The no-code app builders have gained massive attention amidst the pandemic due to their agility and faster business solutions. These development solutions have overcome the limitations of traditional mobile app development. So, small and large business owners have enforced the importance of embracing no-code app-building platforms for their business growth. Let's begin with the basics of no-code app development. These no-code app builders provide pre-made templates to build a mobile app without coding skills.
If we look back, app development was a matter of extensive knowledge about programming languages. Coding requires extensive knowledge of programming languages. Plus, you might not get a quality mobile app the first time. You might be wondering if it is possible to build a mobile app if you have no coding skills. The answer is yes! No code app building has made it possible to turn your idea into reality. If you have the skills to navigate the internet, you can build an app using an app maker. If you know about internet surfing, you can use an app maker as an alternative option to traditional development. In this ultimate guide, we will discuss the steps to build a mobile app using a no-code app maker, the best app maker for app building, and the cost of building a mobile app. Let's dig deeper into the details:
Steps to build a mobile app with no code app maker
Building a mobile app with no code app maker is easier and cheaper than traditional app development. There is a vast market for no-code tools with pre-programmed templates that allow you to customize your app.
AppMaster is the best app maker that allows business owners to grow their business through digitalization. Using this app builder, you can create a mobile app through a straightforward development process. Follow these easy seven steps to building a mobile app for your personal or professional needs:
Step 1: Choose a no-code app builder
As no-code app development is on its high, so we recommend you choose the best no-code app building platform for a faster and cheaper business solution. The noticeable thing is that not all app builders have the features to meet your personalized needs. So, take enough time when considering multiple no-code app-building platforms. You can choose a no-code app builder based on the following factors:
1. Reputation of App builder
Today, a vast market is available for no-code app makers that helps business owners to build a mobile app in a matter of minutes. But, when choosing an app-building platform, it is crucial to look for the brand reputation via customer reviews and case studies. Moreover, you can check the credibility of a mobile app builder by downloading the apps designed on this platform to test how these apps perform. If the app crashes, it's high time to quit this app-building platform.
2. User Interface
Before subscribing to a no-code app maker, use the free trial to take a quick tour to check that it has an intuitive interface or complex design. This quick visit to a no-code app maker will help you to check whether you are comfortable using the interface. Some software requires learning about the features, but some platforms are undoubtedly easier to use than others. So, choose the app building platform for app development that is dynamic and easy to use.
3. Cost
Different app makers offer multiple subscription plans to customize the mobile apps. So, choose a reasonable pricing plan that meets your business needs in the best way. For example, if you have just started a business, so it's not a great idea to purchase a costly subscription plan. Moreover, you can eliminate unnecessary features to cut down the development cost.
4. Customization Options
Not all app makers might offer features you want to add to your mobile app. So, when choosing a mobile app builder, make sure that it has no limitations on the functions. Choosing the best app builder with limitless options will help you build a more customized product. So, the noticing thing is that not all app makers offer all the features you want to add to the app. But, if you want to build an app with basic features, this won't be your concern. But if you are looking for advanced features, you should evaluate the no-code app-building platform with great caution. By choosing AppMaster, you can be sure that it is one of the market's most influential and highly flexible solutions.
Step 2: Choose a subscription plan
Once you have selected a no-code app builder for app development, it's time to choose a subscription plan that suits your needs in the best way. For this, you can take time to plan the features you want in your app and how much they can cost. For example, if you want to build multiple apps, you need to subscribe to a costly pricing plan. Moreover, you need to specify the compatibility of your app with smartphones or tablets. App compatibility will help you to decide on a subscription plan.
Let's take a glance at the subscription plan offered by AppMaster:
- Explore: $5/month
- Startup: $165/month
- Business: $855/month
- Enterprise: Get a quote by 24/7 service
The Explore plan is suitable if you are looking for a single mobile app with community support. If you are looking for multiple apps, you can go with the Startup or Business plan as per your business needs. For more advanced features, you can get a quote and 24/7 service. AppMaster is just one example, but other app makers might have different subscription plans that you need to evaluate. If you're not clear about your specific needs, you can seek help from the technical agent.
Step 3: Choose a template
Once you have subscribed to a no-code app-building platform, choose a template that meets your business needs. App building is just a matter of a few clicks using a template. No code app makers allow individuals and business owners to create a mobile app with zero coding skills.
Templates give you a starting point in app building with zero coding skills. All the templates have features according to the business type. For example, a tourism app template helps the tourists to find their favorite destination, a salon app template helps salons to book their clients, and a food app template receives orders for food delivery. If you can't find the features you want to add to your mobile app, you can customize these features to meet your requirements. Furthermore, you can create a mobile app by adding the pages and features of your choice.
Step 4: Branding
A template is just a starting step toward app design. All the major design elements are pre-made in the templates; you need to change the app icon, color scheme, and layout for a more personalized mobile app. AppMaster has a WYSIWYG (what you see is what you get) editor that provides an app preview in real-time when you are making changes to it. Branding will allow you to get a more personalized product by choosing a suitable color scheme, logo, font, and layout. The app logo is something that people see when downloading the app from Google Play or Apple App store. So, it is important to design a compelling logo that could grab the users' attention. You might be wondering how to design a logo that resonates with your business. To design an eye candy logo, you can use any online tool like Canva. It is easy to use and offers templates for different business types.
Step 5: Edit Content
Once you have customized the app logo, color scheme, and layout, the next step is to edit the app content. Each template has preloaded content that you can edit according to your business nature. For example, you can edit the content shown on the About Us page to make it more relevant to your business. No code app-building platforms allow adding new tabs to make your mobile app more interactive for the users.
Step 6: Add Features
Now, you can add all the suitable features for your business growth. In this regard, AppMaster is the best app builder that offers extensive features to build a more customized mobile app. It has a marketplace if you want to add a new feature to your app. To add a feature, click on Add button from the App Components. Furthermore, you can edit the app features from the App Components menu.
Step 7: Publish the app
Once you have added all the features and content to your app, it's time to publish it. With a no-code app builder, your app can go live on the Apple App Store and Google in a single click. For instant publishing of your app, you will have to create a developer account on each no-code app building platform. In this regard, AppMaster simplifies the app publication users with an easy-to-use wizard. You need to follow the policy of the Google App Store to make your app viable for your customers. AppMaster provides technical documentation of the app that will help you to meet the standard policy of the Google App store.
After the app launch, the success of your mobile app success highly depends on how many users download it from Google Play Store. Once your app is live, the next step is app promotion. App promotion helps to increase the number of customers adding more value to your business. Using AppMaster, you can follow these seven steps to build a mobile app on your own. This no-code app-building platform is the best app maker to build a strong digital presence for the business.
Cost for app building
Different development options are available when it comes to building a mobile app. You can hire a developer, a freelancer, or use a no-code app building platform to build a mobile app for your personal or professional needs. Choosing an online app maker can reduce the development cost. The reason is that an app builder charges monthly or yearly. The exact cost of an app-building platform depends on your targeted subscription plan that meets your business or personal needs. In this regard, AppMaster offers flexible pricing plans, and you can upgrade a subscription plan when needed. You can choose any subscription plan that helps you to achieve your business goals. For example, if you need a single app solution for your business, the Explore plan will suit your need. On the other hand, if you want advanced features in your mobile app, you may choose the business plan or enterprise-level plan.
Traditional app development requires a team for app building that includes:
- iOS developer
- Android developer
- Web developer
- Project manager
- App designer
- Quality assurance agent
- Testers
- Maintenance team
Sometimes, you may need to hire an extra developer for the iOS and Android app development if your developers quit, get sick, or go on vacations. But if you use an app builder, you won't need to worry about this. Furthermore, if you have subscribed to an app maker for advanced features, you need not pay more for user authentication, push notifications, app updates, and more. No-code app-building platforms can build a mobile app at $150 per month.
Factors affecting the app-building cost
Apart from the development method, some other factors influence the price of a mobile app:
- App category
- Development Method
- App features
- Mobile app design
- Maintenance cost
- App complexity
- Platform (Android and iOS )
Let's dig deeper into the details of these factors:
1. App Category
Mobile apps are playing a pivotal role in business growth, and there are different app categories such as music, education, lifestyle, health and fitness, travel, sports, and social media. The app development cost highly depends on the category of your app. If you want basic features in your app, you can get them for a few dollars. For example, building a stopwatch or calculator requires only basic functionality. These mobile apps are easy to develop, so they don't have high development costs. But if you want to add advanced features to your apps like push notifications and in-app purchases, your cost to build a mobile app will increase. Adding more complex features increases app complexity and results in increased cost. Complex app features include payments, GPS, and in-app purchase options. Apart from complex features, some other factors impact the overall app development cost:
- Design cost
- Back-end development (But AppMaster provides it in your selected subscription plan)
- Security protocols
- Testing
- Maintenance
Let's say you want to build a game app, social media app, or e-commerce app; these apps are going to be more expensive than the apps with the basic features.
2. Choose a development method
There are plenty of options available to build an app that meets your personal or business needs. App development method has a direct impact on your app price. There are multiple development options when building an app:
1. Build an app by yourself
You can build an app by yourself if you have a technical background. Building an app by yourself is the cheapest cheaper app solution.
2. Hire a Developer
If you have no coding skills, the cost of app development will significantly increase. You can seek help from the app developer or a team of app developers. This is going to add more to your app development cost. The development cost depends on the location of the developers.
3. Hire a Freelancer
If you prefer a traditional development over a no-code app building platform, you can hire a freelancer that doesn't cost too much. You can find a freelancer or an independent contractor if you have a budget of $10,000 for app building. In this price range, hiring a developer is not a suitable option as they charge more due to their extensive experience in app building.
But the problem with freelancers is that they work for multiple clients, and your app won't get their full attention. We recommend hiring freelancers if you instantly want to make your business live on a tight budget. So, if you want to build an app in a price range of $1,000 to $10,000, you might consider hiring a person with limited app-building skills. In the end, you might get a professional mobile app, but there is still risk regarding app quality. So, you need to make a decision that might meet your personal or professional needs at an affordable price.
4. Use a No-Code App Building Platform
To save your time and money, you can consider the use of a no-code app building platform to meet your needs affordably. App makers like AppMaster significantly reduce the development cost for mobile app building. The reason is that these platforms offer free app templates; you only need to customize your mobile app making it more personalized. You can try any professionally designed template that suits your business needs and start development even if you have no coding skills.
App makers like AppMaster offer four subscription plans that you can select according to your needs to customize the app. No code app building platforms are the best option for the small business owners who have kickstarted their startups and are on a tight budget. But these app makers won't work for large businesses and gaming apps.
Conclusion
Today, no-code app-building platforms have gained immense popularity due to their affordable business solutions. After going through our ultimate guide, we hope you are clear about how to build a mobile app, the best app maker, the cost of app development, and the factors affecting the app price. It's high time to transform your imagination into reality through no-code app building. AppMaster is the best app maker with an intuitive interface that allows you to build a mobile app on your own. The beauty of this no-code platform is that it offers backend code and technical documentation that might be helpful for you even if you are not using this app-building platform anymore.