The mobile app industry is vast and magnetic. It draws individuals, businesses, and organizations of all kinds. Around 60 percent of website traffic comes from mobile devices and 92.3 percent of internet users access the internet using a mobile phone.
This huge demand for mobile accessibility has eventually given a boost to the demand for mobile applications. The number of mobile app downloads is expected to reach 181 billion by the year 2026.
Therefore, businesses from almost every sector are investing in apps. Entrepreneurs are creating innovative solutions centered on mobile apps and making huge profits. One such revolutionary idea is that of aggregator apps.
There has been a rise in demand for aggregator mobile app development in nearly every vertical. But what are aggregator apps and how are they helping businesses and customers? Let us find out in detail. Continue reading and learn all about aggregator apps.
In this blog
- How do aggregator apps work?
- How are aggregator apps different from marketplaces?
- Advantages of aggregator apps
What is an aggregator app?
An aggregator app is an application or software that collects information from various sources and presents it on one interface in a unified manner. These tools are great for customers who want consolidated user-friendly solutions under one roof. This includes examples like Google News (News), DoorDash (Food delivery), Uber (Taxi service), Paytm (FinTech), and so on.
How do aggregator apps work?
Aggregator apps are based on the aggregator business model which is similar in nature to the drop shipping model. Drop shippers sell physical products from manufacturers and manage marketing and customer services. On the other hand, aggregators list physical as well as digital products and services and earn commissions on the sales.
The aggregator forms partnerships with the providers (service, product, etc.). Then the aggregator builds a platform for business-consumer interaction and takes measures like sales and marketing to push the products and services. As the customers make purchases on the aggregator platform, the aggregator shares the profit with the provider offering the product or service. Some aggregators also charge customers for add-on services like delivery, customized packaging, etc.
As evident, aggregators act as middlemen and connect sellers and consumers on a single platform. They handle the transactions, payments, customer service, marketing, and other related services. This allows customers to choose from a range of options and pick what best suits them.
Advantages of aggregator apps
Aggregator apps have several advantages over regular marketplace apps. Some of the benefits are as follows:
- Ease of doing business: Aggregator apps make it easier for businesses to find relevant customers without having to create and manage a platform of their own. Similarly, it becomes easier for users to find desired products and services from the best brands.
- Diversity: Aggregator apps compile and curate content and listings from a wide variety of sources. This ensures that the customers get a range of options to choose from.
- User-friendliness: Aggregator apps are considered user-friendly as they enhance accessibility and allow users to access all their desired products and services without having to move between apps.
- Resource-saving: Aggregator apps save you from the hassle of downloading and managing multiple apps on your phone. This optimizes the utilization of resources such as the internet, device memory space, etc.
- Personalization: Most aggregator apps allow customers to personalize their feeds and only view topics, products, and services that interest them. This ensures better targeting and user satisfaction.
- Smart purchasing: Aggregator apps often display ratings, reviews, and feedback for every commodity. This allows customers to compare various options and make informed purchase decisions.
- Cost-effectiveness: Aggregator platforms force brands to compete for attention and engagement. Thus, users get access to affordable but high-quality resources, products, and services.
How are aggregator apps different from marketplaces?
Aggregator apps are different from regular marketplace apps in terms of their operational model. For example, while a marketplace may sell products from different industries, an aggregator often sticks to one industry or niche. However, this is just one example.
The major differences based on different parameters are as follows:
- Branding: In a typical marketplace, the goods and services are presented by different brands and sellers. However, customers often identify the aggregator platform as the only brand they are dealing with. The branding and marketing endeavors also resonate the same. For example, Amazon is a marketplace with multiple brands but for Uber customers, Uber is the only brand they are dealing with.
- Ownership: Aggregators are responsible for the shipping and quality of goods. Similarly, they also hold accountability for areas like customer service and marketing.
- Terms of services: The terms and conditions remain the same for customers and sellers across the platform. Unlike marketplaces, the services are not disjointed and isolated.
Suggested Read: Set up your own dropshipping business for mobile app users
Different types of aggregator apps
Aggregator app development is popular across industries and verticals. As a result, there are all kinds of aggregator apps available in the mobile app market today. Based on the industry, the popular types of aggregator apps are as follows:
- Restaurant aggregator apps: As the name suggests, such apps act as food delivery service platforms. These apps partner with multiple restaurants, cloud kitchens, and all other kinds of food joints and list them under one brand. Thus, it becomes easy for users to compare and order food of their choice.
- eCommerce aggregator apps: eCommerce aggregator apps act as a combined marketplace of multiple retail brands. Such apps are often dedicated to a specific niche such as furniture shopping, apparel shopping, etc. This is what makes them different from traditional marketplaces.
- Social network aggregator apps: Most users today are active on multiple social media and networking apps. A unified experience allows them to stay informed of all the activities and updates across various accounts. Thus, social network aggregator apps allow them to combine multiple feeds and view all the information under one roof.
- Search and news aggregator apps: Search aggregator apps are like search engines but better. Such apps consolidate and compile search results from various pages and search engines, making it easier for users to explore topics of their interest. Most news apps also follow this approach of compiling and publishing news and articles from various sources on an RSS feed.
- Review aggregator apps: It is not easy for customers to comb multiple platforms on the web for reviews. Review aggregator apps make the task easy and allow customers to view reviews, ratings, and feedback for a given product, service, company, or business from multiple review platforms.
- Real estate aggregator apps: The most popular real estate apps and websites that we see around us are actually aggregator platforms. They consolidate and list properties from various sellers, builders, landlords, and real estate business owners under one platform. This makes it easier for buyers to filter properties based on their preferences, compare prices, and make the best buying decisions.
- Job aggregator apps: Job aggregator websites and applications list companies and job postings from different employment platforms, job listings, and other similar sites. Such apps enable people to find the right jobs and help employers find relevant talent for their organizations.
- Account aggregator apps: The fintech industry is not oblivious to the trend of aggregator apps. Account aggregator apps are a great solution for unifying banking services like getting account statements for loan applications, sharing details of multiple accounts, managing finances, savings and expenses across all accounts, and so on.
Suggested Read: Best mobile app ideas for 2024
How to develop an aggregator app?
The process of developing an aggregator app depends on your choice of development method and platform. Here are the steps you can take to build your app:
Start with planning and research
It is important to conduct detailed mobile app market research before venturing into app development. Start with studying the market, existing competitors, and your targeted audiences. You can conduct primary or secondary research to validate your app idea and establish its need or demand in the market. A detailed and insightful analysis will help you steer your project in the right direction and prevent any wastage of resources.
Create app layout and prototypes
Once your app idea is validated, you can proceed to outline its features and functionalities. Create wireframes, mockups, or prototypes and get feedback on the basic app architecture. Once you have mastered the framework, you can proceed to design your app and work on the UI and UX components. Establish the layout of your aggregator app and make improvements before preparing for full-fledged development.
Develop your aggregator app
Once you have sorted your app’s layout and design you can proceed to develop the app. Work on integrating and compiling the features and functionalities of the app. In general, you can choose from the following methods of mobile app development:
- Create your own app with a no-code instant app builder
- Build your app with low-code app development platforms
- Code and build your app using traditional frameworks and tools
- Outsource development to a team of freelancers and experts
- Hire a mobile app development company
Remember, app development is a continuous process. You will have to deploy your app based on the guidelines provided by the app store or marketplace (Google Play Store &/or Apple App Store). It is also imperative to regularly update and maintain your app.
Therefore, find a platform that makes it easy to update, scale, and maintain your app. Keep an eye out for the latest trends in your industry and incorporate those elements into your app. To know more about the process of app development, you can check out our guide suggested below:
Suggested Read: How to create an app? Make an app in ten simple steps
Wrapping up
That was all about aggregator app development. We hope the article was informative and helpful for you. If you have found your inspiration, you can go ahead and develop your own aggregator app for your preferred niche. Choose between multiple options like news aggregator app, ride aggregator app, restaurant aggregator app, and so on.
If you already have an aggregator website platform, you can turn it into an app or build one from scratch. AppMySite’s free no-code app creator is suitable for both options. Here, you can turn your WordPress, WooCommerce, or any other website into an equally powerful app.
Alternatively, you can also create fully customized apps from the ground up. There are multiple product options to choose from. Pick one and build your app with easy point-and-click options. Preview your app and only upgrade to publish your app when you are ready to go live on the app stores. Try now and know for yourself!
Frequently asked questions
What is an aggregator business model?
The aggregator business model is where a platform or a business acts as a link and connects various merchants and vendors under one brand umbrella. Typically, aggregators do not own the services (or products) they offer on their platform and only act as a marketplace. They earn a commission for every sale and purchase made through their platform. For example, Uber is a cab aggregator platform.
What are the features of an aggregator app?
Aggregator apps consolidate services and products from multiple vendors but act as one single marketplace for the customers. The exact list of features of the app depends on the core purpose and nature of the app. However, some common aggregator app features are as follows:
- Customer-facing dashboard
- Vendor-facing dashboard
- Dashboard for delivery agents
- Sign up, log in, and profile management
- Search and filtering
- Product/service listing support
- Product/service comparison support
- Payment gateway integration
- Easy checkout and delivery management
- Review and rating support
- In-app chat support
- Push notification support
How much does it cost to build an aggregator app?
The cost of developing an aggregator app depends upon several factors. This includes the personalized business goals and requirements, complexity of design and features, business niche, timeline of development, tech stack, platform and method of app development, location of development, availability of talent, and so on. A high-complexity app can cost you somewhere around 100,000 dollars or more. However, you can also go for alternate solutions like AppMySite that are highly affordable and reduce the development cost by huge margins.
How long does it take to create an aggregator mobile application?
Just like costs, the exact timeline of a mobile application development project is governed by several factors. For instance, an app with complex design and features will take longer to develop as compared to an MVP (Minimum Viable Product). Similarly, it can take longer to deliver a project with a small team and limited resources. On average, a medium-complexity app can take around 6 to 12 months to complete. However, the market trends are changing by the minute. Therefore, it is best to go with a fast and instant mobile app development solution like AppMySite.
