Why Custom Mobile App Development is Essential for Startups
Finding a modern business that does not rely on software solutions is challenging. The modern market constantly grows, so companies must adapt, offer more services, and improve user satisfaction to compete. Custom mobile app development is one of the most upcoming trends nowadays, aiming to improve companies’ competitive capabilities.
Clearly, custom mobile apps development services are not the only option various IT vendors offer. There are also “traditional” custom software development projects like on-demand web development, building an app from scratch, etc. However, the mobile market is one of the most suitable and desired niches for all types of companies: In just a decade, it became a real deal-breaker for all industries: from a luxury asset, mobile phones transformed into a must-have everyday device.
As a result, the convenience and popularity of mobile apps increased as well, making them a great tool to reach new audiences.
Thus, we would like to discuss and explain custom app development benefits and why it has recently gained so much popularity among startup app development projects. However, before deepening the discussion, we must establish some basic terms.
What is Custom Mobile App Development?
Most modern software solutions can be divided into a few main groups:
- Conventional applications
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- Custom-made apps, also referred to as bespoke or tailor-made
- IT systems and infrastructure
- Development tools
The last two are simple: they are mainly created to simplify business processes for software developers (development tools) and offer more instruments for business management (IT systems).
Yet, many people don’t understand the difference between conventional and custom mobile applications. To cut a long story short, both are (or, at least, once were) custom:
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- Conventional applications offer the same functionality as the most popular existing solutions. Initially, they were developed from scratch and offered unique features, which later became must-haves and were included in rival products.
- Custom mobile apps offer new and unique features or functional options, bringing software innovations to the table. And yes, slightly changing user interfaces or adding a few extra optional features is not enough to consider it a custom solution.
Besides, both can be developed from scratch. Still, conventional apps can become constructors, combining various ready-made software solutions in one app. Custom applications can use the same approach (what is the innovation, then?).
Why Startups Should Consider Custom Mobile App Development
First, custom mobile app development services include software development from scratch, ideal for most startup companies. Still, it is just the most obvious benefit of such startup app development.
Apart from that, startups can combine various cooperation and collaboration types, such as hiring an outsourced startup development team, which will be faster to find and cheaper to hire due to the specifics of offshore and outsourced services.
In fact, custom mobile app development for startups is a great solution that addresses many of the drawbacks and challenges common to small-scale businesses with limited resources and a lack of experience in software development. Having an offshore dedicated team of software engineers on board significantly increases the chances of success, offering their expertise and skills as a service.
Apart from that, on-demand mobile app development for startups also offers other less obvious yet essential benefits, including:
- Improved customer services
- Better application data security
- Seamless and uncomplicated integration with existing software
- Best project management practices
- Enhanced user experience
One of the most important advantages of custom mobile app development for startups is that it is tailored to the client’s requirements and demands.
To rephrase it, such mobile app development for startups highly depends on the agreed terms and software requirements. Besides, custom mobile application development from scratch helps to ensure a high quality of code, as well as achieve better performance and efficiency results by keeping the code clean and applying the best software development practices.
One of the most prominent results of such a quality-first approach is a seamless user experience combined with unique and user-oriented services and features. For instance, even if you stick with a minimum viable product development approach, you can define the most crucial features to implement, as well as easily achieve desired performance results.
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Keeping Your App Data More Secure
Another critical reason to consider custom mobile app development for small business or startups – is data security and protection.
While SaaS solutions and conventional applications commonly share so-called “baby issues” and the same security vulnerabilities, custom app development helps to avoid shared security mistakes.
Moreover, custom app development for startups allows for choosing other security and privacy measures, designing unique and fully controlled security architecture, selecting the safest development tools and approaches, etc.
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Easy Integration with Existing Systems
SImplified integration with other software systems is also among custom app development benefits.
Once again, developing a custom mobile application is a full-fledged process. So, when you design and create a software app from scratch, you can plan integration and terms of software collaboration, adjusting the future mobile application to easily integrate it with already existing software systems or other solutions.
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Helps in Project Management
Each mobile app development company for startups has more experience participating in various development projects. This makes them more skilled and proficient in project management and planning.
When you choose custom mobile app development as a service, you are also offered a detailed development plan and project management and progress monitoring strategies that will be most efficient for your project.
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Enhance User Experience
Finally, custom mobile app development offers expertise on how to enhance user experience.
Besides developing a high-quality product, keeping the code clean, and protecting the software, IT vendors commonly suggest ways to improve user experience. These recommendations are primarily based on the development company’s previous experience.
Thus, the more experienced your technology partner is – the more efficient and valuable advice it can give.
Key Considerations in Custom Mobile App Development for Startups
Apart from valuable tips on improving user experience, increasing mobile application performance, and protecting and securing application data, custom mobile app development services also have challenges and factors to consider before signing the agreements for custom development.
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Budget and Cost Management
Limited budget and resources are the most crucial reasons why many businesses decide not to choose custom mobile application development services. It is a common misconception that custom mobile development on demand costs much more than conventional apps.
In fact, the cost of custom software development might vary. Most contractors offer various flexible development approaches to meet any limitations. For instance, MVP development is one of the best budget approaches, which reduces the time and resources needed to end the development.
As a result, business owners can get a basic version of an app and proceed to gather user feedback and implement monetization strategies. Afterward, when a company gathers enough resources, it can improve and scale the application, delivering the most demanded features and services.
So, MVP development for startups offers a more efficient and beneficial starting point to test business goals and keep improving mobile applications by adding new and more complex features one by one.
However, you should discuss your budget and expectations with the contractor during the planning stage so that both sides are on the same page and know as many project details as possible. This will help to prioritize tasks and plan the development accurately.
Still, the efficiency of custom mobile app development for startups depends on the reliability and expertise of contractors.
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Choosing the Right Development Partner
Finding a reliable startup development team is one of the most important and challenging steps of custom mobile development.
When you are looking for technology partners, it is important to ensure that they meet your expectations and are capable of delivering the required result.
Even though finding developers is a complex and challenging task, it is still possible to partly simplify this task by following a short checklist. In a nutshell, to find the right development partner, you must:
- Find a niche-experienced company or team familiar with your industry
- Check feedback and reviews from previous clients
- Examine case studies
- Discuss your ideas and ask for a brief estimation
- Interview the developers and check their expertise
If you are satisfied with the results of all the foregoing steps, you can proceed to discuss your budget and collaboration terms and prepare agreements and other supplemental documents.
The easiest way to find all the required information is by surfing various B2B platforms like Clutch, GoodFirms, or their alternatives, where you can find all the mentioned information. Apart from that, don’t forget to examine vendors’ personal websites, where you can find valuable information.
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Leveraging Advanced Technologies
Eventually, custom startup app development is about innovations. Therefore, it is important to develop a fine product AND offer unique software solutions or services to your users.
The only way to do so is to leverage innovative and advanced technologies. They might be trendy, like artificial intelligence or blockchain, or totally new and unique solutions designed and developed from scratch.
Either way, it is impossible to implement innovative and new technological solutions using outdated and old software. To make the right choice and use all the benefits offered by mobile app development companies for startups, ask your potential development partner for technological expertise and advice.
As a result, you can get a new perspective on the possible future of your mobile application based on technological experience.
Conclusion
Services like mobile app development for small businesses are extremely beneficial for many companies, including startups.
Such services offer unique and personalized approaches to mobile application development and help create innovative and revolutionary software products. Moreover, technological partners suggest various additional benefits and fitting solutions like MVP development.
They also offer cheaper prices and help reduce development time. Summing up all the above, custom mobile app development seems an ideal solution for small businesses and startups. It offers various benefits and high flexibility while still delivering a high-quality product.