How Much Does it Cost to Develop an App Like ZocDoc?
“Developing an app like ZocDoc can range from a few thousand to over a million dollars depending on several factors.”
The cost of an app like ZocDoc, like any other business, is primarily determined by what it entails. Something like this simply cannot be measured in monetary terms. It is critical to comprehend the scope of work, the features of your app, and any other factors that may influence the cost.
Taking into consideration these things can be challenging, especially if you are not well-versed in technicalities. As a result, we’ll go over the development process and provide some insight into making such an app.
Here’s a quick summary of what we will cover:
1. How is an app like ZocDoc created?
2. Factors that influence the cost of an app like ZocDoc.
3. What features should you look for when developing an app similar to ZocDoc?
4. Budget Breakdown: cost of ZocDoc app
But before we start, let’s have a brief history of ZocDoc through the below infographics.
How is an App Like ZocDoc Created?
At first glance, an app like ZocDoc seems very simple. It is an online directory for doctors and patients. The functionality is limited to allowing users to search for a doctor in their area, find out what insurance they accept, and book appointments.
A whopping 88% of patients use their smartphones to locate a doctor. The popularity of Zocdoc is especially notable in the United States. Statista estimates that the global telemedicine market could reach $400 billion by 2030!
However, behind this seemingly simple service lies a small army of programmers, product managers, UX designers, graphic artists, and marketing experts. In total, dedicated development teams of 50 or more people are required to develop such products from scratch.
An app like ZocDoc is developed in 3 steps: discovery, design, and development.
Discovery Phase — The discovery phase is the preliminary research conducted to determine what product to build. This stage typically lasts 1–3 months. During this time, extensive user interviews and observations of how people currently solve the problem develop it.
Design Phase — once an MVP has been decided upon, designers create wireframes, mockups, frontends, backends, etc. The UX designer creates lots of sketches and wireframes.
The graphic designer works on all app screens and uploads the images to a master image library. Every visual element is attached to a particular user story or feature, so other teams can easily reuse it as needed.
For example, if a field for entering a doctor’s name is to be created, the corresponding graphic element will be added to the general “form” category in the image library.
Throughout this phase, programmers collaborate with UX designers to create an interactive prototype that simulates how users will interact & use the final product and allows for a feature and limit testing. An MVP takes approximately three months to design and one month to build.
Also, keep in mind, If your mobile UX is not good and engaging, 68% of users are more likely to leave your site.
Development Phase — After the design has been finalized, programmers begin coding each screen/module of the app. Each screen is coded from the ground up. But some standard functions are created once and then reused throughout the product.
Building an app takes 1–2 months per feature (if no bugs occur). A minimum viable product usually takes around 3–6 months total development time (although this varies greatly depending on the scope of requirements and desired features). Besides, hire mobile app developers who can easily customize your needs.
ZocDoc Like App Cost Depends On Several Factors- Here’s a Few!
The cost to create an app like ZocDoc varies significantly depending on a variety of criteria, including:
1) Project requirements- The more features a product needs, the more time and money are required to build it. This means that a product with simple requirements will take less time and be cheaper to make than a product with complex needs.
2) Platform- Many development platforms are available, but the cost of building an app for each; varies greatly. The cost of building an app for iOS is often more expensive than building for Android.
3) Number of features- As mentioned above, the more features a product has, the longer it takes to build and, therefore, the more expensive it is likely to be.
4) Project timeline- If a project is very complex, it will take longer to build, so that the deadline will be extended. This means more time for the product to be researched, designed, built, and tested. If a deadline needs to be met or fewer features are required, making the app will take less time and therefore cost less.
5) Development team- A project with a lot of complex functionality will require a larger development team to build it. If the app is relatively straightforward, fewer developers can make it, which would mean less money is spent on salaries. It’s also possible to hire freelancers at lower rates than full-time employees.
6) Location- Development teams can be located anywhere globally, which affects the final cost. Hiring an overseas team will usually be cheaper than hiring a local or domestic one as there are fewer expenses such as travel costs to take into account. The availability of offshore development teams also means that it’s possible to hire one on short notice.
As per the app development study, North America is the most expensive region for application development. Besides, India’s service costs are quite low.
7) Target market- How many users will use the app can affect its cost. An app developed for a very niche audience, such as those in a specific country or who speak a particular language, is likely to be cheaper than an app developed for a large audience as it won’t need to be translated or localized.
8) App Store pricing model- Apple and Google both have their pricing models, which affect the final cost of an app. Market research is required to determine where it would be most profitable to sell an app.
9) Programming language- This is another factor that affects the cost of developing an app. If a programming language is already familiar to the development team, it will cost less to use that language than if the team needs to learn it.
10) Third-party integrations- Built-in integrations with social media, payment processors, and other 3rd party services will affect the final development cost. If the product needs to integrate with many of these services, it will take more time and cost more money.
11) Maintenance- After an app has launched, it needs to be updated and supported. Usually, updates will cost less than the initial development stage, but updating an app will still vary depending on how many changes need to be made.
What Features Should You Look For When Developing an App Similar To ZocDoc?
1) Basic Registration/Login Functionality — Users need to create accounts before using a product. This might include name, email, password, and display name fields as well as a login/log-out button. If additional functionality is required (for example, username changes), this also needs to be built.
2) Basic Information Gathering includes creating fields for users to enter their home address, billing/payment information, etc. A lot of information must be gathered from users before using the product, so the process must be smooth and user-friendly.
3) Scheduling Functionality — Once a user’s data has been successfully entered, they need to be able to schedule an appointment. This includes displaying a list of available doctors for the desired time slot, selecting a doctor from that list, and finally scheduling an appointment.
4) Reminders — Users might want to receive a reminder message when it’s time for their appointment, so the product must have the ability to send these.
5) Cancellations/Modifications — Users need to be able to cancel or modify appointments they’ve made. This process should be efficient and easy for them.
6) Accessibility — It should be easy for users to find the product they’re looking for. A good navigation system is required, and search options and filters so that users can quickly locate the information they need.
7) Video conference option — Some doctors offer patients the option to video conference before their appointment. For this to work, a video chat function needs to be built into the app.
8) Push Notifications — Users should receive push notifications when they have been added to a waitlist or if another user has added them as a referral. They also need to receive push notifications about any changes or updates to the app.
9) Payment options — Doctors on ZocDoc can accept cash, cheques, credit cards, and other forms of payment for their appointments. These payment options should be available on the platform.
10) Map integration- To help users find their way to doctors’ offices, there should be an option to integrate maps into the app.
Budget Breakdown to Develop App Like ZocDoc:
- Development: $25,000 — $50,000 (depending on the complexity of the project)
- Design: $10,000 — $25,000 (depending on how many changes need to be made and the number of pages required)
- QA Testing: $3000–5000 (this includes testing on different devices and browsers, identifying bugs, and optimizing the platform)
- Marketing: $5,000 — $30,000 (depending on the size of the market; also includes branding strategies)
- Maintenance: $5,000 — $15,000 (after initial launch; less than original development because updates should cost less)
All in all, the budget would be anywhere from $80,000 to $150,000.
Conclusion
Hopefully, this article has answered your questions about how much it costs to develop an app similar to ZocDoc. This project requires a large budget, but this is due to the platform’s need for multiple features.
Depending on your specific needs, you may not require as many features and lower the budget. Suppose you have a mobile medical appointment scheduling app idea. In that case, we encourage you to further explore your options by speaking with a mobile developer or finding a mobile app development company in India that can help you create it.
FAQs
Q1: What are the reasons for the Rise in Demand for Doctor Appointment Booking Apps?
A1: The demand for doctor appointment booking apps is rising because:
1. The apps make it easy for doctors and patients to communicate and schedule appointments
2. The apps also give doctors a space to review patient information, track their progress, and increase revenue by promoting services other than doctor appointments
3. Since the platforms have been designed for mobile devices, they are accessible from anywhere, making it convenient for doctors who travel or patients who are out of town
Q2: How do I make an app like ZocDoc?
A2: The best way to make an app like ZocDoc is to hire a development company with experience in medical app design. They can help you build your app from scratch or integrate third-party plugins to create an app with the same features as ZocDoc.
They can also optimize the app for search engines, test it for bugs on different devices and browsers, provide maintenance services after launch, and more.
Q3: How does a medical appointment booking app work?
A3: A medical appointment booking app works by enabling doctors and patients to communicate with each other through the same platform. It also helps them schedule appointments, review patient profiles, track progress, and promote additional services offered by the business.
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