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Imagine this:
You have a brilliant idea for a healthcare app development.
You know that if you develop this app successfully, it will generate significant revenue for you.
And you start searching – How to develop a doctor appointment app?
and How much does it cost to develop a doctor appointment app?
And you land on this blog. Landing on this blog, your search ends here.
Well, the cost to develop a doctor appointment app depends on various factors such as platform, features, design, development team, and location. Generally, a basic app with limited features and a simple design can cost around $20,000 – $30,000.
As a leading healthcare app development services provider with over a decade of experience, we understand the complexities involved in developing a healthcare app. We take into consideration different factors while determining the cost.
Reading through this blog, you will know the:
- Process to develop appointment booking and scheduling app
- Quick answer to developing simple, medium, and complex doctor appointment booking apps
- Factors determining the cost of doctor appointment booking app development
Let’s get started.
Table of Contents
Market Statistics of Doctor Appointment Apps Like Zocdoc and Doctor On-demand
Below are the 3 statistics of the healthcare industry that suggest it is a perfect time to invest in the doctor appointment mobile app industry.
- According to Statista, the total Revenue in the online doctor consultations segment is expected to show an annual growth rate (CAGR 2023-2027) of 8.76% resulting in a projected market volume of US$35.41bn by 2027.
- According to Statista, the total global market was valued at around 2.4 billion U.S. dollars. It is estimated that the market will grow to over 11 billion dollars by 2025.
So, now let’s get started and learn about the benefits of healthcare apps for doctors and patients.
Benefits of Creating a Doctor Appointment App
To better understand why one needs an app for scheduling appointments let’s explore the key benefits of such an application to doctors, caregivers and patients.
Benefits for Doctors
- Doctors can manage appointments at any time.
- Ability to manage staff appointments more easily.
- Prevent being overbooked for appointments
- Automate administrative tasks and reduce manual errors in appointment management.
Benefits for Patients
- Patients can book appointments 24/7
- Share health documents effortlessly and record medical history.
- Sync appointments with digital calendars.
- Pay for bills and medicines online.
Want to Develop an Appointment Booking App?
Our developers have experience creating a medical appointment booking app with appointment scheduling, video consultation, and prescription management features.
Now let’s learn about the complete process to develop a medical app.
8 Steps to Create a Medical Appointments Scheduler App
Creating a medical appointments scheduler app like Zocdoc and Doctor On-demand requires careful planning and execution. We have divided the process to create a medical booking app like Zocdoc and Doctor on-demand into 8 steps.
Let’s go through it.
Define Your App’s Key Features and Functionality
When you want to develop an appointment app, you first need to know which features you want to include in your app.
For example, you might decide to focus on a particular niche within the medical industry, such as mental health, and expand your services by building a telemedicine app, offering features such as telemedicine consultations, therapist searches, and virtual appointments.Above, we have already provided the list that you can add to your doctor’s appointment app. Consider doing app market research to identify the essential features that are successful in similar apps to make sure that you have a competitive advantage. Analyze the strengths and weaknesses of similar apps and come up with a unique value proposition.
Create a Database of Doctors and Clinics
Creating a database allows patients to search and choose doctors or clinics based on their location, specialty, and availability. Without a database, patients would not be able to find or schedule appointments with doctors or clinics through the app.
You can gather this information by reaching out to clinics and doctors’ offices and asking them to provide their information such as contact information, services they offer, hours of operation, and any other relevant information.
Having a database of doctors and clinics saves time and simplifies appointment scheduling for both doctors and patients.
Hire an App Development Team Having Expertise in Developing Doctor Appointment Booking App
You might be wondering how to hire developers for your app. Ensure to hire developers who have experience in developing similar apps and who have a deep understanding of the healthcare industry. Look for developers, designers, and testers who have expertise in app development, UI/UX design, and testing.
Outsourcing companies can provide you with a dedicated team of professionals with the required skills and experience, and they can handle the overall app development process. When choosing an outsourcing company, consider their reputation, experience, and client reviews, and establish clear communication to ensure that the project is a success.
Quick Tip:
Once you have selected a mobile app development company, do SIGN AN NDA with a company to protect your app idea and for security purposes.
Choose the Right Technology Stack to Build Doctor Appointment App
Your app development team or company can help you choose the right technology stack based on your app’s requirements, budget, and timeline. They help you stay up-to-date with the latest technologies and trends in the industry.
Here’s a table outlining the tech stack and some of the popular tools and frameworks that can be used to build a doctor appointment app.
Technology Tools and Frameworks Programming Languages Java, Kotlin, Swift, JavaScript Development Frameworks React Native, Flutter Backend Technologies Node.js, PHP, Ruby on Rails Database Management MySQL, MongoDB, PostgreSQL APIs Google Maps API, Stripe, Firebase, HealthKit, Google Cloud Healthcare User Interface and Design Adobe XD, Sketch, Figma Testing, and Deployment Firebase, Jenkins, TestFlight Build the Prototype and UI/UX of Your Doctor Appointment Mobile App
Once the technology stack is decided, the business analyst team starts by creating a mobile app wireframe of the app’s structure and functionality, which will give you a basic idea of how the app will look and function. They will then create a prototype, which is a basic version of the app that can be tested by users.
Once the prototype is ready, the design team will focus on the UI/UX design of the app. They will choose an appropriate color scheme, typography, and layout that is visually appealing and easy to use. They will also ensure that the design is consistent throughout the app and that it is optimized for different screen sizes and orientations.
Ensure HIPPA Compliance of Your Appointment Booking App
As your development team begins working on the doctor appointment booking app, they even ensure HIPAA compliance. This involves building a secure mobile app architecture that aligns with HIPAA regulations to protect patients’ critical information from being leaked to unauthorized parties.
Ensure that your development team has a thorough understanding of regulatory compliance standards for healthcare and knows the best ways to secure the app.
Some key considerations for a secure on-demand doctor appointment app development include:
- Using SSL connections to ensure secure health data transmission.
- Implementing PHI (Protected Health Information) data encryption to protect sensitive patient information.
- Adhering to regulations like HITECH Act, GDPR, and other relevant standards.
- Considering HIPAA-as-a-Service cloud platforms, which provide HIPAA-compliant infrastructure for hosting and managing healthcare data.
This help to ensure that your doctor appointment booking app is secure and compliant with HIPAA regulations.
Integration of Payment Gateway to Your Online Doctor Appointment System
During the development process, your mobile app development team will work to integrate a payment gateway that meets the needs of your app and your users. The mobile app development team selects a suitable payment gateway provider, configures the gateway to work with your app, and ensures that all transactions are secure and compliant with relevant regulations.
When choosing a payment gateway provider, consider factors such as transaction fees, security features, and user experience. Some popular payment gateway providers for healthcare mobile apps include Stripe, PayPal, and Braintree.
By integrating a secure and reliable payment gateway into your online doctor appointment system, you can provide a seamless and convenient experience for your users while ensuring the security and integrity of their data.
Testing and Release of Your Doctor Appointment Mobile App
QA team tests the app across various devices and platforms to ensure that it works as intended. This includes testing for functionality, usability, security, and performance, as well as ensuring that the app complies with relevant regulations such as HIPAA.
Your app development team will work closely with the QA team to address any issues that are identified, making improvements and modifications as necessary to ensure that the app meets the required standards.
Once the testing process is complete, and any necessary changes have been made, the app is ready to be launched. This involves submitting the app to the relevant app stores, such as the Apple App Store or Google Play Store, and making it available for download to users.
So, above were the steps to develop a doctor appointment app. Following these steps, you will be able to develop without any technical knowledge. Let’s even check some of the best doctor appointment scheduling apps you can consider while listing out the features.
Top Alternative Apps to Zocdoc for Booking Doctor Appointments
Here are some of the apps similar to Zocdoc. Identify potential gaps in the market and create a unique value proposition for their app.
How Much Does a Doctor Booking Appointment App Development Cost? [Quick Answer]
Here, we have the bifurcated cost of mobile app development with a timeline to provide you with an exact idea of the cost.
| Type of Appointment Booking App | Approx Timeline | App Development Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Simple App | 4 – 6 months | $20,000 – $30,000 |
| Medium App | 6 – 9 months | $30,000 – $45,000 |
| Complex App | 9 – 12 months+ | $45,000+ |
You might be curious to know how this cost can be calculated. Check the below image to know the simple formula to calculate the cost of your doctor booking appointment app.
Since you know the tentative cost; let’s understand the factors that impact the cost of this doctor appointment scheduling app development.
Do You Have an Unique Healthcare App Idea?
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Which Factors Impact the Cost to Develop Online Doctor Appointment Apps?
Here, we have listed the factors that impact the cost to develop a doctor scheduling app. Knowing the below factors helps to determine the budget for developing medical apps.
Factor 1: Features to Integrate Into Your Appointment Booking App
Factor 2: Doctor Booking App Development Platform iOS/Android/Cross-platform
Factor 3: UI/UX Design Required to Develop Custom Doctor Booking App-like Zocdoc or Doctor On-demand
Factor 4: A Location of the Development Team You Hire
Let’s take an in-depth look at all these factors and how they impact the overall app budget.
Let’s get started with factor 1.
Features to Integrate Into Your Doctor Appointment Booking App
Here are the required app features that you may want to consider in developing Zocdoc and Doctor On-demand clone apps.
Here’s a table that describes the features for patients, doctors, and admin with the development timeline.
Feature Name For Patients For Doctor For Admin User Registration Register/login via email or social media Register/login via email or social media Register/login via email or social media Search for Doctors Search for doctors by specialty, location, and insurance – – View Doctor Profiles View doctor profile and ratings/reviews – – Appointment Scheduling Search for doctors and schedule/cancel/reschedule appointments View appointment requests and accept/reject appointments View appointments and manage doctor schedules Real-time Chat Chat with doctors to discuss health concerns and ask queries Chat with patients and manage appointment-related queries Manage chat settings and view chat history Online Consultations Consult with doctors via video/audio call within the app Conduct remote consultations and view patient medical records Manage video/audio call settings and view consultation history Electronic Health Records View and manage personal health records View and manage patient health records Manage patient health records and appointments Payment Gateway Integration Pay for appointments securely via app View payment details and manage payouts Manage payment gateway settings and view transaction history Push Notifications Receive push notifications for appointment reminders, and health tips Receive push notifications for new appointments, and reminders Send push notifications for appointment reminders, and updates to doctor and patients Analytics and Reports View analytics and reports on appointments, revenue, user behavior, etc. View analytics and reports on appointments, revenue, patient behavior, etc. View analytics and reports on appointments, revenue, doctor behavior, etc. These are just some of the many features that you might consider integrating into a doctor booking appointment app. Knowing which feature is important depends on your goals and target audience.
Quick Tip:
Don’t forget to check out the reviews of similar apps on the App Store and Play Store. Reading through the reviews will give you a better understanding of what users are looking for in an appointment-scheduling app.
So take a few minutes to research the reviews – your users will thank you for it.
However, you must carefully evaluate all the features, make a list and then prioritize the important ones before creating an app.
Doctor Appointment App Development Platform iOS/Android/Cross-platform
The cost of developing a Doctor On-demand and Zocdoc clone app depends on the platform you choose. Here’s a table summarizing the basic cost of medical app development for Android, iOS, and cross-platform.
Platform Cost Estimate Timeline Estimate Programming Language Required Android $20,000 – $40,000 500 – 800 hours Kotlin, Java iOS $30,000 – $50,000 500 – 800 hours Swift, Objective-C Cross-Platform $25,000 – $60,000 600 – 1000 hours React Native, Flutter Developing a doctor appointment app for a single platform (iOS or Android) is generally less expensive than developing for both platforms simultaneously. However, choosing a cross-platform development framework like React Native, or Flutter allows you to create an app that can run on both iOS and Android devices, which can save time and reduce costs.
Overall, the platform you choose to develop your doctor appointment app will impact the cost, timeline, and user experience of the app, so it’s important to consider these factors carefully before making a decision.
UI/UX Design Required to Develop Custom Doctor Booking App-like Zocdoc or Doctor On-demand
Looking for “How much does it cost to design a doctor booking application?”
Here is the answer.
The average cost of an appointment booking app design ranges between $3,000 to $15,000. The cost of app designing depends upon the number of app screens, complexity, type of design team, and location.
The cost varies depending on the simple, medium, and complex app design of the doctor appointment app. Here’s a table bifurcation to get the tentative idea.
Design App Complexity Doctor Appointment App Design Cost Simple App Design $3,000 – $3,500 Medium App $7,000 – $10,000 Complex App $10,000 – $15000 To design the UI/UX of your medical booking app, first the mobile app wireframe is developed, followed by prototype, and then the final UI/UX. So, the cost adds up when the wireframe and prototype are developed. Check the below table to know the timeline and design cost with the project profile.
Profile Design Stage Timeline App Design Cost/hr Business Analyst Planning & Analysis 1-2 weeks Starts from $28 Wireframing & Prototype 3 weeks UI/UX Designers App Designing 2-3 weeks Starts from $30 The UI/UX design aligns with the app’s functionality and purpose, ensuring that users can easily book appointments, view medical records, and communicate with healthcare providers. investing in a high-quality UI/UX design can pay off in the long run by attracting and retaining users and creating a positive user experience.
A Location of the Development Team You Hire
The cost even depends on the team you are hiring and the location of your development team.
You can hire a development team in two ways:
- Working with a professional medical app development company
- Hiring a freelance developer for medical app development
Service Provider Estimated Total Cost Timeline App Development Company $15,000 – $60,000+ 500 – 1000 hours Freelancer $25,000 – $75,000+ 600 – 1200 hours Freelancers may charge more compared to the app development company as they work independently and have fewer resources while developing an app. So, we recommend choosing an app development company as they have the dedicated team, skills, and expertise to build a custom medical app solution.
If you hire developers from Space-O Technologies, you get your app
- Developed by following the app development process
- In your timeline and budget you have set for medical app development
- Responsive, bug-free, and well-tested across multiple devices
In fact, we have recently developed doctor on-demand app solution – Medcall WorkComp which connects patients and doctors in real-time. Apart from this, check the review of one of our clients – Douglas Laver, from Australia who highly recommend us and our team’s efforts and process for the app solution we developed for him.
Apart from this, cost even depends on the location of developers you hire. Based on the survey by GoodFirms, here’s a table of app developer’s hourly rates in different countries:
| Region | iOS Avg hrs | Android Avg hrs | Cross-platform Avg hrs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canada | 90-120 hours | 80-140 hours | 90-120 hours |
| The USA | 60-120 hours | 60-120 hours | 60-130 hours |
| Latin America | 28-90 hours | 28-90 hours | 40-160 hours |
| The UK | 60-75 hours | 60-75 hours | 55-75 hours |
| Europe | 35-55 hours | 35-55 hours | 30-50 hours |
| Ukraine | 40-78 hours | 38-60 hours | 40-78 hours |
| South Africa | 45-80 hours | 40-80 hours | 40-80 hours |
| India | 22-90 hours | 15-25 hours | 20-30 hours |
| Southeast Asia | 23-55 hours | 30-45 hours | 30-45 hours |
| Asia | 23-55 hours | 20-30 hours | 25-35 hours |
| Australia | 25-35 hours | 100-120 hours | 90-120 hours |
The hourly rate of app developers vary depending on the years of experience, location, and technical expertise. For example, the hourly developer rates are higher in countries like the USA and Europe and lower in countries like India, and Asia.
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So, you have got a tentative idea of the cost of medical app development. Want to know more about doctor appointment app development. Let’s check the FAQs.
Frequently Asked Questions About Doctor Appointment App Development
What are the benefits of developing a doctor appointment app?
Developing a doctor appointment app can bring numerous benefits for both patients and healthcare providers. Here are some of the key benefits:
- Makes it easier for patients to schedule appointments with healthcare providers from anywhere and at any time.
- Easily find available appointment slots and schedule appointments within minutes. This saves time and eliminates the need for patients to wait on hold or visit a clinic in person.
- Easy access to healthcare providers and enabling them to schedule appointments at their convenience, a doctor appointment app can significantly improve patient satisfaction.
- Help healthcare providers manage appointments more efficiently, reducing wait times and eliminating scheduling errors.
- Increases patient satisfaction and streamlines operations and also leads to increased revenue for healthcare providers.
How to monetize doctor appointment applications
There are several ways to monetize doctor appointment applications:
- Commission fees: The app charges a percentage of the consultation fee paid by the patient for each booking made through the platform.
- Subscription-based model: The app charges healthcare providers a monthly or yearly fee to be listed on the platform and access its features.
- Advertising: The app displays advertisements from healthcare-related businesses and charges them a fee for the exposure.
- Premium features: The app offers additional features, such as access to a patient’s medical history, video consultations, or appointment reminders, for a fee.
- Referral fees: The app receives a commission for referring patients to healthcare providers, such as hospitals or clinics.
By using one or more of these monetization methods, your doctor appointment applications can generate revenue.
How Space-O Can Help To Determine the Cost of Doctor Appointment Booking App?
You now have a clear idea of the cost and timeline to develop the doctor appointment mobile app. So, if you want to develop or want to know the cost of a doctor appointment mobile app, you need to get in touch with us.
Our developers have experience in developing patient portal apps and can provide you with guidance on how to proceed further. Based on the requirements, our consultant will provide your proposal on the project scope, timeline, and cost.
Contact us today to develop a doctor appointment mobile app.
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