Small businesses have been slow to jump in the mobile game. In fact, only 20 percent have a mobile app, according to a small business digital marketing survey. But, by 2017 or later, an additional 27 percent plan to invest in creating a mobile app for their company.

Every year, studies come out that say consumers view content on mobile devices the most, so having a mobile-friendly website is becoming increasingly important for business. A mobile app, however, offers features a mobile-optimized website may not accommodate.

Small businesses build mobile apps for a variety of reasons. A restaurant may want to create a loyalty program. Event planners may want to create an informative app about a festival or art show they are organizing. But, the problem many businesses face is that they want a mobile app but do not know how to begin the process of making one. 

Most businesses think they need to start from scratch and hire a developer to build it for them. Unfortunately, developers can be very expensive and at times, unreliable, causing many business owners to turn away from the idea.

Thankfully, there is another solution: do-it-yourself (DIY) app builder software.

Businesses are turning to DIY app software for two main reasons. They are cost effective and easy to create. 

1. Cost Effective 

The greatest advantage of DIY apps is the relatively low cost. Business owners can purchase DIY app software on a monthly basis to construct simple mobile applications to help their businesses.

Compared to the cost of developing an app from scratch, this is the way to go. In a sample of 16 DIY app software and 16 small business-oriented mobile app developers, DIY is the clear winner. The average cost to produce an app using a DIY solution is $61.50/month; whereas the average cost to build an app with a developer is $85.20/hour. Of course, this is an average and app developers can range in price from about $12 to $250 per hour, but in comparison to DIY apps, developers will always cost more.

2. Easy to Use 

DIY apps can be produced in-house, without the need for a developer because the software comes with pre-programmed templates that businesses can customize and implement – no tech skills required.

Some app development software solutions are also fairly advanced. They have the ability to integrate with social media and e-commerce sites and offer location-based features, like push notifications. 

For example, doctor’s office can use a DIY app to schedule appointments. A restaurant can create interactive menus. A small business can promote sales and bonuses to customers. The possibilities only are restrained by the business’ imagination. 

Although building an app using DIY software is made easy with drag-and-drop templates, sometimes a business needs more customized features.

If they want to provide an interactive user experience, they may need advanced coding skills. Or, if they want to sell their products and services through the app, they may need a better e-commerce solution. 

Because of this, once a business exhausts all of DIY app software’s features, there are few accommodations that a software company can make beyond that point.

The Takeaway

Michael LaVista, CEO of Caxy, a mobile web development firm, told Business News Daily, “Custom apps are likely to cost $25,000 at the low end.” But, a year-long contract with a DIY software company drops that cost to about $1,000. In addition, depending on the company, they may offer a free trial period where you can decide whether building an app yourself is right for your business. 

So, if your business is thinking about incorporating a mobile app into your market strategy think about the target audience for the app, how the consumers will interact with the app, and what app features and limitations are most important to your business.

Matt is a writer at Clutch, a B2B research firm in the heart of Washington, DC. He helps conduct research, ratings, and reviews of agencies and software solutions in a variety of marketing and IT industries. Clutch helps businesses and consumers find the agencies and software solutions they need to their goals.