Introducing to App Monetization

What Is App Monetization?

Getting more people to view your content and generating income are the two main benefits that apps offer to publishers. App monetization, to put it simply, is the process of turning app users into money.

Because it’s increasingly frequent to find programs that are free at the point of installation, app monetization is significant. Therefore, the app business model needs to be modified to take this into consideration.

There are several tactics in this process. Certain app monetization models work better with some app categories than others. While some apps concentrate on only one facet of app monetization, others include several.

In addition, because income depends on satisfied customers, customer experience is essential to a successful app monetization strategy.

Most of the time, monetization degrades the app user experience. Although it is still existent, this can be lessened and mitigated. Some users get turned off when the user experience is lowered.

Also, the number of active users is the main factor in measuring monetization revenue. It’s important for developers to take this into account when choosing an app monetization strategy because this figure is directly impacted by user experience.

Why Is App Monetization Important to Businesses?

Over the last 15 years, there’s been a dramatic shift in how these applications are presented to users, primarily influenced by the surge in free apps on app stores. This change has made app monetization a vital element for businesses and developers alike. Let’s delve into why it’s so important:

Shift from Paid to Free Apps

In 2009, the iOS App Store was dominated by paid apps, with them making up 77% of the available applications. Fast forward to the present, and this landscape has drastically changed, with only 10% of apps requiring an upfront payment at download. While the Google Play store still retains a higher percentage of paid apps at 31%, the overarching trend leans heavily towards offering apps for free at the point of download.

Evolution in Revenue Generation

Due to this pivot towards free apps, developers have been compelled to innovate and reimagine how they generate revenue. Gone are the days when a one-time purchase price guaranteed profitability. In this new era, continuous engagement and long-term user retention have become crucial, necessitating novel monetization strategies.

Diverse Monetization Models

To navigate this free-app-dominated ecosystem, developers have an array of monetization models at their disposal:

• In-app Advertising: By displaying ads within their apps, developers can earn revenue. The variety of ad formats, from banner ads to rewarded videos, gives developers flexibility in choosing the right fit for their app experience.
• Freemium Model: Under this model, the app is free to download, but certain premium features or content are locked behind a paywall. Users can then opt to make in-app purchases to access these premium offerings.
• Subscription Model: Similar to the freemium model, but instead of one-time purchases, users pay a recurring fee to access premium features or content.
• Affiliate Marketing and Referrals: Developers can partner with other businesses and earn commissions by promoting their products or services within the app.

Hybrid Monetization Approach

In recognizing that no one-size-fits-all, many app developers are adopting hybrid monetization strategies, where they combine two or more of the aforementioned models. This approach not only diversifies their revenue streams but also allows for better adaptation to user preferences and behaviors.

How Will Your App Make Money? – Top 10 Mobile App Monetization Strategies 

You may start to make money and increase the revenue from your mobile app with these clever monetization strategies:

In-app Advertising

Among app owners, this is still the most common. Usually, it causes a lot of conversations. In-app advertisements don’t just have a straightforward, universal strategy. Different advertising strategies can take place in each app. But there are certain overall pointers for app advertising.

This is a quick and easy procedure for app monetization. However, an app only produces considerable revenue if it has a large audience, which is cause for concern. 

The simple fact is that many apps wouldn’t exist without mobile ad networks and in-app advertising. At the same time, mobile app marketers have come to understand the importance of maintaining the user experience in order to keep their apps alive.

Mobile apps have a range of advertising formats to engage users while monetizing their platform.

Banner Ads

These are graphical ads that typically appear either at the top or bottom of an app screen. Comprising both text and graphic elements, they come with a distinct call-to-action button, prompting users to engage with the advertisement.

Video Ads

Video ads are short clips that play before the primary video content. Pre-roll videos, which play before the main content, are a classic example. Due to their dynamic nature, they often see high levels of user engagement and click-through rates.

Rewarded Video Ads

A favorite, especially in gaming apps, rewarded video ads provide users with an in-app incentive for watching an entire video. These incentives can range from unlocking game characters to earning in-game currency or securing additional lives. Given their reward-based structure, they are predominantly found in gaming apps.

Interstitial Ads

Emerging predominantly during transitional moments in apps, like after completing a game level, interstitial ads occupy the full screen. They can comprise videos, images, or text and are often rich in media content, capturing users’ attention due to their immersive nature.

Native Ads

Native ads seamlessly integrate into an app’s interface, resembling the app’s natural content. Often found in news feeds or content recommendation sections, they are marked as sponsored to distinguish them from organic content. Their non-intrusive design ensures that they don’t disrupt the user experience.

Playable Ads

Tailored mostly for gaming apps, playable ads provide users with a brief experience of another game’s key mechanics. This interactive format not only engages users but also achieves one of the highest CPM (Cost Per mille) rates in the gaming sector.

Offerwall Ads

Offerwalls present users with a series of offers, rewarding them upon completion of specific tasks. These tasks can vary from filling out surveys and downloading apps to playing games or reaching a designated level in another game.

Subscription and the Freemium Model

The user can download the app without paying anything if it uses a subscription model. Then, for a set period of time, they get access to all or some of the app’s capabilities, and they will have to continue using the app by paying a regular cost.

It’s simple to understand why this app monetization is growing in popularity. 

• The developer receives a steady flow of income. 
• It’s simple to anticipate. 
• It occasionally has the ability to generate significantly more profits than other tactics.

This is due to the fact that users who pay to utilize your app service will spend time there. They are unlikely to want to quit paying for access if this involves input. And be aware that a fascinating app with a distinct function and positive user experience reinforces the app subscription model the best.

We can name Spotify as a brilliant example of this app monetization strategy. Spotify stands out as a prime example of the freemium app subscription model’s success. Founded in Sweden in 2006, Spotify emerged as a response to the pay-per-song approach of platforms like iTunes and the rampant illegal music downloads prevalent during that period.

While Spotify generously offers several premium features to its non-paying users, a monthly subscription unlocks additional premium perks, such as an ad-free listening experience.

In terms of freemium model success, Spotify truly reigns supreme. While typical freemium apps boast conversion rates ranging from 2-5%, studies indicate that an impressive 24% of Spotify’s free users eventually opt for the paid subscription.

Data Monetization

Numerous factors make large app audiences beneficial. One of these is that each time a user uses your software, they provide some sort of data.

After being made anonymous, this data can be quantified. Then, it can offer insightful information about consumer behavior. Big data is what this entails. It serves a variety of purposes, from smart city development to providing users with better and more targeted advertising.

Customers’ data has long been a source of revenue in other sectors. This can and ought to be used for the monetization of mobile apps. It makes more sense for developers to try earning app money from user data because the CPMs are significantly greater than those of advertising-based app monetization strategies. Additionally, as this app monetization approach worked in the background, apps could maintain their amazing user experiences.

In-app Purchases, Virtual Goods, and Currency

With the current rise in the popularity of game apps, this technique has gained increasing attention. Apps make money by accepting payments for the sale of virtual or tangible things.

Giving users access to virtual currency is one way that software developers have cleverly tapped into new revenue sources. Users buy this currency with actual money, and they may use it on the app in a variety of ways.

If your app is a division of your company, then a sizable portion of your app revenue will come from in-app purchases. Users can quickly and easily pay utilizing the built-in payment mechanism in exchange for their tangible product or service.

In-app purchases offer diverse monetization avenues for app developers. However, these are not universal solutions, and understanding their nuances is pivotal for app publishers, especially when tailoring them for mobile games. Here’s a breakdown of the primary categories of in-app purchases:

Consumable

Often found in mobile games, consumables encompass items like in-game currency, additional health, or power-ups. True to their name, these items vanish once used but can be repurchased as desired. While many games allocate a basic quantity of these consumables without charge, they serve as an appealing buy for users eager to bypass the wait time for such resources.

Non-Consumable

A stark contrast to consumables, non-consumable in-app purchases offer perpetual access once procured. They unlock special features within the game, such as hidden levels, exclusive characters, or aesthetic items.

Auto-Renewing Subscriptions

This category encompasses in-app subscriptions where users make recurring payments to avail of premium content, mirroring aspects of the freemium model. Within the realm of mobile gaming, these subscriptions can vary in duration and may unveil exclusive game items or an upgraded game version.

Non-Renewing Subscriptions

Operating similarly to their auto-renewing counterparts, non-renewing subscriptions differ in one key aspect: users must actively renew their subscriptions rather than having them renew automatically.

Transaction Fees

This is a great technique to monetize app users for apps that feature a marketplace or they include audience transactions of a substantial kind.

Scale is the key advantage of this approach. This kind of app monetization will expand with your audience growth if you can continue to increase user engagement with your app.

You can take a portion of any transaction that two users make on your app. For instance, you might take a portion of the earnings when someone sells something. The difference between this and conventional markets is that the seller doesn’t pay a listing charge, which is open up front. This promotes the use of your service by users.

Transactional Apps

Financial apps, often known as invoicing apps, are a new generation of mobile apps that rely on transaction fees for monetization. These frequently provide the chance to exchange currencies or to invest in shares or other markets (consider purchasing Bitcoins). The app earns money each time a transaction is made by a user. 

This method of app monetization offers scalability. Additionally, it enables developers to precisely forecast revenues based on the number of users and active users. By making investments in user engagement and acquisition, you can also improve income directly. You can manage your app business with better and more reliable KPIs as a result.

Monetizing Your App with a Download Fee

One of the initial mobile app monetization strategies that many publishers who are new to the mobile app sector consider is charging a fee to download the app from the Apple app store or Android app store. 

This approach can generate a sizable amount of income, but only if you offer a product that is extremely valuable to the user. Smart users are more likely to find your content elsewhere than to pay for it inside an app store unless it is impossible to find otherwise.

Affiliate Marketing in Your App

What if you could persuade app users to download other apps or purchase goods using your app? That is the fundamental idea of affiliate marketing, which is a well-liked app monetization method. You have two main options for affiliate marketing in the world of mobile apps:

• Pair up with businesses to offer their goods. Many businesses provide affiliate programs that let you include specific links in your content or advertisements. You receive a commission if your users click on those links, visit the business’s website, and make a purchase.
• Use affiliate marketing to get customers to download other apps. Affiliate programs are available in the Apple, Google, and Windows app stores, and they all keep track of when a user quits the app and purchases another app. Every time that occurs, you will get money.

Although affiliate marketing can be extremely profitable, it functions best when you have a sizable audience that respects your brand and content enough to follow your suggestions for goods and services.

Sponsorship Ads on Your App

One often underutilized yet potentially lucrative avenue for app monetization is the sponsorship model. For mobile apps boasting a substantial and highly engaged user base, sponsorships can be a golden opportunity.

At its core, this model revolves around partnering with a single entity – a company that acts as your app’s sponsor or investor. This exclusive relationship grants the sponsor unparalleled access to advertise directly to your user base.

Several manifestations of this can be observed:

• Branding Integration: The sponsor’s logo might prominently cover substantial sections of the app’s interface, ensuring high visibility.
• Splash Screens: Every time a user opens the app, they’re greeted with a splash screen showcasing the sponsor’s branding or message.
• Push Notifications: These are messages that pop up on the user’s device, ensuring active user engagement. The notifications could contain special deals, messages, or updates from the sponsor.

However, treading the path of sponsorships requires careful contemplation. Developers must critically analyze their user demographics and preferences. The key is to identify sponsors whose products or services align seamlessly with the app’s ethos and user interests. This alignment not only ensures the sponsor gets value for their investment but also augments user acquisition and retention by offering relevant content or deals.

Crowdfunding for App Development

In the realm of app development, especially during the nascent stages of a free app, securing funds can often pose challenges. Crowdfunding emerges as a potent solution and one of the most effective app monetization strategies in such scenarios, granting developers the necessary financial boost to propel their ventures forward.

Platforms like Kickstarter, IndieGoGo, GoFundMe, and Patreon stand as stalwarts in the crowdfunding domain, providing developers with platforms to pitch their app concepts to potential backers and solicit funds. These platforms allow individuals to support projects they believe in, making them particularly suited for innovative or niche app ideas that may not attract traditional investors right away.

There are remarkable success stories underlining the efficacy of this approach. A case in point is the language learning app, Fluent Forever. In 2019, it managed to rally support from its user community on Kickstarter, amassing a staggering sum of over $500,000 from 4,000 platform users. Such stories exemplify how crowdfunding can not only provide the necessary funds but also foster an early user base that is deeply invested in the app’s success.

In conclusion,

While in-app purchases and advertising are the two most popular app monetization strategies, there are many other ways to make money from your app, including Android app monetization strategies and other software. If you’re looking for help deciding on a monetization strategy or want assistance implementing one of these top strategies, don’t hesitate to contact us. Our team has years of experience helping businesses just like yours find success with their mobile apps.

The post What Is App Monetization & Top 10 Trending App Monetization Strategies appeared first on Magenest - One-Stop Digital Transformation Solution.

Native App Definition

The question for What is a native app? would be raised regularly by amateurs who have just started to operate a mobile application. Application means the application that lives on the users’ devices and they can access it through the home screen. Typically, native apps are acquired through the App Store or Google Play.

One of the significant differences between native apps vs web apps is the programming languages. While web apps are written primarily in Javascript, native apps use different languages depending on which platform they are built on. For example, Java is used for native Android apps,  Swift or Objective-C for native iOS apps, and C# for most Windows Phone apps. 

Once installed on the devices, they can gain access to all the device features such as camera, GPS, accelerometer, compass, contacts list, and so on. Additionally, native apps have other capabilities like being able to incorporate gestures (either standard operating-system gestures or new, app-defined gestures), use the device’s notification system, and work offline.

Difference between a Native Mobile App and a Hybrid App

Native and hybrid applications are the two types of mobile apps. Despite their similarities in appearance and design, the underlying technologies are quite different.

As the name implies, Hybrid applications combine online apps with native mobile apps. HTML, CSS, and JavaScript are all web technologies that can be used to create them. You can also distribute them through app stores, where consumers can download them as native Android or iOS apps.

The major distinction between hybrid and native applications is that hybrid apps are built across all platforms, while native apps are developed for specific operating systems. In contrast to having a unique app for each smartphone operating system, an app that is uniform across all platforms and functions identically well on each one.

As we mentioned above, the benefits of hybrid apps include mobility and ease of creation. You only need to write the code once, and your hybrid software will work across many operating systems. In order to develop cross-platform apps, you can choose hybrid frameworks such as Ionic or Cordova. In contrast, native mobile apps should be built in platform-specific languages like Java, Swift, or Objective-C.

Furthermore, native mobile apps can access smartphone built-in functions such as the camera and microphone. For a hybrid app, you’ll need to rely on plugins such as Cordova plugins to take advantage of the native capabilities of the device.

What Is Native App Advantage? 

Now that you’ve grasped the answer to What is a native app?, let us walk you through the next important part, how native apps are beneficial to developers and users. Here are 9 Key native app advantages you may want to have a look at.

Security 

Unlike hybrid apps, which rely just on the security of the system browser, cross-platform and native apps are highly protected against misuse thanks to different layers of the operating system.

Additionally, instead of depending on a third-party system, each native app has its official APIs which are fully inspected across different system versions. Moreover, with lengthy launch cycles, developers can anticipate dependable, thoroughly examined, and more secure software. 

Maintenance 

Compared to a hybrid app’s maintenance, the maintenance of a native app is a bit more complex because the latest version of the app should be launched. However, native app users can get information about the newest updates without any hassles. With the ability to update maximum content on installation, native apps don’t require continuous updates like hybrid apps.

Performance 

As being written in languages specific to the ecosystem of the platform, native applications can operate quicker, thus ensuring a greater user experience. Instead of having to depend on native browsers like hybrid apps, native apps can access unique elements and APIS optimized for various devices which makes their operation efficient and seamless. 

Fewer Bugs 

Using a shared codebase for multiple platforms is a time-saving approach initially but in the long run, it’s harder to maintain than using a separate codebase for a specific platform. When being independent of a cross-platform tool like Cordova or Xamarin, native apps are likely to experience fewer bugs.

Moreover, developers can access new SDK to start developing their native apps with the latest features, giving app users quick access to new platform features. 

Unified UI/UX 

With native apps, users can have the learning curve reduced and simplified as the entire broad UI will be standard. As for designers and developers, with unified UI/UX, it is also easier for them to apply the best standards and practices in comparison with hybrid apps.

Access to Complete Device Features 

Since each native app is developed for a specific platform, the app user can directly access the device hardware like microphone, camera, GPS, etc. Also, native apps have a big advantage of push notifications which go through the APNS (iOS server) that you require your app bundle ID and similar to GCM (Google’s Cloud Messaging). 

Scalability 

With the high compatibility with a single platform, native apps can be configured quickly which makes them easier to scale. However, in case you want to combine the advantages of both native and cross-platform solutions, you may need to start natively and then maximize a few smaller app modules with extra cross-platform code. This is a secure method deployed by a few tech giants on the market including Airbnb and Facebook. 

Offline Performance 

If you want your app to perform efficiently without an internet connection, native apps are ideal. That’s because all of the app’s content is downloaded right during the installation and operation. Besides, these apps encompass robust in-browser caching features to make all cached resources available in offline mode.

Build a Stronger Brand

The more value you provide to your clients, the more they will get interested in buying the product. Today, mobile devices have become a major part of our daily life, with a significant amount of usage time each day. Owners of apps can make use of this channel to promote their business.

You can get better results from your brand awareness if you include as many branding aspects (logos, color combinations, etc.) as possible in your app design.

Some Drawbacks of Native App

Native app development has long been hailed for its ability to deliver high-performance and platform-specific user experiences. However, the choice to go native is not without its challenges. Here are some of the drawbacks of native app development based on the provided information:

• Increased Development Time: One of the most significant drawbacks of native app development is the requirement of separate development efforts for each platform. Whether it’s iOS, Android, or any other platform, each demands a distinct development process. This not only elongates the overall development time but also delays the product’s time-to-market.
• Higher Development Cost: Along with the extended development duration, there’s also a surge in the development cost. Since each platform has its own release cycle and upgrades, keeping the app updated and compatible across all platforms can significantly inflate the budget.
• Challenges in Synchronous Feature Release: Given that there are diverse code bases for each platform, synchronizing feature releases across all of them simultaneously is a formidable challenge. This can lead to inconsistencies in the user experience, where one platform’s users might have access to a feature while others are waiting.
• Diverse Skill Set Requirement: Building and maintaining a native app isn’t just about writing code; it’s about understanding the nuances of each platform. iOS developers proficient in Swift or Objective-C might not be familiar with Java or Kotlin for Android, and vice versa. This requires businesses to either hire platform-specific developers or invest in training or a helpful native app builder tool, both of which add to the overall cost.

How Much Does Native App Mobile Development Cost?

After deeply understanding what is native app and how it affects your business, it’s important for a business to find the cost of developing a native app. The price to develop an app depends on a variety of aspects such as type (mobile game, business, social networking, lifestyle. etc.), platforms (iOS, Android, Windows Phone, etc.), design (basic, individual, custom), number of pages, features & infrastructure.

On average, the expense to develop a native app revolves around  $50,000 to $100,000. A simple app with limited features is cheaper and could range from $10,000 to $50,000 per platform. For top-tier apps with advanced features, custom designs, and more, the cost can soar from $150,000 to $500,000 or even more per platform.

It’s important to remember that these are just rough estimates. The actual cost will largely depend on the specific requirements of the project, the decisions made during the development process, and unforeseen challenges that might arise.

Undoubtedly, native apps will cost you more but they offer a better user experience, which is money-worth. Since these apps need more investment of effort and time to develop, they are recommended to be paid while hybrid apps are generally launched to be free. Ultimately, you can raise higher revenues from your amazing native app.

Native Mobile Development Tools

A native development tool is software that developers use to create applications for a single particular system family, platforms, or devices, like Android and iOS. Each native app for a specific mobile platform is written using its native programming language, specifically: 

• Objective-C or Swift for iOS.
• Java or Kotlin for Android.
• C# for Windows Phone.

As each platform has different guidelines in terms of typography, gestures, graphic styles, visual effects, data entry, and more, the developers should stick to those before starting on native app development.

Now, it’s time to find out the top list of native app development frameworks 

Xcode

Xcode is a software package (a set of interrelated programs that work together) used by programmers to write software for Mac OS X, and iOS devices such as iPods, iPhones, and iPads. The first version of XCode was released in 2003 and the current stable version 11.6 was released on August 4, 2020. XCode is released for free to Mac users to download through the App Store.

Starting Price: Free.

Demo Availability: Not Included.

Free Trial: Not included.

Android Studio

Android Studio is a Native app framework for Android devices built by Google. This framework encompasses a very useful implementation editor for Android developers. Android Studio provides shortcuts for coding and designing and its layout designer makes it very easy to use, which reduces coding time. Android Studio also includes drag-and-drop features to design the layout of your projects.

Starting Price: Free.

Demo Availability: Not Included.

Free Trial: Not Included.

AppCode

AppCode software is one of JetBrains’ standout IDE tools, for iOS and macOS development. Besides being able to work with Objective-C, Swift, and C / C ++ programming languages, it supports web technologies like JavaScript, HTML, XML, CSS, etc. AppCode provides a wide range of valuable integrations including CocoaPods (an application-level dependency manager) and built-in Reveal.

AppCode provides a range of benefits to developers (such as saving time on automating routine tasks, locating and fixing errors, taking advantage of intelligent support from the IDE, and increasing their overall productivity). Also, it is an equally valuable asset to your business.

Starting Price: €8,90 per month.

Demo Availability: Not included.

Free Trial: 30-day free trial.

How to Create a Native App in 2024?

To be honest, the answer to this question is very specific to your needs and requirements for your application:

• If you need a prototype to show to consumers and get feedback from them, Choose the fastest option that includes the features you need. A PWA might be used for basic apps.
• Only a native application can provide you access to hardware features (such as the camera, GPS, and compass), iOS features (such as push notifications, payments, and Healthkit), or high levels of performance (such as AR, VR, or video games).
• If you want your app to be listed on the iOS App Store, you’ll need to pass strict and constantly changing App Store approval requirements.  It is easier to satisfy these requirements with a native application of excellent quality. As long as you adhere to the platform standards while building it cross-platform, ensure any of the hybrid app development tools work properly.
• When it comes to highly competitive segments, a native app is the best solution to approach. The quality differences between cross-platform apps and native apps could be the difference between success and failure in these areas. 

Creating a native app involves multiple stages, from conception to post-launch maintenance. With the right planning, tools, and dedication, you can bring your app idea to life and ensure its success in the market.

While the core languages (like Swift for iOS and Kotlin for Android) remain central to app development, by 2024, there might be new tools, libraries, and best practices that developers adopt. Keeping an eye on developer communities, and forums, referring to trustworthy examples and official platform updates ensures that you’re using the latest and most efficient tools available.

Conclusion

Hopefully, you have gained some useful knowledge about What is a native app? after reading this post. Perhaps, picking the right type of app to develop among a variety of choices is a difficult task. But by analyzing the pros and cons of each type and sticking it to the company goals and needs, you will soon figure out the best option.

If you are considering a native application for your customers, Feel free to contact us now or discover our thorough eCommerce UI design and development services. We’ll help you map out every stage of your product design and development journey.

The post What Is a Native App? Definition, Tips, and Best Example – Updated 2024 appeared first on Magenest - One-Stop Digital Transformation Solution.

A Quick Look at Native App Development

Before going into details about the list of native application development tools, let us walk you through some core terminologies regarding a native app.

What Is Native App Development?

A native app is a form of a mobile application built in a specific programming language, for a certain device platform, either iOS or Android. In particular, iOS native apps are written in Objective-C or Swift codebase, and Android native apps are written in Java.

WhatsApp, Facebook, and Pokemon Go are prime examples when it comes to native application development. 

So, how do you create a native app? The process varies depending on the languages that the platform in which a native application is built accepts along with the development tools to be used. Stay tuned as we will cover this part in the next section.

Benefits of Native Apps

In fact, most apps available in the marketplace these days are native ones. This is because native apps come with a number of significant advantages over the alternatives.

• Fast and responsive experience: With native apps, users are offered the fastest, most reliable, and most responsive experience, which is absolutely a competitive edge over their web counterparts. This can be explained by the fact that native apps are built for a particular platform, leading to their accelerated speed and higher performance.
• Easily tap into wider device functionality: Native app features allow users to easily access their camera, compass, microphone, accelerometer, and swipe gestures for specific purposes.
• Allow matching app UI/UX to platform conventions: Building a native app for your business is an effective way to please your users as you can match the app’s various UI/UX to the platform conventions. 
• More security and consistency: Native apps offer more robust and reliable security to businesses as the native app platform gets updated on its own. 
• Availability across the app store: Most of the highly downloaded applications in the app store are native apps. This can in turn help businesses get more customers on board. Just by focusing on marketing efforts to make their app showcase perfectly when users conduct their search, businesses can enjoy huge benefits from their native applications.

Top 9 Native App Builder Tools in 2024

For businesses that do not have the resources to develop an app from scratch, native app builder tools can be a lifesaver. By leveraging these tools, even those without extensive programming knowledge can bring their app idea to life. Here, we present the top 9 native app builder tools every business should consider.

App My Site

AppMySite is one of the most powerful and reliable mobile app builders in the DIY development space. 

It essentially enables WordPress website owners to convert their sites into mobile apps. The platform syncs website content and data like posts, pages, categories, and menus to a native app interface. 

If you have WooCommerce as a store-front on your website, AppMySite will also sync your products, product categories, and other related data to the app. 

Once your app is ready, you can publish it to the Google Play and Apple App Store. The apps you build are powered by essential features like push notifications, social login, chat support, and so on. You can track essential app data like downloads, traffic, and popular screens on AppMySite too. 

Outstanding features:

• Real-time sync between your website and app. 
• Point and click options to design your app and add features. 
• Support for custom post types and taxonomies. 

Pricing plan: Free plan available. Paid plans start at $19/month

Flutter

Developed by the giant tech Google, Flutter is a wise investment to make when it comes to native app builder tools. This open-source application development framework is totally free to use. The codebase and built-in tools that Flutter opts for mainly include C, C++, Dard, and Skia Graphics Engine.

Furthermore, Flutter is also a commonly used tool among developers thanks to its intuitive interface and great user experience. To gain such popularity, the toolkit has developed a set of fully customizable widgets, hence, making the process of native app development super easy and quick.

Outstanding features:

• Fast rendering and flexible design process.
• Major native app items such as navigation, fonts, and icons in the widgets.
• A foundation library.

Pricing Plan: Free.

Mininest

As a well-known Magento business solution partner, Magenest has developed a wide range of useful extensions to keep up with the mobile app development trend. Among those, Mininest, the innovative Magento 2 native app builder for both iOS and Android versions has enjoyed a positive reception from global users. 

Specifically, Mininest allows businesses to easily turn their potential website into a robust native mobile app. Based on Flutter, Google’s UI toolkit for high-quality mobile interfaces, both native app versions for iOS and Android guarantee a seamless experience for the users. On top of that, Mininest is totally free, which is a tailored solution for businesses of all sizes to open up various opportunities.

More unique features of Mininest include:

• Allow users to customize pre-made templates to suit their branding
• Support 6 main product types of Magento.
• Allow social login.
• Automatically send notifications, provide auto-suggestions, and voice search.
• Generate coupons and discounts.
• Support synchronization of data from the mobile app to the Magento 2 website.
• Auto-save when offline.

Pricing Plan: Free of charge.

NativeScript

NativeScript is a giant open-source mobile framework for the creation of native Android and iOS mobile apps. In detail, this native app builder uses TypeScript, JavaScript, Vue.js, and JavaScript as the main codebase for app development.

NativeScript is best-matched for various professional products and services such as performance analysis, in-person training, troubleshooting reports, and coding assistance. In addition, this tool is highly recommended among users as it comes with a set of cross-platform tools to easily handle app building.

Outstanding features:

• Built-in themes.
• A theme builder for users’ visual customizations.
• Huge SCC styling system.
• Direct access to Platform APIs from the code.

Pricing plan: Free of charge.

Appy Pie

Appy Pie is widely popular among native app development tools in the marketplace as it requires no coding and programming skills at all. Hereby, it is the best suite for the creation of simple and business-oriented native mobile apps.

In fact, the mechanism of the tool is quite straightforward and customer-oriented. First, the users are required to fill in a survey containing all their app’s needs and prerequisites. Then, based on the input, Appy Pie will get back with a multitude of predefined app templates and features with an enviable level of customization.

Outstanding features:

• Social media platform integration (Instagram, Flickr).
• Automatic push notifications and event calendar.
• Drag and drop feature for the creation of highly customized apps.
• No code and no technical knowledge are required.
• Integration with Google Analytics for real-time metrics.

Pricing Plan: 3 sets of pricing.

• Basic: $18/app/month.
• Gold: $36/app/month.
• Platinum: $60/app/month.

Shoutem

Shoutem is another excellent example of a Javascript native app builder framework. Based on the React Native framework, this tool is a no-coding software application that provides a favorable user experience, eye-catching design, and a large library of templates.

In addition, this toolkit also comes with a series of benefits for developers such as a drag-and-drop interface, native app preview, and local testing. Shoutem offers up to 200 layouts, and more than 40 built-in extensions and features, for example, APIs, user authentication, content management system, and so on.

Outstanding features:

• Integration with Google Analytics and 3rd party integration.
• Ready-to-use library of extensions.
• Easy and cost-effective maintenance.
• Tons of helpful documentation and resources.

Pricing Plan:

• Android only: $49/month.
• Standard: $79/month.
• Professional: $149/month.

GoodBarber

GoodBarber is a good choice of native app builder which impresses users with its beautiful themes as well as tons of flexibility and cutting-edge features. With this toolkit, businesses can easily set up a native app for their products, and services, and turn their websites into lucrative apps. What’s more is that they also developed the Shopping App product, a brand new builder for eCommerce applications. 

However, start-ups and SMEs should seriously consider its pricing plan before opting for it as GoodBarber sets comparatively high pricing for each native app building requirement along with a monthly payment for using the tool. 

Unique features:

• Advanced features such as social networking, Geofencing, and iBeacons integrations.
• Powerful push notifications. 
• Chat functionality from add-ons to create a full shopping app.

Pricing Plan: 

• Full: $48/ Android native app/month.
• Premium: $96/month.

Android Studio

Developed by Google, Android Studio is a native application development software that exclusively fits the Android operating system. This native app builder stands out as it provides developers with design and coding shortcuts while allowing the dev team to reduce coding time with its easy-to-use editor.

In particular, Android Studio includes drag-and-drop functionalities in the project layouts section. At the same time, the intelligent code editor successfully accomplishes its task by providing code completion for C, C++, Java, and Kotlin languages. Another strong plus point is that Android Studio is a highly customizable toolkit, which allows bespoke coding to create various built versions for different devices.

Outstanding features:

• Visual layout editor with complex layouts for a better visual effect.
• APK Analyzer to reduce the final native app size.
• Fast emulator for the purpose of testing different configurations and features.
• Built-in profiling tools for real-time statistics/ metrics on memory, CPU, and network.

Pricing Plan: Free.

BuildFire

Recognized as one of the top app builders in the industry, BuildFire has been the chosen platform for over 30,000 enterprises to craft their mobile applications.

With its user-friendly interface, extensive range of templates, and powerful features, BuildFire caters to businesses of all sizes. Whether you’re a small business, an enterprise, or an individual, BuildFire has tools that can help transform your app idea into a functional reality.

Top features: 

• A wide range of pre-built functionality, allows users to add features like social media integration, eCommerce, notifications, and more, with just a few clicks. 
• Handy dedicated resource section, with lots of materials available for free. 
• Track the app’s performance, user engagement, and other key metrics with the integrated analytics tool.

Pricing Plan: 

• MVP: $100/month.
• Growth: $199/month.
• Starter: $349/month.
• Standard: $499/month.

Requirements to Build Native App without Coding

Many no-code app-building tools streamline the creation process into three core steps:

• Database Creation: This involves setting up a database that will store and manage all the data your users input and retrieve while interacting with the app.
• User Interface Design: Here, you design the visual elements like screens, buttons, and fields that your users will engage with.
• App Logic Development: Essentially, this step is about defining the actions or reactions of the app. For instance, deciding what happens when a user taps the Open button, like triggering a pop-up.

Top-tier platforms offer a visual development experience, allowing you to craft an app tailored to your vision without delving into code or needing an in-depth understanding of computational logic. These tools not only democratize the app-building process for those without a technical background but also assist seasoned developers by accelerating the creation of fundamental features, enabling them to focus on more complex coding challenges. To achieve this, below are the key requirements:

• Design Assets: Prepare or source high-quality graphics, icons, and images that will be used within the app. This includes app icons, splash screens, and UI elements.
• App Structure and Flow: Design a clear navigation structure. Determine how users will move from one section of the app to another and how the main features will be accessed.
• Content: Create all necessary content that will be incorporated into the app, whether that’s articles, product lists, videos, or any other media.
• Integration Points: Identify any third-party tools or platforms your app needs to integrate with. This could be for functions like payments, analytics, databases, or social media sharing.
• Testing Account: Create accounts on app store platforms like Google Play Store for Android and Apple App Store for iOS. You’ll need these for testing and eventually publishing your app.
• Feedback Mechanism: Plan how you’ll gather feedback. During the testing phase, feedback from potential users can be invaluable for making refinements.
• Updates and Maintenance Plan: Consider how you’ll manage updates, especially if content changes regularly or if there are functional updates needed in the future.

How to Find the Right Native App Builder Software for Your Business?

As listed above, each of the mentioned app builder tools comes with its own set of unique functions and advantages. So, how do you decide on just one and be certain that it will make a difference to your business? Follow our recommendations below to decide on the best-match native app creator:

• Consider the native app architecture: To choose the ideal native builder that allows you to build your desired architecture, all you need to do is to define the core functionalities to be integrated with your native app, then check whether they are easy or hard to implement to make proper adjustments.
• Evaluate the native app builder software’s integration capabilities: You need to examine whether the platform can integrate with external and 3rd party products or if it comes with built-in tools. These features will directly affect your marketing efforts afterward.
• Ensure the native app builder’s security: The most suitable native app design software should have a certificate of safety or any equivalent compliance standards to avoid possible lawsuits in the future.
• Know your audience: The target geography of your native app and other demographic factors such as age, gender or career play a vital role in your selection of which you should make an iOS or Android app. Hence, the choice of native app builders must be in line with these criteria.
• Understand the features: Every native app maker platform has features that are proprietary to that specific platform. To make the best out of the tool, you should visualize how its features can affect the final native app product that you will build using that tool.
• Think about ROI: For this criterion, we suggest you take time to consider the cost of investing in the native app builder software to choose the solution that best suits your budget. 
• Consult with a professional developer: Finally, it’s a good practice to look for advice from a consultant or a developer who is experienced in the field of native apps. They will be able to offer useful recommendations to help you with your decision-making process.

The Takeaways

To sum up, we’ve walked you through some basic information regarding native app development and given you a thorough look at the list of 9 amazing native app builder tools in 2024. 

It’s time to pick up the perfect tool to seize the opportunities to bring your business to the next level and offer a closer platform to customers. If you are unsure of choosing or developing the native app by yourself, we are here to help you create and deliver a top-notch native app for your business.

The post 9 Best Native App Builder Tools for Mobile Application of 2024 appeared first on Magenest - One-Stop Digital Transformation Solution.

Native Application in a Nutshell

It is advised to have some core knowledge about native app development in the first stage before jumping right into our native app example list. These pieces of information will lay a solid foundation for your consideration regarding which app development approach to adopt for your firm’s operation. 

What Is Native App Development?

In its simplest form, a native app is a mobile application built in a specific programming language for a particular mobile operating system (iOS or Android OS). This means that if a native application is in Android only, it won’t appear in the App Store or work on an iOS phone. 

Native apps are developed and used within its ecosystem, following every technical guideline set by the OS. For example, a native app for iOS is often written in Swift or Objective-C while a native app for Android phones uses Java code.

Normally, mobile apps are divided into two categories, namely native and hybrid applications. So what makes a native application different from a hybrid one in terms of underlying technology? As the name implies, hybrid apps are a combination of web-based apps and native mobile apps, and they are built with HTML, CSS, or JavaScript codes.

Benefits of Native Applications

• Deliver the highest performance as native apps are created and optimized for a specific platform.
• Interactive, high-performance user input/ output as users are allowed to match each app’s UI/UX to the selected platform conventions.
• Get full support from Google Play or the App Store and the overall app marketplace.
• Allow developers to access the full feature set of the specific operating system such as GPS, camera, microphone, and other hardware.
• Have fewer bugs during development due to the single code base feature.
• A higher level of security and data protection as any native app must be censored by its respective OS  before being released.  
• Allow offline mode.
• Offer consistent look and feel as native apps are developed using native SDKs.

Drawbacks of Native Apps

• Require a high level of expertise: developers need to be insightful to work with different codebases for every platform they choose to build in. 
• Cost more and takes a longer time to be built. This is because most developers specialize in one code base, so to have a native app for Android and iOS at the same time, you need to hire two separate dev teams. 
• Require frequent updates from the OS.

Native Mobile Development Tools

A native development tool is a software framework that allows developers to create applications for a single particular system. Xcode, Android Studio, and React Native are excellent native app development frameworks that are all worth a look.

Xcode and Android Studio are both traditional native app builders. In detail, Xcode is created and developed by Apple, and programmers use this software package to write native apps for iOS. Meanwhile, Android Studio is a framework to serve the need for native app Android development. This tool sticks to the native SDK provided by Google.

If you want to reap the benefits of cross-platform development, you can choose React Native as a trusted alternative. Launched by Facebook, React Native is an open-source platform to build both native apps in Android and iOS. Other than that, it also helps e-shop owners to develop their apps. For example, you can use React Native to build a native app for Woocommerce. 

Top 7 Native App Examples for the 2024 Mobile App Marketplace

It comes as no surprise that native apps account for a large number of mobile applications in the marketplace. Hence, our native app example list will cover a wide range of fields, from messaging services, games, and navigation programs to business applications for your consideration. 

WhatsApp

Developed as a native app for iOS and Android phones, WhatsApp is a commonly used messaging service in many parts of the world. Noticeably, this platform was the fourth-most downloaded app globally in Q3 2020, with around 140 million times. Thus, this native app example is a potential option for business communication tools in the workplace.

Features: 

• Voice/ video calls, voice messaging.
• Offer group function, with up to 8 participants per call.
• Ensure secure messaging with end-to-end encryption.
• Allow media sharing, including photos, videos, and documents.
• Enable an advanced search feature.

Spotify

Spotify – a well-liked native app example – claims itself among the must-have applications to be installed on the smartphones of music lovers. By way of explanation, it is a digital music service hub that gives users access to thousands of songs and podcasts from record labels and media companies universally. Other than that, Spotify is also one of the most prominent cloud-native application examples. Thanks to Google Cloud, Spotify has unlocked significant performance efficiency in its workloads to better serve its users.

Features: 

• Develop a library as storage of downloaded songs/ podcasts.
• Integrate Spotify Radio.
• Offer the following mode in which users can follow their favorite artists and friends.
• Sort and filter support.

Pokemon Go

Pokemon Go is an AR mobile game that was awarded the App Store’s breakout hit of 2016. Specifically, the game dramatically simplifies the gameplay arena by turning the real world into a game map and making players the controller. With players going out to catch the balls, the idea of this native app example is to encourage people to travel around the real world. 

Features: 

• Allow access to GPS.
• Integrate AR technology.
• Available in 114 countries.

Waze

Waze is a GPS navigation software that gains positive feedback from drivers around the world. This native app example works on smartphones and tablets with GPS support. In particular, the app helps users navigate by providing turn-by-turn information, route details, and user-submitted travel times. Another plus of Waze is that this application is totally free to download and use.

Features: 

• Generate accurate incident and traffic data.
• Integration with Google Assistant.
• Allow user customization with items appearing on the map.
• Allow users to schedule and take note of their drives.

Tesla

Tesla, the biggest name in the electrical motor industry, is also another popular in the list of native app examples. The Tesla smartphone application allows its customers to remotely operate their vehicles. With the Tesla app, you can keep track of how fast your car is charging and even start and stop it. In terms of design, it looks and feels like a game thanks to the gloomy theme. The app is available on both the Google Play Store and the Apple App Store.

 Features:

• Checking charging time.
• Checking car heating/cooling.
• Locking/unlocking.
• Diagnosing.

SoundCloud 

SoundCloud Pulse is a React Native app that lets creators manage accounts and engage with their communities. SoundCloud encountered a lot of problems during the development process. Specifically, the team couldn’t locate iOS developers. Consequently, the business opted to try React Native. Soon enough, they learned that React Native was indeed the best choice. Also simple was the fact that the React Native testing environments appeared and behaved quite similarly to the native ones, making comparisons between the two unnecessary. Most significantly, SoundCloud was now able to expand its infrastructure by including new web libraries.

Features:

• Allows you to create your own playlists.
• Automatically find similar audio recordings and stream them.
• Allowed to play it only on the home page.
• Give Access to Millions of Songs, Online & Offline
• Share their playlist with their friends, family members, and colleagues.

3 Super Useful Tips to Improve Native App Development

It takes a lot of time and effort to create a native app from scratch. They require the use of specialized languages, tools, and architecture configurations that depart from standard web conventions. For project managers, they demand a new way of thinking, more from the standpoint of development and design.

Understand Your Users

This may seem simple, but we see it overlooked far too frequently by app developers owing to a lack of time or impatience: you must get people to test your app before going live. These cannot be individuals who were engaged in any manner with the product’s conception or development. So, what exactly are you planning on putting to the test? How well people are navigating your app, if it is easy enough and does not cause them aggravation, are all important considerations. The MVP development process is one method of testing and gathering feedback.

Most apps no longer need users to register in the initial step. Passing this stage forces significant bounce rates. Asking for personal or credit card information before using the software will remove any potential obstacles.

If any of these features are required by your application, that is great; but, be sure that customers already enjoy your app before asking them to commit and place their faith in you.

Design User Touchpoints

Contemplate various scenarios in which the user might wish to utilize your app and build your app accordingly. Push notifications are a fantastic tool that you should be exploring from a technological viewpoint.

Push notifications, on the other hand, when used effectively, may draw users back into a product at precisely the time when they are most in need of its services.

Master Platform-Specific Guidelines and Changes

Each mobile platform, be it Android, iOS, or others, has its own set of design and development guidelines. By thoroughly understanding and adhering to these guidelines, developers can ensure that the app feels at home on the device. This attention to detail can lead to a more intuitive user experience and can also prevent potential pitfalls during the app review process.

Additionally, mobile operating systems are frequently updated. These updates might introduce new features or deprecate old ones. Developers should always be on the lookout for these changes to ensure app compatibility and leverage any new features or optimizations available.

Get Batched Feedback

Developing native applications can be difficult, especially when working with a complex client API, as is frequently the case.

Your best chance is to emphasize during the early stages of project planning how critical it is to have a single voice that can synthesize feedback from different parties inside the company and suss out discrepancies with an eye toward the product’s aim.

Make it clear that it is your main point of contact’s responsibility to be that person, and emphasize how maintaining that pattern will boost productivity and streamline communication.

The Final Thoughts

This is all about native app development that we’d like to share with you today. Hope this blog will help you have a clear perception of native application mobile and better visualize how it works with our native app example list! 

Still, if you have any questions or want some consultation for your Magento 2 native app idea, take a look at our Mininest module which is a free mobile app builder that allows you to easily convert your whole eCommerce website into a completely native mobile application. Mininest is used in conjunction with Flutter, Google’s mobile UI framework that allows developers to create high-quality native interfaces for iOS and Android in record time. Contact us to get more information and a discount for this module.

The post Top 7 Best Native App Examples in 2024 That Merchants Can Learn from appeared first on Magenest - One-Stop Digital Transformation Solution.

What Are Hybrid Apps?

A hybrid app, as it comes from the name, is a combination of elements integrated with both the web and native development approaches. To thoroughly understand this abstract term, let’s take a glimpse of some basic concepts of the two factors constituting it.

A web app is technically an application that allows access via a web browser over a network. Unlike websites, web apps offer additional functionalities and interactivity. When it comes to a native app, this type of application is software designed by a specific programming language, for a specific device platform, either iOS or Android. To create a native app running on these platforms, developers have to write separate code for each operating system, resulting in a prolonged process with some extra cost invested.

In essence, hybrid apps are web applications built using HTML5, CSS, and JavaScript. Then, they are wrapped in a native app with the help of some special container platforms. Compared to the web-based counterparts, the hybrid ones show more advantages with the ability to access the device system. For instance, a hybrid app can access the camera, your contact list, or other features on your mobile phone. At the same time, it is also a cost-effective solution in comparison with native app development due to the freedom of choice in using the codebase.

Top 10 Hybrid App Examples in 2024

After grasping technical knowledge about hybrid app development, it’s time for you to discover some innovative hybrid apps. In this list, you will be provided with 10 top-notch hybrid apps that have shifted the business interest toward hybrid app solutions.

Gmail

Gmail is one of the most popular hybrid app examples that has redefined today’s cross-platform market. In the most basic form, Gmail is a robust email service tool, with millions of downloads in the modern business world.  This hybrid application example was powered by HTML, with a limited range of usability. With the enhancement in HTML5, Gmail has boosted the user experience with many advanced functionalities and features.

After adopting the mobile version, Gmail has successfully combined both HTML and native elements within a single application to produce a seamless performance.

Highlight features:

• An organized inbox to better categorize social and promotional messages.
• Automatic spam blocks before they come to the user’s inbox.
• Allow users to store a huge number of messages with 15 GB of free data storage.
• Multiple accounts support.

Instagram

As one of the biggest social networking platforms, Instagram places its name on 2024’s hybrid app examples review. This application has witnessed a remarkable increase over the last decade with higher user engagement every day. Instagram is especially popular among millennials as a frequently used app to capture every moment of their lives.

Powered by the HTML5 codebase, the app supports offline data by providing unlimited access to features and media in both online and offline modes. 

Highlight features:

• Creative tools and effects to make interesting stories 
• Direct message sending and receiving from friends
• Access to IGTV to watch videos that are more than 1-min long.

Twitter (X)

Twitter (X) is another popular social networking site and one of the most sought-after hybrid app examples over the last few years. What is noticeable about the app is that it sorts out all the downside points of the cross-platform apps, which are mainly about performance issues.

Thanks to the smooth performance and fast loading speed, Twitter has positively changed users’ perception of hybrid applications, thus boosting the demand for these apps among businesses.

Highlight Features:

• An appealing user experience through live and premium video streaming directly from their mobile devices.
• Interesting news is updated regularly.
• Tweeting your thoughts to share with the world.
• Allow users to keep an eye on viral and interesting stories.

Uber

Uber is another application on our list of best hybrid app examples. Basically, it is a taxi-booking service with an intuitive and simple user interface for easy navigation. This user-friendly hybrid app outperforms its rival for letting users book taxis hassle-free.

The app comes with the ability to perform fast on multiple devices and caters to both iOS and Android users with lots of dynamic features. It comes as no surprise that Uber has revolutionized the global online taxi booking market.

Highlight Features:

• Access to the user’s location to help drivers pick up the customer easily.
• Provide the driver’s image for easy identification.
• Allow payment by a digital wallet, debit, and credit card.
• Provide vehicle details, and itineraries for users and integrate with Google Maps to track drivers. 

Evernote

As a top-notch note-taking app, Evernote makes its name among the best hybrid app examples. The application is also well-known for its elegant design, robust performance with multi-device sync capability, along with the native alike experience, which makes it stand out in this segment. The powerful and flawless functionality of Evernote is undeniable evidence of the benefits that hybrid apps bring to users. 

Highlight Features:

• Use the device’s camera to capture and scan anything.
• Automatically sync all important information and data.
• Allow users to design, discuss, and share their memos and notes with others.
• Include a home screen widget to access the app quickly and easily.

Amazon App Store

Amazon App Store is one of the hybrid app examples that is powered by HTML5. The app improves user experience with a top-notch user interface and hence enjoys a high level of engagement.

Highlight Features:

• A fast and hassle-free checkout process.
• Review section to get feedback from users and provide guidance/ solutions to user’s problems.
• Global distribution.

Apple App Store

Apple App Store is also developed and powered by HTML5. By unlocking the potential of this base code, the Apple App Store is also among the popular hybrid app examples that created a stir in the mobile market.

The app is a prime example when opting for native elements for the bottom navigation and top search bars, which leaves a positive impact on the user experience. Regarding the search results, the items you get appear exactly as the web views, and also, the outputs are reloaded after every search.

Highlight Features:

• Unique user experience with the latest Apple products.
• Recommendations based on users’ purchase history and interest.
• Lists of best products and accessories that are fully compatible with users’ devices.
• Order tracking and fast payments via Apple Pay.

Sworkit

Sworkit is a popular fitness application that provides the ultimate guide for users to do physical workouts and exercise at their convenience.

This app includes interactive video sessions for users to set their fitness goals and strive to accomplish the goals within a set time frame. Sworkit integrates unique features of other hybrid app examples, which allow users to sync the app with the Google Fit app, in order to easily track their health conditions. 

Highlight Features:

• A 6-week program to help users become physically fit.
• More than 300 customizable workouts, up to 400 body weights, and small equipment exercises.
• Allow users to personalize the available workouts by adding or removing any video.
• Offer 1-1 assistance with experts via videos.

Remote POS

The Remote POS app is designed for businesses to manage and handle a restaurant’s operation within a single mobile application. It offers offline mode and requires an internet connection for the purpose of printing the final bill of customers. Noticeably, Remote POS offers both local data storage as well as cloud storage to make it easy for staff handling and order management.

Highlight Features:

• Notify the users of promotional offers and deals on a regular basis.
• Provide fast and easy transactions when using the mobile-based app.
• Build customer trust and loyalty with transparency in each transaction.

Baskin Robbins

Finally, we have Baskin Robbins, the most popular ice cream retail app that is empowered by the latest version of HTML. As a hybrid application, Baskin Robbins also behaves like a native one in terms of performance, features, etc. Users can get access to the app even in offline mode with the same user interface and features.

Highlight Features:

• Regular promotional programs with discount deals and coupons.
• Allow users to order customizable cakes.
• Instant and easy payments directly from the application for every purchase.
• Easy location tracking with Google Maps.
• Users can easily send their mobile gift cards to their loved ones.

How Can Hybrid Apps Create Value for Businesses?

Hybrid apps are designed to run uniformly on various platforms, from smartphones to tablets, offering a consistent experience without the overhead of multiple codebases. By harnessing the power of hybrid apps, businesses can streamline development, cut costs, and achieve faster market penetration.

Let’s take a look at some explanation about the popularity of hybrid apps in our modern corporate world.

More Users with a Single App

A well-built hybrid app will integrate all the functionalities and features you might see in a native app. Therefore, a hybrid app for iOS and Android gives you the ability to target a larger customer base of the two operating systems. This is a major competitive edge of the hybrid app sample over the native application as the later technology definitely limits your reach to other platforms.

Ease of Maintenance

While a native app can leave an economic burden for businesses regarding the maintenance work, opting for an intuitive hybrid solution can make it easier to update, repair, and expand, thus, lowering the cost of these activities. For example, you do not have to worry about continuously updating your native apps every time Apple or Android releases a new version. 

Switching to a hybrid development solution can save the day as it comes with the ability to function in both a hybrid app Android and a hybrid app iOS. This 2 in 1 technology can save your time and budget with fewer update requirements.

Engage Users More Effectively

Hybrid apps are bound by the exclusive rules of neither the Android nor iOS app stores. For example, the strict manner to engage users via push notifications or the nature of content within the native app can pale into significance when it comes to hybrid solutions. Hereby, hybrid app development is a cutting-edge technology to effectively engages your users and gives companies much greater control over their applications.

One Codebase to Manage

By switching to a hybrid app, you only have one codebase to manage. This results in a decrease in the number of developers required. In comparison, you might need to double the dev team size for two native apps, which is not necessarily a good investment for your business growth. Or, with the same number of developers, a hybrid application could be published in half the time, saving your company’s resources.

What Framework of App Is Best for Your Business? 

Since hybrid apps are built for multiple platforms, you’ll need a cross-platform framework to actually create your hybrid app. In fact, there are various hybrid app development frameworks in the marketplace, it is required to be seen whether they will exist in the years to come. Few of them may see losing out to newer technology or may become costlier to maintain. It is, therefore, essential to choose the framework that best suits your business requirements without any hassles.

Here are a few of the best hybrid app development platforms.

Ionic

Ionic is a free and open-source framework with a huge developer community. It is also widely used for the development of hybrid applications. 

It has an advanced toolset and capabilities, including native UI components and layouts, debugging, and testing tools, that assist developers in creating interactive mobile applications. Furthermore, This hybrid app framework also includes features such as scalability and maintainability.

Flutter

This is a framework developed by Google that enables developers to construct attractive cross-platform applications for many platforms. This design contains several components with customizable design features, interactive aspects, and compatibility for different languages. Flutter is additionally considered for its speed, but it requires developers to know the Dart programming language to you it.

PhoneGap

PhoneGap is software that is distributed by the Cordova framework. It is renowned for its simplicity of use and cross-platform compatibility.

It allows developers to build a single codebase that the framework can turn into an app in a matter of minutes using common programming languages such as HTML, CSS, and JavaScript.

Additionally, it offers native plugins for each mobile platform that provides access to the capabilities of mobile devices such as the microphone, camera, and compass. This enables developers to create hybrid apps quickly and simply, making PhoneGap one of the best hybrid app frameworks today.

Xamarin

Another popular framework is Xamarin, which should come as no surprise since it was developed by Microsoft. Xamarin is written in C# and runs on the Microsoft.NET Framework. It is compatible with a variety of devices.

Xamarin is popular with developers because it enables up to 95% code reuse as well as offers many cross-platform capabilities without having to worry about negatively affecting the app’s performance or user experience.

This framework has access to native toolkits and APIs that are used on platforms such as Android and iOS, resulting in a more natural design and user experience. 

Final Thoughts

The aforementioned hybrid app examples give the perfect response to why hybrid app development is a leading trend chosen by many businesses these days. If you still have any doubts regarding this innovative framework, we are here to help. Our dedicated mobile app development team of Magenest is eager to help you launch your own hybrid app and configure based on your specific requirements. Contact our team for more advanced consultancy!

The post Top 10 Best Hybrid App Examples That We Can Learn from in 2024 appeared first on Magenest - One-Stop Digital Transformation Solution.

While many companies are trying to capitalize on this trend, many of them don’t know how to create a successful app. If you want to succeed in this competitive environment, you will need a correctly constructed mobile app development process.

An effective mobile app development process has six main phases. In this article, we will take a closer look at each stage. Regardless of the size and scope of your project, this mobile app development flow will make your enterprise mobile app development initiative a success.

What Is the Mobile App Development Process?

Mobile application development revolves around creating software tailored for smartphones, tablets, and digital assistants. These applications are designed primarily for the renowned Android and iOS operating systems.

The intriguing part about this software is that it can come preinstalled on gadgets, be procured from mobile app stores, or even be accessed directly via mobile web browsers. The technical realm behind such developmental ventures encompasses programming and markup languages like Java, Swift, C#, and HTML5.

The realm of mobile app development is witnessing a surge like never before. As we can observe, industries ranging from retail, telecommunications, and eCommerce to areas like insurance, healthcare, and even government sectors are in the throes of a digital evolution. The underlying driving force? An ever-growing user expectation for real-time, convenient solutions, be it for transactions or information access.

Presently, mobile gadgets, complemented by their repertoire of applications, have emerged as the leading conduit for individuals and businesses to tap into the vast expanse of the internet. This transition is so profound that for organizations to remain at the forefront, timely and pertinent mobile application development becomes not just beneficial but essential.

Mobile App Development Process – A Step-by-step Guide

Defining a Strategy

The first stage of the mobile application development process is defining a strategy to promote your idea into a successful application. A major part of your overall plan for business mobility should be included. Since the goals of one app may differ from the others, there’s still an app-specific impact on the mobile strategy during the mobile application development flow.

During this phase, you will:

• Identify the application user.
• Research your competitors.
• Set the goal of the application.
• Choose a mobile application development platform.

Your approach helps concentrate your eyes on a clearer view. You should take this into account in the next step of the mobile application development process flow.

Analysis and Planning

Your application design starts to take shape and turn into a real project at this point. Start with the definition of uses and the collection of comprehensive functional specifications.

After you have defined the requirements for your application, you will need to prepare the mobile application development flow. This involves prioritizing and sorting mobile applications into milestones. If time, resources, or cost is a concern, define your minimum viable product (MVP) and prioritize this for the initial launch.

Creating a plan is the skill needed for the implementation of your mobile application development process steps. For example, iOS and Android mobile platforms use different development technologies. If your goal is to build a mobile app for both iOS and Android mobile platforms then your mobile development team should include both iOS developers and Android developers.

Did you choose the name of your application yet? The name of the mobile app is identical to the name of the domain and should be unique in every app store. Research each app store to make sure your app’s name isn’t being used yet!

Interface Design and User Experience

The app design has the function of providing a streamlined appearance for a smooth and easy user experience.

The success of a mobile app is determined by the extent to which users accept and benefit from all of the app’s features. The goal of mobile app UI / UX design is to create a great user experience that makes your app interactive, intuitive, and user-friendly. Though beautiful UI designs make acceptance simple for users, your app needs an intuitive user interface to ensure app users stay engaged for a long time.

Information Architecture & Workflow

The first step of your mobile app development process is to define what data your mobile application will display to users, which data will be collected, user interaction with the finished product, and the user journey that is used in the application.

For companies, the enterprise mobility solution has users with different roles and privileges, and it is necessary to incorporate these rules as part of the application information architecture. The workflow diagram helps identify any possible user interactions with the application and its navigation structure.

Wireframes

Mobile app designers often begin to design apps with paper sketches. Wireframes are the digital form of sketches. Wireframes are conceptual layouts, also known as low-fidelity mockups, that provide the visual structure of an application’s functional requirements.

With wireframe, the emphasis is not on color or design but on esthetics and user experience. Wireframe Creation is a fast and cost-efficient approach to the design and iteration of app templates. You should take into account the precise nature of the system when designing a wireframe. So it offers a specific and intuitive user interface, whether the app is used on iPhones, iPads, or Android phones and tablets.

Design Template Guide

Design guides are important documents where the design standards of your application from your corporate branding rules to navigation icons are recorded.

Design guidelines include:

• What font will you use to text in the application?
• What will the color scheme be?
• How will the design of your company brand represent it?

Template design tutorials contribute to the design strategy of the application. Establishing a tutorial as part of your mobile application development process improves the productivity of mobile application developers. At the same time, following the design guidelines will help keep your app’s look and feel consistent. As part of app design, you should consider the principles of app design from the iOS app and Android app.

Mockup

A mockup, or high-fidelity design, is the end result of your app’s visual design. A mockup is created by applying your design guide to the application wireframe. As application design begins to be completed, you can expect further revisions to its information architecture, workflow, and aesthetics. Adobe Photoshop is the most popular tool for creating high-fidelity mockups.

Prototype

While the models render the functionality of your mobile app using static designs, they can turn into click prototypes with tools like Invision and Figma. The prototypes are useful for simulating the user experience and application workflow expected from the finished product.

While prototype development can be time-consuming, these efforts are well worth it, as they provide early-stage testing of the app’s design and functionality. Typically, prototypes help identify modifications to the application’s proposed functionality.

Some companies even prefer prototyping at the wireframe generation phase, especially when the functional requirements of the application are not well considered.

Application Development

Planning remains an integral part of this phase in the mobile application development process. Before real mobile development/programming efforts begin, you will have to:

• Define the technical architecture
• Choose the right technology 
• Identify development milestones

Three essential components, which are a standard mobile device project, are backend/server technology, API(s), and front-end mobile applications.

Back-end/Server Technology

This section covers the database and server-side objects needed by the functionality that supports your mobile application. Monitoring may be required to enable the required mobility option if you use an existing back-end platform.

API

An application programming interface (API) is a method of communication between the application and the back-end server/database.

Mobile Application Front-end

The user interface is the mobile application that the end-user will use. Mobile applications also have an immersive user interface using an API and a backend for data management. In some cases, when an application needs to allow users to work without internet access, the application can use local data storage.

For the back-end, you can use almost any web and database programming language. For native mobile apps, you must choose the technology required by each mobile platform. Using Objective-C or Swift, IOS apps can be created. The main building for Android apps is Java or Kotlin.

There is more than one programming language and technology for building mobile applications so you can choose the one most suitable for your mobile application.

Through new iterations of the mobile platform, mobile technology progresses even quicker. In addition, every few months new mobile devices are available. Agility is crucial to developing mobile apps through schedules and budgets with rapidly evolving platforms and devices. Using agile growth if the time for the market is a priority. This approach supports frequent software releases with complete functionality. Identifying progress milestones for your mobile application development process is a part of an agile development strategy.

Only the application testing team receives re-testing information when each implementation milestone is complete.

Testing

Performing Thorough Quality Assurance (QA) testing in the mobile application development process makes applications stable, usable, and secure. To ensure comprehensive QA testing of your application, you need to first prepare test cases that approach all aspects of the application.

The test cases are for performing trial steps, recording test results to assess software quality, and tracking fixes for rechecking. The best approach is to work with your QA team during the Analysis and Design phase. Familiarity with the application’s functional requirements and objectives helps to create precise test cases.

The following test methods should be applied to provide a quality mobile solution for your application.

User Experience Testing

The accuracy of your mobile application’s functionality is critical to its success. It’s hard to predict every end-user behavior and usage situation.

If you are building an app for iOS and Android mobile platforms, then your functionality test should include a feature comparison between both versions of your mobile app.

Functional Testing

The functionality of your application should be tested by as many users as possible to cover several potential test conditions. You might be surprised to catch an error when two different users test for the same feature but get different results. 

The purpose of functionality testing is to ensure that the user can use the features and functionality of the application without problems. It can be broken down into system testing (the whole application working) and unit testing (individual functions of the application working correctly).

Performance Testing

There are many quantitative criteria used to measure the performance of your application.

• How well does your application answer the requests of the user?
• How quickly is loading the application screen?
• Is your app draining your phone battery or causing a memory leak?
• Is your application making use of the network bandwidth effectively?
• Is the size of your application larger than what it should be?

Even if your application passes basic performance criteria, test the application, API, and back-end under load by simulating the maximum number of concurrent users. And when use spikes are present, your app can manage the load and work well.

Security Testing

Security is the biggest concern for enterprise mobile apps. Any vulnerabilities could result in hacking. Many businesses employ agencies outside to thoroughly review their applications for safety. A few easy actions can be taken to ensure the application by QA and your development team.

If your app requires users to log in, these login sessions will be tracked on the device and back-end. User sessions should be terminated by the system when the user is not in use for a long time (usually ten minutes or less on the mobile application). If your app stores the user’s credentials on your device to make it easier for them to log in again, make sure you use a trusted service. For example, iOS provides a Keychain feature that can be used to store a user’s account details for a particular app.

In order to ensure that there are no data leaks, you have to review forms for the data entry of your mobile application.

Equipment and Platform Testing

On average, new mobile devices with new hardware, software, and designs join the market every 12 months. Every couple of months, mobile operating systems are modified.

Many mobile device manufacturers such as Samsung, LG, HTC, and Motorola use the Android platform, but they customize the platform for their mobile devices because Android is open source. The devices are available in various sizes and types. 

Compare that to Apple, which has a more controlled environment, as they control the hardware. There is a range of devices available on the market for iPhone and iPad (Apple iOS).

This is where testing in the mobile application development process differs significantly from web application testing. You can exit only on the Chrome browser in Windows by checking your web application. However, the mobile application has to be checked for smooth functioning for all users on various mobile devices or computer emulators.

The complexity of mobile app testing on all mobile devices, the cost of ongoing support, and mobile device management are the main reasons companies tend to build shared mobile apps for a mobile platform (and often provide mobile devices to their users). 

Testing is required for the future success of the mobile application development flow. It is a significant part of our overall mobile app development process. Having a comprehensive mobile testing strategy is a requirement for delivering a quality mobile application.

During the test phase, there are many different ways to distribute your application development builds to testers. The most common approach with iOS apps is to use Testflight and Android apps through email or Over-the-air (OTA) installation.

Deployment & Support

Releasing mobile apps requires submitting your app to the app stores, Apple Store for iOS apps, and Google Play for Android apps. However, you will need a developer account with these mobile application development platforms before launching your mobile app.

An app released in the app store that requires data preparation includes:

• Title of your application.
• Description.
• Category.
• Keyword.
• Launch icon
• Screenshot of the app activities.

If the Apple App Store is subjected, iOS applications are reviewed, which can last from a few days to a few weeks depending on the quality of the app and on Apple’s compliance with the iOS playback guidelines. If your app requires users to sign in, you’ll need to provide Apple with a test user account as part of the publishing process.

There isn’t any review process with Android apps, and they’ll be available in the app store within hours of submission.

Once your app is available in the app stores, track app usage through mobile analytics platforms and track key performance metrics (KPIs) to measure the success of the application. 

Encourage users to give your company feedback and suggestions for your application. Timely support for end-users and regular application patching with improvements in the mobile app development roadmap will be critical to keeping users engaged. In contrast to web applications that provide app users with instant access to a patch, mobile app updates must undergo the same submission and approval process as the original submission. Furthermore, with native mobile applications in the mobile app development flow, you must continually stay on top of technological advancements and regularly update your apps for mobile devices and operating systems.

Key Drivers for Businesses to Invest in Mobile App Development

The modern business landscape is increasingly shaped by digital transformation, with mobile app development at its forefront. As mobile devices become ubiquitous, organizations recognize the need to be where their customers are: on their smartphones and tablets. Investing in mobile app development is no longer just a trend but a strategic imperative.

Enhanced Customer Engagement and Loyalty

Mobile apps offer businesses a direct communication channel to their customers. With features like notifications, personalized content, and user-friendly interfaces, apps foster stronger engagement, leading to increased customer loyalty and retention, ensuring a robust return on your investment in mobile app development.

Competitive Advantage

Investing in mobile app development can provide businesses with a significant competitive advantage. In today’s digital age, consumers increasingly rely on mobile devices for a myriad of tasks, from shopping and entertainment to communication and work. Having a dedicated mobile app allows businesses to tap into this behavior, offering tailored experiences that stand out from the crowd.

Expanding Market Reach

With the widespread use of smartphones globally, mobile apps provide businesses with an opportunity to reach a broader and more diverse audience. They can tap into new markets, demographics, or geographical regions that might have been previously inaccessible or challenging to approach.

Monetization and Revenue Growth

Beyond the primary business offerings, mobile apps open avenues for additional revenue streams. This can be through in-app purchases, advertising, premium features, or even subscription models, leading to diversified and increased income. With these channels, companies can unveil chances to introduce novel products and services to their loyal clientele, while simultaneously attracting and engaging new user segments.

Mobile App Builder FREE – Mininest

If you’re interested in mobile app development, you should have a look at our Mininest plugin in our store, which is a free mobile app builder that allows you to easily convert your whole eCommerce website into a completely native mobile application.

Mininest provides you with the most comprehensive option for developing your own Magento 2 mobile application in only a few hours! The software is completely free and allows eCommerce firms, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises (SMBs), to free up their resources for other development activities. Additionally, any additional features you want will be introduced quickly and simply.

Android and iOS are two major mobile operating systems. By developing a mobile app containing both of these versions, merchants can reach a larger audience. Mininest is used in conjunction with Flutter, Google’s mobile UI framework that allows developers to create high-quality native interfaces for iOS and Android in record time.

Additionally, Mininest enables the administrator to simply change data from the Magento 2 backend to the mobile app. We pre-design a variety of user interface packages that may be readily modified with your brand name. Admins can update data in the Magento 2 backend and see it instantly on the app interface. When a new customer or order is created, the information is also synced to the Magento website.

Final words

The mobile application development process is an ongoing process and will continue after the first launch as you receive user feedback and build additional functionality. Following the above mobile app development roadmap will also ensure a successful launch of your application. 

The post What Is the Most Optimal Mobile App Development Process in 2024? appeared first on Magenest - One-Stop Digital Transformation Solution.

Today your customers not only want to save their time on browsing and shopping online, but they also want to use their phone for mobile search to compare prices and product reviews while browsing your store. Let’s take a look at what is mobile search. Why you should focus on mobile search? In this blog, we’ll also give you some useful information that you can deploy to build a great mobile search.

What Is Mobile Search? 

When it comes to defining what is mobile search there are several definitions to choose from. In traditional meaning, Mobile search is a search engine querying technique that uses a wireless/mobile platform or handheld device with an Internet connection, such as a smartphone or tablet. In comparison to a conventional Web search, mobile search is generally location-specific, with streamlined data returns. Most commonly, this search will occur on Internet search engines, such as Google, Yahoo, Microsoft Bing,…

But today, Mobile search is more than a desktop-to-mobile device transition, as it is a continuously evolving tool designed to satisfy mobile user content requirements that can occur on any mobile app. Mobile apps now have self-contained search functions as well. Mobile apps make use of the search bar to enable users to find the content they want more easily and quickly. They can be presented in various styles and formats that could restrict the user from inputting invalid queries or search terms.

Why You Should Focus on Mobile Search?

The search bar is often the first interaction a user has with a mobile site. According to research, about 43% of mobile site visitors instantly go to the search bar, and these searches are 2-3 times more likely to convert.

Almost of mobile shoppers are more likely to be looking for a specific product than they are to be browsing your store. This feature can make effective site search functionally the most efficient navigation strategy for your mobile site. Users can have a two-way dialogue with the system by using the search bar.

Besides, Searches should not require users to reverse-engineer your UI. Instead, it should resemble a natural human experience that leads people easily to find what they are searching for. According to Google’s research, 53% of mobile users abandon sites that take longer than three seconds to load. Thus, it’s critical that your mobile app gives these clients a smooth online experience.

Mobile devices also offer a wealth of contextual data, including location and usage patterns, that can be leveraged to personalize content and advertising. Personalization can significantly enhance the user experience and increase the effectiveness of marketing campaigns.

In fact, not all eCommerce site search strategies are appropriate for mobile commerce sites, so if you can make an effective mobile search, it will make your site different and convenient for your customers.

Key Elements of Great Mobile Search UX

Creating a great mobile search user experience (UX) requires attention to several key elements that cater to the unique needs and limitations of mobile devices. A user-friendly mobile search UX can greatly enhance engagement and conversion rates. Here are the key elements to focus on:

Your Mobile Search Bar (and the Alternatives)

Think about where to add search depending on your users’ requirements. This step is easy yet critical. There are generally three choices: 

• The full-length search bar: This is generally shown on the main screen, providing fast access to the search feature. This full-length design is beneficial because it is familiar to users and affords ample space for users to enter their search queries, even on smaller screens. The visibility of a full-length search bar signals to users that search is a key function of your application or website, encouraging its use.
• The tab bar: When search is not the main access point for your content, but you still want to provide users fast access to search capability no matter where they are in the app, the tab bar is a suitable option. The tab for the search function should be clearly marked, often with a magnifying glass icon, and it should allow users to tap directly into the search functionality from anywhere within the application.
• The contextual search icon: The most adaptable option is to use a contextual search icon, which displays the button in the app’s section where it is most appropriate for users to do searches. The key with a contextual search icon is that its placement should be intuitive so users can easily find it when the need to search arises.

Each of these choices serves a specific purpose and can be employed depending on the nature of the mobile website or app. It’s crucial that the search bar design aligns with how users interact with the product and the priority of the search function within the overall user experience.

The In-between Search Screen

The search screen is the next UI element to develop and improve once you’ve identified where the user’s search process begins. This page acts as a bridge between the primary non-search view and the search results page that follows.

When a user taps the search field or the search icon, the search screen appears, signaling to the app: I’m seeking something and expect to be rewarded with helpful information. Because each tap is so painful, we should reward the user’s perseverance by making it easier for them to use.

Here are three design options using the search screen to guide the user’s inquiry.

• Recent searches: When a user searches for a product, it’s a good idea to provide a brief look at prior searches for comparison or as a reminder. The design could show a list or a cloud of terms that the user has recently searched for, offering a one-tap solution to repeat a past search. This serves two purposes: it saves time and reminds the user of their recent interests or unfinished tasks.
• Trending searches: This screen displays to the user what other app users are most interested in. By clicking a recommendation, an unmotivated or casual consumer may quickly find new information on the website. The design should highlight trending topics in a visually engaging way, such as using thumbnails or icons next to the trending terms.
• Categories: This search screen supports the user by providing a variety of filter choices to help define and narrow their search, making it much faster and easier overall. This could be particularly useful for e-commerce, news sites, or content platforms where the breadth of available information can be overwhelming.

The Mobile Search Result Screen

The screen where consumers are presented with their search results is a crucial part of mobile search UX. Here, we’ll look at mobile search result UX best practices.

Display Search Results Properly

When it comes to the mobile search user experience (UX), the way search results are displayed is paramount. Given the smaller screen real estate on mobile devices compared to desktops, it’s crucial to present information in a clear and accessible manner.

To get started, find out how your customers are currently navigating your catalog. You should show search results as enlarged images that customers pick visually, like shoes or clothing.

However, for very particular search results, such as restaurants, it’s preferable to show a list that includes information such as pricing, distance, and user reviews.

Show Only the Most Relevant Results

It is possible to not have the most relevant result at the top of a page on a desktop, but this isn’t a good option on mobile because the user will discover it eventually. Because of the limited real estate, only the top search results are shown to the user, thus they had better be relevant.

Additionally, concise titles, meta descriptions, and snippets that clearly indicate the content of the page can help users quickly determine which results are worth exploring further. Presenting users with the most pertinent results not only improves their experience but also increases the likelihood of them taking the desired action, such as making a purchase or visiting a location.

Filtering That Reduces Screen Clutter

Effective filtering is an essential feature of great mobile search UX, as it allows users to narrow down results without overwhelming the limited display area. By providing intuitive filter options, you enable users to customize search results based on their specific preferences or needs, such as price range, ratings, or item type.

Filters and search results can’t be combined in the same view without creating a lot of clutter, therefore you should find strategies to decrease clutter while maintaining a robust set of filters. They should be designed to deliver immediate results, showing users the impact of their choices instantly, which is crucial for a satisfying mobile search experience. Reducing screen clutter not only makes the search more targeted but also minimizes cognitive load, allowing users to make decisions more efficiently.

Mobile Search UX Best Practices

It’s difficult to develop a good mobile UX. Many factors should be taken into account, such as the increasing number of mobile devices, the methods in which people engage with them, and the desire of consumers to have a consistent and enjoyable experience across all device types. Here are a few other mobile UX designs recommended practices that are less well-known than Google’s, but are just as critical for mobile designers to consider.

Autocomplete and Suggestions

Auto-filling the term and providing choices inside the text field should occur as the user writes his or her inquiry. The principle of least effort determines the course of activity. Consumers are more likely to buy something if it requires less effort to find it. Generally speaking, people choose the option that presents the least amount of difficulty. Providing appropriate default searches to your consumers can save them time and improve conversions.

AliExpress and IKEA suggest frequently inputted queries even before the user starts to type inside the bar. 

Recent and Saved Searchers

Reminding your consumers of what they were looking for lately or even the last time they visited your eCommerce website is a smart method to streamline their buying process. It helps customers find what they’re seeking more quickly and even motivates them to make a purchase. For example, Wayfair is aware of this and keeps track of its clients’ previous web activity

Slide-in Filter Panel

Allow your users to sort and filter the results without clogging up the limited capabilities of the screen.  Filters can be displayed and hidden in a variety of ways. They may appear as a panel from the side or cover the entire screen. The panel’s behavior may follow different patterns depending on the situation. For example, on the Stage3Motorsports website, the filter panel disappears each time a filtering option is selected by the user, and the results page quickly changes. While on RugsDoneRight, a user can select as many filter choices as they like, then dismiss the filter window to see just products that fit their requirements.

The most popular and relevant filtering choices should be displayed first due to screen limitations, and the less significant filtering options should be displayed only when you click the “show more” button. This makes it easier for customers to rapidly scan the available alternatives and to stay more focused and engaged while browsing.

Search Results View Options

The most efficient view options can change depending on the items you sell. Products that customers are contemplating purchasing based on specifics like SKU, ratings, and dimensions are better organized in a list. And, for products where visual representation is more essential than explanation, the grid approach is reasonable. It depends on your business and what provides the greatest value to your consumers whether you pick the default view or allow them to move between two options.

Infinite Scroll

When using a mobile device, the user’s natural engagement with the website is to scroll down to the end of the results page. It’s best to stay away from the “show more” button and let search results load naturally.

How to Use Mobile Search Effectively?

Using mobile search effectively involves a combination of technical optimization, understanding user behavior, and providing a seamless, user-friendly experience. Here’s how you can achieve that:

Friendly Result Page Design

It is important to give your mobile shoppers exactly what they want at the click button. With short attention spans and small screens, mobile users require highly relevant and simplified experiences.

Design your search results pages to immediately answer your mobile users’ questions. In the homepage search box, once you begin typing, a dropdown of options pops up. The two most prominent searches will lead you to site pages designed specifically for your search. Other options available feature the most popular store items. Finally, if these results aren’t what you are looking for, you can continue to a full-blown search page which includes product photos, prices, and the ability to refine your search based on popularity, average rating, sort by price, and more.

Make It Easy for Mobile Shoppers to Call You

For businesses, especially local or service-based industries, making it easy for mobile shoppers to contact you can directly affect conversion rates. Include click-to-call buttons prominently in both search results and on contact pages.

Ensure that the phone number is in a clickable format so that users don’t have to memorize or write down the number. This one-tap functionality for initiating a phone call facilitates immediate action and satisfies users’ desires for quick and simple solutions.

Eliminate Unnecessary Clicks and Data Entry

Smartphone users like to scroll and swipe and can become frustrated with user interfaces that are clearly designed with a desktop computer in mind.

Take advantage of search features such as autocomplete to both guide your visitors toward their goals and eliminate the need to type complete search queries. The search drop-down helps to suggest and guide mobile users to relevant long-tail search terms.

Make the Search Box Easy to Find 

Make the search box easy to spot, right at the top of every page – don’t waste a mobile visitor’s time by making them find this important functionality.

There are apps where user engagement depends heavily on searching for results, in which case it is particularly important to make search interaction visible and findable. You can do this by embedding an always-visible and persistent search bar on the screen or using a magnifying glass icon placed on the navigation bar to save some space.

Help Mobile Users Make Sense of Their Search Results

It goes without saying that the order in which you display the search results is critical. The most relevant and highest-converting products should always be presented at the top of the list. But, what if your visitor is looking for something else?

Rather than make them scroll through dozens (or hundreds) of results, make sure that you provide them with a set of filters that is easy to find and use so that they can quickly refine the results to a shortlist that is relevant to their needs.

Conclusion

The search bar is one of the most used elements on a website, search bar design has a significant impact on user experience. Hopefully, the above points will help you find all the information for the question of what is mobile search that you are searching for. If you are looking for a company to design mobile search bars. Magenest with a dedicated team with an eye for unmatched quality and creativity will provide you with the best experience. Feel free to contact us to figure out what values we can bring to you and your business.

The post What Is Mobile Search? Definition, Tips, and Best Example – Updated 2024 appeared first on Magenest - One-Stop Digital Transformation Solution.

So, how much does an app cost? Perhaps this is one of the first questions app marketers and developers ask before starting a project to build an app. This detailed tutorial will give you complete knowledge of the intricacies and procedures involved in determining the cost of developing an app.

How Costs of Developing an App Can be Estimated?

A feature is a special activity or task according to which the software should operate and give the expected result. Understanding the requirements could sum up different factors, and these factors play a very specific role in crafting a mobile application. Here is the formula for calculating How much does an App cost.

A product backlog is a list of the features, changes to existing features, bug fixes, infrastructure changes, or other activities that a team may deliver in order to achieve a specific outcome.

In general, clients are charged for app development services based on the following options:

• Fixed charge: a payment that implies the cost charged for a specific timeline. This may work well for smaller projects, especially those with a clear and well-defined scope of work. The advantage of this option is that the app development cost is affirmed with the client before development starts.
• Time & material: a pricing structure that is determined by the time and materials needed for a project and thus is typically calculated based on an hourly rate. This approach provides flexibility during the app development process and fits more complex and ongoing projects.

It is necessary to understand the benefits of applying the time & material option, even though you may be anxious about it in the beginning. As this option has both an initial project estimate and the ability to change the scope during the process, this helps to control the app budget and, with this flexibility, build a product people will love.

Factors That Determine Costs of Developing an App

Several years ago, there was a significant pricing difference between the two major mobile platforms – iOS and Android. Currently, this difference is not considerable, according to several pieces of research conducted by reputable app development businesses. Today, the most important aspect is mobile app complexity, which can be arbitrarily divided into three categories: simple, medium, and complex. 

A price tag for a simple app with a basic User Interface and a set of must-have features ranges from $40,000 to $60,000, a medium app development project costs between $61,000 and $120,000; and a complex app project costs at least $120,000. As a result, there is no definitive answer to the question, How much does an App cost? since the price is determined by several factors, including:

Project Type 

These apps are those large and heavy apps that aim at providing the best user experience, optimization, and fast work. They use various device APIs and process a wide range of features at the same time. Native apps start getting expensive based on the platforms you want to support because they involve more people in the development process of an app. 

• Hybrid Apps: Hybrid apps that are best suited to reach a bigger audience from the start. The development and maintenance cost goes down for this app if the developing process involves a team and a single code, which works for all the platforms. However cross-platform apps are less optimized; they lack access to APIs and cannot provide a user experience similar to the one provided by native apps. They are only appropriate for small and medium communication apps, such as lifestyle apps or game apps.
• Database Driven Apps: These are the apps that are complex with the bulk data to operate, stored directly in the device memory or on a web server. For this app to work as desired, additional features like a camera, internet connection, or access to a phone gallery may be required. The native apps that use device memory to store data libraries are various mobile dictionaries or encyclopedias.
• Basic Functionality App: These apps are very fast to develop and include very few or no features at all. They are developed for personal use, and these kinds of apps cannot be found in the app store. Usually, they are made to view the list of the topic- where you can click on a question and get the information about it or view another list.
• Firmware/Hardware Dependent Apps: These apps access a mobile device and aim at enhancing the functionalities. The functionalities include an alarm, flashlights, camera, etc. For example, AlarmMon is an app that allows the user to customize the alarm clock.
• Mobile/Gaming Apps: Games can be simple and advanced, including various features like 3D graphics and physics, global ratings, AR support, and social media integration. So basically, creating a more sophisticated gaming app can cost more. Gaming apps are the most popular apps worldwide, and of course, the ones that bring in more profit.

Features and Functionality

The complexity of the application is determined by the platform you choose and the team you hire to create it. App development is a key aspect, and if it is successful and inexpensive, the whole cost of an application becomes more affordable and effective.

The core features that are widely used in many digital projects are as follows:

Platforms (iOS, Android)

You may also inquire about the cost of building an App based on the platform. No, it does not. The answer is no.

The app development schedule for Android and iOS apps is now nearly identical. If you target both platforms, your applications may be created concurrently and utilize APK for iOS and Android, allowing the apps to be launched simultaneously.

When selecting which platform to start with, app owners evaluate criteria factors such as iOS and Android market share, device fragmentation, and ubiquity, but the most important is that creating mobile applications for these platforms differs wildly. These systems support various programming languages, have distinct SDKs, and use various development tools.

Design Complexity

The app design has an impact on the entire process of developing an app as well as the cost of developing an app. The more complicated the design, the higher the cost of your application.

Simple app design comprises primarily of common, platform-specific components that are quite simple to create and will not require much effort. This analysis determines the design’s complexity and the complexity affects how much does an App cost.

Location and Structure of a Development Team

When estimating the cost of creating an application, the location of the development team that you employ is also an essential aspect to consider. The cost of developing an app in the UK will differ from the cost of app development in the US and other regions. Both will provide identical services but still, the geographical factor remains the hurdle for the cost.

For example, app development cost in India, Pakistan, and other Asian countries is usually less than $25/hour. In South America, which is considered to be another popular outsourcing destination, the rates are between the ranges of Western and Eastern European rates.

The highest development costs will be required if you choose vendors from the US with a $70 to $100 rate. Eastern Europe, Ukraine in particular, will offer you a more attractive average cost of developing an app of $30 to $60/hour. This location is incredibly affordable to work in; you receive high quality for a cheap app development cost, and you do not overpay for a company’s brand.

When you outsource a project, you may benefit from business analysts who can evaluate the project’s needs and describe the various technologies that might increase the project’s beauty. The business analyst creates the project scope and submits it to the customer after understanding the need. This thorough investigation will lower the additional cost and make a successful plan for the execution of affordable app development.

UI/UX Designer

Design is an essential component of the application since it has the potential to keep the consumer. A beautiful design reflects the work of a skilled and productive designer.

As we mentioned previously at the BA, the designer has duties and responsibilities as well. App design is a necessary component of app development, and hiring an app designer can be pricey if you do not do a thorough evaluation of designers. A professional designer may charge $150 per hour, while a junior designer might charge $40 per hour.

• Mobile app engineer: You will require one to several iOS and/or Android developers depending on the platforms you intend to distribute the app on. Their main responsibility is to develop and publish the application while taking into account all of the technical and business aspects mentioned in the specification
• QA engineer: Quality Assurance engineers execute regression, load, smoke, and other sorts of tests to ensure the application’s reliability. They also verify the UI and other app components for compliance with the requirements. The QA costs about $20 per hour for testing, detecting, and troubleshooting the application.
• Project Manager: A project manager is a responsible individual who assigns work after gathering customer needs and coordinating with the client. A project manager should be paid $20 per hour, however, few companies do not pay for a project manager or business analyst.

Note: The above numbers are estimated figures and for an exact idea, you need to consult a developer who is well experienced and skilled.

How to Reduce the Cost of Developing an App?

Application development is a time-consuming, costly, and labor-intensive process. Our team of project managers, business analysts, and engineers has prepared a number of recommendations to assist you in cutting the cost of developing an App.

Prove the Concept of Your Application Idea

Creating a proof-of-concept allows you to verify that your application’s concept is potentially practical. With PoC, you can guarantee that your application is both distinctive and helpful, as well as uncover justifications for its effectiveness. The good news is that the financial and time costs for its development are minimal.

Outsource a Software Project

Rather than establishing an in-house development team, use a third-party firm. IT outsourcing is one of the greatest ways to save expenses while maintaining product quality. You will know exactly how much does an App cost.

Create a Detailed Technical Specification

Create a detailed software requirement document so that each team member understands exactly what and how to build it.

This also helps the customer and engineers to be on the same page by spending less time communicating during the project and making fewer requirements changes. The more information you offer, the sooner the product will be developed. It is considerably easier to calculate how much does an App cost when you have a thorough technical specification.

Turn to a Trusted App Development Company

When looking for a reliable software development partner, consider ratings and client testimonials. Choose engineers who are well-versed in the relevant fields and technology. If you want to create an Internet of Things application, look for experts who have assisted other organizations in deploying IoT solutions.

Develop an MVP (Minimum Viable Product)

This is an application that includes only the minimum functionality, which is necessary for completing the main task. Airbnb, Amazon, Uber, Instagram, Dropbox, Twitter, and many other popular apps were MVPs.

Because of its merits, the MVP development technique is well-known and frequently used. With the purpose of collecting user feedback, assessing reactions, and enhancing or extending the product so that it fulfills the requirements and expectations of the consumer.

Launching an MVP allows companies to test the concept, present it to investors, and attract early customers. As a consequence, you not only know exactly how much does an App costs your company, but you can also build an app that fully matches customer expectations.

App Development Cost Examples

In this section, we will explore real-world examples of app development costs, providing a window into the financial investment required for different types of apps.

From simple utilities to complex, multi-featured platforms, these examples will offer a clearer understanding of the budgeting that goes into app creation, helping you navigate the cost landscape with informed expectations.

TikTok

Developing an app akin to the social media sensation TikTok is no small endeavor. Known for its dynamic video-sharing capabilities, TikTok has captured the imaginations and screen time of millions globally. As with any application of this caliber, the cost is directly proportional to the intricacy and breadth of its features and functionalities.

For an app that encompasses the core features of TikTok, development costs typically start at around $70,000. This investment accounts for the extensive hours of work required to create a stable, engaging platform. It takes approximately 1,200 hours of development time to lay down the foundation of an app with comparable performance and capabilities.

Twitter

The development of an app akin to Twitter, which has evolved into a colossal microblogging and social networking service since its inception by Jack Dorsey in 2006, requires a substantial investment both in time and capital.

Originating from humble beginnings, Twitter secured its first funding round at $5 million, valuing the company at $20 million. Fast forward to the present, the platform has soared to an estimated worth of $44 billion, bolstered by a staggering $1.2 billion in net revenue as reported in the second quarter of 2022.

Crafting an app with the scale and capability of Twitter is no small feat. The estimated cost for an enterprise to develop a similar application hovers around $500,000.

Tinder

Developing a dating application that resonates with users requires a blend of engaging design, intuitive user interface, and reliable functionality. Tinder, with its over 67 million annual downloads, is a quintessential example of this successful amalgam in the geosocial networking and dating app market.

Tinder’s journey began with a modest seed funding of $485,000 in 2012, and it’s remarkable how the app has soared to lucrative heights, earning more than $1.6 billion in revenue in 2021 alone. The company is on track to surpass this impressive figure in 2023, showcasing the enormous potential in the dating app market.

For entrepreneurs and businesses looking to dive into the realm of dating apps, the development costs are a crucial consideration. Creating an app akin to Tinder is no small feat. It requires an investment of around $100,000.

Netflix

In the ever-expanding realm of media streaming platforms, Netflix stands as a colossus, setting the benchmark for on-demand entertainment. Its robust architecture and seamless user experience have made it the go-to service for binge-watchers and casual viewers alike.

Developing an app akin to Netflix requires a significant financial investment, with costs varying dramatically based on the scope and scale of the project. On average, the development cost for an app with functionalities similar to Netflix ranges from $25,000 to $200,000.

Uber

Developing an app like Uber, which has revolutionized the ridesharing landscape, is an ambitious and potentially rewarding endeavor. Uber’s humble beginnings can be traced back to an initial investment of $510,000.

Now, it stands as a testament to how innovation fueled by technology can disrupt entire industries, having raised over $25 billion since its inception and reaching a valuation that exceeds $91 billion. With over 118 million active users, the Uber app has set a high standard for functionality and user engagement in the rideshare market.

If you are considering developing a rideshare app that mirrors the success of Uber, it’s crucial to understand the financial and temporal investment required. On average, creating an app akin to Uber’s sophistication costs around $80,000. This estimate is based on a development timeline that spans approximately 1200 hours, a significant commitment reflecting the app’s complexity and the need for a skilled development team.

In Conclusion,

Determining the exact cost of app development is complex due to varying factors. However, a close estimate is achievable by considering these variables. If you find it challenging to pinpoint the cost, especially across different regions like APAC, the US, the UK, or Australia, consider partnering with a reputable firm like Magenest. Our team excels in creating innovative and scalable apps with advanced features, ensuring all the customers’ experience is seamless.

The post How Much Does an App Cost? Costs of Developing an App appeared first on Magenest - One-Stop Digital Transformation Solution.

What Are Mobile App Development Platforms?

When it comes to building applications for mobile or websites, surely everyone will think of difficult programming processes or user interface (UI) design work. It’s true, but nowadays, you can bypass those processes easily because you already have these features to choose from, which are provided by platform providers for application development.

These best mobile app development platforms are similar to an all-in-one environment of tools that allow you to create, test, optimize, debug, deploy, and maintain mobile applications.

Depending on the developer, those platforms will have different features, for example, you can use a platform for creating a mobile app from A to Z, but there are times when you have to combine multiple separate platforms for front-end, back-end development, or security add-on layers, notifications, and data storage, etc.

Top Best Mobile App Development Platforms for 2024

With a plethora of options available, selecting the ideal platform can be daunting. To assist you in this critical decision, we have curated a list of the top mobile app development platforms for 2024, each offering a unique set of tools, frameworks, and features to cater to the diverse needs of developers and businesses alike.

Microsoft Xamarin

Xamarin is favored by many users because it is not only easy to use, ideal for Android, iOS, and Windows devices, but it also provides cross-platform mobile application development services, that is, with only a C# code base, you can build a native app for multiple platforms. All these features will make a big profit for you in terms of development costs and time to market.

Some of the key features of Microsoft Xamarin that you can consider:

• Direct access to platform APIs from C#.
• Complete development ecosystem with editor, debugger, UI design tools, and cross-platform libraries.
• Strong integration with Microsoft Azure for cloud services.
• Integrated Android SDK manager.
• Advanced diagnostic tools are equipped.
• Robust community support with over 60,000 contributors.

Flutter

Stylish and out-of-the-box are only a few of the compliments that we can use when describing this Google open-source SDK. It is highly recognized for its versatility in user interface construction and characteristics such as generating unique, innovative seamless animations, among other things. This platform uses the Dart language to create the most powerful applications. Therefore, Flutter is great for building a 2D app game or clothing store for iOS or Android systems.

Flutter owns some outstanding features below:

• Hot Reload for instantly viewing changes in the app.
• Rich set of fully customizable widgets to build native interfaces in minutes.
• Native performance on both iOS and Android.
• Rich APIs for fluid and dynamic motion within applications.
• Strong community support and a growing ecosystem.

Adobe PhoneGap (Cordova)

If you are looking for different mobile application development platforms that will fit your future expansion strategies, then you should not ignore the open-source free framework of Cordova. With this option, you can create a simple mobile app using CSS3, HTML5, and Javascript, and enhance its development with various integrated libraries. The usage of the app can also be extended with the plug-in architecture, thus becoming more useful for mobile phone users.

Key features of Adobe PhoneGap (Cordova):

• Plugin architecture to access native device APIs.
• Utilizes a command-line interface (CLI) for plugin management and builds across multiple platforms.
• Allows for wrapping up of code depending upon the platform.
• Strong backing by the Apache Software Foundation.
• Offers a seamless development experience.

Sencha

It’s not a big surprise that Sencha is included in our list of the best mobile app development platforms. It’s already exceedingly popular with its powerful data pack and rich user interface resources (over 115 components), suitable for those looking for a data-intensive cross-platform app. The app is written by the HTML5 code base and can be installed on a variety of operating systems, including Android, iOS, Blackberry, Windows, Kindle, and Tizen.

Some of the highlighted features of Sencha are:

• Capable of processing and managing data in the millions.
• Offers robust tools for in-depth analytics.
• Visual application builder for HTML5.
• Powerful theming capabilities.
• Incorporates a modern Data-Driven Documents package (D3) for sophisticated data visualization.
• Hundreds of user extensions.

Appcelerator

Appcelerator did a pretty good job adapting the strong and high-performance mobile app model for enterprise users. It is a Titanium SDK development framework, which helps to shorten the time to create a mobile application for operating systems like iOS and Android. Cloud storage is also more plentiful, not to mention integration with third-party libraries, aimed at supporting businesses in multi-region global deployments.

There are some key features of Appcelerator that you can’t ignore:

• Direct access to iOS and Android APIs using JavaScript.
• Alloy framework to speed up app development.
• Integrated mobile backend services like push notifications, analytics.
• Strong community and marketplace for modules and widgets.

Ionic Framework

Two of the features we love about Ionic are ease of use and cross-platform. This means you can create it easily across multiple operating systems using HTML, CSS, and Javascript. Besides, if you have a need to create a more advanced mobile app eCommerce with more useful features and more interactivity, then Ionic will satisfy you with the integrated AngularJS.

Here are some key features of Ionic Framework:

• A library of optimized HTML, CSS, and JavaScript components for mobile.
• Capacitor integration to call native SDKs on both iOS and Android.
• Strong CLI and development tools.
• Vibrant Developer Community with 5 million developers.
• Robust and reliable platform.

React Native

React Native may not differ much from the above mobile application development platforms, however, if you try to create a mobile app on this tool, you won’t regret it. It is owned by Facebook, is an open-source cross-platform development platform, and also integrates with third-party libraries. It can also shorten app development time on a variety of media with features that are easy to learn and design.

Some notable features of React Native:

• React Native facilitates app development with less code.
• Features a declarative API that simplifies the creation of predictable user interfaces.
• Vast libraries and tools that streamline the development process.
• Ability to write native code and integrate it when necessary.
• Accommodates both iOS and Android app development.
• Strong community and support from Meta.

NativeScript

NativeScript stands out as an open-source framework for building mobile apps on both Android and iOS. It enables the creation of native Android and iOS applications from one shared codebase. Developers can utilize TypeScript, Angular, or JavaScript to construct their mobile apps with NativeScript.

Features of NativeScript include:

• Direct access to Android and iOS APIs.
• Native UI without WebViews.
• Full access to the rich ecosystem of npm packages.
• Strong support for Angular and Vue.js integration.
• Provides dependable support crucial for business-grade app development.

Android Studio

Android Studio is the official IDE for Android app development, backed by Google. It offers comprehensive tools that simplify coding, debugging, and testing for developers. The IDE supports a multitude of languages such as Java, Kotlin, Swift, and C++, and stays up-to-date with the latest developer trends. It’s highly customizable to fit individual needs and boasts a supportive community of Android experts.

Key Features of Android Studio:

• Features virtual emulators and supports both wired and wireless connections with physical devices.
• Incorporates the powerful Gradle build system.
• Provides seamless integration with Google Play services.
• Offers Git functionality directly within the IDE.
• Comes integrated with an array of tools and frameworks designed for efficient app testing.

What to Look for in the Top Best Mobile App Development Platforms?

Here are the features of the best mobile app development platforms that you will need to keep in mind when considering between mobile app platforms.

Codeless or Low-code Mobile Application Development Platforms

If you’re someone who doesn’t have much knowledge of complex coding tasks, then you should consider using these types of mobile app development platforms. They allow you to use a drag-and-drop approach to conveniently and easily get creative without having any complicated manipulation.

In addition, it also supports metadata-driven, model-driven, declarative, or other non-coding approaches, so you can create different app templates according to your users’ needs.

Code-centric Developer Tooling

This feature allows you to visualize the architecture and design of your app without changing the code. When you import the code into the tool, it will show the changes you are making. But in order for the designs and builds to be updated, let’s update the code before bringing it back into the tool, which can be a plug-in to an open-source IDE (Integrated development environment) or IDE provided by some platforms in the market.

Micro Mobile Application Development Platform Patterns

Portability is one of the first and foremost elements in every mobile application development platform comparison, allowing an app to be lifted and shifted from one cloud to another. It could even be run on multiple clouds at the same time. With micro app patterns, you can reuse app building blocks or components to design and build this feature for your app.

Mesh App and Service Architecture (MASA)

Mobile application development platforms featuring it will be able to support serverless, API mediation, microservices, and event-driven requirements for an app, serving different user needs.

For example, the Uber app uses this feature to offer users a variety of options including Uber for travelers or drivers.

Monitoring and Analytics

Before launching an app on mobile app stores, you will need to monitor and analyze its performance. Platforms will report back to you about that and the usage of the app when created and run on them. ​​

Core back-end Services

Some application services can be reused to increase cost efficiency, such as user management, push notifications, location services, offline synchronization, file storage, etc. In addition to including these services, core back-end services also cover integration, API design, and orchestration.

AI Services

AI is an important factor in the comparison of mobile application development platforms to enhance and improve the customer experience measurement, which, in turn, helps increase the number of downloads from app stores. Usually, this feature will be integrated or tightly integrated for users to use.

DevOps Support

This feature helps you shorten the systems development life cycle, thereby decreasing the developmental workload to accelerate app development with a high mobile application development software quality. Not only that, but it also facilitates process automation through tracking automation and releasing management.

Mobile Application Development Platform Compatibility

On the mobile app market today, there are two main platforms: iOS and Android. Your program must be created on a platform that supports at least these two platforms, preferably cross-platform, which means users may download and use your app on Windows, macOS, and so on.

Scalability

As your business moves into expansion, so does your app to secure the long-term goal of your business strategy plan. So choose platforms that provide scalability through cross-platform frameworks and tools.

Security

Individual consumers may not be concerned about security when using mobile applications, but for professionals and enterprise customers, it is vital. In addition, security vulnerabilities can be eliminated when you choose to use robust cross-platform tools regardless of the platform.

How to Choose the Best Mobile App Development Platform?

Finding the best mobile app development platform for your company is a key step in the development process. When you start planning, you also should decide whether to focus on a native application or cross-platform solutions.

It’s an important decision to make because it’ll be directly related to your strategy and business goals. It will also determine the tools you will need to use to create the best mobile application.

Whether you choose Android or iOS as your mobile development platform, each will have its own set of pros and cons. As a result, it is critical that you review these before making a choice of the best mobile app development platforms for your business.

IOS Development Platform

IOS is a closed platform. This implies that Apple has complete control over its programming language, the programs it publishes, and the devices it distributes. They have stringent restrictions, and any departure may result in the demise of your digital baby’s fortune. Therefore, you must follow those rules and be prepared for continual change. This is an innovative company, with a thought leader who is continuously searching for perfection. Developers, on the other hand, always know how to communicate with designers and create a flawless product that will be welcomed and 100% accepted by the store.

You will need to upgrade your program to the most recent operating system from time to time. All they have to do is go to Settings and start an upgrade. As a product owner, this means you’ll need to keep in regular contact with your developer and update the app to meet the most recent needs.

Android Development Platform

According to the recent data from Statista.com, Android is one of the best mobile development platforms in the world. Because a large number of individuals utilize Android smartphones. By creating an Android app, you have access to a greater pool of potential consumers. This operating system, like iOS, is extremely adaptable since one app can run on a variety of devices, including smartphones, tablets, watches, TV boxes, and even automobiles.

There is also a wide range of applications available on Google Play. There is something for everyone’s taste there. Thus, by publishing an app to this marketplace, you may be certain of a large number of early followers.

Cross-Platform Apps

A cross-platform app is a combination of HTML5 and native plug-ins. The so-called write-once-run-everywhere approach may seem to be a pretty cost-effective solution. Appcelerator.com, one of the most popular cross-platform frameworks, promises 20% faster development in comparison with native languages, reuse of up to 90% of developed code when supporting multiple platforms, and significant cost reduction.

There are several cross-platform frameworks, each with its own set of constraints. Before making a judgment in favor of one framework over another, carefully evaluate its capabilities. Furthermore, not all features can be easily integrated using a cross-platform framework.

Here are some quick tips on when to consider which is the best mobile app development platform for your business:

Consider native platforms solution when:

• You need to develop a custom solution.
• A project is difficult and challenging.
• You’d like to spend less on testing through devices.
• Providing the greatest possible user experience.
• You want your app to have a native look and feel.

Consider Cross-Platform solution when:

• Cost is important for you.
• You want to develop a promo project.
• Your project is simple and straightforward.
• UI is not supposed to be stylish.
• There is a requirement for multi-platform mobile development.

Final Thought

The best mobile app development platforms are composed of multi-channel sending capacities, security, the board, and back-end reconciliation abilities that bode well. Yet, in any event, while picking between tools, developers may push for the choices with the fanciest odds and end, while CIOs or IT chiefs comprehend the significance of keeping the organizations’ interest on a fundamental level and along these lines need to think about the whole image of expenses, designer profitability, security, the executives and that is only the tip of the iceberg.

Bringing an app to the market requires substantial research and strategic planning. If you want to find the right team to help you build and launch your mobile app, then you can contact us. With over 6+ years in the industry, Magenest has provided custom solutions solving real work business challenges, thousand of our customers have used our services, including significant brands like Heineken, Nestle, and Univeral (view our work and experience). We assist clients in identifying the risks and opportunities that address both short-term challenges as well as long-term value creation. Our team of mobile app developers will be on hand throughout the process to ensure your complete satisfaction.

The post Top 10 Best Mobile App Development Platforms – Update 2024 appeared first on Magenest - One-Stop Digital Transformation Solution.

This blog aims to provide a comprehensive guide on mobile push notifications, particularly for those unfamiliar with them or unsure how to effectively manage and utilize them. It’s important to balance the frequency and content of these notifications to avoid overwhelming users, thereby ensuring they remain a beneficial tool for communication and marketing.

What Are Mobile Push Notifications?

Mobile push notifications are messages sent by an application to a customer’s mobile device. You can send push notifications to customers who have installed your mobile app and opted-in to receive messages.

On the other hand, app publishers can send them at any time, users do not have to be in the app or using their devices to receive them. They can do plenty of things, for instance, they can show the most recent game scores, get a client to make a move, for example, download a coupon, or let a user think about an occasion, like a flash sale.

Mobile push notifications look like SMS text messages and mobile alerts, but they only reach users who have installed your app. Mobile push notifications are originally used to convey item refreshes, updates, personalized offers, breaking news, and any information that is integral to the functionality of the app and requires special attention or needs to be actioned quickly.

The Difference between Push Notifications and Text Messages

Although there are lots of similarities, mobile push notifications are not the same as text messages. Both of these messages go straightforwardly to the client’s telephone and seem to be comparable on their lock screen, however, they are still altogether different. For notifications to show up on a lock screen properly, you need to have a restricted character limit.

Text messages can be longer in light of the fact that the client can free it up to peruse the whole message. But if your push notifications get cut off on the lock screen, it is going to hurt your conversions. That is why push notifications with fewer words have higher click-through rates.

At the point when you swipe to open a mobile push notification, it will have a similar impact as a text message. A text message will bring you to your messaging app, while mobile push notifications without an app will bring the user to whatever app sends the message. Push notifications are completely free for users to receive. That is not always the case with text messages.

If your organization sends SMS messages as a special technique, you might need to reexamine this strategy. Contingent upon the client’s phone plan, they may need to pay to get SMS messages. Besides, several individuals cooperate with SMS special substances such as spam. Despite the fact that you may approach a client’s telephone number, sending spontaneous SMS messages is unlawful. 

Individuals get these messages constantly from random numbers. You do not want your company to be associated with spam. Mobile push notifications are much better because the user knows exactly who it is coming from. It is clear that the message is from the app that they have installed on their device.

Different Types of Mobile Push Notifications

When personalized, mobile push notifications advertising receives a high open and active click-through rate (CTR) and can be quite possibly the best way for portable applications to connect with their client base. However, their interruptive nature means that there is a fine line between keeping users engaged and annoying them outright.

For instance, a push message that notifies you regarding a traffic jam close to your home just before you are about to head out to work in the morning is a helpful message, whereas a message about traffic in a foreign city, or a message sent at 4:00 AM is not nearly as welcome. If the messages are seen as an undesirable interruption, this may persuade the client to head into their settings and turn off notices for that application. To clarify this, here are a few basic types of mobile push notifications:

• Banner notifications: they can contain the start of a message (on account of a chat application), or contain cautions for occasions like deals, sports scores, or flight registration. 
• Badge notifications: this sort of notification seems as though a red badge is applied to the application’s symbol, as a rule with a number (to alarm you, for instance, of unread messages or new web podcasts on your gadget). 
• Alerts: dissimilar to push notifications, alarms stay on-screen until you physically delete them.

Mobile push notifications present differently on iOS and Android devices. On iOS, they initially appear on the lock screen and then move to the Notification Center once the device is unlocked. Android offers more customization; users can prioritize notifications, group them by type, and control how they are displayed on their devices.

Apart from app notifications, there are several other kinds:

• Web Push Notifications: These notifications appear on desktop or mobile browsers, aiming to bring users back to a website, thereby enhancing engagement and conversions.
• Desktop Push Notifications: Triggered by applications installed on a user’s desktop, these notifications keep users informed about updates or actions required within those applications.
• Wearable Push Notifications: Displayed on smartwatches and similar devices, these notifications are designed to be extremely brief due to the limited screen space. Users have the option to manage their settings to choose which apps can send them notifications.

This variety in push notifications allows for a wide range of communication possibilities across different platforms and devices.

The Benefits of Mobile Push Notifications eCommerce

Mobile push messages can be utilized to boost customer engagement with your mobile application and improve client conversion and retention.

Stimulate User Engagement

Applied carefully to your messaging strategy, mobile push notifications can gigantically affect engagement by pushing your customers back into your application. If it is done wrong, push notifications can cause customer opt-out, app removal, and bad publicity.

On the contrary, if it is done right, mobile push notifications can open up a line of communication that is closer to the customer than any other technology currently available. Studies show that mobile push notifications can reduce churn, and push disablement has decreased where users receive less than five mobile app notifications per week.

This implies clients gradually become more open to getting and drawing in with mobile push notifications whenever kept non-nosy and at a reasonable frequency.  Still, it is vital to define your consumer sweet spot. 37% of application users would handicap mobile push notifications if they got somewhere in the range of two and five messages week by week.

Increase that number to six or ten mobile push notifications weekly and another 33% of respondents would stop using the app altogether. Clearly, it is a delicate communication channel, so strike a balance to avoid annoyance.

Increase Conversion

An ongoing mobile push message, sectioned or generic, creates a desire to move quickly. It can productively retarget clients and trigger instant purchases. However, there is no guarantee the customer will complete the intended action. Sending smart, behavior-based mobile push notifications can increase change rates by 4X.

Improve Customer Retention

Did you know that nearly 90% of apps that are downloaded onto a mobile device are opened once, and then they are never used again? Only 16% of users will try out an app more than twice (Digital Trends).

Fortunately, expanding your messaging strategy with mobile push notifications architecture can increase your mobile consumer engagement and app retention.

Personalization Matters

Do not just send the same message to everyone who has your app. You have got to make sure that each notification speaks to your audience. It is easy to send personalized mobile push notifications because your app will have access to the user’s profile. For example, if you are a retailer with a mobile app, you can use a customer’s purchase history to send them a valuable message.

Let’s say one of your customers has purchased a snowboard, goggles, a winter hat, a snowboard helmet, winter gloves, and a ski jacket over the past few months. Sending them a notification for limited snowboard ties would be close to home dependent on their buy history. 

Here’s another example. Suppose you own a little neighborhood café that serves real Mexican food. Your application has a mobile food ordering system. If the last multiple times somebody requested something, they requested a steak burrito, you can send them a push notification about their order. 20% off of your favorite steak burrito if you order now. Personalized mobile push notifications like that will improve your conversions. This relates back to our last point about commitment and maintenance. In the event that the notifications are customized, it will build your open rates and lead to higher maintenance. 

How Mobile Push Notifications Work?

Some of the factors in sending a push notification include:

• Operating system push notification service (OSPNS): Every mobile operating system (OS), including iOS, Android, Fire OS, Windows, and BlackBerry, has its own help. 
• App publisher: The application distributor empowers their application with an OSPNS. Then, the distributor transfers the application to the application store.
• Client app: This is an OS-specific app, installed on a user’s device. 

So mobile push notifications work through a combination of mobile operating systems, app servers, and notification services provided by platform providers like Apple and Google. Here’s a simplified overview of the process:

OSPN Registration

In this initial phase, the app publisher registers with Online Service Push Notifications (OSPNs). Each OSPN provides the publisher with an Application Programming Interface (API) to facilitate communication with the service. The app publisher integrates a Software Development Kit (SDK) into the app, which is specific to the OSPNs. After this setup, the app is added to the app store.

App Installation

When a user installs the app from an OS app store and opens it, unique identifiers (IDs) for both the app and the device are registered with the OSPNs. The OSPN then sends these IDs back to the app, which in turn forwards them to the app publisher. The app publisher stores these registration details, including the IDs.

Sending Push Notifications

The app publisher can create and send push notifications in two ways: manually through a message composer user interface (UI) or automatically via the API. They define the target audience for these notifications and decide whether to send them immediately or schedule them for later. Personalization of notifications to different user segments is possible by gathering user ID data and using a specialized interface for message creation and targeting.

Opting In

The opt-in process for receiving push notifications varies between operating systems. On iOS, users must give explicit permission to receive push notifications, whereas on Android, the default setting is to receive notifications, and users must opt out if they don’t want them.

Once users agree to receive push notifications, the app publisher can engage them through these notifications, drawing them back into the app for various interactions or updates. This process is key for maintaining user engagement and providing timely information or promotions directly to the user’s device.

Mobile Push Notifications Best Practices and Strategies

Mobile push notifications are a powerful tool for engaging users, but to maximize their effectiveness, it’s important to follow best practices and employ strategic approaches.

Get User’s Consent

Gaining user consent for mobile push notifications is essential for maintaining a positive user experience and engagement. It is crucial to provide users with the option to opt in or out of receiving notifications. If users are bombarded with unwanted notifications, especially soon after downloading an app, they are likely to become frustrated and disengage quickly.

By allowing users to easily select the types of notifications they wish to receive, you not only respect their preferences but also increase the likelihood of engagement when a notification is sent. This approach ensures that the notifications are perceived as relevant and valuable, fostering a more positive relationship between the user and the app.

Keep Content Concise, Valuable and Interesting

Conciseness is key in crafting effective notifications. Just as with other forms of copy, brevity in your notifications is crucial. Aim for minimal text – if you can convey your message in 10 words or fewer, you’re likely to achieve optimal engagement. This less-is-more approach ensures your notifications are impactful and clear.

More than half of app users say that they find mobile push notifications to be an annoying distraction. 26% of users like push notifications because they enjoy getting updates about their interests. An additional 20% of users say that push notifications help enhance their productivity.

So the key for you is to make sure you are providing value for the users who want notifications without annoying the users who find them distracting.

Geofencing Technology in Mobile Push Notifications

Since you do not want to send push notifications too often, you have to come up with a good reason to use them. 

Big businesses are using geofencing technology paired with mobile push notifications to drive sales from customers who downloaded their mobile apps. Here is how it works. Set up your application to follow the clients’ area, with their permission obviously. At that point, you can send an ideal pop-up push notification dependent on their area in the event that it falls inside your geofencing range.

Pay Attention to the Personalized Content in the Notification

Personalizing the content of mobile push notifications can significantly enhance user engagement and satisfaction. People generally appreciate receiving content that aligns with their interests and preferences, and this is particularly true for push notifications. To achieve this level of personalization, start by using the recipient’s name in the notifications. However, don’t limit your efforts there.

You likely have access to a wealth of data about your customers, such as their past purchases, preferences, items they’ve returned, and their most-used features within your app. Leveraging this information allows you to craft notifications that are highly relevant and specific to each user. Such targeted communication increases the likelihood of user engagement and reinforces the value of your app to them.

While this may sound like a daunting task, much of this personalization process can be automated. For instance, you can enable users to select the types of notifications they wish to receive, which not only simplifies the process for you but also gives users a sense of control over the content they receive. By harnessing user data effectively and offering personalized notifications, you can create a more engaging and user-friendly experience.

It’s Optimized for the Device

Optimizing mobile push notifications for different devices is crucial due to the varied ways in which mobile operating systems handle them. It’s important to understand the specifics of each system – such as the appearance of notifications, duration of display, image inclusion capabilities, and differences in user engagement across platforms.

By familiarizing yourself with these nuances, you can tailor the push notification experience to suit the characteristics of each device your customers use. This tailored approach ensures that your notifications are effective and appealing, regardless of the device, thereby enhancing the overall impact and engagement of your mobile push notifications.

Provide Context for Your Users

Providing context in your mobile push notifications is essential for a positive user experience. Notifications that merely open the app without directing users to the specific content mentioned in the alert can lead to frustration and disengagement. Each notification should guide users directly to the relevant section or feature being referenced.

For instance, in a chat app, a notification should take users straight to the specific message or conversation, not just to the app’s home screen. This level of contextual accuracy not only enhances user convenience but also encourages continued engagement with the app. Failing to provide this context may result in users disabling notifications or, worse, abandoning the app altogether.

Top 3 Best Mobile Push Notifications Providers

Choosing the right push notification provider is going to make your engagement strategy much easier, as it will be easy to set up and send notifications to your engaged users.

A portion of these push notification services are more notable than others, yet all have solid usefulness. We have included information on their pricing options, as some cater more to smaller businesses, while others target high-growth or enterprise companies. Either way, it is going to be worth taking a look at the options before deciding on the service you will choose. Here are the three mobile push notifications best practices we are going to be looking at:

OneSignal

OneSignal is one of the leading mobile push notification services. It is used by companies like Uber, Adobe, Conde Nast, and Skyscanner, to name a few, so if you go with OneSignal you will be in good company. It is also free to use.

Like Google or Facebook, the data your notifications provide to OneSignal is the reason it is free to use, however, they will not be sending ads to your users.

You can send mobile push notifications, web push notifications, in-app notifications, as well as email notifications. When you build mobile apps for News publishers, online businesses, and eCommerce brands, OneSignal all have a deep push notifications eCommerce system – so our users have complete flexibility to send push notifications according to their needs. 

Google Firebase

Like some other Google business tools, it is not difficult to utilize and does as guaranteed, yet as it is not particularly intended for Push Notifications (dissimilar to a portion of the other push notification services referenced here), you can anticipate a few trade-offs. All things considered, what you probably will not get in additional highlights and usefulness, Google compensates for with examination coordination. 

Leanplum

Leanplum covers the entire range of crowd correspondences: email showcasing, versatile warnings, application inbox messages, and then some. It is one of the main portable promoting stages, offering a total tool compartment including all you will require for scaling a fruitful push notification technique. What’s more, it comes with A/B testing, mechanization apparatuses, and pop-up message personalization included so you can get considerably more out of your ongoing client warnings.

Final Thought

Based on everything that we have outlined you can see how push notifications can help your app and your business. It is definitely better to use push notifications as opposed to text messages to contact your customers. Just make sure you do not send them too often, or else users will opt out of receiving them.

Send mobile push notifications based on the user’s location to enhance their experience and add value. The right mobile push notifications, such as personalized content, can help you increase engagement, retention, and acquisition. Make sure you keep the user’s device in mind when you are sending these out.

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