Uber kickstarted the evolution of taxi market some 10 years ago and since then it has been operating in 84 countries. It generated almost USD 6 billion USD just last year. This is the reason that lots of business-minded people think of having an app like Uber. However, very few dare to take the big step of launching one. Why? The big question comes right to the mind. How much does it cost to build an app like Uber? Do I have to spend a fortune? Let me answer you right away. The Uber app development may not cost you a fortune. In fact, you may even build one for free. Read on!
Let’s study the features that will make your taxi service a competitive and successful business. We will also talk about the cost of development and the cost calculation formula.
Let’s first dive into some of the features that make Uber a successful app.
Features that Make Uber a Successful App
You will find lots of information if you google “Uber-like app features”. But in this part, we will focus on those that are unique in some sense and will put you in a competitive edge. If you want to have a successful app, consider these features.
Real-time sharing
This is a convenient feature for many people. For example, you might want to follow the route of your child to know where exactly he/she is and follow every step of their journey.
If your kid is too small, you might ask the taxi driver to swipe up on the application and click “submit status”. Then the driver can select who the child would like to know the whereabouts of their journey from their contacts.
Easy and convenient! Every mom would love that!
Multiple drop-off points
Suppose you need to make several stops on your journey. The driver can pick up and drop off others easily. Quite a convenient feature for the customer and the company. The customer may get discounts while the company will charge twice for one ride.
Split payment
Your task is to make your app a little more advanced than those already in the market. Split payment is something that can attract potential customers. This means that a few fellow travelers can split the costs for a ride.
Later ride
Some passengers would like to plan ahead. Your app should allow them to book a trip in advance at a selected time.
Discounts
Yep, Uber is leading the market and it is very hard to compete without discounts. Include stars, badges, offers, coupons or codes, etc. While this may take away some of your revenue, it may also give you loyal customers. For a business like a taxi service, loyal customers are God-sent!
Voice recognition
The customers in the 21st century are somewhat spoiled. They don’t even want to hit a button! Instead, they prefer to use the voice recognition function. And today, when artificial intelligence is incorporated into almost all apps, that should not be a problem. So, try to incorporate this into your app.
If you are interested in the full features of an uber-like app, here is a list.
The Cost of Development of an Uber-like app
Let us determine the cost of development of an Uber-like app.
Depending on functionality and some other factors, the uber app development cost may vary from $50000 to $150000.
Why is this difference of $100 000? There are two factors that determine the cost. One is the specific functionalities you plan to include in the app. And the second is the location of the development company. Normally, the software engineers in Eastern Europe and Asia charge less without compensating for the quality. So, don't worry about paying high dollars for the sake of quality.
For example, the hourly rate of the developer may start from $30 in Eastern Europe and Asia whereas the same rate is $100 in the USA and Canada.
And if you are in search of even more answers about cost, here is another article about the cost breakdown of an Uber-like app. You will get information about how Uber works and how it impacts Uber startup cost; key aspect affecting the cost and much more.
To have a full picture of how much you might spend, you need also to know the number of hours spent on development.
If you design an Uber-like app for Android only, you need to spend 96-128 hours, 240 hours for the admin panel, and 88-194 hours for the driver's panel. If you are lucky to hire a developer at a rate of $30 per hour, your app will cost you $50,000.
And even better news! You can make an app like Uber on Android for free by using free app builders. The builder does not even have to have coding skills to implement the idea. If you want to use this free option, all you need to do is to apply an app template to create a smart app for free. Your app will have basic functionalities like push notifications, URL support, monetization features, and social media links. It’s super easy to convert the website into an app by following simple steps.
You may want to build just an MVP and gain the attention of potential investors if your budget is low. MVP development also costs money but it will be far less than building the final product.
Uber App Development Cost Calculation Formula
Your task to have an approximate estimate of Uber-like app development will become easier if you have a cost calculation formula in mind.
The formula is easy.
HOURLY RATE X NUMBER OF HOURS
While it totally depends on you what company you will hire and where the number of hours spent on development is relatively stable.
Here is a table.
Approximate cost to build an app like Uber
Now you need to figure out the hourly rate of development company by country.
Now all you need to do is choose a developer team and multiply their hourly rate by the number of hours spent on development.
Wrapping up
We gave you tips on how to develop an Uber-like app spending as little as possible. Even if you hire developers with top rates, it's still worth the game if you consider the astounding $17,4 billion revenue that Uber made in 2021. If you are not ready for a big investment, we still give you options to develop an MVP and find an investor or just develop an app without coding for free.
Please go through the section that summarizes the main features that will make your app successful, like multiple drop points or split payments. The features you will incorporate will determine how successful your business will be.
Your determination is everything. The rest are technicalities. It’s time to take the big step and talk to experts that have both experience and competence in helping you.
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