How Much Does It Cost for Food Delivery Mobile App Development?
Food Delivery Mobile App allows your customers to order foods online and get them delivered quickly anywhere easily. But do you know how much food delivery application development costs? Let's see why you should opt for it, what are the app's key features and its development cycle & the cost associated with it.
There has been a significant increase in the number of mobile applications we use every day. Food delivery comprises an important segment among mobile apps and sees a market size of US$ 21.41 billion by 2026, rising from around US$ 4.66 billion in 2020.
The apps help in providing a whole assortment of different types of cuisine for the users. In addition, the users find it easier to order food whenever they wish. This blog will discuss the critical features and the cost associated with developing a food delivery app.
Why Opt for Food Delivery App Development?
There has been an increase in the number of people dining out and having parties. It had seen a lull due to the pandemic but has increased the use of food delivery apps. The apps can search for the restaurants of your choice near you based on the type of cuisine. The app can be used as a restaurant finder too, whereby you can also allow the eateries to subscribe on your platform. It opens up another option for revenue generation. It is essential to know some of the key features before setting out for food delivery app development.
Source: Statista
Key Critical Features in a Food Delivery App
The cost of developing a food delivery app can depend on the features that you include in the final product. We are discussing some of the critical components that can have a bearing on the final cost. You must contact the best mobile app development company in India to build a robust food delivery app.
Push Notifications
Most users have more than one food delivery app on their smartphones. To create better brand awareness, the brands must send out push notifications to increase mindshare among the audience. The alerts will help you stay connected with the customers.
You can utilize analytics to inform the customers about the latest offers when they are more prone to quench their hunger. The messages must add value to the user that will lead to a higher conversion ratio. Location-based messages are a suitable option to increase conversions.
The Search Functionality
One of the critical features of a mobile app is the search functionality. The search bar must be readily visible to the user and must have advanced techniques to show the best results to the user. In addition, it must store the location and the previous search to come up with optimized search results.
Voice search facility is another feature that can help to break the clutter. A smart list of the restaurants categorized as per the cuisine they offer works best. You can also suggest recommendations based on historical orders.
The mobile must be readily integrated with the social media pages of the app. It can allow users to post pictures or provide their comments about the food readily. These messages from your customers can help in word-of-mouth marketing and enhance your brand awareness.
You can connect your loyalty discounts with social media and earn points by rewarding customers. You can entice your customers to provide better ratings or introduce your app to their friends and family.
Location-Based Services
One of the critical features of food delivery application development is location-based services for search and navigation, sending local ads, and tracking. It will help the delivery to reach the customer and locate them online. It would be best if you adopted some of the best technologies to stay ahead of the competition.
Top Factors that can Affect the App Budget
The Functionalities
It is necessary to consider the functionalities you wish to have on the app. The food delivery app development cost is mainly dependent on the features of the app. Again, you also need to test the competitors' features, and you wish to replicate them on your product. You must also consider the feature upgrades that you will have over time. A robust product roadmap with milestones can be of immense help.
We will take you through an overview of the timelines associated with some of the features that could be necessary when building the app.
| Features | Overview of the Feature | Approximate Timeline |
| Logging into the App |
Login with multiple option:
|
28 - 42 hours |
| Search | A primary search feature with suggestions | 13 - 18 hours (An AI-based system will cost more) |
| Messaging | Details of the conversation Status Typing status Sending files and documents |
160 - 170 hours |
| Push Notification | Alert, SMS notification | 12 - 15 hours |
| Geo-location | Locate user device Search on the map Setting the pickup point on the map |
75 - 110 hours |
Platforms and Devices Supported
It is essential to finalize the platforms that would support your app - will your app support only Android, Windows Mobile, or iOS or all of them. Each platform is different, and it can increase the app development cost if you wish the app to support all these platforms. It is also essential to consider the devices the app will support.
Considering User Experience
Having a creative UX is essential for the app's success, but the designs you wish to incorporate can significantly impact the app. You must remember that the amount of graphics on the app can increase the effort to design the app. A native UI with the readily available templates will also cost lesser than what would cost for a custom UI. The cost increases manifold if you wish the app to cater to all the platforms.
Back-End Infrastructure
Like all other software, the back-end is critical for mobile apps too. The app must interact with the back-end for storing data, analysis, updating, and maintaining a centralized space for the business logic. There are several options for your back-end infrastructure, like using a cloud server or using the back-end as a service. You must choose a cost-effective option for your app. In addition, the app must be secure enough as it will undertake financial transactions too.
The Cost Associated with the Development Cycle
Several parameters can affect the food delivery app development cost. You must also consider the different app development phases that must be factored too.
Business Analysis Cost
You must deploy the services of a business analyst who can document the market analysis. The analysis can be undertaken by scanning the competition and finding the features included in the app. A seasoned analyst can also create the wireframes and suggest the technology stack too. This stage can lead to around 10% of the app development cost.
Designing Cost
Once the product features have been finalized, the designers must start to develop food delivery app. It would involve designing the UI/ UX of the app. They are essential elements as it improves the user experience. It also includes creating the wireframes of the app and shows how the screens would look. Finally, you can make the pictures and request the developers to work on them. This stage costs around 15% of the total app development cost.
App Coding Cost
The majority of the costs associated with the food delivery app development will be spent in this phase. It depends on the factors that we have mentioned earlier. You can use cross-platform development frameworks that can significantly bring down your costs. Also, utilizing off-the-shelf SDKs can help. You must have a collated list of features before you start the development phase. Adding features in between can be a problem.
Source: https://clutch.co/
Project Management
It is a cost that cannot be avoided. The project must be headed by an experienced manager who will have the overall responsibility for the project execution. They must ensure that the project activities are undertaken as required in the scope of work. There is a need to adhere to the project budget and ensure that the team finishes the project in time. The resources must be allocated to ensure adequate utilization and ensure all problems are solved on time. It will take up around 15% of the project cost.
Quality Assurance Cost
Before launching the app, you must ensure that the app is scalable and does not contain any bugs. The features must be tested and must meet the required specifications. You can undertake penetration testing and ensure that the application is stable. The UI and other app components must be checked too.
The Launching Phase
Once the app is ready to be launched, you can submit it to the app stores. Google Play Store would cost around US$ 25 as a one-time cost, and the Apple App Store would cost US$ 99 every year.
Conclusion
As the demand increases in the food delivery segment, new players are entering the market. Therefore, it is necessary to design an enticing app with all the essential features that will enhance customer loyalty. It would be best to have an overview of the timelines and associated food delivery app development costs. You can take the help of our experienced app developers. We would be happy to help!
