When John Shriber and Roman Zaks founded Roomster in 2003, their goal was to build a business accountable only to their customers, team, and product—without relying on external investors. Today, Roomster stands as a global leader in roommate matching, co-living, and shared housing, operating in 192 countries and continuing to expand.

With over 35% of U.S. households residing in rental properties, the demand for rental solutions has surged, inspiring entrepreneurs to develop an app like Roomster. If you aim to become a key player in the house rental industry, investing in Roomster app development can change the roommate-finding experience.

As the rental market thrives worldwide, now is the perfect time to create a cutting-edge roommate and rental platform. This blog will guide you through the essential steps to build a global application like Roomster. 

So, let’s begin! 

 

What is Roomster App?

Roomster is a mobile app that helps users to find roommates, rental listings, and shared housing. It connects user who want to rent rooms with user who have rooms open. With this application, landlords can find rooms for rent. 

Users can make profiles, narrow their searches by location and preferences, and talk to possible roommates through the property finder app or apartment buddy app. 

Roomster is the best on demand app development solution that works with social networks to give you more information about possible matches. It can be used in many countries and lets you rent for both short and long periods of time. 

 

 

Future Predictions & Projections of Real Estate Industry  

• The world’s real estate market is estimated to be worth $654.40tn by 2025. 
• Residential real estate is expected to have a market volume of $534.40tn in the same year, making it the largest section of the market.  
• The sector is expected to grow at a rate of 2.69% per year (CAGR 2025–2029), which will bring the market size to $727.80tn by 2029.

 

Source: Statista

• It is where 96% of buyers begin their search for a home. (Resimpli) 
• This market was worth $3.9 billion in 2023, and it is expected to reach $6.31 billion by 2032, up from $4.11 billion in 2024. (Skyquestt)

 

How Does A Roomster App Work? 

If you are looking to build an app like Roomster, then knowing its working mechanism is essential part. So, here is the step-by-step functioning of a Roomster explained by an AI development company. 

 

 

1. User Registration 

Users sign up for an account, fill out a profile with information about themselves, including their income, desired location, lifestyle choices, and room needs. 

 

2. Search & Browse Listings

Users can look for available rooms or roommates by rental hoom price, amenities, and area, among other things. They can also look through thorough listings that have pictures and written descriptions.  

 

3. Connect & Chat 

Users can talk to possible roommates or landlords through the property finder app’s messaging feature to work out details, set up visits, and get answers to questions.  

 

4. Schedule & Finalize 

Now users can set up a visit, check out the ad in person if necessary, and finalize the deal if both parties agree.         

 

5. Move-In & Stay Connected 

After the deal is done, users can move in and keep using the flatmate matching app to pay their rent, ask for repairs, or find new roommates whenever they need to. 

 

How to Create a Global Roommate & Rental Application like Roomster?  

Now that you know the working of a Roomster iphone app, it is time to start the process of Roomster app development clone. As per the marketplace app development company, here is the step-by-step process to develop an app like Roomster. 

 

 

1. Do Market Research 

Before you start the process, carefully study the market and your rivals. This is the discovery process, and it is very important for making something unique. Check out some other room renting apps. 

Ask yourself: What do they provide? What is working for them well? More importantly, what’s not? These gaps are chances for your Roomster clone app to shine. Now, figure out who the target audience is. Will it be people buying their first home? Renters? Or agents?     

When you know your audience, you can make features that really help them. Doing a lot of study first will help you make sure you are not just making another property finder app, but the app that people need.    

 

Who are you developing the room rental app for? Who are your actual competitors?  What is trending in the real estate market?

 

2. Do Strategy & Feature Planning 

Now that you have thoroughly analysed the market, it’s time to put a plan in place. Just consider it like Blueprint for your app. The MVP should always be the first thing you work on. This means putting users attention on property ads, search filters, and a contact form.   

Once the idea has been validated from an IT consulting services provider, you can add more complex features. Now you may plan about how to make money. Will ads help your app for finding homes make money? Subscriptions? Or commissions on the property you rent out?       

Identify this early on so that you can incorporate it into the structure of your app similar to Roomster as a way to make money. A good plan is essential if you want to make a great property finder app without wasting time or money.

 

What features will you add in real estate app?  What is the cost structure & revenue model?  What is the USP of your business idea?

 

 

3. Create a UI/UX Design  

No one will stay with your room rental app if it does not look good or is hard to use. This is where UI/UX design come in. It is best to make your Roomster app development solution simple and easy to use by taking help from an Android app development services provider. 

It should be easy for users to look for homes, see more information about them, and get in touch with buyers. Note: real estate is all about how things look. There is a big difference between having low-quality pictures of rooms or flats and having a clean plan and design.

Anywhere your customers are, whether they are on iOS, Android, or a tablet, the app similar to Roomster needs to look and work perfectly. Good design is not just about how something looks; it is also about making a good user experience. 

 

Do I need a UX designer for my app?  What should I do to start the app design procedure?  Is wireframing and prototyping essential?

 

4. Roomster App Development    

Here’s where your app’s back-end work is done. If you develop an app alternative to Roomster, it will turn all of your planning and design work into a working application. The front end is what users see and use, so it needs to be sleek, quick, and efficient.           

Back-end development is the work that your housemate finder app does behind the scenes. But if your roommate finder applications like Roomster allow users to buy things or subscribe, make sure they can easily and safely pay through real estate management systems.  

Check your plan often to make sure that the app is being built on time and in line with your goals. It would be best to work with a real estate app development company who have done this before can save you a lot of trouble during this time.

 

Do I need to create an MVP first?  How can I make the Roomster clone app without coding?      Do you develop an app for Android, iOS or both?

 

5. Test & Deploy 

Once you have made a social platform like Roomster, you should test it carefully. After testing, bugs are fixed before users use it. How fast does the shared housing app load?  

When it comes to private data like payment information, security has to be rock solid. It is not fun to test a property finder app, but it is necessary to make sure it works well before releasing it. After testing your flat-sharing app, you can put it on the right platforms.    

Moreover, do not forget to follow the app stores guidelines. Also, do not just hope for the best, promote it on social media, run ads and email campaigns.  

 

What are the different testing methods for app testing?  How will I submit the app on the app stores?  Is mobile app maintenance necessary for app’s success?

 

Key Features To Integrate In Roomster App Development 

Features are essential for making your application like Roomster successful. So, when you create an app like Roomster, add these essential features in it. Below you will find a list of rental platform features that modern businesses add to their app functionality. 

 

 

• User Profiles 

Each user can make a profile with basic information like their name, age, gender, job, and interests like being vegetarian or not, smoking, pets, and so on. This app similar to Roomster helps user find roommates who live similar lives.  

 

• Room Listings with Filters

Users can list rooms that are available with pictures, information about how much they cost, where they are located, and what amenities they offer. Others can use search filters to find the right place based on their budget, location, gender preference, and more.

 

Did you know: Over 35% of households in the US reside in rental properties.

 

• Chat & Messaging

The Roomster clone app will include a chat feature so users can talk to possible roommates or owners before making a choice. The Roomster social media app development speeds up the process and keeps user from calling for no reason.  

 

• Verified Listings & Profiles  

To make sure users are safe, the Roommate finder app development will check their email, phone number, and even ID if needed. To build trust, verified badges will be shown on real profiles and ads.  

 

• Review & Ratings System

Users can rate and review roommates and employers based on their experiences. The Roomster Android app helps new users choose a place or partner by giving them more information.     

 

• Expense Sharing & Tracking

A built-in expense manager will help roommates divide costs like rent, power, food, and other costs. Your app similar to Roomster keeps everyone clear and makes living together easy.    

 

• Move-in & Agreement Assistance 

The room sharing app will make it easier to move in by giving users examples of rental agreements, roommate agreements, and even rent payment alerts. It could also put user in touch with movers or boxes to help them move.

 

• Safety & Emergency  

For extra safety, the roommate finder app like Zumper have a “SOS” button that lets users who need to know where they are right now know. It can also give them a safety advice when they rent a place. 

 

• Community & Events

Users can use this feature of a co-living companion app to find events in their area, meet new user, and even join meetups. It is now easy to meet new user and form a group from Roomster alternatives.

 

• Customer Support & Help Center     

In your roommate matching platform, add the support system with a knowledge base, live chat, and phone numbers to help users with any problems they are having with ads, payments, or safety.     

 

 

5 Best Room Sharing Apps Like Roomster 

If you are looking for the best real estate apps like Roomster, then you should check out the below table. Here you will find the top Roomster alternatives that can help you build a home sharing app.

 

 

Top Roomster Alternatives	Available Platform	Downloads	Ratings
Spareroom	Android | iOS	1M+	4.7
Badi	Android | iOS	1M+	4.1
PadMapper	Android | iOS	100K+	4.1
Roomi	Android | iOS	500K +	3.8
Craigslist	Android | iOS	10M+	4.6

 

How Much Does It Cost To Develop A Roomster App? 

The cost to build an app like Roomster can range between $10000 – $25000. However, the roomster app development cost can fluctuate depending on the project requirements. 

Also, the final cost to develop a rental homes application like Roomster can vary depending on factors like how complicated the app is and how many features it has. Let’s checkout the below table of Roomster clone app development cost for better understanding.     

 

App Complexity	Cost Estimation
Simple Roomster like App	$10000 – $15000
Medium Roomster like App	$15000 – $20000
Complex Roomster like App	$25000+

 

Note: It is just the ballpark estimation. To know the actual home-sharing platform development cost, you should get in touch with a mobile app development company. Besides, you can also measure the Roomster mobile app development cost with the below formula:   

Total Roomster App Development Cost = Developer’s Hourly Rate * Development Time

 

Moreover, if you want a real estate website along with a mobile application like Roomster, then the real estate website development cost will be around $8000 – $20000 or more. Now let’s discuss the key factors affecting the roommate dinder app development cost.  

 

Factors Affecting the Roomster Clone App Development Cost 

Developing alternatives of roomster clone app can be a great business opportunity, but the cost can vary based on multiple factors. If you’re planning to build an app like Roomster, understanding the key cost-affecting factors can help you budget wisely. Here are the main factors that impact the Roomster clone app development cost: 

 

 

1. Platform Selection 

If you create an app like Roomster for either Android or iOS, the cost will be lower. But if you want a cross-platform app available on both Android and iOS, the time and cost to develop an app like Roomster will increase. Native real estate apps like Zillow built separately for Android and iOS also cost more than hybrid apps built once and used on multiple platforms. 

 

Platform Selection	Estimated Cost
Native (iOS)	$15,000 – $25,000
Native (Android)	$13,000 – $22,000
Cross-platform (React Native)	$10,000 – $20,000

 

2. App Features and Complexity 

The more features you add, the higher will be the cost of real estate app. A basic Roomster clone app development with essential features like user profiles, property listings, and messaging costs less. However, if you want advanced features such as AI-powered recommendations, video property tours, or smart contract integration, the development cost increases.   

 

Feature	Complexity	Estimated Cost Range
User Profiles	Simple	$1,000 – $3,000
Search & Filtering	Simple	$1,500 – $2,500
Messaging	Simple	$1,000 – $3,000
Advanced Search & Filtering	Moderate	$800 – $3000
Matching Algorithm	Moderate	$2,000 – $4,000
In-app Payments	Moderate	$1,000 – $1500
Video Profiles	High	$2500 – $4,000+
Virtual Tours	High	$2500 – $5,000+

 

3. UI/UX Design and Customization

A user-friendly and visually appealing design of a room sharing application like Roomster is crucial for attracting and retaining users. If you go for a simple, template-based UI, the cost will be lower. However, if you need a highly customized UI/UX design, including animations and interactive elements, it will require more effort and resources, increasing the overall cost to develop a roommate finder app.    

 

Feature	Estimated Cost Range
Basic UI/UX Design	$3,000 – $5,000
Moderate UI/UX Design	$4,000 – $7,000
Advanced UI/UX Design	$5,000 – $8,000+
Custom Feature Development	$2,000 – $5,000+ per feature
Platform-Specific Design	$1,000 – $3,000 per platform

 

4. Development Team & Location

Where you hire mobile app developers plays a big role in your budget. Developers from countries like India, Ukraine, and the Philippines charge lower rates compared to those in the USA, Canada, or Western Europe. Additionally, hiring a highly experienced real estate app development services team increases costs, but it ensures high-quality results.

 

Location	Hourly Rate
India	$15 – $25
Eastern Europe	$30 – $60
Southeast Asia	$25 – $50
South America	$30 – $70
North America	$50 – $150+
Western Europe	$40 – $120+
Australia	$60 – $140+

 

5. Testing and Maintenance

A good applications like Roomster requires continuous testing to fix bugs and ensure smooth performance. If you skip proper testing, users may face crashes and glitches, affecting your business. Ongoing real estate app maintenance, updates, and security patches also add to the overall cost but are necessary for long-term success.

 

Phase	Cost Component	Estimated Cost Range
Testing	Functional testing	$1,000 – $3,000+
	UI/UX testing	$500 – $2,000+
	Performance testing	$500 – $3,000+
Maintenance	Bug fixes	$500 – $1,000+ per year
	Updates & upgrades	$1,000 – $3,000+ per year
	Server & infrastructure	$500 – $2,000+ per year
	Feature enhancements	$1000 – $1500+ per year

 

 

How To Monetize Your Roomster App Clone? 

Once you know the cost to make an app like Roomster replica, now what next? This is the place where most of the entrepreneurs stuck and failed. So, it is vital to monetize your room sharing app like Roomster with different revenue streams. Here are some of the widely used monetization strategies that popular real estate leverages for huge ROI. 

 

 

1. Commission Fees 

You can charge a small fee for each rental booking that goes through. You get a cut of the deal whenever a tenant finds a place to live through your roomster similar apps. This makes sure you make money without people having to pay anything up front. 

 

2. In-app Advertisement 

The next way to earn money is by running ads on third-party apps. Companies like furniture stores and moving companies should be able to put ads on your website. You can also charge them based on views or clicks, which will give you a steady flow of income without getting in the way of the users’ experience.   

 

3. Subscription Model

Similar to an app like Spareroom, you can offer a paid membership plan that gives users access to special tools like direct messaging, advanced filters, or faster support. This gives users more value and helps make recurring income. 

 

4. Premium Listings 

Last but not least, you can charge landlords and property owners to put their ads at the top of search results. This makes it more likely that they will find renters faster and brings in extra money for your Roomster-like app.  

 

Let’s Create Flat Sharing Apps Like Roomster!

Real estate industry is growing rapidly. So, it is the best time for startups to invest in real estate app development. If you want to make an app like Roomster, you will need to plan ahead and use advanced technology, user-centered features, and smooth operation.  

So, to speed up the development process, hire experienced real estate app development company who excel in real estate marketplace development. If you have the right team and a well-thought-out plan, you can make successful apps like Roomster that helps people find great places to rent. 

 

Frequently Asked Questions

 

Q1. How To Build An Application Like Roomster? 

• Conduct market analysis  
• Create a feature list  
• Design the user interface  
• Develop the MVP version  
• Test the application  
• Launch an app like Roomster  

 

Q2. How Much Time Does It Take To Create An App Like Roomster? 

The estimated time to develop an app similar to Roomster can take 2-4 months for a simple version. However, the complex co-living app can take more time for shared housing app development.     

 

Q3. What is the Cost To Make An App Like Roomster? 

The average cost to build an app similar to Roomster can range between $10000 – $25000. But your project complexity can flautaute the development cost. So, it is vital to consult with a Roomster app development company about the actual cost. 

 

Q4. How To Monetize the Real Estate App Clone? 

• In-app advertisement
• Subscription model 
• Premium listings
• Commission model     

 

Q5. What is the Cost To Build a Real Estate Website? 

The cost of roomster website development can range between $8000 – $20000. There are various factors that may affect your real estate website development cost.