Many times - from our potential clients – we’ve heard the following phrases:
“I would like to build my own app."
"I am a recipe creator/blogger/nutritionist and I have a great app idea."
"I’m going to hire some programmers and build my own app...”
Although it might be a good idea to build your own app let me share with you my story. Hopefully you can learn from it...
Six years ago, I had a desire to create a meal planning app for busy mothers. I contacted some IT professionals to do the development, but quickly realized that I couldn't communicate with them effectively. While I knew how to create recipes and plan weekly meals, I had no understanding of the IT planning and structure needed for the app. Despite this, I was motivated to learn and do the work myself.
The first team I hired to work on the development struggled, as they were unable to understand my verbal explanations. I even hired a friend, who was an at-home mom with no IT experience, to try to oversee the development, but this also proved to be a disaster. Eventually, we secured funding to properly develop the app, as we realized it could be more than just a simple app.
The focus of the MealPlanner app changed from being specifically for busy mothers to being a solution for anyone interested in meal planning. To create the app, I had to document the business specifications and translate them into technical terms to create a technical specification for the product.
As I had no knowledge in this area, I hired technical product managers and developers to assist me. However, app development is much more complex than simply creating something that can be sold in an app store. There are databases, content management platforms, backend code, payment, and store connections to consider.
Despite my efforts to learn and invest in the project, we encountered numerous bugs and had to refactor the code, meaning get new people in to edit the old code, with the help of new developers. In the end, we were unable to sell the product due to its ongoing issues.
Have you heard the story where every time a new developer takes over an existing project, they say the old code is terrible and needs to be completely redone? This is a common occurrence, and it happened to us as well.
At the time, we had invested seven figures in the company, and I was heavily involved in IT, marketing, and social media marketing, leaving me little time to focus on my strengths in nutrition and business development.
Eventually, the new IT team was great, and we managed to complete the project. But the process left me feeling exhausted and burnt out. This is what it really means to go through the journey of developing your own app. I have heard this story countless times from other developers.
YES! Licensing, or partnering with a company that offers a white label product, can be a win-win solution.
Don’t reinvent the wheel!
Using a white label allows you to select the features you want and have your app branded with your own logo. It takes less time to build and does not require any special IT knowledge. Additionally, you only pay for the customized app once it is ready, which helps to avoid bad developments and reduces risk. Choosing to license an app can save you time and money while still allowing you to achieve your goals with the help of experts.
There is a saying that goes, “egotistic people own things, while smart people rent", and I believe this applies to app development as well.
To help you make an informed decision, I have compiled a list of pros and cons for licensing an app. Overall, it can be a great solution for you.Top of Form
OWNING YOUR OWN APP | LICENSING | |
---|---|---|
INVESTMENT | High | Low |
MONTHLY COSTS | Server cost | Follow revenue. If you earn a lot the licencing is higher but it is paFollow revenue. If you earn a lot the licensing is higher, but it is paid by your usersid by your users |
BRANDING OUTLOOK | Highly customable | Branding and optimized for adoption with additional costs |
IT KNOWLEDGE | Needed | Not needed |
PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT & USER EXPERIENCE KONWLEDGE | Needed | Not needed |
FLEXIBILITY | High but always need new investment | Low |
NEW FEATURES | High but always need new investment | If there is need from the market new features are added |
TIME FRAME | Can take eternity | Only a few weeks |
SUPPORT | Not much | Lots of experience, use cases |
BUG & OTHER SUPPORT | Low | High |
TESTED PRODUCT | No | Yes |
It's a nightmare. | We did it many times. | |
MONTHLY COSTS | Server costs & maintenance support (an expert is required) | Follow revenue. You only pay after your users. |
PAYMENT SYSTEM | Expertise required | Instant, ready to use solutions |
RESEARCH & NEW TECHNOLOGIES | Tons of time | We are always here to help you |
Please do not work with us:
In SUMMARY, we promise that with us you can keep your focus on your community and share your content with your followers with a fancy new mobile app. Do not waste time hesitating if you believe you can save money and time with us.
We are here to help you!
Get in touch with your amazing IT team!