This article was contributed by Yuliya Melnik who is a technical writer at Cleveroad.
Today, people actively use various messengers to communicate. One of the most popular is WhatsApp, so unsurprisingly, more similar messengers have appeared. If you want to create your own messaging app, read this article, where we have reviewed some practical tips for building a messaging application and estimated its cost.
Brief Guide to WhatsApp Development
To build an outstanding messaging app, you should follow these steps:
- Consider an appropriate business model.
- Seek skilled developers.
- Take into account the vendor’s location.
- Develop the application architecture with your tech partner.
- Start with Minimum Viable Product (MVP) development to launch faster.
- Create well-thought-out UI/UX.
Define Your Business Goals
Start with studying your target audience and main competitors. This information will help you form a unique value proposition and avoid many mistakes. Also, you should choose a monetization model for your application. It could be:
- P2P payments. You can set a commission for each transaction by implementing the possibility of money transfers.
- In-app purchases. Sell additional content or premium features to your customers.
- Subscriptions. Offer users subscriptions to get access to more advanced features.
- Advertising. Messenger ads can be implemented as ads in messages or chat lists.
Hire an Experienced Development Team
Consider cooperating with an outsourced software vendor to build a high-quality messaging app at a reasonable price. Moreover, selecting this option incurs costs related to hardware or office rental. Consider these tips to pick the best team:
- Examine the portfolio with examples of work
- Study customer reviews on the Clutch and GoodFirms
- Review the vendor’s background in the media domain
- Consider the team’s area and hourly rate
Decide on Architecture and Tech Stack
You should research and understand its architecture to build a messaging app similar to WhatsApp.
WhatsApp utilizes the Ejabberd XMPP app server (FunXMPP) developed in Erlang to manage message transmission. It is well-suited for large communication systems due to its sustainability. In addition, Erlang can be beneficial due to its capacity for rapid adaptation to hotfixes and updates.
The programming language used for client-side development depends on the device’s operating system. For example, for iOS development, you could use either Objective-C or Swift; for Android development, you could use Java or Kotlin.
Essential Features to Create a WhatsApp
To launch faster, you can start with the MVP version and add more features later. WhatsApp MVP should include the following:
- Authorization
You must add the registration page to secure user account access. WhatsApp prompts users to enter their phone numbers and a code from an SMS to verify their identity. Also, the application opens and processes this SMS without user interaction, which improves the user experience.
- Chatting
This is undoubtedly the most meaningful messenger feature. Therefore, the best option would be to add personal and group chats. Furthermore, you can implement functionality to create information channels that users can subscribe to receive messages with the latest news.
Also, if you want to give users more opportunities for pleasant communication, add stickers to your messenger. They will not only increase the user experience but also open up additional opportunities for you to monetize, as you will be able to sell premium stickers.
- Notifications
Users must be notified when they receive a message. Notifications can be delivered to the device via pop-ups or push notifications when the screen is locked.
- Transfer media files
WhatsApp lets users communicate by sending voice and video messages and media files. You can also allow sending documents, geolocations, etc.
- Voice and video calls
All popular messaging apps have these features essential to their service. WhatsApp is also a messenger that uses internet traffic to provide in-app calls.
- Parameter setting
WhatsApp has a Settings menu that allows users to change their personal information, notification settings, and more.
Whatsapp-Like App Development Cost
Finally, we’ll explore how much does it cost to make an app like WhatsApp. As mentioned earlier, the final cost may deviate depending on the hourly rate in the region you choose for cooperation. An equally important factor is the number of hours spent on development. The choice of platform highly impacts it; you may select iOS, Android, or both.
On average, creating MVP versions of the messenger for two platforms takes 2000-2200 hours. Suppose we take an hourly rate of $50, typical in Central Europe, so an app like WhatsApp can cost $100,000 – $110,000. Also, you can turn to cross-platform development on Flutter, saving you up to 60% of time and money.
Wrapping Up
Thus, WhatsApp-like messenger’s cost can vary greatly depending on your wishes. However, to get an accurate estimate, contact an experienced software vendor who will not only calculate the exact price for you but also help you make an app that will conquer the market.
About the author
Yuliya Melnik is a technical writer at Cleveroad. It is a web and mobile app development company in Ukraine. She is passionate about innovative technologies that make the world a better place and loves creating content that evokes vivid emotions.
Last Updated on March 1, 2023 10:30 am CET by Markus Kasanmascheff
