How To Develop An App Like SoundCloud: A Complete Guide

Music has become life for people, from listening to music at home to live performances, it has engaged people in the long run.

When it comes to music streaming apps, there is a lot of competition. However, implementing a trending feature or including an innovative approach can bring revolution to the industry.

Are you ready to develop an app like SoundCloud Music to bring a change in the industry?

Well, we are ready for you.

Let’s begin the journey together.

SoundCloud Facts and Music Streaming Statistics

SoundCloud empowers artists and fans by providing them with a platform to connect and share music. The company was founded in 2007 and is an artist-first platform to grow their careers by providing them with progressive tools, resources, and services.

It is an open platform for both the creators and listeners. Here everyone can listen for free and anyone can upload the tracks if they have the rights to do so.

The platform offers both free and paid memberships and has changed the way people consume music.

Let’s evaluate the concept of music streaming apps and related statistics.

• The market revenue is projected to reach US $31.42 billion by 2025. The revenue is expected to show an annual growth of 3.98% with a projected market volume of US $33.97 billion by 2027.
• In 2023, Soundcloud, the music streaming platform, was estimated to have 140 million worldwide users. However, in 2024, the number of users increased by 5 million compared to the previous year.

• In the third quarter of 2023, the number of music streaming subscribers worldwide amounted to 713 million, up from 616 million at the end of the second quarter of 2022.

• Music streaming now makes up 84% of the music industry’s revenue. However, according to Forbes, music streaming accounts for 89% of the total music industry’s revenue.

• The platform has over 100M+ downloads across the Play Store. Here users can discover trending artists, play songs, and share their favorite playlists.

The growing market stats of music streaming services are one of the major reasons for creating an app like SoundCloud.

Still wondering about “Why create an app like SoundCloud?”

Well, the given section should be considered important.

Why Develop an App Like SoundCloud?

SoundCloud is the foremost community-driven platform. Here, users can repost a track which makes it appear over the feed.

Thus, likewise, with SoundCloud, you can develop a community-driven platform. Here are some of the major reasons to discover.

► Growing Market Demand

According to the IFPI’s Global Music Report 2024, the services grew by 10.4% in 2023. The growing number of users on the platform and the growing number of music lovers should be considered as a reason.

► User Engagement

You can understand and evaluate how and why users interact with the app. Additionally, here developers can identify ideas and areas for improvement for fixing issues as well as for introducing features for enhancing the user experience.

► Source of Revenue Generation

Generating revenue is the ultimate source of starting a business. Thus, by creating an app like SoundCloud, you will get a diversified option for generating income. You can adapt the sources of income such as in-app purchases, in-app advertising, data monetization, and more.

► Provides Competitive Advantage

You can get a competitive edge by developing an app like SoundCloud. How? Well, creating an app will automatically put you ahead of several other brands. If you want people to recognize your brand and to get use your app regularly, then developing an app can be a reason.

► Ensures Consistency

The platform should offer consistency across all devices and is a vital app that offers experience. Developing an app like SoundCloud will automatically help the users to have a platform where they can find consistency to engage the number of users.

Thus, undertaking these stats is an important reason to continue with SoundCloud app development. Now, after reasons, it’s essential to learn the right steps for evaluating the working process of the app.

How Does an App Like SoundCloud Work?

Before you consider the steps to build an app like SoundCloud, let’s examine how it works.

Here are some of the steps to begin the note.

1: Download and Create Profile

After the user downloads the app, the next step here is to consider creating a profile, where they need to include names and details about their music tastes. This helps the app to analyze the data and develop a customized dashboard where the albums and music are based on the user’s interest.

2: Use of AI to Evaluate User’s Data

Now, the apps make use of advanced technologies such as AI, for successfully identifying and evaluating the current data of the users to provide them with the types of songs that they will enjoy listening to.

3: Stream or Download

Users can stream their favorite music over the platform for free. Along with this, if they prefer to stream the music in offline mode, they get an option to download the track. Here, users can stream music, where audio is sent in compact digital packets over the internet.

4: Review and Update

Here, users can provide reviews to the business about their experience with the app. This will help you to enhance the overall performance of the app based on their demands and preferences.

These are certain crucial steps to consider if you want to evaluate the working procedure of the app. Along with this, let’s identify the features to include in an app like SoundCloud in the next section.

Features to Include in an App Like SoundCloud

To develop an app like SoundCloud, you will be required to include certain important features to enhance its overall performance

Here is a list of music app streaming features that you might include.

➤ User Profile Creation

After joining the app, the users should be able to include their details in the app, this process will help them to search for music with a secure login. This feature is important for the users as well as for the admin to manage the accounts successfully.

➤ Navigation

The app should have an attractive and simple design so that they can easily navigate the software. It should be simple to operate and interactive. A simple series of features engages the users more than a platform with different features.

➤ Social Media Integration

Social media integration over music streaming platforms can be helpful for users to share songs, playlists, and listening activities directly from the app. Integration with different platforms will help them to connect with their friends and relatives and to share their music.

➤ Search and Discovery

Including a search feature within an app like SoundCloud will help the users ignore the hassle of selecting the songs via the list. Here they can save time to search for their favorite songs and albums effectively.

➤ Music Categorization

Music categorization is all about categorizing the songs based on the same artists and albums. This feature is essential to help the users with a selection of songs based on genres, ratings, popularity, and moods and by including various other filters.

➤ Lyrics Integration

Lyrics help users view and follow along with songs and have become an important feature for several music streaming app users. Here users can jam up with the lyrics and may sing along to enjoy it, effectively.

➤ Push Notifications

Push Notifications can assist the users with new content or special events to return to the app. Through regular updates and improved communications, this feature can help to engage the users in the long run.

➤ Voice Search and Commands

The integration of voice controls is a method for enhancing your music app. It is a practical answer in an age when voice search is gaining popularity. It may improve the productivity of the end users.

Well, after learning about the features to include in an app like SoundCloud, now it’s time to identify the steps in the following section.

Steps to Develop an App Like SoundCloud Music

How to create an app like SoundCloud Music?

The right set of steps can assist you in attaining this objective.

Step 1: Identifying Value Proposition and Market Research

You can identify the value of your idea after launching it in the competitive market. It’s essential to identify the gap in the market along with evaluating the type of assistance your app can provide.

Via market research, you can adopt different methods for conducting the survey, interviews, or focused research. This will enable you to evaluate the current market scenarios for successfully launching the app.

Here you can identify the target users and how to reach your brand. Learning about the target users will help you to address their growing needs and implement effective features in the app.

Step 2: Develop an MVP

Creating a minimal valuable product (MVP) can be useful in saving the overall cost of developing an app like SoundCloud. This process will be useful to identify the need for your app in the market by evaluating the success of the launched MVP.

It is a product that comprises minimum features to attract the attention of early adopters. This will help us learn about the current demand of the users and then mold the app accordingly.

MVP will save your cost for investing it completely in developing an app. After launching an MVP, you can identify the pores and fill them according to the required market demand. This will never let your app be out of competition.

Step 3: Select Features

We have already discussed the important features to include in an app like SoundCloud, hence, now is the time to include them, effectively.

The features should be selected after identifying the prospective demands of the users and evaluating if these features can be useful in addressing the app’s objective.

Features are the blood of an app, thus, you should examine that they need not be overlooked or underlooked to compromise the performance.

Step 4: Design the App

After you select the number of features, it is time to identify a suitable design to attract and engage potential users.

The app’s UI/UX comprises color, theme, style, font, and pattern which will be visible to the users. At this stage, you will virtualize the appearance of the app for the target users.

It’s important to opt for a wireframe and prototype for music streaming app design. It’s the first impression of the app and thus needs to be selected and implemented wisely.

Step 5: Choose the Tech Stack

The tech stack is all about the backend of the app which comprises of database, programming languages, APIs, back-end, and cloud base.

The music streaming tech stack should include the type of languages, infrastructure, database, and real-time messaging effective for creating an app.

The technology stack of a music streaming app should be developed in a way that supports the overall dynamics of the project’s infrastructure.

Step 6: Develop the Complete App

Under this step, it is useful to combine all the functions and steps to develop an app like SoundCloud Music.

You can create the front end along with the back end to complete the development of your dream project.

Along with this, platform selection is vital. You should evaluate the type of platform essential for reaching out to the target audience. Whether it is Android, iOS, or hybrid.

Step 7: Testing the App

Now, you should test the app with active tools and techniques that will enhance the overall performance of its functions.

Mobile app testing is useful for determining any bugs or errors that might impact the complete operations. Here you can select and identify testing locations, decide device coverage, and much more.

Here you are required to plan the test of an app by adopting and implementing tools that may be effective to identify potential bugs and errors.

Step 8: Launch and Maintenance

Well, it’s time to launch the music streaming app in the market after testing it rigorously. It’s important to launch the app on the destination date.

Additionally, you should go for mobile app maintenance services for further updates to the software.

Are you aware of app maintenance? Well, it’s a way to sustain the app in the competitive market after launch.

Learning about the steps to build an app like SoundCloud can be useful in creating a brand reputation. Under this process, if you are bothered about the tech stack parameters that need to be used here, then the following section is quite helpful.

Key Technologies For Developing an App Like SoundCloud

What are the important technologies to include while creating an app like SoundCloud?

Here’s a table to consider.

Well, adopting such technologies can be useful in providing you with a guide to implement a suitable technology stack for creating an app like SoundCloud.

Challenges in Developing an App Like SoundCloud

What are the top challenges to include while creating an app like SoundCloud?

Here is a list of mistakes to overcome while developing a music streaming app.

♦ Inadequate Infrastructure

With a poor technology stack, your app cannot succeed in this competitive world. Hence, without a robust network infrastructure, your app can face different bugs and errors that will impact the complete performance of your project.

♦ Poor Design

An inadequate design of an app can have a large impact on user’s engagement and their relation with your brand. Additionally, it will directly affect your app’s ability to retain users. A lack of effective design will make your users confused about the music streaming app.

♦ Lack of Artist Connections

Poor infrastructure will create barriers for the artist to upload the songs and they will not be able to connect with their target listeners. This will reduce the reputation of the complete app. It can create an error in retaining valuable users.

♦ Avoiding User Feedback

Are you ignoring the user’s feedback in the app, well this can create a major mistake. Users are the ultimate customers of the app, hence their opinions matter for the success of your project. Thus, ignoring their feedback is avoiding the ultimate users.

♦ Ineffective App Layout

A team that doesn’t give you an effective app’s layout can impact the complete music streaming app development process like SoundCloud. Avoiding the layout of an app with hamper the tech stack, overall infrastructure, and design.

Till now, you have learned about the procedure, features, tech stack, and challenges.

Now, to create an app like SoundCloud Music, you will be required to identify the total cost, right?

We’ll evaluate cost too, in the next section.

Cost to Develop an App Like SoundCloud Music

What’s the cost to create a music streaming app?

The average cost to build an app like SoundCloud Music can vary from $20,000 to $200,000. This cost is impacted by different factors including app design, complexity, maintenance, and security costs, as well as others.

To evaluate the mobile app development cost, all you need is to identify the type of essential features and factors impacting the same.

Well, you can find ways to invest the amount to develop an app like SoundCloud, but, that’s not enough.

Learning about the ways to make money via the app is as important as finding ways to invest in an app.

Let’s learn about monetization strategies in the next section.

Monetization Strategies for Apps Like SoundCloud

What are the top monetization strategies to consider while creating an app like SoundCloud?

Here is a list of effective music streaming app monetization strategies.

• In-App Advertising

In-app ads can provide your brand with a regular source of income.  These ads can be useful in generating revenue by providing a space for the brands to promote their products and services. In return, you can ask them for a commission for posting ads on your platform.

• In-App Purchases

Within music streaming apps, this monetization strategy can provide you with an advanced way of earning money. Here you can add diversified features to an app and earn revenue, over every advanced feature subscribed by the user.

• Subscription Plans

This is a common strategy for music streaming apps, where you have multiple options to provide the users for subscribing to the app. This is a plan where users can select the options to subscribe to the app according to their preferences.

• Collaborations With the Artists

To promote the new artist in this music streaming field, you can charge a reasonable amount. This will help them to connect with potential listeners through your platforms. To display their albums and promote them, you can charge an extra amount that can become a way of earning income over the platform.

• Live Performances Revenue

You can make money from promoting and displaying live performances on your platform. This will provide benefits to both the artist and the listeners. Connecting users globally with live music can be helpful in earning a great amount of revenue.

These were all the important strategies to consider while creating an app like SoundCloud.

Well, in this guide to developing an app like SoundCloud Music, we have discussed all the essential streams and steps. Now, if you are still bothered to learn certain parameters, connecting with an experienced company can help.

How Nimble AppGenie Can Help You Develop an App Like SoundCloud?

Searching for a company to develop your dream project?

Nimble AppGenie can be helpful. Our team is ready to help you with identifying the value of your app in the market and converting it to success.

We can successfully evaluate your app’s need and align it with the market’s demand. This will help engage a wide array of users and you can connect with them successfully.

Conclusion

To create an app like SoundCloud, it’s essential to continue learning about the right process. Here are the steps that begin with market analyses and end on launching it to the competitive market.

Additionally, include different features to build an app, such as push notifications, user profile creation, social media integration, music categorization, and voice search.

Here, the cost to develop an app like SoundCloud will depend on different factors such as app design, complexity of the app, technology stack, and many others.

Here monetization strategies can be useful in covering the cost such as in-app purchases, in-app advertising, data monetization, and many others. Connecting with an experienced company can help you.

FAQs

Niketan Sharma

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.