What is a communication app?
A communication application is a web, mobile, or desktop application that allows users to communicate with others. Communication apps include features such as instant messaging, video conferencing, and chat rooms.
Communication apps are similar to most other social networking apps like professional networking apps, meetup apps, and event planning apps. Some of the most popular communication apps today are WhatsApp, Messenger, Skype, and Telegram.
Examples of communication apps built with Crowdbotics:
- A user-friendly living will with a calendar integration that allows users to share messages, videos, pictures, information, and documents.
- An on-demand boat rental app for a local, water-based community.
- A HIPAA compliant mobile Covid-19 testing app that allows users to book appointments and enables staff to submit patient test results and automatically generate email and text notifications that take patients to a patient portal to view, download, and email their PDF test results. This app also generates Excel/CSV template reports for mandatory Department of Health reporting with patient test results that can be filtered and sorted by individual data fields.
What is the typical cost to build a communication app?
A communication app usually costs about $37,500 to build. However, the total cost can be as low as $25,000 or as high as $50,000. A communication app with a low number of features (also known as a minimum viable product, or MVP) will be more affordable than an app that includes all intended functionality.
For example, here are some previous communication app price quotes from Crowdbotics:
How long does it take to build a communication app?
A communication app usually takes 251 hours to build. However, a communication app can be built in as few as 100 hours, or in as many as 500 hours. The exact timeline mostly depends on how complicated your specific app is. As a general rule, it will take longer if you require highly custom designs, niche features, complex logic, or non-standard release platforms.
For example, some previous communication apps build with Crowdbotics received the following hourly estimates:
Not seeing what you’re looking for?
Crowdbotics has quoted and built hundreds of applications for teams of all sizes. Browse our historical estimates by industry and app type to understand possible costs and considerations.
How to successfully grow your communication application
A communication app’s growth strategy depends on the type of app it is, but most apps can grow by advertising to new customers. In order to attract new users, a communication app should promote its features that set it apart from other apps, show users how their lives will improve once they’ve downloaded the app, and create a sense of urgency about downloading the app.
Risks and challenges of building a communication application
Communication apps are subject to messaging regulations of the US Department of Commerce, International Trade Commission, and Federal Communications Commission. These communications regulators have provided guidance on what types of communications are permissible on app platforms. You should consult with legal counsel to determine whether your app needs licenses or other regulatory approvals before you launch.
