We have heard and came across a number of success stories over the past few years, which have been truly inspirational.
We have evidently seen how startups such as the Amazon, Uber, PayPal, etc. turned the tides of fortune in their favor, motivating millions of aspiring youth and young entrepreneurs.
Today we will hold discussions about one more key player from that extensive list of ‘most promising startups’- Airbnb.
It has been truly identified as a global platform, which has enhanced the experiences of travelers to a great extent.
Airbnb is an online marketplace that has incredibly added a new chapter in the books of e-hospitality and rental industry.
Airbnb acts as a broker helping out to lease the house or any other place of accommodation for people who desire to book them privately.
Therefore, any tourist or a holiday maker out there to enjoy this vacation like a local can conduct the bookings at most reasonable tariffs.
What’s more amazing is the fact that Airbnb has expanded its web worldwide almost in 192 countries to be approx. Its mammoth list includes about 3,00,000 lodge listings in around 65,000 cities.
So, whether people want to rent out an apartment, a villa, a cottage or an entire house they bank upon Airbnb.
And believe it, Airbnb is just a product of a brilliant innovative mind that sprung up Brian Chesky and Joe Gebbia about a decade ago in October 2007.
According to Statista, the total value of the company was about 31 billion USD.
Airbnb is an online marketplace that allows you to make all the travel arrangements by yourself and you do not have to depend upon the travel agents or tour operators. This facility allows you to save a lot of bucks.
This is one of the major reasons why young minds are diverting their attention and energy in establishing a unique entity similar to Airbnb.
Factors Influencing the Cost of App Development Similar to Airbnb
So, after a brief introduction to Airbnb and getting familiar with its working procedure, it is essential to know what the key factors are that play an important role in developing apps that have resemblance to Airbnb.
As such you can opt for various approaches but the basic structure of the app crafting in most of the cases will remain all the same.
The Choice of the Platform – Android or iOS
Airbnb is a mobile application that is readily available in the Apple Store and Google Play Store.
But one important point to note is the cost of development for the iOS platform will be different from that of Android.
You have to consider about adding up the number of screens, which is based on the target customers and their preferences.
The cost of development in the case of Android is about 20% to 30% more than the iOS platforms.
The Number of Persons Employed in the Project
The cost of development largely depends on the number of persons employed in the project. If the size of the development team is big, then obviously the cost will hike.
So, it is recommended to keep the team size concise and not include anyone unnecessarily.
The team members need to have expertise in the field of app development and they should establish good coordination.
Usually, the team comprises a project manager and an administrator, UI designer, etc.
The Design of the App
Well, if you want to shun away from the old traditional methods and go for aesthetically appealing and exclusive design, then it will surely influence the cost of the app.
You have to make a choice between the custom and the standard.
The Technical Complexity of the Features and App Testing
There are some other important aspects that can create an impact on costing.
They include the addition of different features, the technical complexity of those features such as choosing the element ranges and lastly the testing of the app before its final launch.
How Much Does it Cost to Build Apps like Airbnb?
Once we have got acquainted with the major aspects that are influencing the development of an app like Airbnb, we can now focus on our actual discussion.
And you must know that in most of the cases the app development companies charge the client on a per hour basis.
For instance, if the cost is $25 per hour and the total time for the app development is 100 hours, the total cost would be 100 x $25 = $2500.
But it is not as simple as that. The entire project of app development is categorized into different sections based on the requirement of the client and app.
For every project to end on a successful note, it is vital that the beginning is appropriate.
- The Initial Step
Therefore, taking the initial step in this regard is very important. It can be regarded as the preparation stage wherein the developer holds meeting with the team members and chalks out a strategy or plan on how to proceed with the project.
Now if you are planning in to design an app similar to Airbnb, then according to the experts, the total time taken for the preparation stage for this type of app is approximately around 50 hours. It may go a little more.
We can sum up the division of hours into:
- The first 20 hours would go into setting up a base for the project.
- The next 20 to 24 hours are consumed into incorporating the API.
- Another 10 hours are taken for the preparation of the database model.
- Lastly, the 10 hours are spent on implementing services and libraries.
Thus, adding up all, the average cost for the first step would come somewhat around $1250 to $1500.
- The Registration Process
For most of the travel apps, the user first requires to register through an email id or mobile number. The process of registration is complete once the user agrees to the laid terms and conditions.
The estimated time for development can take around 12 hours for which you have to roughly pay about $300.
- Creating a User Profile
In the next step, the user needs to create a personal profile where they enter their personal information.
As such the developer has to build a platform for creation of two types of profiles if he is creating an app such as Airbnb. One is for the guest and the other is for the host.
The information generally fed is the name of the user, sex, birth date, email id, mobile number, residence, and other description details.
It is through the user profile id that the company keep a record of each of the customers and that their favorite tour destination is.
Apart from that, you can also know what type of accommodation they like to rent. This will allow you to send special notifications accordingly.
As far as the integration of this feature of the app is concerned, it usually takes about 24 hours for which the full cost is $600 approx.
- Filtration of the Details
After the registration process is successfully completed, the users can part their ways according to their specific needs.
For example, if the user is a tourist he can search out for a proper accommodation in a particular city. There are hundreds of options to choose from each varying in the budget.
On the other hand, the one who is a host can lend his house for a lease or a rent for specific period of time.
If you are offering your house or villa for rent, then you have to provide details about it such as what kind of house is it, information about the rooms and whether it can be privately rented or the guest can share it. Next comes the price details.
The guests will also be required to provide some info such as where does he intend to spend his vacation, the type of room he is searching for.
The check-in and check-out dates, the total number of people accompanying him.
In addition to all these details, he can filter the search to get more detailed info such as the type of beds, amenities offered, and neighboring places like market, park, etc.
The guests can also avail information about local cuisines, restaurants, languages and so on.
This is indeed one of the most vital features found in apps like Airbnb. So, the estimated time for development is also a little higher.
It takes 32 hours and the expected cost is $800.
- The Details Regarding the Room
Once the filtration of the details is over, the next stage is set out for providing the details about different variants of the room for accommodation.
This means when a guest is searching for a particular room to satisfy his needs, he can get the best of the options.
The guest typically chooses a room based on various criteria including the shown images, the view from room, ratings and reviews, description of the room, location, direction, tariff and terms and conditions.
The guest can also check the details of the host or the landlord of the concerned property.
He will also get to know about how much maximum period can he stay there and what type of services will be on offer and if he has to pay additional charges for availing those services.
Well, talking about the cost it is lengthy procedure and can consume about 180 hours or more.
The entire development process associated with this feature is segmented into various categories each taking its own time such as for gridding the variants, info about the room, the profile of host, booking feature, available dates and much more.
This is going to cost you a bit and is priced at about $4500.
- Addition of Translation Feature
With the entire world turning into a smart global village, the translation is one must-have feature for apps like Airbnb.
It helps the guests or the tourists to translate the entire information in the language, they are most comfortable with.
The text is first sent to the Google Translator and then it is easily translated into the language of the user.
With the help of this unique feature, the guest can feel more at home even when he is away.
The addition of this feature will require a maximum of only 8 hours and the presumed cost is around $200.
- Incorporating of the Maps
The guests also have the facility of the maps in order to find a particular place of stay beside the option of the filter.
This will also give them a rough idea as to what is the neighboring location next to their hotel or house.
It will take around 32 hours to implement this feature and the approximate cost is coming around about $800.
- Implementing the Backend
This is supposed to be the most crucial juncture of your app development and since it is linked with the server, it can be regarded as the backbone of the app.
An app without backend development is rather considered incomplete. But the app developers need to be very patient and remain cautious because it is one of the most painstaking jobs that require a lot of time.
Yes the time taken for successful integration is round about 160 hours and it costs the clients a hefty amount of $4000.
One more point to remember here in this case is the taking the help of third-party applications to book a room. It offers you everything and also assists in making your app better.
- The Guide Component
The guide component is linked up with the map feature and it starts functioning when a user opts for staying in a location. It tells him about the sightseeing and other spots that are must-see.
The time for developing this feature is about 10 hours and priced around $250.
- The Messaging Feature
If you are designing an app that is similar to Airbnb, then the messaging feature becomes indispensable so as to inform your targeted audiences.
The user can also ask questions related to the bookings and you can send the push notifications or SMS via messaging. This is an instant means of communication.
It will take about an average of 80 to 100 hours for building the messaging feature and you will need to pay around $2500.
- The feature for the Hosts
The feature will help the hosts to rent out or lease their place for staying at price which they want to charge.
They only need to give a commission to the company for each of the bookings. You have to create an account and provide your details.
The rough estimated time for creating this feature is about 80 hours and it will cost you $2000.
- Implementing the Settings
It is imperative to add the settings menu so that you can provide a number of facilities to the existing users such as in sending push notifications, payment options and adding wish list, etc.
The cost of developing this feature is $500 and you will have to work for 20 hours.
- Adding to Favorites
This is a section where you get to know the response of your app amid the targeted audience.
It is because it allows the user to choose their favorite places or hotels and they can again look for the same spot on a second or third visit.
The time consumed for creating this feature is about 6 hours costing about $150.
- Friends Invitation
The user can invite his friends to join the app.
It takes usually 8 hours to exercise this characteristic feature and will take $200 for availing the service.
So, finally what’s the Total Cost – The Conclusion
Well, now it’s time to roll your sleeves and get down to some serious business out there.
And with the calculator by the side, if one multiplies the total hours with the rate of one hour on an average, the sums coming on to $18,000 approximately.
It must be remembered that all the figures indicated here are only a rough estimate of the app development similar to that of Airbnb.
The actual cost may vary depending upon your requirement and quotation offered by the travel app development company.
Besides the price will depend on the functions implemented in the app and what kind of approach the company is looking forward to.
Blog Source- https://www.mindinventory.com/blog/cost-to-develop-app-like-airbnb/