how to create a mobile app without coding or subscription

1. THE ULTIMATE GUIDE:
How to Make an App
It’s no secret that the world has gone mobile. We’re living in an era where our smartphones
are within an arm’s reach at all times, day or night. What’s everyone doing on those devices?
Using mobile apps. The potential use cases for mobile apps are seemingly endless.
Written by BuildFire
From small business apps to ecommerce apps, fitness apps, internal employee communication apps,
religious apps, and more—there’s an app for anything you can imagine.
Apps can be developed as an extension of your existing business or used to create new business from
scratch.
Whether you want to develop an app for your business or build the next Uber, this guide is for anyone who
wants to create a mobile app.
For first time builders, non-technical users, and anyone who has experienced a failed development attempt
in the past, this resource will walk you through the app development process in a way that’s easy for
everyone to understand.
How to Make an App: A Step-by-Step Guide
Mobile app development can be segmented into three categories—pre-development, development, and
post-launch.
This guide reads best from start to finish, but feel free to click around to the sections that are most
relevant to your needs. Some of you might be starting from scratch, while others might be further along in
the process.
Additional Articles For Every Stage Of The App Life Cycle
How To Build A Mobile App
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AppCosts
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App Stages
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App Launch
5 articles
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3 articles
App Design
3 articles
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3. Table of Contents:
How to Create an App — Introduction
What’s the Best Way to Build an App?
How Long Does it Take to Build a Mobile App?
How Much Does it Cost to Make an App?
Is it Better to Build iOS Apps or Android Apps?
How to Create an App in 11 Steps — (Step-by-Step Tutorial to Make an App)
Step #1 — Define Your Goals
Step #2 — Conduct Market Research
Step #3 — Decide Your app Features
Step #4 — Create a Wireframe
Step #5 — Choose Your Development Method
Step #6 — Research Existing Solutions
Step #7 — Technical Specification
Step #8 — Set Measurable Milestones
Step #9 — Create an MVP
Step #10 — Quality Assurance
Step #11 — Deploy
Post Launch
Marketing Your App
Track KPIs
Ask For User Feedback
Continue to Improve Your Mobile App
Maintenance and Support
How Do You Make Money With an App?
Common Questions About Making an App
Conclusion and Key Takeaways
How to Create an App: Introduction
Before we dive into the step-by-step process for building an app, let’s quickly cover some of the most
common questions about mobile app development. These answers will give you the preliminary insights
required to get started.
What’s the Best Way to Build an App?
Generally speaking, there is no single app development method that’s best for everyone. It all depends on
your needs, budget, app type, industry, and lots of other factors.
If you’re building a gaming app or something along those lines, native development will be your best option.
If you’re making an app as a hobby or just doing it for personal use, you can probably get away with a
cookie-cutter app.
But for the vast majority of people, using an app building platform like BuildFire is the best way to create
an app.
BuildFire allows you to create an app for iOS and Android, simultaneously, without writing a single line of
code. For non-technical users and tech-savvy individuals alike, BuildFire is the best way to build an app
that’s highly customizable at an affordable rate.
How Long Does it Take to Build a Mobile App?
The time it takes to build an app is based on a wide range of factors. The type of app you’re making, the
complexity of its features, and the development method are three of the most critical elements in

4. estimating your timeline.
Some apps can be built in a few months, while others can take years.
Generally speaking, the majority of mobile apps can be developed in about 6-12 months.
Mobile apps with complex functionality will take longer. If you were building something simple for personal
use, like a flashlight app or calculator app, the entire process could be completed in less than a week. But
if you’re trying to build the next Facebook, Uber, or Tinder, expect it to take years.
If you’re building a native app with low-level coding, it would take longer than if you leveraged an app
building platform, like BuildFire.
How Much Does it Cost to Make an App?
You can build an app for $2,000, $20,000, $200,000, or upwards of $2 million.
The cost to create a mobile app is based on multiple factors. The type of app you’re building, the features
you’re implementing, and the development method will have the most significant impact on the price.
An app development platform is cheaper than low-level coding. Experienced developers in the US might
charge $150 per hour, whereas a first-time developer working overseas might cost $30 per hour.
The cost will rise as you continue adding features, functionality, and complexity to the app.
Is it Better to Build iOS Apps or Android Apps?
The quick answer—it’s best to build an app for both platforms. If you create an app for one and not the
other, you’re neglecting a significant part of the population.

5. You’re only forced to make this decision if you’re coding a native app from scratch. In this case, you’ll need
to have two separate versions—one for iOS and another for Android. It’s essentially like building two
separate apps.
Fortunately, app-building platforms, like BuildFire, allow you to create an app for iOS and Android
simultaneously. You can create everything one time, without any code, and launch your own app on both
platforms.
How to Create an App in 11 Steps
While it’s tempting to start building right away, there are certain steps you need to take before
development begins. These steps are critical to the success of your app, so don’t skip over them.
Step #0 — Coming Up With an Idea For Your App
Before you get started, you need to make sure you have a viable app idea.
When you think about the millions of apps on the market, this step could feel a bit intimidating. But you
don’t actually need the idea to be 100% original. Lots of great apps are variations of existing ideas.
Maybe you have an idea that’s the next Yelp for B2B products or the next Uber for pets.
Whatever the idea might be, you must ensure that your app is actually solving a problem. Then you need to
make sure that someone else isn’t already doing what you want. If they are, you’ll have to come up with
differentiators that separate your idea from the competition.
It’s also worth noting that not every idea needs to be an invention or new concept. Lots of apps are just an
extension of an existing business. If you have an ecommerce website, you can create an app that improves
the way your customers shop from mobile devices. If you have a barbershop or nail salon, you can create
an app that enhances client bookings, appointment management, and deposits.
Step #1 — Define Your Goals
The app development process must start with clearly defined goals.
What are you setting out to achieve? What problems are you trying to solve?
Your goals will ultimately establish your entire development process. If these aren’t clearly defined from
the beginning, it’s easy to get lost along the way once you start developing your own app.
Don’t just set any goal—set measurable goals.
Use this as your north star, to ensure that you’re continually aiming toward them. Otherwise, you won’t be
using your time and resources effectively. Since app development is virtually limitless, it might be enticing
to add features, bells, and whistles that aren’t mission-critical to your goal.
You can set goals related to the end-user, as well as goals related to your business.

6. To make sure that you achieve your app development goals, you need to understand the difference
between a goal and an objective. Goals represent the final outcome that you want to reach. Objectives are
the steps you take to achieve those goals.
Break those objectives down into “SMART” objectives:
Specific
Measurable
Achievable
Realistic
Timely
It’s a common mistake for people to define goals in a monetary sense, such as “make more money.” But
that goes without saying. It doesn’t make you different from every other business on the planet. Instead, a
great goal should be focused on your purpose and mission.
Every goal should have clear KPIs (key performance indicators).
Make sure that you have pre-defined measurements to achieve success. KPIs work best when they are
numerical.
For example, let’s say you want to create an app for your ecommerce shop, one of your goals might be to
reduce shopping cart abandonment rates on mobile devices. To make sure that you’re reaching that goal,
you need to know your current abandonment rates to compare them against the numbers when your own
app eventually launches.
Step #2 — Conduct Market Research
Once you’ve established your goals, you need to make sure that there’s a market need for your app. Every
app idea sounds good in theory, but you need to validate your idea before you proceed.
Creating an app without market research could result in a valuable waste of your time, money, and
resources.
Create surveys
Conduct interviews
Run a focus group
Research your competition
Figure out how to create an app that improves the customer experience
If your app is an extension of your existing business, you can use your current customers as a resource for
this research. If the app is for a completely new idea, you’ll need to connect with prospective users that fit
your target audience.

7. Step #3 — Decide Your App Features
Think about your app’s core functionality. That’s where the features should be focused.
Lots of people are tempted to add extra and unnecessary features to an app. But some features take away
from your app’s primary purpose. Each feature add-on also adds to the cost and development timeline.
Examples of popular app features include:
Push notifications
Community wall
GPS capabilities
Surveys and questionnaires
Video, image, and audio hubs
Booking capabilities
Calendar integrations
Ecommerce carts
Menu ordering system
Customer loyalty
User directory
Simplicity is the most important aspect of these early development stages. If your app’s primary function
doesn’t require the user’s exact location, you can skip the GPS feature.
Step #4 — Create a Wireframe
A wireframe is essentially a rough layout of your mobile app. It doesn’t have to be too formal either, and
you don’t need to worry about your app’s graphic design just yet. You can create a wireframe on a piece of
paper, a whiteboard, napkin, or use a digital wireframing tool.
The purpose of the wireframe is to simply illustrate the app’s features and layout the schemes.
Don’t worry about the app design elements in a wireframe. This tool isn’t meant to be a one-to-one
relationship of how the final app will actually look. Instead, the focus of your wireframe should be on
structure and flow.

8. Map out the user journey. Show what happens if they click on a particular button. What will the next page
look like? What happens on the screen when a user clicks Option A vs. Option B?
Wireframes help get your team on the same page in terms of your vision for how the app will work and
function.
Step #5 — Choose Your Development Method
There are lots of different ways to build an app. Before you start to create an app, you’ll need to determine
which method is the best for your unique situation.
The best option for me might not be the best option for you.
Choosing the right method is based on factors like your budget, technical skill level, app type, and time to
market.
Generally speaking, there are five different ways to build a mobile app. I’ll explain each method in greater
detail below, so you can figure out which choice is the best for your own app.
How to Create an App With BuildFire
BuildFire is in a category of its own.
This app building software was created to give non-technical users the ability to create apps on their own
using an extensive marketplace with a plethora of features for complete customization.
Compared to the average RAD app builder, BuildFire offers greater flexibility in terms of what these native
apps can accomplish. If there’s a unique functionality that hasn’t been built for the marketplace yet, you
can get your own developers to make it for you using the BuildFire SDK.
You’ll also have the option to take advantage of BuildFire’s white-glove services. In this case, the in-house
developers at BuildFire can create custom functionalities for you.

9. BuildFire doesn’t require any coding skills or technical knowledge. So you won’t have to learn a new
programming language or anything like that.
You can create everything on your own using a web-based platform to launch an iPhone app and Android
app simultaneously. Just choose a template and start adding features.
It’s the easiest way to develop iOS apps and deploy on the iOS App Store and Google Play Store. Anyone
can learn how to make an app using BuildFire in just a few minutes.
BuildFire is a cost-effective way to build an app that’s customizable without the challenges associated with
other RAD or hybrid tools.
How to Create an App With Native Development
Native development involves low-level coding. So if you’re not a developer and you don’t know how to
code, you’ll need to hire a specialized developer to create the app for you.
If you’re planning to launch the app for both iOS and Android, you’ll need a developer for each platform to
deploy native apps on both app stores (iOS App Store and Google Play Store).
Each platform has its own programming language. While some developers know how to create an app for
both, it’s going to take you twice as long to have one person doing the whole thing, and it won’t save you
any money.
In addition to hiring app developers for iOS apps and Android apps, you’ll also need a full-stack web
developer to create your backend infrastructure for data hosted in the cloud.
Learning how to build an app with native development gives you the most flexibility of any development
method. By coding from scratch, your app can do anything. It’s an ideal option for anyone trying to build a
gaming app or an augmented reality app.
With that said, native apps are expensive and take the longest to build.
How to Create an App With Hybrid App Development
Hybrid development is a cost-effective alternative to the native route. Most hybrid builds rely on
Javascript, which is a web technology.
This coding language allows you to create an app once and deploy it on multiple platforms. Someone who
knows how to write in Javascript can code the app one time and deploy it on iOS and Android.

10. The flexibility of a hybrid app is still pretty high in terms of what the app can accomplish. While you won’t
need a developer who specializes in low-level coding to build it, they still need to have web development
skills.
Hybrid development saves time and money compared to native development. But the performance and
quality of your app might suffer as a result.
How to Create an App With a Rapid App Development (RAD) App Builder
Rapid app development is a popular choice for non-technical users who want to build an app on their
own. It’s much cheaper than native and hybrid development, and you’ll be able to get to market faster as
well.
With RAD, you’ll use an existing tool to create an app with an online interface.
These platforms are typically promoted as solutions for people who aren’t technical. But with that said,
you’ll need to have some clue of what you’re doing from a technical perspective if you want to create an
app using this method, even if you have a simple app idea.
You won’t have to learn how to develop an app with code or do anything like that, but you will definitely
need some technical ability to make your app do anything beyond a basic level.
Rapid app development limits the builder to whatever tool they’re using to create the app. You’ll only be
able to use whatever that platform has to offer for functionality. You’re just simply configuring those tools
in a way that works for your app.
Let’s say you want to create an app for something basic like a mobile application for internal processes,
RAD will be a viable option. Just understand you’ll have limitations.
How to Create an App Using a Cookie Cutter App Builder
A cookie-cutter app app maker is exactly what it sounds like. You’re essentially taking a single app and
configuring it for your own needs.

11. You’ll add personalized text, images, color schemes, and other app design graphics that align with your
branding.The platform makes it easy for you to turn on functionality that you need, and turn off features
that you don’t.
There is no coding required for this development method. A cookie cutter app builder typically has a fairly
simple user interface. So you don’t need to be technical to figure this out.
Creating an app this way might be simple, but it’s not very flexible or customizable. Your functionality will
be extremely limited, especially if you want to scale.
Cookie-cutter apps are fine for side projects, hobby apps, or DIYers with meager budgets. But they’re not
really viable for business purposes.
Step #6 — Research Existing Solutions
The final step you need to take in the pre-development process is researching existing solutions. Before
you waste valuable time and resources figuring out how to build an app and other components from
scratch, it’s always a great idea check to see if that solution is already available on the market.
In terms of app development, there are services to accomplish standard functionalities that every app
needs. I’m referring to solutions for things like infrastructure, hosting, design, analytics, and push
notifications.
Why would you try to host an app on your own if you can just rent servers from an existing solution?
It’s always cheaper to buy something pre-built as opposed to building it on your own from scratch. You can
usually make slight custom changes to these existing services as well.
Learning how to make an app is challenging enough. Don’t make this process more difficult than it needs
to be. Only build what you need from scratch. For everything else, just leverage reusable tools that already
exist.
This will save you time, money, and get your app to market faster. Plus, it will make your life much easier.
Once you complete the legwork in the pre-development stage, you can actually start to create an app. By
now, you’ve already validated your app ideas, done all of the necessary research, and have a basic
understanding of how the app should function.
Step #7 — Technical Specification
Take the wireframes that you created during the pre-development process and use them to create a “tech
spec.”
These are the inner workings behind the scenes of your app that nobody sees. Sometimes, it makes sense
to logistically change things around because it will save you lots of time and money.

12. An app developer needs to look at your wireframe and assess the technical challenges—not just the visual
ones.
Your tech spec can potentially find alternative ways to achieve your goals. These alternatives can save you
months of work and thousands of dollars if you figure it out now.
At the very least, get the information, and then you have the opportunity to weigh your options.
You can always say that the user experience is more important than shaving off some of the costs and
building more efficiently. But the tech spec process is still a crucial part of development.
It’s better to do it right away, as opposed to three or six months down the road, thinking, “I wish we did
things differently. It could have saved us so much time.”
Step #8 — Set Measurable Milestones
Setting milestones will help keep you and your team on track during the app making process. Without
benchmarks, you’ll have no way to track your progress.
The idea here is to separate your massive development project into smaller chunks. It’s much easier to
chip away at lots of smaller projects than to look at one huge project from start to finish.
Each small app project should be completed within a specified timeframe. Depending on the complexity
of the task, this could range anywhere from a few days to a few weeks.
You can measure your progress against this timeline of milestones to ensure that you and your
development team are hitting deadlines.
Implement a project management system that works well for software developers. Agile development and
scrum development are two excellent options to consider.
Regardless of your decision here, you need to make sure that you have a way to track your progress.

13. This will give you a better understanding of when you can go to market with your app—so you can plan
accordingly.
Step #9 — Create an MVP
As you start building the app, you should always be developing an MVP—minimum viable product. The app
idea behind an MVP is that it forces you to think about your app’s most essential features. This an
important aspect of the app project on the path to creating a successful app.
What does your app actually need to function? Build those features first, then worry about everything else.
App development is virtually limitless. It’s easy to get distracted during the building process and lose sight
of your goals. A month or two into the project, it’s easy to say “let’s add this feature” or “wouldn’t it be
cool if the app could do this?”
Those notions will only add time and money to your project. They can even take away from the core
functionality of your app.
You could always go back and add features later. In fact, we’ll address this shortly in the guide during the
later stages of the app making process.
An MVP is essentially the bare bones of your app. Figure out how to make an app with just its necessary
components. It has just enough of the core features to complete the simplest functionalities and use
cases. Don’t worry about a beautiful design or distracting bells and whistles. That’s not important right
now.
For example, let’s say you’re building a messaging app.
Your MVP would be an app that allows two users to send messages to each other. You wouldn’t start
building a video chat feature or configure settings to change the font, upload photos, or adjust the
background color of the app.
Let’s refer back to the house analogy. The MVP for a house would be four exterior walls and a roof. It
wouldn’t be a tent, and it wouldn’t be a kitchen. You can’t go from a tent to a house, and a kitchen can be
added later.
Remember, an MVP is not a complete app but it’s more than just a test app.
Step #10 — Quality Assurance
Once your MVP is finished, and you have a working app, you need to test it before deployment.
The app must be tested on actual mobile platforms. There are many different ways your app can be used,
so the quality assurance person will have to check it on everything.
Between iPhones, iPads, Android devices, PWA, smartphones, tablets, and more, you have your work cut
out. Make sure the app works online, offline, and so on. Devices with different software versions or screen
sizes might have issues that aren’t found elsewhere.
So don’t just test the app once on your phone and assume that it’s working correctly.

14. As a first-time app builder, you might question the QA process. Do you really need to pay someone to test
your app? Shouldn’t an app developer be able to create an app without any bugs in the code?
Sure, in utopia, apps get built perfectly and don’t need to be tested. But in the real world, developers write
bugs—and they are notoriously bad at finding their own bugs.
So don’t undermine the QA process. A quality assurance specialist can come in and find problems with your
app before it goes to market. It’s much better to identify these now; otherwise, users will find them in real
life.
If a customer discovers bugs, it’s going to create problems for your app’s long-term success.
In addition to testing your app with a QA specialist, you can also go through usability testing with actual
test users. Give the app to your friends, family, and colleagues as well.
The app doesn’t need to be perfect when you launch it. But ideally, you’ll want to eliminate all of the bugs
and errors. User experience and user interface changes can be configured later.
Step #11 — Deploy
It’s time to get your app live and into the hands of actual users.
Your primary focus right now needs to be uptime and visibility. Make sure that the application is fully
functional for the end-user. You don’t want your servers to crash or something like that.
To get your app to market, you need to submit it to the different app stores. There are various
requirements for Google Play Store apps and Apple App Store apps. So you must understand all of the
different submission guidelines before you go through this process.
The process of deploying your app will vary depending on the development method you choose, which we
discussed earlier in the pre-development section of this guide.

15. If you use BuildFire to create an app, we’ll get the app live for you. All you have to do is let us know when
it’s done, and we’ll take care of everything else for both iOS and Android. So you can focus your efforts on
development, and let our team do all of the heavy lifting for you.
For those of you who decide to hire a development team or learn how to make an app on your own writing
code, you’ll have to go through extra steps during the deployment process.
Post Launch
So you’ve learned how to build an app; that’s great! But the mobile app development process isn’t over
once the app has been deployed. There’s still plenty of work to be done after you’ve launched.
Make sure that you plan accordingly for the post-launch steps, and don’t blow your entire budget during
development.
Marketing Your App
Your app is a business; treat it accordingly. Would you launch a new business without any promotion?
Obviously not.
You could have the best app on the planet, but your efforts won’t matter if nobody knows about it. Your
app must be marketed appropriately to get some eyeballs on it and pique user interest.
Start by driving visitors to your website and app. Visitors become app installs. App installs become paid
members.
Make sure you have a digital presence on as many marketing platforms as possible. Prioritize the channels
where your user base spends the most time. Promote your app on social media channels, like Facebook,
Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn. If you’re targeting a younger generation, you can even promote the app on
Snapchat and TikTok.
Create video promotions and app demonstrations. Upload those videos to YouTube. You can always
repurpose those videos on other distribution channels.
The idea behind your mobile app marketing strategy needs to be focused on attracting new users. So
broaden your reach and use a mix of both inbound and outbound marketing strategies.
Marketing your mobile app will never stop, and your strategies will likely change over time.
In addition to traditional marketing, you need to focus on ASO—app store optimization. This helps ensure
high visibility for your app in the app stores.
The early stages of your marketing campaigns can ultimately define the future of your app’s success. So
implement app marketing strategies before launch day. Promoting the app early helps build momentum
and gets people excited before the app is available to download.
You can even make an app landing page with a “coming soon” headline.
Track KPIs

16. Is your app successful? The only way to answer this question is by establishing and tracking KPIs—key
performance indicators.
Your app analytics and KPIs need to go beyond app performance metrics, like speed and uptime (although
both of these are obviously good to have in terms of performance and reliability).
Track and measure KPIs based on how users are adapting to your app.
Are people downloading the app? How many? Are users keeping the app or uninstalling it? How often do
people reuse the app?
You need to make sure that you have a system to go in and see the metrics for new users, repeat users, the
length of time spent in the app, and where the most time is being spent. Without analytics like this, it’s
impossible to measure the success of your app. You can’t run a successful business with guesswork; you
need to have concrete numbers to back your theories.
Tracking KPIs in your App Store Connect account can show you which components of your app are
generating the best results, and which ones need improvement.
For example, let’s say the vast majority of users are taking advantage of an app feature that you didn’t
initially consider a core component of your app. You can take that information and decide to make that
feature more accessible from all screens. Add it to your homepage or move it up on your side menu.
Ask For User Feedback
Always get feedback from your users.
Prior to your first launch, you probably did some research or asked some friends for their opinions.
However, most of this was based on your own intuition.
But once you’ve deployed it for the first time, you’ll have real customers using the app. Ask them what they
think about it. As much as you hate hearing this, at the end of the day, your opinion doesn’t matter—it’s all
about your customers and users.
Don’t be shy—customers like being asked about their thoughts. People who don’t want to weigh in won’t
care if you ask. They’ll just ignore you. It’s not like they’re going to be annoyed.
But the users who participate will become invested in the success of your app and give you genuine
feedback.

17. You’ll have to keep in mind what feedback is related to fear of change or fear of cost increase. But you can
ask your customers questions in a way that gives them the opportunity to be honest.
The user responses will help you prioritize what features you need to work on next.
Maybe you had something in your mind that was important to you, and you planned on doing it as soon as
you got the chance. But if your customers don’t say so, then save your money. Spend that money on what
they ask for so you can retain them in your software. This will ultimately prevent them from churning.
Continue to Improve Your Mobile App
No app is perfect. Even the most successful apps on the planet are constantly coming up with updates.
The new version releases of your app should be based on user feedback, which we discussed in the
previous step.
When you go back in and make changes to the app, you should follow the same steps that you used during
the development process. Always put the app through quality assurance before the release is available to
the public.
There’s something else you need to keep an eye on for when you’re updating an app—it’s called regression
testing.
Subsequent deployments for new features or updates could create new problems that weren’t there in the
past. In short, something that worked with your previous release has not stopped working because of
changes made during the update.
So whenever changes are made to your app, even if they’re small, you need to go back and re-do the QA
process. This is the only way to ensure that regression hasn’t occurred and caused a new point of failure in
the app.
Don’t underestimate the importance of releasing new versions of your app. Users are giving you feedback,
and they expect changes to be made.
Failure to improve your app can cause people to stop using it altogether.

18. Maintenance and Support
There will always be ongoing maintenance for your app. That’s why it’s crucial that you retain your
development team.
In addition to your app coming out with new versions, mobile device operating systems come out with
updates as well. You need to make sure that your app is compatible with the latest software versions from
Apple and Android.
Compliance levels and regulations can change as well. For example, you need to ensure that your app
complies with data laws like GDPR in Europe or CCPA in California. If you’re processing credit card
payments, you must remain PCI compliant. If you’re handling medical information, the app must be HIPAA
compliant. The list goes on and on.
All of these circumstances require ongoing maintenance.
As your app scales, you should eventually plan for customer support. What happens if an app user has a
question or needs help? In the beginning, you can probably manage this on your own. But at scale, you
probably can’t handle hundreds or thousands of potential messages.
You might need to hire a sales team as well. All of this falls into the “support” category post-launch.
These are elements of mobile app development that you’re always going to be dealing with. So just make
sure you plan and budget accordingly.
How Do You Make Money With an App?
There are lots of different ways to make money with an app.
For starters, you can use a mobile app to generate more revenue for your business. Mobile commerce
sales, customer loyalty programs, and referral programs are all excellent ways to make money.
You can also make money by charging app users a one-time fee to download your app. App purchases for
things like coins or content upgrades are both common ways to profit from your app. Alternatively,
charging app users for a subscription on a monthly or annual basis is a great way to generate recurring
revenue.
Another way to monetize your app is by selling advertising space. It’s the same concept as running ads on
your website.

19. In some cases, certain types of apps don’t necessarily make money, but they help save you money. Internal
business apps are a perfect example of this. Creating an app for remote employees, field service workers,
human resources, or internal employee communication can save your company tens of thousands of
dollars per year in productivity costs.
Common Questions About Making an App
BuildFire has been used to create more than 10,000+ apps. Over the years, we’ve fielded countless
questions from beginners and experienced app builders alike. Whether you want to make an iOS app for
the Apple App Store, an Android app for the Google Play app store, or both, here are the answers to your
questions:
How Much Does it Cost to Create an App?
The average cost to make an app ranges from $10,000 to $150,000.
Simple apps typically cost around $50,000, while complex apps can cost $300,000 or more.
It all starts with your app idea. The complexity of your app will have the most significant impact on the
cost.
For example, an app that uses real-time GPS tracking and real-time communication between users would
be more expensive than a simple content app. An app that just provides access to a mobile ebook or
flashcards would be cheaper than an app that has custom user profiles.
Here’s why. Apps with all of these extra features require more work for development and more work on the
back end—both of which impact the cost. Let’s say you want app users to log into a unique profile every
time they open the app. This requires database servers and user authentication servers. You’ll also need
robust security features to protect everyone’s information. This stuff isn’t required for a calculator app or
a flashlight app.
If you want to make an app that’s going to be the next Facebook, Uber, or Tinder, it’s going to be much
more expensive than a simple app for your small business.
Your development method will also impact your total cost.
Earlier in this guide, we talked about the five most common ways to build an app—low-level coding, hybrid
apps, rapid app development, cookie-cutter apps, and BuildFire. All of these come at different price
points.
Low-level coding will always be the most expensive because it requires you to hire app developers. An iOS
app isn’t necessarily the same price as an Android app. Hybrid apps also require technical ability, which
will add to the cost.
But if you’re leveraging an existing app builder, it’s going to save you a ton of money.
How Do You Create an App For Free?
Mobile development typically comes with a significant investment. This is especially true if your app solves
a major market need.
But if you’re just getting started and want to create a free app, you can do this using BuildFire’s app builder
platform. This no-code software lets you build your own apps for free without writing a single line of code.
This is perfect for those of you who don’t want to learn a new programming language and want to play
around with the custom editor.
With BuildFire, you can take an app idea and turn it into reality faster than any other platform on the
market. You’ll also get to create iOS apps and Android apps simultaneously using a single build.
So, what’s the catch? While you can make an app for free using BuildFire, you can’t actually launch it
without subscribing to a plan. But anyone can try the app builder for free with a 14-day trial.
Once you’re signed up and ready to put your app on the market for real downloads and user feedback, you
can launch your app for free using BuildFire. All of our plans include assistance with the launch. You just
need to let our team know when you’re ready, and we’ll get your app published live on the Apple App Store
and Google app store.

20. As a developer, anyone can access BuildFire.js for free as well. This means you can create a custom plugin
and launch it on the BuildFire marketplace. BuildFire’s open-source code and SDK make this possible.
Can I Create an App by Myself?
Absolutely.
Historically, mobile development required a full team of app developers. But app developers are no longer
required in the modern era. Anyone can create their own apps without coding or learning a programming
language.
No-code development platforms make it easy for DIYers and non-technical users to create an app from
scratch with ease. It’s just a matter of choosing a template, adding plugins, and customizing the features to
accommodate your needs.
These types of platforms can best be compared to website builders like Wix or Squarespace. If you’ve
created a website for your business, you might be familiar with these tools.
This is the easiest way to take an app idea and turn it into a reality. You can make an app in weeks instead of
months or years using a DIY platform like BuildFire. Not only is this the easiest and fastest way to make an
app, but it’s also the most cost-effective.
Hiring a team of app developers is really expensive. You’ll have to pay an iOS developer, Android developer,
web developer, project manager, and even quality assurance agent to check for bugs and collect user
feedback. Not only will you have to pay these different people to make an app, but you’ll need to continue
paying them to maintain after you launch.
Instead, it’s easier to make an app on your own by leveraging software that comes with a pre-existing
infrastructure. So all of your authentication servers, backup servers, databases, analytics servers, and more
are already at your fingertips. In fact, you don’t have to worry about any of these technical aspects. You can
just focus on the app design, features, and getting users. The platform will handle everything else on the
back end for you.
Is It Easy to Create an App?
App development is easy if you’re using a no-code app maker. Otherwise, it will depend on your technical
skills existing knowledge of programming languages.
If you’re not tech-savvy and you don’t know how to code, the ease of development falls on your team,
budget, and development method.
Let’s say you want to code your own apps from scratch. In this scenario, it wouldn’t be that easy. You’d
need to learn new programming languages and go through extensive trial and error to write the code.
Alternatively, it’s extremely easy to make an app if you’re using a no-code platform like BuildFire. These
tools are built specifically for non-technical users. If you’re comfortable navigating the internet, you can
build an app using this method.
There’s still a slight learning curve, but it’s gentle. The only thing you need to learn is how to use the
platform itself. This is something you can figure out on your own in less than an hour or two of clicking
around. Plus, most no-code app builders have tons of resources and tutorials at your disposal that will
teach you how to do everything. This will really make your life easier.
Generally speaking, here’s how those platforms work.
You’ll start with a professionally-designed template. From there, you just need to customize the look and
feel of your app based on your unique branding. You’ll replace any placeholder content, text, or images
with your own unique copy.
Then you can start to add custom functionality to your app. This is usually as easy as adding plugins from a
feature marketplace. For example, you could easily add videos to your app by adding a YouTube or Vimeo
plugin.
Conclusion and Key Takeaways
Building apps isn’t always easy. Whether it’s your first app or you’ve built multiple apps, there’s always room
for improvement. It’s always a great idea to educate yourself instead of blindly picking an app development

21. company and just hoping for the best.
Take advantage of new technology and tools at your disposal. Today, you can make an app without any
coding skills. Platforms like BuildFire will even help you get published on both app stores for Apple and
Google Play.
This in-depth guide on how to develop an app is just one of the many resources that we offer at BuildFire.
It’s broad enough to give you valuable insights on how to make an app in nearly every category. But some of
you might have some more use-case specific questions about how to build an app for your business.
For example, you might want to learn how to make an app for your ecommerce site. Or maybe you want to
figure out how to build an app for internal employee communication. We have guides for both of these.
We even have resources that show show you how to develop an app for schools, universities, and religious
organizations. Our tutorials can teach you how to develop an app for events, podcasts, and so much more.
Need help figuring out how to build an app for your small business? We have you covered.
Contact our team of experts here at BuildFire if you have any additional questions. We’re happy to help
and guide you in the right direction.
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