How Much Does It Cost To Build A Super App?

With the wave of digitization, people are spending more and more time on smartphones, using multiple apps to meet their day to day needs. From grocery shopping and food delivery services to online video streaming and ticket bookings; mobile app solutions are providing convenience at fingertips. 

The rise in demand for seamless mobile app services has directly impacted the growth of the global app industry. As brands all over the world make a tenacious attempt to thoroughly embrace the trend, super app development presents a sure shot way to cement overall digital revenue. 

According to experts at Techugo, super app solutions, if integrated smartly, can turn out to be a rewarding experience for both customers and businesses.  

With this blog, we will help you understand the basics of super app development, its cost, features, market trends and much more. You’ll be learning how to build a proactive solution with a super application.  

So let’s get ready to get our hands dirty for good! 

What Is A Super App?

It is a one-stop solution incorporated by businesses to meet all the needs of their user base. Integration of super app strategy enables brands to provide multiple services in a single platform. This mobility solution permits its user to access third-party merchant services without the need to download their app separately.  

Super app definition is simply a mobile app that offers multiple services through a single app. To gain more clarity, think of a super app as a supermarket, which delivers a retail space to brands for selling their products. 

This app technology is often bound by a common account along with a robust in-app payment system. 

The fact that the larger chunk of the population is smartphone first, makes the world super-app ready. There is a need for an ecosystem of applications that cater to hyper-local needs of the user base. Currently the Asian market is the one that is largely exploring the emerging trend, because the majority of the consumers are smartphone-first. 

The consolidation of all the services in a single place presents a great opportunity for businesses to increase revenue generation. Apart from that, building of such applications would also allow brands to monetize the large swaths of user data to learn more about their behaviour. 

But higher revenue generation is not the only reason why the world is going gaga over this very trend. 

Stay hooked till the end to learn more about the related opportunities. 

A Bit Of History On Super App!

Does the name Mike Lazaridis ring any bells?

The Founder of Research in Motion and manufacturer of Blackberry devices, Mike Lazaridis was the one who invented the concept of super applications. 

He introduced the concept during his speech at Mobile World Congress 2012. 

“Super apps are integrated with other apps, giving a seamless experience across the device. They’re contextual – aware of things like your location and status,” Mike said. “Super apps are apps that once you start using them, you wonder how you ever previously lived without them.”

Through his speech he was trying to stress that only Blackberry could deliver the integrated experience of connected applications. But the only difference between his definition and the modern definition of super apps is the hardware dependency. 

Even though the credit for introducing the concept of super apps goes to Blackberry, the actual integration of the concept comes from China. 

When multiple social media applications like Twitter, Facebook, Youtube were banned in China, WeChat appeared as a super app. It was an old messaging application which started offering multiple services like digital marketplaces, cab booking, social media, online bookings and much more through instant messaging.   

When the app gained a large customer base and started generating astounding digital revenue, the concept of super apps once again started attracting eyeballs from all over the world. 

Even if super applications are at a nascent stage in India, they are a huge hit across Asia. Singapore’s Grab, Indonesia’s GoTo, South Korea’s Kakao and Vietnam’s Zalo are a few examples of popular super apps in Asia. 

Speaking of the most popular super apps in the world, it’s time we jot down something of our favourite ones.

List Of Most Popular Super Apps In The World! 

1. PayTM

This fintech brand was established in 2010 and is now exploring new opportunities by integrating multiple businesses. PayTM super app now offers services like bill payment, shopping, online booking and much more. Adding these services to its ecosystem has allowed the brand to curb the competition in the market. This strategic move has allowed PayTM to grow its merchant base within a short span. 

2. Reliance Jio

A brand that started as a telecom company in India is now offering over 100 services in a single mobile application. This platform permits the customers to access services like food ordering and online bill payment with the help of their in-app payment services. 

3. Gojek

It’s an on-demand ecosystem and Southeast Asia’s fastest growing brand. One can access it for hyper-local delivery, online food ordering, taxi-sharing, commuting, and much more. What started as a bike ride service app is now a one stop destination for most of the on-demand services. 

4. Tata Nue

The youngest member of the Tata Group, Tata Digital recently presented the world with its own super app called Tata Nue- an extraordinary platform that gathers different brands into one powerful application. Facilitating the customers to shop across various categories, Tata super app provides a suite of financial services, UPI payments, bill payments, online shopping, insurance and whatnot. 

5. Alipay

Established in Hangzhou, China, Alipay super app is a third-party mobile and payment platform by Alibaba Group that came into existence in February 2004. Founded by Jack Ma, Alipay lets its user base access digital payments and other financial solutions. It’s a mobile wallet-based payment method on which the users can store their debit and credit card details to make digital and in-store payments. 

6. Grab

With its headquarters based in Indonesia and Singapore, Grab is a Southasian technology company that was established in 2012. What started as a taxi-hailing app called MyTeksi has now become Grab super app by extending its services to digital payments and online grocery, package and food delivery. 

7. WeChat

Founded in 2011, WeChat super app delivers multipurpose services like social media, instant messaging, digital payments and whatnot. With its gigantic popularity and over 1 billion monthly active users, the app became the world’s largest standalone application in 2018. 

How To Become A Super Application? 

We have news for entrepreneurs who are trying to jump on the bandwagon; there isn’t a fixed path to become one! 

There are no set of rules that you can follow to become a super application. But, there are certain key characteristics that one can add to their product in order to become one. 

Here are a few that you can check out!  

1. One Stop Destination

The main character of a super application is that it acts as an entire ecosystem for its user base. From a search engine to an online shopping destination, this digital product can deliver multiple services in a single application. From a user perspective, it cancels out the need for anyone to download multiple apps for different services. 

2. Direct User Connection

If you want to create a super app, you need to be available to your user base without relying too much on search engines. It means that your users need to be able to find you without the help of Google. 

3. Master One Service

If you closely observe the super apps examples that are shared above, you’ll notice that almost all of them started by offering one prime service. So as a super app development company, we would recommend you to integrate a function that has a high open rate. Then gradually, as you build the product you can add the rest of the functionalities.  

4. Offer Native Payment Option

Adding digital wallets is non negotiable in case you are trying to build an ecosystem of integrated services. It creates a lock-in, which means the user doesn’t have to leave the ecosystem to access the rest of the services like online shopping or bookings. Offering native payment options will streamline the rest of the services within the product.  

5. Create With Partners 

Building an ecosystem of different app functionalities is not an easy nut to crack. So if your goal is to sustain and excel in an economy that is dominated by the big players, you need to partner with the third-party companies. Unless you are a mega giant, it is impossible for you to create a digital product with several verticals. Therefore you need third-party companies or inventors that can help you during the process.  

6. Need For Openness

It is crucial for the super applications to allow their partners to benefit from their ecosystem. Once you have the investors, you need to allow them to grow their business, along with you. There needs to be a sense of openness that lets investors pursue strategies to succeed.  

7. Go Deeper Than The Surface Level

Super apps don’t just offer surface level verticals. They explore the vertices to go deeper. For example, through the ecosystem you can just deliver a basic financial product, you need to provide a suite of fintech services. 

What Is The Most Streamlined Process To Work On A Super App? 

Just like any other mobile app development process, creation of a super app is also fabricated into different parts. Take a look at the streamlined process that is being followed at Techugo. 

1. Product Discussion

Through valid user research and competitive analysis, this phase helps position the application right in the market. Our product strategy reflects beautiful amalgamation of design, development and marketing strategies.    

2. Marketing Insights

The moment an application concept and design are finalised, we initiate the plan to integrate features that would entice your ideal customer base. We make sure to integrate features and functionalities that would encourage maximum user download. 

3. Analysis & Wireframing

As a leading mobile app development company in India, we analyse your app concept thoroughly and create a wireframe, which makes a screen blueprint; a visual guide representing the skeletal framework of a mobile app. It helps you to understand how the application will work and function with different screens. This creates a symphony in your app idea and technical discipline, and finally brings the world-class app into existence.

4. Designing

A design speaks volume about the mobile app and clearly indicates how an app interacts with its users. The design holds benefits in abundance, the virtual effects and definitions shown within the design represent the real aim of the app concept. Our designers arrange the application design according to the app content, so the best infrastructure can be experienced.

5. Development

We include the latest technologies to help users get an easy and engaging app interface. Our team imbibes the latest technologies as a part of our development methodologies and this is where we get an edge over our competitors. The technical expertise of our development team can help you achieve your business goals in no time. 

6. Testing

We strongly believe in creating extraordinary app solutions which are infused with the trending technologies in a way, so users can experience the best app experience, without being bugged by the technical glitches. Our testing process ensures to cut-down the chaos of complexity of technology into our developed app solution, letting the users enjoy the best experience in every possible manner.

7. Deployment

We pick the manual efforts filled with complexity to take out the human error out of application deployment. Our team invests their time and passion for deploying an incredible app solution to your end-users. We include reliable deployment strategies; copying, configuring and enabling your application to a specific store, to attain further success.

What Are The Benefits Of Creating A Super App? 

Super applications make it easy for businesses to connect user accounts. These digital products have lower cost of acquisition for new customers. For example, if a super app launches a new social functionality, the product shares the social graph as its other applications. 

Similarly for financial super applications, users don’t need to go through KYC and anti-money laundering checks for the different services it offers. 

Given the multiple services that super apps have to offer, they have a higher lifetime value with the user base. In addition to this, companies that create super applications have direct access to their users’ data, which can be further monetized for revenue generation. 

But what’s in it for the users?

Let’s find out!

1. Offers a consistent user experience

An application that allows users to access services like shopping and online payments to online investments to booking, delivers a high end user experience that hooks the customer for a lifetime. 

2. Utilise data for better performance 

Use of technologies like Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning can allow businesses to thoroughly examine the users data to deliver better services. Analytics can be used to track marketing strategies and give a boost to the user experience. 

3. Saves Internet & Memory

Super apps can curb the need to download multiple applications for different services. This inturn helps the user base to save their phone memory and internet usage, which are two of the most important criteria to engage them in this competitive market. 

4. No additional time & effort required

When companies deliver an entire ecosystem of different services under one roof, it enables its user base to save additional time and effort. Prioritising your customers’ resources will keep them from getting distracted from your platform. 

5. Integrate financial services

Integrating digital payment services through a super application can help businesses explore advanced avenues in fintech services. 

Functionalities You Can Add In A Super App!

Before jumping on to the development part of the super application, one needs to have clarity on different functionalities that can be added in them. 

Take a look at few of the major ones- 

1. eCommerce

Provide online shopping service to the users from your application. Adding the functionality of electronic commerce would trigger in-app revenue generation as it is one of the most popular digital trends. 

2. Digital Payment  

Integrating digital payment options with the application will curb the need for the user to leave the platform. They can then buy products & make payments in a go. 

3. Instant Messaging 

Adding video calling and messaging features to allow customers communicate with their friends and family is another functionality popularly seen in a super application. 

4. Online Grocery Shopping

Along with eCommerce, businesses can also add online grocery shopping functionality in their super application. This would make the platform a one-stop destination for users’ purchases.  

5. Online Gaming

Businesses can easily add immersive gaming activities to engage the users. This will allow users to come back to the digital ecosystem for entertainment and not just for the on-demand services. 

6. Social Media Integration

The craze of social media is unbeatable and adding it to the super app as a functionality can trigger its popularity as well. It is also a great way to accelerate the branding of your business. 

What Are Must-Haves Of A Successful Super Apps?

There are a few things you need for successful super app development. Take a look-

1. User Base

If you are a startup, you need to put a pause on your dream to build a super app, at least for a while. Startups need to initially focus on fostering a user base reaching a wider market. 

2. Money

Integrating multiple services in a single application would require appropriate funds. Only then one would be able to meet the needs.  You can also contact our experts to learn how to work on generating funding from investors, as we have helped our brands to generate a total funding of $869 USD.  

3. Expert Resources

Super app development isn’t something that can be managed by a team that has no experience in mobility. With something so big, there is no scope to compromise on quality. Therefore, it is important for businesses to hire app development companies that can support all the technical requirements. 

4. Time

You need to allocate your project ample amount of time so that it can funnel into an ecosystem. Super apps are not like any other digital product. Because it offers multiple services, each service has to be built separately or integrated with the help of third-party platforms, which needs dedicated time and resources.   

How Does A Super App Earn Money? 

Becoming an entrepreneur is highly associated with the monetary benefits. So if a business decides to invest in such an intense product that offers a variety of services, they need to know how the platform will be generating money.  

Here are some of the popularly used monetization strategies– 

1. Order Processing Fee

Super application would deliver its user base with a one-stop solution by providing services for their day-to-day needs in a single app. Since it eradicates the need to download and use multiple applications, the super app can charge a small fee on every order. 

2. Partnering Commission

Instead of developing each service separately, super apps can partner with third-party service providers to save time and resources. Since they would be able to access the ecosystem & sell their services to the users, they can be charged with a fee on the successful orders. 

3. Delivery Commission

On all successful deliveries, the delivery partner can pay a small commission to the super application. 

4. Ads

These digital ecosystems can explore the wealth of user data and use it to run targeted ads to simplify custom shopping experience. 

What Is The Biggest Concern While Building A Super App? 

A digital ecosystem of different applications is still an emerging concept, especially in the West. From possibility of a monopoly to non-supportive government, there are several reasons why brands are yet to explore this trend. For example, the data collected by these platforms can easily be churned using AI-based technologies and influence customer behaviour through targeted ads.   

Integrating third-party services providers in a super application may lead to an unprotected ecosystem. This poses one of the biggest concerns where super apps present a threat to security.  

These concerns are now being taken under consideration and being worked upon to find an apt solution. You may contact our mobility experts to flag your concerns about super app development. With 20+ years of experience in mobility, our strategists can provide a solution to your queries. 

How Much Does It Cost To Build A Super App? 

Cost to create a Super App is quite similar in terms of the cost to create a movie. You can either create the movie for free or minimum investment using your iPhone or you can hire the best Hollywood Studios to create a blockbuster.

These days a mobile app is something you can get at a minimum cost, because of the saturated market. 

But if you actually want to generate revenue or effectively streamline your operations from an app, you need to invest, not just money but your time and efforts. 

And this could cost you anywhere in between thousands of dollars to millions of dollars. 

So if someone hires Techugo for super app development, we share a cost that positively impacts the complete process. 

For an MVP, we allocate a dedicated team of analysts, developers, designers & project managers, and the time it takes is around 3 to 5 months. Cost of building an MVP can range anywhere in between 40 to 100K USD. 

For CAW, that is Concept Analysis Workshop, we take care of analysis and design, including prototype, wireframing, R&D etc. It’s 10 to 20% of the entire project cost and can take upto 5 to 7 weeks. Cost of building CAW can range anywhere in between 15 to 35K USD.

The development of the complete product takes longer than building an MVP or CAW, as it has an ongoing cost necessary for maintenance and growth. It can never be done in a go as it always needs enhancement, additional features and optimization depending upon the market analysis and user’s feedback. The cost of building a product can range anywhere in between 50K to 500K USD. 

For MVP, CAW or a complete product development we allocate a dedicated team of analysts, designers, developers and project managers.

What Is The Future Of Super Apps?

The reason why the market of super apps is experiencing a boost is not a coincidence. The surge is directly proportional to growing market governments. But there is a striking difference between the adoption of super applications in the US, EU and Asia. 

Government officials in the US and EU were extremely hostile to the idea of super apps and the ambition of businesses like Google, Amazon or any other trying to incorporate the same. But now with the ongoing craze, West too is gradually adding and exploring multiple services within their apps.       

For example, Amazon. Instead of coming out as a super app, Amazon has started adding services like online bookings, groceries delivery, digital payment and much more.  

The trend is picking up pace and is here to stay. We have some of the flourishing examples like the recent launch of Tata Nue that is destined to streamline the consumer’s world. 

It is crucial for businesses to launch these ecosystems at the right time to observe profits, especially when the consumer shopping behaviour is transforming. Their launch will then make users shop online through their applications. 

Since the global eCommerce market is yet to reach its peak, now is the time for businesses to boost funds from external investors & trigger the development of a super app. This will surely allow the entrepreneurs to add more value to their vision.  

Wrapping It Up! 

Becoming a super app is majorly about becoming more integrated in your user’s lives. It presents businesses an opportunity to maintain a grip on their attention span. Once the digital product becomes essential for the user’s daily operation, the chances for it to land up on their home screen also increases. 

Creation of one-stop app ecosystems can trigger the chances of businesses landing on their users’ homescreen. But in order to initiate on-point development, one needs to onboard a team that has the potential of building such an intense ecosystem. 

For any further queries regarding super app development, feel free to connect with our experts at Techugo. 

Until then, stay tuned for more insights from the technical world!