“Netflix and Chill”,
You must be aware of this phrase, right? Nowadays, it is the most popular phrase among people, especially Gen Z. Also, Netflix is the only name that comes to mind whenever anyone talks about binge-watching.
According to Statista, Netflix is considered the leading video streaming platform between April 2022 and January 2024 based on the number of monthly visits. This popular SVoD streaming service recorded around 1.47 billion visits in the evaluation time. Prime Video got second rank, and Disney Plus was in third position.
With the increasing interest of people in OTT content, the demand for Netflix app development is also increasing. Businesses are showing keen interest in knowing “How much it costs to develop an app like Netflix” as they are looking forward to tapping into this lucrative market.
Guess what?.. Here, we are going to provide you with a cost estimation for Netflix, like app development, if you are also looking for the same.
The estimated Netflix clone app development cost will range between $25,000 and $100,000. Moreover, you need to explore the complete guide to learn detailed information on Netflix clone mobile app development costs.
In addition, the guide below covers the process of how to develop an app like Netflix, including essential features, and why businesses need to invest in Netflix mobile app development.
Let’s dive into the details:
Overview of Netflix: It’s Journey, Milestones, and Evolution
Netflix was launched in 1997 by Reed Hastings and Marc Randolph as a DVD rental-by-mail service, carrying an advancement to the standard video rental stores. Then, after a year, they launched their official DVD rental and sales website, which has played a significant role in their success.
2007 was a turning point for them when Netflix announced the offer of online streaming services to bring a revolution to the entertainment world. Then, it set a milestone by launching the original content, ‘House of Cards,’ in 2013.
The app was made available in more than 190 countries in 2016 and then achieved 100 million subscribers in 2017. It took no time to hit 200 million by 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Since then, it has been setting new standards for OTT content delivery, from introducing binge-watching culture to applying advanced recommendation algorithms.
The success of Netflix has affected video streaming businesses worldwide, and now, they are looking for ‘Netflix clone app development.’
Even the best OTT app development companies, on-demand video streaming app developers, and business persons are diving deep into its business model and other elements to learn what it takes to create the best video-on-demand application.
Here is a roadmap to Netflix’s journey so far-
Check Out the Working Process of the Video Streaming App
A video streaming app like Netflix provides users with a wide variety of content, including popular TV series, best movies, documentaries, and games according to their taste.
To manage these all according to the user demands, video streaming apps need to follow a proper working process that is as follows:
Content Processing Request
When users request the content, the app conveys this request to the server to get the required data and verifies if the content is available. Then, it sends small data packets of audio and video to the user, and the process continues for a while.
Content Delivery Networks (CDNs)
CDN technology is used to decrease the time consumed by the process of data transfer while ensuring efficient video delivery by delivering content on geographically distributed servers.
When a user requests content, the nearby CDN delivers it at a fast speed, reducing page buffering time and optimizing the user experience.
Compressed Videos Ensuring High-quality
Videos are compressed and only encoded when requested by users without compromising quality. They are encoded using formats like HEVC and H.264 while allowing for rapid data transmission over networks, leading to better streaming speed across different devices.
ABS (Adaptive Bitrate Streaming)
Whenever the app users have slow internet connectivity, their video will not stop or buffer. Instead, the app will adjust the video quality using this algorithm.
ABS works like a Smart system that monitors the users’ internet speed and decreases the video quality accordingly to ensure the best viewing experience.
DRM (Digital Rights Management)
Video Streaming apps ensure the protection of video content by applying encryption and only allowing subscribed users to watch the content. Any business that is looking to create an app like Netflix must consider DRM.
Compatibility across Devices
Video streaming apps must be compatible with a diverse range of devices to target a large number of users. You can build an app like Netflix that is compatible with devices like smart TVs, smartphones, and desktops.
Moreover, you can use AI and ML to provide users with personalized experience and keep them engaged.
Read More: How to Develop Short Video App?
Video Streaming Apps: Market Size and Growth
There has always been a prominent demand for video streaming apps over the years. The emergence of the latest technologies, such as Artificial Intelligence, Blockchain, Augmented Reality, Machine Learning, etc., has also ignited the video streaming app market.
Consider that the global video streaming market size was esteemed at US$ 555.89 billion in 2023. The overall market is estimated to evolve from US$ 674.25 billion in 2024 to US$ 2660.88 billion by 2032 at an 18.7% CAGR, according to the reports of Fortune Business Insights.
If we look at the statistics by Grand View Research, the global video streaming market size is forecasted to hit US$ 416.84 billion by 2030 at a 21.5% CAGR from 2024 to 2030.
As of July 2024, Sony Live hit the graph of the global downloads of selected mobile streaming apps with around 15.6 million downloads, followed by Netflix with 14 million downloads.
Want to know more? Have a look at the below pointers if you are looking to build an app like Netflix:
- Netflix had $33.7 billion in revenue in 2023, with a 6.6% increase every year.
- Netflix generated a net income of $5.4 billion in 2023, with a 20.4% increase from the last year.
- As of 2023, Netflix had 238.3 million app subscribers globally.
- A huge portion of Netflix’s revenue, which is $14 billion, was generated in the largest market, North America.
Significant Reasons for Businesses to Invest in OTT Apps like Netflix
Before capitalizing on any sector, businesses must conduct a detailed analysis to evaluate whether they should invest or not. Netflix app development is a secure investment, but still; you must learn about its benefits. Check out below:
Growing Video Streaming App Market
There is a vast global market for video streaming apps like Netflix, Disney Plus, etc., with millions of users who are shifting from traditional TV to these OTT platforms. Hence, building an online streaming app like Netflix will only enable them to enter a massive market enthusiastically and cater to a diverse habit of content consumers, having a high potential for the future.
Higher User Engagement & Retention
Online streaming platforms provide users with personalized and entertaining content in different categories, including the latest features such as AI chat, watch lists, multiple device access, etc. It delivers an augmented user experience, leading to higher user engagement, retention, and sustainable growth.
Data-driven Decision-making
Netflix clone app development will facilitate businesses to consume vast amounts of user data, including their viewing habits, behavior, preferences, and patterns. This valuable data can be used by businesses to optimize user experience, provide better content, and create targeted marketing strategies, leading to improved decision-making.
Control over Content
When businesses develop an app like Netflix, they get complete control of the displayed content, branding, and audience dealings. It enables them to develop better brand approaches, improve personalization, and generate the capability to create exclusive content pieces, delivering a more interactive experience for their users.
Brand Visibility and Recognition
Launching an OTT app like Netflix is highly advantageous for businesses as it enables them to have better brand visibility and recognition. These apps act according to their users’ preferences, including providing them with quality and engaging content, planning subscriptions to make it affordable for users, and creating lists to watch the content later, which is beneficial to make them popular in the entertainment industry.
Visit Also: How to Develop Video Conferencing App Like Zoom?
Amazing Features to Make Your Netflix Clone App More Appealing
“Which features do you want to add when developing an app like Netflix?” is the most important question you need to consider. From profile creation to watch list to personalized recommendations, you need to add significant features to your OTT app to grab the attention of your audience.
Check out the list of features below:
User Panel
Here are some required features for the user panel:
Register or Login:
Users can create their app profile using their name, contact number, or email. Every profile will include a watch list, settings, watch history, and log-out options.
Multiple User Profiles:
The app allows users to have multiple profiles under a single account. For this, they must have a premium app subscription.
Content Search & Filters:
Users can search the required content using advanced search functionality and various filters like language, genre, year, etc., to improve the search results.
Add Watch List:
Users can add the movies they want to watch later to their watch list or mark them as favorites so that they can easily access them and won’t have to search again.
Watch Offline:
Users can download content, such as movies, shows, etc., within the app and can watch them even if they don’t have access to the internet. Consider that it comes with an expiration date.
Secure Payment Gateway:
Users are provided with multiple payment gateways, ensuring security so that they can make payments without any hesitation and have a consistent experience.
Multi-language Support:
Users in different regions can watch content in their native languages along with the subtitles. This feature is used to cater to the global audience.
Push Notifications:
Notify users about all the app updates, including new releases, upcoming shows, recommendations, reminders, etc., to get higher engagement and retention.
Social Sharing:
Let users share their updates and current movie tracks with their friends on different social media platforms, leading to better app visibility and interaction.
Admin Panel
Here are some required features for the user panel:
User Management:
The admin can manage all the users within the app or add or remove them. They can manage users’ profiles, passwords, subscriptions, etc. while monitoring their activities.
Content Management System:
The content within the video streaming app is managed by the admin. They oversee the content library, categorize it by genre, upload new content, and manage the license expiration date.
Subscription & Payment Management:
An admin must handle subscription plans, free trials & discounts, and available payment gateways. They also monitor transactions and payment status to ensure a seamless revenue flow.
Analytics Dashboard:
A fully accessible analytics dashboard helps the admin view real-time statistics comprising user engagement, app downloads, content performance, and subscription progress. It helps them to elevate the user experience and make better decisions.
Push Notification Management:
Admin has the right to customize the notifications sent to users according to user preferences, loyalty, demographics, or behavior for better engagement and acquisition.
Content Licensing & DRM:
Admins can manage the app license requirements to publish third-party content while implementing DRM tools to ensure authorized access and prevent piracy. It helps the app to deliver users legally secured content only.
User Feedback and Reports:
Admins monitor user feedback and address all the related issues. They also track user complaints, collect insights, and manage customer support to augment the overall app experience.
Advanced Features
Here are some required features for the user panel:
Personalized AI Recommendations:
With the use of Artificial Intelligence-powered algorithms, it is easy to evaluate user behavior and preferences to recommend personalized suggestions, leading to better user engagement.
Adaptive Bitrate Streaming:
The app facilitates users with smooth video playback by allowing them to adjust the video quality in real time according to their network bandwidth. It makes the users’ streaming experience better even on inconsistent connections.
Cloud-based Storage:
Video streaming apps with cloud storage facilitate secure data storage, scalability, and easy access to content for users as they can watch movies, shows, etc., from anywhere. It also helps the app swiftly expand the content library without any extra investment.
Multi-device Sync:
Video streaming app users can easily switch between multiple devices and can continue from where they left off on the previous device. It facilitates users with a smooth content shift across devices, leading to improved retention.
Blockchain-based Security:
Netflix app developers integrate Blockchain technology to ensure decentralized and transparent payment services for users while securing their data. It guarantees tamper-proof transactions and better privacy that makes users feel secure.
Must-Have Revenue Models for Netflix Clone Apps
After learning about how to develop an app like Netflix, you must want to know about how video streaming makes money, right? We’ve got you all covered here; below are the popular monetization strategies applied by popular video streaming apps like Netflix.
Hire a top video streaming app development company and integrate them into your solution to get higher revenue. Check out them:
App Subscription Model
The most popular revenue model for video-on-demand apps is to offer subscription plans to users. They can choose among multiple subscription options, including monthly, three-month, quarterly, or yearly.
Different plans have different features. Basic features will allow users to access the app on one device only with limited features, while advanced ones will let users watch the content on multiple devices with better features and quality.
Pay-Per-View Model
This monetization model in Netflix clone apps enables users to pay one-time fees to access some exclusive live events, movies, or other content. This model applies to some high-demanding content that is available on the app for a limited time only.
This model allows businesses to earn money on some individual content pieces without asking users for a subscription and provide them with the specific content they want.
Brand Collaboration and Sponsorship
OTT applications can collaborate or partner with other brands to display their content or promote them within the movies or shows. It is the most applied monetization model by video streaming apps, where brands pay apps to showcase their products or services.
It is a new way to do advertisements without disrupting the user experience; hence, it is preferred by most businesses.
Content Licensing
Businesses who want to create an app like Netflix must consider this monetization strategy. In this, video streaming apps can license their content to presenters or third-party platforms. They can sell exclusive rights to other OTT platforms to stream particular content.
In exchange, they can earn bonus revenue by leveraging their selected content offerings and growing their reach via other channels.
Click Here: How to Develop Video Sharing App?
Core Technologies Create an App like Netflix
When you are going to create a video streaming app like Netflix, you must hire expert developers with rich knowledge of modern technologies. They will help you have a smooth functionality app and make it a huge success in the market.
Here is the below technology stack Netflix app developers use to build a high-quality and proficient solution:
| Technologies | Android | iOS | Web |
| Programming Languages | Java, Kotlin | Objective-C, Swift | JavaScript, TypeScript |
| Back-end Languages | Java, Node.js, Kotlin | Swift, Python, Node.js | Node.js, Ruby on Rails, Python |
| Frameworks | Android SDK, ExoPlayer | iOS SDK, AVFoundation | React.js, Vue.js, Angular |
| Streaming Protocols | HLS, MPEG-DASH | HLS, MPEG-DASH | HLS, MPEG-DASH |
| Database | MySQL, Firebase Firestore, PostgreSQL | MySQL, Firebase Firestore, PostgreSQL | MySQL, Firebase Firestore, PostgreSQL |
| APIs | RESTful APIs, GraphQL | RESTful APIs, GraphQL | RESTful APIs, GraphQL |
| Cloud Storage | AWS S3, Google Cloud Storage | AWS S3, Google Cloud Storage | AWS S3, Google Cloud Storage |
How to Develop an App Like Netflix: A Complete Process?
Now, we will learn about Netflix’s mobile app development process for creating a similar video streaming app. From project ideation to developing the back end to launching the solution, you will need the assistance of a leading video streaming app development company; hence, choose wisely.
Following is the step-by-step process:
Identify Your Niche and Conduct Market Research
Before creating a video-on-demand app, you need to go through detailed market research and find the latest trends and features. Analyze the competitors, how they are meeting the users’ demand, and what they lack. Try to conduct a SWOT analysis to identify possible opportunities and threats.
After collecting all the required data, determine the app features and functionalities. Create a business plan including key value propositions, project timeline, cost, and milestones.
Designing User Interface and User Experience
If your video streaming application has an interactive and appealing interface along with easy-to-use and unique features, it will instantly grab the users’ attention. Ensure that you have creative UI/UX designers on your mobile app development team to get simple app navigation, attractive layouts, responsive designs, multi-screen support, and others.
Also, while designing the Netflix clone app development, you need to focus on key features to ensure that users will like using the app.
Creating Back-end Infrastructure
Developing the back end of a video streaming app is a crucial part of the process. For this, you need to hire mobile app developers who have extensive experience in a similar domain to help you build a proficient video-on-demand app. The back-end development process will include writing code and integrating databases, servers, etc.
Ensure to have secure and smooth data management, enabling real-time access to enormous media libraries across multiple regions.
Legal Compliance and Content Licensing Process
While getting OTT mobile app development services, you must consider legal compliance to get permission for content distribution and copyright on your platform, including movies, shows, music, and others. You must go through legal registration and content licensing to stream the videos in the right manner.
While obtaining Netflix mobile app development services, you need to have all the legal documents so that you won’t face any issues in publishing content on your OTT platform.
Quality Assurance and Deployment
After you are done with the Netflix app development process, it’s time to test the developed application based on performance, security, integrity, etc. There are different kinds of testing procedures, including black box and white box, that you can consider to make your app error-free. Also, test the app to see if it can handle heavy traffic loads.
Now, launch the app on chosen platforms, be it Android, iOS, or web. To ensure a smooth app launch, follow the app store optimization guidelines for the particular platform. Moreover, you need to invest in digital marketing to promote your app via social media campaigns.
How Much Does It Cost to Develop an App Like Netflix?
As we have mentioned earlier, the Netflix clone mobile app development cost will range between $25,000 and $100,000. There are diverse factors that can vary this estimated cost. Hence, to get an exact estimation, you need to have clearly defined project specifications that consider aspects like the number of platforms, app features, and functions, number of experts, hosting servers, location, and experience of the development company.
In addition, the time consumed in the Netflix app development process will also impact the overall cost. Also, if you have a high budget, you must go for the advanced features and functions to make your app worth the attention, and if you have a limited budget, ensure to have essential core features only to develop a simple and intuitive Netflix clone app.
Different Factors Varying the Netflix Clone App Development Cost
Every business is concerned about this question, but here we are to help you with the detailed factors affecting the general video streaming app development cost. Check out them:
App Features and Functionality
The more advanced features you add to your Netflix clone app, the more complex it will be. Also, it will directly impact your overall Netflix mobile app development cost. These features can be AI personalized recommendations, adaptive streaming, multiple device support, and others.
Choosing basic features will help you build an app like Netflix on a limited budget, but you must have a high budget to create an advanced video streaming app.
Number of Platforms
If you want to develop an app like Netflix for one platform, whether it is Android or iOS, you can get it on a decided budget. Consider that an app developed for a single platform will limit your audience reach.
Getting a cross-platform app that supports multiple platforms such as iOS, Android, and the web will reach a large audience base globally, but it may offer you less optimization compared to native apps.
Content Licensing
To build an app like Netflix, you will need to acquire licensed content that can highly vary your general video streaming app development cost. It will be based on agreements with studios, content creators, and applicable holders.
If you want to go for the original content, then it will cost you more to buy high-quality movies, series, or shows.
Third-party Integrations
While looking for Netflix mobile app development, it is necessary to know about the integrations you want in your app, as it will have a huge impact on the budget. These third-party integrations can be analytics, payment gateways, customer support systems, and others that add intricacy and cost to the project.
Ongoing Support & Maintenance
Sometimes, businesses want to get continuous support and maintenance services from the video streaming app development company they hire, but it adds additional costs. These services might include bug fixing, security updates, feature adding, and others.
Having these services will directly increase your overall project cost by up to 15 to 20%; hence, decide accordingly.
Final Words
In the above Netflix app development guide, we have defined all the essential aspects, including features, the monetization model, estimated costs, and cost-affecting factors. With the rising demand for video streaming apps, businesses are showing more interest in having Netflix clone app development services while going through a comprehensive market and competitor research.
As a well-known video streaming app development company, Octal IT Solution is also assisting businesses looking to set new standards in the entertainment industry. Our 24*7 support services and transparent development process make us outshine our competitors. Partner with our vetted team to develop an app like Netflix with innovative features.
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