The era of text messages sent over mobile phone servers is long gone. Internet-based messaging apps are how people communicate today. Be it an evening chat between lovers or friends, planning a vacation with your family, or even a formal conversation, all of them are done via messaging app development like WhatsApp, FB messenger, and so on.

 These apps can also perform various tasks other than sending text messages, such as sending images, documents, contact details, location details, etc. While most of these apps are independent, i.e. any person can use them regardless of the other apps they use, some of them are integrated within other apps, such as the Hangouts chat app within your Gmail or the DM function within the Instagram app.

 If you are providing a service or a product, it is necessary that you have such a messaging app built within your system. This will help users of your product or service talk with each other with ease, and can also be used as a platform for communication between the employees. You can also hire a chat app development team create your own messaging app and enter the booming business. But before you do so, there are quite a few criteria that you need to consider.

Features of Messaging App Development

Developing a messaging app is not enough; you must ensure that all its functions work properly. And this extends to much beyond sending and receiving simple text messages. Here are some of the functionalities that are basic for any messaging app.

• Account creation:

  Users should have the option to create their accounts via both their email id and their phone number. In case the app is integrated then the account creation process should be automatically linked to the mother app/platform.

• Profile:

  Every user should be able to maintain a profile within the app with basic information such as their name, email id, phone number, and a profile picture. There should also be an option to provide some of this information based on one’s choice.

• Friend recommendations:

  A user should be able to view which of their contacts (either via email or phone contact book) are already users of the app. This promotes the desire of the user to use the app and chat.

• Media sharing:

  Any good chat app development company should provide you with a wholesome app that can be used to send media files such as images, videos, contacts, documents, etc.

• Privacy settings:

  Privacy is an extremely important concept in today’s times, and this is why your messaging app should have acute privacy options.

• Group chat:

  Group chats are helpful for a plethora of reasons and every messaging app needs to have the option to create groups of users who can chat within said group.

Admin Control

Now that we have figured out what a customer wants out of a chat app, it is time to shed light on another very important aspect of team chat app development; the amount of control the admin holds over such an app.

This includes both the development of the various functions of the app as well as the data that passes through it. This can be risky waters since the population today are quite serious about who gets to view their data and for good reasons.

These are the various functions that the admin should have control over:

• Reported content: Every once in a while, such an app will have users who will use the platform to harass other users, and in such a case one or more of the users will call out the harasser. Once this comes to the notice of the admin, they should have the power to either completely remove or temporarily ban a user from using the app.

• Updates: It is necessary to constantly keep updating your messaging app, and while this is usually done by the mobile app development companies, the admin needs to be notified about the details of each update before rolling them out.

• Data control: While the admin will undoubtedly have the power to view all the data that passes through a messaging app, they need to forego the right to do so unless in a situation of extreme importance. The app development firms (both front-end and back-end) must also adhere to this policy. 

How much will it cost?

There are two main parts to the process of chat app development the front-end and the back-end. The front end refers to creating the user interface and the various designs that will allow the users to handle the app with ease. The back end refers to the coding work that will go behind creating such an app and its daily running.

Considering the current market prices, the cost of creating such an app can rest anywhere from $20,000 to $500,000. And while these numbers may astonish you, rest assured that with a powerful chat app, you will also be increasing your profit by quite a bit.

It is also a great idea to allow ads on the chat app so that you can get paid by the advertisers, and also allow the users to buy premium versions of the app if they want an advert-free experience.

Conclusion:

Internet-based messaging apps are undoubtedly the way the future is going to hold their conversations. Already apps like WhatsApp and FB Messenger have trillions of messages sent over them every year. And since the market is such a booming one, many new players are also entering it with various ideas to take the chat app experience to the next level.

Keep in mind the things that you expect from your app and make sure that you convey your idea clearly to the mobile app development companies that you hire. And always try to keep an innovative attitude while making such apps and your product should do fine in the current market.