Tarun Nagar 
Reels are Instagram’s own short video making and sharing platform. It is integrated with Instagram and has been benefited by the ban of TikTok in India and the probability of its exit from other countries as well. Instagram is already very popular and they just need to release and market the extended feature of Reels to all those who use TikTok. Read this blog to know more about cost to make an app like Instagram reels.
They have made sure to add all the features that were there in other popular video sharing platforms. It has got an audience in the Indian sub-continent and is expanding its reach to all other parts of the world.
This article is about the cost of developing such apps. These applications are popular now and this is the reason why most development companies want to develop them. The average cost according to a website when someone develops a single application without integration is from $75,000 to $85,000.
Understanding what makes this the total cost of these applications is the final goal of this article. There are many aspects that mobile app development company have to look at, like time and the resources used.
Table of Contents
What These Apps Actually Do
The basic motive behind applications such as Instagram Reels is to bring to users the songs, videos, and tunes that are most popular in the market. Users can put their creativity to use and create interesting content by lip-syncing to songs to make videos, dance to songs, and add effects, filters, and much more.
There is scope to make videos better than fellow users and be popular in the community. These entertainment applications work as an effective platform that allows interacting and gives users the opportunity to interact with other users and share as well as browse their videos.
Once the app has been installed, creating videos with it is super easy. There are instructions provided that will help new users to get an insight into the app after installing it.
Even if someone is new to the application, he/she may get well versed with it in no time. There are some specific features that are loved by users nowadays such as the option of sharing on other social media platforms, high-speed image capture, amazing effects and filters, a huge music library to choose songs from, as well as the option of broadcasting music videos.
The cost of development of an application such as the recent Reels by Instagram is directly proportional to its features. After knowing about the features in-depth, readers will get an idea of the cost later in the article.
What Are The Features of Mobile App Like Instagram Reels?
The features of an application take up a lot of its cost. Social media app development company need to understand that bulking up the application with features will increase the cost and it will also slow down the application.
More features mean that the application will be larger in size and will require a smartphone that has high specifications. It is really important to know the right balance of the features for such applications.
- Splash Screen
- Simple Yet Attractive UI And UX
- Commenting And Hearts/Likes
- Filters And Effects
- Sharing To Other Social Media Platforms
- Video And Sound Upload Feature
- Notification Bar
- The Option To Collaborate
- Editing
Social Media App Cost And Features
1. Splash Screen
Like all other applications available, it will be required for the users to register and sign in to use the application. In this way, the company may have information about the users who are active in the application.
2. Simple Yet Attractive UI And UX
Once the application has been made, the user will be able to find all the trending videos from around the world. One can scroll down the screen to view the videos one by one. Other than this, one can also view videos of people who they follow.
The app must be easy to use and navigate. On demand app development companies need to make a unique interface for all their clients.
3. Commenting And Hearts/Likes
All these applications use the basic template for user feedback and review. They allow fellow members to comment on videos and also like them. This also provides the application with analytics that tells it about its users.
This also tells it what an individual liked and what they didn’t and that makes their suggested video section. This is one of the most relevant features of these types of applications.
Most people don’t consider this while searching “how to make a social media app”. There are many applications that facilitate users to watch and like videos even if they don’t have an account on the apps. This might not work in the same way for the others and that is why companies need to make sign-up mandatory to like or comment on a video. This is one of the most important features of all social media applications as well.
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4. Filters And Effects
There can’t be a video creating and editing application without filters and special effects. Videos need to look attractive and also need to make those making them look attractive. This can be done by providing all the important features to users that can make them look better. There can be Augmented Reality effects too through which users can increase their creativity.
Augmented reality has enhanced the scope of video creation in these types of applications. People can even try clothes and accessories on digitally. They can bring in people who are not physically present there or an object or animal. All these filters and effects make videos attractive.
5. Sharing To other Social Media Platforms
These applications are social video sharing platforms themselves but their users are also present on other social media sites. This is the reason why they should be allowed to post their videos to their other social media accounts.
This should be made simple and straightforward. Users should get the same quality of the video while sharing as well as while editing to change its size and ratio according to the platform.
This will promote the application and the users will also be able to show their creativity on all their social media handles without having to put in much effort. The social media sharing option is one of the most important features of these types of applications.
6. Video And Sound Upload Feature
These platforms are not just about uploading videos. These are also voice platforms and that is why people need to upload audio on them too. These audios are used as background voices that people lip-sync to. There are people who just join these platforms to show their voice acting talent or to put up audio content. Without opening up the platform to these users it will not be as popular.
There are people who might want to upload both and hence that should also be allowed. Developers can also give users the option of shooting a video and dubbing the voice again while editing the video.
This will keep the video free from any sound errors and allow more scope for creativity. Developers need to find what more they can do with this feature that will benefit their users.
7. Notification Bar
There are various important things that people need to know at the same instant when they arrive. There should be a notification bar and a notification panel so that people know about them.
There should be notifications for likes, comments, requests for collaboration, and also direct messages. These things are important and need to stay so that the creators can keep using the app. Notification bars can also be innovated by allowing users to prioritize notifications.
8. The Option To Collaborate
Collaboration is one of the most innovative features of these apps. People need to be allowed to make a video and then leave scope for someone to collaborate with them while reacting to it.
This allows people to collaborate without being physically present with each other. This also gives small creators a scope to increase their visibility. These applications have got great popularity because of this feature.
9. Editing
Editing is an important feature for these applications. These videos are creative and editing can increase their quality. Without this feature, the users will need to download other applications to edit their videos.
This feature facilitates users to record, edit, and upload videos on the same platform. This makes these apps a one-stop solution for them. In the editing part, developers can provide filters and animations software.
All the things that have been mentioned above are important and these features need proper time and care to be developed. These features also have scope for innovation and hence developers need to research and find out a way to improve them.
Features are what decide the cost of the application and they can help the development company to recover them as well. Too many features can also make the applications too complex and make it hard for users to understand them. It is only because of this reason that most developers try to keep the application as clean as possible with just the relevant and innovative features.
Languages That Can Be Used To Develop These Kinds Of Applications
So, how to make an app like Instagram Reels? Which are the programming languages to be used? The programmers also affect the cost. Companies have to hire app developers and their pay scale is decided according to what framework the company uses and what frameworks they know.
These things are also important as they also decide the scope and the quality of the application that is to be developed. Below are the programming languages that can be used to develop these kinds of applications:
- JavaScript
- Java
- C#
- PHP
- C++
1. Javascript
This is the first language that developers will want to use to develop something like Reels on Instagram. It is mainly a web development language but it can also be used to develop these apps.
This is one of the most used languages because of its features and it is a language that is in great demand. The reason why this language is so popular is the features and the functionalities that it provides to developers.
It is dynamic, has learning curves, and has its own extension. JavaScript also has a frontend framework guide that people can take into consideration for the development of the UI for these applications.
2. Java
This one had to be on this list. Java is the most popular programming language in the world and is one of the most preferred languages for on-demand app development too.
This is a platform on which developers can develop these types of applications and smoothly integrate them with the android operating system. This can be used to make applications for iOS platforms as well.
3. C#
This mobile application development language is known as the language that is used by Microsoft for the development of its software and services. It is one of the languages that is recommended for the programmers who are at the intermediate level.
It can also be learned by beginners but learning it after learning a basic language will make it easy for the developers to understand it.
4. PHP
PHP is a server-side scripting language, and it is also open-source which means that the code is available for modification. This language is used to develop the server-side of websites and it can be further translated to create dynamic web pages.
This can allow developers to do social media app development. This is one of the languages that a web development company looks for in a developer when they hire them.
5. C++
C++ is one of the languages that everyone has to learn while they are learning to program. This might be one of the oldest languages but it still holds great value for developers.
This language has many basic features that can give strength to the developed applications and also make it easy for the company. Almost all developers know how to code with C++ and this is why it is on this list.
The Total Cost Of Developing An App Like Instagram Reels
The average cost will be somewhere between $8,000-$15,000. This amount can be decreased as well but decreasing it will also decrease the quality of the app.
Instagram Reels is one application that has balanced the quality of the app with its cost. This guide has all the features and the languages that come with the cost and in the end, we also told you about the average cost that you have to incur.
The budget is something that companies should decide on first and then make sure that they stick to it. Changes will be made to the application throughout the development process and the manager will have to keep everything in check.
