How much does it cost to build a TikTok clone?

What does TikTok have to offer - 598349089

Since its inception in September 2016, Tik Tok has taken over the world like a virus. The video-sharing app has become an integral part of many people’s lives and also a source of entertainment.

The widespread use of the app is not only because of entertainment; but, there are ways through which one can make money on it.

As per the first quarter of 2020, Tik Tok was downloaded 315 million times around the world. India was on the top of the list in case of the maximum number of downloads. But, after a few months, the app was banned in some countries. There were miscellaneous reasons for banning the app.

The key thing here is that the ban on the app opened a window of opportunity for the developers.

Right now, there is no active rival of Tik Tok; hence, you have the chance to make a brand new app like Tik Tok and rule the market. But, the development of an app is not a cakewalk; there are many things to keep in mind while developing an app like Tik Tok. Keep reading to know about them!

What Are the Various Reasons to Launch a Tik Tok Clone?

If we talk about the reasons to launch a Tik Tok clone, there are many of them, but the most crucial ones are as follows:

The recent ban on Tik Tok and WeChat

One of the crucial reasons to learn how to create app like Tik Tok is the ban on the video app. The recent ban on Tik Tok has left all its users in grief, and they are looking for another way to showcase their talent and make money.

Hence, making an app like Tik Tok at a time like this will yield great results for you.

Market Size of the app

As hinted above, Tik Tok has a huge market in the world. It is pretty amazing to know that around 30% of the Tik Tok downloads are from India, which is numerically 600 million. 

Moreover, Tik Tok recorded a whopping 85 million active users at the beginning of 2020, which is sky-high. These stats clearly depict one thing that an app like Tik Tok will kill it in the market at this time.

Growth of social and m-commerce

E-commerce is one of the largest business sectors of the current time and is expected to grow in the future. This makes it one of the best places to invest.

Tik Tok tried a new feature recently that allowed the users to add links to the Tik Tok profile of their eCommerce websites. This made the purchasing part easier for the users as they didn’t have to search for the product.

So, learning how to develop app like Tik Tok and embedding this feature into it will help you foster high ROI.

What Features to include in the app like Tik Tok?

“Well, to be very clear, the features that you include in your app will decide the cost of developing the app. So, it is best to test a POC and an MVP in the market first.” – Says Jack Zmudzisnki at future-processing.com. This will help you understand the feasibility and demand of the idea and will also save money.

Moreover, an MVP will help you understand which features are most important for the users. Some of the crucial features that your MVP must have are:

  • Profile creation and editing
  • Sign in and registration
  • Liking and commenting
  • Filters
  • Push notifications
  • Social sharing

Well, these are the essential features that you need to include in an MVP. After testing the MVP successfully, you can choose to add more features to make your app better. Here are some add-on features:

  • Analytics
  • Live video streaming
  • Location-based content
  • Elastic search
  • Augmented reality filters
  • Personal collections
  • Subscriptions
  • Algorithms to set recommendations

Development Cost of a Tik Tok Clone

Finally, we are in the section that you have been waiting for. The cost of development of an app like Tik Tok depends on various factors such as:

  • The place from where you are getting the app developed.
  • Features that you want in your app.

Now, you can opt for either Freelancer, A Development agency, or An In-house team for developing your app. But, it is recommended to go for the development agency option. This is because:

  • It is cost-effective as compared to an in-house team that will be an expensive option.
  • A development agency will deliver you better quality as compared to freelancers.

Cost of development

Different features of the app require different time for development. If we consider all the basic features mentioned above in this article, it will take around 1450 hours to develop the whole app like Tik Tok.

Based on this time figure, the cost of app development will vary based on the location of the development. Here are some of the estimated numbers based on location:

  • USA ($150 per hour)

Total cost: $217,500 (1450 hours)

  • Ukraine ($35 per hour)

Total cost: $46,400

  • India ($25 per hour)

Total cost: $36,250

If you want to develop an awesome app, go for a development agency where you get all the services from the wireframing of the app to the post-release support. Moreover, look for a cost-effective option that does not compromise on quality.


You may be interested in: “Everything you need to know about TikTok and other social media websites”