With ever-dwindling mobile storage spaces and the ever-increasing number of apps, industry experts believe that the time of the super app has come. Super apps like WeChat and Gojek have tasted success in China and other eastern markets and have got people interested in super app development.
Experts believe that super apps will emerge as one of the latest mobile app development trends. If you are one of those entrepreneurs who want to enter the lucrative space of super apps, then this blog will guide you. We have covered the major concepts of the super app and have shed light on some benefits of super apps, along with some successful examples of super apps.
What is a Super App?
A super app is a platform built by a company that offers a wide range of services in a single app. The services include shopping services, food delivery, insurance and banking services, payment transfers, and even social media.
Uber is a good example of a super app. Uber started as a taxi-hailing service but now has expanded into food delivery through UberEats and into courier delivery through UberFlash and has emerged as one of the biggest super app contenders.
Top Benefits of Super Apps
There are a lot of benefits that make super app development a lucrative business proposition. We have discussed the major ones below.
- The size of the target audience increases
- Cost-effective to build several mini-apps
- Simpler onboarding process
- Shortens the way to the desired action
- Uniform and individual user experience
- Domestic and foreign retailers get easy access to market
- Customers stay on the app for a longer time
Key Elements of a Super App
In super app development, the developers build an app that contains different mini-apps. Whether you have an in-house development team or you want to outsource your mobile app development to one of the top mobile app development companies, you will need to define the various mini-apps that you want to include in your super app. We have identified the most common mini-apps that are found in a typical super app.
Social Platform
Consider including a social messaging app in your super app. WeChat started as a social media app. A social media app will help you build a loyal user base and will boost your brand image.
Ecommerce Services
Ecommerce is another min-app that you can include when you go for super app development. Ecommerce transactions across the world are spiraling, and eCommerce is becoming an integral part of the day-to-day lives of consumers.
Food Delivery
A food delivery mini-app can prove to be a worthwhile addition to your super app. You could also tie-up with restaurants and provide a table reservation feature.
Transportation Services
A transportation services mini-app can prove to be another important addition to your super app. You can include apps that offer cab/bike booking services and car/bike-sharing services in this category.
Personal Finance
Another essential mini-app that one can include in a super app is an app related to personal finance. Apps like banking apps and expense managers come under the personal finance space.
Travel Services
Wanderlust is the new in-thing, especially amongst the young generation. To tap the young customer base, include a travel mini-app when you prepare your mobile app business plan for your super app. A travel mini-app in your super app can help travelers book hotels or homestays, avail of travel insurance, book tours in the places they want to visit and allow users to compare and book a flight, bus, and train tickets.
Billpay
Most super apps provide a bill payment utility mini-app. This is because they know that most of the users will need to pay bills online for utility services such as electricity, phone bills, gas bills, and so on. You will gain access to valuable user data like the amount of electricity and gas consumption in a particular household through utility bill payment apps.
Health Services
You can include a healthcare mini-app that provides health services like booking appointments for healthcare, telehealth calls, booking nurse services, and ordering medicines online. Such a healthcare app will provide a lot of value to the end-users.
Insurance Services
You can provide an insurance mini-program that helps the users avail of various insurance products. The users can buy insurance policies and also submit claims through the insurance mini-app.
Government and Public Services
Consider including mini-programs that provide government services when you go for super app development. The mini-apps can provide the user services such as public transportation payments, access to public libraries, and raising complaints about government services.
The Most Successful Super Apps
Although super apps still have a long way to go in terms of widespread global adoption, there are phenomenal success stories that make a case for super app development. We have discussed below some of the most successful super apps operating in the market today.
WeChat started as a social messaging app but then transformed itself into a super app. WeChat caters to the needs of more than 1 billion people and is consistently expanding its horizons with new offerings.
WeChat features
- Movie tickets
- Messaging and calling app
- Search engine
- E-wallet
- Booking rail and flight tickets, taxi
- Newsfeed
- Bills
- Public services
- Hotel booking
- Ecommerce through flash sales
- QR Code Scan
- WeChat localization
Alipay
Alipay is one of the largest super apps in the super app realm. Alipay is associated with the Alibaba Group, and Alipay offers a wide range of features for managing finances, shopping, and ordering services. Alipay has more than 900 million users globally.
Alipay features
- E-wallet
- Supports transactions in 14 currencies
- Recommendations
- Payments
Grab
Grab is another major Asian super app in the super app space. Transportation is Grab’s major feature, and now the company has expanded into online payments and good delivery. Around 122 million users use Grab for various services.
Grab features
- Cab booking
- Loans
- Food delivery
- Insurance services
- Payments
- Assistance
- GrabCash
- GrabPay
- GrabWallet
- GrabBenefits
- GrabFood
Super App Development is the future
As we can see, the Super apps vary in their functionalities and their key areas. Experts predict that soon the number of super apps operating in the world will explode. Super apps will change the dynamics of mobile app development in the future. So if you are interested in super app development, then the best time to do so is now, when the space is still growing.
Meta: Super Apps are the future as they provide several essential services on a single platform. This quick guide to super apps will help businesses know and understand about it.
An enthusiastic Operations Manager at TopDevelopers.co - A dedicated directory of IT service providers, coordinating and managing the technical and functional areas. She is an adventure lover, passionate traveller, and an admirer of nature, who believes that a cup of coffee is prime source to feel rejuvenated. Researching and writing about technology keeps her boosted and enhances her professional journeying.
