Super App Development: Everything You Need To Know

What comes to your mind when you hear the word “Super-app?” Do you visualize an app consuming massive resources and storage on your mobile device? Well, it is not what super apps are.

A super app is loaded with features and functionalities, bringing the experience of multiple apps to one. You can call it an all-in-one app. The idea of Super apps sparks technical, Non-technical, and Entrepreneurs. “Super app” is searched between 1000 to 10000 times on average every month. Different people are searching for Super apps with different mindsets. The general audience wants to know more about the Smart app, whereas Entrepreneurs are looking for information about super app development.

In this article, we will assist you in understanding super apps and super app development. From history to market analysis and challenges, we will explore everything you need to know about the super app.

Understanding the concept of Super App

A super-app is a mobile or web application that brings the power of multiple apps to one. Customers can use a smart app for multiple services like payment processing, e-commerce, booking tickets, communication, gaming, and more. There are notable examples of super-apps where Tencent’s WeChat in China has grabbed a good market in Southeast Asia. It serves 1.2 billion users globally, promoting super-apps’ growth and potential. We will look at the examples in detail in the below sections. But, let us understand the history associated with the advent of Super Apps.

How was the Super App term born?

In 2010, Tencent developed WeChat with the motive of creating an instant messenger for the people in China. As the mobile app reached a customer base of 200 Million users, the company started to diversify its services by adding social gaming, mobile payments, and a digital wallet. By 2014, WeChat added E-commerce, making it a full-fledged application. And by 2017, the app got the title of “Super-app.”

What is the difference between Stand-Alone and Super Apps?

The difference between stand-alone and super-apps is clear. Stand-alone apps like Skype and Spotify are designed to fall into one category: Skype is a messaging platform, and Spotify is a music streaming platform. Similarly, banks and gaming apps are designed to perform the core function of financing and gaming, respectively. Whereas in a Super app, the app may offer all of the services offered by the above categories, i.e., communication, music streaming, banking, and gaming.

Top elements of a Super App

Multiple elements from multiple industries are what make a super app “super.”

• Social:Social communication has become an integral part of human life. And, the form of communication has shifted massively to the digital world. A smart app contains communication features where users can text and share media and users worldwide.
• E-commerce:People purchase products and services online, making the overall purchasing process easier and continent. A super app lets users perform e-commerce activities smoothly.
• Food delivery:In a super app, users can order food online and get it delivered right at their doorsteps.
• Transportation & Travel: On-demand taxi services are gaining the market, and a super app lets users book taxi, flight, and train tickets.
• Banking and finance: With super apps, users can perform financial transactions enjoying the major features of a banking app. They can also take loans within the app.
• Bill pay and health services: The healthcare industry is actively using the benefits provided by the digital mode of activities. With Super-apps, users can pay different types of bills and take healthcare services like health calls, general health information, and more.

Super App Development Benefits

Businesses are looking forward to stepping into the world of digital business through a mobile app. And super app development is one of the great ideas to succeed in the apps market. Here are the benefits leveraged from Super-app development.

• A super app gains a very wide audience base with a reduced risk since one of the key areas will attract a user base.
• Super app provides a faster login process since users have to log in once, and they are open to a vast amount of services offered by the super app.
• With more functionalities in the same app, super apps attract more customers and deliver more business growth.
• A super app offers a broader customer engagement since you attract customers from diverse industries.

Top Super Apps in different regions

It is now time to mention some of the famous apps from different regions. We will cover top super apps in UAE, USA, UK, India to gain a better insight into your key competitors.

Super Apps in UAE

• Careem: With Careem, a super app in UAE, customers can book rides, recharge their mobile phones and perform online payments all in one app.
• Noon shopping: A one stop destination for shopping. Customers can buy a variety of shopping items from grocery to clothing with in app support of convenient cards. Customers call Noon shopping a super app in Dubai since it is adding more verticals.
• Talabat: Talabat super app in UAE is one of the fastest growing super apps covering food delivery and grocery items together.

Super Apps in USA

• Amazon: Amazon, a super app in the USA, offers E-commerce, Food delivery and payment options to the users.
• Facebook: A super app in the USA, bringing the power of social communication and marketplace together to bring diverse functionality.
• Revolut: A super app bringing the world of finance, transfer, and trading together. Users can trade, send money to their friends and family and step into the exchange of cryptos, all in one app.

Super Apps in the UK

• Yandex Go: Europe’s first super app, Yandex Go brings the features of on-depart transportation and delivery together in one app. Customers can also order meals from the app.
• Uber: Uber has announced a project to launch in the UK where the customers can book travel on planes, trains, and buses right within the app. The app is diversifying its focus from cab booking to more verticals.
• Alipay: A super app designed to bring payments, finances, cab booking, and meal ordering right in one app delivering a super experience to the users.

Super Apps in India

• MyJio: A super app in India bringing multiple functionalities like shopping, games, healthcare solutions, UPI, chat, and much more.
• Tata Neu: A super app with 2.2 million downloads presents hotel reservations, travel bookings, food ordering, and loans to the customers right in one app.
• Paytm: The super app in India loads travel, ticket bookings in cinema and travel, card and loan payments, shopping, and much more functionalities to the users.

Now that we have understood super apps as a concept. Let us explore the market stats.

Market stats of mobile apps

Before bringing the super apps it is a solid idea to understand the stats in the mobile market.

• In 2021, reports presented that $143 Billion customers spend 3.5 Trillion hours with 218 Billion downloads.
• Mobile apps have surpassed TV where mobile ads have registered a $290Billion investment in 2021.

Market stats of Super Apps

Talking about super apps by regions:

• Super apps registered a revenue of $51 Billion in Russia, 2020. And the market is expected to grow 163 percent by 2025.
• 67 % of the users in the USA are interested in taking the benefits gained from super apps.
• Careem, a UAE based super app has already crossed 48 million users.
• UK consumers trust the Paypal super app more than bank apps.
• 74% of the consumers have shown interest in the super apps.

Undoubtedly super apps promise a super future if businesses opt for super app development reaching a wider customer base with diversified services. But are there challenges included?

Challenges faced in Super App Development

With the super profit, feature, and customer base comes super challenges in super app development. The overall process is time-consuming and filled with numerous challenges. Let’s find them out.

Super apps cost more

To build a super app, you have to keep your capital ready. Loads of functionalities and features cost more than a usual app because a super app covers diverse industries.

Efficient Super App Development company or team

You have to search for a top mobile app development company, which is also known as a top super app development company. This means they must be super efficient with their IT infrastructure to build diverse functionalities.

Massive API integrations

From payment gateways to security APIs, a super app will integrate a massive number of APIs. The IT team must be competent enough to hold expertise in various Payment API integration.

Challenging UI UX designing

A super app has a number of pages in the app. Every service opens a different set of pages bringing numerous features and functions. So, it becomes tough to build a clean and user friendly UI design for the complete super app.

Tech stack for Super App

A massive smart app will have to use numerous tech stacks to bring smooth functioning, integration, and performance. There is no fixed tech stack for super app development, but you might have to use Rails, Java, Scala, Python, Maria DB, and much more to connect the nodes. Ensure that you select the right language, frameworks, tools, and processes.

Marketing challenge

Since, a super app contains a diverse set of functionalities working in multiple industries, you have to build a strong strategy. You have to market your app at diverse platforms to catch the attention of audiences from different industries. Even if a user is trying to use one of your functionalities, you have to reach them.

Creating a robust strategy to mitigate challenges must be taken seriously by the businesses. Now that we have noted challenges, it’s time to talk about “How to monetize your smart app?”

Monetizing your Super App

So, you are providing numerous functions and features through your super app, but how will your business earn revenue from it? Well, there are a number of ways to monetize your super app.

• Credit system: A super app generally contains finance and loan features. You can provide in-app loans to the users so that they can perform the shopping and other activities on your app. You can charge them interest accordingly.
• Cross-border payments: When users send a payment to different countries, you can charge your fees.
• Advertisements: You can give a place to online ads in your app but ensure that the user experience is unaffected by it.
• In-app subscription: You can offer in app purchases where users can get discounts and deals if they are subscribed.

Above are a few of the strategies to monetize your super app, but there can be more. You can perform market research to identify the monetizing strategies of other competitors. After reading a large piece, you must be curious about the cost of super app development.

What is the cost of Super App Development?

This is a popular question in everyone’s mind while opting for mobile app development. Since super app development is a time-consuming process filled with challenges, the cost of super app development is definitely more than a basic or average app. It is not possible to comment on the cost of mobile app development in numbers since it depends upon your requirements. Every new feature you add will cost you money, so it is a better idea to consult with top super app development agency.

Ending words

Super app development is a complex project, but complex projects bring massive revenue and growth to the business. Super apps are definitely not like stand-alone apps, as discussed in the article. Ensure that you include multiple elements or a majority of the element to count your smart app as all in one app, bringing elements from communication to travel and banking. The market for super apps is undoubtedly promising, so if you are planning for super app development, it is right to start your development process. But, before you build your app, ensure that you research competitors and their marketing strategy. Also, ensure about making strategies for the challenges involved in the super app development.

We wish you successful super app development. Feel free to consult RipenApps if you are looking for a super app development company in Dubai or have a query about the above content.