What is a services app?
A services application is a web or mobile application that enables users to perform an activity that is not directly related to buying or selling a product or managing a commercial enterprise. Some examples of service applications include payroll solutions, expense management tools, and customer relationship management (CRM) software.
Services apps are often similar to other apps that provide assistance with everyday tasks, such as task and errand-running apps, hospitality apps, and transportation rental apps. TaskRabbit and Handy are the two most popular examples of services apps.
Examples of services apps built with Crowdbotics:
- An app to support a lockout insurance business. Subscription based membership will provide free locksmith services for a monthly fee. If a user is locked out of their house or car, they will request a locksmith through the app.
- An app that helps users find local service providers, schedule appointments, and pay for services right on the app. Some examples of services include cleaning, gardening, plumbing, contractors, and beauty services.
- A carwash app that has Scheduler – would like to use Calendly API for scheduling. Payment method – open to Stripe
What is the typical cost to build a services app?
A services 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 services 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 services app price quotes from Crowdbotics:
How long does it take to build a services app?
A services app usually takes 244 hours to build. However, a services app can be built in as few as 133 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 services apps build with Crowdbotics received the following hourly estimates:
Not seeing what you’re looking for?
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 services application
A services app is one that allows the user to find, hire, or otherwise connect with a third-party provider. A common strategy for growing these types of apps is to provide a platform that matches users with providers in a specific category. For example, a cleaning service can grow by offering cleaners who are verified by an independent agency, and it can also incentivize consumers by providing special deals on cleaning services.
Risks and challenges of building a services application
A services app faces legal and reputational risks associated with user misrepresentation of identity, dangerous user encounters, the storage of sensitive personal information, and harassment taking place on the platform. Services apps should take strong measures to verify user identities and provide users with safety mechanisms for blocking other users and cancelling appointments. It is recommended that services apps provide robust mechanisms for reporting platform abuse and conduct routine security audits to prevent unauthorized access to user data.
