The 3 Ways to Make an App

by | Jun 16, 2014 | Development | 0 comments

Many people have dreamed of building their own app, and now is always the best time to pursue your dreams. However, you may not know how to get started making your own app; this monster of a Medium post will go over all of the ways you can get your own app made, and the pros and cons of each method.

The three basic options are:

  1. You could program it yourself
  2. You could use an app-building or app-making program to do it
  3. You can find someone who knows how to program and work with them

Lets take a deeper look:

 

1. Building The App Yourself

Building the app yourself is exactly what it sounds like — learning how to do programming, graphic design, or both, and coding & designing the app all by yourself.

Pros:

Cons:

  • It’s more financially efficient to hire people to do it for you (unless you’re a programmer)
  • You shouldn’t teach yourself to if you don’t like it.
  • It takes anywhere from 3 months to a year to make your app if you’re teaching yourself.
  • If your app becomes successful, you’ll have to hire additional programmers anyways.

Basically, if you’re a programmer who wants to try making an iOS app, teach yourself how to code. If you want to make an iOS app and see programming as a barrier, you’re better off not doing the coding yourself.

 

How to Get Started Building Your Own App:

Programming:

Here are some resources for those who would like to teach themselves how to program:

For Beginners:

For Those With Some Programming Experience:

You can also go to a developer boot camp to learn. This is a full time commitment with a cost, much like a college class.

Graphic Design:

You can also learn do to the graphic design of your app yourself. All the benefits of doing it yourself apply to the graphic design, as well as all of the drawbacks.

Here are some programs that you can use to do your graphic design yourself:

If you want to code the app yourself because you want to be cool, just know that people are always impressed with those that have made their own apps — no matter how it got done.

2. Using An App Builder Program

An app-builder program is a program that you can build your own app in. They don’t require any programming knowledge to use, and can be downloaded easily — and you can get started using them today.

Pros:

  • Ideal for personal side projects; not companies
  • Don’t need to program or find a partner

Cons:

  • Limited by what the program can do
  • Risking the quality of the app’s graphics
  • Becomes obsolete and needs updating much more quickly
  • Feature limitations mean a lower chance of app fame
  • This can be the priciest option

How to Get Started:

Here is a non-comprehensive list of app-building programs, so you can get started building your own app.

3. Contracting With Programmers & Graphic Designers

Contracting is just hiring someone else to build part or all of the app for you. The price of this can vary as much as a car’s price can (sometimes more) depending on what the app you’re making is.

This method is my favorite, because you get to spend your time focused on what you love the most about making apps.

Pros:

  • The contractor will be doing what they love, and you will be doing what you love.
  • Will easily make back dev cost
  • More time can be spent on app marketing (leading to the above pro)
  • All of the advantages of building it yourself (such as retaining complete control, freedom & imagination) are still there.

Cons:

  • It costs $$$.
  • You will still have to put effort into managing your project.

This method of app development is — if done right — the act of starting your own very small company. If you ever dreamed of having your own company, this is the path for you.

How to Get Started:

There are a couple of ways you can contract your app development out, and each is suited best for people in different situations.

Here are some websites where you can hire freelancers:

Here are some agencies you can hire to make the app:

All three ways of making an app can lead to polished and fantastic apps if the app-maker is (you are) dedicated to making the best app you can make.

Choose your method of app development based on how you want to spend your time making the app and your goals for the app, not because of outside peer pressure or a feeling it “has to be done this way.”

 

Did you find this article useful?  If so, share it with your friends so they can get use out of it too.

Submit a Comment