Know how you can easily develop an app like Threads and start your business if you take care of this one key aspect of the mobile app development process.
100 million downloads! That’s what Twitter competitor Threads managed to bag in just FIVE days. Most startups would die to see those numbers. You must be guessing that it will cost you a fortune and an eternity of development to develop a similar app. After all, Threads is developed by Meta, one of the biggest companies in the world. Surely, their app will cost a pretty penny.
What if we told you that developing an app like Threads is easy, affordable, and quick? Even you can develop an app like Threads with the help of a mobile app development company. Trust us, that is not a challenge. But there’s a catch, and addressing that catch is the key to success as a social media startup.
You still don’t believe us? Here’s a time breakdown for developing an app like Threads.
How Much Does It Cost to Develop an App Like Threads?
The cost of developing an app depends on its complexity. We have to first analyze the complexity of threads to decide what the overall development cost will be. The logic is simple. Complex apps mean more development time, which in turn means more weeks of payment to your mobile app developers
Threads: Features & Functionalities
This might come as a surprise, but Threads is not a feature-rich app. Let us look at the major features used in the app.
1: Interlinking & Import
This is the biggest feature in Threads that separates it from other apps. Users can connect it to their Instagram account and import their data in an instant. They save themselves the hassle of having to create everything from scratch.
For users who don’t have an Instagram account, Threads has a basic profile creation feature.
2: Post Content
Threads allow users to post text-based content along with the option to attach media files such as photos and videos, like most other social media applications. Users can also create a Thread of posts to share longer opinions.
3: Follow/Unfollow Users
Users can follow and unfollow users according to their preferences. To help users discover profiles they have an interest in, Threads has provided search functionality.
4: Search
In Threads, the search functionality is currently restricted to only profile-based results. It doesn’t show posts, hashtags, or media in the search results.
5: Engagement
Every social media app runs on fuel, and that fuel is engagement. Threads provide engagement options such as like, comment, re-post, quote, and share. Users can also share their posts on Instagram.
6: Notifications
Users are notified about every small activity on their profile.
7: AI Algorithm
Don’t let the big words scare you. Currently, the AI algorithm in Threads recommends random content on the home page. This separates it from its competitor, Twitter. Developing a similar AI-based algorithm is not that complicated.
Now let us look at the estimated time required to develop these features.
All of these are the bare-minimum features required for a functioning social media app. Threads lacks many features that are present in higher-end apps, such as running ads, enhanced search, hyper-personalization, messaging, etc.
The development cost can be calculated based on the hourly or weekly rates of the mobile app developers you hire.
It will take you roughly 7-10 weeks to develop a similar app and get your business started. But there’s a catch—a missing piece in the puzzle. It’s the ideation of an app like Threads.
Brainstorming an App Like Threads
Developing an app like Threads is hardly a challenge, but coming up with the concept and marketing strategy is the real game.
“Isn’t Threads a Twitter clone?”
Yes, it is, to some extent. But people won’t invest their time in a clone app. The reason behind the success of Threads is that it takes an already existing concept and improves upon it. That’s what makes it a worthy competitor.
After the Elon Musk takeover of Twitter, things were going wobbly for the organization, and there were many drastic changes made to the app, which a large bunch of people weren’t happy about. Meta saw this as an opportunity and cashed on it immediately.
Here are some key advantages Threads has over Twitter:
- 500 Character limit over 280
- Post up to 10 images over four
- Randomized Post Recommendations
- Different Verification Criteria
- Smoother UI
Threads is a breath of fresh air in the micro-blogging niche.
The key here is brainstorming before developing any app. This is where most startups that are unfamiliar with the mobile app market fail. They either try to create a totally unique app that no one’s interested in or add to the pile of multiple clone apps out there.
How WDI Can Skyrocket You to Success
The first thing we do in our mobile app development process is refine your app idea. With over two decades of experience in this industry, we have analyzed thousands of apps. We know what it takes to build a successful app.
We research your niche and competitors to look for loopholes and scope for improvement. Based on this, we provide you with precise steps you can take to make your app stand out in the market. We hold your hand throughout the process, guiding you on the path to success.
We develop apps, and more than that, we develop ideas! That’s what makes us an Award-Winning Mobile App Development Company.
You know what to do. Hit that contact button, and let’s have a chat about your app idea!