How Much Does it Cost to Develop a Logistics App Like Uber Freight?

In today’s times, we do not have to give a second thought to our commute options when traveling, thanks to the convenience of transport solutions like the Uber mobile app. But other than for the purpose of a public cab, Uber-like services are needed in one more sector- the transport and logistics industry. They are becoming quite popular, given their benefits in helping logistics management. The cost to develop an app like Uber freight can range $30,000 to $200,000 or more, depending on the features and other functionalities you want in the app.

It is rather odd that logistics still is a tedious process because most organizations still need to add the benefits of a digital solution to their system. The presence of an app for logistics in the market that can be used for efficient fleet management and other logistics still needs to be included. But that also means there is space for you to launch your own logistics app, whether for your own company or for the public to use and change the game of logistics.

Market Statistics for Logistics App Development

• The global logistics market, according to reports, was valued at $7,641 billion in 2017, projected to reach $12,975 billion by the year 2027. It is growing at a CAGR of 6.5% between 2020 and 2027.
• With some digital solutions already entering the market, the global digital logistics market is projected to reach $46.5 billion by 2025 with a CAGR of 21.7%.
• North America holds the largest on-demand logistics market since 2019 with transportation and logistics covering over 70% of the freight movement.

Even though the adoption of logistics app development solutions is increasing, the presence of Uber-like apps for trucks still needs to grow. Only those few who have been able to grasp the importance of an app for logistics have shifted focus to demand logistics app development. The supply, however, is still short. Starting to build an app like Uber Freight for your company within this time is sure to give you an advantage over your competitors because the sooner you start, the sooner you receive its benefits.

How Uber Freight Addresses the Logistics and Supply Chain Issues?

Working with complete transparency and accountability, Uber Freight partners with shippers and carriers of all statures. The API solution provides completely modernized real-time pricing and digital brokerage solutions. Catering to scaling supply chain businesses, it provides a comprehensive transportation management system and end-to-end solutions with its domain expertise.

While providing clear visibility to everyday challenges that shippers and carriers face, the goods movement is made sustainable with better efficiency and increasing revenue impact on the overall business. The technological approach has made freight movement more accessible while increasing driver’s productivity and reducing operating costs.

Now that you have understood what the logistics market looks like and how the Uber Freight app works, the important aspect is how much does it cost to develop an app like Uber freight?

How Much Does Uber Freight Logistics App Development Cost?

When considering the price of developing a pickup truck app like Uber, ignore marketing ploys that promise to help you build one for around $15,000. In truth, estimating Uber Freight logistics app development cost would be correct only by understanding what you are considering generating and what kind of app you must develop.

But estimating the cost of app development is also relatively easy. All you need to do is consider the factors that influence the logistics app development costs. These can include the complexity of the app’s structure, the number of developing professionals in the team, the advanced features in your app, its UI/UX design, and operating systems.

The average Uber Freight logistics app development cost might range between $30,000 and $200,000+ based on the needs of the business. But this estimation is very rough and will be affected mainly by its features and the tech stack. Let us consider these factors in detail for you to understand and funnel down the requirements.

Features of Logistics App Development

Logistics and truck app development require you to have a list of features that you want to incorporate into your app. While some essential and basic features are needed, you can customize it as per your requirements. What are the features you think of when you consider Uber Freight features? Listed below are some features you want to consider:

Features for Shipper’s App

Registration and Login

Registration and login are the standard functionality you will need for your shipper’s app. You can permit registration and login via social networks or automated email if you want to offer services to consumers and organizations. This will expedite and streamline the procedure, much to the satisfaction of your clients.

Vehicle List

Uber shippers decide what cargo to take according to the location, cars, shipping destination, and other factors. Shippers should be able to select a certain vehicle type for transporting their cargo depending on its size and weight capacity so that carriers can make their own choice from the options available.

Vehicle Rentals

Planning ahead is common when shipping freight. When a person needs to depart immediately, they typically hire a cab. Allow your shippers the option to reserve a vehicle in advance to prevent situations where a suitable carrier is not available.

Reminders and Alerts

Because life is so busy, it’s common to forget things. Making a carrier wait because you forgot the day and hour your shipment was due is not good for the business. Since schedules are thrown off, some carriers charge shipments for waiting time. An app’s alerts and reminders can help you avoid this.

Payment Options

Do not restrict to just one mode of payment. Integrate different payment options in the app for shippers to receive payment for their services. This can include credit cards, net banking, wallet payments, etc. You can also go for building your own payment gateway for the app.

Features for Driver App

Sign up and Login

Registration to create an account can happen either through email or social media accounts. It will let drivers give consumers their own login ID and password after approving their delivery requests.

Shipment Information

The driver should be able to quickly view all pertinent cargo details, including dimensions, weight, type, pickup, and delivery locations, including pickup and delivery dates, prior to accepting the delivery.

Request for Management

In case of an accident or an emergency, a system should be in place to allow carriers to cancel the shipment.

Route Tracking and Improvement

For the drivers’ convenience, they should be able to follow the location of each cargo pickup and even the end destination where they need to deliver the package.

[Know how to add a geolocation feature in a mobile app.]

Features for Admin Panel

Dashboard

Orders, both pending and completed, as well as information on shippers, carriers, and vehicles, should be found here.

Billing Administration

You want to make sure that the basic feature of checking and approving invoices received through the app is simple.

Driver Surveillance

Verify each driver’s location, observe their stops and how long they last, and look for any outstanding orders.

Vehicle Tracking

Verify the state, position, speed, stops, and vehicle fuel usage. Tracking these details will be helpful for many purposes.

Technology Stack Needed for Logistic Apps Like Uber Freight

To develop an app like Uber Freight, you need to select the appropriate technology to ensure that the logistics and transportation app development occurs effectively. The cost to develop a logistics app will also depend on the tech stack used. The following is the tech stack you need for successful logistics and truck app development.

Development Team Location and Size

An important factor that affects the cost of development is highly dependent on your choice of app development partner. Although it may cost you less when you get the development work done from the freelance developers, it may affect the quality and the delivery schedules of each step of the process.

Thus, it is important to have a reliable app development company by your side to get a reliable, customized and robust application as per your needs. The factors that entail the cost of development is the size of the team deployed based on the features you wish to include. A team involved in a custom logistics mobile app development process typically includes:

• 1 Project Manager
• 1-2 Designers
• 2-3 Developers
• 1-2 Testers

The hourly rates of the developers are based on the location of the app development company you have hired for your project. The hourly rates are comparatively higher if the development company is based in North America or Europe whereas it is much lower if the development company is based in India.

Understanding the cost does not suffice to make up the mind to get the app developed. Knowing its benefits will surely provide you an assurance of its success. So, let us not wait and proceed further to know its benefits and why you would want them for your business.

Benefits of Developing a Logistics App

When you make an app like Uber Freight, you will make your system more efficient and easy to work with than the tedious processes you have been following to date. Here is a list of benefits to look forward to with logistics and truck app development.

Data Sync

A logistics company can need better data syncing. Poor execution of orders, inconsistencies in delivery, and overlaps are all a result of the same. When you develop an app like Uber Freight in your system, you save yourself from the risk of all these mistakes because these solutions exchange data in real time for all the parties involved. It effectively avoids such logistical problems that arise due to manual inputs.

Efficient Freight Management

Logistics app development optimizes the long and complex process of managing transport and cargo. From pickup at one point to delivery at another, everything becomes a smooth flow. It makes the job simpler not just for the fleet owners but for the company too.

Better Document Management

Your logistics app development solution will also be capable of taking care of the tons of paperwork you drown yourself in to ensure you have all the paperwork you need and comply with the laws and regulations. With a better organization of these documents, every process will happen more quickly, and your work will be more productive.

Higher Speed Performance

Good speed delivery is a prerequisite for all transport businesses now. How well you are able to plan your delivery will depend on three factors:

• A well-planned route
• Connectivity and communication
• Data synchronization

If you want to build an Uber-like truck service, you want to use an app like Uber for trucking that will help you optimize data, find the best routes, warn you of traffic, and readily provide you with the data you need to plan successfully deliver.

Process Transparency

With a logistics app like Uber Freight, you will be able to build transparency throughout your process, which greatly impacts your control over the process. You get to interact with individual vehicles and track them without the obligation of intermediaries. Thus, it makes the process even faster.

Also Read: Why Building Trucking Dispatch Software Is Critical for Solving Logistics Challenges

How to Create a Mobile App Like Uber for Trucking?

You need to follow the following steps to create an app like Uber Freight that successfully helps you manage logistics, improve customer relationships, and make greater profits.

Step 1: Decide the Kind of Logistics App You Want

There are two primary cases you can choose from:

• Growth of your business while streamlining operations to manage your logistics company with its own fleet of trucks.
• Provide a marketplace to shippers where they can place orders with carriers.

A logistics app like Uber Freight is only a marketplace. Uber only helps drivers to locate nearby consumers easily and quickly rather than providing carrier services.

Step 2: Find a Logistics Mobile App Development Company

You might consider having an internal development team to develop an app like Uber Freight. But doing so is rarely a wise decision for a variety of reasons. The majority of firms believe that outsourcing custom mobile app development is more practical. Numerous companies specializing in developing logistics apps are available worldwide and provide top-notch services.

Step 3: Validate Your Idea

After you have located a bespoke team that meets your needs, you will work together with your logistics app developers to validate your app idea. As it involves thorough market research, this is a crucial phase in the development process. By adopting an agile methodology, you get the leverage, at this stage, to make the changes based on the market niche you choose to operate in. With idea validation, there is a greater chance that your logistics software will succeed, not wasting your time, effort, and money.

Step 4: Finalize Your MVP

Your transportation logistics app can be broken down into a minimal viable product (MVP) and a minimum lovable product (MLP). To test your app, receive user input, identify its strengths and weaknesses, and gain your first users, You can either create an MVP or MLP. An MLP delivers a special feature in addition to the essential minimum features, which helps your software stand out from the competition. This is the fundamental distinction between an MVP and MLP.

How to Monetize from Uber-like Trucking App Development?

While the cost is crucial to the development process, it is equally important to weigh its monetization opportunities simultaneously. If you want to gain sustaining profits from your pickup truck app like Uber, you have to get a certain percentage of the fee you charge from the users. You can keep it free for drivers but charge shippers according to the weight of the shipment. You can add offers and packages to the final payment being made but make sure to keep affordable prices that your customer will be able to pay.

Along with the basic business revenue model, there are multiple other ways to monetize your app. Some of them are:

• Running sponsored advertisements while maintaining the trust of the users is one of the most adapted approaches to get the monetary benefit from the application.
• Offering subscription-based premium services for regular users.

To maximize the monetization opportunities, one must ensure and assure the security parameters to the highest while integrating with payment gateways.

Develop Your Own App for Logistics with Appinventiv

Appinventiv is the team you need to make the app you have wanted so far along. Having worked with multiple international brand names, we thoroughly comprehend the problems we are fixing. We try to grasp the market environment in which your app operates and come up with the best solution for you.

In one of our cases, we worked with a US-based manufacturer with a significant logistical and supply chain demand. We overhauled their current software to address its issues. Due to poor supply chain visibility, the antiquated software was causing delays in completing essential business activities and raising transportation expenses. It was necessary to do something to boost the business’s operational effectiveness.

In order to automate the business’s procedures, cut expenses, and scale operations, Appinventiv developed a solution that was accepted. This solution used data analytics and AI-powered robotic process automation (RPA). The solution enhanced operating efficiency by 30%, decreased transportation expenses by 40%, and gave the supply chain around 60% greater visibility.

Discussing the business concept with specialists by scheduling a free consultation appointment is always worthwhile to reach a fair judgment. Choose Appinventiv as your transportation software development company and be in for a successful project with us.

Schedule a call!

FAQs

Q. How much does Uber Freight logistics app development cost?

A. The cost to develop an app like Uber Freight largely depends on the complexity and features of the application. Additionally, the location and team size of the app development team contribute to the overall cost. An app with basic features may cost anything between $30,000 and $75,000, whereas an app with advanced features may cost you up to $200,000, or more.

Q. How long does it take to develop an app like Uber Freight?

A. Depending on your app’s complexity and the number of developers working on the app, your application can take approximately 4-12 months to build. In some cases, the development time may even increase to 18 months.

Q. How to reduce the cost and time of developing an app like Uber Freight?

A. Using the technologies that are readily available, incorporating basic features, and outsourcing the development project to a reliable partner will help you reduce the development time and cost of the app like Uber Freight.

Q. What types of logistics apps can I get developed?

A. Among the common logistics and transportation apps available, you can choose from the following depending on your business needs:

• On-demand delivery app 
• Fleet management app 
• Transportation management app
• Freight tracking and management app
• Asset tracking and management app

THE AUTHOR

Sudeep Srivastava

Co-Founder and Director