On-Demand Apps are changing the business world.
From food delivery apps to on-demand healthcare apps, this is a business model that’s ideal for both service providers and customers.
This industry attracts more than 22 million users each year and generates $54 billion in revenue.
While there are various ones, one of the most popular on-demand niches is the on-demand salon app.
The global spa and beauty salon market will reach a valuation of $190 billion by the end of 2024. This translates into a lot of growth and revenue generation opportunities as ladies are spending $3,756 annually on average.
With the rise in popularity of Uber for on-demand beauty services, this concept has gained a lot of attention from across the United States of America.
Consequently, a lot of people want to develop on-demand beauty apps for businesses. One of the first questions they ask is, “What’s the cost to build a Salon App?”
While the average cost to develop an on-demand salon app ranges from $35,000 to $350,000, predicting an accurate cost is a bit more difficult.
But that isn’t a satisfactory answer, is it?
Therefore, in this blog, we shall be discussing all that you need to know about the cost of building an app for a beauty salon as well as the various services that affect the cost.
Let’s get right into it:
Salon App Market Statistics: Insights
Before we discuss how to create a beauty salon app and its cost, let’s first dive into the market and see why everyone wants to invest in this venture.
- The spa and salon software market is expected to be 37 billion by 2028, at a CAGR of 10.90% during the forecast period (2023-2028).
- The beauty salon mobile app industry adds more than 22 million users, generating $54 billion in revenue.
- On average, people spend more than $3,756 on salon and spa services annually.
How Does a Beauty Salon App Work?
So, how does the beauty salon app work?
The working process is simple. As mentioned below:
- Download the app
- Register on the platform
- Explore on-demand services
- Choose the desired services
- Book an appointment (consult the provider via the app)
- Receive services at the parlor or home
- Make payments via eWallet integration
- Leave a review or rating
Types of Beauty Salon Apps
Before you invest in custom app development, let’s first look at the different types.
These are, as mentioned below:
- Salon and Spa App
- Booth Rental Hair Salon App
- Specialty Salon Apps
- Commission-Based Salon App
- In-House Salon
- Boutique Salon App
- General salon app
- Haircut salon app
- Manicure and pedicure salon app
- Hair, nail, and skin salon app
These are the different types of beauty apps that you can develop.
Why You Should Invest in a Beauty Salon App?
The beauty industry worldwide is expected to reach, by the year 2027, a value that will hit $463.5 billion. With this, several apps like the Fresha app and Makeup App For Girls, like YouCam, are growing very popular, making millions and even billions in the market.
Should you invest in beauty app development?
The answer is yes, you should.
Some reasons to do so are, as mentioned below:
Reason 1. Opportunity to Capture Market
The market for on-demand beauty apps is growing, but it is still young.
With the right mobile app development ideas and development partners, you can create an app that will capture the market.
Reason 2. Beauty Parlor App is Something the Audience Wants
The demand for salon apps is huge.
Few on-demand beauty apps have millions of users, and there’s a need for more. After all, the on-demand industry as a whole is growing at an exponential rate.
Meaning, you won’t lack a user base with an app like Fresha.
Reason 3. Make Millions in Profit
Do you want to build a beauty salon app and make millions in the market?
This on-demand app can help you do just that. Through various monetization strategies and methods, you can convert traffic into revenue, growing your business while also delivering value to the users.
Essential Features to Include in an App for a Beauty Salon
Features are not only essential for the performance and user attraction of the app, but they also affect the app development cost.
Here’s how: features have to be embedded in the source code. Therefore, it takes developers a long time to create more advanced features compared to simpler ones.
In the same fashion, the more advanced features you use, the higher the cost.
With that out of the way, let’s look at some essential features that every beauty salon app should have:
| User App | Stylist App | Parlor App | Admin Panel |
| Register | Profile Management | Revenue Management | Interactive Dashboard |
| Explore Services | Update Status | Service Management | Revenue management |
| Book An Appointment | Talking to Clients | Stylist & Employee Management | User Base Management |
| Custom Beauty Service | Receive payment | Review & Rating Management | Listed Business Management |
| Consult stylist | Handle services | Customer Interaction | Customer Care Service |
| Makeup Tryon Integration | Service Request handling | Parlor Profile Management | Campaign Management |
| eWallet Integration | Revenue Handling |
With that out of the way, it’s finally time to discuss the Cost of creating a salon app in the next section of the blog.
Average Cost to Build a Beauty Salon App
How Much Does It Cost To Develop A Beauty Salon App?
On-demand apps are popular among users as well as business owners. And with billions in revenue generation, developing an on-demand beauty app seems like quite an attractive option.
This is where the big question comes in: “How much does it cost to create a Salon App?”
Well, speaking of the development cost of a beauty salon app, it ranges anywhere from $35,000 to $350,000. Various factors come into play and can affect the cost. These include platform, tech stack, features, and so on.
As such, it’s not possible to predict the total development cost without learning about the project specifications.
If you want to learn more about the cost of beauty salon apps in general, it’s highly recommended that you consult a grooming app development company.
Nevertheless, the cost of developing an on-demand app largely depends on the complexity of the app.
So, let’s have a look.
| Complexity | Cost |
| Simple Salon App | $35,000 to $120,000 |
| Average Salon App | $120,000 to $200,000 |
| Complex Salon App | $200,000 to $350,000 + |
The concept is simple, the more complex an app is, the more work it requires and the longer it takes to develop. With all of the increased inputs, the total cost to build a beauty salon app also goes higher.
Moving on, we shall be looking at various factors that can affect the salon booking app cost in the next section of the blog.
Factors That Affect the Cost to Build a Salon App
The mobile app development process is inherently complex, with a lot of steps and elements involved.
Consequently, the cost to build complex solutions like an on-demand beauty app can largely differ based on these factors.
So, how do you estimate the cost to develop a salon app?
Well, apart from contacting an app development company, something you can do is go through the various factors and estimate the cost based on that.
Therefore, in this section of the blog, we shall be going through this factor. Let’s get right into it:
Factor 1. Platform for Beauty Salon App: iOS vs Android
A platform is the first technical choice that clients have to make for their beauty parlor app development.
Android app development and iOS App Development are the two most popular options and the only choices when it comes to native app development.
Let’s look at the cost for them in the table below:
| Platform | Development Cost Range |
| Android App Development | $50,000 – $300,000 |
|
$50,000 – $80,000 |
|
$80,000 – $150,000 |
|
$150,000 – $300,000 |
| iPhone App Development | $30,000 – $280,000 |
|
$30,000 – $60,000 |
|
$60,000 – $120,000 |
|
$120,000 – $280,000 |
For those wondering why an app development company charges more for the platform being open-source, here’s the answer.
Android as an OS dominates 75% of Mobile App Users across the world. However, its user base is fragmented.
While iOS is highly regulated and the majority of users are on the latest version of the platform, Android can’t say the same.
For that reason, a custom Android app development company has to develop the same app for various versions of Android. On the other hand, an iOS app development company can deliver results much quicker.
Factor 2. Tech Stack & How It Affects Development Cost
Some technologies are free for everyone to use, being open-source, and other technologies are very expensive. Apart from frameworks, this also extends to testing tools.
| Components | Technology | Impact on Development Costs | Cost Range Estimate (in USD) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frontend Development | React Native or Flutter | Lower costs due to cross-platform development capabilities. | $5,000 – $40,000 |
| Backend Development | Node.js (Express), Django | Cost depends on the complexity of the business logic, scalability, and chosen frameworks. | $15,000 – $80,000 |
| Database | MongoDB, MySQL, PostgreSQL | Costs vary based on the chosen database management system and scalability requirements. | $5,000 – $30,000 |
| Authentication | Firebase Auth, JWT | Generally lower costs, but additional features may increase development expenses. | $5,000 – $20,000 |
| Payment Integration | Stripe, PayPal, Braintree | Costs depend on the number of payment gateways integrated and transaction volume. | $10,000 – $40,000 |
| Push Notifications | Firebase Cloud Messaging | Usually moderate cost, influenced by the frequency and volume of notifications. | $3,000 – $15,000 |
| Geolocation Services | Google Maps API | Costs depend on usage, such as the number of map loads and geocoding requests. | $3,000 – $15,000 |
| Appointment Scheduling | Calendar API and Custom Logic | Development costs increase with complex scheduling features and third-party integrations. | $10,000 – $50,000 |
| User Analytics | Google Analytics, Mixpanel | Costs are generally reasonable, based on the level of analytics and tracking needed. | $3,000 – $20,000 |
| Hosting | AWS, Heroku, DigitalOcean | Hosting costs depend on server resources, scalability, and the chosen hosting provider. | $5,000 – $30,000 |
In most cases, clients and on-demand app development services work together to create a custom tech stack that best fits the project’s needs. The combined cost of these technologies can highly affect the total cost.
This is why choosing the right tech stack is important. This can affect the performance of the Fresha app clone as well as the salon booking app development cost.
Factor 3. Cost to Hire On-Demand App Developers Based on Experience
Once you have finalized all the technologies to create an app for a beauty salon, it’s time to hire mobile app developers.
This is an easy task considering we are living in the 21st century, the age of technology. But one big factor that can affect the cost to hire app developers is their experience.
Experience is something that’s valued everywhere and anywhere. For the same reason, experienced developers are better recommended for projects.
So the more experienced developers you hire, the more expensive it’s going to be. Let’s look at the cost in the table below:
| Experience Level | Years of Experience | Cost Range (Per Hour) |
| Entry-Level Mobile App Developer | 0-2 years | $20 – $35 |
| Junior Mobile App Developer | 2-4 years | $30 – $45 |
| Intermediate Mobile App Developer | 4-6 years | $40 – $55 |
| Senior Mobile App Developer | 6-8 years | $50 – $70 |
| Lead Mobile App Developer | 8+ years | $60 – $85 |
| Expert Mobile App Developer | 10+ years | $75 – $95 |
Furthermore, the cost to hire iOS app developers and the cost to hire Android app developers also usually differ.
Speaking of which, let’s move on to the next section of the factors that affect the cost of creating a salon app.
Factor 4. The Types of Development Teams & Cost To Hire Them
Experience is not the only factor that can affect the cost to hire a developer for a beauty salon appointment app. Another big factor is the type of development team you hire.
There are various ways you can hire dedicated developers. And the cost associated with each of them is different.
Let’s look at the cost to hire different developers below:
| Type of Team | Cost |
|---|---|
| Working With Freelancers | $40-$85/Per Hour. |
| Outsource to a Social Media App Development Company | $25-$75/Per hour |
| Create an In-House Team | $250,000-$750,000/Per Year |
| IT Staff Augmentation | $15-$75/ Per hour |
- IT Outsourcing vs In-House
Let’s take a little detour.
Should you hire an outsourcing company or get an in-house team?
Well, this is a debate that has been going on for a while. Each one of them has its own strengths and weaknesses.
Development Cost in Different Locations for Beauty Salon App
In 2023, you can find an app developer in any part of the world. But location is a big factor when it comes to developing a salon app.
This is why your location and the location of the team handling the beauty and salon app matter a lot.
| Location | Average Hourly Rate | Total Development Cost |
| North America | $80 – $150 | $25,000 – $100,000+ |
| Western Europe | $60 – $120 | $20,000 – $80,000+ |
| Eastern Europe | $40 – $80 | $15,000 – $50,000+ |
| Asia (e.g., India) | $20 – $50 | $7,000 – $30,000+ |
| South America | $30 – $60 | $10,000 – $40,000+ |
| Australia | $80 – $120 | $25,000 – $80,000+ |
Factor 5. How Does Location Affect the Development Cost of a Beauty Salon App?
It’s cheaper to develop apps for beauty services in some parts of the world than in others.
But why?
The reason behind this is simple. A country like the United States of America has a stronger currency and a higher average wage.
On the other hand, let’s take a country like Ukraine, which used to be an outsourcing hub for app and web development before the war.
Here, average wages are much lower compared to the US and there’s also a currency difference.
While the cost of building an app is lower for the client, it gets multiplied in Ukraine’s local economy. That’s why some locations can offer the same quality beauty appointment apps at a lower price while others are more expensive.
Other Factors that Affect the Cost of Building a Salon App
Apart from the ones we discussed above, some other factors affect development cost.
Let’s look at them below:
| Factors | Effect on Cost |
| Features and Functionality | Higher complexity may add 20-30% to development cost |
| Design and User Experience (UX/UI) | Custom designs and advanced UX/UI may add 15-25% |
| Integration with Third-Party Services | Complex integrations can increase costs by 10-20% |
| Security Requirements | Enhanced security measures may add 15-25% to the cost |
| Mobile App Testing and Quality Assurance | Thorough testing may add 10-15% to development cost |
| Regulatory Compliance | Compliance requirements can add 10-20% to the cost |
| Scalability | Building for scalability may add 15-25% to the cost |
| App Maintenance and Support | Ongoing support can add 10-20% annually to the cost |
| Project Management | Effective project management can save 10-15% |
With that out of the way, let’s move on to the next section of the blog, where we shall examine the time it takes to develop an app.
How Long Does It Take to Create an On-Demand Beauty Salon App?
In addition to the beauty salon app, clients also often inquire about app development time.
Just like the Salon mobile app development cost, the time taken to build a beauty salon app depends on various factors.
For instance, a more complex app can take more than 1 year to develop, while a simpler one can be done in up to 4 months.
In any case, let’s look at the average development time for a fresh booking app clone below:
| Deployment | Time |
| Research | 1-2 Weeks |
| Idea validation | 1 week approx |
| Planning | 2 weeks |
| Strategy | 1 week |
| MVP | 2-3 weeks |
| Design Process | 2-3 months |
| Dating App Development | 4-6 months |
| Testing | 2 – 4 weeks |
| Deployment | 2 weeks at most |
Formula to Calculate the Total Development Cost of a Salon App
Here’s a formula that you can use to calculate the beauty salon app cost. Take a look at it below:
Development Time × Developer’s Hourly Rate ( + Cost of Tools,
Maintenance, if applicable) = Total Development Cost of a Beauty Salon App
This is a simple formula to get an estimated cost.
Nevertheless, you can save all this trouble and get an even more accurate estimation. All you need to do is reach out to an experienced mobile app development company.
They will take a look at your project and give you all the insight into the cost, scope, and much more.
Can You Make Money With a Beauty Salon App?
Now that we have discussed the cost of an on-demand beauty salon app, it’s time to return to the question of “how to develop a beauty salon app that helps businesses grow.”
The first question that comes to mind is: “Can You Make Money With a Beauty Salon App?“
Yes, you can.
Using mobile app monetization strategies, you can make millions with your beauty salon app. So, let’s look at some of the basic monetization strategies you can use.
1. Direct Sales
One of the best ways to create a salon booking app and make money is through direct sales.
With eCommerce and mobile commerce integration in the solution, you can take advantage of the app’s wide user base and sell beauty-related products.
This is a popular tactic that is utilized by some of the top platforms in the industry.
2. Commission
If you are planning to create a beauty salon booking app as an aggregator platform, where businesses and users can connect, commission is a good monetization strategy.
It’s advised to charge a percentage of sales on every transaction.
Apart from that, you can also charge them in different ways, for instance, paid promotion. This brings us to our next strategy.
3. In-app Advertisement
In-app advertisement is a popular method.
Every time a user clicks on an ad, your account will be credited. Another way to do it is to charge businesses to advertise their service.
This is also known as a paid promotion.
4. Subscriptions
Lastly, you can create a subscription-based app.
Here, the user has to subscribe to one of your plans to access the basic or premium features of the platform depending on your app type.
Done right, this method can help you generate millions.
With that, we have come to the end of our blog.
How Nimble AppGenie Can Help You Develop a Beauty Salon App?
Nimble AppGenie is a market-leading Salon app development company that is here to help you.
With years’ worth of experience in on-demand app development and finishing more than 700 projects, we have what it takes to deliver your idea in the form of digital products.
In addition to this, we provide the most affordable development cost in the market, making us a top choice for development partners.
If you want to turn your ideas into reality, Nimble AppGenie is here to help you.
Conclusion
On-demand beauty salon apps have gained quite some fame in the past few years. This has inspired a lot of people to develop their own versions.
In any case, the first thing people want to know about a project like this is the cost to build a Beauty Salon App. It ranges anywhere from $20,000 to $1,50,000.
But there’s a lot more to the cost than this. If you are someone who wants to create a market-leading on-demand beauty salon app, it’s recommended that you reach out to an On-Demand App Development Company.
FAQs
The working process of the beauty salon app is, as mentioned below:
- Download and register for the app
- Explore on-demand services
- Choose the desired services
- Book an appointment
- Receive services at the parlor or home
- Make payments via eWallet integration
- Leave a review or rating
In any case, the first thing people want to know about a project like this is the cost to create a salon app. It ranges anywhere from $30,000 to $350,000. For more details on the same, contact an app development company.
The time taken to develop a beauty salon app highly depends on various factors. For instance, a more complex app can take more than 1 year to develop, while a simpler one can be done in up to 4 months.
Some common types of salon app solutions are:
- Specialty Salon Apps
- Commission-Based Salon App
- In-House Salon
- Boutique Salon App
- General salon app
- Haircut salon app
Monetization channels to make money from beauty salon apps are, as mentioned below:
- In-app Advertisement
- Commission
- Direct Sales
Niketan Sharma is the CTO of Nimble AppGenie, a prominent website and mobile app development company in the USA that is delivering excellence with a commitment to boosting business growth & maximizing customer satisfaction. He is a highly motivated individual who helps SMEs and startups grow in this dynamic market with the latest technology and innovation.
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