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How Much Does it Cost to Build a Rideshare or Taxi App?

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Traditional taxi services are being increasingly replaced by ride-sharing apps. The main reason being they are convenient, transparent, and secure. The costs are also comparatively less. There are a lot of other features which a traditional taxi service may not be able to provide.

Uber the pioneer in ride-sharing services was founded in 2009 and it changed the industry forever. As of now, the market is wide open with a lot of companies catching up and the competition is getting stiffer. The global online taxi services market is expected to touch $28.65 billion this year.

If you’re thinking of developing a new ridesharing app like Uber to start your own car rental business, the obvious initial question would be how much does it cost to build an app. We will look at how a taxi app works, features that an app should have, and finally how much taxi app development will cost.

How does a rideshare app work

Services like Uber give the opportunity to the client to book a taxi along with its driver. You are able to track its movement and pay online. You can choose a car category and also change drivers if you feel like it.

A GPS system will help the driver find you. You can rate the service and your behavior can be rated by the driver. This helps to maintain standards. You can find out the price for the ride before booking which is a very useful feature. A taxi app lets users access a host of services other than booking a taxi.

Features of a taxi app

Some of the typical features a rideshare app should have are as follows. They can be broadly divided into three elements for passengers, drivers and you can have an admin panel.

For passengers

1. Registration

There should be a safe and encrypted environment where the customer can store his or her credentials. Allow them to register from social media networks also. Make it simple so that it does not take more than a minute.

2. Cab booking

Once the client enters they can start looking for a taxi. Carpooling services should also be allowed if the passenger wants to share the trip with other passengers going on a similar route to save money. The potential client should be able to choose the preferred route, type of transportation, option to share the ride among others.

3. Real-time notifications

The passenger should be notified of all the events occurring such as updates from drivers or other passengers, delay if any, etc.

4. Location determination

GPS features should allow the users to know the movement of the booked taxi and also the location of the other passengers.

5. Communication

It should be possible for the user to communicate with the driver and other passengers if necessary.

6. Payments

The app should have a flexible payment structure, this is quite important. The client should be able to choose the payment option and for that, a lot of options should be provided.

For drivers

It is necessary to have a system to track and check the driver’s background and also to see that they are paid properly so that they stick with your company. Drivers are the backbone of ridesharing companies and you need to have a well-established driving staff to succeed. Some of the important features the app should have are

1. Sign up and login

The driver’s account should be safe and also it should be approved by the admin before signing in.

2. Confirmation and rejection

The driver should be able to confirm or reject the trip. If rejected the ride should be assigned to the next available driver.

3. GPS based tracking

It is necessary that your app has an inbuilt navigation system to make things easier for the driver.

4. Communication

The driver should be able to communicate with the passengers clearly and concisely

5. Payment

The driver should be able to receive the payment from the clients for the ride effortlessly. Different options should be provided.

Admin panel

The administrator should be able to access complete information about active, completed, canceled rides, etc. It should be possible to track and generate reports and analytics so that revenue can be managed.

All the details about the drivers, their personal information, and credentials should be stored in the app. The admin will also have to manage complaints and review ratings based on which he or she may need to even block drivers, passengers, etc.

Costs of building a riding app

Now that we have gone through the basic features, let’s go over the most important aspect which is the cost. Development costs will vary depending on the rate of the developers and of course how many functions and features you would like to have.

We at SDI follow a hybrid model that combines the best of both worlds. Hence you can build your high-quality app at the best possible price. The price can vary between $10,000 to $35,000 based on the features.

If you would like to know more about the various options available call us at 408.621.8481 or email us at team@sdi.la. We will be happy to help.

How Are Progressive Web Apps Useful To E-Commerce Platforms?

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Being highly accessible on mobile is a must to succeed in the eCommerce space. Until a few years back it was difficult to replicate the experience of a native mobile app. The creation of progressive web apps has changed the situation. Several companies have taken advantage of this technology which offers cross-device accessibility on mobile phones and tablets.

What is a progressive web app?

PWA (progressive web app) which was introduced in the year 2015 is a web application that can offer a native app-like experience to users. Basically, it allows the user to have the same experience on a website as his or her experience on an app. It also offers features like push notifications, work offline among others. This technology brings consistency between web and native apps replacing both with a single app.

Native apps provide a much richer user experience than the web. Progressive web apps behave in the same way as the native app being incredibly fast and being very user-friendly.

Benefits of progressive web apps

1. Loads faster

Users are likely to abandon a site if it takes more than a few seconds. Speed is the essence. PWAs load extremely fast, thereby effectively increasing conversion and retention rates.

2. Highly reliable

PWAs are highly reliable as you can load them even if the internet connection is bad or non-existent thereby eliminating dependence on a network connection.

3. Can reach a wider audience

Since PWAs can work for every user regardless of the platform or screen size, they are instantly accessible thereby enabling more people to adopt them.

4. Less development costs

Developing a progressive web app requires less time and fewer costs. If it is a native app, you will have to create it both for Android and iOS, and with maintenance and other costs, it is bound to be expensive. In addition, you will have to maintain a website as well.

Progressive web apps for eCommerce

People need easy access to services and products. PWA in eCommerce offers just that with fast loading speeds, checkout, and usability. Reports suggest when an eCommerce store switches to PWA, there is usually an increase in revenue by nearly 20%. The ease offers to the customer helps to increase your eCommerce business.

People may not like to download an app due to various reasons. They may prefer to search for products or services through a website. By adopting PWA you make your website more user-friendly thereby attracting more customers.

The benefits of PWAs for eCommerce businesses

1. Can be released faster

Since PWAs are designed with reusable codes, modules can be developed in quick succession. Moreover, in most cases, the original eCommerce site already exists which means most of the groundwork has already been laid out. It is much faster to release a PWA than a native app.

2. Better user experience and engagement

PWAs can provide a highly engaging user experience and can be installed right on the home screen making them very accessible. They’re automatically updated so there is no hassle for the user to update it further. There is no need to download, it is very simple to install, just like visiting a link and accepting a prompt. Also, PWAs offer the capability to send push notifications which assist in grabbing people’s attention. This will significantly increase opportunities to promote your products and services.

3. No need to pay app store subscriptions

You will have to pay subscription charges for native apps as these reside in third-party application stores. With PWAs you can avoid these without in any way affecting your app’s visibility as customers can find your website on their browsers.

4. Improves your SEO

Being a web-based PWA means you can be discovered better by search engines. Along with engaging user experience and faster loading, a PWA will result in higher SEO rankings. This in turn will lead to higher conversion rates helping you achieve your business goals.

Conclusion

As we have seen, the benefits of having a PWA for your eCommerce store are numerous. The user experience and speed offered by a PWA are essential to attract and retain customers. There are several examples where progressive web apps have truly changed businesses.

This is the right time to create a full PWA. We at SDI can help build a PWA eCommerce app that will give you all the benefits mentioned and much more. Being an experienced PWA development company we can enhance your user experience and help increase sales.

Do not wait. Call us at 408.621.8481 or email us at team@sdi.la and let’s get started.

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How to Create a Peer-to-Peer Marketplace Website

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The demand for online marketplaces has been steadily growing among individuals and organizations. According to reports, the eCommerce market has been growing by more than 18% annually. P2P marketplace is one of the effective business models and is fast replacing traditional eCommerce websites. In fact the popularity is such that it is expected to touch around $355 billion by 2025. Peer-to-peer marketplace is a great way to start a scalable business.

What is a P2P marketplace?

P2P marketplace connects people who need products with people selling them. Products or services can be both bought and rented. Basically it handles payments while connecting supply with demand. Though it comes under the eCommerce platform it is different from an ordinary eCommerce website.

In a marketplace it is possible for the users also to sell products which is not possible in an eCommerce website. Users can have their own storefront where they can add products, get ratings and can control sales which is not possible through an online store.

P2P marketplace business model

It is much easier to set up a peer-to-peer website than an online store. Maintaining an online store requires considerable effort and time as you will have to bring the buyers and sellers together, set prices etc.

On the other side as a marketplace owner you are not selling anything, you are just providing space for people to exchange goods or services. People need certain goods or services which others can provide. Users can play both roles, a buyer can become a seller and vice versa. The very name peer to peer comes from this. Your role is to make the platform as comfortable as possible. It is easy to create a peer to peer website with the help of web developers from reputed development agencies like SDI thereby creating a lot of value for your platform.

Benefits of building a P2P marketplace

1. More convenient and flexible

As an owner you can change the niche anytime you want thereby giving you a lot of flexibility. Since you don’t produce goods you need not invest in manufacturing. Visitors attract each other and sellers will start coming to your website as the number of buyers increases. Marketing is much easier compared to an online store. You need to give only the initial push, your visitors will do the rest. Just make the site recognizable.

2. Easier to create and low startup costs

As mentioned it is easy to create a P2P marketplace especially when you hire specialists from website development companies like SDI who will know how to create an effective website or app. Investing in inventory is expensive for most industries, but here you don’t have to pay for inventory since the sellers will create it themselves. Startup costs are much less due to this factor.

3. Can cover a wide area

An online platform can give you a lot of geographical freedom, as the users are not limited to your place or location. Also you offer only a platform for buyers and sellers to meet, therefore the responsibility of delivering goods doesn’t lie with you.

4. Profit

You can earn money with less effort. You don’t need to manufacture, find suppliers or bother about shipping. Your visitors will be both buyers and sellers. You just need to ensure that your platform functions well and is able to attract visitors.

How to Create a successful P2P Marketplace Website and an App

You need to find unique ways to attract visitors as there is a lot of competition in the market. Here are a few steps for creating a successful peer-to-peer website and a mobile app.

1. Attractive and functional design

The design should be both attractive and highly functional. This is imperative to attract and retain visitors. With more and more purchases being done on mobile, tablets etc. the design should be something unique to have an edge over your competitors.

2. Navigation

The visitor should find it easy to buy or sell products. It should be easy to navigate else people may start avoiding your platform. The navigation system should be fast and highly effective.

3. User experience

Invest in user experience and look at the marketplace through the visitor’s eyes so as to understand their needs and demands properly. It will help you cater to them in the best possible way. UI/UX design should be optimized for both big and small screens and also from the viewpoints of both buyers and sellers. Create a highly user friendly interface and solve problems before they arise.

4. Decide on your development model

Take the time to determine your development model. There are three main options, custom development, a ready made platform, and SaaS. Under custom development you are building the platform from scratch which means you have all the freedom to choose your technology, platform etc. This is ideal among all the three.

A ready made platform is ideal if you want to make your website fast, but here the uniqueness gets affected as the features and functionalities are not chosen by you. The third one, Saas(Software as a Service), the development is faster and you may not need a technical team but in this model there are serious concerns regarding safety as well as customization.

Partner with SDI

SDI specializes in P2P marketplace development and have built several scaled platforms that are doing well in several international markets. Our team is highly focused on platform development and we will be very happy to build a highly effective and innovative platform for you.

Call us at 408.621.8481 or email us at team@sdi.la to create a highly secure and scalable peer-to-peer marketplace platform.