Tarun Nagar 
If you were looking for messaging app development costs, the outcomes might vary from a few thousand to tens of thousands dollars. “Wow, that’s 100 times the difference! Are you kidding me?” That’s how you’ll first react.
You might feel like it’s too common and confusing. But the reality is that there are a lot of factors when it comes to the cost to make a real-time messaging app. App scope, feature set, messaging app complexity – all factors that influence the cost of developing a messaging app.
“Good communication is as stimulating as black coffee, and just as hard to sleep after.” – Anne Morrow.
So, you should stop hunting for the exact estimation and instead examine the factors that will get you as close as feasible. These are the costs and factors that I came up with after consulting with one of our project managers, and I’d be sharing in this post. Along with that, I will share some tips to reduce the messaging app development cost.
So, let’s begin.
Table of Contents
What Is A Messaging App?
A messaging app is like a walkie-talkie for your phone, but instead of voices, users can send text, pictures, and even videos. Users can chat with one person or have a group conversation, like a walkie-talkie party line. There are many messaging apps out there, like WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, and Signal.
However, messaging app development solutions can help businesses develop a mobile messaging app. You should determine the cost to develop a messaging app before investing in messaging app development cost.
“As a product manager, I understand the struggle of building a messaging app that users truly connect with. It’s not a linear path. My team and I experimented with different app concepts before landing on a design that resonated. This trial and error led us to valuable insights on how to develop messaging apps efficiently. I’d like to share tips on how businesses can keep costs under control while building an engaging messaging app.” – Mohit Nag (Product Manager)
Messaging Apps Statistics – What You Must Know?
If you are wondering whether to invest in messaging app development solutions, it is vital to know the market size and trends. So, let’s check out the below statistics of messaging apps:
- As of January 2023, 2 billion users were accessing the messenger app like WhatsApp on a monthly basis.
- WeChat amassed over 1.3 billion users, and Facebook Messenger amassed around 980 million users worldwide.
- In 2021, an estimate of 3.09 billion mobile phone users accessed over-the-top messaging apps to communicate. This figure is projected to grow to 3.51 billion users in 2025.
- The global instant messaging app development market size was valued at $245.4 Million in 2022 and will reach $416.0 Million in 2028, with a CAGR of 9.24% during 2022-2028.
Source: Statista
- Just Verizon messaging app claims to handle 800 million calls a day, which is eight times more than calls conducted through WhatsApp.
- Popular messaging apps are projected to reach almost 3 billion unique active users worldwide in June 2024.
How Much Does It Cost To Build A Messaging App?
Now we’ll talk about the question that brought us all together: how much does it cost to build a chat app? The messaging app development cost can range between $10,000 to $25,000. A table outlining the app complexity and their approximate estimation can be seen below.
| App Complexity | Must-have Features | Cost Estimation |
| Simple Messaging App |
|
$10,000-$15,000 |
| Moderate Messaging App |
|
$15,000-$20,000 |
| Complex Messaging App |
|
$25,000+ |
Remember that these are only basic concepts. The exact figures that a social media app development solution has can change a lot based on the users’ needs and the app’s goals. The other things that matter are how complicated the app is, what platform it’s being built for, and how skilled the developers are.
All these contributed to the messenger app development cost. Below is a simple formula that you can use to figure out the cost to develop messaging apps. You can think of it as an iOS or android messaging app development cost calculator.
Total Messaging App Development Cost = Development Time x Developer’s Hourly Rate
Now that you have an idea about the cost to develop instant messaging apps, let’s look at the crucial factors that are explained by a messaging app development company.
Factors Affecting the Messaging App Development Cost
Figuring out the messaging app development cost depends on how well you understand these factors. Let’s look at all of these variables in more detail and see how they affect your cost to develop messaging app budgets as a whole.
1. Platform Type
To begin with, there isn’t a big cost variation if you decide to develop your messaging for the iOS or Android platform. What’s vital about this? The cost to build an app like KakaoTalk or any other will only rise if you need both.
There are different frameworks and development tools that can be used with these platforms. Also, you need a different messaging app development company for every platform, and the c messaging app development cost goes up by half on average.
2. App Complexity
Will you develop an MVP with minimal features? Or do you want an actual app with lots of complicated features, like messages that disappear and messages that are encrypted?
Your response would have a direct affect on the cost to develop a chat app. The more features a social media app development services provider adds, the more sophisticated your app’s backend needs to be, and the higher the cost to develop instant messaging apps you’ll have to spend.
3. UI/UX Design
UI design, or how people navigate the app, has an effect on the total social media app development cost. It will cost more for a custom, high-quality user interface design than for a simple design.
However, it can assist with making the messenger app look better and be easier to use. Again, the costs of making a sample are different from the costs of making a visual design. First the sketch is made, then the prototype, and finally the finishing design.
4. Features Integration
Features integration plays a major role in affecting the messaging app development cost. Social media app development like Snapchat also share functionality with messaging apps like file sharing and audio and video calls.
An Instagram-like social media app costs more to make than a WhatsApp app, though, because the two apps are aimed at different types of users. By looking at your goals and audience, you can determine which features to incorporate in your development approach.
5. Development Team Location
The cost of your project may vary significantly depending on where you choose to hire your app development team. The messaging app development cost can also be affected by exchange rates, particularly if you’re hiring a messaging app development services team from another nation.
Also, when you hire mobile app development companies from other areas, it’s vital to think about the cost of living, the cost of labor, and the quality of work in each place.
Popular Messaging Apps In the Market!
You must know who your competitor apps are, if you intend to make a messaging app. Also, what do they do differently that you may incorporate in your app? As per the mobile app development company, here are some most popular messaging apps that you should check out before you develop a messaging app.
| Top Messaging Apps | Available Platform | Downloads | Ratings |
| Android | iOS | 5B+ | 4.2 | |
| KakaoTalk | Android | iOS | 100M+ | 4.1 |
| Botim | Android | iOS | 100M+ | 4.4 |
| Telegram | Android | iOS | 1B+ | 4.2 |
| Signal | Android | iOS | 100M+ | 4.5 |
What Is the Maintenance Cost Of Messaging App?
The cost to maintain a messaging app is typically around 15-20% of the initial messaging app development cost. The exact cost depends on a number of factors. Costs will be based on security updates, servers, hosting, bug fixes, and improving overall performance.
Let’s say, if the messaging app development cost is $10,000, the annual maintenance cost of such an app will be around $1,000 to $5,000. Check out the table below for a clearer picture:
| App Maintenance Type | Cost(approx.) |
| Hosting Charges | $35 to $120 Per Month |
| Bug Fixing and Updates | $1000 to $2000 |
| Functional Services | $2000 Per Year |
| API Integration | $3000 Per Year |
| IT Support | $1000-$5000 per hour |
Now you have an outline of messaging maintenance costs. You should now avail mobile app maintenance services and get your app updated by experts.
How To Reduce the Messaging App Development Cost?
You can reduce the cost of messaging app development while still delivering a high-quality app with the below given tips. While cost is a key factor, quality should not be sacrificed to reduce messaging app development cost. Choose an iOS or Android app development company that delivers high-quality results at a reasonable cost, and be sure to budget appropriately for the development of your app.
1. Build an MVP
It is made with fewer functions and for less money than the original product. This is called an MVP. You can have an MVP for entertainment app development and then make it available to everyone.
You can use the MVP to get people to indulge in your app instead of making the whole app from scratch the first time. You will make money and get feedback on the original goods once you do that which can reduce the cost to develop a message app.
Mohit Nag (Project Manager):“I suggest cross-platform development if you want to save time and get your messaging app out on all mobile devices. Here, you use the same app for creating both apps. It saves you time and cuts down on the funds you need”.
2. Maintain UI/UX Simplicity
One way to lower the messaging app development cost is to choose designs that are easy but still look good. A simple UI design of an app like Telegram or Whatsapp is very important, especially for new users, because it makes it easy for them to get used to it.
Most apps and websites choose a simple design because the cost to build a messenger app is very little. Too many features and styles that are too complicated will not only make it hard for people to use, but they will also make messaging app development cost more than they need to.
3. Hire Skilled Testers
A professional team of testers is the best thing to do if you want to save the cost to create a messaging app. Thanks to an agile testing method, the on demand app development company can test things more quickly and for less money. You should put money into this area because it will only make the over app experience better for users.
4. Don’t Hurry the Process
Developers frequently rush clients in an attempt to complete projects earlier than planned, but this may not be the best course of action. You cannot speed up the chatbot development process unless you are working with a group of pros.
This is because there will be extra messaging app development cost if a mistake is made. One smart move would be to take things slowly and carefully handle each stage of the growth.
5. Outsource App Development
One of the main reasons businesses outsource is to save money on the messaging app development cost. In eastern countries like the US or Australia, the average number of hours spent on instant messaging app cost estimates is between $100 and $120. In western countries, the cost to create a mobile app is $15 to $25 per hour. There is a huge difference.
6. Access Mobile-specific Features
Everything has some tools that come with it, like a camera, GPS, call options, and so on. It may appear wise to use them in the app, but there are two problems.
First, not all devices are the same, which means that the app might not work for some people. The second thing is that adding these features to chat app development costs that can be saved if they are not needed.
Let’s Create A Messaging App With Our Expertise!!
You can see that there are a lot of features to take on and dozens of factors to think about. Any design you may imagine for your own messaging app is possible. But to make your dreams a reality, you’ll need to consult with an Android or iOS app development company.
Our dedicated developers are prepared to assist you because they have a great deal of expertise developing instant messaging apps. Therefore, contact a business for a free consultation and tailored project estimate if you are seeking for experts to build your own messaging app.
FAQ About Messaging App Development!
Q1. How To Develop A Messaging App?
The following steps must be taken in order to develop an app like Botim or any other messaging app:
- Examine your target market and market.
- Select a company model that makes sense.
- Hire app developers
- Execute the app’s wireframe.
- Complete the features MVP
- Designing UI/UX
- Take multiple steps to ensure quality
- Launch the app
Q2. How Long Does It Take To Build A Messaging App?
Building a messaging app can take anywhere from 2-8 months. It depends on complexity, features, platform, and the messaging app development services team’s experience. A basic app might take 1-2 months, while a feature-rich app like WhatsApp could take much longer.
Q3. How To Make Money From A Messaging App?
Messaging apps use a variety of revenue streams, such as in-app sales, in-house advertising, and subscriptions. Additionally, popular messaging apps can generate revenue by scouting for sponsors.
Q4. How Much Does it Cost for Chat App development?
The whole cost for chat app development ranges from $10,000 to $25,000. A multitude of elements, including UI/UX design, the location of the app development company, quality assurance, app maintenance, team size, etc., can further affect the cost to develop a message app.
Q5. Why Must Businesses Invest In Messaging App Development?
Instant messaging programs provide a quick and easy way to communicate with clients. Features like customized discounts, real-time help, and easy communication allow businesses to increase engagement, loyalty, and revenue.
