How Much Does it Cost to Build a Grocery Delivery App like Instacart?

Same-day grocery delivery apps have made it possible to place orders at our convenience. Local supermarket visits have been replaced to some extent with doorstep delivery, with orders placed from apps like Instacart. 2022 saw close to fifty percent of shoppers buying their groceries online through such apps.

Applications like Instacart have become household names, offering same-day grocery delivery that represents convenience. So, if you want to do the same, you'll need help from an experienced grocery delivery app development company to determine how you can become the go-to grocery partner of your targeted audience.

Features and Functionalities Involved In Grocery Delivery App Development

Understanding the features and functionalities contributing to an effective grocery delivery app like Instacart will help you plan app development wisely. These include user-friendly interfaces, robust search functionalities, detailed product descriptions, secure payment gateways, and reliable customer support:

User Interface and Experience (UI/UX)

Despite being a chore, grocery shopping needs to be as convenient and exciting as possible. A user-friendly interface and captivating design will help you achieve that and turn your app into a user favorite. The resulting complexity and aesthetic requirements will directly influence the final app cost.

Search Functionality

The search option allows customers to find their desired items easily. It requires a strong back-end and intelligent algorithms to provide relevant and fast results. The more effort this takes, the greater the cost.

Product Descriptions

Detailed and accurate product descriptions play a vital role in aiding the customers' decision-making process. This feature requires a meticulous data management system to maintain the product database.

Payment Gateway

A secure and easy-to-use payment gateway is critical. Integrating different payment systems like credit/debit cards, mobile wallets, and Internet banking will heighten customer convenience and trust. Of course, the more options you provide, the more you spend on the work and resources behind it.

Customer Support

Prompt and efficient customer support is a must for addressing queries, resolving complaints, and providing assistance to customers. This aspect needs investing in customer service personnel and (likely) chatbot technology. This guide to mobile app development will offer more information in this regard.

The Development Process and Associated Costs

Creating an app like Instacart involves various stages, including research, planning, design, development, testing, and deployment. Each stage involves specific costs based on the resources required.

Research and Planning

This initial stage involves market research, competitor analysis, and defining the product's features and functionalities. The costs in this stage primarily revolve around hiring market analysts and strategists.

Design

The design phase encompasses creating wireframes, prototypes, and the app's final UI/UX design. This step is crucial as the app's appearance and usability significantly influence its acceptance among users.

Development

The development phase involves the actual coding and creation of the app, integrating all features and functionalities. This phase usually takes up the most resources because it involves professionals from multiple aspects of the project. This includes project managers, frontend and backend developers, and database specialists.

Testing

The app is only deemed ready for launch once it is given the all-clear thorough rigorous mobile app testing. Testers run performance checks on the app and ensures that it is free of bugs and glitches. The mobile app testing cost at this stage includes hiring quality assurance professionals and acquiring testing tools.

Deployment

The final stage involves deploying the app on the desired platform(s) and maintaining it post-launch. These costs include platform-specific fees, such as those for the Google Play Store or Apple's App Store, and hiring personnel for ongoing maintenance and updates.

How Much Does it Cost to Build An App Like Instacart?

Providing an accurate estimate will require an exact list of requirements and a clear plan detailing every step. However, all the features, functionalities, and development process steps ultimately indicate the complexity of the project, which is largely what the cost will depend on.

A basic version may cost you from $40,000 to $60,000. On the other hand, an app with greater complexity will cost upwards of $70,000. However, these costs are not likely to exceed $100,000. Consulting with a grocery delivery app development company to understand the cost breakdown in more detail will bring more clarity in this regard.