The educational app market is booming, driven by the increasing demand for convenient and accessible learning solutions. Mobile devices have become ubiquitous, and people are increasingly using them to access learning content. This has created a huge opportunity for e-learning apps, which offer a convenient and engaging way to learn.
From our experience in the Education industry, this article will provide a detailed guideline on the education app, from the definition, types, advantages, features to development guide and estimated time and costs. Building an educational app is a lot of work, but it can be a very rewarding experience. So, if you are ready to start building your educational app, then read on!
Table of Contents
1. About Educational App
1.1. What is an Educational App?
An educational app is a mobile app that is designed to help people learn. Educational apps can cover a wide range of topics, from basic literacy and maths skills to more advanced subjects like science, history, music and foreign language.
Educational apps typically use a variety of interactive features to engage users and make learning fun. These features can include games, simulations, quizzes, and videos. They can be a great way to supplement traditional learning methods, or they can be used to learn new skills completely independently.
1.2. Market Overview
According to Polaris Market Research, The global E-learning market was valued at USD 214.26 billion in 2021, and the global e-learning app market is expected to reach USD 840.11 billion by 2030, registering a CAGR of 17.5% from 2021 to 2030. The growth of the market is being driven by factors such as the increasing demand for convenient and accessible learning solutions, the growing popularity of mobile devices, and the rising adoption of e-learning in the corporate sector.
The education app development industry is constantly evolving, and there are a number of trends that are shaping the way that educational apps are being designed and developed. Some of the most notable trends include:
- Gamification: Gamification is the use of game elements in non-game contexts. It is a popular trend in education app development, as it can help to make learning more engaging and fun.
- Personalisation: Personalised learning is becoming increasingly popular, as it allows learners to learn at their own pace and in a way that is relevant to their interests.
- Social learning: Social learning is a type of learning that occurs through interaction with others. It is a popular trend in education app development, as it can help learners to connect with others who are interested in the same topics.
- Artificial intelligence (AI): AI is being used in a variety of ways in education app development, such as to personalise learning, provide feedback, and grade assignments.
- Virtual reality (VR): VR is a technology that allows users to immerse themselves in a virtual environment. It is being used in education apps to provide learners with a more engaging and realistic learning experience.
- Augmented reality (AR): AR is a technology that superimposes a computer-generated image on a user’s view of the real world. It is being used in education apps to provide learners with interactive learning experiences.
- Microlearning: Microlearning is a learning approach that focuses on delivering small, bite-sized pieces of content. This is a trend that is gaining popularity in education, as it can help learners to learn more efficiently and effectively.
- Data analytics: Data analytics is the process of collecting and analysing data to gain insights. This is a trend that is becoming increasingly important in education app development, as it can help developers to understand how learners are using their apps and make improvements to the user experience.
The e-learning app market is a highly competitive market, and the key players are constantly innovating to offer differentiated products and services. The market is also expected to witness the entry of new players in the coming years.
1.3. Types of Educational Apps
Learning Management System (LMS) Apps
This type of app is often used by educational institutions to manage and track student progress, as well as manage course delivery and training programs. Otherwise, companies’ demand for training their employees is also increasing, that’s why LMS has increased its popularity since they need inclusive and flexible training. From 2021 to 2022, the demand for LMS platforms spiked due to the growing practice of bringing your own device (BYOD) among companies. By 2026, the global LMS market is expected to reach $37.9 billion. Some popular learning management system apps include Canvas, Blackboard, and Moodle.
Educational Games
These apps use games to teach users about a variety of topics. They can be a fun and engaging way to learn, and they can also help to improve problem-solving skills and critical thinking. These types of apps often include an attractive user interface (UI), and exciting assignments with different scenarios that allow users to role-play and experience. However, these apps are quite complex to develop. Some popular educational games include Duolingo, Minecraft Education Edition, and Starfall.
Language Learning Apps
These apps teach users a new language through a variety of interactive activities, such as games, quizzes, and flashcards. As the need of studying foreign languages has risen, this app category fared exceptionally well in 2022, with a 31% YoY growth. Moreover, in this market type, there is a trend of adding Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) in learning languages, leading to the improvement of learning, thus prompting market growth. Some popular language learning apps include Duolingo, Babbel, and Memrise.
Online Courses
These apps offer courses on a variety of topics, from basic literacy and maths skills to more advanced subjects like science, history, and foreign languages. Online Courses Apps are a great way to learn new skills, upskill and access high-quality courses worldwide while staying at your own pace. Some popular online course apps include Coursera, edX, and Udacity.
Educational App for Teachers
These apps are designed to help teachers plan and deliver lessons, track and grade student progress, analyse student performance and communicate with parents. These apps also help teachers in solving any problems that arise during the learning process. Some popular educational apps for teachers include ClassDojo, Nearpod, and Seesaw.
1.4. Top 10 Successful Educational Apps on the Market
Duolingo
Duolingo is a free language learning app that offers courses in over 30 languages. It uses a gamified approach to learning, with users earning points and levelling up as they progress. Duolingo is one of the most popular educational apps in the world, with over 500 million downloads.
Khan Academy
Khan Academy is a free online learning platform that offers courses on a wide range of subjects, including maths, science, history, and economics. Khan Academy’s videos and interactive exercises are designed to be engaging and effective, and the platform is used by millions of learners around the world.
Minecraft Education Edition
Minecraft Education Edition is a version of the popular video game Minecraft that is designed for use in schools. It includes a variety of features that make it a valuable educational tool, such as the ability to create custom worlds, import and export data, and collaborate with other players.
Quizlet
Quizlet is a free flashcard app that allows users to create and share flashcards. Quizlet’s flashcards can be used to learn a variety of subjects, and the app also includes a variety of games and activities that can help users to review their knowledge.
Starfall
Starfall is a free app that teaches young children reading and math skills. Starfall’s games and activities are designed to be engaging and fun, and the app has been used by millions of children around the world.
Brilliant
Brilliant is a paid app that offers courses on a variety of subjects, including maths, physics, computer science, and data science. Brilliant’s courses are designed to be challenging and engaging, and the app includes a variety of interactive exercises and assessments.
TED-Ed
TED-Ed is a free app that offers educational videos from the TED-Ed website. TED-Ed’s videos are on a variety of topics, and they are designed to be engaging and informative.
Code.org
Code.org is a free website and app that teaches kids how to code. Code.org’s courses are designed to be fun and engaging, and the app includes a variety of interactive activities and games.
Scratch
Scratch is a free online programming language that is designed for kids. Scratch’s programming language is visual, making it easy for kids to learn how to code. Scratch also includes a variety of community features that allow kids to share their projects with others.
Udacity
Udacity is a paid online learning platform that offers courses on a variety of subjects, including computer science, data science, and artificial intelligence. Udacity’s courses are taught by industry experts, and the platform includes a variety of interactive exercises and assessments.
2. Advantages of developing an Educational App
There are many advantages to developing an educational app. Here are some of the most notable:
- Convenience: Educational apps can be accessed anywhere and at any time, making them a convenient way to learn.
- Engagement: Educational apps use a variety of interactive features to make learning fun and engaging.
- Personalisation: Many educational apps allow users to personalise their learning experience, so they can learn at their own pace and in a way that is relevant to their interests.
- Affordability: Educational apps are often much more affordable than traditional learning methods, such as taking classes or hiring a tutor.
- Accessibility: Educational apps can be made accessible to people with disabilities, making them a valuable tool for everyone.
- Scalability: Educational apps can be scaled to reach a large audience, making them a great way to share knowledge and learning opportunities.
- Marketability: Educational apps can be marketed to a wide range of audiences, making them a potentially profitable business venture.
3. What Features Are Important For An Educational App?
3.1. Core Features
- Registration: The app should allow people to register for classes and courses. This could include information such as their name, email address, and contact information.
- Learning analytics: The app should collect data about how students are using the content. This data could be used to identify areas where students are struggling and to help teachers provide personalised feedback.
- Communication: The app should allow teachers to communicate with students and parents. This could include sending messages, posting announcements, and holding virtual office hours.
3.2. For Students
- Search Option: The app should allow students to search for content by topic, keyword, or difficulty level. This will help them to find the content they need quickly and easily.
- Push Notifications: The app should send notifications to students about upcoming events, deadlines, and changes to the content. This will help them to stay informed and on track.
- Feedback: The app should allow students to provide feedback on the course, the content and the app itself. This will help the teachers to improve the course qualifications and developers to improve the app and make it more user-friendly.
- Progress tracking: The app should allow students to track their progress through the content. This could include information such as the number of lessons completed, the number of quizzes passed, and the overall grade.
3.3. For Teachers
- Content creation: The app should allow teachers to create and manage content. This could include adding new lessons, editing existing lessons, and uploading resources.
- Curriculum planning: The app should allow teachers to plan their curriculum. This could include creating lesson plans, setting deadlines, and tracking student progress.
- Reporting: The app should allow teachers to generate reports on student progress. This could include information such as the number of lessons completed, the number of quizzes passed, and the overall grade.
4. Building an Educational App: Step by Step
STEP 1: Market research and analysis: One of the most important things you need to do when starting to develop an educational app is to thoroughly understand the market and how your competitors survive. The more data you have access to, the better decisions can be made. But remember to analyse them in a proper way to make sure you take full advantage of them.
STEP 2: Plan and Discovery Phase: After realising the idea of your educational app’s features, it’s time to start to create the initial design of your app and work with the development team to understand what you are trying to make and stay involved throughout the entire process. What do you want your app to achieve? Do you want to teach a specific topic? Help students learn a new skill? Or simply make learning more fun and engaging? Remember that necessary features might leave your users frustrated and make them uninstall your app
STEP 3: UI/UX Design: The UI is the first thing users will see, so it’s important to make sure it’s attractive and easy to use. Use a variety of design elements, such as colours, fonts, and images, to create a visually appealing and user-friendly UI. Also, make sure that your app design is easy to use and accessible to all users, this is UX design.
STEP 4: Development Process: The backend is the part of the app that handles the data and logic. This includes things like storing user information, processing payments, and managing bookings. The backend is essential for the app to function properly, so it’s important to develop it carefully. Turning to front-end development, you should build the server-side of your product, including user interface, client-side logic, and then integrate it with the back-end.
When developing, the first step toward is to build an MVP that ensures low development costs and effort. This could help you define how many users accept your app idea before investing more money into scaling your app.
STEP 5: Testing: Once the app is developed, it’s important to test it thoroughly to make sure it works properly. Depending on the web app functionalities and features, following testing methods can be used:
- UI/UX Testing: evaluate components’ interactivity with customers
- Functionality Testing: determine whether the product meets the specified requirements
- Regression Testing: check if modification breaks the website’s overall flow
- Compatibility Testing: check the software’s functionality utilising an operating system, an app, mobile devices and a network environment.
STEP 6: Release: Once the app is tested and ready to go, it’s time to release it to the public. This involves submitting the app to the app store and promoting it to potential users.
STEP 7: Maintenance & Updating: After deployment, remember to regularly maintain and update your web app to ensure it remains secure, stable and up-to-date with the latest technologies and user needs. Updating the app will help you to keep users engaged and satisfied.
5. Tech Stack
- Front-end development: ReactJS, Angular,
- Back-end development: Node.js, Phyton, PHP
- Mobile development: iOS – Swift, Android – Java, Cross-platform – Flutter, React Native
- Web development: Javascript, HTML, CSS, Vue.js, React.js
- Databases: Firebase, MySQL, MongoDB,
- Multiple payment modes: PayPal, Braintree, Stripe
- SMS, Phone Verification, Voice: Twilio, Nexmo
- Email management: Mandrill
- Push notifications: Twilio, Push.io
- In-app messaging and calling: Twilio
- Calendar: Google Calendar API
- Real-time analysis: Apache Flink or Kafka
- Cloud environment: Amazon Web Services (AWS), Google, Microsoft Azure.
6. How Much Does It Take To Develop An Educational App?
The cost and time of developing a Hotel Booking App will depend on many factors like:
- Tech stack
- Platform choices (iOS, Android, website…)
- Functionality
- Design
- Team size
- Hourly rates
- Developer’s qualifications
We’ll look at the educational app development cost by location of the development team, it varies from $40,000 to $150,000. It can be seen that choosing a dedicated team from South Asia would help you reduce a lot in building your telemedicine app.
Source: GoodFirm
Regarding development time, if your educational app does not require any specific UI and functionalities, it would take around 2-3 months. But if you need a more complex and challenging app, the time your team should spend will be 4-6 months.
If you don’t have an in-house development team, partnering with a vendor is the best and most cost-efficient option for you. By finding vendors from other countries with a lower cost of living, you can also save money and repurpose them for other business expenses like marketing activities.
7. Top Monetisation Strategies for Educational App Development
There are many ways to make money from an educational app. Here are a few of the most common methods:
- In-app purchases: This is the most common way to make money from educational apps. In-app purchases allow users to buy additional content, features, or services within the app. For example, an educational app that teaches a foreign language might allow users to purchase additional vocabulary packs or practice quizzes.
- Subscriptions: This is another popular way to make money from educational apps. Subscriptions allow users to access the app for a monthly or yearly fee. This is a good option for apps that offer a lot of content or features. For example, an educational app that teaches a programming language might offer a subscription that gives users access to all of the courses and tutorials.
- Advertising: This is a less common way to make money from educational apps, but it can be a viable option for some apps. Advertising allows you to display ads within your app. When users click on the ads, you will earn a commission. This is a good option for apps that have a large user base. For example, an educational app that teaches maths might display ads for maths-related products or services.
Conclusion
Building an educational app is a great way of rewarding experience, both personally and professionally. In this post, we have provided a detailed guideline on how to build an educational app in 2023. We have given you everything you need to know about educational app and also covered everything in your development, from defining your goals to launching your app. We hope that this post has given you the information you need to start building your own educational app. Good luck!
If you want to choose a reliable technology partner in Asia to build your educational app, contact us to start together today! AgileTech is an experienced technology outsourcing company that has intense experience in this market, so we can help you with building web and mobile products and creating a clear picture for your business to succeed. Maybe your product will be outstanding in the e-learning industry.