How Much Does It Cost To Create A Healthcare Application

Healthcare is one of the most important services delivered to consumers worldwide.

According to Statista, the revenue in the healthcare market is projected to reach $85.95 billion by 2027, with an annual growth rate of 10.40%.

However, this increasing demand for healthcare services has made it difficult for health practitioners and professionals to manage all the data manually.

To cope with this issue, it’s necessary to build a healthcare application with all the vital features required to serve consumers and address their concerns.

But, do you know how much does it costs to create a healthcare application? In this article, we’ll walk you through useful insights on how to calculate the development cost of a healthcare application.

We’ll also provide valuable information on how the cost varies based on the magnitude of features and product types for different healthcare apps.

You’ll learn about the estimated cost of building popular healthcare apps like Calm or Teladoc, the breakdown of healthcare app development costs, and the advantages that healthcare apps offer.

So let’s not waste any more of your time and immediately start with the formula to calculate the healthcare app development cost.

Formula to Calculate the Healthcare App Development Cost

Final Cost = Hourly Rates x Development Hours Invested

Hourly Rates

It is the amount you are being charged per hour by the development team.

The hourly rates depend on the expertise and location of the development team that is building your healthcare app.

If you have an offshore team then you might gain some advantages in costs. However, highly skilled professionals might charge higher rates.

So you’ll need to make sure you balance expertise and budget to ensure the best value for your app development investment.

Development Hours Invested

The total cost of your healthcare app depends on the number of development hours invested.

The final estimate of your healthcare mobile app development cost relies on the duration of your project.

Here are the hourly rates according to different regions from which you can design an estimate for your mobile app development cost:

How to Calculate the Cost of Developing a Healthcare App

Here are the factors that contribute to the cost of developing a healthcare app:

Platform Type

The platform you choose directly impacts the cost of your healthcare app development. Creating a native app for a specific platform; either iOS or Android will offer seamless user experience.

However, it will require separate development efforts, which will eventually increase the cost of your healthcare app. On the other hand, you can save some bucks by utilizing a single code case to build a cross-platform healthcare app.

However, the end product will not be as efficient and scalable as native apps developed separately for iOS and Android. Nonetheless, if you plan to develop a native app then you may need to invest up to $400,000. On the other hand, if you’re developing a hybrid app that works on multiple platforms then the estimated cost can be up to $600,000.

App Design

The app’s design directly affects user engagement and satisfaction.

A user-friendly design enhances the overall experience with factors like UI/UX design, interactive elements, and responsiveness of the app. So you’ll need to hire skilled designers who can find the right balance between aesthetics and functionality for an intricate design.

However, if you’re tight on the budget then a minimalistic design approach can save you money.

App Maintenance & Support Services

Creating a healthcare app is not a one-time endeavor. You need ongoing maintenance and support services to ensure continuous improvement.

To ease the post-launch challenges and ensure your app remains bug-free and responsive across platforms, a trusted mobile application development company can simplify the development process as well as provide ongoing maintenance support, optimizing costs in the long run.

Compliance and Regulations

The main reason for compliance and regulations in the healthcare industry is for patient privacy and data security.

Compliance with regulations like the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) is non-negotiable.

So you’ll require additional measures like secure data encryption and access controls as it is a crucial factor for building trust with users.

You can discover more on how you can ensure HIPAA compliance in your healthcare mobile application later in this article.

Cost of Developing Healthcare Apps for Different Product Types

The healthcare app development cost totally depends on the type of product you’re building.

Here are the details on different healthcare product types with their cost ranges including the features required to incorporate.

1) Medical Networking App

This healthcare app facilitates peer-to-peer communication among healthcare professionals. Here are the features of this app that are beneficial to doctors and patients, both:

• Case studies
• Journals
• Social networking
• Guidelines
• Forum
• News

The cost of developing a medical networking app can be anywhere from $30,000 – $60,000.

2) Medical Billing App

Medical billing apps allow users to effortlessly initiate, receive, and manage bill payments, all while maintaining virtual receipts for seamless transactions.

The cost of developing a medical billing app depends on the features you add. Here are some of the features of a medical billing app:

• Audit support
• Automated billing
• Custom bill generation
• Credit billings
• Discount adjustment

The cost of developing a medical billing app can be anywhere from $40,000 to $90,000.

3) ePrescription App

This healthcare app can seamlessly share prescriptions with pharmacies, streamlining the process for improved patient care. Here are the features of an ePrescription app:

• Extensive information viewability
• Customized interfaces
• Integrated drug database
• Patient-specific reports

Wondering how much does it cost to create a healthcare application specifically, an ePrescription app? Well, it may cost you around $40,000 to $80,000, depending on the features.

4) Health Monitoring Apps

Health monitoring apps help users track their health through wearable technology.

You can easily analyze your health across various metrics by displaying the data collected from the sensors in your wearable device. Here are the features of a health monitoring app:

• Geolocation
• Interactive interface
• Notifications, updates, and alerts
• Data security and privacy
• Easy navigation

The estimated range for developing a health monitoring app ranges from $50,000 to $100,000.

5) Fitness Apps

Fitness apps allow users to effortlessly manage their daily activities. It provides guidance, monitoring, and in-depth analysis of their fitness data.

Here are the features of a Fitness app:

• Self-care and mindfulness options
• Notifications
• Activity tracker
• Personalized training
• Direct messaging
• Multioption logins

A Fitness app’s cost for development may range between $60,000 to $300,000.

6) Telemedicine Apps

Users can access healthcare services remotely through a telemedicine app.

That’s possible because of the seamless blend of online and offline interactions between peers in the network.

These apps can provide services like medicine delivery and medical consultations which are revolutionizing the healthcare landscape. Here are the features of a Telemedicine app:

• Video consultation availability
• Dedicated dashboards for patients
• Geolocation
• Patient Registration
• Appointment scheduler
• Payment gateway
• EHR

The estimated cost of creating a Telemedicine app ranges from $50,000 to $200,000.

7) Nutrition Planning Apps

Nutrition planning holds significant importance in modern healthcare apps.

It helps users in taking timely meals by receiving regular alerts, based on the data entered by them. Here are the features of a nutrition planning app:

• Alerts and notifications
• Reports and analytics
• User dashboard
• Diet planner
• Wearable device integration

The estimated cost for a nutrition planning app may range from $30,000 to $60,000.

8) Wellness Apps

Wellness apps prioritize the maintenance and optimization of wellness and fitness data. These types of healthcare apps concentrate on providing the following facilities:

• Nutrition planning
• Wellbeing
• Fitness & Productivity
• Meditation

You can build a wellness app for an estimated cost ranging between $60,000 to $160,000.

However, it is necessary to choose one of the leading healthcare development companies that can offer you the best services at reasonable pricing.

Healthcare App Development Cost Based on Features

The cost of your healthcare application depends on the number of features you integrate. The incorporation of complex features will certainly elevate the budget of your healthcare app.

Here are some of the features of healthcare mobile applications with their cost ranges:

1) Scheduler

A scheduler is an essential feature for healthcare apps.

It seamlessly manages various activities within the application like scheduling appointments and delivering synced alerts and notifications to the users. Schedulers are capable of performing a wide array of time-oriented tasks in healthcare apps.

The estimated cost to design and integrate a scheduler in your healthcare app may range from $500 to $700.

2) Dashboard

The user can have swift access to all the services you provide through an interactive dashboard. They can easily access vital information about their medications and treatments using this feature. The estimated cost to design and develop an interactive dashboard may range from $10,000 to $15,000.

3) Notifications & Reminders

Notifications and reminders are one of the fundamental functionalities to include in your healthcare app. This feature ensures timely and personalized communication with users. The estimated cost to add effective notifications and reminders in your healthcare app may range from $800 to $1,500.

4) In-App Chat

The in-app chat feature can enhance the overall experience of your users. This feature in your healthcare app can offer a seamless and rapid delivery of solutions.

You can also build a chatbot healthcare app to provide assistance to patients with instant information, 24/7 availability, remote access, and more. It is a must-have feature and every healthcare app owner prioritizes this functionality in their product.

The estimated cost to integrate the in-app chat feature into your healthcare app may range from $5,000 to $10,000.

5) Forum

A Forum will allow users to post their queries and the product administrators can respond promptly. This will enhance the interaction capabilities of your healthcare app and it will also foster better user engagement. The estimated cost of integrating a Forum feature in your healthcare app may range from $5,000 to $10,000.

6) Payment Gateway

To ensure the seamless and successful completion of transactions, the payment gateway plays a crucial role. It is the key aspect of financial success providing efficient monetization of services. The estimated cost to integrate multiple payment gateways to your product may range from $3000 to $7000.

7) Geolocation

Your healthcare app needs access to geolocation in order to offer location-based functionalities.

The geolocation capabilities in an app provide users with a rewarding experience. Also, you’ll be needing skilled healthcare mobile app developers that have the ability to utilize advanced APIs to integrate geolocation capabilities into your healthcare app.

The estimated cost to incorporate geolocation features into your healthcare app may range from $7,000 to $15,000.

8) Privacy and Security

You need to maintain the privacy of users’ data to make sure the transactions that he/she carry out are secure. For that, it is necessary to incorporate the latest privacy and security standards into your healthcare app.

This is the only way for your app to gain a competitive edge in the highly competitive healthcare market. The estimated cost to incorporate the best privacy and security features into your healthcare app may range from $5,000 to $20,000.

9) Reviews And Ratings

The reviews and ratings feature can allow users to post reviews and ratings on your app. This will enable other potential users to consider genuine remarks when deciding whether to avail of your healthcare app services. The estimated cost for integrating the reviews and ratings feature into your healthcare app ranges between $3,000 to $7,000.

10) Multi-Option Login

A multi-option login feature can allow users to log in through their social media or by manually entering their details. The estimated cost for incorporating the multi-option login feature into your healthcare app ranges between $4,000 to $10,000.

However, it is necessary that you opt for a healthcare mobile app development company that possesses professionals with exceptional expertise.

TekRevol, a top-tier on-demand app development company, has a team of experienced, professional developers with expertise in building mHeath apps that can bridge the gap between quality & innovation.

Top Healthcare App Inspirations for Your Project with Estimated Costs

There are more than 50,000 healthcare and medical apps available on the Google Play Store from which some of the mHealth apps revolutionized the healthcare industry.

Here are the estimations of the top mHeath apps that can serve as inspirations for your project:

Teladoc

Teladoc is a telehealth application that allows users to access virtual healthcare services and connect with licensed doctors, therapists, and medical professionals for medical consultations.

Users can use the Teladoc app to schedule appointments and securely share their medical history with healthcare professionals.

If you’re looking for an answer to how much does it cost to create a healthcare application like Teladoc then you’ll need to invest approximately $300,000 to $700,000 in product design and development.

Calm

Calm is a popular mobile application designed to help users manage stress, and anxiety.

It helps patients in improving their mental well-being through guided meditation, relaxation techniques, and sleep-related content.

The estimated cost for healthcare app development of an application like Calm will cost you around $300,000 to $600,000.

HealthTap

HealthTap is a mobile application that provides virtual healthcare services and medical advice to users.

The HealthTap app connects users with licensed doctors and medical professionals through video, voice, or text-based consultations.

The mobile app development cost for a healthcare app like HealthTap will cost you around $100,000 to $500,000.

Headspace

Headspace is a popular mobile application that offers guided meditation and mindfulness exercises to promote mental well-being and reduce stress. The app also offers meditation exercises for specific situations, like mindful eating and mindful movement.

It also provides sleep-related content, including soothing sleep sounds and guided sleep meditations to aid users in getting a restful night’s sleep.

The estimated cost for healthcare software development of an app like Headspace can cost you around $200,000 to $500,000.

Talkspace

Talkspace is one of the top 10 healthcare mobile apps that provides online therapy and counseling services for mental health support.

It connects users with licensed therapists and mental health professionals who offer confidential and secure therapy sessions. The estimated healthcare app development cost for an app like Talkspace can be around $100,000 to $300,000.

Breakdown of Healthcare App Development Cost

Here is the breakdown of the healthcare app development cost:

1) Prototype

The first step in healthcare app development is creating a prototype, which provides a visual representation of the app’s functionality and design.

This stage helps stakeholders visualize the end product and eliminate potential issues. All of the informed decisions are made in this phase to move forward after analyzing the prototype model.

The estimated cost of creating a healthcare app prototype ranges from $5,000 to $8,000.

2) Team Strength

You need a dedicated team with an adequate skill set to build a successful healthcare app.

This will require assembling the right mix of talent from developers to designers and QA experts for a smooth development process.

The estimated cost of team strength depends on the number of professionals required for your project. And you’ll need to hire resources according to the complexity of your application.

Once you’re certain about all the factors, you can just multiply the number of professionals by the rates to get your estimated cost.

3) Features

Defining the feature of your healthcare app is essential to deliver a seamless user experience. All the features including appointment scheduling, health monitoring, and secure data storage add value to your app.

You can group your features into two categories; basic and advanced.

However, keep in mind that the estimated cost of your healthcare app might rise as your features start falling in the advanced category.

4) Technology Stack

In order to boost the performance of your healthcare app and scale it, you need to select the appropriate technology stack.

That’s because the technology stack is the backbone of the app’s functionality which includes front-end frameworks, backend infrastructure, and databases.

Moreover, building separate native apps for iOS and Android platforms can mess up your budget. Instead, develop a cross-platform app to meet your estimated cost by saving some bucks.

5) API Integration

You can expand your app’s capabilities and enhance the user experience by integrating APIs. You have the choice to build APIs from scratch or integrate external APIs.

This will allow your app to access third-party functionalities and services. You’ll also be able to introduce dynamically extended functionalities.

How to Ensure HIPAA Compliance in Healthcare Mobile Applications

Healthcare mobile application developers can ensure HIPAA compliance in healthcare mobile applications by following these steps:

• Identify vulnerabilities by conducting risk assessment
• Develop a HIPAA compliance plan
• Restrict data access and establish access control
• Secure sensitive information by implementing data encryption
• Ensure continuity by data backup and recovery assurance
• Build a compliant workforce by training your employees
• Monitor compliance and security by conducting regular audits

HIPAA compliance is necessary for all healthcare mobile applications because it guarantees the protection of patients’ privacy and the confidentiality of their health information.

What are the Advantages of Developing Healthcare Mobile Applications?

There are numerous benefits to developing healthcare mobile applications. Here are some of them:

Enhanced Efficiency

Automating certain processes like appointment management and documentation enhances overall efficiency and allows medical professionals to focus on patient care.

Improved Patient Experience

A healthcare mobile application offers patients a convenient platform to easily access healthcare services like access to medical history, appointment scheduling, follow-up appointments, and timely reminders for medications.

Better Data Collection and Analysis

Medical professionals can make data-driven decisions on the basis of valuable patient data.

The data collected by healthcare apps can help them design personalized treatments for better patient outcomes.

Increased Revenue

Healthcare apps offer new revenue streams by attracting a wider patient base and potential investors.

Moreover, by introducing in-app purchases and subscription fees, it can become a source of revenue for healthcare professionals.

Better Access to Care

Healthcare apps can break geographical barriers by connecting patients with healthcare professionals anytime, anywhere.

It can be a useful resource for patients living in rural or remote areas having difficulties visiting a hospital.

Wrapping it up!

The demand for healthcare services is rapidly increasing and adoption of technology is becoming necessary for health professionals and practitioners.

A healthcare application with vital features is the perfect solution for medical experts to address consumer concerns.

It is the best way to offer improved patient experience, enhanced efficiency, and better access to care.

And if you’re curious about how much does it cost to create a healthcare application then you’ll need the hourly rates of the development team and the number of hours invested in the project to get an estimate for your healthcare mobile application.

Now this can only be possible if you’re certain about the type of app you’re trying to build. Whether it’s a medical networking app or a billing app, first you’ll need to decide if you want to develop a native app for multiple platforms or build a cross-platform app.

Because a native app for each platform will cost you more than building a hybrid app with a single codebase. However, the efficiency and scalability of your healthcare app will not be up to par.

Moreover, features like a scheduler, dashboard, notifications, and in-app chat further contribute to the overall cost. At last, the most important factor that holds the power to destabilize your app’s budget is compliance and regulations.

HIPAA compliance is essential for all healthcare mobile applications as it guarantees the protection of patient’s privacy and the confidentiality of their health information.

Keep in mind that you need to achieve the perfect balance of expertise and design in order to create a healthcare mobile application that doesn’t put a hole in your pocket.