How Much Does It Cost to Develop App for Logistic Business?

It is not enough to have your own website for a successful business, since the vast majority of customers use mobile devices. It is optimal to offer them a proprietary application in which it will be convenient to order a service, track cargo, manage transport movements. The application will be no less relevant for employees - using a convenient mobile application, they will be able to receive tasks, communicate with their bosses, plan their working day, etc. The development of the application is on the shoulders of the developers, who must understand all the basic principles of the customer's business and its requirements for functionality. Let's take a closer look at how much it will cost to develop an application for a logistics business.

What makes logistics business applications different

Mobile applications can now solve a variety of tasks - search and play music, provide useful information, simplify ordering services and goods. Logistics in this regard has some specific features concerning the appearance and functionality of the application.

Applications for cargo transportation can have both standard and individual sets of tasks, but in general they will solve direct tasks to optimize the company's work process. And, besides, from the client's point of view, a logistics company with its own mobile application is higher in the rating than company that does not have one. Since the users of smartphones and tablets have long appreciated the convenience and speed of working with applications in comparison with websites. According to statistics, mobile applications are downloaded more and more often, and at the same time, users and customers are spending more and more money on them:

The types of applications for logistics companies

The first thing that affects the structure of the application, its functionality, size and cost is its purpose:

1. A classic application for clients of logistics companies involved in the transportation of various goods may have such functional elements:
   1. service order form and payment in different ways;
   2. possibility to track the movement of cargo, tracking;
   3. possibility to view order status, history of previous orders;
   4. setting up notifications when order status changes, arrival, etc. individually.
2. A corporate-level application aimed at optimizing the work of the personnel of a logistics company can solve such problems:
   1. provide communication with superiors, operators, employees;
   2. remind of the need to check the condition of the cargo, vehicle inspection and other processes important for the safety and quality of work;
   3. control the workflow - compliance with the travel plan and route, etc.
   4. ensure the possibility of informing the employee in changes in the requirements for the performance of work, imposition of penal sanctions for non-fulfillment of the plan, etc.
3. The mobile application for the organizer of transportation between the customer and the contractor must have such functions:
   1. search for a carrier according to the required parameters;
   2. control over the process of loading, reloading and unloading, fulfillment of all obligations by both parties;
   3. settlement with clients;
   4. possibility to form and prepare all the necessary documentation.
4. An application for the department of a logistics company that controls product warehouses, is desirable to equip such functionality:
   1. control over the receipt of goods, entry of goods into the database;
   2. paperwork;
   3. competent distribution of incoming goods, as well as quick search for them in the warehouse.

In addition to creating four different applications, developers can offer to organize the work of several functional versions in one application - for example, when installing or opening an application, a client can indicate whether he uses the company as a client or as an employee. Moreover, such a multifunctional application will cost accordingly.

What factors affect the cost of developing an application

When calculating the price of developing a mobile application, certain factors are taken into account, the most important of which is the time spent on the process. Therefore, it is impossible to say unequivocally how much it costs to develop an application for a logistics business, only if the development company does not offer standard templates in advance at a fixed price.

Development cost estimation is carried out during the ordering process. The team estimates the estimated amount of time it will take to create and the total cost by three main parameters:

• components that the customer wants to see in the application;
• platforms for which the application is being developed (multi-platform versions will cost several times more);
• individual requirements for customizing the interface, adjusting standard elements, using complex shapes, animations, etc.

The calculation of the cost by the number of hours is to determine the amount of time and the cost of an hour of work for each specialist who will be developing the application or its individual parts. That is why, the more difficult the task, the more time it will take and the more expensive it will be.

If after launching the application, its promotion is required, the cost of advertising is also added to the general receipt for development. Besides, in addition to the actual development, the work of analysts, designers, planners, testers and other employees of the web studio is important. The chart below shows the salary by region.

It is also equally important for which platform the application is being developed - android or iOS, or it must be supported by different platforms and their versions. Among other things, the cost of developer services from different countries also varies:

The most expensive components of a logistics application

First of all, costs are estimated by the number of hours required to solve a specific problem. Moreover, it is not at all necessary that it will take so long to solve. The task can be divided into parts for several employees and completed in a short time. Therefore, the time that is indicated when evaluating an application is of greater importance not for determining the development time of the project, but for calculating its cost.

Many components are technically complex, while others require a lot of work. The most costly, both in terms of time and finance, are next components of mobile applications for logistics:

1. The need to fit a lot of data into the application, a large number of actions, various screens. Considering fact that the screen of a mobile device is much smaller than a standard website page, you should think about which information is more important, how it will be placed on the screen, so that it is convenient and practical from the client's point of view. Here is important the work of the designer, who must think over all the nuances and adaptation. All information can be presented in the form of static pictures, texts, numbers or dynamic elements - a feed or a catalog.
2. Formation of a server system that will store all the information component of the application.
3. Admin panel. It requires the work of several specialists at once. It requires the labor of designers, layout designers, planners, API developers, etc. to develop a convenient and efficient administrative panel.
4. Implementation of user accounts of different types into the application. For example, if the application is adapted for company employees, clients, and freight brokers. This will require the development of a unique interface for each type of user, built taking into account the necessary functionality and including all the required elements.
5. Integration with structural elements of a mobile device - sensors, chips, etc., as well as other devices - for example, a printer for printing documentation in real time.
6. Integration with various services. In the application for the logistics business, this includes payment using a card, an electronic wallet, and chats for communication between a client and support service, an operator and employees, and the ability to share the application with friends using the button of popular social networks. And if integration with one third-party service does not take much time, then such a complex of actions in a large-scale project can significantly affect the development cost.

The use of all these components is not necessary for every project, but if the customer wishes, the development team can implement all and even more.

Who can use applications for the logistics business

Development of an application for a logistics business can be useful for:

1. Enterprises using the services of shipping companies. It will be convenient for them to track their orders, delivery and shipment, control the transfer and execution of order documentation, work with clients in the application, create and transfer data to their own systems for accounting, etc.
2. Companies that themselves are engaged in the direct transportation of goods from one point to another, while their work can be organized both within the state, and outside it. Wide functionality will allow you to find orders for cargo transportation, manage their status, accept them into work, keep in touch with customers, demonstrate tracking, distribute cargo by transport units and perform other actions necessary for the full and efficient operation of the company.
3. Companies, which have their own car fleet and the ability to transport goods. It will be convenient for them that the functionality of the application fits the business model of the entire company, since the work will affect a large number of departments and employees.

In general, the mobile application is suitable for any company involved in one way or another in the logistics sector. Automation of work processes, which will be possible through the use of the application, will reduce the time spent on solving intermediate issues related to ordering, drawing up documentation and others. All this will optimize the work of the company.

What application development gives to a logistics business

Due to the specifics of the mobile application, created taking into account the requirements of the logistics business, you can expand opportunities, reduce costs and optimize the work of the company.

In particular, the application will provide an opportunity to:

• quickly find and accept orders for cargo transportation, agree on prices for services, learn about what vehicles are available and in which warehouses the cargo is stored;
• calculate the route from point A to point B in automatic mode regardless of the distance, taking into account the time and cost of the delivery service;
• provide communication with customers and performers, coordinate working moments, monitor changes in the conditions for order execution and service provision;
• compare offers of several logistics companies for the transportation and storage of goods in order to choose the most profitable;
• order services directly from a mobile device, without visiting the website of the carrier company and other actions;
• monitor the movement of cargo along the route, control the timing and compliance with the conditions of transportation;
• enable / disable notifications about the completion of each subsequent stage of transportation, about changes in the status of the cargo;
• pay for the services of logistics companies.

A professional application for the logistics business can be used by clients, company employees, or both - it all depends on the customer and his requirements. Thanks to the development of a mobile application, you can attract the attention of new customers and partners to your business, increase profits, and increase the number of orders. Such an application can be considered a full-fledged marketing tool that will not only optimize the company's work, but also significantly affect its promotion. In this case, you can order an application that best suits a specific budget. At the same time, one should not try to save a lot, because the quality of the company's work will fully depend on the effectiveness of the application.