Do you want to know how you can build a mobile app without experience? If yes, then you came to the right place.
More than ever, smartphones have become a normal part of modern life. According to Statista, there are about 6.64 billion smartphone users around the globe. That’s equivalent to more than 80% of the world’s population!
So, you see that creating a mobile app is among the best ways for you to reach new customers, engage existing subscribers, and create a bigger sphere of influence for your brand.
The problem is that you don’t have any coding experience. You’re not a designer or programmer. You haven’t done this before and obviously, you don’t have the time to go back to school and spend countless hours learning how to code.
So, what can you do? How can you build a smartphone app without the right experience or skills? Thankfully, with so many advancements we are seeing, you can now build a smartphone app even if you don’t know how.
Continue reading to learn more!
Know what you want
Before you jump into knowing how to build a mobile app, you need to first decide what your mobile app is all about. This should give you a sense of direction as you continue going through the process.
To help you, here are some important questions to ask and factors to consider before creating your app.
Do you really need an app?
While it is true that a mobile app can do great wonders for your business, you still need to determine whether you should get one or not.
Remember, creating an app can be time-consuming and expensive. If you aren’t ready to scale up your business yet, having an app might not be helpful at this time.
What mobile app should I build?
If you already have an existing business, then this question is easier to answer. You would most likely choose to build an app that will support your company.
However, if you are building an app from scratch, you can start by looking at what people need and what problems they may have. Check if there’s a demand for your app idea.
Think of an app that will provide value. When people see the benefits they can get from your app, then it is easier to market your app and get users in the future.
Who is your target audience?
You can’t be everything to everyone. You need to decide who your audience will be and how you will serve them. You need to know the following about your audience:
- Needs
- Pain points
- Age
- Job
- Gender
- Interests
- Location
The more you know who your customers are, the more effective you will be.
Who are your competitors?
You need to realize that there are currently millions of mobile apps in both the Apple App Store and Google Play Store. You are up against a great wall of competition.
It is dramatically difficult to find a category in the app store where you won’t encounter competitors.
So, the key here is that you should create an app that has a unique proposition. It is okay to have an app that is somewhat similar to other existing apps. However, you need to discover how your app will be different from others and why people should choose your app instead of others.
What is your budget?
Whether you are going to build your app by yourself or you’ll get a team to help you, money is a huge factor to consider. Your fund can directly influence how you will create your app.
According to some estimates, the usual app development project cost is around $10,000 to $500,000. If it sounds like a huge range, it probably is. The reason is that there are just so many things and factors that affect the final cost of creating an app. Hence, you really can’t tell exactly how much it would cost you. Expenses may also increase as you add more features and maintain your app.
Designing your app
Now that you know what you want, it’s time to design your app. This is a crucial step because it will help you and your team to visualize what your app is going to look like and how it will function.
Rough sketch
Having a mental picture of your app is good, but you have to put it down on paper. Think about what your app is going to look like and then sketch it on a piece of paper or any drawing software.
Image source: Smashing Magazine
Once you have a rough sketch of your app, you can then share and discuss this with others. You can brainstorm and further develop your app.
Storyboard
Storyboards tell you how your users are going to navigate from one page or tab to another. It basically helps you know the flow of your app.
When a user swipe left, what will the next screen show? When the user taps on a button, where will it lead? The storyboard basically tells you all this.
One good example of a storyboard is the onboarding process of your app. So, you have the sign-up screen, a quick app tour, and then the homepage.
Wire-framing
Wire-framing is the process of creating a prototype of your app. To create a wireframe, you need to use a design tool.
What’s amazing about design tools today is that you don’t need to be a programmer to use them. You can create a mock-up or prototype by simply clicking and dragging, drawing and designing, and collaborating and planning.
To help you get started, here are some of the best wire-framing or prototyping tools available in the market today:
These prototype tools will not just help you design your mobile app, but even test it for you. You can simulate the features of your app and run it as if it is already existing.
How to build a mobile app
You know what type of mobile app you like, you already have the design, and now, it’s time for the actual procedure of building your mobile app.
Depending on your needs, preference, and budget, there are two main options you can take:
- Custom app development
- App builders
Let’s talk about them in greater detail.
Custom app development
Custom app development can be super expensive. It consumes a lot of time and resources. However, it gives you the highest level of customization, functionality, and originality.
In this option, you build the app from the ground app. You specify every detail of what it can do. You design every aspect of your app from scratch.
Usually, if you choose custom app development, you can simply delegate the whole work to another person or a team of people. All you have to do is ensure you have the funds to support the app development.
When doing custom app development, you can hire or work with the following:
Freelancers
If you can’t build a mobile app, then you can hire someone else to do it for you. That’s where freelancers come in.
There are a lot of freelancers on the web who are ready to work with you. Of course, you should know what you should look for in a freelancer. Here are a few things to consider:
- Experience
- Expertise
- Rate
If possible, check out their portfolio. Look into his/her track record. Be sure that he knows programming tools and concepts such as iOS SDK, Java/Android SDK, Objective C, and Cocoa.
Based on the current hourly rates found on Upwork, a leading freelancing platform, mobile app developers charge $18 to $39 per hour. You may find freelancers who charge less, but you run into the risk of getting mediocre results. Get ready to pay higher to hire a more experienced and skilled freelancer.
Image source: Upwork
To help you start finding the right freelancer for you, here are some of the platforms where you can find them:
You can also simply do a Google search. You should easily find freelance app developers on the web.
In-house team
If you’re going to hire a team of freelance app developers and programmers, you may consider creating an in-house team.
The best thing about a team that is created within your company is the level of security and control. Since the team is still part of your team, you can keep your trade secret, sensitive files, and important documents within the company.
Plus, you can fully control who is on your team, what features to add to your app and the pace of your app development.
Of course, there are drawbacks as well. Creating a separate and dedicated in-house team of programmers means that you have added concerns to worry about. You need to create a new space for your team. Or, if they are going to work online, then you have to pay for their conference meetings.
There’s also added work in managing teams. You may also need to buy new office equipment and supplies. Finally, you also need to pay your team their salary and give benefits.
Just to give you an idea of how much money we are talking about here, hiring a senior software engineer to lead your team can cost you about $87,000 to $150,000 per year.
Outsourcing agencies and companies
If an in-house team is not a good choice for you, consider using an outsourcing company. In this option, you simply hire a company that specializes in building a mobile app.
There are a lot of benefits you can derive from this. You don’t have to worry about managing a team. You also don’t need to rent out a new office.
You simply have to communicate with the head of the company and you’re good to go. You can just sit down and relax and wait for the final result.
Moreover, app design studios have the right knowledge, expertise, and tools to meet your needs and preferences. This means that design companies can create your app efficiently.
Nevertheless, there are a few disadvantages that you should know. First, security and privacy aren’t as high as they should be compared to having just an in-house team. Next, you don’t have full control over app development.
Finally, you should constantly be in communication with the agency to ensure that all is going according to plan.
If your budget isn’t that big, you can also consider hiring developers overseas. They may be able to give you the same quality of work at a lower price.
App builders
One of the quickest, easiest, and cheapest ways to create a mobile app without any programming or coding experience is by app builders.
App builders are an ideal option for smaller businesses that don’t need a full-scale app. Moreover, if you just need basic functionalities and features, then app builders would be a great choice.
Image source: bubble.io
Depending on which app builder you use, you simply need to specify what type of app you like, what your business is all about, what features you like to add, how your app is going to work, and others.
From there, the app builder will automatically design the app for you. You can then review the look and feel of the app. Customize it a little bit. Do some adjustments. Once you’re satisfied with the result, you can then go ahead and publish it on the app stores.
To help you get started, here are some of the best no-code app builders today:
Build Mobile App now
Gone are the days when you need to have coding and programming expertise to create your own mobile app. Now, with the help of various services, tools, and professionals, you can build the right app for your business.
However, building an app is just the start. You have to know how to promote and market your app. If not, only a few would discover and use it.
With this in mind, let ShyftUp help you. They have helped thousands of app developers and marketers to increase app visibility and acquire more users.
If you wish to bring your app to the next level of success, you need to get in touch with ShyftUp now!
Can you develop an app with no experience?
Yes, you can create an app even if you don’t have any prior experience or coding skills. You would simply need to use app builder tools or hire someone to do it for you.
How do I make an app without coding experience?
You can create apps without coding experience by hiring freelancers or app design studios.
Can you develop a mobile app by yourself?
Yes, you can. There are app builders today that need a few details from you. Usually, there are a few questions you have to answer and the app builder tool will give you the results based on the information you have provided. You can then polish further by using their tools.
How long does it take to build an app with no experience?
Even without experience, you can build an app within just a few minutes to a few hours. The quickest way to do this is by using app builders. However, if you’re going to create a more complex app, the whole process may take up to 3-6 months. The length of time depends on how elaborate the app is.
