How To Create A WhatsApp-like Chatting App for Android Or iOS?

With more than 2 billion active users in a month, Facebook-owned WhatsApp messenger is delivering more than 100 billion messages a day, as per Techcrunch reports.  

Can you imagine a moment when you find no way to chat like you used to do now? Of course not, it is more than a nightmare to think about not finding your favorite chatting app on your smartphone. From happy morning texts to exchanging the bulks of media files, we can’t resist using these messaging apps with super-fast internet connectivity on your handheld gadgets.

For this reason, more and more tech experts suggest going for real-time chatting apps like WhatsApp for ventures looking for mobile app development service providers.  

There is no doubt that our world is gradually turning away from SMS and MMS as some instant messaging platforms like WhatsApp, Facebook messenger, Snapchat, Skype, Viber messenger, WeChat, Hike, etc. are breaking records of popularity in the tech world.

Promoting Business with Messaging Apps

With all sorts of messaging apps on the hit-list, WhatsApp kept upgrading its interfaces with more added features to emerge as the most-used real-time chatting app ever since the day it was launched in 2009. The majority of entrepreneurs are looking forward to investing in mobile app development to get instant messaging apps with innovative & engaging features for one-to-one communication between both-end users.

Messaging on WhatsApp is not limited to personal chats as many startups & small business owners are emerging on this chatting app to connect and interact with their target customers. WhatsApp’s business app allows marketers to promote their service or products to people with customized options to send bulk messages and responses to a customer query. Sounds cool, right?

Since chatting apps are embracing incredible user engagement during pandemic days, you can plan your business strategy around the mobile app development for a Whatsapp-like platform for Android or iOS users to grow your venture without exceeding your budget.   

Key considerations to build an app like Whatsapp for Android or iOS

With a community of worldwide users, Whatsapp has become a dominant messaging application in the market. The concept of digital chatting has gone through a massive transformation with the integration of features to send & receive customized photos, audios, videos, live locations, documents, contacts, record voice messages along with end-to-end encryption of messages & many useful add-ons.

Kudos to our modern programmers who know the secret ingredients of the recipe for crafting innovative chat apps for instant communication. Here are some crucial points that every mobile app development service provider highlights for building a robust Whatsapp-like application for any business:

1. Be clear about native, hybrid, & cross-platform

Before you go ahead with your mobile app development project, it is necessary to strategize for the launch of the Minimum Viable Product (MVP) of your proposed app. Developers must consider these options to choose the right platform for building instant messaging apps:  

• Native messaging app: Whether it’s Android or iOS, native apps deliver the best performance for any particular platform. Programmers leverage different sets of codes and programming languages i.e Java for Android & C++ for iOS to develop messaging apps. Native app development is a great option if there are no budget constraints.
• Hybrid messaging app: All the platform-independent chat apps are powered by hybrid technology. Although hybrid app development is not expensive, it takes a backseat due to poor performance with heavy animations & too many features.
• Cross-platform apps: Popular cross-platform technologies like Node.Js, Xamarin, React Native, Flutter, etc. are preferred for crafting robust apps for universal platforms. They’re built on single codes to run smoothly across all major platforms.

2. Focus on the user interface design of the app

You must have noticed that top messaging apps like Whatsapp keep their user interface crisp, clear, & easy to navigate. More than 75% of users make their mind either to continue on your app or remove it promptly in just a single glimpse of your app.  The designing team at any mobile app development company is well aware of the trends & tricks of customizing app interfaces for chat apps.

3. Note down must-have features of modern messaging apps

Mark these essential features of real-time chatting apps as per the market needs & preferences of your target users:

• End-to-end encryption between exchanged messages
• One-click & simplified user login/signup
• Broadcast messages to multiple recipients
• Live location sharing with geolocation setup
• High-quality voice & video calling
• Status updates with a 24-hour timeline

4. Get a marketing strategy for app promotion

Right from creating buzz about your app to promoting it on diverse social media platforms, marketing strategists perform app store optimization to encourage visibility of your brand new messaging app right after its successful launch.

Cost of developing an instant messaging app like Whatsapp

The budget for a real-time chatting app depends on the project requirements, features, technology, & resources used for its development. The estimated cost of the mobile app development project varies between $50K to $80K.

Final words

The messaging app will continue engaging the global population by providing better ways to interact with their loved ones. Developing competitive messaging apps like Whatsapp is a bit challenging as there is a crowd of chatting platforms available for modern users. Therefore, it is better to work with the best mobile app development service provider to get what you expect for your business.