How to Build an On-Demand Delivery App Like Snoonu?

Want to build a successful on-demand delivery app like Snoonu? The on-demand delivery market in Qatar is booming. Platforms like Snoonu have set benchmarks in customer satisfaction and versatility. Explore how to build a similar app and tap into this growing market with a solution tailored for today’s fast-paced, tech-driven world.

Updated 6 March 2025

Anand Prakash
Anand Prakash

VP – Pre Sales at Appventurez

Want to build a successful on-demand delivery app like Snoonu? The on-demand delivery market in Qatar is booming. Platforms like Snoonu have set benchmarks in customer satisfaction and versatility. Explore how to build a similar app and tap into this growing market with a solution tailored for today’s fast-paced, tech-driven world.

The on-demand delivery market in the Middle East, particularly in Qatar, is witnessing a transformative boom. Driven by increasing smartphone adoption, urbanization, and the demand for seamless convenience, these platforms have redefined how people access essential goods and services. This surge in demand presents a golden opportunity for businesses and entrepreneurs looking to tap into a thriving digital economy.

Leading players like Snoonu, Talabat, and Deliveroo have set benchmarks in the region by catering to unique customer preferences and leveraging advanced logistics and technology. Their success highlights the untapped potential for new entrants to innovate and capture market share in this evolving landscape.

Online Food Delivery Market in GCC Countries stats

According to Statista, the Gulf Cooperation Council’s (GCC) online food delivery market is projected to grow at a remarkable CAGR of 16.6% from 2024 to 2029. This rapid expansion underscores the immense opportunity for businesses to create on-demand delivery platforms that cater to the region’s dynamic needs.

What makes a platform like Snoonu stand out? How can you build an app that thrives in this competitive space? Let’s explore.

What is Snoonu?

Launched in 2019, Snoonu is a delivery and logistics platform based in Qatar. It offers a range of services, including food delivery, grocery delivery, package delivery, and other on-demand services. The app aims to provide a convenient and efficient way for users to get what they need delivered to their doorstep. Snoonu operates similarly to other delivery apps but is tailored to the specific needs and market of Qatar. With the best app development, Users can browse restaurants, stores, and pharmacies, place orders, and track deliveries in real-time.

The biggest competitors of Snoonu are Talabat, Careem Now, and Deliveroo. While these competitors command substantial market shares, the focus of Snoonu on region-exclusive preferences and wider service scope provide it some unique advantages.

On-demand Delivery app solutions

How Snoonu Became a Leading Brand

The key to Snoonu’s success is its customer satisfaction and localized strategy. Because they could understand the cultural and economic nuances of Qatar, the platform customized its products, which addressed the user needs in the environment. Moreover, soon, it completely teamed up with local vendors, created the Snoonu vendor portal, and made the app interface easy to use in the market, further cementing its presence.

What Makes Snoonu Unique?

  • Versatility

Snoonu has a striking flexibility, which does not only focus on deliveries but also unites much more. Besides providing delivery of food and groceries, the platform expands its services to cover tasks like transporting objects or picking up/dropping off people, and even offering gifts like flowers.

It can be said that this approach allows Snoonu to become a versatile service that can satisfy different customer demands and has an opportunity to operate within time-definite and urgent scenarios.

  • Express Service

Swiftness and efficacy are core to what Snoonu offers to its customers. Customers can also take an hour express delivery on the platform so that their parcels, meals, or essentials are delivered on time. Whether it is food delivery, a forgotten birthday present, or a document that needs to reach the recipient immediately, Snoonu Express allows customers to get things done quickly with the convenience of today’s world.

  • User-Focused Features

In regards to features, the satisfaction of the consumers is evident by the kind of interface that Snoonu has provided in its application. The layout and design of the platform adopted is one of the simplest with few complications and technical hitches.

The type of tracking increases credibility as it enables a customer to monitor their consignment in real time. With both function and form pointing towards the needs of the consumer, it creates a harmonized consumer experience that brings customers back to Snoonu.

The Market of On-Demand Delivery Platforms like Snoonu

On-demand delivery platforms are proving to be a big deal in the Middle East, and notably in Qatar. The growth is spurred by the adoption of tech, population increases in cities, and demand for convenience.

  • Market Insights

Research and Markets report that the Middle East on-demand delivery market is also set to rise massively within the next five years. The FIFA World Cup Cup 2022 in Qatar mobilized for an economic boost, leading to boosting the adoption of digital platforms.

  • Success Stories

  1. Talabat: It is one of the oldest platforms in the region and is a leading force in the GCC food and grocery delivery services market.
  2. Careem Now: Offering delivery for groceries, pharmacy items, and more.
  3. Noon: From e-commerce, it expanded to on-demand delivery services using its expansive logistics network.

Therefore, after looking at these insights, it may not be wrong to say that this market is flourishing and is expected to boom at an unprecedented rate. Thus allowing businesses to launch their custom delivery solutions.

Benefits of Building an App Like Snoonu

Let’s take a deeper look at the numerous advantages of developing an on-demand application, not just for businesses but also for customers. These apps have revolutionized how goods and services are accessed, making them indispensable in today’s fast-paced digital era. By understanding these benefits, we can appreciate why such platforms are rapidly growing in popularity across industries and geographies.

advantages of building an on-demand delivery app

  • For Businesses

  1. Increased Revenue: The profits from offering multiple delivery services provide businesses with multiple streams of revenue.
  2. Market Expansion: Digital platforms give the business the opportunity to be accessed, both locally and internationally, by many people.
  3. Enhanced Customer Engagement: A service like a loyalty program and personalized recommendations build a long-term relationship with a customer.
  • For Customers

  1. Convenience: Anyone can access goods and services at any time or any place.
  2. Speed: It delivers essential items on time through quick deliveries.
  3. Transparency: Trust and reliability are also enhanced by real-time tracking and multiple payment options.

Snoonu was able to capitalize on the increasing demand for online grocery delivery during the COVID-19 pandemic to its customers, making the delivery safe and easy for them and even earning rapid revenue.

Steps to Develop an On-Demand Delivery App Like Snoonu

Building a successful on-demand delivery app like Snoonu requires a proper design. See below a detailed roadmap to help you work through development and end up with a robust and usable application.

Steps to Develop an On-demand Delivery App like Snoonu

  • Research the Market Comprehensively

Any successful app requires an understanding of its audience and the market it serves. The first thing to do is work through market research to identify the pain points of your intended users and determine where existing services are lacking, which your app is great for.

First, analyze your competitors. Talabat, Careem, Now, Deliveroo, and some very famous examples. Find out what works and what doesn’t when it comes to what they are doing. You can survey potential users to know what they prefer, what’s challenging for them, and what they expect from a product.

This step is critical because if you cannot position your app as unique, you will have a difficult time creating a unique value proposition that differentiates your app from competitors — and that value proposition is the ultimate goal of your work.

  • Define Your Business Model

The scope, revenue streams, and target audience of your app will depend on your delivery app’s business model. Starting with what niche you would like to focus on for your platform, will you be a one-trick pony (e.g., a food delivery-based app) or a multi-trick pony (groceries, parcel delivery, and other on-demand solutions)?

Common business models for on-demand delivery apps include:

  1. Commission-Based Model: Charging a percentage of each order to vendors.
  2. Subscription-Based Model: Premium features for a monthly or an annual fee.
  3. Delivery Fee Model: Using a flat or distance-based charge for delivery.

For instance, Snoonu Qatar is a multi-service model that allows customers to benefit from a variety of services in one platform. The appeal of this versatility is to a broad demographic and, hence, more revenue streams.

  • Work with Local Vendors and Service Providers

In order to create a successful on-demand delivery app, you can have strong partnerships with local restaurants, grocery stores, and other service providers so that there is always a diverse range of services to offer. Emphasize the benefits your platform brings to joiners, namely visibility, expanding your customer base, and simplifying your operations.

Snoonu’s work with local vendors and their dedicated Snoonu vendor portal enabled them to start building a network of reliable vendor partners and stand out in the competition. By choosing to work with trustworthy vendors, you’ve partnered with the best in what you do, thereby creating a high-quality service for your customers and preventing them from leaving.

  • Choose a Creative Team

An app developed by your development team can either save you or ruin you, so choose people who are good with on-demand delivery app development and who possess an in-depth understanding of your target customers’ needs.

Key considerations when hiring a team:

  1. Experience: Find developers who have built apps very similar to yours before.
  2. Technology Stack: Make sure your team is fluent in the latest technologies used in app development, which are React Native, Flutter, or Swift.
  3. Customization: Pick up developers who will be able to tailor the app as per your business requirements.
  • Launch Minimum Viable Product (MVP) First

An MVP (minimum viable product) is a needs-serving stripped-down version of your on-demand delivery app that contains critical core features that meet those users’ needs. By working in this way, you can try your app in the actual market, secure valuable feedback, and figure out what improvements need to be made before having to pay for all of it upfront.

Benefits of an MVP:

  1. Reduces the development cost and time.
  2. It validates your app idea in the market.
  3. It provides information about how and what users do and want.

For example, Snoonu began with essential delivery services and has since added categories such as personal errands and retail delivery. By growing sustainably they eventually grew as a result of the phased approach.

  • Scale and Optimize Your App

When your app’s MVP starts to get traction, use analytics and user feedback to enhance the app’s functionality and add new features to it. In its quest to continually optimize its app, Snoonu continually brings innovative features like real-time delivery tracking and promotional campaigns to keep users engaged and satisfied.

  1. Scaling

    Scale up to new regions or new cities to grow your user base. The service can be updated by adding new services or categories to serve a more varied customer need.

  2. Optimization

    Input customer feedback to enhance the user interface (UI) and user experience (UX).

Must-Have Features in Grocery Delivery Apps Like Snoonu

To survive in the crowded on-demand delivery app market, your app must have features that address the need for the most improved user satisfaction and operational efficiency. Here are the key features explained with real-life relevance:

Features in on-Delivery App

  • Real-Time Tracking

Ordering is easy and transparent, and users can keep track of their orders live. Snoonu’s tracking system, which allows customers to check on delivery progress gives them a taste of reliability. For time-sensitive deliveries like groceries or urgent packages to truck drivers, this feature is crucial.

  • Multiple Payment Options

It offers secure and flexible payment gateways, including credit cards, digital wallets, and cash on delivery, catered to a large use of the customer. This flexibility is leveraged by many apps like Snoonu that desire to attract and retain diverse audiences.

  • Push Notifications

Alerts to order status, special offers, or promotions are issued to users on time. For instance, customers get updates when their order is made ready, out for delivery, or delayed decreasing uncertainty.

  • User-Friendly Interface

Intuitive design eliminates any usability problems also for people who are not tech-savvy. Snoonu Food Delivery Qatar has incorporated simplicity in its apps through simple navigation and visually pleasant designs so that one can always order.

  • Vendor and Driver Management

Vendors and delivery agents can use such efficient tools to quickly accept, track, and finish orders and ease the delivery process altogether. A scaling operation can only be effectively handled with this backend management system.

  • In-App Chat

Queries can be resolved instantly between customers, vendors, and delivery agents. For example, Snoonu employs its very own Snoonu customer service to solve such delivery instructions as well as attendant concerns that enhance the overall quality of service.

If these features are well implemented, it can make success similar (or even more) to Snoonu, whereby it provides convenience, reliability, and user satisfaction.

Cost to Develop an On-Demand Delivery App like Snoonu

The cost to develop an app like Snoonu is between $10,000 and $25,000. The delivery service business has four main stages: planning, building, testing, and fixing. Every app, including those for food and grocery delivery, follows this step-by-step process. The table below shows the time and cost needed to create an e-commerce mobile app.

Here is the cost breakdown for developing an app like Snoonu:

Factor / IntegrationCost Range ($)
Basic UI/UX Design$1,000 – $3,000
Frontend Development$2,000 – $6,000
Backend Development$2,000 – $6,000
Database Setup$500 – $1,500
API Integration$1,000 – $3,000
Authentication System
$500 – $1,500
Push Notifications Setup
$500 – $1,500
Analytics Integration
$500 – $1,500
Version Control System
$200 – $500
Deployment Setup
$500 – $1,500
Testing and QA
$1,000 – $3,000
Project Management
$500 – $1,500
Contingency (10-20%)
$800 – $5,000
Total Cost
$8,000 – $25,000

Factors Affecting the Cost To Develop An App Like Snoonu

Making an app like Snoonu depends on many factors that affect the total cost. Here are five key factors that a mobile app development company considers when building an app:

Factors Affecting the Cost To Develop An App Like Snoonu

Here are five key factors that affect the cost to develop an app like Snoonu:

  • Feature Set Complexity

The more features an app has, the higher the cost. Features like user login, order management, real-time tracking, payments, and notifications take time and resources to build, increasing the overall cost.

  • Platform Compatibility

An app that works on iOS, Android, and the web costs more because each platform needs different coding and design to ensure a smooth user experience.

  • Design and User Experience (UI/UX)

A simple and attractive design makes the app easy to use. Skilled designers and testing are needed to create a user-friendly app, which adds to the development cost.

  • Backend Infrastructure

A strong backend system is needed for servers, databases, and APIs to ensure the app works smoothly. Working with a food ordering app development company can help, but this also adds to the total cost.

  • Integration with Third-Party Services

Apps like Snoonu use payment gateways, maps, and analytics tools. These services improve the app but require extra costs for licenses, API usage, and secure setup.

Best Practices for On-Demand Platform Development

If you plan to create an on-demand delivery app, be sure to put these industry best practices into action to please both customers and operations efficiency.

  • Focus on User Experience

Customer satisfaction demands an intuitive, easily friendly interface. Make it very easy for users to browse services, place orders, and view deliveries without anything confusing. Along the lines, apps like Snoonu offer a clean, easily user-friendly UI that simplifies the ordering process, making it available for everyone.

  • Prioritize Security

User data is protected behind robust security measures, including end-to-end encryption and trusted payment gateways, as it builds trust. Inescapable cyber threats make it essential to have apps such as Snoonu that are safe for customers’ private information and safe transactions.

  • Leverage Data Analytics

It can analyze the behavior and preferences of users and optimize app features to increase the retention of customers. Insights from analytics can help you figure out popular delivery times, preferred payment methods, and service gaps that businesses can use to make educated decisions. To add new services and optimize delivery times, Snoonu Qatar uses data-driven strategies.

  • Ensure Scalability

As with any project, you have to think about future growth and designing the app’s architecture to support that. A scalable app can make the transition from not much traffic to more, expand services, and open up new real estate. For instance, Snoonu’s infrastructure enables it to not only food deliveries but also personal and retail deliveries.

This integration of these best practices will help your app stay in the competition, relatively secure and user-facing for the long run in the rapidly expanding market.

Conclusion

To build an on-demand delivery app like Snoonu is a lucrative opportunity in a huge market that’s growing at a fast pace. However, by implementing these steps, introducing the key features, and working with Appventurez experts, you will make your platform ready for tomorrow’s tech-savvy consumers while making it a profitable business.

Besides, it is crucial to emphasize effective user experience, further development, and the ability to scale the platform. Constant monitoring of consumer opinion and ensuring that your app incorporates newer technologies, such as AI, to create a more personalized app can help you stand out.

In addition, adequate partnerships with local suppliers and distributors shall facilitate local operations and thus improve customer satisfaction hence increase loyalty. When these elements are incorporated alongside a progressive outlook, your business can not only remain robust in existing environments but evolve in response to change nicely too.

Our Experience in Developing an On-Demand Platform

We, at Appventurez, are experts at developing feature-rich scalable robust on-demand delivery apps according to your business needs. We help businesses thrive in a competitive digital market having vast experience in creating innovative solutions.

Our expertise in on-demand platform services is commendable, and one of our creations, ASAPP, continues expanding to over 35 countries and is serving in all major cities of the world. Users have been very approving of the UI/UX and special features of the application, which make it outshine other service providers.

ASAPP, one of our successful projects in on-demand app development, is proof of our expertise in the field of mobile app development. ASAPP has been engineered to facilitate quick and agile deliveries that improve business processes, boost customer encounters, and increase revenue.

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    Anand Prakash
    Anand Prakash

    VP – Pre Sales at Appventurez

    Anand specializes in sales and business development as its VP - Sales and Presales. He supervises the pre-sales process by upscaling on establishing client relationships. He skillfully deploys instruments such as cloud computing, automation, data centers, information storage, and analytics to evaluate clients’ business activities.