add to the cost of development.

Factors affecting dating app development cost

With the rapid increase in the use of smartphones, dating apps are being widely used by several users globally. Statistics clearly show that 19% of internet users are using one or the other dating platform. There is still a huge market that can be captured. However, venturing into a new business involves a substantial amount of investment. Listed below are the factors that contribute to the cost of the development of the dating app.

Type and size of the app

The idea of building an application in this competitive market is to increase user traction and earn revenue. Thus, it becomes critical to ensure that the application is unique and focuses on a specific group of users. Talking specifically about dating apps, the primary focus is to ensure the best matchmaking. The possibilities of matchmaking can be divided into four categories or types –

Geolocation-based matching app – The match between different users is created using their geolocation data. This app type facilitates matchmaking based on the location proximity showing results of the best matches from nearby locations only.

Algorithm-based matching – The match is suggested based on the surveys and algorithms created based on the user’s liking, choices, etc.

Traditional matching – The rudimentary dating algorithm is integrated into the mobile application.

Niche dating app – As the name suggests, it only focuses on specific groups. The user is allowed to join the group with similar profiles. The application can be created with gender-specific privileges also. This helps in keeping a check on harassment.

You may choose to create the application of either type mentioned above or can also choose to include multiple types of configurations to make it more robust to increase user traction. Of course, the cost will highly depend on the type you choose, as every feature has its own complexities and requires development skills and time.

Features and functionalities

It is no brainer that there are some basic features that an application must include irrespective of the type of app you decide to make. Developing a dating app with basic features may cost you as low as $25,000. However, for it to stand out in the crowd, it must include some good to have unique features, which in turn will add to the cost.

Needless to say, the increase in cost is directly proportional to the number of features included in the application. Let us begin by understanding the basic features that the application must have.

Registration and sign-in – You should provide the option of registering directly on the app and should also provide the option of logging in through social media and email accounts.

User profile creation – The option of syncing the profile information and photo upload through social media login and through the app should be given as a choice.

Security – The major apprehension of the users is getting encountered and matched with fake profiles. The technology must have the capability and techniques to verify and validate the identity of the users. Failing with this feature is a complete failure of the application. Thus, it is a critical and important pillar of the dating app development criteria.

In-app chat – Ease of connecting through chat is an easy and comfortable approach for communication.

Location – Preference should be given to the nearby matches with the help of GPS, of course, permission should be sought for obvious security reasons.

Having the above-mentioned features in a dating app are the bare essentials. Later in the article are included some of the “good to have” features that will keep the users engaged making your app get more traction.

Design

The user interface is what makes all the difference. It is the most critical dating app feature. Ease of navigation is the core of the prototype and framing of the design. As this is one of the primary factors that will contribute to getting traction on your dating application, it should be allocated ample time for development. A good design may take approximately 90 -120 hours and will also affect the overall cost of app development.

Tech stack

Tech stack is another factor that plays a vital role in determining the overall cost of dating app development. The technology stack can be decided based on the operating system:

Programming languages

Android – Java, Kotlin

iOS – Swift

Database

Redis, MongoDB

Cloud storage

AWS, Google Cloud

Web server

Caddy, Envoy, Nginx

Utilities

Google maps, Google analytics

Payment gateways

Stripe, Paypal

App testing

Ensuring the created application is as per the requirements and functions as intended, it is critical to run it through rigorous testing. The testing of the dating application may take 120-150 hours. Having an analytical team of testers is important to ensure that every shortcoming, if any, is highlighted such that the corrections and modifications can be taken care of before the final launch of the application.

On that note, listed below is a tabular representation of the cost to develop a dating app depending on the development type, design and time.

Based on the above costing, the basic native app development may cost you around $70,000. However, with the simplest features, the cost to build a dating app may come somewhere around $45,000, while with all-inclusive features, the dating app cost may go as high as $1,25,000.

These are the approximate costs and may vary hugely depending on the app development partner you choose. Having said that, the cost may increase with additional features. Let us explore the features that a dating app should have in the next section.

Best features of dating apps to keep users engaged

In this competitive world, where there are more than 5,000 dating apps worldwide, some of the interesting stats show that the traction on dating apps is increasing, such as – about 30% of Americans have tried online dating, the LGBTQ+ community is more likely to find partners on dating apps, on average millennials swipe 10 hours a week, and many more.

When deciding on getting into such a competitive dating app environment, it becomes mandatory to focus on features that can ensure high user engagement and high user retention. So, let us explore these features when deciding to build a dating app like Tinder or Bumble:

Interesting user profile

The first step to joining a dating app is to create a profile that includes basic information like gender, age, location, interests, a catchy tagline, and photos. However, this basic information is not sufficient to keep the user engaged.

To make it engaging, you can leverage users to create their own profiles in a more creative way to highlight their personalities. Providing the option of creating gamified profiles could be a good idea.

In-app chat and messaging

In-app chat is a basic feature that any dating app would have. To make it more interesting and engaging, options for voice notes, voice messages, video messages, and more can be included. This will help the user’s interactions to be more interesting, enhancing the chances of real-life relationships.

Icebreakers

Initiating a conversation after the match is made can be unnerving. Icebreaker features like adding rapid-fire questions can prompt and ease the conversation, especially for users who have recently joined the dating app.

Voice and video calling

After a point, text chats become monotonous and boring. Adding a feature of voice and video calling adds a touch of personalization. It can make communication more personal and intimate. This feature can be included as a paid feature based on its popularity and demand.

Push notifications

Push notifications help in staying informed about the user’s potential match by sending alert notifications. This feature not only keeps the user engaged but brings the user back over and again.

Social media integration

Integration with social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram provides authenticity to the user’s profile. This, in turn, helps in making the app more user-friendly and safer. While fetching the details from the integrated social media application, it can be used to get a better match based on common interests and hobbies.

Every social media platform offers an API for integration with dating apps.

How to earn revenue from dating apps?

Investing in a business only makes sense once it starts bringing profits. Considering the costs mentioned above, it becomes critical to explore various monetization options.

Membership fee

Once the user downloads your application, a membership fee can be applied. However, this will only make sense if you are able to engage and retain users. Including the above-mentioned features can be beneficial in the traction of users and retaining them.

While there are multiple free dating apps available on the market, a meager membership fee can benefit you by keeping fake profiles at bay.

Paid subscriptions

Special features can be made available on paid subscriptions. As mentioned above in the features also, voice and video chats can be the features that can be provided only with paid subscriptions.

Additionally, the features may vary based on the subscription period that can be categorized on a monthly, quarterly, and yearly basis.

Third-party services

Dating apps are focused on building relationships. As these relationships grow, emoji gestures like gifts and flowers can be sent in real by collaborating with third parties.

Providing real dating solutions like restaurant bookings, taxi calls, movie tickets, etc., can be monetized successfully as more than 50% of users state that they have had at least one in-person date.

Premium version

This strategy of monetization starts yearning for profits after a specific period of time. The downloads and special features with limitations are provided for free for a specific time period. On completion of the free subscription, users are required to pay if they wish to continue using the said feature.

Such features are the most in-demand features as the users only agree to pay for them if they are engaged and have the desire for more. Thus, it is important to provide the best user experience for the features that you plan to sell for the premium version.

In-app ads

Advertisements have been a successful medium of monetization in most kinds of applications. The software owners earn from the firms advertising their products or service. In case the user wants an application that has no ads, you can offer paid subscriptions.

Collaborate with Appinventiv for a robust mobile dating app

Expert coding is an essential requirement to build a successful dating app, as a good structural base is imperative. Applying the right tech stack and integrating the features can make or break the game of your mobile dating app development.

Having an expert social media app development company by your side can ease your journey of building the application from conceptualization to launch. Appinventiv takes pride in the expert services provided to multiple clients. One such client is Innovative Eyewear, for whom we created a social media app Vyrb, that enables users to share audio via voice commands for Bluetooth wearables. With our innovative solution, the company could secure funding of $1 million.

Share your idea with us today, and we assure you that we will provide the best solution at the most competitive price.

FAQs

Q. How much does it cost to create a dating app?

A. The cost of creating a basic dating app can be as low as $25,000. However, a feature-rich online dating app can cost you as high as $1,25,000. Based on the tech stack, features, and geographic location of the app development company, the cost may vary. Appinventiv is one of the best dating mobile application development service providers that can provide you with the best solution at the most competitive price from a high-caliber team.

Q. What is required to create a dating app?

A. Understanding the market demand and your consumer is the best way to reach the target audience. The most common features that a dating app should include are-

• User profiles
• In-app chat
• Geolocation
• Social media integration
• Push notifications

Q. What is the ideal team required to develop a dating app?

A. Depending on the requirements, you might need a team of 6-12 developers. These can be:

• Frontend Android developer
• Frontend iOS developer
• Frontend web developer
• Backend developers
• UI/UX designer
• QA tester

Gamers used to experience trouble with the built-in group voice chat feature in the games. At best, the audio quality was bad, and at worst, it was dreadful. This grabbed the attention of Hammer & Chisel creators, who already had experience in game development, and this is where the idea of a voice chat service (especially for gamers) sprouted.

Discord was created with the intention of being able to interact and coordinate with other games. However, to the developers’ astonishment, its popularity surged across a variety of community verticals.

Discord is now being used to make phone and video calls, share multimedia and documents, and do practically everything else that platforms like Zoom and Skype can do.

If you want to learn how to make an app like Discord, this article will help you understand about this chat app in detail. We are also discussing the Discord tech stack, the features of the Discord app, and how to build a chat app like Discord, along with the costs incurred in its development.

So, let’s get started on your Discord app creation journey now!

What is Discord?

Discord, a VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) application, lets users create their own personal server and interact with other users. Anyone can use Discord to create, manage, and invite people who have similar interests, exchange multimedia content (music, video, and photos, as well as documents), and trade information.

In Discord, there are different kinds of channels:

• Users can talk and share files and images using an in-text channel
• Users connect through an audio or video call in real-time with the background sound cancellation capability in the voice channel

This platform works with a variety of operating systems, including Linux, macOS, and Windows, as well as several web browsers. There is a Discord app for both iOS and Android devices.

There are various advantages to using Discord over other communication services. Slack’s freemium edition, for example, has storage constraints and limits on messaging history, but Discord has neither.

Discord messaging app stands out with its black background and cartoon-style visuals; it’s definitely a lot of fun to use. The app’s unique selling point is that you can add as many users as you want to your servers. If you want to connect 5000 people on a server, Discord makes it simple. All you need to do is get in touch with customer support, and they will switch your server to a hardware-assisted server.

Discord’s annual revenue was 45 million dollars in 2019, and it reached 300 million dollars in 2021. It now has 300 million registered members and over 150 million monthly users.

A Brief History of Discord with the Timeline

The Discord messaging app was first made public in May 2015 under the domain name discordapp.com. In March 2020, it changed its tagline from “Chat for Gamers” to “Chat for Communities and Friends’’, and the website was redesigned to feature fewer gamer jokes.

As of 2021, the app has 140 million monthly active users and 300 million registered accounts. Here’s a brief timeline of the app.

Let’s take a look at how Discord’s market value has risen over the last six years.

Must-have Features in a Chat App like Discord

Discord’s integration of unique and engaging features has increased its popularity in a short period of time, and it is currently a shining star among all voice chat and communication apps.

Here are some features that you cannot miss if you want to build a chat app like Discord.

Channels and Servers

People hang out on servers and channels to interact with other users. There are a total of 500 channels available on each Discord server. Thousands of servers exist on Discord, covering practically every topic that you can think of.

If you can’t find one that you like, you can make your own server and send an invitation on social media. Users can also quickly communicate through public or private chat to discuss specific topics.

Chats

Discord Chat was initially designed for voice conversation, though text chatting is also available. Discord chat features allow for voice as well as video chats, and there are specialized voice channels without a message option. Individuals may join various channels and begin listening and talking in only a few clicks. If your aim is to build a video chat app, you will also need quality video.

Roles Management

Within the server or channel, the admin of a group can assign roles to group members. An admin can control who has access to read, send, and join the channel. You also have the option of defining permissions for all channels collectively or individually.

There are roughly thirty permission options on Discord, and you can join these in a number of different ways. This adaptability in channel management is the most enticing feature of the Discord app.

Screen Sharing

Screen sharing is a valuable feature to include if you want to build a video chat app like Discord. It becomes easier for users to communicate when they can share their computer or phone screen with those they’re talking to. Discord and many apps like Discord have a screen-sharing feature to allow for effective communication among the participants.

Message History

If you want to build a chat app with features similar to Discord chat features, you will need to provide unlimited storage as well as the ability to search through past messages.

Some messaging apps have an option for messages to be deleted automatically after a certain amount of time. It is usually done to save up space. Texts aren’t particularly heavy, but can add up over time. However, if you are using the app for business, the messages from months ago may be very important.

Integration

Integration of third-party services and accounts with your app is given less importance, but it can be quite beneficial.

Allow users to link their social network accounts to your app. Steam and/or Twitch integration is a useful feature if you’re creating a gaming chat room. You can also provide integration with business software and platforms for businesses.

Notifications

Every messaging platform has notifications or message alerts as a standard feature. In addition, a modern chat app should allow users to turn off notifications entirely or partially so that they can turn them off if they don’t want to hear the beeping or ringing sounds of incoming messages while at meetings, school, or the office. Apps like Discord allow users to silence all notifications, as well as individual channels and servers.

[Also Read: How to Build a Push Notification Strategy For Higher Conversions]

Integration with bots

Bots are software programs that carry out pre-programmed actions. Admins can install them on servers as they have a lot of cool features. Medalbot is a popular bot on Discord that allows users to capture live gameplay videos.

File-sharing

This function is available in all modern messaging apps, so skipping it would be a mistake. You may have noticed the file upload feature in Discord, which has an 8 MB limit, and Nitro subscribers get a 50 MB plan. Large file sharing necessitates the use of more powerful servers. Therefore, to calculate the suitable file size limits, you’ll have to analyze the file-sharing requirements of your app’s target audience (if any).

A Step-by-Step Guide to Making an App Like Discord

Market Research and Competitor Analysis

The target audience is the very first thing you should consider when you want to build a video chat app like Discord. It’s critical to understand the customer’s requirements to move on with the development process and provide a superior final result.

You can divide your research into two categories:

Demographics- This includes a look at the user’s age, geography, and the devices they use to surf the web.

Behavioral Trends- Researching behavioral trends can assist you in figuring out what you should skip and what you need to include in your app.

After that, do a competitive analysis. Make a list of all of your significant VoIP competitors, then evaluate their online presence and unique value proposition (UVP). You can use a SWOT analysis to identify the strengths and weaknesses of your competition and then use the findings to ensure that your app fills the gaps in the market.

Build a Development Team

Various professionals will be required for each level of the mobile app development process. To provide efficient app development services, you need to select a mobile app development team with expertise in cutting-edge technology. The following roles will make up the team:

• UI/UX Designers,
• Project Manager
• QA Experts
• App Developers (Android & iOS)

You and the development team should build up an app development process, select important features, and design the program before getting into the actual development of your voice chat app.

Build an MVP

It is strongly advised to start with a minimum viable product and test it thoroughly to determine its technical competence and performance. You’ll be able to figure out what users enjoy and don’t like about your app if you take an MVP approach.

You can use this information to make the necessary modifications to your app to make the experience better and offer only what users want.

Select a Monetization Strategy

Select the appropriate monetization method for the app. You can easily find out what the user would pay for once you’ve determined their needs. You can select a monetization model from the following options.

Advertising: Ads within the app pay for your expenses and help you earn money.

Freemium: Your app’s basic functionality is free. However, some features require payment.

Subscriptions: Users can subscribe to your service on a monthly or yearly basis.

Blocking ads: Ads can be removed by paying a certain amount of fee.

Test the App

Testing is indeed the answer to the question of how one can successfully launch a voice chat application. Here are a few options for testing:

• Testing for functionality
• Automated testing
• Testing for usability
• Compatibility and Configuration Testing
• Stress and load testing
• Testing for integration

Promote your App

Once you’ve finished developing your product, it’s time to promote it. Your app’s promotion will assist you in reaching your target audience. Here are some ideas for promoting your VoIP application.

• Start a marketing campaign
• Use influencer marketing to your advantage.
• Use social media to promote your app.
• Organize marketing events

Discord Tech Stack

Here’s the answer to the popular question among many entrepreneurs: “What tech stack does Discord use?”

A cloud managed services app like Discord is developed with cutting-edge technologies, has a client-server networking architecture, and leverages WebRTC—a real-time communication standard that allows the app to work across platforms and allows developers to reuse code.

Frontend

The front-end technologies used to build Discord include the following.

• React.js
• React Native
• Flux

Developers can also use other technologies, such as

• Kotlin, or Java for Android
• Swift and Objective-C for iOS apps

Backend

The backend design of all Discord signaling servers is built on Elixir. On the server side, developers can use the following.

• Node.js
• Python
• Ruby, and
• C++.

DevOps

Discord partners with Devops consulting services to leverage DevOps tools such as Webpack, an open-source JavaScript module bundler designed specifically for JavaScript, and Babel, a next-generation JavaScript compiler.

Encryption

• Voice over browser (DTLS)
• Text chats (TLS)

API

• WebSocket

Audio and Video Calls

• Media Streams
• PeerConnection
• DataChannel

The Discord tech stack is extensive and varied. You can, however, use other technologies as well to build apps like Discord.

How Much Does It Cost to Make an App Like Discord?

The chat app development cost depends on several factors involved in the app development process, like-

• App complexity
• The chosen mobile app platform
• The app’s features and functionalities
• UI/UX
• Technology stack
• Number of team members on the project
• Time frame
• Region and charges of developers
• Hosting and security

Based on the aforementioned factors, the average cost of mobile app development would be roughly $20,000 to $30,000 if only the main functions were included. If you want a customized app, the pricing estimate is likely to change. If you want to add more features and functionalities, or if you want a cross-platform VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) application, the total cost will undoubtedly rise.

How Appinventiv Can be your Partner in Success?

VoIP chat apps aren’t easy to create. Many factors must be considered- the technology underlying group video and voice calls is always evolving, and you must also address high-priority data security issues, maintain robust safe servers with solid backends, and so on. It’s not an easy task by any means.

Appinventiv can be your trusted partner if you want to build a chat app like Discord but don’t know where to start. We are a well-known mobile app development company with a group of talented IT professionals having extensive web and mobile development experience.

Our apps are responsive, smart, and engaging. Our projects are managed effectively using the Agile methodology, and our QA assures that your product is error-free.

Our team recently worked on a voice-based social media app business model where we helped our client, Innovative Eyewear, with an app that enables users to send and receive audio messages optimized for Bluetooth wearables. We added in the feature to allow voice posting to social media platforms such as Twitter and Facebook using Bluetooth glasses. The app later went on to get $1+ million in funding.

In case you are also looking to build something similar, get in touch with us. We will be delighted to help you!

Conclusion

We hope this article helped you learn how to build a video chat app like Discord. By now, you’ve probably realized that a creative idea can make a massive difference when it comes to app development. Furthermore, since the field of VoIP applications is still fresh and expanding, any innovative app development concept will be warmly received by the audience. Get started with a mobile app development company Los Angeles like Appinventiv, to build your VoIP app.

FAQs

Q. What exactly is Discord?

A. Discord is a real-time chat app that enables people to communicate through text, video, and voice recordings.

Q. How long would it take to develop a Discord-like app?

A. Making an app like Discord will take approximately 4 to 6 weeks on average.

Q. How much does it cost to create a Discord-like app?

A. If only the basic features are included, an app like Discord will cost between $20,000 and $30,000.

Q. How do you make a Discord-like app?

A. To get a fantastic app like Discord, start by establishing your goals, planning your idea, choosing a pre-built platform, contacting the ideal app development agency, conducting market research, and considering the app design and development phases, and advanced features.

As defined in Wikipedia, “Social media are interactive digital channels that facilitate the creation and sharing of information, ideas, interests, and other forms of expression through virtual communities and networks”. 

In other words, social media is a form of digital communication where the users interact by forming online communities to share information, ideas, and personal messages. The content can be shared in various formats like text, videos, audio, e-business cards, etc.

It is interesting to note that social media has evolved from direct information sharing to a virtual gathering place, to a retail platform, to an important marketing tool in today’s world. The first social media platform was launched in 1997, Six Degrees followed by Friendster in 2001.

Many other businesses started taking this as an opportunity to make social media startups to enable and grow the online communities, making people meet and interact online, on a real-time basis.

Many of such websites were successful, however, 90% of them failed. When building a new startup, there are multiple aspects to consider like funding, idea validation, features, and more. In this article, we will take up examples of 10 such social media platforms that failed and learn from their failures.

Social Media Startups that Failed and the Lessons Learned

1. MySpace.com

Founded by a group of people, Aber Whitcomb, Brad Greenspan, Chris DeWolfe, Colin Digiaro, Josh Berman, Michael Addicott, and Tom Anderson in the year 2003, MySpace.com was the most popular social media networking platform before the launch of Facebook.

What was MySpace.com?

The URL of MySpace is still active, and one can still create an account. They have an operational office too with approximately 250-500 employees.  In the first and the only round of funding, they raised $ 37.8 million.

Post the official launch of the social media platform in the year 2004, it gained one million users in the span of just one month and 20 million registered users within a year.

On the website, registered users could create personalized profile pages, share blogs and posts, connect with other users through comments and messages, stream music of their favorite artists or even stream their own, share art, and more.

MySpace could generate revenue through the ads on their platform where the registered users crossed a mark of 75 million in the year 2008.

Reason for Failure

The platform created by the founders, who were from the industry and the marketing sector, was created with a different perspective when compared to Facebook, which became their competitor. Post making some failed iterations in the platform, MySpace was later remodeled as a platform for artists and musicians.

The primary reasons why it lost to Facebook were:

• Poorly organized interface
• Faulty technology and applications
• Negative press coverage

Although later they tried to find a remedy to the challenges they were facing by offering cleaner designs, it was a little late. As the primary source of revenue for MySpace was serving ads, too many ads made the platform less attractive. It was from the year 2010 that the users simply discontinued their use of the site. 

2. Friendster

Founded by Jonathan Abraham in 2001, Friendster was a popular social gaming site that underwent five rounds of funding from seven different investors with a total amount of $48.5 million. 

What was Friendster?

Friendster was a popular social gaming website that was actually a prototype of social networking sites. Because of the popularity it gained, it had more than 115 million users by the year 2011. The users could play online games, send messages, share content, write comments and share media content with other users privately or publicly. With its popularity and humungous user base, it was also used for dating, joining a group of people with similar interests or hobbies, and for discovering new events.

Reason for Failure

Games and connections is all fun. These were the ingredients of Friendster. Then why does it fall under the category of failed social networks? Social gaming was the reason for the users to keep coming back, however, gaming is fun only to a limit. You seek freshness and new games.

The missing dot that became the reason for this social media failure was actual social interactions with the social news feed features. Social interactions of every kind never die, and this is what differentiates Facebook from Friendster and similar failed social media apps.

This led to reduced registration and reduced use by existing users which lead to a shutdown.

[Also Read: An Ultimate Guide to Social Media App Development in 2022]

3. Vine

Founded in the year 2012 by Colin Kroll, Dom Hoffman, and Rus Yusupov, Vine underwent only one round of funding from two investors. This platform was created to share short looping video clips.

What is Vine?

Vine was very similar to what TikTok is today. This social media platform hosted short 6-second videos created and shared by users. Vine was a micro vlogging platform because of its video length restrictions along with social features like following, reshare, etc. 

The platform was acquired by Twitter even before its launch as it provided an opportunity to compete with giants like Facebook and Google on video content.

Reason for Failure

There were multiple reasons for this failed social media app. In the end, it did not come out as a profitable business that lost its popularity because of the following reasons:

• It became an entertainment media platform deviating from the original concept
• It did not refine as per the users by sticking to a strict 6-second video format for a long time.
• It was not open to exploring other monetization options
• It was not the priority for the parent company.

As quoted by one of the executives of Vine, “Instagram video was the beginning of the end”. The leadership churn and lack of direction also were one of the key reasons for it to lose popularity that consequently leading to the shutting down of the platform.

4. Zapstream

This short-lived social media platform was founded in 2015 and defunct in 2016. Founded by Devan Sood, it came up as a competition with Meerkat and Periscope within initial funding of $1 million.

What is Zapstream?

Zapstream was a social live streaming platform with live effects. The technical team took less than two months to design the application and make it up and running in no time. The special feature “Zap” differentiated Zapstream from other competitive apps.

The app was marketed with the help of social media influencers. By paying a petty amount to the influencer, Zapstream could drive 75K downloads with this marketing strategy.

Reason for Failure

The primary reasons for failure were mainly the rising competition, mismanagement of money, and inability to raise further funds to lead to this social media failure.

5. Dopplr

Dopplr was founded by Dan Gillmor, Lisa Sounio, Marko Ahtisaari, Matt Jones, and Taneli Tikka in the year 2007 that raised three rounds of funding from 16 different investors.

What is Dopplr?

With a focus on travel, Dopplr was created as social travel network service. The users could create their personalized travel itinerary that could be shared with other travelers in the contact list. This helps the travel community to plan and coordinate meetings and could track each other’s journey.

Reason For Failure

The travel social network platform was acquired by Nokia in 2009 for $20 million; it is since then that the number of users fell. Nokia did maintain the platform for some time without any new features. With falling user count and revenue, Dopplr was shut down in 2013 and was listed in failed startups.

6. ArgyleSocial

Founder Adam Covati started this social media marketing tool in the year 2010. Argyle Social could successfully raise two rounds of funds with a total of $1.6 million from two different investors.

What is Argyle Social?

Argyle Social was a social media marketing tool that was easy to use and highly interactive. The tool helped the marketers to improve their customer’s social media platform engagement and lead generation. The highlight was their price which was worth the features it provided and thus once became the most sought-after marketing tool.

Reason for Failure

The social media platforms change their Application Programming Interface (APIs) quite often. For the tool to stay relevant, Argyle Social struggled with a funds deficit that lead to the shut down of the company.

7. Gowalla

Josh Williams and Scott Raymond founded Gowalla in the year 2007, which received overall funding of $10.4 million. It underwent 3 rounds of funding from 11 investors.

What was Gowalla?

Gowalla was a location-based social media platform that allowed users to share and access their location with others. Their check-in feature was the major highlight of the application. The user could check in when they were close to a certain location. With gamification features, the app encouraged users to share their locations. On achieving the higher levels, the users could gain access to specific features of the application and could also win goodies from the companies as promotional tools.

Reason for Failure

Gowalla when realized where they are lagging in terms of technology, they pulled itself up to sustain itself in the market. With an excellent design that was aesthetically pleasing, Gowalla saw rapid growth for their check-in and reward features as everyone was using it.

The downfall started when the team joined Facebook in December 2011. According to Facebook, they were more interested in partnering with developers with similar values and visions that could help Facebook in enhancing certain aspects of its platform.

[Also Read: Features that Make a Social Media Mobile App Popular!]

8. Secret

Founded in 2013 by Chrys Bader-Wechsler, and David Byttow, Secret allowed posting content without disclosing their identity. With three rounds of funding by 21 investors, the platform could raise a total of $35 million. 

What was Secret?

As it was named, it gained popularity because it allowed users to post the content anonymously within the friend circle and share it with the wider public as well. People could share their preferences and opinions without the fear of facing consequences. It was because of this feature that it was once valued at $100 million. Specially used in Silicon Valley, users were addicted to the app.

Reason for Failure

The USP of the application became the biggest problem in some time. The feature of posting anonymous content lead to cyberbullying and harassment because of which the users’ count started dropping. Because of all these reasons, it attracted a lot of media attraction for negative reasons. That’s how the app was suspended by losing the traction of the users.

9. Yik Yak

Brooks Buffington, Tyler Droll, and Will Jamieson founded this social media platform, Yik Yak, in the year 2013 with a total funding amount of $73.5 million. It underwent three funding rounds from 11 investors.

What was Yik Yak?

Yik Yak was a location-based social media app that allowed users to post content anonymously. The posts, also known as Yaks, were visible to people in and around the proximity of 5 miles radius. It had the feature of voting up and down showing reactions. 

It became popular in closer communities like schools and college campuses in 2013-14 and thus raised substantial funding.

Reason for Failure

The feature of posting content was misused for cyberbullying and harassment. It even lead to hoax threats that created chaos on the campuses. It was for the same reason that Yik Yak became a failed social media site.

10. Crowdmix

Founded by Gareth Ingham and Ian Roberts in 2013, Crowdmix came up with the concept of sharing music on a social platform.

What was Crowdmix?

Crowdmix was a social media platform for music lovers where people could stream, share and talk about their favorite music bands. Only the beta version which was an invite-only version for DJs and musicians was launched. The official app was never released.

Reason for Failure

The primary reason for its closing down was the mismanagement of the funds. The funds were extravagantly spent on more administrative functions than the actual product. Also, the management did not have a clear vision and could not create a direction for successful app development. It turned out to be a disaster even before getting launched.

How can Appinventiv help you build a successful social media application?

At Appinventiv, the team is committed to delving into every aspect of app development keeping the business growth and market needs as a priority.

With years of experience in app development, we take pride in partnering with companies to create success stories throughout the journey. 

For instance, Appinventiv has successfully built a social media app for Vyrb which enables users to send and receive audio messages optimized for Bluetooth wearables. Results? The app has been downloaded over 50k times to date and received $1+ million funding. 

Leverage our experience to convert your idea into a successful business with our social media app development services.

Conclusion

In 2013, it became a rat race to create a social media application with a vision of outnumbering the users and leading the competition. However, there are multiple aspects that one needs to consider and ensure from the inception of the idea itself. Partnering with a company that has expertise in application development along with business sense is the only solution to save yourself from launching another failed social media site.

FAQs

Q. Why did giants like Google fail in social media?

A. Google launched Google Wave in 2009 and replaced it with Google Buzz in 2010 to compete with Facebook. Buzz failed due to privacy issues and Wave failed as it was complicated.

Q. Which was the first social networking site?

A. SixDegrees.com was the original online social networking site. It was way ahead of its and people then were probably not ready for the same. Thus it became defunct.

Q. What should be the basic ingredients for creating a successful social media application

A. Discipline is the most important factor to make any business successful. For social media you must ensure a thorough dive into the following:

• Target audience and purpose
• Features and functions
• Design and development
• Analysis

Yalla’s success stems from its unique ability to connect people through live audio conversations, cultivating a strong sense of community and facilitating more immersive social interactions than text-based social media platforms. With its exponential growth, Yalla has emerged as one of the top social audio platforms in the region, capturing the attention of millions of users from diverse backgrounds.

This guide covers in-depth details on how to make an app like Yalla, its success journey, Yalla app features, cost estimation, and monetization strategies. Let’s dig deeper.

Yalla’s Journey as a Global Social Networking App

Yalla is a voice-focused UAE-based social networking app that features live group voice chats, creating or joining audio chat rooms on a range of topics for its users. The app also offers interactive games and activities to enhance voice conversations.

Yalla, the voice chat room app for Android and iPhone, is experiencing a massive surge in user traffic. The Yalla app’s business model has proven to be highly effective in reaching a wide audience. 

Yalla like social audio app development, can be a lucrative venture for companies because there is a growing need for cutting-edge communication platforms. Such an app provides a compelling and authentic user experience with real-time speech interactions, drawing in many users. It is a lucrative business option due to the possibility of worldwide expansion, targeted marketing, and monetization through virtual gifts and premium features.

If you want to build an app similar to Yalla, you have come to the right place. This blog will guide you through the features, benefits, and costs of the Yalla clone app development.

How to Build a Social Audio App Like Yalla?

From conceptualization to launch, let’s check out the steps to build a social audio app like Yalla. 

Conceptualization 

Your chosen app development team will begin by conceptualizing and researching our social audio app. Firstly, they will identify the app’s purpose and determine its primary objective. This will help you understand what differentiates your app from platforms like Yalla. 

Next, they need to focus on the target audience. Understanding their preferences and pain points is crucial to create a compelling app experience. Conducting market research will allow you to identify opportunities and gaps in the social audio space.

Features and Functionalities

The features you want to keep in your application will depend entirely on how complex or unique you want to make it. However, at Appinventiv, we always pitch building an MVP before offering social media app development services. 

This approach gives you insights into how well people accept your product, what changes they need, and whether they will continue using your application. Read to know what features make a social media app popular. 

Choice of Technology Stack

In the process of developing a mobile app, it is imperative to select the appropriate technology stack carefully. This selection encompasses various tools and frameworks that are essential for the app-building process. When creating an app similar to Yalla, a comprehensive technology stack may include Communication Protocols, DevOps, Data & App Management, and Audio/Video Calling Tools. 

These components play a crucial role in facilitating effective communication, ensuring efficient development operations, managing data and the app itself, as well as enabling seamless audio and video calling functionalities. Read this blog to learn the top technologies that can make your social media app successful. 

Focus on the UI/UX Elements 

Your main focus should be on developing a responsive design that ensures accessibility and visual appeal across various devices and screen sizes. By employing a thoughtful approach to UI design for your social media app, you can enhance the overall user experience. By carefully considering user needs and preferences, work on the UI to prioritize clarity, simplicity, and efficiency. 

Build your MVP

To develop app similar to Yalla, you must first focus on building a Minimum Viable Product (MVP). The purpose of an MVP is to construct the fundamental framework of the app and test its functionalities using a limited set of features before launching the final version.

Creating an MVP allows you to effectively evaluate the concept with actual users and secure funding to develop the full-fledged app. This approach allows you to gather valuable feedback and make necessary improvements to ensure the final product’s success.

Conduct Beta Testing 

Thorough testing is essential to identify and resolve bugs, glitches, and potential security vulnerabilities. By conducting comprehensive testing, we can proactively address any issues that may arise, thereby enhancing the overall quality and reliability of the product. 

Additionally, releasing a beta version to a limited group of users allows us to gather valuable feedback and make necessary improvements and refinements based on user experiences and preferences. This iterative process ensures that the final product meets the highest functionality, usability, and security standards.

Release and Promote Your App

Once the user testing of your social audio app like Yalla, has gone well, you are prepared to launch the app. However, you must adhere to Apple’s or Google’s developer requirements before making your software available on the app store or play store. 

Additionally, you must link your monetization strategy with their needs. Following a successful app store launch, you can promote your app on various social media platforms to reach a wider audience.

A Closer Look at the Yalla App’s Best Features

The MVP model aims to keep the feature set as close to the primary social audio app features as possible. Here’s what we mean by that in your version of the Yalla app.

1. Sign Up

This is probably one of the most basic but necessary stages of an application across genres. Ideally, you should be as less intrusive as possible by asking for information that truly impacts the functioning of the application – email, social login, and a password.

2. Feed

This is the home screen of the social audio app. Here, the users can see announcements, room updates, recent posts, etc. This will also be where you show personalized content to the users depending on their interests.

3. Online Voice Chat Rooms 

Online voice chat rooms are the perfect platforms for engaging in audio conversations. Whether you’re looking to connect with friends, join a community, or simply have a lively discussion, voice chat rooms provide the ideal setting. These chat rooms come in two types, allowing users to connect and communicate through voice-based chat apps. 

• Public – These online voice chat rooms are open for anyone to access. All they have to do is browse and join the room that interests them. 
• Private – These social media chat rooms are generally invitation-only, where users must use a code, link, or password to join in. 

Usually, within these rooms, three roles are given – speakers, listeners, and moderators – the management of these roles and permissions are handled on the admin end. 

4. One-On-One Text and Voice Chat 

Yalla audio social media app has a feature where users can have one-on-one text and voice chat with their friends. This way, the application merges the features of a messaging app well with a social media application. 

5. Games 

What is unique in the Yalla chat rooms app is that it allows users to play games with other users – all inside the voice chat room. This gamification feature makes the app more engaging and entertaining. 

6. Virtual Gift

Yalla app also gives users the ease to give – virtual currencies and gifts – to people they follow in the app or to their friends. This plays a motivational role for the speakers’, giving them reasons to continue talking around engaging content. 

7. File Uploading 

Even though the use case of a voice social media platform is unique, the genre is the same. It is ultimately a social media platform where people share life updates and posts. To maintain ease, you should add an easy file-uploading feature in the application. 

8. Basic Engagement Facility 

Like any other social media application, your version of the Yalla app should have basic engagement features such as – share, follow, comment, and like.

9. Screen Sharing

Although not an MVP feature, you can add this in the live audio social network app. A screen-sharing option would make it easy for the live speaker to explain a point further.

10. Push Notification

This is another key feature that works towards app engagement. You should employ a well-thought-of push notification strategy to update users on upcoming events, activity on their profile, the start of an event, etc. This would help you with user retention to a great extent.

How Much Does Yalla Social Audio App Development Cost?

Yalla like social audio platform development cost depends on certain factors like the intricacy of the features, platform (iOS, Android, or both), design, backend programming, audio streaming capabilities, security precautions, and testing. 

The project’s complexity and post-launch support will also impact the total cost. To obtain a customized cost estimate for the Yalla social audio app, it is advised to consult with a software development company like Appinventiv while considering these factors. Our experts can provide a detailed breakdown of costs and assist you in effectively planning the development process.

Developing a social media app from scratch can be a significant investment, with costs ranging from AED 150,000 to AED 500,000 or more. However, it’s important to note that these figures are rough estimates and can vary depending on various factors, such as the complexity of the app and the features it offers. 

Another factor we have not considered here is the other cost factors that go beyond technicalities. The mobile app development cost also depends heavily on where the agency is based – the developers in India will charge around $40-80 per hour, which will become $120-160 per hour when you move to the USA or Australia. Next, the timeline of when you need the app will also bring an impact. 

So, the more you delve into these factors, the more you will find the base range changing. 

Now that we have looked into the spending side of the Yalla-like app development let us throw some light on how they can earn returns on their investment. 

[Also Read: How Much Does Clubhouse Like Social Media App Costs]

Monetization Model for Yalla-Like Application 

There are many ways to earn money on the back of a social media application. But only a few would work best when you are in the growth stage. Here are some of the top monetization strategies for Yalla like social audio app development –

Subscription

Adding a subscription model is the first and most common mode of earning revenue. By adding a monthly/ quarterly price for accessing all the app features, you will be able to get a returning customer base that is open to paying for the app experience. 

Virtual Gifts 

While this model is fairly specific to Yalla, you can also introduce it in your offering by allowing the users to buy something from your in-app marketplace and give them to the people they draw inspiration from on the application. 

Brand Events 

You can also partner with brands who would like to host an event on your application and charge them for the same. You can decide based on the number of attendees, the brand size, etc. 

There can be a number of ways to generate revenue through the Yalla chat app, but it is important to know the user journey and understand at what point they are most likely to make a payment and become a paying customer. 

Create an App Like Yalla With Appinventiv 

With this, we have looked into everything you need to know about starting a social media audio app like Yalla. Our team also recently worked on a similar voice-based social media app business model where we helped our client, Innovative Eyewear, with an app that enables users to send and receive audio messages optimized for Bluetooth wearables. We added the feature to allow voice posting to social media platforms such as Twitter and Facebook using Bluetooth glasses.

Expanding on voice capabilities, we integrated audio command features in the app, using which the users could share audio messages and create posts for social media on the go. Moreover, in an effort to make this platform more engaging, we incorporated a unique autoplay functionality that compiled all your feeds and made them audible through one easy stream. 

The app then garnered 50k app downloads and received $1+ Million in funding, validating that we carry the skills needed to build innovative social media apps that end users and investors love. 

If social media networking is something that interests you, then get ready to build a social audio app like Yalla with us and turn your dream project into a reality. 

Get in touch with a social audio app development company like ours to set your idea off the ground with its own unique essence. 

FAQs

Q. How to build a social audio app like Yalla?

A. Building a social audio app like Yalla needs careful planning, factors consideration, development, and attention to user experience. Here are a few steps to make an app like Yalla:

• Conceptualization: Identify the main goals and differentiating features of your app.
• Features and Functions: Real-time audio streaming should be used for smooth communication.
• User Experience (UX) and the User Interface (UI): Create a user-friendly, visually appealing interface. Make sure that switching between the various sections and functions is seamless.
• Technical Framework: For the front-end and back-end development of the app, choose the right programming languages and frameworks.
• Security and Moderation: Use tools for content moderation to create a secure environment.
• Testing: Conduct thorough testing to find and correct flaws and errors.
• Launch & Marketing: Create a launch strategy to generate interest and draw in the first consumers.

Q. How much does it cost to build a social audio app like Yalla?

A. The cost to develop an app like Yalla might run anywhere from AED 150,000 to AED 500,000 or more. It’s crucial to keep in mind that these numbers are only estimations and are subject to change depending on several parameters, including the app’s features and complexity. Connect with our experts to get the complete Yalla social audio app development cost estimation. You can also go through this blog to know the cost of building a social media app. 

Q. How long does it take to build a social audio app like Yalla?

A. The time required to develop a social audio app like Yalla can vary due to multiple factors. As a rough estimate, the initial version of such an app would typically take around 3 to 6 months to build. However, the timeline for social audio platform development can be influenced by factors like scope and complexity, platform, design, and development.

Current estimates peg the total number of social media users worldwide at 4.20 billion in 2021. While the uninitiated connect the rise of social networks with the mass production of smartphones and the overarching reach of free internet, that is far from the truth. The actual evidence points to a rather slew of social media app features plugged-in to play around with the chemistry of the human brain. 

Having analyzed the best social media apps in the current times, let’s know more about the social media apps like WeMe that are creating the buzz and benefiting the wider community of social media application development.

Below, you will discover a 2D view of the social media universe that is largely responsible for the average user spending 145 minutes per day on such platforms. Let’s get to it!

What is Common Between Successful Social Media Apps?

The following traits have been observed to connect the subjective dots between the leading social media platforms of the day. 

Built-in social hypnosis

Any social media app for mobile aims to get popular and prolong its use with the help of viewers. The features of a successful social media app therefore, must integrate specifications that can keep users hooked so much so that they lose track of time. Irrespective of the platform-type, it is safe to say that a social media app should have an unending supply line of content that intrigues users and raptures their subconscious minds. 

A successful social media app development places huge bets on first being free to use, and second offering next-level personalization (more on this in a bit). 

The goal is to be authentic and naturalistic. Just as user engagement goes up, so do the ad revenues which primarily are the blood vessels of the most used social media apps like Yalla.

Personalized content 

The secret recipe to create social media apps with a lasting impression is to offer personalized content. Thanks to a hyper-involvement of AI, ML, and big data silos that a social media app developers like us at Appinventiv, have the capabilities to harness user information for tinkering and tailoring content offerings. Never downplay the role personalization plays in user engagement. 74% of the customers feel annoyed if the website content is not personalized.

[Also Read: How Artificial Intelligence is Revolutionizing Social Media to Drive Higher Engagement]

Facebook can curate data with uncanny accuracy because it has over 5000 data points on each member. 

Millennials and Gen-Z together form the Demand Generation. They want content on-demand. A successful social media app can fulfill this hunger for gratifying content only if it has built-in mechanisms for data collection, the elixir for pinpoint personalization. 

[Also Read: How to develop an influencer marketing platform]

For instance, TikTok statistics 2022 suggest that personalized content from influencers and social media marketers can result in skyrocket growth of digital apps.

[Also Read: How Much Does It Cost To Develop A Messaging App Like Snapchat]

Infinite scroll 

The infinite scroll proved a path-breaking discovery in terms of innovation and social media app ideas. It is the social network equivalent of the auto-stream feature on video platforms like YouTube and Netflix. For anyone wondering how to create a successful social media app, this is where you start. Scientific studies have uncovered the workings of the exposure effect. 

Long story short, the more often your brain views a certain (neutral) thing, the more it is disposed to like it. 

While social media app users may not be aware of it but that is the methodology their brain is subjected to. As a social media app development company, we know too well how things come a full circle. 

Offer likable content – develop user interest – customize content feed – keep at it. 

[Also Read: How to Build an App Like Threads? Process, Features, Cost ]

Social reward mechanism

One of the advantages of social media is that it lets people share their achievements, state of mind, and ongoing experiences. But there is another side to their personal story. Users rejoice when their friends join in on the act and engage with posts by likes, emojis and comments, and re-shares. The most used social media app, Facebook, has leveraged the power of ‘likes’ to its fullest on its subsidiary concern Instagram, with the competition following suit. 

For social media app users likes and dislikes are the strongest indicators of the shareability of a post. Research posits accumulating likes on a post releases dopamine that delivers a satisfying kick. 

This is nothing but a reward mechanism, something of an open secret to building a successful social media app.

Leveraging social urges

Social media app design ideas are guided by human psychology, at least in the current scheme of things! They integrate and to an extent, tap into our levers of social pressures to make us prolong the app use. Consider WhatsApp for instance. In what has been one of the most well-received social media app ideas of the last decade, its success prompted developers to zero-in on granular aspects of sociology. 

By convention, humans feel obliged to respond if they know their message has been read. Therefore, when WhatsApp introduced the blue color read receipts, it integrated a feature that made people respond instantly. As a social media app development company in USA, we know how important such tactics are to the success of the venture. 

[Bonus Read: How To Determine WhatsApp Development Costs: A Complete Guide]

Types of Social Media Platforms 

Alright, so it is clear what distinguishes successful social media ventures from those that flounder. Yet a few questions remain such as:

• What types of social networking platforms are there? 
• What is the cost to build a social media app? 
• And, what programmable features should social networking app development companies pug-into such platforms? 

Instant messengers and video curation platforms aren’t the only networking alternatives in the market, though they have come to dominate it.

We can classify social networks by their TG in the following brackets: 

1.  Network building apps

This encompasses Facebook, Twitter, and the LinkedIns of the world. Their USP is connecting people on either a personal or professional front.

2. Media sharing apps 

Networking isn’t all about opinion exchanges. Smartphones metamorphose our feelings into shareable content, be it videos, images, or articles. This category focuses on such media sharing and has names like YouTube, Instagram, Imgur, and Pinterest. Another best example is MeWe app which offers advanced features like privacy, authorization, social cloud, and more.

3. Discussion boards

You have multiple alternatives to voice questions, answers, and opinion pieces on networks like Quora, Reddit, StackOverflow, and lest we forget, Yahoo! Where it all began. 

4. Business review forums 

Feel you’ve been duped by a brand? Shout out your story to the world and offer a tell-all to others in the community. Websites offering such services include Yelp, Business.com, and the Expressit App. 

5. Company review platforms 

Since we are reviewing our purchase decisions, how about employers! This category has opened Pandora’s box in letting out insider information to the public. Examples include Glassdoor, Indeed, and the Muse. 

6. Blogging networks 

Content will always be the king. Networks like Medium, and Steemit reward writers for their work amplifying the unbending power of the letter. 

7. Relationship networks 

Their goal is to match profiles based on the registered biodata. From dating to hitchhiking, and rent-sharing, this bracket includes sites like Tinder, Badoo, and Airbnb. 

Features Of Social Media Apps 

If you are budgeting funds for the cost of social media app development, then it is better to first go to the drawing board and finalize the app’s features. This is not an overnight procedure but a well-defined loop that involves project management, custom development, business analysis, and quality assurance. Yet, speaking strictly of features some are universal in apps of such nature. 

In our experience, the following specifications make the cut for all social networking apps of the day: 

File-sharing

The platform must support multi-media file sharing 

Multi-lingual support

If you plan to go global, then supporting target-region languages is highly recommended. 

Privacy settings

Members should be able to customize their profiles and make public only the necessary facets of personal info. 

Notifications

Send reminders to people of picking up where they dropped off. 

Content personalization

This is more of a capability than a feature, the extent of which is directed by Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning. 

Comments, likes, shares

In trying to create social media apps, ensure that they allow cross-platform content sharing. 

Audio content

This is the new audio based social media app feature. In audio only feature, the users are able to enter the chatroom only if they are invited. Example: Clubhouse

Infinite scrolling

One of the greatest advantages of social media is that people get to discover new content. Take advantage of this yearning and offer a limitless supply of scrollable dope.

You may like reading: How to Develop a Social Media App in 2023 – A Comprehensive Guide

Final Thoughts 

Social media app development is no joke. Our first-hand experience with our Canadian partners proved an epiphany. It made us realize the potential and the throbbing need for backing up social media apps with machine learning. 

In our coming of age project, we designed Karavan, a social network for people living in the now. Building ground up, we scaled operations to the beta stage in just under 7 months. Our ethos is simple. We take up projects that tip-toe the line between nightmares and global fame. On most occasions, we earn the latter and in the case of Karavan, it was no different. 

Thanks to this guiding principle, we were voted the top App Development Company of the Year by Entrepreneur, and the Most Promising Mobile Application Solution Provider by the CIO Review.