Thinking of creating an on-demand app? It is a promising idea as it fits in the direction of the modern economy and the expectations of today’s users.
However, you must have an innovative idea and get in touch with a good mobile on demand. application development company to make your solution easy to use so that it will be accepted by your target market. Here’s our guide to on-demand app development to help you shape your startup strategy.
What is an on-demand app?
An on-demand app is a web application or mobile solution that allows users to receive or schedule services immediately, or instantly purchase products from a specific company. You can also compare the available offers from various on-demand providers to help you choose the best one.
Uber is considered the best on-demand app that revolutionized service delivery. Uber’s business model of connecting potential customers to the right provider without having any company assets other than the mobile and/or web platform was the model followed by other industries and led to apps similar to Uber, like Zomato for food delivery or Airbnb for accommodation.
The main reasons why on-demand service mobile apps are popular
The rise of the gig economy is predicted in 2016 and it’s one of the key reasons why on-demand apps are popular. Here are some other things that make them attractive to consumers.
- Instant gratification. The essence of on-demand apps is clear from the name. Users turn to the application, and to your business through it, when they need your products or services. Consumers expect immediate gratification or, at the very least, instant communication with the right company to receive the services they need. For example, when using an on-demand food delivery, users expect to receive their meals shortly after placing their order, or in the case of an on-demand doctor app, they typically schedule their appointment in advance.
- Better options and better prices. Service-on-demand applications can be tied to a specific business and developed for the company’s exclusive use, or they can come in the form of a marketplace where users can compare prices and offers from various sellers. An on-demand marketplace always has a rating for each business, so customers can make a fully informed decision and choose the best possible option.
- A more ethical and sustainable business. On-demand apps are an essential part of the sharing or collaborative economy, which is greener than the traditional economy. For example, ride-sharing services meet basic on-demand business features while being a more sustainable solution compared to on-demand taxi apps.
- Suitable for a wide range of industries. With the rise of the sharing economy, there is an opportunity to provide on-demand services for almost any industry. For example, there are on-demand beauty apps, on-demand TV apps, and even on-demand laundry and car wash apps. And these are not the only benefits of on-demand service application.
Two Major On-Demand Business Models to Consider
Before proceeding with on-demand application development , determine which business model suits your needs.
- On-demand application for your own business. If you already have a business, there is an opportunity to turn it into a service on demand or add features on demand. For example, if you run a flower shop, you may be considering developing an on-demand delivery app that allows your customers to order and have bouquets delivered. This approach is great if your customers want their service to improve in this way; however, you need to consider not only the cost of developing the on-demand app, but also the cost of the vehicles to make the deliveries.
- On-demand marketplace. This model is easier to implement than one for a single company because you don’t need to manage the actual company that delivers the goods or services. The only task is to create a web or mobile platform that connects a segment of users with the right companies or people. This is how the on-demand apps from Uber, UpWork, Airbnb and Redbox work. The uniqueness of your idea is essential as you need to determine the user demand and find a way to satisfy it with the help of companies or individuals.
Service Mobile App Essential Features on-demand
- User registration and profile. The details of this feature will depend on the business model of your on-demand delivery application. If you want to create an Android/iOS app for your business, you need to provide the ability for consumers to sign up. However, if it’s an on-demand marketplace, you should create signup forms for users and businesses.
- Map integration. With this feature, users will be able to find the location of your business on a map or find companies that provide on-demand services near the customer’s location.
- Real-time tracking . With the help of this feature, your users will be able to find out where the courier is and what is the expected delivery time.
- Filters and lists. This feature is necessary if your business offers more than one product or service, and is essential for an on-demand marketplace. In the latter case, there should be more filters to find the desired business based on location, specifics of the goods or services (for example, the ability to filter only vegan food offers, payment methods, and other parameters).
- Supplier Profile. This is a must-have feature for a multi-vendor on-demand marketplace because it will help customers access the credibility of the company they want to order from and know other essential details about the company.
- Shopping cart. There is no company-customer interaction without this function, since it allows the customer to go from research to buying a product. service or product. .
- Payment gateway. Regarding the integration of the payment gateway, you should be guided by the preferences of your customers. Payment by credit or debit card online is an essential function. , and the cash on delivery option is also worth considering because some new customers may want to p You can do it this way when making an initial purchase.
- Ratings and reviews. On In the case of an on-demand marketplace, it makes sense to develop a rating system for each provider and provide the opportunity to write a review (for example, Yelp is the perfect example of how this feature can work). For an on-demand app for a business, you can opt for user reviews only, as there will be no competition in the app.
- Push notifications. These are necessary for user retention and news sharing.
How do you create an on-demand app?
The process for creating an on-demand solution is the same than the process for building any other app, but this one incorporates the on-demand approach. On the one hand, you will be entering a fairly competitive market environment, but on the other hand, on-demand solutions are quite popular and new enough that there is room in the market for further development.
Here’s what to do step-by-step when considering on-demand app development:
- Define the customer’s needs. To figure out what your potential riders’ needs are, think about Uber’s approach. What does a customer segment want to access in an easier way than what is currently available?
- Research existing solutions. The on-demand space is quite competitive, so You need to determine the details of the apps that already exist for a particular market, find the gaps, and suggest ways to fill that need better than competitors.
- Choose a development partner. Consider companies with experience in your niche. For example, if you’re looking for on-demand food delivery app development services, contact companies that have food apps in their portfolio.
- Prioritize features. The features we mentioned above are enough to get you started with your app project, however you need to keep in mind the details of your solution. More features may be needed that can deliver a truly innovative experience.
- Create an MVP. Creating a minimum viable product is essential when entering a highly competitive environment, as Help you gain a competitive advantage. After your MVP is released, you will have the opportunity to gather feedback from your target audience and use that insight to continue product development and make improvements.
- Think about future updates. Following the Lean approach, you shouldn’t stop with just product improvements. You should always test and validate each new idea before proceeding to its technical realization.
As for the cost of developing such a mobile solution, below is the pricing breakdown for the development of applications for iOS and Android. The price is roughly what it will cost to build a cross-platform on-demand service app that is compatible with iOS and Android.
Cost to create a cross-platform on-demand service application Development process components Features Team members > Hours Price
- Management
- Specification and analysis
- Testing
- UI /UX
- Back-end development
- Front-end development (user)
- Front-end development (operator)
- Registration and authorization
- Geolocation
- Search and filters
- Map view
- Navigation to location
- Orders
- Payment
- Front-end developers (React Native)
- Back-end developers ( ROR or Python+Django)
- Project Manager
- QA Specialist
1,112 – 1,598 $55,600 – $79,900
Factors that influence the cost of making a mobile device -application on demand
In the graph ico above, we provide a rough estimate of the cost involved in the on-demand mobile app. development of applications using cross-platform technologies. However, the final number may vary depending on the following factors:
- The number of features you want to create. The features we have listed will be enough to launch the MVP , but the cost of the final product can be higher if you add features.
- Design customization. The more custom design elements you need, the higher the price.
- Integration of the payment system. You pay an additional fee for each payment system that you want to integrate, in addition each of them has its fees per transaction and/or cost of use in your app.
- The location of your on-demand app development company. The final cost of developing your app can vary greatly depending on the location of the provider that builds it.
Conclusion
We have discussed the details of on-demand application development and estimated the approximate time it takes and cost to create such an application. We invite you to contact us for additional information. If you have an idea that can fit into the on-demand market, let’s discuss it and implement it.
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