build video chat app Development Guide
A complete guide to build video chat app development
Remote work has become the norm since the Covid-19 pandemic hit the world. Personal and professional communication is carried out through applications that connect people from different parts of the world. Video calls and video conferences have become more common than ever before. The video conferencing market generated a revenue of $5.77 billion in 2020 and $6.28 billion in 2021. In this article, we will discuss the benefits of video chat apps to a business, how they can be developed, and their cost.
Benefits of video chat platforms for a business
There are 5 benefits of video chat platforms for a business in any industry operating from any part of the world. They are discussed below:
- Can reach out to audiences across the globe
- Can have direct conversations with prospective clients to help them make a purchase decision faster
- Be available to your customers 24/7 to engage, serve and get feedback
- Increase productivity of your internal team during remote work
- Data security
3 categories of a video chat solution
There are three categories of build video chat app . Before one decides to develop a video chat solution, the purpose of creating the video chat application should be specified. The video chat app is categorized based on the purpose for which it is developed. Here are the three categories and examples under each:
Video conferencing application
first Video conferences that involve huge participation like 500 or 1000 users in a single meeting can be used by businesses and e-learning platforms.
Three widely used video conferencing applications are,
- Zoom
- Skype
- Google hangout
Video calling applications
When you create a video call api for android, it should also have video chat and video conference features. Video conferences can be for a limited number of participants and it is mostly for personal use. Although, businesses can also utilize these applications for internal and external communication purposes. The three most used video calling applications throughout the globe are,
- Facebook messenger
- FaceTime
Entertainment applications
Entertainment is a must because all work and no play make Jack a dull boy. Best social video chat apps allow their users to chat while watching movies/videos or even while playing games within the application. Three well-known entertainment apps are,
- Houseparty
- Discord
- Rave
Steps to build a video chat application
Businesses can either build a video chat application as a stand-alone product or integrate it into an existing application. Follow these five major steps to develop a video chat application from scratch and successfully launch it in the marketing.
Step 1 – Hire app developers
You can either hire app developers in-house or outsource it. If you would like to keep your product under the wraps and want someone to work closely with you in a brick and mortar office setup, you have the time, money, and resources to hire developers you can opt to hire in-house developers. But if you are comfortable with remote communication and would like to save time, money, and energy on finding talent, then hiring freelancers is a good choice. You can hire freelance developers from any part of the world and can choose from a large pool of talent.
Step 2 – Design of the application
Any application that is simple and easy-to-use is always a hit. People will be using the application on their own and it should not be a herculean task for them to navigate through it. People of any age, any background should be able to use the application. Customization and personalization is an added advantage.
Step 3 – Backend development
The foundation of any video chat app development is server logic. Though there are several ways to build backend, there are two main ways for backend development of an application. You can either utilize software as a service (SaaS) solutions to save on time or build an app from scratch if you are keen on 100% flexibility.
Step 4 – Integration of video streaming protocol
Web real-time communication (WebRTC) protocol is what enables the transmission of live audio and video through an app. All the data transmission through servers – audio, video, chat, and file transfer is made possible only by WebRTC. Also, developers should use WebRTC as a secure protocol to create a HIPAA-compliant video call application.
Step 5 – Testing the application
Any software product that is developed has to undergo testing to make sure that there are no bugs. Any bugs in the coding of the application result in desync of audio-video, compromised security, or failure to run functions as programmed. When the app is launched in the market for the users, it should be free of errors. Feedback from beta users can be worked upon to make the product better but only when it is functioning to its maximum capacity, it will be successful in the market. The application goes through acceptance testing, system testing, integration testing, and unit testing.
Advanced features of video chat application
To build an application that stands out in the market and captures the attention of your target audience, it needs to have advanced features. The best 3 advanced features for a video chat application are described below:
Screen sharing
Screen share is a must-have feature in any video chat application be it intended for personal use or professional use. Personally, people can use screen share to stream games, watch movies, videos, and images together, or learn. Professionally, people can use screen sharing to share information, make presentations, present tutorials where transfer of knowledge is made possible by sharing screen rather than sharing files and expecting users to check it out on their own.
Virtual noise cancellation
In today’s day and age, everyone is working from home. In this scenario, background noise is unavoidable. This makes it important to have a virtual noise cancellation feature within the application. Developers can use deep learning algorithms to differentiate participants’ voices from the background noise. Though this feature requires complex coding and a lot of time to develop, it is worth it. In case you are pressed on time or resources, you can also use turn-key solutions such as Krisp to develop a video call app with a virtual noise cancellation feature.
Custom stickers and emojis
Customization and personalization are something that all users look for in an app these days. Creating an environment for your users to have inside conversations and develop meaningful relationships using your app is what guarantees success for your video chat app. Offer a custom sticker pack in your video call app that allows the users to create their stickers and emojis to share inside jokes and unleash their creativity.
Cost of video chat app development
The cost of video chat app development is based on the platform you want to develop it on, the features you want to have, the developers you hire, requirements of the platform, and server capabilities. Here are the average cost details for the most common requirements for video chat app development:
| Particulars | Cost (in USD) |
| Registration | $720 |
| Audio and video calls | $7,200 |
| Live chat | #3,600 |
| Screen sharing | $1,800 |
| AI translation | $10,800 |
| Video conferences | $1,800 |
