2.71 billion online shoppers all over the world – one of the factors contributing to the success of eCommerce app development for enterprises! Apps like Amazon, Walmart, Shein have revolutionized shopping and have propelled the eCommerce business into the future by using cutting-edge technology like AI, voice commands, AI chatbots inside the app. Before you dive headfirst into development, it’s crucial to know the ecommerce app development cost! 

By 2026, the eCommerce market is predicted to grow to be worth 8.1 trillion dollars. This shows that the demand for ecommerce apps will rise in the coming years.

So, if you have a retail shopping store and want to build online presence by crafting an ecommerce app, then you should know about the cost to build an ecommerce app first. Read this blog till the end to know about everything related to ecommerce app development cost, features and so on. 

let’s begin.

 

Quick Summary:  Are you looking for the ecommerce app development cost for your retail business? If yes, then you must read this blog. By reading this, you will get a proper insight on cost, factors, features, cost breakdown and so on to create an amazing ecommerce app.  

What is An eCommerce App?

An eCommerce app is an online shopping platform that lets users explore goods, make wish lists, add things to cart, and finish purchases with just a few taps. Businesses aim to provide services and sell commodities to other businesses or customers. The finest examples are Amazon and CIDER, where businesses and individuals can list and buy things in bulk. 

However, these apps often provide a browsing and filtering interface where users may search for products, prices, brands and so on. So, if you have an ecommerce app idea and want to build an app, then it is vital to determine the online shopping app development cost first.

 

Growing Future of Ecommerce Industry!

• By 2023, it is anticipated that global retail e-commerce sales would amount to $5.8 trillion. Over the next few years, this amount is predicted to rise by 39%, reaching 8 trillion dollars by 2027.
• By 2023, online marketplaces will account for the majority of all online sales worldwide. Based on traffic figures, Amazon is the world’s most popular online shop.
• Both of these platforms are operated by Alibaba Group, which is Asia’s leading online commerce provider.
• The eCommerce industry is projected to bring in $3,226 billion by 2024.
• Revenue growth is expected to accelerate to an estimated 79% yearly rate (CAGR 2024–2029), bringing the market’s projected volume to $5,145.00 billion by 2029.

 

 

• It is anticipated that there will be 3.2 billion consumers in the eCommerce market by 2029.
• By 2024, the percentage of users will be 36.6%, and by 2029, it is anticipated to reach 44.4%. 
• One might anticipate an average revenue per user of $1,408.00. 

Top 5 E-commerce Applications

To create e-commerce mobile app with attractive features or functions that can make a reputed position in this competitive market. That’s why you need to understand the existing e-commerce app functionalities and workings for your successful app development. So, here we provide the best e-commerce mobile applications that you must study to understand the market landscape:

1. Amazon
2. Noon
3. Shopee
4. Mercado Libre
5. Nasty Gal

 

 

1. Amazon

Amazon is the world’s largest online retailer, where users can purchase goods, grocery items, electronics, clothing, watches, books, and more. It was founded by Jeff Bezos in 1994. An app like Amazon provides many other services, such as cloud computing, digital streaming, online advertising, artificial intelligence, and more. Amazon’s headquartered in Seattle, Washington.

 

2. Noon

Noon is one of the largest online marketplaces. It allows users to purchase electronic items, men’s fashion, mobile phones, and more. It is a UAE multinational company that provides many services, such as beauty products, kid’s toys, and homeware products. An app like Noon provides B2B business services to allow market members to purchase goods in bulk quantities.

 

3. Shopee

It is one of the largest platforms for providing handmade or vintage crafts such as bags, jewelry, home decor, clothing, furniture, toys, and art. An app like Shopee is a Singaporean multinational technology company where users can buy, sell, and collect vintage or handmade items globally. This platform was founded in 2015 in Singapore.

 

4. Mercado Libre

Mercado Libre is one of the most popular online marketplaces. Users can purchase or sell products and have them delivered to their doorsteps. An app like Mercado Libret offers a wide range of products, such as goods, groceries, articles of clothing, electronics, books, and more. This platform was founded in 1999 by Marcus Galperin and Stelleo Passos Tolda.

 

5. Nasty Gal

Nasty Gal is the most famous fashion styling platform for young women. Users have a wide range of options for buying vintage or limited-edition clothing items. An app like Nasty Gal allows sellers to list their items, and buyers can bid to purchase them at cost-effective rates. Sophia Amoruso founded this platform in 2006.

 

Why do Entrepreneurs Invest in E-commerce App Development?

In this modern era, people order clothing, grocery items, and electronic products through online marketplace because of their flexibility and convenience. So, investing in e-commerce mobile app development is a golden opportunity for entrepreneurs to grow their businesses in a profitable way. So, here is the list of the benefits:

1. Enhanced User Engagement
2. Revenue Streams
3. User Insights
4. Global Reaching
5. Competitive Advantage

 

 

1. Enhanced User Engagement

In this first benefit, unique ecommerce app features can increase the users engagement and motivate them to purchase as much as they can. It includes many advanced features such as make a wishlist, saved later, cart option, search and filter option, and multiple secure payment options. So, these can enhance the user engagement and increase the app’s visibility.

 

2. Revenue Streams

Let’s come to the second benefit: a fully functional e-commerce app can generate new revenue streams for businesses to make acceptable profits from it. The revenue streams can be parted in different formats, such as subscription plans, freemium models, advertising, in-app purchases, and transaction fees. So, these monetization techniques can generate new revenue streams.

 

3. User Insights

In this third benefit, an e-commerce mobile app can observe or analyze the customer’s demographics, behaviors, habits, favorite products or items, purchasing patterns, and preferences. The useful data collected can identify new sectors for improvement and improve the quality of the product or service. So, these useful data insights can increase the user base.

 

4. Global Reaching

Let’s move to the fourth benefit: An e-commerce app can allow users to sell or buy their products across the world. It can provide extensive benefits for businesses to expand their e-commerce app businesses globally and make a higher return profit. Advanced features can attract more users and increase global reach.

 

5. Competitive Advantage

This last benefit allows a mobile app for e-commerce with additional or premium features to gain a competitive advantage over similar apps. It includes many advanced features such as easily searching products, secure payment options, a wishlist, a cart, discounts on credit cards, and more. So they can gain a competitive advantage in the relevant e-commerce industry.

 

7 Key Steps to Build an E-commerce App

To build an e-commerce app with high-quality specifications and functions, consider the robust steps for successful e-commerce app development. To handle big operations, you must install robust resources so as not to face issues during running time. So, here we provide the e-commerce app development process:

1. Identify and Market Research
2. Identify Basic Features
3. Select Tech Stacks
4. Design an UI/UX
5. Development of App
6. QA and Testing
7. Publishing and Marketing

 

1. Identify and Market Research

Let’s start the first development stage with market research and observe the existing e-commerce app features and functions for implementation in your app. Research in this competitive market about what types of apps are in trending and provide good profit. Identify your project requirements or needs to avoid data redundancy and prepare a plan for the competitors.

 

2. Identify Basic Features

This second stage of development includes many advanced premium features such as a wishlist, cart, secure payment gateways, search or filter options, and more. Identify your project’s core or essential features that must be installed in your e-commerce app to prove its higher success rates or global reach. Also, identify the ideal or secondary users of your app.

 

3. Select Tech Stacks

Let’s move to the third stage of development: hiring dedicated developers from a retail mobile app development company to choose the best tech stacks for successful e-commerce development. This stage involves many premium tech stacks, such as programming languages, deployment platforms, storage, databases, cloud services, front-end and back-end tools, and more.

 

4. Design an UI/UX

In this fourth stage of development, design a user-friendly interface that allows users to easily or simply navigate all the app’s features and functions with just one tap. Designing an e-commerce app mainly focuses on inbuilt plugins, premium themes or layouts, menu bars, dashboards, admin panel designs, and more.

 

5. Development of App

Let’s come to the fifth stage of development. For a successful e-commerce app development, you need to assemble a highly skilled development team to implement the features and functions efficiently. Hire an app developer according to your project requirements and needs that can fulfill your e-commerce app requirement.

 

6. QA and Testing

In this sixth stage of development, observe the quality of your e-commerce app after the implementation phase. Sometimes, the actual quality decreases due to errors. In this, test your e-commerce app in different situations, ensure all functions or services are working smoothly, and fix bugs or errors automatically generated during development phase.

 

7. Publishing and Marketing

Let’s enter the last stage of development. We need to observe whether all integrated modes and functions have been successfully implemented. After observing, launch your e-commerce app on selected platforms such as Android or iOS. Then, it’s time for marketing, which includes social media platforms, email marketing, affiliate marketing, content marketing, and more.

 

MVP Features of Ecommerce App Development

You must be wondering what makes an app successful. Well obviously its features! They play a major role in attracting users and engagement. However, it is essential to know that incorporating the features can increase the ecommerce app development cost.

As per the eCommerce development company, below are the MVP features that you should take into account while building an ecommerce app.

 

• User Registration 
• Search and Filter
• Add To Cart 
• In-app Payment
• Push Notifications
• Loyalty Programs
• AI Chatbots 
• Product Recommendation
• Voice search
• Image Search
• Outfit Try Out 
• Reviews and ratings

Let’s have a look at the features in detail:

 

1. User Registration

When you build an ecommerce app, you should enable convenient user registration features. It helps users to make accounts by filling in all the necessary details. The cost of integrating user registration depends on the complexity of security measures and integration with other systems.

 

2. Search and Filter

Users may find products more quickly with the use of search and filter functions. It helps in boosting the overall user experience. However, the clothing design software development cost may go up if effective search features and adaptable filter choices are used.

 

3. Add To Cart

A basic feature of any eCommerce app is the ability to “add items to the cart.” The cost of development may change if features like guest checkout and real-time cart updates are included.

 

4. In-app Payment

It is crucial to integrate payment gateways features that enable app-based transactions. The number of payment methods and adherence to payment industry standards may have an impact on ecommerce app development costs.

 

5. Push Notifications

Users get alerts on new arrivals, discounts, and order changes with the help of push notification feature. However, the cost to make an eCommerce website may be affected by adding push notification features and making sure they work with various devices.

 

6. Loyalty Programs

Loyalty programs provide incentives and prizes to promote client retention. Creating a loyalty program will cost more since it requires monitoring user behavior, connecting with payment systems, and putting in place incentive systems.

 

7. AI Chatbots

AI chatbots provide personalized assistance and support to users, enhancing the shopping experience. You can take help from an Android app development company to integrate AI chatbots which involves NLP algorithms and training chatbot models. Implementing AI chatbot features in an ecommerce app can be resource-intensive and increase development costs.

 

8. Product Recommendations

Personalized product suggestions based on how users behave and what they like can help boost sales. Project complexity and expense may increase with the usage of recommendation algorithms and user data analysis to provide relevant recommendations.

 

9. Voice Search

Voice search functionality allows users to search for products using voice commands. However, you must hire dedicated developers who can integrate voice recognition technology in your app. It optimizes search algorithms for voice input and can increase ecommerce app development costs.

 

10. Image Search

An Image search feature enables users to search for products by uploading images. This capability has raised the bar for simplicity and convenience to a whole new level. An ecommerce app like Nasty Gal has such features which makes them unique and distinguishes their product for eCommerce from others.

 

11. Outfit Try Out

Virtual outfit try-on features use AR/VR technology to allow users to try products virtually before buying it. So, you can integrate this feature in your ecommerce app with the help of a mobile app development company to optimize user experience. However, it may raise the ecommerce app development costs significantly.

 

12. Reviews and Ratings

Reviews and ratings help build trust and credibility among users. Users can also give ratings according to their product satisfaction and quality. However, implementing review features and moderation tools can affect the ecommerce app development costs.

 

How Much Does Ecommerce App Development Cost?

Do you want to know the ecommerce app development cost? Well, it typically depends on how complex your project is. Also, some factors play a major role in the fluctuation of development cost. On average, the cost to build a mobile app can be between $8000-$25000 or more. 

However, the level of complexity in ecommerce app development, platform type and size of development team are the major determinants of cost to make an ecommerce app. Additionally, if you want to know the actual ecommerce app development cost in UK, then you should rigorously perform the analysis of every factor and aspect.    

For better results, let’s look at the table that determines the cost on the level of complexity.

 

App Complexity	Cost Estimation	Time Duration
Simple ecommerce app	$8000-$14000	2-4 months
Moderate ecommerce app	$15000-$20000	4-7 months
Sophisticated ecommerce app	$21000-$25000	9+ months

 

Besides, you can build an ecommerce app with AI-powered technology with enhanced AI features that can help to stand out. However, it can increase the cost to develop an ecommerce app up to $30000 due to voice search, AI chatbot etc features.

So, it is recommended to take consultation from a reputable AI app development company like Dev Technosys. They would give you a detailed description of ecommerce app development cost within your set budget.

 

 

Factors Affecting the Ecommerce App Development Cost

Now you have got a basic idea of the cost to create an ecommerce app, it is time to discuss the key factors. They play a major role in the cost fluctuation. So, as per an online marketplace development company, below are the crucial factors that you must take a look: 

• App Complexity 
• Platform Choice  
• Development Team Size 
• App Design
• Features & Functionalities 
• Testing & Maintenance

Let’s check out the factors in detail: 

 

1. App Complexity

The intricacy and size of your project affect the cost to make an eCommerce app. For example, if you want to build an app like Mercado Libre with highly complex features for the iOS platform, then you need to invest a hefty amount. However, if your budget is less and you want minimal features then you should go for a basic ecommerce app.

 

2. Platform Choice

The type of platform may also influence the multi vendor ecommerce app development cost in USA. The most popular platforms for E-commerce app development are iOS and Android, and the cost of developing an ecommerce app for each of these platforms may rise. However, if your budget is minimal, you can leverage cross-platform development technology like Flutter or React Native to reduce the development cost.

 

3. Development Team Size

The size of your shopping app development company may also affect the cost. An ecommerce project requiring a larger team will typically be able to complete the work faster. However, it will also be more expensive due to the additional salaries and overhead costs.

 

4. App Design

UI/UX design plays an essential role in any development project. The design you decide to use or adapt for your ecommerce app like Amazon will affect the costs to develop ecommerce apps. It is important to consider a customer-pleasing design that is easy to utilize. Also, choose the layout and navigation which is intuitive and user-centric.

 

5. Features & Functionalities

When developing an ecommerce app for your retail shopping store, it is vital to choose the features keeping in mind the user base. Integrating features like personalized recommendation, AI chatbots, voice search, virtual try on can majorly affect your ecommerce mobile app development cost. So, it is advisable to incorporate features keeping your budget in mind.

 

6. Testing & Maintenance

The app maintenance is a long-term process. The complexity of the app, the quantity of updates necessary, and the degree of assistance required may all affect the maintenance cost of mobile apps. When developing an ecommerce app, it’s important to take maintenance costs into account to ensure the app stays updated and effective.

 

Tech Stacks to Build an E-commerce App

To build a shopping app for your e-commerce business, you must observe the high-quality tech stacks for successful app development. So, here we provide the table of premium tech stacks:

 

Category	Tech Stack	Descriptions
Frontend	Javascript, Bootstrap, CSS, HTML	These powerful platforms build robust user interfaces.
Backend	Python, Java, PHP	Powerful backend frameworks build robust applications.
Database	MYSQL, MongoDB, SQL	Securely stored massive data and organized structured data.
APIs	REST, GraphQL	Sharing data between applications, systems, and devices.
Authentication	OAuth, JWT	Verifies the user’s identity and access token from a trusted server.
Cloud Services	Microsoft Azure, AWS	Allowing apps to access resources in the cloud.

Detailed Breakdown of Cost To Create An Ecommerce App

If you want to know how each variable contributes to the overall cost estimation, below is the thorough breakdown of the cost to build eCommerce apps. So, let’s have a look at the factors but first check out the table: 

 

Cost Category	iOS App Cost Breakdown	Android App Cost Breakdown
UI/UX Design Cost	$1,500 – $9000+	$1,000 – $6,000+
Ecommerce App Development Cost	$10000 – $23000+	$8000 – $20000+
Payment Gateway Integration	$1700 – $7000+	$1000 – $4000+
App Maintenance Cost	$1500 – $5,000+ per year	$1000 – $4,000+ per year
Marketing Cost	Changes By Marketing Strategy	Changes By Marketing Strategy

 

 

Let’s now discuss the factors in detail:  

1. Ecommerce App Design Cost

The wireframe and overall UI/UX design cost from the mobile app design services provider are included in the design cost. The development team’s experience and the intricacy of the design can majorly affect the overall cost to build an ecommerce app.

 

2. Ecommerce App Maintenance Cost

The maintenance cost of an ecommerce app includes regular app upgrade, error fixes and feature enhancement. Basically, it relies on how intricate your ecommerce app is and how frequently it is being updated.

 

3. Ecommerce Application Development Cost

The ecommerce app development cost majorly relies on platform, type, tech stack, app complexity, integration of growing technologies like AI, blockchain, ML and so on. Additionally, the total cost to make an ecommerce app rises if cloud platforms are utilized to host and operate the e-commerce app.

 

4. Payment Gateway and API Integration Cost

One such aspect that can increase your ecommerce app development cost is payment gateway and API integration. The cost of integrating a third-party API varies depending on what the API owners charge. Whether the ecommerce app development company creates new APIs or uses old ones.

 

5. Marketing and Promotion Cost

The costs associated with advertising your e-commerce app via different channels. For example, social media, search engines, and mobile app stores are included in the marketing and promotion costs. The cost fluctuates according to your niche’s degree of competition and marketing plan.

 

How Does An Ecommerce App Make Money?

As of now, you are well-versed with the cost and its breakdown. You must be thinking how to make money from an ecommerce app. Well, there are several monetization strategies you can leverage, but we have listed the most popular one. So, let’s check them out one-by-one:   

• Freemium Model
• In-app Purchase 
• Paid Subscription Models
• In-App Ads and Sponsorships
• White Labeling

 

 

Let’s discuss the above points in detail: 

1. Freemium Model

One of the popular monetization methods is the freemium model. Under the freemium monetization strategy, businesses provide customers with basic or restricted features at no cost, but charge a premium for more or advanced features. So, if you are planning to create a marketplace app like ETSY, then you can utilize the freemium model to make money.

 

2. In-app Purchase

One of the most often used monetization ways for ecommerce apps is through in-app purchase. For example, Amazon provides a very famous in-app purchase method which is Amazon Prime. From these services, they make a lot of money. So, if you are planning to create a mobile app for ecommerce, in-app purchase is the best monetization method you can leverage.

 

3. Paid Subscription Models

You can make money from the subscription model. It is vital to offer membership levels with unique discounts, early access to sales, and premium features from your ecommerce app like eBay. Your income stream becomes more stable with this recurring revenue arrangement.

 

4. In-App Ads and Sponsorships

Work together with brands or outside sponsors to provide customized advertisements within your ecommerce app. This strategy makes advantage of user data from your app to provide relevant content and bring in extra cash.

 

5. White Labeling

The next method you can use to monetize an ecommerce app is white labeling. The mobile app developers who work with small businesses in traditional business areas use the White Label approach all the time.

If your ecommerce app has special features, you can think of licensing or white-label your technology to other businesses. Ecommerce apps with specific features may find this to be a profitable option.

 

How Much Does It Cost To Maintain An Ecommerce App?

The maintenance cost of an ecommerce app like Chewy may vary depending on various factors. It can be around 15-20% of the total ecommerce app development cost. For example, if your ecommerce app cost is $10000, then you are expected to pay $1000–$3000 annually for maintenance. 

It totally relies on the complexity and scale of the app and the level of support and features required. Let’s have a look at the factors affecting the maintenance cost: 

• Hosting & security
• Features enhancement
• Bug fixes
• Platform type
• Operating system
• Size & complexity of app

 

So, if your ecommerce app is outdated and wants to renew it with new features and bug fixes, then you must consult with a mobile app maintenance services provider like Dev Technosys.  

 

Get Your Personalized Cost To Build An Ecommerce App!

Now that you are aware of the ecommerce app development cost and process, it is time to implement your idea into reality. To create a top-notch ecommerce app, you will need to  plan efficiently and to hire a reputable company like Dev Technosys.  

We are a reputed on demand app development services provider who specializes in crafting a top-notch ecommerce app. Our dedicated developers have expertise in latest technologies like AI, ML, Blockchain and can craft a robust ecommerce app within your set timeline. 

From ecommerce apps like Amazon, Flipkart, Walmart to Shein, our skilled developers are eminent in catering any type of ecommerce app. Using the latest technology allows us to expedite development and provide continuous assistance.

This establishes us as a trustworthy partner for turning ecommerce concepts into profitable apps. So, what are you waiting for? Avail our Android or iPhone app development services at a reasonable cost and we will build your ecommerce app within your budget.

 

Frequently Asked Questions

 

Q1. How Long Does It Take To Develop An Ecommerce App?  

The complexity, features, and team productivity all affect the time to build an ecommerce app. A more complicated ecommerce app may take up to 8 months, but a basic one might take 2-4 months. 

 

Q2. How Much Does It Cost to Make an E-Commerce Website In USA? 

The cost of fashion eCommerce website development can be generally around $10000–$25000. However, it is vital to know that this is just a rough estimate. To know the actual cost, you should consult with experts.

 

Q3. How To Reduce the Cost To Build An Ecommerce App?  

To reduce the cost to build an ecommerce app, you should prioritize key features, utilize affordable development platforms. You can also consider app development with minimal functionality first to lower the cost of developing an e-commerce app. You can also outsource the app development company.

 

Q4. How Do I Make An Ecommerce App?   

To create an ecommerce app app like 6thStreet, you must follow the below steps: 

• Do market analysis
• Create a feature list
• Choose the right tech stack
• Create user interface
• Develop the backend 
• Testing & deployment   

 

Q5. What Are the Top E-commerce Apps?

There are several ecommerce apps in the market, but we have listed the top ecommerce apps for your reference:

• Amazon
• eBay
• Shein
• Walmart 
• Etsy

 

Q6. Is It Better to Invest In A Custom-built App Development?   

With its unique features, elegant style, and advanced functions, a custom-built app will set your business or brand apart from the competition and elevate the user experience.