Custom On-demand App Development [A Complete Guide for 2024]

We can hardly imagine the industry today where on-demand app development is unknown!

A variety of features, speed, comfort, and consistency make these on-demand apps popular, especially for millennials. From ordering food online to requesting plumber facilities, or to get the medicine at home without delay, customers feel relaxed calling for more ease. All thanks to the fast, secure, and easy-to-use mobile framework behind it. But the question is how do you launch the on-demand app? So, herein, have listed all the aspects of the on-demand app development process. Continue to read.

What is an On-Demand App?

On-demand app is an application or digital platform that acts as an intermediary between a customer and a business facilitating the immediate of goods or services. The on-demand apps enable users to request services at their convenience.

Examples of on-demand apps include Uber for transportation, Zomato for food delivery, and Airbnb for accommodation.

The key aim behind the on-demand app development in the app industry is to make the customer experience simple, saving time and costs, unlike in the offline retail user experience.

Types of On-Demand Service Apps Based on Industry

You name the industry and there’s an on-demand app for it. However, here is the most trending app like uber and Airbnb business types that you must consider while investing your money. Take a look.

Types of AppDescriptionTop Apps
Online Food-Delivery AppThe on-demand food delivery apps have bridged the gap between restaurants and foodies. As soon as the customer places an order with an on-demand app, the restaurant starts preparing the dish and indicates when the food will be ready, by monetizing shelf-to-door facilities.
  • SkipTheDishes
  • Tim Hortons
  • Grubhub
  • Doordash
  • Postmates
Grocery Delivery AppWhile local deliveries have been seriously disrupted, some options in form of on-demand app development came forward for more entrepreneurs. Grocery delivery apps like Instacart help customers get groceries in the easiest way. Only order the groceries you need and get them delivered to your place.
  • Instacart
  • Cornershop
  • GOcery
  • Amazon Fresh
  • Walmart
Laundry AppOpting for a laundry app for your services, customers will book and pay for their clothes to be picked up and sent back clean by the full cycle strategy of your company. Extra options in applications like dry cleaners provide toxin-free cleaning and open up a new level of business potential.
  • TaskRabbit
  • Rinse
  • FlyCleaners
Home Repair Service AppHousehold chores like house cleaning, repairs, plumbers, electricians, and many other everyday tasks take lots of time. So, as a startup, you can build an on-demand handyman app that connects various handymen to clients on demand for all of these home delivery services.
  • Thumbtack
  • Handy
Car Booking AppThe old-school notion of using taxi services has been successfully discarded by car booking and uber for a taxi. If you want to expand your taxi services into a multi-billion dollar market, then the on-demand taxi app development is worth investing in.
  • Turo
  • Lyft
  • Grab
  • Gett
  • Juno
Health & Fitness AppIf you build healthcare apps, it will connect patients to clinicians on-demand. Patients can seek support and may chat with their doctors one-on-one. And doctors make decisions just as during an ordinary appointment. While fitness and diet app development will help users with weight, calories, and meal plans.
  • MyFitnessPal
  • Fitplan
  • Amwell
  • Trube
  • DailyYoga
Beauty Salon AppFor someone who wants to be at their utmost best in a limited time, this application is a miracle. Users can connect with a beautician, stylist, or makeup artist using on-demand beauty salon software by only making a few taps on the phone.
  • MioSalon
  • SimpleSpa
Couriers and Logistics AppTo deliver packages and cargo, on-demand app development is a rescue for industries for their shipment, e-commerce for their packages, and by ordinary people for couriers. So, if you belong to the logistic industry, you can create an on-demand courier app.
  • GSMtasks
  • Logistia
  • OnFleet
Pet Care AppApps like on-demand dog walking make it easy for dog owners to get walkers anytime they want. The app connects the dog owner to a dog walker and helps the dog walking business to earn revenue for just connecting users and service providers.
  • Petbacker
  • Wag
  • Pawshake
Garage Service AppTo increase the client base for your garage services, customized auto-motive mechanic app development can never go wrong. An interface provided by an on-demand app development company helps you to accept requests from clients for a range of services.
  • Openbay
  • YourMechanic
  • AUTO i CARE

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How Does On-Demand Apps Work?

While on-demand delivery apps are versatile in nature, it works in simple below mentioned steps that you may consider for your own on-demand app development.

How Does On-demand Apps Work

  • Users download the customer app and sign in.
  • Users browse for on-demand services with search filters.
  • The user places a request for a preferred service.
  • The app notifies the service providers and connects them.
  • The service provider checks the request and accepts it.
  • Users may select online payment or cash on delivery, whichever is available.
  • The provider delivers the service as per request.
  • Users can track the delivery while in transit.
  • Users rate and review once the service is delivered.

How On-Demand App Benefits to Business?

Moving ahead, here, we are going to give you more reasons why you should invest in on-demand app development and be ready for the next tech revolution in the future. Let’s take a look.

On-demand App Benefits to Business

  • Flexibility
    Without walking out, consumers can get their preferred food, product, or services right at home, and the business owner gets the flexibility to grow its customer base. It’s really quick for the company to process the order and send it through a shipping agent to their clients. Hence, an on-demand solution gives both the company owner and the consumers flexibility.
  • Increased User-Base

    Just as the customers get used to your on-demand app, they are more likely to request orders regularly, and that’s how you build a loyal user-base. In their community, a happy client can share positive things for your app, and that’s how you’re going to attract more and more customers and will boost your market sales with it.

  • Data Management & Storage
    On-demand services app development is configured with a cloud storage space. Data analytics can quickly analyze this streamlined data storage at a single cloud location to detect patterns in the usage of the on-demand app and create better strategies. Therefore, the ability to store and access large amounts of data becomes a boon in the long course of business development.
  • Customer Satisfaction
    Mobile apps on-demand promote customer loyalty by delivering utilities on demand within a limited period of time. Plus, on-demand services accessed on the internet are gradually being surpassed by on-demand apps. Almost, 3.80 billion users have access to their smartphones which have become a gift in disguise by accessing on-demand services from anywhere.
  • High Scalability
    When the needs of customers change, so do their demands. In such a situation, on-demand apps are able to respond to the changing consumer dynamics and the launch of new goods and services easily, compared to conventional business models. This eventually allows corporations to expand and increase their client base.
  • Competitive Edge
    On-demand solutions that are personalized, are more customer-centric and provide the most relevant on-demand services for the clients. Most of the consumer needs are met with on-demand apps, which keeps them involved with your company. Hence, corporations can achieve a strategic edge and outperform their competition.

On-Demand App Development Process

Finally, it’s time to find out how to make an on-demand app and which steps you need to take. Read below.

On-demand App Development Process

  1. Define Purpose

    Your application should aim to fulfill the needs of the established audience and markets. Based on the original business idea of product start-up, you can study the market and;

    • Identify business needs
    • Speak to the sample target audience
    • Understand the consumers of your competitor’s applications
    • Concentrate on unique features
  2. Select Mobile App Development Platform

    This stage is crucial if you want a continuous update, maintenance, and feature addition for an on-demand app. Therefore, to keep the app robust and aligned with the trends, you must invest in a scalable platform that could result in a profit in the future.

  3. Find On-Demand App Development Company

    It’s time to start searching for on-demand app developers when everything’s scheduled. There are currently two common alternatives, either create an in-house team or outsource a mobile app development service. However, if you want a cost-effective and long-term benefit, hiring a custom Android or iOS mobile app development company will be the right choice for developing an app for on-demand services.

  4. Design & Build On-Demand App

    This stage for the on-demand app consists of the following workflow by app UI designers and mobile app developers;

    • Wireframing and prototyping
    • Recognizing preferences for color fonts
    • Configuring an optimal UI approach
    • Sprint planning & graphic interface
    • Aligning the requirements of the interface
    • Integrating mobile app architecture
    • Constructing each screen iteration
    • Implementing coding structures
    • Execution of iteration and frame
  5. Test and Launch

    For getting your products at the highest level of accuracy, evaluate app development solutions for a quality check. Start with app developers and then bring a quality assurance team in the process. The quality analyst will:

    • Test the product on multiple platforms
    • Address all current errors and bugs
    • Ensure user-friendliness and connectivity
    • Gather feedback

    And finally, once the product meets the expectations, launch in the market for end-users.

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Technologies Used to Develop On-Demand Mobile App

Each on-demand solution is designed with a technological edge using both modern and premium technologies and platforms for the best service deliverables. Below mentioned tools are used by us at Space-O.

Tech Stack
Programming Languages
  • Swift
  • Kotlin
  • PHP
  • Node Js
IDE
  • Xcode
  • Android Studio
Cloud Storage
  • Amazon S3
Database
  • Mongo DB
  • Redis
  • MySQL
  • PostgreSQL
Utilities
  • Google Analytics
  • Mixpanel
  • Visual Website Optimizer
Payment Gateways
  • Braintree
  • Paypal
  • Stripe
Messaging Platform
  • Twilio
  • Nexmo
  • Sinch
  • RestComm
Libraries
  • Google Map
  • Socket
Analytics
  • Mixpanel
  • Google Analytics
  • Keen.io
Email
  • Gmail
  • AWS
  • SendGrid
Deployment Platforms
  • Cloud
  • iOS
  • Android

Cost to Build On-Demand App

The cost of making an app for most on-demand apps initially relies on several variables like the scale of team and place, deployment platforms, number of designers, on-demand app developers, features of the app, etc.

However, if you need a rough estimation for any mobile app development company, refer to the below table where we have mentioned the total number of hours for a particular feature for on-demand app development that may take.

DeliverablesEstimated Man Hours
DevelopmentGraphics Design
I) Native iOS (iPhone) Application for Customers19526
II) Native Android (Smartphone) Application for Customers19526
III) Native iOS (iPhone) Application for On-Demand Delivery Provider10420
IV) Native Android (Smartphone) Application for “On-Demand Delivery providers”104220
V) Web Application for “On-Demand Service Owners”18050
VI) Back End & Web Services Development32020

MVP Features of On-Demand Apps

To create a list of features you would like to integrate before approaching the on-demand mobile app development company is always a good idea. So, here are the MVP features that can be used in the on-demand app.

MVP Features of On-demand Apps

  1. Booking

    An instant service booking feature must be provided in an on-demand service app for your business sector to allow consumers to book easily for their service needs. This functionality will certainly amaze many consumers on the web as they will immediately get professionals for their on-demand services at convenience.

  2. Push Notification

    In order to inform users easily of each and every operation on the app itself, push notification can be proved as a miracle. It helps users to keep updated on the website for all the activities like booking acceptance, booking cancellation, the arrival of the service provider, and new offers.

  3. In-App Payments

    As payment is a significant part of an on-demand service, ensure that your online payment gateways are fast, secure, and reliable. This functionality consideration for on-demand app development helps users to make payments in-app itself with multiple payment options like debit card, credit card, wallets, etc.

  4. Real-Time Location Tracking

    When clients can understand planned execution, expected arrival on the interface in real-time, they trust you more. Therefore, implement location-based solutions for on-demand cab booking app, food delivery, grocery delivery from grocery stores, flower delivery, alcohol delivery, or any other services that you provide.

  5. Ratings & Reviews

    While you give users an option to share their reviews about the service offered and the products used, as a company owner, you can gain information about the likes, desires, and behavior of users to improve operations.

Have not heard of MVP before? Here’s the complete guide on the minimum viable product development for your business!

Advanced Features of On-Demand Apps

Once you have set up your on-demand businesses and are ready to take it to the next level, implement advanced features into the app as mentioned below.

On-demand Apps Advanced Features

  1. Wish List / Favorites

    Clients are often hesitant to make a transaction right away. Before eventually deciding on something, they need time to test other goods or compare them with other suppliers. In such situations, favorites and wish lists are helpful for on-demand app development so that when they are able to put an order, the prospective customers can return to the same supplier.

  2. In-App Messages

    An on-demand delivery app must have an internal messaging mechanism to enable contact between the tasker and the customer. While users can communicate about services, raise queries as and when they need them, service providers can send messages to users for delivery and exact location.

  3. Analytics & Reporting

    As a company, to get information such as the number of services availed, canceled, and repeated, this functionality helps you gain useful data to escape all the bottlenecks and boost the services. It also demonstrates which segment of the company is doing well and which one is having trouble.

  4. Promotions & Discounts

    Customers always enjoy using a discount code to pay less than the original amount. If they have a coupon code, they’ll visit again. So, for on-demand app development, bonuses for referrals also create additional revenue and retention, improving customer satisfaction.

  5. Panic Button

    This advanced feature help users to alert admin personnel, their own family members, and medical support lines about uncertain situations like injuries, incidents, and extremities.

Want to Know the Cost of Your On-demand App?

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Frequently Asked Questions

  1. What is an on-demand service?

    On-demand service is the customer service model for a team of startups or businesses that allow users to access a service directly when they are in need, anytime.

  2. What are the best on-demand apps?

    • Uber
    • Postmates
    • Drizly
    • Soothe
    • Rover
    • Zomato
  3. How to plan an application for the on-demand market?

    • Identify your audience
    • Conduct user analysis
    • Identify competitors
    • Define an on-demand business model
    • Hire an on-demand app development company
  4. How do you create an on-demand app?

    • Define the scope of businesses
    • List out the features
    • Select deployment platform
    • Design attractive UI/UX
    • Build and test
    • Launch
  5. What is the future of on-demand apps?

    By providing customers with all they need at their doorstep, on-demand service applications have almost replaced conventional business models. So, the future of on-demand applications and the on-demand economy will flourish and thrive, boosting sales.

  6. How much will it cost to create an on-demand delivery app?

    The on-demand app development cost can vary from USD 60,000 to USD 200,000 because it depends on the requirements, project scope, services, and priorities.

Conclusion

On-demand app solutions are the promise of satisfying the basic needs of users. The phase that began with some essential utilities, such as cab services and food delivery, has eventually expanded and slipped into many other industries, such as education, healthcare, and household chores, which have deep origins. All this makes it a profitable business enterprise to invest in on-demand app providers. So, if you have any business product idea, we are a top mobile app development company excels in building top-notch mobility solutions. To get a free consultation with our experts, contact us at your time!

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Rakesh Patel

Written by

Rakesh Patel is the Founder and CEO of Space-O Technologies (Canada). He has 28 years of IT experience in business strategies, operations & information technology. He has expertise in various aspects of business like project planning, sales, and marketing, and has successfully defined flawless business models for the clients. A techie by mind and a writer at heart, he has authored two books – Enterprise Mobility: Strategy & Solutions and A Guide To Open311

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