What are some of the biggest app development challenges that companies are facing nowadays? Continue reading to learn more!
When it comes to app development, there are many considerations and challenges that businesses need to take into account before they see their app launched on the market. Selecting the most adequate type of app, finding the right developers that respond to the company’s needs and vision, as well as ensuring that there are sufficient funds for every step of the process are just some of the things that businesses need to clarify before even initiating development.
For this reason, today we will see some of the biggest app development challenges that businesses of all sizes are facing – and most importantly, how to overcome them.
Challenge #1: Coming up with a great idea
First on our list of app development challenges is coming up with a great idea with potential for success on the fierce app market. In this case, we may have 2 different situations:
- An individual or a company that wants to create an app that solves an existing problem, and they haven’t launched it on the market under any other form yet.
- A company (or an individual) that already has a business model and an existing idea. They most probably have an app already, but want to convert this idea into an app format as well.
The reason why we are detailing these distinct situations is because they represent different challenges, and require different solutions as well.
Solution
If you are a company that already has an existing business model and a website, the chances are that you don’t have to come with a completely new idea from scratch. However, you will need to find the best way to convert it into an app, and make sure that it is something that people actually need. For example, let’s say that you have a Marketing agency and you want an app for it. In this case, you might have to decide:
- Do people need an actual native app for my Marketing agency? Depending on your idea and the complexity of the app, a progressive web app might be a great and less costly alternative.
- What kind of app do they need? It can revolve around Marketing insights and blog content, or provide high-tech features that help customers develop their Marketing strategy.
- Do you want to attract new customers with your app, or cater and provide additional value to existing ones? Maybe both?
To answer these questions properly, and in a way that helps your business make the right decisions, the key is to do a lot of research. And your best bet is usually to start with your own customers – by conducting surveys and collecting feedback through email and social media, you will be able to understand their needs and what your business can really do for them to add value.
App development challenges #1: understanding your customers’ needs
On another hand, if you are a company or an individual that doesn’t have a website or a fully developed business idea yet, it might be a little bit more complicated. If you are starting your business with the app directly, you might have to look into some of the following questions:
- Does my app idea solve an existing problem on the market?
- If it does, do people need an app for it?
- Are there other app providers that offer similar solutions?
- What functions do you want to satisfy?
- Are there similar solutions to this problem that are not an app?
The answers to all of these questions will help you understand if you have a great app idea that may drive success for your business. And the way to truly answer them is research as well – however, a different kind of research. This time, instead of starting with your own customers, you will focus on market and competition research. You can do this with field research, desk research, focus groups and other methods – you can check this article by Brandwatch to discover some of the best research methods.
Challenge #2: Selecting the right type of app
Next on our list of big app development challenges is selecting the right type of app. If native apps were dominating the app market just a few years ago, companies nowadays have more options as technology is evolving and customers’ needs are changing.
Today, business can go with three different types of apps development:
- Native apps – these are the most common apps, and the ones that we can typically find in app stores such as the Google Play Store. They are usually developed for a particular app store and operating system in mind (that’s why they are also called native), and the code used for Android won’t work on Apple, for example. Since each operating system requires separate development, native apps can be quite expensive to build.
- Hybrid apps – hybrid apps are a combination of native mobile apps and web apps, which means that they are designed to incorporate elements from both types of apps. Just like native apps, they can still be distributed through app stores, but a single line of code makes it possible for them to be available on operating systems without the need to invest in separate development for each app store.
- Web apps – web apps, as well as their sub-type progressive web apps, are applications that look and feel like native apps. However, they don’t necessarily have to be downloaded from an app store, and the best part is that they can be accessed directly via a single URL or a QR code. Additionally, they have the ability to work offline, and are much faster and lighter than native mobile apps. A lot of times, their development can be significantly cheaper too.
Considering that all types of apps have their pros and cons, there is no surprise why selecting the right type of app for your business is one of the biggest app development challenges that companies usually face. Different companies have different needs and goals, which means that native apps can be the ideal solution for one company and not the best idea for another one.
Solution
This one of our app development challenges requires a good understanding of your company’s needs and what it wants to achieve by building an app. In order to choose the best one, here are some of the key factors that you will have to consider:
- What is the budget for your app? If you want to build a complex app with advanced features, you might have to invest in a native app, which could easily be thousands of dollars. However, if you are looking for an app with features that are more widely available, a progressive web app can be perfect for you. With Beezer, you can build PWAs from as little as 16 dollars per month without any coding.
- When do you want to launch your app? The time to market is very important when it comes to facing one of the biggest app development challenges – selecting the type of app. For example, native apps usually require a long development process which can take months of developing and testing, without even counting the approval process for each app store. On another hand, with app builders like Beezer, you can have your app up and running in a single day!
- What is your target audience? Having a good understanding of your target audience is crucial when it comes to selecting the right type of app for your business. Depending on your audience’s preferences, goals, context and pain points, some app types will be able to satisfy their needs better than others. For example, if your app needs frequent updates, native apps might not be the best solution – but a web app, or a hybrid app, will have your updates reflected a lot sooner.
- What level of discoverability do you want your app to have? Consider the fact that native mobile apps can mainly be promoted and gain visibility on app stores, and only if you’ve done your ASO strategy and keyword research correctly. A good ASO strategy usually includes optimizing your metadata, descriptions, app name, images, screenshots and reviews. With progressive web apps, on another hand, you can achieve a much higher level of discoverability – they can be shared and promoted with just a single URL. Additionally, they can be indexed by search engines, which means that you can increase the organic traffic to your app through SEO.
- What features do you want your app to have? Another role in the decision making process are the essential features that you want to incorporate within your app. Some features may require the ability to use the device’s native APIs (such as the native phone features), and in these cases, a native mobile app can be the right choice. So, knowing what functionalities you’ll need at this stage will be key for solving this one of our app development challenges.
Once you’ve managed to get a good idea of what functionalities and features you want your app to have, what is the budget that you’re working with, and what outcome do you expect from your app, you will be ready to select the best type for your business.
App development challenges #2: choosing the app type that fits your needs the best
Challenge #3: Not having enough funds
Probably one of the biggest app development challenges that most companies face nowadays is not having enough funds to complete their app development project. And yes, it’s true that adding advanced and complex features to your app, as well as developing a native version for every single operating system may increase prices to up to 120,000 dollars (or more!).
For example, according to Business of Apps, a price tag for a simple app with a basic user interface and a pack of essential must-have features can range from $40,000 to $60,000. Applications with medium complexity, on another hand, may range anywhere from $61,000 and $120,000, and really complex apps would require an investment of at least $120,000 or more.
Considering these prices, it is no surprise that this is one of the biggest app development challenges that companies are facing nowadays. Most companies, especially small and middle-sized ones, just can’t afford to invest in an app development project of such budget and complexity, and they directly discard the idea just because of that.
App development challenges #3: insufficient funds for your project
Solution
In reality, developing an app can be much more affordable than one could ever think of. Nowadays, companies have the option to build an app with a no-code, drag and drop platform such as Beezer. These no-coding app builders allow users to create their own application by selecting and adding pre-coded blocks of features that are easily personalizable and adjustable to the desired configurations.
With these platforms, app development has become not only easy and seamless, but also significantly more affordable – you can build a whole app and maintain it without any issue from just a few dollars a month! On top of that, updates on progressive web app builders like Beezer happen instantly, and you won’t have to go through the lengthy approval process of app stores.
These platforms have become an incredible solution to companies that don’t have insufficient funds to initiate and complete an app development project. Of course, if you want to develop a really complex and custom app, you will probably need to invest the thousands of dollars that we discussed above. However, if you want to add the essential must-have features and establish your mobile presence today and without any delay, this could be the perfect option for you.
Not convinced yet? Check out Beezer’s progressive web app builder and try our platform 30 days for free! Our builder is packed with powerful features that you can easily add to your app without any coding. Join the app revolution today!
Thank you for reading our article on the biggest app development challenges, and we hope to see you in the next one!
