How Much Does It Cost To Create An App Like TikTok?

Pick any of the social media platforms, you will witness a TikTok video already stealing the show there. In short, “there is always a scope for innovation” slang has been engagingly proved by TikTok architecture. 

This Chinese music video platform TikTok now is a trend and there are very few chances of knocking it down any day. Its popularity made not just businesses but startups start investing in similar ideas. 

But to understanding the scope of apps like TikTok app development cost requires a rough idea to be prepared before the original investment process. 

Here in this blog, we will be highlighting how much TikTok app development costs along with all the major things associated with it. 

What is the TikTok App?

TikTok is a video-sharing program that allows users to shoot brief video snippets, broadcast live video streams, apply filters or their favorite music, and share the finished products on social media.

Alex Zhu, a TikTok founder, had the concept to mix music, video sharing, and social networking in one smartphone application. Teenagers were using several applications, he saw, to listen to music, take selfies, film short movies, and share them with pals.

Features For Apps Like TikTok

Login Screen

This is the foremost point when we talk about the features & functionality required to create a TikTok-like mobile app. The login feature should be integrated to make an app like TikTok while offering options to signup from other social media platforms. For using the application, users will be required to first sign in to access the app. 

Simple User Interface

The screen is the first thing that holds the users to the app. Hence, both iOS and Android app developers need to make simple yet catchy UX techniques to follow. This way, it will be fluid for users to navigate through the app which will ultimately enhance their user experience. 

In the case of TikTok, the app enables users to find all the trending videos after signing up. The videos can be seen one after the other through screen scrolling. Also, it is easy to follow known people along with sharing the screen for further viewing. 

Hearts & Shares

You must have given hearts to many Instagram posts. The same hearts are also integrated into TikTok but with a twist and bring in more scope of apps like TikTok. Those hearts though do not necessarily make you necessarily follow the creator but are the indicator of video popularity. On the other hand at the creator’s side, the profile tracks the heart received. 

By giving hearts, the video will be saved in your profile and become accessible at any time. Many TikTok users rise to fame through videos. 

To make your app compete with TikTok, adding this feature with another twist can be a great way. 

Tons Of Filters & Effects

Snapchat users know how much fun it is to use filters and effects. An ordinary image can become extraordinary when adorned with filters and effects. Similarly, special features like reverse, zoom, flash, popular slow-motion, etc add up to the series of TikTok prices.

Many people might have used Faceapp with its specialty of turning young faces into old ones. Such unique and out-of-the-box features grab users’ attention to the fullest. Hence, adding features and effects that are unusual yet amazing will certainly make users fall for your app. 

Sharing Is Caring

Videos are meant for sharing and if a feature like this is not integrated into the app, the music and video sharing app is nothing. Tiktok took this feature seriously and made a space for “sharing”. This feature adds to the pile of the cost to create An App Like TikTok.

Through it, sharing apps on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Messenger, WhatsApp, and even on email is as easy as clicking a button. 

Add Some Uniqueness

Tiktok enables users to upload their music, and songs also rather than using the pre-loaded or given options that create more scope for apps like TikTok.

If you are planning to get started with the same, the very first step you should take is finding a reliable mobile app development company. Once done with it, make sure you ask for such a “unique” feature from the company to make your investment worthy and ROI great. 

Push Notifications

Push notifications are the best way to make users aware of new videos, likes, tags, followers, etc. 

Duets Drolls

Tiktok makes people do the duet by recording the lip-sync of popular dialogue. On the other hand, another user can get started with the same. 

Video Editors

TikTok-like applications is popular also due to offering great features and effects along with tools for editing videos. 

Along with that, additional features of Tik Tok like-

• Hashtags, 
• Music library
• Real-time analytics
• Geolocation app development etc are additional good things that can be integrated into Tiktok-like applications. 

These features should be the must-have features that should be integrated into Tiktok like app development when developed. Meanwhile, such features also affect the cost of making an app like Tik Tok.

Factors Affecting Tiktok App development Cost 

Design

Designing an app is the foremost part of developing an application. It is something that reflects the mobile app design of the application as users are demanding these days. And on the other hand, UI is something that needs to hook users in the very first instance. 

Platform

Currently, there are two platforms- Android and iOS trending in the market. To make an app like Tik Tok architecture, targeting both platforms are important. 

Whereas iOS development tools take a little 20% or even 30% less time in comparison to Android. The reason for the latter one is that more devices run on Android. 

Development Team

How to develop an app like TikTok? To do so, there are two options- either outsourcing an app development company or hiring in-house iOS and Android app developers. Both the options incur plus and minus. 

The in-house development Required Development Team Structure tends to be expensive whereas outsourcing is a little less costly along with being more comfortable. 

Features

Features are the core of developing an app like TikTok. Understanding these features, complex ones take the costing part more whereas simple ones cost less. To build an advanced featured app like TikTok, the development team will be requiring more time. 

How to build an App like TikTok?

To succeed in TikTok-like app development, you need to go through the stages described below.

Research the Target Market

You must perform research and learn more about your target market before deciding to develop an app similar to TikTok. You will benefit from having a clearer understanding of the market dynamics, consumer behavior, top competitors, and more. In-depth user evaluations for popular social media applications like TikTok should also be read. This will enable you to produce a better result.

Choose the Right Platform

Both iOS and Android systems may be able to run your TikTok-like app. However, if money is tight, you can know how to make apps like TikTok in Android or iOS apps. You may then improve your service so that it operates effectively on another platform.

Read on to see how much it costs to build apps for Android.

Select the Monetization Model

All applications, regardless of genre, have the same goal in mind: to make money. When discussing how to monetize an app, the social network space often revolves around three sorts –

• Subscription-based model
• Freemium model with paid access to premium services
• In-app purchases
• Advertising

Hire an App Development Company

Hiring a reputable and trustworthy app development firm can guarantee that your app has the newest features and functions at the lowest possible cost. A mobile app development business is made up of app developers, UI/UX designers, project managers, and industry experts that always consider your vision and give helpful ideas.

Test your App

When creating an app like TikTok, testing is yet another vital aspect to take into account. Test everything, including the app’s functionality, user interface, and content. Proper testing helps find flaws, cut down on development time and costs, and dramatically enhances your standing as a service provider.

Submit App to Stores

Once you’re happy with the testing of your software, you may submit it to the Google Play Store or the Apple App Store. However, you must adhere to Apple’s and Google’s developer policies if you plan to publish an app on the App Store or Play Store. Additionally, you should match their requirements with your monetization strategy.

But even though the application must fulfill certain standards to be accepted, it is worthwhile. Millions of prospective consumers can be reached by uploading your program to the Google Play Store statistics or the App Store.

Launch and Track Performance

Use the in-app analytics tools put in place during the development process to evaluate the success of your app after it has been released on app stores. You should also roll out updates to boost user engagement and respond to user requests and complaints.

After learning the stages involved in creating an app similar to TikTok, it is time to examine the app’s commercial and income aspects.

How Much Does it Cost to Develop An App Like TikTok?

TikTok app development costs can be anywhere between $40,000 and $45,000 to develop with all of the basic features for a single platform (Android or iOS). The mobile app pricing strategy while developing a TikTok cost structure can rise to $100,000 by including advanced features and developing for multiple platforms.

• The hourly price for TikTok app development may vary depending on the company you choose.
• Charges for small businesses range from $20K to $50K; for medium businesses, the range is $50K to $100K.
• Charges for enterprise-level businesses range from $150K to $250K.

Now that we know how long it will take to develop an app like TikTok, let’s figure out how much it will cost in total.

Depending on the solution, you should include back-end development time as well as iOS or Android development time. After that, multiply the time by the hourly rate of the team.

You’ll need at least $72,050 for one platform (iOS or Android) and $123,300 for two platforms to make an app like TikTok (iOS development and Android).

Technologies Used To Develop Apps Like TikTok

Tiktok no doubt is a show stopper in the app development industry and its competitors are still trying to make their presence too. 

Technology is the core of any application and similarly, app-based applications are backed with-

Meanwhile, few other technologies are required- 

1. Real-time Analytics- Azure Stream Analytics, Apache Flink, Spark Streaming.
2. Streaming Media System- Nimble Streamer, Wowza Streaming Engine Helix Universal Server.
3. Powerful programming- GWT
4. Database- HBase, Mongo DB, Cassandra, MailChimp Integration, Postgres
5. Cloud Environment- AWS
6. For Database Management- Datastax
7. Phone, Voice & SMS Verification: Twilio, Nexmo.
8. Push Notifications- Push.io, Twilio, 
9. Universal Operating System- Debian
10. emails: Mandrill
11. Storage servers for every music & music video app- Google Cloud Storage, Azure, Amazon S3.
12. Video/audio Transcoding: Amazon elastic transcoder (third-party solution.), FFMPEG (Open source software).

How To Earn Money Through Apps Like TikTok?

There are several ways to earn money through an app like Tiktok. Subscription, Influencer Promotion, etc, meanwhile, a few other methods are- 

In-App Purchase

An app like Tiktok is available with options like buying stickers, and emoticons for reacting live to videos. If you are planning to develop an app like TikTok, in-app purchases like stickers, emoticons, etc will become the essence. 

Advertisements

Advertisements are one of the most important assets to earn revenue from apps like Tiktok. As and when the app will get popular, various brands tend to spend a huge amount on advertisements. 

The Mobile App monetization model is filled with various methods to earn money through Tik Tok live applications. Subscription-based models generally lock the advanced features of the app while letting people use the basic one in the initial phase. 

Once they start liking the feature of the app, for using the advanced ones, they need to pay some subscription-based amount. 

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