What is a navigation app?

A navigation application is a web, mobile, or desktop application that provides directions to users. Navigation apps usually provide turn-by-turn driving directions with step-by-step instructions and relevant information about the current route (e.g., street names, traffic conditions). Some navigation apps also include options for viewing public transit schedules and routes. Navigation apps share features with mapping apps, transportation reservation apps, and location-based services. To name a few, popular navigation applications include Waze, Google Maps, Apple Maps, and Mapquest. Examples of navigation apps built with Crowdbotics:

• A fun GPS app that uses celebrity/character voices.
• A property information app to target the real estate market and hunting market. The function, layout, and screen flow will be very similar to OnXHunt or Basemaps (both hunting apps).
• An app that pulls the address for the next showing and put it into maps automatically. The user can then easily hit start directions.

What is the typical cost to build a navigation app?

A navigation 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 navigation 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 navigation app price quotes from Crowdbotics:

• $12,500
• $52,500
• $17,500

How long does it take to build a navigation app?

A navigation app usually takes 367 hours to build. However, a navigation app can be built in as few as 133 hours, or in as many as 800 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 navigation apps build with Crowdbotics received the following hourly estimates:

• 167
• 700
• 233

How to successfully grow your navigation application

A navigation app can grow its user base by providing a superior experience compared to its competitor apps. The best way to do this is to provide accurate and real-time traffic information, as well as detailed maps for every location in the app’s coverage area. In order to increase customer loyalty, a navigation app should provide advanced driver assistance features such as lane guidance, speed limit alerts, and automatic rerouting based on traffic conditions. Navigation apps can also encourage sharing among friends by providing free offline map data or special discounts for users who share their drives on social media.

Risks and challenges of building a navigation application

A navigation app offers a unique set of risks related to the collection of location data and the provision of that data to third parties. These risks can be mitigated through careful attention to privacy policies, user notification, and data retention practices. It is recommended that you consult with legal counsel before collecting sensitive user location data or providing access to that data to third parties.