Nowadays, cutting-edge technology enables mobile applications, allowing people to access digital education at their fingertips. An educational app functions as a virtual link between students and teachers. The increasing trend and need for e-learning drive educational institutions to develop educational applications for a wide range of courses. Without a doubt, the recent trend of educational app access makes institutions and businesses aware of the potential for business expansion.

Development Cost of Educational App

There are numerous factors involved that strongly influence the cost of developing educational apps. Therefore, whenever you begin your cost calculator, you must evaluate the important features, such as the choice of an os, schedule of activities, specified functionalities, and so forth. The requirements and the current online learning trends also decide the educational app development cost. The cost is also decided by the developer efficiency you require for your project. In this scenario, you may enlist the help of a skilled team to satisfy your needs precisely, or you can hire independent freelancers. A high-quality educational application will cost you between $12,000 to $45,000, based on conservative estimates of essential and must-have features. The per-hour cost in India ranges from $15 to $40.

Considerable Cost Of Educational App

Market experts believe that you should constantly consider a more effective strategy to support the technological needs of educational app development. You may choose between a native app and a cross-platform app here.

If you consider developing a native educational app, then it will only run on either the Android platform or the iOS platform. Furthermore, in order to fulfill the most updated consumer needs, the native app development procedure constantly necessitates a significant investment. Moreover, in order to accomplish all separate phases of native application development, you need to consider some factors in mind. They are as follows:

• Higher Pricing
• Prerequisites for a highly skilled developer
• Developers with a high level of efficiency

If you consider developing a cross-platform educational app, you may do it at a reasonable cost. Also, there are a few quality-based cost factors for the key phases of cross-platform app development. The factors are listed below:

• limited scope for implementing smooth features like animation and graphics.
• low cost project.

Read Also: How Much Does It Cost to Develop an App Like Netflix?

So you have to decide between native app and cross-platform app according to your preference. Do consider the customised and integration-oriented clean exposure of a native app as you first choice if you have problems choosing one. Though it demands a significant investment but it also fulfills a wide range of requirements.

However, when deciding on a technology stack for your educational app development, you should always solicit credible suggestions from experts in the field. The type of tools and technologies that should be employed by the development team to bring you a fully functioning app primarily determined by the specific pattern of services and facilities provided by your institutions. So, before using your cost calculator for your educational app project, be prepared to discuss about it with the professionals.

Factors Influencing the Cost of Educational App Development

1) Platform for App: It is important to consider the platform on which you are developing an application. Is it iOS or Android? Each platform carries its own development complexities that require varying levels of effort and experience. In compared to Android platforms, iOS platforms are less expensive. The development costs for android applications are actually higher.

iOS applications reach financially secure people. It is important to keep in mind that Android has a greater market share than iOS. This means you can make a lot of money from it. The operating system selection will totally depend on the purpose of your application. This will play a big role in determining the cost of building your application.

2) App’s Features and Functionality: It is important to decide what features and functionalities your application will have, because the number of features and functionalities will have a significant effect on cost. The more functionalities your application has, the greater the cost will be. Therefore, you must differentiate between the main and secondary functions of your application.

3) Points of Integration: There are a couple of ways of building an app. You can either develop it as a stand-alone or integrate it within an enterprise system. Developing an app for internal users is less expensive, since you have total control over the devices and platforms supported. Integration points will cost you more money to build, but they’ll pay off in the long run.

4) Advanced Animation/Visual Effects: Your app may cost more if your app will consist of visual animations or other sort of interactive animation. When your app is designed with simple functionalities, it might not cost much. Visual effects make your app attractive and engaging. Complex animations conveying the actual concept of your app is necessary. Consider how to invoke some animations and make them cost-effective.

5) Maintenance and Support: After your application is launched, maintenance and support is very important. It requires a considerable amount of money to keep your app up-to-date and to fix any issues users may encounter.

6) Location of the Developer: The geographical location of a developer or development team also have an impact on the cost of an educational app development.

• In Eastern Europe it can vary from $80 to $190USD

• In the US and Canada, it can vary from $90 to $260 USD

• In India it vary from $15 to $60 USD

• In the United Kingdom it can vary from $80 to $190 USD

• In the Australia it can vary from $110 to $160 USD

Read Also: How Much Does It Cost To Develop An App Like eBay

How can you get developed your Education App

Hire freelancers: Hiring freelancers is less expensive than alternative engagement strategies. As a consequence, it’s a good alternative if you’re looking to save money or build a simple application. However, the recruiting process may be difficult in and of itself. Furthermore, working with freelancers is tough owing to communication issues and geographical differences. Furthermore, this approach may not always provide a high-quality end result.

Outsource your app development: Outsourcing your project to a reputable business appears to be the most cost-effective and dependable method of developing an application. After all, they have teams of skilled developers, UX/UI designers, and testers that can produce high-quality software in accordance with your company objectives. However, selecting the correct agency for a full project might be difficult. Your disengagement from the creative process and other procedures might lead to unexpected results.

Hire a dedicated development team: When designing a complicated application, a specialized development team approach works well. In this approach, app development businesses supply their clients with a team of developers and designers that collaborate as an extended team to build excellent software using their expertise while adhering to their clients’ work culture, processes, and best practices. This strategy guarantees that project requirements are communicated to clients in a smooth manner. It also sticks to a continuous development approach, which facilitates progress tracking and accountability.

Make Money From Your Educational App

1) Freemium:

A freemium approach allows customers to utilize an educational app for free for a short period. Following that, users must pay a monthly or yearly membership. The app can be segmented into two sections: the free version and the premium version. From the free version, you can take advantage of orientation modules and pilot components, but the premium version contains advanced tutorials with more elaborated content.

It is best to give a trial version of the educational app to the users. This is because they can try out the app and learn more about it. Once they learn more and feel good using the app, they can go for the premium features that is being offered.

2) Advertisements:

With the help of the advertisements, you can make money through the educational app. Most educational related businesses nowadays go for advertisements to grow their business. Therefore, one of the best place to put an advertisement is an educational app.

This is achievable with the assistance of affiliate marketing. Popup advertising show on the app’s screen constantly. Indeed, it is essential to assure that advertisements do not constantly display well before user’s eyes. Put advertisements based on the goods that the app user would be interested in for the best advertisements. And, as time passes, adverts will enhance user reach, allowing for a bigger profit.

3) In-App Purchases:

This strategy allows users to access the majority of educational app features for free. But, expanded amenities with added value might be provided at an additional fee. A language learning app is a great example of in-app purchases.

4) Subscription Fees:

If you want to monetize an educational app, you can provide free access to many things. You can give free access to the courses, lectures, and much more. In return, the user will pay a subscription fee that can be monthly or annually. Based on the users, you can set some courses available for them under a subscription. You can decide the best plan that suits them.

5) Course Fees:

Educational apps can be used as a platform to sell popular and copyright courses, and it is common practice to charge for courses. There are free workshops and webinars that can be held to attract more audiences for a particular course. Moreover, the prices can be raised for these courses after a while. This will happen only if the demand for the courses is high.

There is an average price for the courses and it is important to search for an adequate price. You can search according to the demand of the courses. It is impractical to change the pricing policy so keep that in mind. You will have to follow a product strategy when you are thinking about the price.

The price can be increased for premium access, but if broad coverage is desired, the course fee should be maintained as low as possible. Monetizing an educational app by collecting course fees necessitates regular assessment of its worth. As a result, while determining course costs, extra attention should be given.

Read Also: How Much Does It Cost To Develop An App Like Mint

When you start a project involving app development, the tech stack you would most likely choose is React Native. It is the most popular platform among developers for its benefits and cost-effectiveness. The best part is the reusability feature of the code in React Native which can be used for both iOS and Android – the two most popular platforms, meaning you do not have to find separate iOS and Android developers for your project.

Yes, you have decided to use React Native and you are pretty impressed with what the platform has to offer. But there is another dilemma – how would you find the right React Native app developer? By now, you might have plenty of questions fogging your mind – whether you should go for a freelancer, maybe hire an in-house developer or whether you should go for an app development company. Well, each of these options has their own advantages and disadvantages, especially based on where you are located.

Why hire a React Native App developer?

Understanding your business requirements and whether you can afford an experienced developer based on where your business stands are very important before you go to hire a React Native app developer. If you are a start up or a small business, hiring an experienced React Native app developer can be a struggle. Therefore, you must have a clear idea of what your business needs to succeed and how the person you hire will help you with that.

And about why you should hire a React Native app developer, here are a few reasons.

In case you are a start up, you barely have any time to waste. Your investors will be behind your back for results and your aim will be to release your app to the market as fast as possible. In such conditions, building an MVP seems to be a feasible option and the best way you could have that is by hiring an experienced React Native app developer.

Read Also: How Much Does It Cost To Hire An App Developer?

Now, if your intention is to migrate your app to another platform, hiring a React Native app developer will be of great help. But at first, you must have a clear idea of your requirements – both short term and long term. If you have an iOS app and you feel the need to make an Android version of it because it is more beneficial for your business, you can hire a React Native app developer instead of an Android development team to create a cross-platform application. React Native allows code reusability; so, you can use the same codebase for both platforms, helping you save money and resources.

If you already have a web application created by your in-house development team, but you also need a mobile version of it, the most beneficial option will be hiring a React Native app developer. It would be great if your in-house development team has knowledge in React; it will help them to easily handle the transition to React Native so well. Also, you will just have to hire experienced React Native rather than hiring a new Android or iOS team.

When you do have to build a mobile application, but you do not have a deadline, you can help train your in-house development team in React Native, maybe through online learning programs. This is cost-effective and also easy for them to learn if they have a JavaScript background. However, hiring a developer seems to be a better option, especially when you are creating a mobile app from scratch and you do not want to compromise the outcome because of the lack of proper knowledge of the framework.

For all the above-mentioned scenarios, there is a proper way to hire your talented React Native developers while guaranteeing an ideal skill set. Looking for the right talents is a hard task especially when software development industry has high demand. But, it gets easier if you have a clear idea of your options.

Read Also: Top App Development Companies in UK

Hiring a React Native App developer in India  the challenges

India provides some of the best and affordable React Native app development services compared to other countries. But like everywhere else, hiring a React Native app developer in India is not an easy task. It is a time-consuming process and there is no guarantee that the particular person would be hired.

Here is why.

• Many job search platforms

You might know a lot of job search platforms – Upwork, Fiverr and LinkedIn to name a few, outsourcing companies and other tools that are meant to aid you to find a talented React Native app developer. But too many platforms can also make it hard for you to find the right person.

• Cross-platform apps versus native apps

React Native is a great cross-platform tool to create a mobile app. Part of it is because, with React Native, developers can create mobile apps for Android and iOS platforms using JavaScript. And almost every developer knows something about JavaScript, but it may not be enough to meet your requirements.

• Urgency of projects

Finding the right React Native developer or a development company can be challenging especially if you have a tight deadline. So finding a well-experienced and trusted developer will be a great option.

• Hiring process

There is no such thing as a perfect candidate. The idea of “perfection” differs per person based on their personalities, experiences and technical backgrounds. So, choosing the right person that fits your criteria for a developer – with the required skills, expertise, confidence and everything in between is quite the challenge.

How to hire a React Native app developer in India?

Hiring a React Native app developer in India is economical compared to other countries. But there is no fixed cost and it differs based on the different factors that affect the development process. The expenses increase if the person you chose for the job is not the right one. So, before you go on to hire them, have a clear understanding of how you are going to do it. Here are few ways you can do it.

• Hire an in-house developer

The first option you might consider is to hire an in-house React Native app developer by yourself. You can do that by setting a budget, checking whether the candidates’ experience and background align with your requirements, creating job offers, and advertising the vacancies on different job search platforms.

The advantages of doing so are that you will have complete control over the process and the developer you hire will be a part of your team, will work in the same environment and will be a part of long-term projects. But, the process of interviewing and recruiting the right candidate is a time-consuming process and also since there is a high demand for React Native developers, it will be hard for you to find the right person. Also, in case you choose the wrong person, it can affect your budget.

• Hire a freelancer developer

If you do not want a permanent team member and instead, prefer someone to work on just one project, hiring a freelancer is the right option. You can look up React Native developers on popular job search platforms and conduct the hiring process based on the candidates’ profiles and the review of their work. This method is cost-effective for short-term projects.

Also, when you look for the candidates in a job search platform, you might even come across reviews of their work from other companies, which helps in the initial screening process. But again, the process is time consuming and you cannot expect much engagement with your in-house team because they are not really a part of the team.

Hire a development team from a software development company

This is an expensive solution. But when the traditional process of hiring a React Native developer takes at least four weeks, it is better to go for a development company to get the project done quickly.

Development companies have their own development process and this is an advantage because they will be able to adapt to your methods or can even contribute to improving yours by collaborating with your in-house development team.

Another benefit is the flexibility – you just have to pay them for the days they worked on your project. Also, hiring a development company means you add a bunch of experienced professionals to your team who do the job well, while also guiding you so that you do not make any expensive mistakes. Since the development team is able to join you remotely, the hiring process will be fast. They will also be more dedicated as they have to maintain the reputation of their company.

The only concern, while hiring a development company, is the budget as you expand your team with a React Native developer from a software development company. It can be more expensive than hiring an in-house developer or a freelancer. The cost also depends on the number of hours required from one developer and if your project is short or long term.

However, when you consider the other benefits, especially saving time and money, it seems to be a better option than hiring a permanent or freelance React Native developer.

Read Also: How Much Does it App Development Cost

Find experienced React Native developers through a software development partner

Hiring a React Native app developer can be a herculean task if you have no clear idea of your long-term and short-term business requirements and goals.

Hiring a freelancer or an in-house developer is time consuming as you have to make sure that they have what you are looking for in a React Native developer. However, hiring a software development partner is of great help in the following conditions:

• If you want to develop a new product and release it to the market in a short time, but cannot afford to invest a lot in recruiting a React Native developer from the start
• If you barely have any idea about hiring React Native developers, by performing designing and technical assessments, which are necessary to analyse the developer’s knowledge and performance
• If your business is a start up or is small and you need experienced professionals who can help boost your software development and guide you on your performance
• If your project is short term that only needs a few months and there is no need to hire an in-house React Native developer

In case your business falls under any of the above-mentioned categories, and you are looking for a software development partner, we, at Redbytes Software, are ready to help. We are a team of experienced professionals who have been on the development scene since 2009 and have been providing mobile app solutions to businesses – big and small.

We have walked side-by-side with many businesses through their digital journey and have experienced many of our clients climb the ladders of success through our services. If you need an experienced team who can help you with your React Native app development project – staying with you through the process and providing additional guidance, maintenance and support if you need it, do get in touch with us.

PayPal is one of the first entrants in the P2P market and today it is the pioneer and leader in the space. Many businesses today across the globe are using PayPal as their payment service provider.

There are a few distinct features that set PayPal apart from its counterparts.

For example, PayPal uniquely performs as a merchant account as well as a payment gateway. And even though there is no setup fee involved, consumers transacting on the app will have to bear a service and transaction fee.

The number of users using digital payments in some form or the other to make financial transactions is expected to reach 3.7 billion by the end of 2019.

Hence, there is no better time than now to create a PayPal app clone

Need to Create an App like PayPal

Recent studies show that 3 out of 4 millennials access one or more online or mobile P2P payments regularly. It is not surprising that users love to send money with only a couple of clicks and swipes.

There have been unprecedented advancements in technology and innovations like NFC and biometrics ID that have fuelled these apps to become more self-reliant.

This establishes the fact that there is ample demand in the market to develop a PayPal app or something similar to that. With the growth expected to reach $336 billion in 2021, investments have been free-flowing for fintech start-ups.

Hence, what do you need to do to create a similar app like PayPal and ensure that it becomes a success?

Read Also: 10 Best Free Budgeting Apps

Steps to Create an App Like PayPal

With the decision taken to create a PayPal like app, you need to follow these steps:

1. Project Scoping

Outline the scope of the project that should include the provision for building web, iOS and Android versions of the P2P app. Core features in the project that are a must are opening user and merchant accounts, online payment, transaction/balance reporting, etc.

2. Choose the Correct SDLC Model

Launch with an MVP model that targets specific geography and a limited set of features. Eventually, you can enhance the app, step by step, as you get more feedback from the market.

3. Come Up with a Strategic Approach to Development

You can either opt for a PaaS or MBaaS platform for the web and mobile apps respectively. Key features can be implemented here using the SDKs and APIs. Make use of IDES and frameworks to speed up the project.

4. Assign a Scrum Team

Agile projects require scrum techniques. Therefore, have an appropriate team in place that should ideally comprise of Business Analysts, UI Designers, Web Developers, Android Developers, iOS Developers, a group of Testers and Project Manager

5. Get Cloud Services

Cloud service platforms come in handy for start-ups who do not wish to immediately invest in a ton of IT infrastructure. To get the development ball rolling quickly, managed cloud services can offer features such as ready-made infrastructure, networking, server, storage, middleware, operating system, and runtime environment.

6. Get an Online Payment Solution

To create a PayPal app, you need an API/SDK solution. This can be implemented as part of the core online payment features. You can instantly start processing payments online with this built-in solution. Generally, these platforms are compatible with web, Android, and iOS.

7. Procure an ID Verification Solution

You have to be compliant with regulations governing financial institutions. For this, you must have an ID verification solution that should function to verify government provided IDs. It should also be able to handle KYC and AML processes.

8. Sign-Up for a CRM Solution

Once your P2P app is developed, you will need to integrate it with a complete gamut of business activities. For this, you need a powerful CRM solution.

9. Buy a Bulk SMS Solution

With the app deployed, you will want the users to be engaged with it. Push notification is an intelligent way to achieve this objective. A bulk SMS solution that allows you to send continuous push notifications to your users is what you need to incorporate here.

10. Download and Set-Up IDEs

You will need access to a set of development tools. For this, you need to download the following IDEs:

• IntelliJ IDEA, for the web app development, along with this Node.js plugin
• Android Studio, for coding the Android app
• Xcode, for the iOS app development

11. Get on with Testing

Before you launch your web and mobile applications, you should test it out on multiple browsers and devices.

12. Develop Your Web App

Once SDKs/APIs and development tools are sorted; you should get on with developing your web application. It is recommended that you use js to code the web app to make it more scalable.

13. Design the UI for the Mobile App

Ensure that your user interface is simple and easy to use. Also, make sure that it appeals in terms of visual sensibilities combined with smart technology to your user base. Choose the navigation structure carefully and blend it with the right icons, colour schemes, and themes.

14. Code, Test and Deploy the Android App

Once your Android application moves from the drawing board to the developer’s hands, you can expedite the coding process by using Kotlin, a powerful, feature-rich language. Integrate SDKs/APIs into your code. Test your app and be ready to deploy it on Google Play store.

15. Developing the iOS App

Launching the iOS app will involve coding via using Swift that creates fast and performant apps. Develop the app using Xcode and then test it on multiple mobile devices. Integrate third-party applications along with SDKs and APIs. Publish the app as per the guidelines outlined by the Apple store.

Essential Features of the App

The following are the list of recommended features that you need to include when creating a PayPal app clone.

1. User Digital Wallet

Your P2P application must accommodate a digital wallet space where your users can store their card data.

2. Send and Request Money

This is a simple enough feature where users will be able to send or request funds from other users on the same platform.

3. Send Bills or Invoices

Users will be able to use the camera on their smartphones or tablets to scan bills and invoices and share with other users. Moreover, any transaction on an individual level should generate an automatic invoice.

4. Push Notifications

Push notifications should be sent out on credit and debit of funds. They should also act as reminders, for instance, due date to pay your electricity bills, etc.

Read Also: 11 Best Personal Finance Apps

5. Unique ID/OTP

To make any financial transaction via the P2P app, the user must be able to verify and confirm their unique ID and OTP (one-time-password). With the help of the integrated fingerprint scanner in the device, you will be able to verify transactions through fingerprint scanning alone.

6. Transfer to a Bank Account

The app should be developed with a feature that will enable the user to transfer funds not just on the same platform but also to a bank account or card.

7. Multiple Currency and Automated Conversion Process

The application should support the feature where users can send or receive funds in multiple currencies, globally. The incorporation of a mechanized currency converter can be really helpful as the entire process of the conversion rate depends on it.

8. Track Payments & Check History

Users must be able to track their financial history – received and sent payments, dates, and correct time on the app. To substantiate and scale this feature, you need to send weekly or monthly emails to the users, informing of their updated financial transactions during a given period.

9. Chat

If the users wish to seek clarification concerning payment, then introducing a chat feature will be certainly beneficial. It will also add great value and a competitive edge to your application. Besides that, it will reduce the number of possible mistakes.

10. Messaging

At times users may need to add details along with their transaction. This can be done by introducing the messaging feature.

11. Admin Panel

This feature is more relevant to the app owner. A web admin panel needs to be created that will help the owner to manage the app, edit, remove, and so on.

12. Secure Networks

Security is of paramount importance in a payment application as data transmission and storage are at a high risk of compromising. Blockchain technology can come to your rescue here that assists you to take advantage of peer-to-peer networks.

How the App Makes Money?

Online payment apps need to make money too. Therefore, a monetization strategy or a revenue model should be in place to ensure the app’s success. After all, every entrepreneur needs their venture to be profitable within a reasonable time.

You can go with two models of revenue generation when you develop a PayPal app version.

1. Premium Service Method

You can let your consumers access basic features such as transferring funds, accessing transaction history, and more on the free version of the application.

However, high-end features such as cryptocurrency transactions, text messaging facility, currency rates, and conversion facility, etc. should only be accessible on the paid version of the app.

2. Affiliate Marketing Method

Allow complementary financial institutions like banks, credit card companies or similar organizations to advertise their products and services on your app’s interface.

Trends & Statistics

According to the Allied Market Research report, the mobile payment market was valued at over $600 billion in 2016. eMarketer reports that there were around 82.5 million mobile phone P2P payments users in the United States alone.

It is estimated that over 50% of these users will make at least one P2P transaction per month by 2022.

Thus, P2P payments phenomena are quickly growing momentum. And that is simply because of the convenience that it offers to users in transferring funds via a secure and easy environment.

How Much Does it Cost to Create an App Like Paypal

An application like PayPal is a complex entity, especially with its set of security measures.  Other parameters that come into play are team constitution, third party integrations, location of the development team, list of features, etc.

Based on the features discussed, Android and iOS apps can cost anywhere between $ 100,000 and $ 150,000.

Similar Apps

There are many players in the online payment app segment that are constantly competing with one another to gain market share. So, when you are developing a PayPal app, it is wise to evaluate your immediate competition.

Take a look at some of the well-known payment apps currently operating in the market:

• Venmo
• Zelle
• Cashapp
• Transferwise
• InstaRem
• Remitly
• MoneyGram
• TorFX
• WorldFirst
• OFX

Read Also: How Much Does it Cost to Create an App Like Mint

Conclusion

With P2P apps being the new trend in the financial segment, you won’t be wrong to go ahead with creating a PayPal app or something that closely resembles it. But you will need a lot of help with the actual process.

At CloudXperte, we have experienced team of developers who have worked on similar high-end projects in the market. With years of industry exposure and hands-on experience, your project could not have been in better and more capable hands.

So, what are you waiting for? Let’s create wonders together. Get in touch.

It goes without a mention that an app like Instagram has millions of users. With incredibly intuitive interface, relevant icons and stunning features and powerful photo editing tools, Instagram is now an everyday part of our lifestyle that lets share anything we capture in a matter of seconds.

Such scintillating success often spurs an idea of developing an app like Instagram among startup owners.

Developing an app that mirrors Instagram does not really mean building an exact clone. The app like Instagram should reflect most captivating features and image sharing capabilities along with effective marketing activities.

A few apps that have dared create as much buzz are Flickr, Vine Camera, Snapchat, Swipe and more. So how much would it cost you to deliver an app that compete with Instagram?

Let’s see all the areas of development that are major cost drivers in the process:

Must-have essential features

Depending on the scope of your project, you should include these basic features in the app.

• User account & Registration
• Login and Authentication
• Profile Editing
• Integration with Camera (Photo/Video)
• Social Integration
• Photo/Video Editor
• Tagging
• Geolocation
• Messaging
• Push Notifications
• Custom Settings

You can also consider having a photo sharing website that reflects all features of an app just like what Instagram has done. Desktop application helps reach more users.

Most important aspect: Technology stack

Your primary research work that starts long before developing the app should necessarily involve critical findings on tools and stack of technologies to go into building the mature and robust architecture of mobile app like Instagram.

Instagram stands on the pillar of an extensive set of frameworks, languages, DevOps tools and server load systems. While determining tools, it is important to focus on load balancing capacity, iteration speed, code implementation and sharing, testing quality and operational system.

Read also : 24 Best Social Media Apps

Based on the functional category the following set of tools can be used:

Frameworks: React Native, Django, Xamarin

Languages: JavaScript, Java, Objective-C, Python

Developer Tools

• HAProxy (Load balancing and as a proxy server)
• Sentry (Cross-platform application monitoring)
• Babel (JavaScript compiler)
• Webpack (Module bundler)
• Nuclide (IDE – Integrated Development Environment)

For Computing and load balancing, Instagram uses Amazon web services (AWS) such as:

• Amazon Route 53,
• Amazon EC2
• EBS

To enable speedy operational system, Instagram mainly relies on Ubuntu Linux 11.04.

Django framework of Python language builds Instagram’s web server with impressive processing units.

For creating data storage, Instagram capitalizes on PostgreSQL that facilitates user data, tags, meta data and more.

Not all the technologies and tools mentioned above are open-source; some of them come with fixed or dynamic charges which are included in developer’s bill.

Backend development cost

To create the backend of Instagram-like photo sharing app, we consider four major components that shape the skeleton of the app:

• User interface
• Content
• posts
• messaging

These four elements build the backend structure of Android or iOS app. Like Instagram, you can build the architecture with Django framework (based on Python language) and HTML5.

Alternatively, you can opt for Java or Kotlin for Android platform, and Swift and Objective-C for iOS aps.

To give a shape to entire backend, it may take 300-400 hours.

For Android

If you have chosen Android platform for developing a native Instagram-like app, it is crucial to set mind on time and resources to go in the development. the cost will be subject to the specific technical challenges and complexities involved in Android ecosystem. The elements like design, screen sizes, app opening time may affect the overall cost.

Functionalities for Android that might be strenuous to develop are:

• App infrastructure
• Backend structure
• Profile editing
• Optimization for Screens
• Capturing photos/videos
• Photo Editor
• Search
• Geolocation
• Push notification

For Android, the app is likely to take 1300-1500 hours.

For iOS

For developing iOS app, challenges do not perturb developers much since iOS developers can easily build a photo sharing app with social media integration. This is because Instagram offers ready document interactive API, and other iPhone-friendly tools to work their way.

iPhones also give the benefit of having pre-loaded images with a regular square size (640px X 640 px) for Instagram. Since iOS devices are mostly configured to meet basic requirements of Instagram app, developers can build all the great features using its Swift or Parse languages in Xcode environment for iOS, WatchOS and MacOS. This facility from iPhone saves a lot of time for iOS developers.

For iOS, Instagram clone can be built in nearly 1300 hours if everything goes as planned.

Other critical costs to shapethe app infrastructure

Though these are additional expenses, they are still essential in order to make a full-fledged, high-performance and unblemished app of excellent quality.

The costs explained above are meant for developing an app for a single platform. This means they don’t necessarily include preparation efforts spent in set up process, database architecture and cloud computing. These may   close to 150-200 hours.

Read also : How Much Does an MVP Mobile App Cost in India

Moreover, for your app to look and feel like Instagram, you need an intuitive and interactive UI/UX structure which is covered by design and admin panel experts.

In the end comes software testing services. There are some software development companies that additionally charge for testing services. You will need to discuss the commitment terms and price breakup with your development partner before starting the project to avoid serious predicament later.

Calculating the cost of MVP development

After having a thorough knowledge of what to include in your app to make it rich and usable, it is time to conclude the cost for developing an MVP. It is to be noticed that the MVP of an Instagram-like photo sharing app will focus on basic features, to see if it creates a massive appeal to the crowd.

For each platform, you will need to invest at least 1000-1300 hours until the development is perfectly completed. To calculate the cost estimated by software development companies, the usual approach is to consider per hour rate and multiply it to the total number of hours.

For instance, if the average rate of developers is $50 per hour, the cost of development may hit $60000 taking into account 1200 hours.

The price excludes design services and backend or admin panel development. In India, the prices proposed by app development companies are justifiably fair. However, the cost per hour for projects of this caliber in North America usually ranges between $100-$250.

Summary on final cost

In this final section, after discussing all vital elements that shape an app like Instagram, we can easily deduce how much the app will cost. The two main factors that play bold role in determining the cost will always be the timeline and rate of resources consumed which includes developer fees and paid APIs and technology platforms,

Read also : How To Create Video Chat Apps

To count the average rate of fees, we can see $40-$50 per hour as an ideal estimate. Based on this, the total estimate for various app architectures may come down to:

• 350-400 hours for backend
• Total 1300 hours approximately for development (each platform)
• Nearly 100 hours to design
• Additional 100 hours for creating a web application (optional)
• 80-100 hours for detailed app performance testing

If we consider above factors to be the case for your project, we can summarize that the whole process would generally cost around $100000 to make a photo sharing app like Instagram.

If you aim to make it available and functioning for both iOS and Android, you may spend additional $50000 or more to enable cross-platform coding structure.

Conclusion

The success story of Instagram did not happen overnight. Its initial version was built in 2 months by only 3 software engineers though the app was sold to Facebook for $1 billion in one year.

The epic characteristics of Instagram app that thrilled millions of global users were its exceptional performance, engaging features and unparalleled photo-creative capabilities.

You may need to adopt an experimental approach to build an app like Instagram. But as you learned, it is worth the time and efforts spent.

Exclusive Bonus: Download as PDF

The number of smartphone users has only increased thanks to the phones being affordable with time as well as the availability of internet that gives people the opportunity to use their phone for almost everything – more than just making calls. And this has motivated businesses to undergo digital transformation and make their services available to their customers through mobile apps.

If you observe the app development industry, you will see how development companies try to be in sync with the latest technologies, trends and standards at every step to create apps that help bring success to businesses across different industries. In terms of frameworks used to develop an app, the most popular one being used today is React Native. 42% of the developers across the globe prefer using React Native.

What is React Native?

React Native is an open-source JavaScript framework developed by Meta Platforms, Inc. It is used to develop applications across different platforms, including Android, iOS, Windows, web, etc., allowing developers to combine the power of React framework with native platforms. The framework allows 90% code usability between Android and iOS platforms and has native-like capabilities, making it one of the most used frameworks for app development. Since React Native allows using the same codebase for Android and iOS to create mobile apps, it is also the best choice for a framework to create cross-platform apps. Therefore, apps created using React Native are fast, robust, and cost-effective.

Read Also: How Much Does it App Development Cost

React Native works like React and uses the same component-based approach. Therefore, a developer who is used to working with React will find it easy to work with React Native framework as well. React Native has large community support. So, React Native developers can easily get help when they face issues while developing an app using the framework.

Advantages of React Native

Why exactly is React Native one of the most preferred choices of app development frameworks? Let us have a look.

• Gives native-like feel

React Native gives the native-like experience to the app users, completely removing their doubts over the performance of the application. Also, the framework provides easy accessibility to third-party APIs and plugins, making it easy for developers to achieve the native-like experience and functionalities in the apps.

• Code reusability and ready-made components

Like we mentioned earlier, React Native allows 90% code reusability for Android and iOS platforms, making it easy to create cross-platform apps using the same codebase. Also, the framework has many libraries and pre-built solutions that developers can easily use while building an app. This helps increase the development speed and efficiency, which means faster time to market and lesser maintenance.

• Less manpower

React native app development does not require many resources compared to other native app development. So, you might need only a few team members for the work. This is one reason even small businesses use React Native framework to develop apps.

• Live reloading

React Native comes provides live reloading features that allow developers to work on the changes in the source code in real-time. The changes can be made as the app is loading and once done, an automatic reload will show the changes in the app. You can also reload a specific area of change to save time. This helps reduce the app development time.

• Saves cost

The reusable code of React Native helps reduce the app development cost by at least 40%. You do not have to hire development teams individually for Android and iOS. Also, the different pre-built components of React Native help lower the overall development costs.

• Focus on UI

React Native has a React Javascript library that helps developers build fast and responsive user interfaces. The good rendering abilities and the component-based approach make it easy to create both simple and complex UI designs.

Read Also: Top App Development Companies in UK 2022

React Native App Development Scene in India

Compared to other parts of the world, the cost of React Native app development is economical while not compromising on the quality. However, there is no fixed cost for Reactive Native app development due to the different factors that affect the costs- the purpose of the app, developer costs, etc.

Let us have a deeper look into the different factors that affect React Native app development costs in India.

Complexity and functionality

We can calculate the time and cost taken for developing an app until its completion by determining the complexity and functionality of an app, which means this is one of the biggest deciding factors of the cost. A complex app with the latest features tend to take more time to complete than an app with simple features. The apps can be categorized into those of simple, medium and high complexity based on the following points:

• Development of Admin panel
• Architecture model of deployment
• Third-party integration
• In-app purchases
• Integration with legacy system
• Usage of in-built features and functionality

App features

The cost of app development increases with the increase in features. This is because the development time increases if there are more number of features. This is why feature-rich apps cost more than standalone apps like clocks and calculators.

Customization

Developers can use React Native to build robust and scalable apps. But if you need it customized as per your business requirements, especially if you need add-ons, it might cost extra. Integrating an app with social media or a third-party app can all affect the cost of app development.

Hardware

Use of hardware can add to the complexity as well as cost of an app. For example, when you develop IoT apps with React Native, it costs more than developing native apps.

Read Also: How Much Does It Cost To Hire An App Developer?

UI/UX Design

The front-end of an application plays a huge role in deciding the fate of the business and therefore, there is always demand for an efficient app that serves many users at a time. The visually appealing elements and the speed and efficiency are all important factors that are necessary to attract users and at the same time, affect the cost of development as well.

Maintenance

App development does not end with deployment. It is also necessary to maintain the app and keep it updated with the latest features to keep it interesting for users. The timely changes in design, bug and error fixing and app updates all come under maintenance. This has an effect on the app development costs. The cost of yearly app maintenance amounts to at least 20% of the app development cost.

Developers

The expertise of developers also affects the cost of React Native app development cost in India. For developing simple apps, hiring a React Native app developer of middle or junior level would be enough. But if it is a highly complex or feature-rich app you need, you will have to hire a senior developer with lots of experience. The salary of the developer also affects the cost of app development. If you want to reduce the costs, you can hire a junior or middle-level developer instead and have to maybe compromise the quality of your app,

Deployment platform

The platforms you choose to deploy your app also have an effect on the development costs. Deploying your app on any platform costs an amount and each of these platforms have a fixed cost. You need to pay $100 in Google Play Store and App Store as developer license costs. You will also have to take permission from the host to ensure that your app complies with the policies and standards.

User login

An app with user authorization or login costs more than the one that does not require a login. This is because including the functionality in the app increases the development time which will have an effect on the development costs. Also, the extra steps needed to ensure that the feature works well and is safe cost extra.

Size of development team and location

A software development team usually consists of the following members – front-end developer, back-end developer, project manager, QA analyst, and tester. Each of these members charges an hourly rate for their efforts which can vary with where they are located. When you hire a React Native app development company to develop your app, the labour costs will be more compared to that of hiring a freelancer. But the advantage is that each of these members takes care of a specific part of the app, which means there will be fewer errors and the apps will be of good quality.

Cost of React Native App Development in India

If you are looking for app development within a budget, React Native is the most cost-effective framework that you can use. In India, the cost of hiring a React Native developer costs around $15 to $25 per hour. However, like it was mentioned above, there are many factors that affect the development costs and therefore, there are no fixed charges. All you can do is look for the average cost and see if it fits your budget.

If you see the costs based on team size, hiring a freelance developer costs between $800 and $8000 in India, while for a small team of developers, it costs between $10,000 and $100,000. However, if you intend to hire a React Native app development company, it costs between $15,000 and $150,000.

Now, if you look at the costs based on the project complexity, a simple app development project takes around 2 to 3 months and costs $5000 to over $20,000. Developing moderate app takes about 4 to 6 months and costs between $20,000 and over $50,000. Complex app projects take over 8 months of time and cost between $90,000 and over 120,000.

If you need a proper breakdown of these costs, it is as follows: the requirement gathering and planning step costs between $500 and $1000. The design and development step would cost between $1000 and $20000. App testing costs between $800 and $5000. The maintenance and marketing costs between $1000 and $20,000.

Before React Native was launched in 2015, businesses had to pay a lot to develop different apps for different platforms. Meta Platforms then launched the React Native – the cross-platform framework to reduce the development costs. This framework allows developers to build different apps using the same code base. It improves the development speed while reducing the costs.

Developers can efficiently create native-like apps using React Native. The other factors that motivate developers to choose the framework are live reloading, code reusability and easy implementation of updates.

If you want to build a high-quality React Native app, hiring a professional app development company would be the best option. They would ensure to do everything that helps reduce the costs. A good development team will be with you through the development process and will further provide app maintenance and even community support.

If you are in search of an experienced company that can help you to develop a high-quality React Native app at a reasonable rate, we, at Redbytes Software can help you. Redbytes Software provides app development services that involve building applications across different domains and platforms for clients across different industries.

With an experience in the app development industry that spans over 13 years and over 350 projects to our credit, we have accumulated our knowledge and skills, while keeping up with the latest trends and industry standards to create quality applications that meet all requirements of our clients. We are ready to give you the best experience of our services and if you are ready to collaborate, you can get in touch with us.