What is a geocache app?
A geocache app is a web, mobile, or desktop application that enables users to find and share hidden caches. Users can use the app to view and leave logs for caches, find nearby caches, and navigate to the locations of interest. The app may provide tools for cache owners to track how many people visit their cache as well as suggestions on where to place new caches.
Geocache apps are similar to other outdoor activity apps, such as hiking apps, fishing apps, and wildlife watching apps. The most popular geocache app is Geocaching.com.
Examples of geocache apps built with Crowdbotics:
- An app that lets Party A place money/drop inside a perimeter where party B can pick up the money. The idea is to increase the incentive for foot traffic as Covid begins to wane. Use cases could be a friends buying appetizers for other friends on a night out, parents leaving a drop in a library or a place at college.
What is the typical cost to build a geocache app?
A geocache app usually costs about $37,500 to build. However, the total cost can be as low as $25,000 or as high as $50,000. A geocache app with a low number of features (also known as a minimum viable product, or MVP) will be more affordable than an app that includes all intended functionality.
For example, here are some previous geocache app price quotes from Crowdbotics:
How long does it take to build a geocache app?
A geocache app usually takes 300 hours to build. However, a geocache app can be built in as few as 200 hours, or in as many as 400 hours. The exact timeline mostly depends on how complicated your specific app is. As a general rule, it will take longer if you require highly custom designs, niche features, complex logic, or non-standard release platforms.
For example, some previous geocache apps build with Crowdbotics received the following hourly estimates:
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Crowdbotics has quoted and built hundreds of applications for teams of all sizes. Browse our historical estimates by industry and app type to understand possible costs and considerations.
How to successfully grow your geocache application
A geocache app can grow its user base by positioning itself as the go-to platform for geocachers looking to find new caches. It’s important for geocache apps to offer a fine-grained search feature that enables users to specify a detailed location, such as a street address or an intersection, in order to find the caches that they are looking for. Geocache apps should also have a strong presence on social media platforms, because geocaching is a hobby that has a large community of active participants who like to share their finds across multiple platforms.
Risks and challenges of building a geocache application
A geocache app faces risks related to user safety, trespassing and the likelihood of encountering wildlife. The app developer should take steps to ensure that users are entering valid coordinates and that they are actually in a position to see any geocache that they find. Additionally, it is recommended that geocache apps incorporate safety mechanisms to prevent users from wandering off into dangerous areas to retrieve the object.
