How Much Does it Cost to Build an App Like OLX?

In recent years the online marketplace business has been expanded widely and apps like OLX are largely used now. It is a classified site where people can easily sell or buy products from within their respective region or country which makes it a popular site. Due to this success, many more new business people and existing companies are now planning to develop such applications. However, one of the biggest questions is: how much does it take to develop an application that is similar to OLX?

In the course of this article, we discuss the aspects of costs associated with the development of an app similar to OLX as well as the services required and the time taken to create the platform.

Factors Affecting the Cost of Developing an App Like OLX

The expenditure that may be incurred in the development of another app like that of OLX depends on several factors. Some of them are the complexity of the application, the features you plan to implement, its design, and the location or region where you intend to set up the development team. Below are some of the major cost factors: Below are some of the major cost factors:

Features and Functionalities

Some of the basic functionalities of OLX are registration for users, posting ads, searching for products, negotiations between sellers and buyers, and provision of payment options. Additional features may include:

User ratings and reviews: Allow users to leave ratings and reviews, helping build trust and credibility for buyers and sellers.

In-app chat functionality: Provide a real-time messaging feature, enabling users to communicate directly within the app for faster negotiations and inquiries.

Location to display the nearby jobs: Use GPS functionality to show job listings and opportunities based on the user's current location for better relevance.

Push notifications: Keep users engaged with instant updates on new listings, messages, and other important alerts through push notifications.

Advanced search filters: Enable users to refine their search results with filters like price, category, and location, making it easier to find what they need.

Secure payment system: Integrate a secure payment gateway to ensure safe and reliable transactions within the app.

Content management system (CMS): Implement a CMS for easy management and updating of app content, such as listings, user profiles, and notifications.

This is because while the apparent intricacy of various features is proportional to the development cost, the end product’s usability remains compromised. In general, an application that could contain several simple features, like OLX, would cost from $30000 - $50000, while the application, containing complex features, would cost $70000 and more.

App Design

The design is one of the important factors that dictate the success of an app. In the case of developing an app that should gain more attention and should retain it, functionality, design, and interface all play essential roles. The areas of work in UI/UX design will require the designing of wireframes and prototypes before the final design of the app is made.

Including design, it can cost as low as $5000 or as much as $15000 depending on the degree of differentiation of design made. Design Costs: If you need a plain design with less navigation and a simple look, then the cost will be comparatively less. However, the devices with complex designs and superior user interfaces will fall under the higher-end devices.

App Platform

It is necessary to make clear whether the app will be launched on Android only, on iOS only, or on both of these platforms. Altogether, the cost of Android mobile app development is typically a bit higher in comparison with the development of an application for iOS because of the fragmentation of devices; this obviously takes more time to guarantee the compatibility of the application with the variety of Android devices. The overall cost will definitely be higher in building both platforms because of the differences discussed above.

On average, the actual cost of configuring an App like OLX can be estimated at or around $25000 -$40000 for Android and for iOS it is $20,000 - $35,000. If you are able to work for both platforms at the same time, then a fully functional app will cost you $60,000 -$80,000.

Backend Development

Backend development is also important in supporting the app functions such as data management, users, and transactions. The frontend is the one that is visible and is experienced by the end-users while the backend is its backbone. Another indication will be if the app requires a lot of backend that needs integration with other services; in that case, the amount of time and resources needed will be high.

Backend development might cost anything between $10,000 and $30,000 depending on the server types needed; the data management system; and the APIs that are required.

App Maintenance

Creating the app is only the beginning and the hard part is yet to come. Maintenance should also always be made to guarantee that problems and hitches within the application will always be addressed promptly. To ensure optimal performance as well as to provide more added value, freeware versions may also need updating frequently.

The overall cost of application maintenance, on average, constitutes between 15% – 20% of the total cost that is incurred on the development of the application in the initial years. Thus, while launching an application, that costs $ 50000 in development, you should expect to sink $ 7500 -$ 10000 into its maintenance annually.

Marketing and Promotion

Last but not least, once the app is ready, it requires promotion so that users can be attracted to it. It will further describe how, through social media marketing, influencer marketing, SEO, and ASO, your marketing campaign will market your app. The price of marketing is comparatively higher, however, the cost of an effective launch campaign will be around $10,000 to $20,000.

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Breakdown of OLX Like Mobile App Development Cost

Here's a breakdown of the custom mobile app development costs based on different stages:

Discovery and Planning: This includes determining what kind of project needs to be put in place, defining the concept of the application, defining the user categories, and defining the functions of the application. It could take 2-4 weeks, and the cost could be about $ 5000- $ 10000 depending on the selected center.

Design (UI/UX): Many of these terms are used in the developmental stages of the software and integrate wireframes mockups and UI designing. If the level of difficulty is considered then it can take about 4 to 8 weeks and the amount which might be spent for this will be roughly around $5000 to $15000.

Frontend and Backend Development: The development phase in this factor means the generation of the GUI through which the users mostly engage and the other framework in the application. This is the most time consuming and the cost varies between $30000-$80000 it takes 3-6 months.

Testing and Quality Assurance: QA testing is considered to be very important since it assists in ensuring that all the defects are rid of and so as to ensure the effective functioning of the app on the various devices and Systems operating systems. This phase takes 2- 4 weeks and costs approximately $5000-. $10000.

Launch and Post-Launch Support: Therefore, with the creation of the app, further information will be given and it can be submitted to app stores. Some problems may be easily seen when customers use the application but were not noticed during the development process and these need to be fixed after the application is launched. Many of the users are probably going to give suggestions about the various aspects of the app and they have to be integrated. The promotion and the post-promotion support may cost about $ 5000 -$ 15000.

How Long Does It Take to Build an App Like OLX?

Creating an app like that of OLX is not a very short process because a lot of factors have to be put into consideration. The duration of the creation of an app might take several months or years based on the following factors; The extent of variety of features integrated into the application, and the qualifications of the development team. The time taken in creating a functioning app like OLX from this stage to the launch can take approximately 6-12 Months.

Discovery and Planning: 2-4 weeks

Design (UI/UX): 4-8 weeks

Frontend and Backend Development: 3 to 6 months

Testing and QA: 2 to 4 weeks

Launch and Support: 2 to 4 weeks

Final Words

Creating and developing an app such as OLX involves anticipating the strategies, having peculiar developers, and a considerable capital investment. The cost is highly variable depending on the features to be included as well as the platform and it may take $50000-$100000. The time required to develop the timelines commonly ranges between 6 to 12 months.

When it comes to the selection of an app development company, it is crucial to choose one that can demonstrate previous experience and provide clients with individual mobile app development services. Choosing the right team will guarantee that your app is developed properly and meets the general public’s demand in the best way possible.

Hiring a competent app development company will enable you to design an application that will allow people to buy and sell products as you see with OLX. So, if you want to build a successful marketplace app let me tell you that this is possible only with the correct strategy and the right development partner.

Build an On-Demand App Like OLX with Digittrix

Creating an app like OLX is essential for facilitating organized transactions and providing users with accessible, user-friendly features. It should have an intuitive interface, seamless search functionality, secure payment gateways, and a user profile dashboard. For a smooth user experience, choose an app that includes simple menus, real-time notifications, and trusted user reviews. If you're looking to develop a buy-and-sell app like OLX, contact Digittrix.

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