Loading...
Answers
MenuHow do you take an app idea and turn it into an app? Who will help make the app? How do you connect it through social media? How much does it cost?
I am disabled and my Husband came up with a brilliant idea that is not out there yet. We need someone to help turn the dream into reality.
Answers
Having gone through this multiple times either in new startups or for side projects, here is how I would approach turning your idea into an app.
1. Defining the Minimum Viable Product
Your first goal with any new idea should be about proving the idea and finding a market that wants the app you want to build. Achieving that quickly is probably one of the most important thing.
To achieve that, you will need to write the specifications that will constitute your MVP. The MVP is basically the simplest expression of your idea to prove it.
This step should not cost you much as you can do this on your own.
2. Design the app
Before starting any development work, I would suggest you work with a good UX/UI designer to create wireframes and mockups of the app based on the specifications you came up with in step 1.
You can find good designers in meetups & hackathons or on website like Dribbble or 99designs.
If you want to reduce your costs, you can give shares in the project to the designer. Otherwise, it really depend on the size of the MVP but I would say it will probably cost between $5K-$10K.
3. Develop the app
Once you have the specifications and the design of the app, you now need to find a good developer that will build it.
Again, you can find good developers in meetups & hackathons or on sites like Github.
If you want to reduce your costs, you can give shares in the project to the developer. Otherwise, it really depend on the size of the MVP but I would say it will probably cost between $10K-$25K.
For this part however, I would recommend the developer becomes part of the project as his engagement will most likely be higher.
4. Test the app
This step is not only about making sure the app is bug free, it's also making sure the app does what was intended in the specifications.
To test the app, you can use platforms like BrowserStack or SauceLabs which gives you access to multiple devices/browsers.
You can do this step on your own so the cost will be for the subscription to the test platform which would be around $100/month.
Hope this helps and good luck with your project.
That's great!
You know I work with a few startups, some in app development. There is a company that does apps for relatively cheap. They are however about $30k cheaper than most.
When I first got an app done, it took me so long to find a good team that I figured that time could have been used in learning. The sad thing is that app development is seen as a commodity, so I doubt you'll see 'cheap' developers... I suggest learning or networking with developers if you are comfortable with that.
Before you spend in development, analyze your idea and create simple mocks up to judge the use and feasibility of things.
My first app was done in 30 days...
Check out the class here http://mbsy.co/c6bPT
Best of luck!
Hi..
I 've done consulting for multiple startups before.. They all have a common scenario..
They start with an idea and end up doing something else ( but in the same context) ..
So...
To make sure you are in the right track :-
Do research on your market and target audience. Make sure that they believe your idea is really brilliant just like you see it.
The more you talk to people the better you will know where you are going. Coz, if you have a great idea that no one understands or can't see it as you see you have a problem.
You may ask people to sign NDAs before talking to them ( which i don't recommend coz some find it offensive) . Or start conducting interview with predefined questions, which will lead you in the right direction.
Use surveys and see comments form people with the same life experience , hypothetically, if they have your solution.
Start a pilot project and MPV ( Minimum Viable Project) as a demo to show people , and give them free trial or something to get you their feedback .
This is your first step which will define all that comes next.
Will show you if you are right so you proceed.
Or ( not necessarily ) wrong, so you know what to fix, to do the right thing before loosing a lot of money .
Let me know if you have more questions.
Good Luck..
You've received some brilliant Answers and advice.
My approach is different: Confidentially (or with a formal non-disclosure agreement, your choice), I will listen to your app idea pitch and then do my best to convince you to NOT proceed. My introductory service is Risk Management -- That means I start out as a professional "wet-blanket", and I believe that every idea and dream requires a thoroughly wrapped soaking. I take no pleasure in destroying dreams; to the contrary, my job is to save you from a hopeless endeavor, or to harden your resolve to prove me wrong. I love being proven wrong.
If you or your dream can't survive my cross-examination and possible suggested pivots, then that's a sign you will fail, even with substantial personal commitment and investment. You could be among the 92% of *funded* technology startups that fail within 3 years. It is estimated that far fewer than 5% of active Apps earn more than $1000 USD per month in revenue. Other statistics may be more or less pessimistic; one example states that the average *total* revenue for an app is well under $10,000 (i.e., after sales of the app have petered out).
A brilliant idea is a good start -- if it truly is "brilliant" and leads to a sustainable ongoing revenue stream. Execution consists of far more than getting the app "developed". App development cost is only a fraction of what you will need to spend to build a potentially profitable venture. The key to success, as low as that chance may be, comes from partnerships, marketing (very limited value from "social media", by the way), and a *lot* of luck and perseverance.
An app developer that charges a set fee to complete the app is taking no risks. Most such developers earn below the poverty line. The others will expose you to tremendous up-front costs while just trivially increasing your chance of success. An app developer that will work for an equity percentage in your venture, is only worth considering if they have no or very few other such arrangements to fall back on. In my opinion, these latter type of developers are the ones that are the best choice. They are dedicated to your idea and will be partners in your success or failure. They will invest in the iterative, incremental process required to prove the viability of your app to investors. Indeed, I could be *that* developer for your idea -- if and only if I share your dream.
Give me a call and I will let you know if you have a chance at success. And then, IF you are really cut out to make your dream come true, you will firmly resolve to overcome or ignore the pessimistic conclusions I usually reach.
Good-luck!
App development cost varies widely depending on the features you want. A more specific answer would require a list of all the product features. It's like trying to find an answer to "How much would it cost to build a house?" If your app has a social enterprise or charity aspect to it though, you may find success through crowd funding platforms where you might either find people to contribute funds or development expertise.
There are many mobile app builders out there, but often they aren't great at creating custom native apps.
Contracting a developer to build a custom app can be pretty expensive, up to 200k in some cases. I know of companies who have created a joint venture to share profits, etc., but this is when the company getting the app built already has a massive following.
An idea alone may not be much of a bargaining chip, but, add some funding to it, and some hard work, and we've seen the basement start-ups that have followed and become wildly successful.
It might be worthwhile to search for "mobile app developer" groups on LinkedIn, Facebook etc. to pose the question to see what kind of feedback you get.
Let's me answer you question by question.
Q1. How do you take an app idea and turn it into an app?
A1. This article will help you : http://www.abbacustechnologies.com/steps-follow-before-building-mobile-app
Q2. Who will help make the app?
A2. Consultants like http://www.AbbacusTechnologies.Com
Q3. How do you connect it through social media?
A3. Social media API are there.
Q4. How much does it cost?
A4. Check out this Infographic : http://www.abbacustechnologies.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/how-much-does-it-cost-mobile-app-590x1024.jpg
1. Turning an app idea into an app involves several steps:
a. Define your idea: Refine your concept, identifying your target audience, features, and functionality.
b. Design: Sketch wireframes and user interfaces (UI) to visualize the layout and user experience.
c. Develop: Choose a development platform (native or cross-platform) and programming languages (e.g., Java, Swift, React Native). You can hire a developer or build it yourself.
d. Test and iterate: Conduct alpha and beta testing to identify bugs and gather feedback.
e. Publish: Release your app on app stores (e.g., Apple App Store, Google Play Store).
1. To connect your app through social media:
a. Integrate social media APIs (e.g., Facebook, Twitter, Instagram) to enable sharing, login, or other features.
b. Implement social media authentication to allow users to log in or share content.
c. Use social media SDKs (Software Development Kits) for seamless integration.
d. Add social sharing buttons to encourage users to share your app's content.
e. Utilize social media analytics to track user engagement and app promotion.
Define and quantify the impact of the problem you're trying to resolve first (or the opportunity). Talk and validate to your potential clients.
MVP, development, marketing, etc. come later.
Related Questions
-
Whats are some ways to beta test an iOS app?
Apple will allow a developer to register 100 UDID devices per 12 month cycle to test via TestFlight or HockeyApp. Having started with TestFlight, I would really encourage you NOT to use it, and go directly to HockeyApp. HockeyApp is a much better product. There is also enterprise distribution which allows you far more UDID's but whether you qualify for enterprise distribution is difficult to say. As part of your testing, I'd encourage to explicitly ask your testers to only register one device. One of the things we experienced was some testers registering 3 devices but only used one, essentially wasting those UDID's where we could have given to other testers. Who you invite to be a tester should be selective as well. I think you should have no more than 10 non-user users. These people should be people who have either built successful mobile apps or who are just such huge consumers of similar mobile apps to what you're building, that they can give you great product feedback even though they aren't your user. Specifically, they can help point out non obvious UI problems and better ways to implement particular features. The rest of your users should be highly qualified as actually wanting what you're building. If they can't articulate why they should be the first to use what you're building, they are likely the wrong tester. The more you can do to make them "beg" to be a tester, the higher the sign that the feedback you're getting from them can be considered "high-signal." In a limited beta test, you're really looking to understand the biggest UX pain-points. For example, are people not registering and providing you the additional permissions you are requiring? Are they not completing an action that could trigger virality? How far are they getting in their first user session? How much time are they spending per user session? Obviously, you'll be doing your fair share of bug squashing, but the core of it is around improving the core flows to minimize friction as much as possible. Lastly, keep in mind that even with highly motivated users, their attention spans and patience for early builds is limited, so make sure that each of your builds really make significant improvements. Happy to talk through any of this and more about mobile app testing.TW
-
How can I sell my app idea, and do I need to get it patented?
This is a little hard to answer because it is so vague. It depends on the area, the market and the strength of innovation. I know that The App Guy has a terrific podcast at http://www.theappguy.co/ and is also trying to organize a community for App developers to sell their ideas. Let me know if I can be of further assistance to discuss patentability in terms of its value to getting a sale or license. What ever you do, don't spend money filing a full patent, just a provisional. Good luck.TH
-
What is the best technology for developing a new mobile app from scratch?
There are two sides to that question. One is the mobile app itself and the other is the backend. If I misunderstood in any way and you didn't mean "native" app I apologize in advance. On the backend, there is no clear cut answer to which is the "best". It depends solely on the developers you are able to get. We for example use Node.js , mongoDB, redis, elasticsearch and a couple of proprietary tools in the backend. But you have your pick of the litter now both on the backend api and the datastore with the myriad of options available and touted as the "best" currently on the market. Now on the app side again it solely depends on what you need your mobile app to do. Experiencing first-hand "develop once, run anywhere" I can say it's more like "develop once, debug everywhere" to quote a Java saying. We have tried Phonegap and Titanium Appcelerator and we have switched to native (ObjC and Java) after a couple of months of trying to go the hybrid route. The reasons behind the choice are as follows: - anything that breaks the pattern of how those frameworks NEED to operate is just a huge technical debt that keeps accruing a huge interest. - anything that uses css3 accelerated animations on Android is buggy at best and slow as hell at worst on any lower (< 4.1 I think) versions of Android I hope this gives you some insight. If you need/want to ask me anything feel free to contact me. MihaiMP
-
Any opinions on raising money on Indiegogo for an app?
Apps are difficult to fund on IndieGoGo as few are successful, and we rarely take them on as clients. Websites like http://appsfunder.com/ are made for that very reason, but again, difficult to build enough of a following willing to pay top dollar for an app that could very well be free, already existing in the marketplace. A site that is gaining more traction you may want to look into would be http://appsplit.com/. Again, Appsplit Is Crowdfunding For Apps specifically.RM
-
Pre-seed / seed funding for a community app... valuation and how much to take from investors?
To answer your questions: 1) Mobile companies at your stage usually raise angel funding at a valuation equivalent of $5,000,000 for US based companies and $4,000,000 to $4,500,000 for Canadian companies. 2) The valuation is a function of how much you raise against that valuation. For instance, selling $50,000 at $5,000,000 means you are selling debt that will convert into shares equal to roughly 1% of your company. 3) I would encourage you to check out my other answers that I've recently written that talk in detail about what to raise and when to raise. Given that you've now launched and your launch is "quiet", most seed investors are going to want to see substantial traction before investing. It's best for you to raise this money on a convertible note instead of actually selling equity, especially if you are intending on raising $50,000 - $100,000. Happy to schedule a call with you to provide more specifics and encourage you to read through the answers I've provided re fundraising advice to early-stage companies as well.TW
the startups.com platform
Copyright © 2025 Startups.com. All rights reserved.