How Much Does It Cost to Build a Food Delivery App Like HungerStation?

In recent years, food delivery apps like HungerStation have been earning significant revenue due to the increased demand for people wanting their necessary stuff at their doorsteps.

Food isn’t an exception, especially when everyone is so busy in the rush of daily life.

A report by Grand View Research Inc. revealed that the global market of online food delivery apps and services is expected to increase up to 235.95 billion US dollars by the year 2030.

However, just creating the application will not be enough unless it's planned out properly with enough research and analysis of the market.

The demand for food delivery apps increased especially during the COVID-19 pandemic and has become people’s go-to choice ever since.

As urbanization continues to thrive, the population will be more likely to depend on these kinds of applications, even more with the increasing use of smartphones and almost mandatory internet access.

A food ordering app is constantly growing its demand among the population, especially working-class people or students who are busy most of the time even thinking about cooking.

In this article, you will learn how you can proceed with a food delivery app development like HungerStation and how much it might cost you considering all the factors.

What is a HungerStation App?

HungerStation, launched in 2012, is the most popular food-ordering app in Saudi Arabia. It was created to bridge the gap between customers and eateries.

It has partnerships with over 55,000 stores across the city and has been a time-savior for people. Making food deliveries accessible with the internet and a user-friendly app has reached its urban targeted audience, which is tech-savvy.

The application doesn’t only provide the options for online food delivery but also groceries and other essentials.

The aim of creating such an application was to provide convenience to urban people busy with their day-to-day schedules who are finding it hard to personally shop for everything.

The application is available on both the Google Play Store and Apple Store.

If you plan on launching a multi-purpose delivery application like HungerStation, you’re more likely to get a good percentage of profits, depending on the quality and services offered.

Here are some key features of the application you could keep in mind:

• Provides both food and grocery delivery options.
• Secure payment method. 
• Options to pay via multiple payment modes. 
• Track your order status in real-time. 
• Filter out the nearby restaurants and grocery stores. 
• The application provides the option for contactless delivery.

The market is on the rise for food delivery app development, check out the restaurant app development guide.

What will be the Cost to Create a Delivery App like HungerStation?

The cost of creating a delivery app may be affected by various factors and the type of application you want.

In simpler words, the more complex the application is, the more money is needed to be invested into it to add in the extra features.

Some of the factors that may add to the cost are the development you’ll be hiring, the amount of features you need to add to the app, and the complexity level of the app.

To create a food ordering app such as HungerStation, you might be required to keep aside an estimated sum of $30,000 to $40,000. However, here’s an estimate of the cost based on the complexity:

• Basic — $30,000 to $50,000 (3-6 months duration)
  
  
• Moderately Complex — $50,000 to $140,000 (6-9 months duration)
  
  
• Highly Complex — $140,000 to $250,000 or more (over 9 months duration)

The global food delivery market is expected to have over 2.5 billion users worldwide by the year 2029, as stated by Statista report.

What are the Factors affecting the cost of food delivery app development?

Here are some of the factors that affect the app development cost mentioned below:

1) Cost Related to Research & Planning

Before setting up the application, you will be investing in a thorough market research and planning process to help analyze the market trends and consumer needs.

Furthermore, it is necessary to run extensive competitor research in the market to establish the uniqueness of your app.

2) Designing Cost

The most essential factor will be the design cost. If you aim to build a highly prolific food-ordering app like HungerStation, then you may need to invest more in an efficient user interface for the app, custom additions, and other advanced functions.

A basic design will surely lower the cost but the quality of the app adds to the users’ experience.

3) Backend Structure

Efficient app development requires a top-notch selection of backend structure to enable the proper functioning and scale-up of the application. The complexity of the backend infrastructure will add to the cost of food delivery app development.

The high-scale backend features may include data management, secure payment processing, and the smooth operation of other services.

4) Development Cost

The development of applications includes various stages, starting with planning which sets the groundwork for the application’s scope and requirements.

The next stage will be development for coding and integrations. Then it will lead to testing to identify any errors and establish the smooth sailing of work.

Lastly, the implementation or deployment stage is where the app is launched. Every stage contributes to the overall cost of app development.

5) Hiring Development Team

Whether you decide to hire an in-house development team or outsource it, this step influences the cost of food ordering app development significantly.

You might be requiring a project manager, tech lead, mobile app developers, backend developers, business analysts, UX/UI designers, and more. This will surely add to the cost.

6) Maintenance and Upgrading

The maintenance of the food delivery application is constant and affects the overall cost. Regular updates, customer support, and other functions may add to the cost.

If you aim to create a delivery app like HungerStation in the food delivery market, then maintenance expenses are expected as it’s not a one-time investment.

Must Read: How Much Does it Cost to Build a Food Delivery App in 2024?

How to Build a Food Delivery App Like HungerStation?

To build an application like HungerStation, you will need extensive project planning and research on the food delivery industry.

This will ensure you will have a clear idea of what your vision is for your application and that your planning aligns with it.

Here’s what you need to do to develop an app like HungerStation:

1) Conduct a thorough Market Research

The first step would be to study the market and analyze the consumer’s needs, identify the competitors, and look for market trends.

This will ensure you will develop a UVP (unique selling proposition) for your application. This is a unique value that will set you apart from other players in the industry.

2) Decide on the App Features

Establish the core features of the app that will serve as the ground value. These features may include a registration process, exploring options for restaurants and stores, customization of orders, tracking status, and multiple payment modes.

3) UI/UX Designing

The interface of your application must be user-friendly, easy to navigate, and engaging for your customers.

This includes designing an easy-to-navigate menu panel and a smooth ordering process. The customers shall not find your application difficult to understand; this may lead them away.

4) App Development

This step requires you to choose the tech stack to proceed with app development. This will include integrating APIs for payments, GPS tracking, push notifications, real-time notifications, and backend and frontend development.

5) Testing

After the development, start test runs to ensure all the features are running efficiently and serving their purpose. The testing stage includes functional, performance, and user acceptance testing levels.

6) Launching

Launch the application on the chosen platforms. This step doesn’t end at just releasing the app; you are also required to implement the necessary marketing strategies to expose your app to users.

Marketing will include promotions, collaboration with the restaurants, and other digital marketing methods.

7) Monitor the Performance

After the launch of your food delivery app, you’re required to monitor its performance and analyze the feedback. Ensure there are regular updates and enhancements based on the feedback given by users.

What makes HungerStation Stand Out?

HungerStation set itself apart from its competitors due to its unique value proposition (UVP).

They launched the app with its unique delivery timings from 8 am to 2 am and a multi-purpose delivery business model that not only delivers food but also groceries and other essentials at its customers’ doorsteps.

This was the major game-changer in the industry, adding to its popularity and demand.

It charges a platform fee at a percentage ranging from 5% to 25% depending on the scale and services of the restaurant.

It also generates its revenue from other charges, such as commission fees from the restaurant on each order placed, delivery charges imposed on the customers, promotion fees from food chains and restaurants, and subscription plans.

What is the Scope of Online Food Ordering App In India?

As per the Statista report, India is expected to reach a revenue of USD 43.78 billion in 2024 in the online food delivery market.

However, by the year 2029, the numbers are expected to grow to a volume of USD 91.88 billion expanding the market further.

On the other hand, the online grocery market is expected to rise by 30.7% in 2025, displaying a bright future for multi-purpose delivery businesses.

The meal delivery market in India is expecting the users of online food delivery apps to see a rapid growth of 351.2 million by 2029.

The online food ordering app businesses are growing rapidly with the increasing demand of the population.

How to use Food Delivery Apps like HungerStation?

Food ordering apps have made people’s lives easier and brought positive changes to our lifestyles with the way we eat.

Offering us a convenient and easy way to order food from several choices of restaurants and have it delivered to our doorsteps, this is how these apps typically work:

1. Registration or Sign-up

New users will have to register themselves with the application to create an account on the platform. This step will require relevant information such as the name of the user, address, email ID, contact number, etc.

2. Explore and Choose the Restaurant

The users may explore the number of restaurants displayed on the home page or search via the search bar for any specific cuisine or nearby restaurants. Customers can browse through the menus, ratings, and more. They can also use the filters on the app to enhance their preference.

3. Place the Order

After the customers have selected their orders and added them to the cart, they will be redirected to the order finalization page where they can customize the order, and add discount coupons or users exclusive codes.

4. Processing of Payment

Customers will be able to choose their preferred payment mode out of the various options available such as debit cards, credit cards, payment-specific wallets, and COD. After the payment is confirmed, the order will be sent to the restaurants.

5. Restaurant Prepares the Order

After the restaurant is notified of the customer’s order, they will start to prepare the food. This step allows the customers to track the order status on the app in real-time.

6. Order Pick-up

The assigned delivery agent will pick up the order from the restaurant immediately after it’s been prepared. The location updater of the delivery agent will be displayed on the app for the customers to track.

7. Final Delivery

The delivery agent will drop the order at the given time with live updates. If the option is contactless delivery; the agent will drop the order off at the doorstep. The agent may also be required to collect the payment in the case of a cash-on-delivery option.

8. Customer Ratings and Feedback

Customers may choose to provide feedback and ratings for the food and delivery service after receiving their orders. This helps other users in making informed choices.

Ensure such features are added to your food delivery application, just like HungerStation. This will add to the smooth sailing of the order processing and customer satisfaction.

Recommended Read: How Can Retail Mobile Applications Help Businesses Stay Competitive?

What Should Be the Key Features of the Food Delivery App?

There are many features that can enhance your food delivery app development but here are some of the key features mentioned below:

1) Multiple Payment Modes

If you add the feature of multiple payment modes to your application, it will be accessible to more people with limited payment modes.

Customers would be able to preferably choose their payment method at their convenience. Some of the modes that could be added are cards, net banking, UPI, Cash on Delivery, and more.

2) Filters

Adding filters will give customers a satisfactory experience. HungerStation has been the leading player in the market to adapt to this feature.

Customers will find it easier to order if they can filter out the restaurants and stores by distance, ratings, and pricing range.

There are more food-related filters that help them out better while ordering, such as veg or non-veg food, vegan or non-vegan food, and more.

3) Schedule for Later Option

Customers having the option to “schedule a delivery for later” will give them flexibility. They can make use of this feature for pre-planned events or get-togethers.

Having ordered the food for the scheduled time will make the ordering experience stress-free while providing them with freshly made food just for the time they scheduled.

Working professionals are likely to use these features more often.

4) Categorize the restaurants by badges

This feature can be adapted to categorize the stores with labels such as restaurants serving entirely vegetarian food or vegan food. This will build trust among customers for the app.

Furthermore, there could be the highest ratings or major discount badges for it easier for the customers to find their trusted food choices.

How Arramton Infotech can help you create a Delivery App like HungerStation?

The demand for food delivery app development is on the surge as the food delivery businesses have been on an unstoppable rise.

Satisfactory customers' experiences of ordering food from anywhere and having it land on their doorsteps are keeping the market filled with revenues with no signs of slowing down.

The multi-delivery industry is seeing a great boon, making it a perfect business choice. You can take advantage of this growing industry for your business and Arramton Infotech can help you with it.

You can have a food delivery app created from scratch with our food delivery app development company. Our skilled mobile app developers have years of expertise under their belt to assist you with top-notch services.

Read here for more information.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q. What to do to start a food delivery app?

Ans. To start a food delivery app, you will need thorough market research on the user's needs, competitors, and more. Having restaurants listed on your app will require you to secure partnerships with them, and the most important suggestion is to comply with legal requirements for such businesses.

Q. What is the cost of building a food ordering app?

Ans. The cost of app development is affected by several factors. However, the complexity of the app is the major factor. The basic design will cut you some cost, but apps like HungerStation will require an investment of approximately $30,000 to $250,000.

Q. How long does it take to develop the app?

Ans. Depending on the model, it may take between 3 and 9 months. The complexity level adds to the duration of app development. Factors including the third-party services, integration, and the overall development process affect the timeline.

Q. What are the best user-friendly features?

Ans. Food delivery apps like HungerStation include features like an easy sign-up or registration process, an easily accessible menu, filter options, multiple payment modes, and more. The design and layout of the app should be easy to navigate for the users, with browsing options to explore more restaurants and stores.

Q. How do food delivery apps make money?

Ans. The food delivery applications make money via multiple channels, such as commission fees imposed on the restaurants per order placed, delivery charges added to the total bill of the customers, app advertising services, subscription services, service charges, etc.