How to Start a Mobile App Business with No Money or Programming Skills

Turning your idea into a full-fledged application may seem insurmountable when you have a meager budget and no coding skills. It appears like some apps require a fortune just to get a chance to shine. While starting a business is costly indeed, mobile app development is rapidly becoming more and more accessible to the public.

As the demand grows, the already-huge collection of tools that make mobile app development an easy and cheap process only continues to expand.

In this article, we’ll take a look at four comprehensive steps that transform an idea into an app and don’t suck your resources dry.

1. Outline Your Idea

The first step towards creating your mobile application is to dissect what exactly you want it to do. Start outlining the idea for your app and gradually dive into greater detail. Make sure to note the mission of the app, the features that you wish to include, and any other information, from design choices to specific original bits of functionality, that will distinguish your app among numerous similar ones in the app store.

2. Determine Your Target Audience

Once you know exactly what you have to offer, research your target audience. Consider such factors as age, interests, location, and other aspects relevant to the features of your app. Once your buyer personas start forming, you may need to adjust your outline. For instance, although some feature can appear unique and fantastic to you, there is a chance your target audience won’t find it captivating, and it’s important to rely on such empirical data rather than implement the idea in its original state anyway.

3. Choose a Platform

Developing both for Android and iOS will be significantly more expensive than starting with a single platform first. Analyze your target audience carefully and determine whether one of the platforms hosts more potential clients. You can also settle on cross-platform development and effectively eliminate the necessity to have several different versions of the app.

4. Choose the Development Route

Build the App Yourself

Creating your own app is currently the most accessible option when you have an extremely low budget. There are numerous platforms that offer extensive toolkits, allowing you to design and program a mobile app from scratch, with little or no knowledge of how to code. These services offer limited design choices and functionality, but they can be incredibly efficient for building a prototype of your app and testing it before deciding on professional development. Also, depending on the complexity of your application, you may stick with this option indefinitely.

Some of the most popular platforms to build your own mobile app include:

• Good Barber
• io
• Game Salad
• Appy Pie
• AppMachine
• Mobile Roadie
• Shoutem

Find a Software Development Company

Although it may seem costly at the moment, working with professionals from the very first step frequently turns out to waste fewer resources and, subsequently, result in an overall cheaper solution. Depending on the technology used, the price can vary greatly, so if you don’t have a specific desired toolkit in mind, it’s always a good idea to contact several companies and request estimated prices for your project.

Work with Freelancers

Collaborating with independent developers is usually cheaper than working with a company. The main perk of this approach is the ability to hand-pick your team rather than pay for the full stack. For instance, if you already have a designer working with you, you can supplement the team with two back-end developers and modify it as needed.

The downside of working with freelancers is the excess of control you need to exert on the development process. Although you don’t need to be a professional programmer to manage your own development team, hiring freelancers and explaining what exactly you need may be difficult. Choose this option if you’re ready to familiarize yourself with new technologies and learn a lot about mobile development.

Pitch Your Idea to Incur Investment

Having no money is a common problem for an enormous number of startups. Don’t be afraid to try and pitch your idea to investors. If you believe your app will shoot out when it hits the market, carefully work on your business plan and consider researching investment and crowdfunding opportunities that can help your business take off.

Starting a Mobile Business with Little Budget

Starting a mobile business with limited resources requires careful planning. Make sure you know exactly what you want to build, who your target audience represents, and what features you want the application to have. Once you have a clear vision of the final product, pick one of the platforms that allow you to build the mobile app yourself or contact professional developers. You may be tempted to shy away from agencies, but it’s not a sound choice. Instead, communicate with them about their pricing and technology options, and, in some cases, you may find a solution that fits both your requirements and budget.