Cost To Develop An On-Demand Salon Booking App In 2021
By: Sara Khan
Tags: Startup, Apps, Mobile App Development, Mobile Apps, Technology

Whether you are planning to start up a salon business or simply curious to know about the ways of scaling up your business, an on-demand salon booking and management app can be a perfect solution for all your business needs in this digitized era.

With the projection that the spa and beauty salon market size will take a steep shift from $128.59 billion in 2017 to $190.82 billion in 2024, undoubtedly the beauty industry is growing at a backbreaking pace.

If you are into this industry and own a beauty salon, then it is an ideal time to target the market with a salon booking and management app to have better control of your operations.

While technology is ruling everywhere, the beauty and salon industry has not left an exception today. Managing your customers, bookings and availability of your stylists has become far easier by creating a salon management app. Today, where things have become so easy to access through an app, no one wants to wait at the salon or be in a queue to get their salon services. Yes, in this fast-paced life now people have become time savvy and prefer booking an appointment prior to their salon visit. And pre-bookings through an app will not just help in saving time, but also in money.

In addition, considering the statistics, 49.6% of the world’s population are females and surprisingly each lady spent about $3,756 at a salon per year. And, this is a huge figure! So when you add an on-demand facility to your business, surely these enterprises will leverage the higher returns on their investment.

Wherever you look- whether it’s a story of Uber, Grubhub or Instacart, their success stories are already inspiring startups with their rapidly growing revenue numbers. All you need is to hire mobile app developer to get started with your application.

You can become the dominator of your business. Right from managing online appointments to automated reminders, you can manage everything at your fingertips with a custom app. If you are still doubtful, then here are the industry stats that will blow your mind and provide you real insights of the beauty salon industry.

Surprising Beauty Salon Industry Statistics

Many of you are curious to ask why and how salon business is trending all over the world? I think these statistics will help you better understand the overview of the beauty industry.

With detailed market research, below we have gathered some information about the salon business and categorised it into various sections: customer behaviours and opening a salon.

Changing Behaviour of Customer in the Salon Industry

Opening a Salon

More than 80,000 are established in the US and make $20 billion in revenue.

Between 2010 and 2020, it is projected the number of open salon positions has increased by 16%.

In a Nutshell: The state of the beauty salon industry is clearly portraying the progressive picture of the market. In fact, if you think about the on-demand app market’s top performers, you’ll notice that there’s something common- the rising numbers, the collection of features, the must-have technology that overall boost their performance in the market.

Before you proceed to hire an app development company for a robust yet scalable solution, it is worth all your stakeholders to understand why you need this application for your business.

Why Do Salon Owners Need An On-demand Salon Application For Their Business?

While you have already invested $100,000+ on your salon’s establishment, you must be keen to know how to stand first in the competitive market.

And one of the most potential ways of making an investment is an On-demand salon app development solution!

No matter whether you own a standalone small beauty salon or having a franchisee of a leading brand, having a salon mobile app can add a perfect competitive edge and directly impact the growth of the business. All the key tasks right from managing the staff, online appointment, tracking inventory, handling multiple customers to advance bookings, an app can handle everything without leaving any scope of having a human error.

Apart, here are the few key benefits of developing an on-demand salon app for your business:

According to the survey, a smartphone user spends 90% of their mobile time on the application. And launching your salon management app customized with your logo and name for the Android and iOS platform can seamlessly expand your reach to the customers.

68% of customers immediately form an opinion about your brand after checking reviews on the search engine. So it is important to build an app that helps customers leave a positive review of the services and build a lasting relationship with your brand.

Do you know that 70% of customers leave a service review? And an on-demand beauty salon app can help you boost customer loyalty and retention rate by sending coupons through push notifications. And you can’t underestimate this feature of your app as there’s nothing more powerful and impactful marketing tool available for branding other than using SMS alerts. Managing online bookings, reviewing client details, getting monthly business insights, tracking inventory can be at your fingertips through the simple touch on the app.

The app integrated with a list of features can dramatically boost sales and let the customer know about your USPs.

An app customized with excellent UI/UX design enables you to easily attract the attention of the users, save time on marketing and push your business to new heights.

The estimated cost to develop a salon management and booking app can be starting from $35k+, depending upon the features, functionalities and complexity of the app.

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Since beauty salon app development services are trending in the market, therefore, it makes sense to hire a mobile app development company to create a product that can help your business stay competitive in the market for the next decades. But before that you need to have a clear idea about the ecosystem of the salon management and booking app as it directly adds up to your budget.

Basically, the app consists of 3 main units: Business owners or Admin, Customers, beauticians, stylists or other staff members. And the features and functionalities of the entire app revolve around these 3 units.

So let the game begin!

Now, from this last statement, many of you drill straight into the features and functionality section without knowing what kind of salon app you need to develop for your business.

Here’s Types of Beauty Salon App You Should Look To Develop in 2021

There are a number of beauty salon apps available in the market but the final idea of app development is depending upon your business needs and budget. So here is the few types of salon app that you can choose to develop by simply hiring a software development company:

An App For Hairdresser

Beauty And Wellness Application

Hair and Beauty Salon App

Beauty Salon Mobile App

Hair and Beauty Product Selling App

Complete Beauty Service Solution

Beauty and Hair Salon Solution

Salon Appointment Booking App

The average cost of developing any of these applications can be starting from $25k to $35K and go anywhere to $50k+. No matter what type of app model you choose, here are the few essential features of the beauty salon app that works best.

Key Features To Develop Beauty Salon Booking and Management App

The rule of thumb to developing a perfect application is to try to be in the app user’s shoe to understand exactly what they will look into your application. And accordingly, list out the features to develop a salon management software. This way you can emphasize the user’s journey and can pave it in rightly.

So let’s contemplate some of the essential features that you should have in salon booking and management app:

Features from the Customer Perspective:

Registration: Allow users to access an app with a simple authentication process and provide basic details such as name, mobile number and email ID.

Allow users to access an app with a simple authentication process and provide basic details such as name, mobile number and email ID. Sign Up/Login: Make your login process easier, simple and easy for the users allow them to log in to an account from multiple options including social media platforms, mobile number or email ID.

Make your login process easier, simple and easy for the users allow them to log in to an account from multiple options including social media platforms, mobile number or email ID. View service list: Once the user gets registered with your app, he/she can view the service list of your salon.

Once the user gets registered with your app, he/she can view the service list of your salon. Select Salon/Stylist: What if you are managing multiple branches of the salon? In that case, mention the locations of your branch and allow users to select the stylist or beautician for a specific location.

What if you are managing multiple branches of the salon? In that case, mention the locations of your branch and allow users to select the stylist or beautician for a specific location. View Profile: Allow users to view a complete profile of the salon, its convenient timings, contact details, ratings, reviews, pricing and more.

Allow users to view a complete profile of the salon, its convenient timings, contact details, ratings, reviews, pricing and more. Schedule services: Users can send the request to their choice of stylist or beautician or salon owner for any query.

Users can send the request to their choice of stylist or beautician or salon owner for any query. Booking Appointment: Book an advance appointment by simply clicking on the “Book Now” button.

Book an advance appointment by simply clicking on the “Book Now” button. Make Payment: With multiple payment gateway integrations, users can easily make a payment through a Credit/Debit card, wallet or net banking.

With multiple payment gateway integrations, users can easily make a payment through a Credit/Debit card, wallet or net banking. Loyalty Points: To increase client retention rate and increase customer loyalty, you can reward loyalty points on every service that they can redeem on the next service.

To increase client retention rate and increase customer loyalty, you can reward loyalty points on every service that they can redeem on the next service. In-App Chat: Users can get directly in touch with a stylist or beautician and are able to confirm timings, service charges, explaining address, or any other concern.

Users can get directly in touch with a stylist or beautician and are able to confirm timings, service charges, explaining address, or any other concern. Rating, Review and Feedback: Customers can view the ratings, reviews of the salon and are able to drop the service feedback.

Customers can view the ratings, reviews of the salon and are able to drop the service feedback. View History: Customers can check the record of services or appointments scheduled with the salon while rescheduling an appointment.

Customers can check the record of services or appointments scheduled with the salon while rescheduling an appointment. Push Notifications: Alert messages will keep reminding your customers about their appointments, offers, subscription packages, deals, discounts and coupons.

Features from the Beauty-Expert’s Perspective

View Bookings: This is one of the most important features of your application for the beauty expert where they can keep tracking their earned bookings.

This is one of the most important features of your application for the beauty expert where they can keep tracking their earned bookings. Accept or Reject the Booking: According to the availability of the stylist or beautician, professionals can accept or reject the booking.

According to the availability of the stylist or beautician, professionals can accept or reject the booking. Price List and Services: This will be the screen of their profile where they can list the services they provide along with the price list.

This will be the screen of their profile where they can list the services they provide along with the price list. Managing Calendar: Leveraging this calendar, they can manage their booking schedule and mark their availability for specific date and time.

Leveraging this calendar, they can manage their booking schedule and mark their availability for specific date and time. Service History: Under this section of the app, professionals can keep track of their services that they delivered to date and are able to sum up their commission towards their services so far.

Features from the Perspective of Admin or Salon Owner

Managing Professionals: With this feature, admin can have full control of managing their professionals and ensure the availability to users.

With this feature, admin can have full control of managing their professionals and ensure the availability to users. Accept or Reject Registration Request: The app owner would have the access to either reject or accept the request for the sake of a brand’s reputation.

The app owner would have the access to either reject or accept the request for the sake of a brand’s reputation. Generate Monthly Reports: Under these features, salon owners can get complete analytics related to monthly bookings, sales, profit or loss.

Under these features, salon owners can get complete analytics related to monthly bookings, sales, profit or loss. Managing Payments: Managing all the different payment related issues and staying on top of all the payments made within the application.

Managing all the different payment related issues and staying on top of all the payments made within the application. Dashboard Management: As appointments are booked online, the admin can have a clear view of how many bookings are made, how many customers have visited the salon and which attendees would serve them. Admin can get insights on which services are popular among customers.

Let’s have a quick look at the infographic view of the features that you should integrate in the Salon Booking and management app:

These are the basic features of developing a salon management app that any mobile app development company can help you develop with the starting price of $10,000+, but to stay ahead in this cut-throat competitive market, you need to have a quick look at these advanced features for a modern solution.

Additional Features To Consider In-Salon App Development

Promo Codes/Discount Offers: Increase customer engagement and improve the use of the app by providing special access to promotional codes to the app users. Allow them to access promo codes, discount deals, offers, service bundles and more.

Increase customer engagement and improve the use of the app by providing special access to promotional codes to the app users. Allow them to access promo codes, discount deals, offers, service bundles and more. Multi-Lingual Integration: Depending on your targeted audience or service seekers, multi-lingual integration can help users easily access the app. While choosing to hire a cross-platform mobile app development company , integrating this feature becomes far easier for the app owner.

Depending on your targeted audience or service seekers, multi-lingual integration can help users easily access the app. While choosing to hire a , integrating this feature becomes far easier for the app owner. Referral Programs: In the field of salon and beauty business, it’s common to share the experience with friends and family. So you can compensate users upon positive sign-ups or registrations.

In the field of salon and beauty business, it’s common to share the experience with friends and family. So you can compensate users upon positive sign-ups or registrations. Heating Window: Admin can have a look over the areas where there is a high demand and guide service providers to those locations through this feature.

Admin can have a look over the areas where there is a high demand and guide service providers to those locations through this feature. Packages: Customers would love to buy monthly packages customized as per their needs to avail the benefits.

Customers would love to buy monthly packages customized as per their needs to avail the benefits. Membership: You can provide membership to your customer to leverage extra benefits on the services.

Adding an advanced list of features would definitely add up a cost to the budget, but the unique selling point of your app will help you beat the competition.

Tech Stack That Answers How To Build On-Demand Salon Booking App

While having an app with millions of users, one thing that every app owner expects- seamless processing of the app. That’s where backend and frontend of the app plays a major role to ensure smooth processing of the app.

So having the best app idea and selecting outstanding features are one important aspect of your app, but selecting the right technology will help you put everything in action with the right impact on the users. The success of the app is majorly depending on how mobile app developers can transform your app idea into the final product. And this is one of the highly important aspects of mobile app development that you can’t afford to ignore. The app’s end quality, its scalability and the entire future of the app is depending upon the technology you choose for the development.

So before you hire an app developer, let us give you the insight into the technology stack right from the starting point:

Push Notifications / SMS Alert : FCM and APNS

/ : FCM and APNS SMS / Voice / Phone verification : Twilio, Sinch and Nexmo

/ / : Twilio, Sinch and Nexmo Data Management of the App : Datastax

: Datastax Payment Gateway : PayPal and Stripe

: PayPal and Stripe Robust Programming Mandrill: GWT

Mandrill: GWT Database : Hbase, MongoDB, Cassandra, and Postgres

: Hbase, MongoDB, Cassandra, and Postgres Cloud Environment : AWS and Google

: AWS and Google Real - time Analytics : Hadoop, Spark, BigData, Apache Flink, Cisco and IBM

- : Hadoop, Spark, BigData, Apache Flink, Cisco and IBM Framework: Flutter, React Native or Ionic

While on-demand app development is booming at the fast paced, so avoid putting your efforts and budget at risk, it is worth hiring a software developer that can build an application with the right choice of technology.

How Much Does It Cost To Develop An On-demand Beauty Service Mobile App?

Estimating the final cost of the salon booking and management app is one of the nerve wrecking tasks as it takes a number of factors into consideration. And there are a variety of variables that go beyond the estimating the cost of features and tech development.

According to the market survey of Clutch, the average cost of app development will be starting from $50,000 to $70,000+ but in case of beauty & Salon app, mobile app development company with an experience of developing on-demand applications can cost you $25k to $35k.

Now the most interesting part here to remember is, if you choose to get your application developed in Dubai, US, or Europe, the cost estimation will automatically increase as hourly cost of developers greatly vary according to their location. And experts from all across the world have acknowledged that India is the standalone cheapest place to hire resources. But it doesn’t mean they are less talented, instead they have low living cost and boast cut-throat competition.

In a Nutshell: Since cost and app development time varies greatly from project to project. So, the final Cost of the app development is majorly depending upon your business needs, complexity of the features, functionalities and technologies and more, that you select for your project.

But developing an app only makes sense when you know the best ways to monetize it.

So let us help you gain some insights on the best monetizing strategies for your salon booking and management app.

How To Make Money From Your On-demand Beauty Salon App?

There are various strategies that you can look at to raise the revenue on your beauty salon app. But there are few that you can blend in your business model specifics. They are:

Commission: This is one of the most common ways of monetizing your app by taking a portion of money on selling beauty products or services of other brands. To get a steady income into your company, you need to implement proper procedure.

Subscription Plans: Allow customers to try your subscription plan free for one month and provide various benefits to make them understand how useful or beneficial this plan would be. Once they get to know about this plan, you can offer the subscriptions for 3 months, 6 months or 12 months at the best prices.

Special beauty Packages: Allow users to buy monthly packages through the app to add reward points in their wallet and redeem those points on their next billing.

Advertisement: Allow beauty brands to advertise their products on your app by paying the advertising amount to have a one call button on your app.

In a Nutshell: Though these are the few potential monetizing ways that you can leverage to generate revenue. So now you are aware of the fact how much it costs to develop a salon app for your business and how to make money from it. The only step left here is to hire a mobile app development company that will help you turn your concept into a beauty service application that seamlessly operates on demand.

Conclusion: Get Ready To Boost Your Salon Business Growth!

Owning a business and expecting it to be running at its best is one of the most daunting tasks for the business owners. But with an on-demand business salon app, you can easily get control of your business and be able to manage everything with a few taps on the screen. Apart from managing the business and professionals, a salon app will add a perfect competitive edge to your business and provide a convenient way of making appointments to customers.

Whether you are the one who wants to streamline your salon operations and manage bookings with an app or simply want to upgrade your existing salon app with latest features to stay competitive, that’s completely up to you. A mobile app development company can help you get started with an app, no matter whether you are a small business or what company you have. They can strategically build apps that can boost your business growth at the fast speed. So don’t wait further and become a part of this thriving industry with a perfect robust, scalable and flexible solution.

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