How Much Does it Cost to Create a Navigation app Like Waze?

Navigation applications are now a need and a popular trend these days. And by the passing of time, this will raise the usage expectation of location-based services in the future. Well, it was probably a long time ago since you have asked someone for their location. With the help of apps like Waze and Google Maps, getting to the place simply by name has gotten easier. This navigation tool is a go-to answer for all your travel issues, and you can add any location, even in the middle of nowhere.

When anybody has to go somewhere and they are a smartphone user, there is a higher chance they might use a navigation app to find the best route with the lightest traffic. Since the technology has arisen and multiple applications have been the part of every user, some come and go. But the navigation application is still the top pick which is widely utilized.

Since there are many other than Google Maps that provide the best navigation service, Waze is the second-most downloaded app in the USA with 9.89 million downloads and ensures an exceptional service as well as user experience. 

The success of Maze after going through the dynamics of the app downloads, many investors are wondering “How much does it cost to develop a navigation application like Maze?” 

The cost of developing a Waze-like app might range from $15,000 to $50,000, depending on the specific requirements of your project.

This blog brings you the list of the features, benefits, costs, and what not to build an app like Waze. 

But first let's discover what Waze is and how does it work

What is Waze and How Does It Work? – Unlocking the Power of Real-Time Navigation

Application introduced by Waze Company in 2006 and later acquired by Google in 2013, Waze is a navigation app based on GPS location, that provides real-time traffic updates, accident alerts, and hazard warnings while making it easier to navigate areas. It’s free to download on Android and iOS by offering not just accurate directions but also social features like sharing your location and estimated time of arrival as well.

Working of Waze

1. Download the Waze app and create an account as usual.

2. Give the app permission to have access to your location and enter the destination you want to go to. 

3. With the help of real-time data, the app will find the fastest possible route along with traffic updates.

4. You automatically avoid cognition by analyzing traffic conditions and routes. Not only this, users can report accidents in their journey. 

5. Waze the navigation app provides a turn by turn guide to help you reach your destination easily.

Hop on to the essential features that must be added in the navigation app like Waze and ensure app success. 

Key Features of a Waze-Like App – What Makes Navigation Seamless and Smart?

Features in the application are the important thing which help unlock the app success.

1. Intuitive User Interface

The interface of any application is important and plays an important role in attracting as well as keeping the users captivated. It is necessary to keep the interface as simple as possible, because the simpler the interface is the higher the user interaction is with the app. The user experience is maximised by the app's numerous buttons and cartoon-like icons for easy navigation.

2. Customization

Customization of the application can enhance the overall user experience. As we look through the Waze navigation app for the reference, it offers a variety of voices, including boy band voices, as well as a variety of color schemes and other settings.

3. Live Traffic Updates

What Waze app provides? It offers functionalities that provide ease such as real-time traffic updates to avoid any inconvenience such as accidents, congestion, and whatnot. 

4. Social Media Integration

With the increasing use of social media, the craze for social media in every app is higher than expected. You may utilize this functionality in your app to make it easy for users to verify themselves. This enhances their experience and allows them to bypass lengthy steps.

5. Ride-Sharing 

Ride sharing services are yet another noteworthy feature offered by location-tracking apps such as Waze. In fact, this helps customers save money on fuel and make their trip more economical.

6. Voice Direction 

Your safety is the top priority for applicaiton like Waze, which is why they have a voice-direction that provides turn-by-turn instructions vocally. It makes driving safer by allowing users to maintain attention on the road rather than continually checking the map. While including this feature in your location-based app development could help you get an additional star on your rating scale.

7. Harmonization of Google calendar

The Waze app searches your Google Calendar for upcoming events while including various places or addresses, as soon as you sync with it. This eliminates the need to transfer between apps and saves time by making it simple to check the position, EAT, and other details.

8. Notification Alert

Push notification systems let consumers know about any problems on their travel, such road closures, to improve their experience.

The ideal elements to incorporate into your app have been sufficiently discussed between us. Be aware that these features may effect your budget and raise the cost of developing a navigation app similar to Waze, but they are worthwhile.

How Much Does It Cost to Build a GPS Navigation App Like Waze?

Although the final cost may vary depending solely on multiple features and functionalities, the normal range for developing an application like Waze is between $15,000 and $50,000. For more accurate price estimation you can use an app development cost calculator. 

The development expenses for the main features are broken down as, Low-complexity features like basic navigation cost between $5,000 and $10,000, medium-complexity features like real-time traffic data cost between $3,000 and $10,000, user reporting for accidents and other options which is related to the notification alerts costs between $2,000 and $7,000, turn-by-turn navigation costs between $3,000 and $10,000, social features cost between $2,000 and $13,000, and more. 

An effective tool for figuring out how these features affect the total cost is a mobile App Cost Calculator..

Summary;

With expenses usually ranging from $15,000 to $50,000, creating a navigation software similar to Waze can be a profitable asset for your business. And the cost of it highly depends on the features, functionalities and complexities of an app. While purchasing or even downloading a well-designed navigation software could be profitable given the growing need for location-based services. You can make sure you produce a competitive, feature-rich product and accurately estimate the costs involved, such an app by using a mobile app development cost calculator.