So, you probably have been hearing about a new social media platform: the clubhouse app, and starting to feel like you are left out of the club. In this blog, we have covered every minute detail of the Clubhouse app because it is unlike other social media platforms. We have explained what the clubhouse app is, how it works, and how to create an app like Clubhouse along with the estimated mobile app development cost.

So let begin

What is the Clubhouse App?

In April 2020, Silicon Valley entrepreneur Paul Davison and ex-Google employee Rohan Seth developed and launched an audio chat app called Clubhouse.

Recently, it has been gaining tons of traction because some celebrities and high-profile people like the game, Kevin Hart,  and others celebrities started to use this social media platform. It is part talkback radio, part conference call.

When we think of social media platforms, how to assess them is the first question that comes to our minds. So the assessment is important because currently, the clubhouse app is an invite-only social media platform.

To access the audio chat clubhouse app, you actually need an invitation from the user who is already using the platform.

We recommend you download the app from the Apple store because it is iOS only and reserve your username if you don’t have an invite. As on social media platforms, your username gives you a unique identity.

How does Clubhouse work?

As you know Clubhouse is an audio-chat social media platform, which means that you can not share pictures and videos. It is a social media platform where people can virtually meet up by creating a room to host, listen to, and in some cases, join conversations within the app’s community.

If you have already reserved your username and have an invitation from a member, you can join chat rooms as well as you can start your room.

Each chat room created on the Clubhouse app has moderators, speakers, and listeners. The Moderators of the room have control over who gives the speaking privileges, though listeners can “raise their hand” in the chat if they want to speak.

Read Also: Create an App Like Airbnb 

Common Features of the Clubhouse App:

Onboarding

Once you have downloaded the Clubhouse app, you need to reserve your username along with a profile picture. When you are logged in, you can start to join any rooms of your choice and start listening.

Feed

When you open the feed section in the Clubhouse app, you will see a list of rooms that may be of interest. You can join and see the joined members in the rooms.

User Profiles

When you create a user profile only your name, profile picture, and a short description are needed. No elaborated introductions about yourself are required on Clubhouse. When you join any room, your user profile is visible to other members.

Clubs

Clubs are groups created by members around topics. They are similar to Facebook groups. You can join them because they connect people with the same interests together.

Search

The search box allows users to search for interesting topics and personalities of interest.

Upcoming For You

Any member who has created/ scheduled a room, club, or events like discussions that are yet to come will appear in the upcoming for you. Users can opt to be alerted of selected events.

Activity

In the activity tab, you can access your account’s historical activities. You can check for members who are following you, new members, and ongoing events in Clubhouse. It is similar to Instagram.

Notification

It is a useful feature when you are not using the clubhouse app. The push notification feature notifies users about events, such as starting a new room or new members joining rooms.

How to make an app like Clubhouse in 2023?

So you have an idea of a brainstorming app like Clubhouse and you want to make an app like a clubhouse to create a difference in the app market, then you have landed at the right place.

Being an award-winning company, we have developed several successful apps. You can also follow these easy steps to convert your idea of a social media app like Clubhouse into reality.

Steps to Develop an app like Clubhouse

If you want to Develop an app like a clubhouse. Here is a detailed step-by-step guide to developing an app:

1. Conduct detailed Market Research

Once you have a unique idea for a mobile app like Clubhouse in your mind and you decide to execute it, the first thing that you should proceed with is detailed market research.

For your app’s success, it is necessary because several social media apps are already present on the app store.

You can start by analyzing your competitor’s social media apps and what features, and services they are providing to their users. Compare what unique features you are providing and what features you can integrate into your social media app to stay ahead of the competition.

Secondly, start checking users’ reviews on the app store. They are also beneficial in making your social media app more engaging as people share their opinions and experiences with mobile apps and rate them.

2. Identify Your Target Audience

Your app’s success on how you understand the target audience. For a better understanding of targeted audiences, you need secure information like demographics, such as (Age groups, gender, country), preferences, and problems of the app’s potential users. You can gather this information from analytics. You need

At the initial stage, your family members, and friends will be users of your social media app. You can start with what improvements they are expecting in your mobile app.

When you have sufficient active users, you can start creating focus groups in which users can share their experiences. Users’ valuable information can help you to improve your mobile app. You can schedule an interview call with your users to discover their problems, and expectations and work on resolving them.

Instead of focusing on increasing the number of downloads on the app store, you should focus on the user’s reviews and ratings. Understanding your users’ requirements can make your development easier and develop a better final product. You should invest time in finding more about your potential users.

3. Focus on User-Friendly and Intuitive Design

In a mobile app, attractive and intuitive designs play a vital role in attracting users. If your app has crashes, bugs, and users struggling to navigate an app, you are allowing users to shift to a competitor app. You need to design your mobile app considering the user experience.

To retain users with your mobile app attractive visual appearance is not sufficient. You need to understand their expectations and the improvements they want in your mobile app.

Consider the different types of users who are already using the voice chat app. If your mobile app’s primary audience is influencers, you must include features to produce content easily and connect with their followers. At the same time, you’ll want to ensure the app is equally intuitive for the followers, which may be made up of young adults.

Developing an app with balanced visual appearances, features, and functions can be a difficult task. If you have design skills, then you can design it by yourself. Or you can hire dedicated UI UX designers for the same. Experts can help you develop an engaging and user-centric mobile app.

4. Hire Dedicated Developers

Once you have finalized the UI UX design and your mobile app feature list, the next step is to hire skilled and expert developers for your mobile app. Hiring developers depends upon the budget of your development project.

If you have a low budget, you can hire remote developers or freelance developers. You can find them online on websites like Freelancer, Upwork, Toptal, Fiver, and others.

If you have the budget for developing a mobile app, you can hire an onshore or offshore app development company. If you want to hire an onshore company, you can search for them locally or consult with your friends if they have any contact.

Hiring a development company in the USA, UK, or Europe, might cost you around $150 to $200 per hour. If you want to hire an offshore developer, you can choose countries like India, and Sri Lanka. They have experienced and skilled developers. Hiring developers from India might cost you around $30 to $60 per hour.

As app developers, we start the development process with business analysis, developing a technical specification, estimating the development cost, and planning the project. At every stage, you can track the progress of your mobile app like Clubhouse.

Read Also: Benefits of Hiring Dedicated Developers

5. Build an MVP Model

When you start developing your app, you should have a long wish list of features integrated into the voice chat app. At the initial stage, it is not possible to create a mobile app with all its features. Developing a fully-featured app might cost you high and increase the time to launch and market.

We recommend, first, building and launching an MVP ( Minimum Viable Product) and testing out the core ideas in the market. If your users love your app features, then you can launch a fully-featured app. These will save you time, effort as well as money.

Before you start to develop an MVP app, let’s first understand what a Minimum Viable product is. An MVP is a working app that consists of essential features and functions. Features that could enhance the user experience and do not affect the functioning of your MVP app.

Launching an MVP model first allows you and the development team to identify core issues that affect the apps’ functionality and marketing appeal. You have enough time to take preventive measures and avoid them in your final product.

6. Market Products and Collect user feedback

Before your mobile app, is launched on the app store, you have users who are excited to use your social media app like Clubhouse. Strategic marketing can provide you with better results.

To increase your marketing reach, you can connect with social media influencers to try your app and share their experience. You can reach out to popular publications for exposure, and that can attract more potential new users.

After your MVP app launches, you should constantly review your user’s feedback. Work on identifying the potential issues as well as determining that your app is meeting users’ expectations.

Rather than depending fully upon analytics, you can arrange interviews with your potential users for their valuable feedback on their experience and identify their expectations. What new features and functionality do they want in your mobile app? Through the feedback, you can identify the areas of improvement that you should overcome in the next release.

Pros and Cons of Developing an App Like Clubhouse

The rise of Clubhouse, an audio-based social networking app, has sparked interest among developers looking to replicate its success. Before diving into the development cost process, it’s crucial to understand the potential advantages and drawbacks associated with creating a similar platform.

Pros of Developing an App Like Clubhouse

• Novelty and Early Adoption

Developing an app similar to Clubhouse allows you to tap into the allure of novelty and early adoption. Users are often excited to explore fresh, innovative platforms, giving your app a chance to attract a considerable user base from the outset.

• Niche Community Building

Clubhouse’s success lies in its ability to foster niche communities centered around specific topics. By creating a similar app, you can cater to niche interests, bringing like-minded individuals together for meaningful conversations.

• Interactive Conversations

The audio-based format promotes engaging and interactive conversations. Users can listen to thought leaders, participate in discussions, and share their opinions in real-time, creating a dynamic and immersive experience.

• Networking Opportunities

Apps like Clubhouse offer unparalleled networking opportunities. Users can connect with industry experts, influencers, and peers, potentially opening doors to collaborations, partnerships, and knowledge sharing.

Cons of Developing an App Like Clubhouse

• Intense Competition

The social media landscape is fiercely competitive. Introducing a new app in a similar niche means contending with established players and newer entrants, requiring a robust strategy to stand out.

• Platform Maturity

Clubhouse already has a head start in terms of user base and platform maturity. Developing a competitive app requires time and effort to match the features, stability, and overall experience offered by Clubhouse.

• Content Moderation Challenges

Audio content introduces unique moderation challenges. Ensuring that conversations remain respectful and free from inappropriate content necessitates advanced content filtering and user reporting mechanisms.

• Monetization Complexities

Monetizing an app like Clubhouse can be complex. Balancing user engagement with revenue generation, such as through subscriptions, virtual goods, or advertisements, requires careful planning and execution.

Cost to Develop an App Like Clubhouse

Several factors comprise the development cost of mobile apps like Clubhouse. The common factor includes.

• Mobile app design
• Features-set
• Location of the agency
• Team size

To build an app like Clubhouse, we recommend taking the same route as they did – first, create and launch a Beta version of your social media app before launching the actual fully featured app. In this way, you can measure users’ interests before developing a fully featured app. You can adjust the features and functions in the final product.

Our development team always advises entrepreneurs to create a feature list first for their mobile app. Based on features, it is easy to discuss the technological and resource aspects. That helps in estimating the overall cost of mobile app development.

Estimated Cost to develop an app like Clubhouse:

For an app with basic feature developers in the USA, Europe may cost you an average of $150 per hour, and the cost to make an app like Clubhouse will be approximately $200,000. This cost will increase depending on the features you want to include and the technologies.

If you are planning to hire an offshore development company in India, we suggest that you go with hybrid apps i.e. for both iOS and Android platforms. For an app with basic feature developers in offshore countries like India may cost you an average of $50-$80 per hour. The cost to develop a social media app like Clubhouse will be approximately $80,000.

Which programming languages are best suited for developing a social audio app like Clubhouse?

Social audio apps have revolutionized how people connect and share their thoughts. Unlike traditional social media platforms that rely on text or images, social audio apps enable real-time conversations through voice. To develop a successful social audio app, choosing the right programming language is a critical decision that impacts the app’s functionality, performance, and user experience.

Let’s explore some languages that align well with the requirements of real-time audio streaming and user engagement.

• Java: The Reliable Option

Java has long been trusted for its reliability and stability. It’s an excellent choice for the backend development of a social audio app. Java’s extensive libraries and frameworks make it easier to handle real-time communication, data synchronization, and security aspects. The language’s scalability ensures that your app can accommodate a growing user base without compromising on performance.

• Swift: Powering Seamless iOS Experience

For iOS app development, Swift is a top contender. With its user-friendly syntax and performance optimization, Swift enables you to create a seamless and immersive audio experience for iOS users. Its compatibility with Apple’s APIs and frameworks facilitates the integration of audio streaming and real-time communication features.

• Kotlin: Building for Android

When targeting the Android user base, Kotlin stands out as a modern and expressive programming language. Kotlin’s concise code structure and interoperability with Java make it a compelling choice for developing feature-rich social audio apps on the Android platform. It offers robust tools for handling asynchronous tasks, enhancing the app’s responsiveness.

• JavaScript: Web Applications and Beyond

JavaScript is a versatile language that’s not limited to web development. With the advent of technologies like Node.js, JavaScript can be used to build real-time applications. If you’re considering a web-based social audio app, JavaScript’s ecosystem provides a wide range of tools for audio streaming, signaling, and front-end development.

• Python: Versatility and Rapid Development

Python’s simplicity and versatility make it a popular choice for rapid app development. While it might not be the primary language for real-time audio streaming, Python can play a significant role in developing auxiliary features, creating APIs, and handling backend tasks. It’s a great option for quickly prototyping certain aspects of your social audio app.

What team do you need to develop an app like Clubhouse?

To develop an amazing social media app like Clubhouse, you need to hire a development team. The cost to hire a development team is also included in the core app development cost. Your development team should include:

• 1 Project Manager
• 1-2 iOS Developers
• 1 UI/UX Designers
• 1-2 Android Developers
• 1 Backend Developers
• 2 QA Specialists

Developing a mobile app for both platforms, each with its own design, and features will take time. How long will it take to build a social media app as Clubhouse depends on the number of members in your team? Therefore the more developers you have more quickly you can launch and market your social media app like Clubhouse.