Breakdown of Cost to Build GPS Navigation App like Waze in 2024

To get into the GPS navigation app market, the point of initiation should be to learn about cost to build GPS navigation app like Waze.

Despite Google maps being the obvious choice for many people for navigation, Waze still manages to outdo the app in terms of experience. There is a strong reason behind that thought i.e. Google maps is a part of the GAPPs (Google Apps) ecosystem. Therefore, it comes preinstalled on almost every Android smartphone.

On the other hand, Waze still manages to give tough competition considering its innovative features and overall app design. Waze feels informative, has a better customer experience, feels quirky, and has features like music app integration.

Considering this, a lot of app creators are willing to get into GPS navigation mobile app development. However, the initial step would be to understand the cost to build a GPS navigation app like Waze, therefore, to learn more read ahead!

What is Waze?

Waze is a GPS-based navigation app. It provides real-time traffic information, turn-by-turn directions, and alerts about accidents, traffic jams, police checkpoints, road closures, and other hazards that the user can find during travel. The app uses data from its community. It allows its user to share information about traffic conditions and road hazards in real time.

Waze is available on both major platforms i.e. Android & iOS and can be downloaded for free. The app uses GPS to track its user's location and offers multiple route options, with estimated travel times based on current traffic conditions.

Waze also includes social features that allow users to connect with friends and share their ETA (estimated time of arrival) and current location. Users can also earn points and increase their rank within the app's community by reporting traffic conditions and other hazards.

Waze app was founded in 2008 and acquired by Google in 2013.

Waze Facts & Market Statistics

Below are the statistics of Waze market, have a look:

• Waze currently has 140+ million monthly active users throughout the globe
• Waze had a market share of 22% and was the second most popular navigation app in the United States (2020)
• In 2020, Waze generated total revenue of over $1 billion just by advertising
• Waze got acquired by Google from an Israeli company at a price of $1.1 billion
• Waze constantly works over the feature it provides to add more
• It provides data to local governments and urban planners that help in reducing traffic and transportation infrastructure

Standout Features of Waze App

Waze has multiple standout features that tell you what's happening on the road. Each of these standout features adds to Waze-like app development cost. It tells you about multiple things happening around such as construction, traffic, police, crashes, and many other real-time insights. It also automatically changes the ETA, if the condition of the traffic worsens during the route.

To further elaborate, these are all the eccentric features of Waze app:

• Learn about traffic, police, hazards, and multiple other alerts in real-time

• Real-time speed limit alert to avoid tickets and safe driving

• Instant rerouting of the route to avoid traffic and save time
• Stay updated with the toll charges during the route beforehand
• Learn about the cheapest gas along the route

• Listen to your favorite songs while driving by connecting Waze with different music apps

• Use Android auto
• Get different voices for the assistant

How to Build an App like Waze?

To create apps like Waze, it is important to integrate equally compelling features. To get it developed, one would require an experienced team of developers, designers, and testers. It would also require a decent cost to build GPS navigation app like Waze.

Here are the steps that one can follow to create apps like Waze:

1. Determine the Features of the App

There are numerous features that need to be integrated to build an app similar to Waze such as social media integration, personalized experience, feedback channel, in-built analytic tracking, etc.

One of the major determining factors of the cost of creating an app depends upon the number of features. The more the number of features, the more will be the cost to develop an app. 

2. Create the App Architecture

To build an app like Waze, it is essential to create initial sketches, mockups, wireframes, etc. to create the architecture of the app. This will help in creating the initial navigation of the app and a blueprint of how the app will look like. In this step, one can create the entire flow of the app.

3. Start Working on the User Interface

Hire a designer or a design company to create a design for your application. Hiring a separate design company that excels in creating compelling designs adds to Waze like app development cost. However, it won’t go in vain considering the design aspect of Waze is what truly stands out.

Make sure the design follows all the brand colors. Also, the UI/UX of the app should have a flow that is easy to use by multiple ages of users. It should resonate with the entire idea of the app.

4. Develop the Frontend

Once the design is ready, it is time to make it tangible enough to function in terms of design implementation, animation, clickables, buttons, and multiple other aspects. Frontend are developed primarily using three languages i.e. HTML, CSS, and Javascript. However, there are multiple frameworks that combine the functionality of these languages to make your work easy.

5. Initiate the Backend Development

Backend is used to make the app operational. The backend helps in the creation of server-side operations. It allows the app to make transactions with the database and thereby share information in real-time. There are multiple languages that one can choose for developing the backend, however, choosing the programming language based on features should be ideal. The choice of tech stack can also directly affect the Waze-like app development cost.

6. Testing

To build an app like Waze that isn’t bloated with bugs, it is important to test out the application in different environments. It makes sure that when the app goes into production, it is as flawless as possible. It is important to nitpick the app before launching because a flaw can aggregate bad reviews. Therefore, fixing the majority of problems beforehand should be the way to go.

7. Launch the App

There are primarily two major platforms that app creators use to upload their apps and generate revenue. These are Android and iOS. These two consist of the majority of the app market that exists today. Android only requires a one-time fee for app developers. On the other, iOS requires a yearly subscription to keep it live on Apple Store.

Waze-like App Development Cost

Considering that an app is built natively in general for both iOS and Android platforms, the mobile app development cost from a USA-based or UK-based company can range between $50,000 and $250,000. 

The cost to build a navigation app can depend on multiple factors such as:

• Complexity level of the app
• Number of platforms i.e. Android and iOS
• Features and functionalities of the app
• Geography of the development team
• Type of development i.e. native, hybrid, or cross-platform

Below is the breakdown of different costs associated to build a GPS navigation app:

Time and Cost Taken to Create Waze…

There are no official figures that are associated with the actual cost of Waze app development. However, it is revealed in public information that it took three years to develop GPS navigation app’s first version. The version was launched in the year of 2009.

Waze app was initially developed in Israel. Considering that the average wager per hour in Israel is close to $50 to $150$.

Time = 3 years = 264*3 (considering working days equal to 22 in a month) = 792 days

Hours spent = 792 days * 9 hours = 7,128

Total cost to build GPS navigation app like Waze = 7128*50 = $356,400 (lower cost)

Total cost to build GPS navigation app like Waze = 7128*150 = $1,069,200 (higher bracket)

Therefore, the average approximate cost to create an app like Waze ranges between $356,400 to $1,069,200.

Final Words

Navigation app market is already much bigger and established. However, it is essential to understand that this market is dominated by two applications that are Google Maps and Waze. Thinking of getting into this market is definitely an idea to be supported. However, even if the inspiration is Waze, the app idea needs to be disruptive in implementation. It should break the barrier of the existing app experience. In fact, finding a way to redefine this ordeal can be the way to go.

Want to learn about the best mobile app development companies to turn your idea into a functional application, click on the link provided.