Estimating Development Costs for an App Similar to Edamama

Last Updated on October 21, 2024

The eCommerce industry, particularly in the parenting niche, is experiencing significant growth. Edamama, a leading platform in this sector, serves as a trusted marketplace for parents seeking convenience and high-quality products. With over 2 million users, Edamama has rapidly established itself as a go-to app for parents shopping for essentials and unique items for children and families.

If you’re considering developing an app similar to Edamama, it’s essential to understand the associated costs. The price of building an app like Edamama depends on a variety of factors such as development time, technology choices, design quality, and platform support. This guide will help you explore the main cost-driving elements, ensuring you make informed decisions for your eCommerce app development.

Why You Should Consider Building an eCommerce App Like Edamama

Edamama has set a new standard in the family and parenting eCommerce market by providing a seamless shopping experience for parents seeking essential products like baby supplies, kids’ clothing, toys, and more. With the increasing shift towards online shopping, the market continues to grow. The global baby products market size was estimated at USD 320.65 billion in 2023 and is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.9% from 2024 to 2030, highlighting the vast potential for platforms catering to this niche.

Building an app like Edamama allows you to tap into a specific target audience—parents and families—who prioritize convenience and quality when purchasing products for their children. By offering a user-friendly interface and personalized shopping experiences, you can establish a strong brand presence and capitalize on this expanding market. Investing in an app like Edamama gives you a competitive edge in the ever-growing eCommerce industry.

Estimating Development Costs for an App Similar to Edamama

When it comes to estimating the true cost of developing an eCommerce app, such as one similar to Edamama, various factors come into play. The overall cost can fluctuate significantly depending on features, design complexity, and the development team you hire. Generally, the cost of developing an app like Edamama can range anywhere from $50,000 to $450,000 or more. Below is a detailed breakdown of the cost estimates for different stages of development:

Cost Breakdown: 

Planning & Requirements: This initial phase involves gathering all necessary information, defining your app’s objectives, and identifying essential features like product categories, search filters, user profiles, and payment options. UI/UX Design costs depend on the intricacy of the design and the user experience you want to provide. Front-end and Back-end Development depend on whether you opt for a custom-built solution or use pre-built frameworks. Payment Gateway Integration and Testing & QA ensure a smooth and secure transaction process for your users.

5 Key Factors Affecting the Cost of Building an Edamama-Like App

App Features and Functionality

The complexity of features directly impacts the cost of development. For an eCommerce app like Edamama, essential features such as product catalogs, secure payment gateways, user profiles, and real-time order tracking are critical. Advanced functionalities, including personalized recommendations, multi-language support, and product reviews, increase development time and costs. More features mean more coding, testing, and maintenance, which ultimately raises the total price of app development.

Technology Stack

The technology stack you choose plays a significant role in determining development costs. Native tools like Swift for iOS or Kotlin for Android deliver high performance but come at a higher price. Cross-platform frameworks such as React Native or Flutter are cost-effective alternatives, allowing you to build a single app for both platforms, saving on time and resources. The trade-off is that native development offers a more polished user experience.

UI/UX Design

The design of your app is vital for user retention and experience. A well-crafted UI/UX that is intuitive and tailored to your target audience can enhance engagement but also add to the development cost. High-quality design elements—such as smooth navigation and mobile responsiveness—are time-consuming to create and often require experienced designers. However, investing in a superior design is crucial for ensuring long-term success in a competitive market.

Platform Type (iOS, Android, or Both)

The choice of platforms—iOS, Android, or both—affects your app’s cost. Developing separate native apps for each platform is more expensive, requiring more resources. However, a cross-platform approach can help reduce costs by building one app that works on both systems. Though this may compromise some performance optimizations, it allows for faster deployment and a more affordable development process, which is ideal for many startups.

Development Team Location

The location of your development team influences your budget. Developers in regions like North America and Western Europe tend to charge higher rates due to labor costs. On the other hand, working with development agencies in areas like Eastern Europe or South Asia can provide a more affordable option without sacrificing quality. Many companies opt for teams in these regions to balance cost efficiency and expertise, ensuring the best value for their investment.

These are the critical factors to consider. For a deeper understanding of the key features, explore our blog on the essential features of a successful eCommerce app. 

5 Ways to Minimize Development Costs for Your Edamama App

Cut Costs with an MVP Launch

Launching an MVP (Minimum Viable Product) with only essential features allows you to test your app idea without a large upfront investment. By focusing on core functionalities like product listings, user profiles, and basic payments, you can quickly release the app to gather feedback. This approach minimizes risks by validating the concept before adding more complex features. With user insights, you can make informed decisions about future development, saving money, and ensuring the app meets customer needs from the start.

Speed Up with Open-Source Tools

Using open-source technologies like Magento or WooCommerce can significantly reduce app development costs. These tools provide pre-built features such as product catalogs, user authentication, and payment processing, which can be integrated into your app. By leveraging existing software, you avoid the costs of building these elements from scratch. Additionally, open-source solutions offer flexibility, allowing you to customize the app as needed, while keeping development time and costs lower, helping you deploy your app faster.

Save Big by Outsourcing Development

Outsourcing app development to regions with lower labor costs, such as Eastern Europe or South Asia, can drastically reduce your overall budget. Skilled developers in these regions offer competitive pricing while maintaining high standards. Many successful companies, including platforms like Alibaba, have leveraged such strategies to optimize costs without sacrificing quality. By working with agencies that specialize in eCommerce development, you ensure quality service without overpaying. Outsourcing also allows you to focus on strategic aspects of your business while experts handle technical tasks, giving you a cost-effective and efficient solution to building your app

Go Cross-Platform for Maximum Efficiency

Building your app using cross-platform frameworks like React Native or Flutter can cut development costs significantly. These tools allow you to create one codebase that works on both iOS and Android platforms, eliminating the need for separate teams for each. Cross-platform development streamlines the process, saves time, and reduces maintenance costs. This approach ensures a consistent user experience across devices while delivering cost-efficient and rapid deployment of your eCommerce app.

Scale Easily with Cloud Solutions

Cloud-based services like AWS, Google Cloud, or Azure provide scalable and affordable backend infrastructure for your app. Instead of investing in costly servers, you can use these platforms to host and manage your app’s data, paying only for what you use. Cloud solutions offer enhanced security, automatic scaling, and high availability, allowing you to grow your app without the worry of backend limitations. This reduces long-term maintenance costs while ensuring your app can handle future traffic demands efficiently.

Proven Ways to Monetize Your Edamama-Like App

To monetize an app like Edamama, you can implement several strategies. In-app advertising, such as banner or video ads, generates revenue passively through networks like Google AdMob without charging users. A subscription model can create consistent income by offering premium content or features for a recurring fee, building user loyalty. Affiliate marketing allows you to earn commissions by promoting relevant products through referral links within your app. Lastly, in-app purchases let users unlock premium features or exclusive content, driving additional revenue. These methods can maximize earnings while enhancing user engagement.

Create Your Own App Like Edamama with Oyelabs

At Oyelabs, we specialize in developing custom eCommerce apps tailored to your business needs. Whether you’re looking to create an app similar to Edamama or a completely new platform, our experienced team of experts can help bring your vision to life. We offer end-to-end services, from ideation and design to development and post-launch support. Contact us today to get started with your eCommerce app development project and watch your idea turn into a successful platform.

Conclusion

Estimating the development costs for an app similar to Edamama requires understanding the many factors that contribute to the overall expense. From app features and design to technology stacks and the location of your development team, all these elements will influence the final price. However, with careful planning and cost-saving strategies like building an MVP or outsourcing, you can manage your budget effectively. Whether you’re launching a simple platform or a fully-featured parenting eCommerce app, working with a reliable development team, such as Oyelabs, will ensure a seamless and successful development journey.

Also Read: Cost to Build an Amazon-Like Marketplace App Explained