A Guide to Salon App Development Cost

Want to know how much does it costs to create an app like a salon app? You’re not alone.

The global salon app market size was valued at around $155.60 billion in 2022 and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 8.0% from 2023 to 2030.

With such a soaring number, it is obvious that people want to develop a salon app and constantly wondering about the cost to develop a salon app.

Well, the overall cost to build a salon app can be from $10,000 to $250,000 or more, the cost can change as per features, complexity, and development team location.

But this isn’t all.

In this blog where we will explore the cost to build an on-demand beauty salon application and various factors that affect the cost.

What is a Beauty Salon App?

Have you ever dreamed that booking a salon appointment could be easier?

You're in luck! Beauty salon apps are here to help!

It's a digital solution that lets you schedule an appointment, browse services, and even discover new beauty trends- all from your phone!

With just a few clicks, you can book a haircut, a facial, or any treatment you may desire.

You can even schedule appointments, receive reminders, and even pay directly from the app.

Most of the apps will also have features like loyalty rewards, promotions, and customer reviews to ensure you make the best decision.

In a nutshell, a beauty salon app is designed to make your salon experience smooth and enjoyable!

Now, this ease of use is what driving the demand for salon apps. So, if you want to create a salon app , you need to know the cost, this is what our next section is about:

Average Cost to Develop a Salon App

Planning to develop a salon app?

Let's talk about How much does it costs to create a salon app?

There may be some variation in costs here, generally between $10,000 and $250,000.

This depends on the complexity & features etc.

If you want simple functions like appointment booking and payment, this would cost you the former part of the range mentioned.

However, if you prefer custom functionalities, like holding virtual consultations or integrating social networking functionality, you can expect a significant budget on your end.

Don't forget the running costs!

Updates, maintenance, and marketing also cost a lot.

Overall, salon apps are a good investment if you want to maximize the satisfaction of your customers while making the most of your bookings.

So, is now the time to take the plunge? Here is a breakdown for your help:

To be clear, this is just an estimate.

To get a detailed description of the overall cost, you can consult with a top mobile app development company .

As we said, several factors affect the beauty salon cost.

Want to know about them?

Let’s understand all of them in the next section.

Factors Affecting the Cost to Create a Salon App

To approach your plans to develop a salon app, you must understand what may have an impact on the total cost.

Every choice you make-from your tech stack to the complexity of the features- will impact your budget.

So, let's break down some key elements that influence the cost to create a salon app so you know what to expect.

Factor 1: Development Team Location

The location of your development team can influence the final price. It is another area to pay close attention to find out the right price.

Location greatly affects how much does it cost to create a salon app.

In case, you'll be working with a team of developers from the US, Canada, or Western Europe, their services are expensive because of their higher hourly charges.

For that reason, developers in Eastern Europe, India, and Southeast Asia charge relatively much less for similar quality.

Balance price against quality, as not always cheaper means the best; the choice also determines how much does it cost to build a salon application.

Factor 2: Tech Stack Selection

The tech stack you opt to build the salon app will significantly influence your overall costs.

Do you need a simple application with real-time booking integrations or payment gateway interfaces?

If yes, then a simple application with main features can be built upon the cost-effective frameworks React Native or Flutter.

But if you need complex functionalities or require a native app for both iOS and Android, the price will increase.

So the cost to build a salon app depends on the tech choices and how much custom functionality you need.

Factor 3: UI/UX Design

An extremely important part of user experience: designing your beauty salon app.

The more polished and intuitive your design is, the more it will cost.

A simple design with just basic branding can keep things pretty low-cost, whereas a premium design with custom illustrations, animations, and flows can increase the cost massively.

Good design is what would make or break the users' interaction with the application, so it needs to be appealing, functional, and easy to use.

The cost to create a salon app would reflect the quality and complexity of the design.

Here is a small breakdown of how design affects the cost:

Factor 4: Complexity

Another thing that may make your salon app cost high would be its complexity.

Do you want booking and scheduling or payment gateways and loyalty programs, with push notifications and other features?

All of these advancements represent more code, more testing, and longer development timelines-and, again, cost.

When you ask, "How much does it cost to create a salon app?" remember that the more complex your application is, the more expensive it will be.

Factor 5: App Features

The app features you choose will significantly influence your salon app development cost.

Essential features like appointment booking, calendar management, and user profiles are relatively simple and cost-effective to implement.

However, if you want advanced features like virtual consultations, customer reviews, or integrated marketing tools, this can increase both the development time and cost.

Think about which features are essential for your app and prioritize those to keep the cost in check.

Here's a table outlining different beauty app features and how they might affect the overall cost of developing a beauty app.

Factor 6: Maintenance and Updates

Once you have your salon app live, the costs are not over.

Maintenance and updates are necessary to keep your app running smoothly and securely. Regular updates, bug fixes, and adapting to new OS versions will add to your costs on an ongoing basis.

For maintenance, you would budget around 15-20% of the initial development cost annually.

Add the fact that when adding features or making updates of considerable magnitude, the price will also increase.

Factor 7: Platform Selection

Probably one of the biggest decisions that you have to make early on is which platform the app will be for.

Do you want to go for Android app development services , iOS app development services , or Hybrid app development services?‘

This choice makes a difference not only in the costs of developing a salon app but also in how widespread your audience is, your user experience, and your interaction with your customers at your salon.

Besides, the platform you use will make a difference in the design and functionality of your app in managing updates or even customer support.

That's why each of your choices should be carefully measured with pros and cons attached to them.

So, these are some of the factors that might decide on How much does it cost to create a beauty salon app.

Now, the question is…

How to Reduce Your Beauty Salon App Development Cost?

To build an application for your beauty salon does indeed cost a lot of money, but that is not necessary to break the bank over it.

There are numerous ways through which you can cut down your expenses while developing an app without compromising on quality.

Now let's dig into a few ways you can keep costs down while not sacrificing the core features your salon needs:

1. Start small with an MVP

Instead of trying to build some large, feature-heavy application right away, consider starting by launching what's known as an MVP.

This is an app version that contains only the bare minimum of the needed features to satisfy your salon's primary needs - something like booking appointments and processing payments.

By focusing on core functionality, you can test the waters and get some feedback from your customers.

This method enables you to skip features that may not be relevant to your business and save money during the development phase.

• Cross-Platform Development

Instead of developing a separate app for iOS and Android, seek to go for cross-platform development.

With the support of frameworks such as Flutter or React Native, you develop one application that will work simultaneously on both platforms. You save time and money.

Testing hours spent on coding and update hours were significantly reduced. Therefore, you reach out to a wider audience without having to pay for two separate builds.

• Focus on Essential Features First

It is very tempting to add bells and whistles of all kinds—customer loyalty programs, AI-based recommendations, virtual makeup try-ons—and so on to a beauty salon app.

But these features jack the price up pretty fast.

Focus on the basics your customers need to have immediately: appointment booking, payment processing, and basic customer profiles, for instance.

Once the app is live and you have enough traction, you'll be able to roll out additional features over time.

• Select the Right Development Team

The key to managing your cost to create an on-demand salon app is to choose the right development team.

Although you may be tempted to take the low-cost option, consider hiring a team that has experience in mobile app development.

This will save you a penny in the long term since the right team will get things right the first time hence not requiring costly adjustments or delays.

Look for teams that already have experience in similar projects or an aligned portfolio with your needs.

If you are looking for a cost-effective approach, then consider hiring a freelance developer or a small development agency.

• Use Cloud Services for Backend

Developing a backend infrastructure from scratch is costly. You can therefore rely on cloud-based services such as Amazon Web Services (AWS), Google Cloud, and Microsoft Azure.

These services offer scalable and secure solutions for hosting your app's data, user information, and much more.

Cloud services are usually pay-as-you-go. You only pay for what you use. This might help you save a cost, especially if this is going to be a small salon application and you anticipate modest traffic early on.

Just take a look at how you reduce the salon app development cost through this table:

Monetization Strategies for Your Beauty App

As a beauty salon owner, launching an app can help you not only streamline operations but also open up new revenue streams.

The beauty industry is thriving, and with the right monetization strategies, your app can start earning for you while providing value to your customers.

Let’s dive into some of the best ways you can turn your salon app into a profitable asset:

1. Booking fees for appointments

Charging a small booking fee over the appointment made through the salon app is one of the most direct and best monetization strategy.

This fee can either be a flat rate or a percentage of the service charge, depending on what your business will find most acceptable.

2. Premium Features or Subscription Plans

Charge fees for premium features. In this, you can add benefits for users who commit to a subscription. These benefits may include:

> Priority booking

> Exclusive discounts on services or goods

> Early access to any new promotions

> Access to exclusive beauty tutorials or suggestions

3. In-app purchases (Beauty Products)

If you are into selling beauty products whether it is shampoos, skincare items or makeup then you can generate revenue via these apps by allowing them to make direct purchases from within this app.

You can suggest personalized product recommendations based on their history of visits or preferences too.

4. Advertising and Affiliate Marketing

If your beauty salon app has an active user base, advertising and affiliate marketing come into play.

Join other beauty brands or services related to your business, such as hair care, makeup, or wellness products, and include ads or promotions within your app.

You receive commissions on any sales generated through the app.

5. Loyalty programs and gift cards

Loyalty programs are a win-win.

They encourage repeat business while offering your clients rewards for their continued support.

You can integrate loyalty points or rewards directly into your app. You can also sell digital gift cards within the app, making it easy for customers to gift services to friends or family.

6. Online Beauty Consultations

As virtual consultations become more prominent in most industries, it would be an excellent source of income to monetize your app through online beauty consultations.

This could include skincare advice, hairstyle consultations, and even makeup tutorials wherein clients pay for a live, personalized session with one of your experts through video chat or messaging.

7. Commission on Partnered Services

Partner with makeup artists, photographers, and even fitness trainers from around your local neighborhood.

You're going to list their services in your application and you'll get some extra revenue by receiving commissions on each booking made from your app.

How Techanic Infotech can Help you Build an Affordable Beauty Salon App?

More and more consumers seek convenience and personalization. Therefore, the booming industry of beauty salons calls for a great opportunity to make a beauty salon app.

If you want to develop a salon app without breaking the bank, then, Techanic Infotech is your best bet as a top salon app development company .

At Techanic Infotech, we have experts to help you develop an application within your budget without compromising quality.

Let us bring your vision to life and capture the growing demand in the beauty industry- cost-effectively and efficiently.

Conclusion

Building a beauty salon application can be a real change of game for your company, bringing convenience to its customers and streamlining all the operations of the salon.

All those different factors that affect the overall cost of development, that is, the choice of the desired platform, the complexity of needed features, design, and the location of the team, would be necessary for planning expenses.

Whether you are looking for the most basic app or want a customized version, Techanic Infotech will take care of the output designed to suit your pocket.

With expert guidance and a cost-effective approach, you can step into the future of salon management at a cost-effective price.