How much does it cost to Develop on-demand transportation and logistics app?

The increasing number of companies choosing to use logistics and transportation applications is reaching greater sustainability in the marketplace. App development for on-demand logistics solutions has led to a highly transformative period and revolutionized the entire logistics industry. It has brought excellent transparency to freight forwarders and eliminated intermediaries to create highly secure supply chains.

If you are also eager to learn more about the development of logistics apps. In that case, this blog will provide you with the most pertinent information about the working and the benefits of logistics mobile apps and related costs, including various other vital areas.

Every domain got affected by technology evolution and had to adapt and transit to the new tech-driven ecosystem! When it comes to monitoring logistics and transportation operations mobile apps and other software came like heaven but don’t be anxious this blog is here to answer every question that might pop into your mind.

How to choose the best and most efficient tech stack for your logistics management and transportation app development? and what determines the cost of developing it?

Table of Content

1. Why should you invest in the transportation and logistics industry?
2. Types of mobile app solutions for logistics companies
3. Must-have features to consider for a transportation app
4. Best Technology stacks used for logistics app
5. How much can Logistics app development cost?

Why should you invest in the transportation and logistics industry?

There are many reasons why you should opt for developing a logistics or transportation app for your next project including the numerous benefits it out brings and the smart business thinking behind it.

Here is a scope that speaks for itself:

A fruitful industry with a bright future

According to Statistica, the global logistics industry is expected to reach the worth of $15.5 trillion by the year 2023 which means an astonishing growth of 287.1 million $.

Even covid-19 didn’t stop the industry to grow by  4.13% during 2020 such Infos paints the future of on-demand logistics app development in a positive light.

Smart management system

Such on demand logistics apps offer effective management of fleets and warehouses helping in prosperity for any business operating in this domain by improving productivity and functioning.

Secure and fast real-time data track and storage

Such applications can store data way more effectively than the manual process, with low chances of data loss or misplacement, and eliminate inaccuracies and errors.

Quality services

From vehicle tracking, delivery systems  to fleet and warehouse management, logistics apps offer key services for business

Better customer experience

Nothing helps a business more than a satisfied client! Providing a mobile app with the right services will give your clients the facility to do everything on their tiny screens faster.

Confirmation of logistics processes

On-demand delivery apps come in a high value of confirming processes securely so customers and companies don’t fall under misunderstandings

Promotes professional service delivery

Having an app that facilitates user life shows professionalism improves the brand image and builds trust in your company.

Types of mobile app solutions for your logistics business

All kinds of solutions for all kinds of problems!

Whether it is to fulfill business internal needs or to deliver services to customers, logistics and transportation apps come in a variety to solve different challenges

Smart Fleet Management

Fleet management apps help to manage, store, and analyze data instantly, with the possibility to access it and update it anytime anywhere. Generated insights give an overview of the fleet’s performance from GPS technology, updating location, direction, fuel usage speed, etc… in order to improve productivity and help the business run as smoothly as possible.

On-demand delivery apps

Good’s delivery and food’s delivery on-demand apps fulfill user needs of getting things delivered to their doorstep. Such apps not only can help expand existing e-commerce or food businesses but also drive the beginning of total new ventures and create new independent startups.

Transportation Booking Apps

A Smart localization-based solution offering transportation booking services to commute smoothly through selecting departure & arrival destinations via mobile GPS, make an online payment and provide complete detail on how far are your destinations, how much time it will take to reach them, and who and where’s the driver.

Container Tracking Solution

App-based container booking platform to send or receive booking requests of carriers through simple, user-friendly, streamlined processes, easy to use flow for customers & transporters wherein one can order his shipment to preferred transporter with few clicks.

Data management apps

Mainly developed for warehouse management, data apps are made to store, arrange and control a huge amount of data related to store products to be accessible at any time anywhere.

Tracking apps

These applications target tracking real-time routes and deliveries. Including drivers’ location. The tracking should also permit the managers and the drivers to divert routes when necessary in order to beat a traffic pile-up to reach the destination faster and in the most economical route.

If you are looking to develop powerful logistics and transportation app solutions for your business! contact IndiaNIC experts!

Must-have features you should consider in a transportation app

One very important step of developing a logistics and transportation app is choosing top-notch features in order to render impeccable benefit and guarantee the best user experience possible.

A comprehensive on-demand solution for a transportation app has three panels that need to be equipped with features those panels can either present three separate coworking apps or one single multi-functioning product

Here are the best features on the market for an on-demand transportation app

User Panel feature list 

Customer registration

For a better user impression registration should be given in two ways through account creation and social media.

scheduling and booking management

To control dates, locations, and pickups and keep every aspect well planned and under track.

Categorized  selection

To helps users in selecting their preferences of vehicles.

Multiple payment gateways

The more payment facilities the more comfortable the user is.

Tracking

The tracking facility is the trust builder of the user in your app.

Push notifications

Real-time alerts to update the user about important information.

Ratings and reviews

Give your customers the freedom to rate your services

Quoting and estimation

To get an idea of the cost and time of the services.

Multilingual Support

For easier access to the app with no language barriers.

Driver/Dispatcher Panel

Registration and Login

Drivers also register to provide services

Request management

For  drivers/dispatchers to accept or reject any request

Profile management

for drivers to update their information on their profiles.

In-app chat

Facilitate driver and user communication.

Navigation

To find  the best and fastest routes

Delivery alert

To inform both parties (customer and admin) regarding the delivery of the parcel.

Chatbot

Chatbot development is crucial for customer help and inquiry answering.

Admin Panel features

Admin Dashboard

To displays real-time data about all users, orders, and drivers.

Invoice management

For invoices generation and update.

Task monitoring

To  manage and assign tasks to the drivers or dispatchers

Always keep in mind the more features you want the higher cost you get!

If you are interested in knowing about tech stacks used for web development read more on the given link 

Best Technology stacks used for logistics app

The main challenge of developing a logistics mobile app is determining which tools to use. If you are confused read more about what is a technology stack and how it works 

There are virtually unlimited options when it comes to choosing the right technology stack for different features. However, popular options preferred by developers include the following:

In order to guarantee a robust front end development, it is recommended to use programming languages like Swift, Java,  CSS, Bootstrap

For backend development, the most popular languages for outstanding mobile development frameworks are: JavaScript, Ruby, AngularJS,  Python

Transportation and logistics apps do require strong database support. Some of the effective technologies to be used are: HBase, Mail Chip, Integration, MongoDB, jQuery, Groovy, AngularJS

When it comes to cloud facilities you can opt for Azure, Google, and are employed.

Now that we are done with understanding the logistics industry mobile app development let’s get down to business!

How much does it cost to develop a logistics and transportation app? 

The cost of developing an on-demand logistics and transportation app depends on many factors. It is technically feasible to integrate many features in one app but choosing the right combinations is the key to cost-effectiveness and fast functioning.

This cost analysis isn’t about getting the cheapest cost nor the highest but to fulfill all your requirements at an optimum suitable price and ensure a healthy return on investment for your app.

Backend and frontend development

The choices you make for Backend and frontend development will highly affect the cost of your logistics application as UI/UX design frameworks, tools, and technologies have different costs to implement but it is all worth it since it is more efficacious in providing highly scalable logistics applications.

Techstack choice and method of work

Hiring dedicated developers is the best way to leverage programming languages but the price differs per hour of work on certain technologies. For example opting for Swift, Golang, and R is quite expensive.

Newer languages with limited libraries and frameworks cause the increasing of task hours due to extra development operations

Type of developed application

We cannot deny that on-demand apps are quite expensive but they exceed the given value of other apps categories such as e-commerce. The need of three different panel applications requires more resources that lead to more development hours and higher costs

Adequate platform Android or iOS

Android app development tends to be more costly than iOS app development due to the required fragmentations and iterations in it.

The optimum cost comes in developing a cross-platform app that is easier to develop and can do incredibly on both platforms.

Development team number and location

It is widely known that hiring freelance developers is cheaper than working with an established software development company yet it is also very known that freelance work demands powerful management capacities or it would fail badly due to miscoordinations. Tying the knot with a reputed company is way worth it as it ensures the high-end quality of your digital solution.

Hiring an offshore development team is the best cost-effective method to succeed your on-demand logistics app as the price per hour gets way higher moving from east to west countries.

Read more about how to hire an offshore development team from the most cost-effective and prominent country in the IT field: India

Location-wise Asian countries do offer 18$ to 40$ per hour rate which is so reasonable compared to the US rates that go up to 170$ per hour. Try to calculate the amount required for a 50 hours project.

At a total cost, we can estimate that a very good functioning on-demand logistics and transportation app with a very nice combination of key features can range between 70k USD to 80K USD

Of course, manipulating this estimation to your own benefit depends on your decisions and well-thought choices. But don’t worry we got your back! You can have access to our FREE discovery workshop where you can discuss all project ideas with our experts and get the best recommendations to guarantee you a top-notch app development process with the best competitive costs on the market.

Moving Forward

By 2023, the worldwide logistics market is projected to be worth $15.5 trillion. Apps for logistics and transportation are available in many forms to address various operational issues. Chatbots, payment gateways, and real-time tracking are essential features for on-demand transportation software. However, many factors affect how much it will cost for on-demand transportation app development.

The ideal option to use programming languages is to hire dedicated developers, although the cost per hour of work varies depending on the technology. On-demand applications are pricey, yet they outperform other app categories like e-commerce in value and profitability.

The most cost-effective way to succeed with your on-demand business is to hire an offshore development team.

FAQs on Developing On Demand Logistics and Transportation Apps