How Much does it Cost to Build an Educational App?

Traditional education has undergone changes as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. More and more learners of all ages are becoming attracted to online learning. As a result, Google Play and Apple’s App Store reported the largest number of downloads of educational apps during the first quarter of 2017 to 2020, at 467 million and 470 million, respectively.

By the end of 2022, Statista predicts that the eLearning market will be worth $243 billion. According to another study from Cision, the market will grow by $289 billion in 2024. 

Indeed, the need for educational mobile app development is growing as the Edtech sector emerges as the most attractive investment market.

Some well-known names in the Edtech sector, such as Google Classroom, Khan Academy, edX, and Duolingo, have demonstrated their potential with their digital learning offerings.

If you’re a startup or an educational institution owner looking to transform your idea into a successful educational app, you’ve come to the perfect place. 

This guide discusses the prominent e-learning app types, features, and advantages of an educational app, along with the phases of the e-learning apps development process. We will also discuss how to create an educational app and give you a general sense of how much the educational app development will cost. Let’s begin.

What is an Educational App?

An educational app is software made to assist people with any form of remote learning. It promotes and facilitates online learning, particularly self-learning. Examples range from applications that teach young children fundamental math concepts to apps that serve as adult training platforms for advanced professional skills.

Incorporating learning management systems and other technologies to provide a specialized, end-to-end learning solution is the core function of an education app platform.

Who Uses Educational Apps? 

Educational apps are used by many different individuals and organizations to meet various learning needs. For example,

• Parents engage their young children in interesting learning activities through these apps
• Students, candidates, and students who need exam preparation assistance
• Professionals seeking new certifications
• People who want to learn new things, advance their knowledge, or become experts in something
• Educational facilities to address various learning issues
• Online course platforms as a tool for enhanced market promotion
• Teachers for monitoring students’ development

[Also Read: Why Invest in Kids Educational Apps for Startups?]

The Benefits of Educational Apps

The market analysis above clearly shows that the industry is growing rapidly. Although the shift from traditional education methods to online learning started a decade ago, however, the pandemic accelerated the speed. Let us explore the benefits in detail that will help you become confident to adopt the change.

Mobile and portability

If learners can acquire the ability to learn on the move in today’s fast-paced world, that’s excellent. So, two of the most important advantages of educational mobile apps for learners are portability and mobility. With this, students may start learning anything they want, wherever they are, on their mobile phones.

Increased engagement

People are always more drawn to images than to simple text. An application for education is an outstanding example of this. As a result of the somewhat routine nature of classroom lessons, it becomes challenging for students to maintain focus. On the other hand, educational applications are engaging and enjoyable to use, drawing in a lot of students.

Time efficiency

Through educational apps, learners can save a lot of time. Travel time is reduced because there is no need to travel. It is simple to download references and class notes, which also saves time. Instant upgrades, portability, limitless learning, etc., are features that greatly reduce time.

Money-saving 

Even if an educational app is paid for by a subscription, the cost is still significantly lower than hiring a tutor. Learning applications are the simplest and least expensive way to learn something new. They are the first option people are choosing these days. Simply tap the app icon to begin studying right away; it couldn’t be easier!

A wide variety of courses

People are no longer limited to choosing only the programs available in their city or having to wait for a specific individual to provide a tour. These days, we have the option of selecting any online learning resource. Thus, the development of educational applications is now very pertinent. There are many significant rivals in several categories of apps that are currently quite popular, but there are also many issues that users require that are not sufficiently covered in the present offerings.

Constant availability

Learning educational apps are accessible all the time, unlike universities and colleges. The days of time-bound learning are long gone. Educational applications give learners 24/7 access to resources to learn new topics at their convenience. Additionally, the educational app can assist learners in resolving their doubts whenever and wherever they are.

The Development Process of an Educational App

Educational app development requires an understanding of both, the eLearning processes and mobile application development. Gathering the requirements about the target audience and curriculum requirements, it is best to partner with an expert mobile app development company like Appinventiv. Having said that, mentioned below is the step-wise process of educational app development.

Research and ideate

If you want to build a great mobile learning application, the first step is research and idea generation. Compile all the content for the courses you want to provide in the app. You must thoroughly analyze the online learning market in order to differentiate your app and keep up with it.

App design

User Interface (UI)-friendly apps are more appealing and widely used on mobile devices. The user-friendly UI of the app makes it simple to access its content. Use medium-sized elements and images in the UI for simple access.

App development

After the design process is completed, you can start the development process. This step covers everything from front-end and back-end development to app functionality. App testing and bug fixes are also included in this phase.

App deployment 

Once all the app components are ready, you can deploy the program on the operating system of your choosing. Whether Android or iOS, the app will be developed accordingly and function properly on that platform.

Now that we have seen how to build an educational app, let’s move on to the important features you must include when planning to develop such apps.

Must-have Features in Educational Apps

The market is flooded with educational apps for students, making it challenging to select the ones with the best features. So, we have investigated and identified some of the most important features an educational app should have. The cost of development rises as features become more sophisticated.

An educational app’s fundamental features typically include:

Filters and a search bar

An educational app functions like a catalog where all the available learning resources are listed. Sometimes, it could be challenging for learners to choose a course if there are too many courses available on the app. 

Therefore, offering a search bar to find a specific course can help make it easier for learners to find the right one. Include a search feature for the course categories and filters by level, pricing, and language.

One-step login and a user dashboard 

A decent education app must have a dashboard and one-step login features. Students may concentrate on their studies by saving time with a one-step login. On the other hand, the dashboard gives learners the ability to design their own educational profiles and monitor their learning process.

Push notifications

Is a new lesson on the horizon? Are there any new videos that students can watch? Have the results of the progress report been posted? You can communicate this to your app users directly through the push notification feature. This feature will also increase app usage.

Payment mechanisms

Learners would use this feature to pay for paid courses, and teachers would be able to collect their fees. It is advisable to select a secure payment option. You can provide simple payment methods such as UPIs, bank cards, smart wallets, and others.

Recording of sessions

The users will feel secure knowing they can repeat the course after a face-to-face session, thanks to session recordings. Consequently, the gaps are filled as learners can review the challenging ideas following the live session. 

The flipped classroom strategy, in which educators present essential material before a face-to-face session, is supported by session recording.

Students find that these recorded sessions are highly beneficial for studying for examinations and other assessments. Additionally, it frees the learner from having to take notes. Therefore, a perfect education app should feature session recording to increase student involvement.

File sharing

An online tutor might want to communicate something about the lesson during a crucial discussion or after the session. A file-sharing option would therefore be useful. Tutors can share a variety of multimedia content, including photographs, videos, PDFs, and more, with the aid of this feature. It also aids students in maximizing the session’s value.

Admin console

Add this feature to administer online content; edit, update, and delete lessons, notifications, etc. 

Integration of social media platforms

Make sure that the students can post the outcomes of their progress test on their social media accounts if they are pleased with them. They might use this as an opportunity to brag about their accomplishments. You benefit from free advertising among a community of people who share your interests.

Related Article: How Much Does It Cost to Build a Custom Child Care and Day Care App like Brightwheel?

The Tech Stack Required For Educational App Development

It will be tough to create a strong and effective app with appealing features, expand it, or modify it if the wrong tech stack is chosen. Additionally, custom plugin creation will be a hassle for you because it takes a lot of time and money. And then, as a result, the app development may be delayed and have several defects. Due to this, we suggest utilizing the following technologies:

Front-end technology

React is the ideal option for front-end web development. When compared to other commonly used technologies, it is quicker, more easily reusable, and customizable. React and React Native enables the creation of cross-platform apps from a single codebase.

Back-end technologies

Node.js and the NestJs architecture are the best back-end alternatives because of their speed-to-flexibility ratio. They are smart choices for the MVP stage, particularly if you want to prioritize growth and avoid overburdening your team during implementation.

Database tech

Priorities must be decided upon the commencement of the project for any educational software. One such database with a focus on data security is PostgreSQL. Because of its speed and versatility, MongoDB, a well-known example of a non-relational database, is in high demand. Choose a database choice that best meets the goals of your project.

Cloud assistance 

Many firms benefit from AWS’s one-year bonus for novel apps. AWS is more effective while working on several projects at once.

[Also Read: How Much Does it Cost to Build an App Like Coursera?]

The Cost of Developing an Education App

It is tricky to exactly determine the cost of developing an education app. The MVP stage typically costs between $15,000 and $50,000 to create. However, the overall cost may range from $10,000 to $100,000. A minimum viable product, or MVP, is low-featured educational software that is less expensive than an app with all the desired features.

Apart from features and tech stack, the following elements also contribute to the ultimate cost:

• The idea’s complexity

The development costs are directly impacted by how complicated the application’s idea is. The complexity of the app is determined by the intricacy of the business logic, such as the number of roles, functionalities, integrations, or monetization methods. It also entails more sophisticated design, more analysis, and more preparation.

• App design

It takes a significant amount of time and money to develop an appealing and user-friendly app design.

• The app platforms that are utilized

iOS, Android, and Web are the three major sorts of app platforms, and each one needs a particular tech stack. It will cost more to develop an educational app if you want it for both iOS and Android.

• Financial deal with an organization that will develop the app

The cost varies considerably depending on your development team. If you hire an external development team, it will depend on the agreement you reach with them.

Maintenance and promotion are two hidden instances of an e-learning app development cost.

Updating your app’s features and functionalities, correcting critical issues, scaling servers, and many other tasks are all part of maintaining it. An educational app’s maintenance will cost between $4,000 and $8,000 a year based on the MVP cost. It represents between 15% and 20% of the original development costs.

In addition to maintaining it, you should market your app as well to guarantee that it reaches your target market. A new educational app will cost two to three times as much to market as it did to create. 

How to Reduce the Development Cost of an Educational App?

Given below are some ways in which you can reduce the development costs of your educational app. 

Have clear technical blueprints

The development process is sped up with the help of clear technical blueprints, which also cuts down on needless discussion time. Therefore, before you start developing a mobile app, it’s crucial to specify all of your functional needs in detail.

Prioritize

The most prominent features should take precedence over the less crucial ones to save time and money.

The number of features

The price of developing an educational app is greatly influenced by the functionality and features required in the app. So, try to keep them as minimal as possible.

Error detection

Errors should be caught and fixed as soon as possible. Correcting faults later in the development process may cost substantially more (up to 100 times or even more) than correcting errors early. Fixing issues when they appear is less stressful and more economical.

Outsourcing

Another strategy for cutting development costs is outsourcing. The owner doesn’t have to invest time and money in opening an office or hiring additional staff. It also saves a lot of money because outsourced developers are affordable.

Partner With Appinventiv for the Development of a Robust Educational App

Although lucrative, the world of digital education is far from simple. Make sure you comprehend your target audience, how unique each learner is in their own ways, and the ideal way of communicating with them. It can be challenging to do it all alone, so make sure you have a qualified team to help you plan an educational app. It makes things simpler for you and frees up time that you can use to improve the app’s development.

At Appinventiv, we have extensive experience in educational app development.

We can assist you in the development of an end-to-end educational app by working as an extended member of your team. 

We ensure that we fully understand your business objectives, target audience, and stakeholders before developing successful, scalable applications.

We recently teamed up with Vodafone to work on their Gurushala initiative and develop an education app that enables smoother interactions between students and teachers as well as more engaging learning for students. To date, 150,000 students and teachers have onboarded the platform, and $2.1 million funding has been received. 

In case you are looking to develop something similar, you can contact our experts. They will guide you through the entire process and make the app development journey smoother for you. 

Conclusion

Creating educational apps for students in today’s scenario has several advantages. 

They make education smarter and make it easier for students to learn at their convenience. The ideal educational application allows learners to actively participate, avoid being distracted, and feel comfortable while learning new things.

We hope this guide helped you comprehend the fundamentals of the e-learning mobile app development process and took you a step closer to building a powerful educational app.

FAQs

Q. How much does it cost to make an educational app?

A. The minimum viable product (MVP) stage typically costs between $15,000 and $50,000 to create. However, the overall cost may range from $10,000 to $100,000.

Q. How much does it cost to professionally develop an app? 

A. An app’s development typically costs between $50,000 and $75,000 on average. An app with a comprehensive feature set can cost upwards of $300,000 to develop.

Q. What kind of team should you assemble to create an educational app?

A. Your app development team should include:

• 1 Project manager
• 1 or 2 UX/UI specialists
• 1 or 2 team leaders
• 2 or 3 programmers
• 1 or 2 quality experts

THE AUTHOR

Dileep Gupta

DIRECTOR & CO-FOUNDER