A Complete Guide on The Development of a Successful SAAS App

saas based app development
  • Ankit Patel Ankit Patel
  • July 14, 2021
  • 5 min read

The Software as a Service (SaaS) model has quickly gained immense popularity because of a heap of benefits it bestows to the mobile app development services offering companies as well as to the consumers. In no time this model has replaced the traditional way of purchasing software licenses.

The SaaS applications are very much in demand today and the market for these applications is emerging so rapidly. Hence, before it becomes too late, you should seek cloud-based SaaS app development services and come up with an outstanding SaaS app.

Prior to hiring the services of a mobile app development company to develop a SaaS app, you must do some homework like a plan and analyze everything aptly. Come; let us first know about what Saas Application is and then we will discuss its pros, cons, and the steps to create one.

● What is a SaaS application?

what is saas app

SaaS application is software licensed with the SaaS business model. A SaaS application is also known as hosted software, web-based software, or on-demand software. This type of application runs on the servers of the SaaS providers and is the best option for medium businesses. The reason is these apps are more cost-efficient in comparison to the traditional software.

Being hosted via the internet in the clouds, you need not have installed it on your smartphone or computer physically. The SaaS provider manages all the maintenance and updates and the user cannot view this. The SaaS provider doesn’t sell the SaaS product to the users with a warranty for a lifetime. Rather, via a subscription model, he grants permission to the users to access the product.

● The Need To Create a SaaS Application

The biggest benefit that a SaaS app owner enjoys is that he need not have to create the app from scratch. Also, there is no need of devoting time or spending funds on its maintenance. Apart from this, this cloud-based app offers enormous benefits, like:

  • No computer or a specific workplace is required to access the app data as they are available online and can be accessed from anywhere.
  • Dealing with software technical issues eliminated.
  • 3rd party provider hosts SaaS in the clouds.
  • Easy to monitor, customize and update.
  • Highly scalable.
  • It offers compliance, security, and maintenance.
  • Multi-tenant/Single architecture.
  • No issues related to performance.
  • Compatible with all the platforms.
  • Customers have to pay a defined fee only for the period he has used.

● Shortcomings of SaaS Applications

Apart from the above-mentioned benefits, SaaS applications have a few flaws and they are:

  • Due to internet instability, the user might not be able to access the application.
  • Due to the 3rd party provider’s presence, there can be privacy issues.
  • Emergence of issues beyond the control of customers.
  • Difficulty in switching from one vendor to the other

Though there are a few flaws associated with SaaS applications, the benefits of SaaS applications wash out these flaws. If you are really interested in developing an app for your company, it is advisable to hire the Cloud-based SaaS app development services of a reputable mobile app development company. The professional developers of the company will create one of the best SaaS applications for you.

● Steps To Follow To Develop SaaS Application

The conventional approaches for developing a normal application and for developing a SaaS app are completely different. If you are not a tech-savvy person, you will not be able to figure out the difference. You will have to seek the help of mobile app development services offering experts to understand everything in detail.

However, you can have some idea of what steps to follow for developing one of the best and unique SaaS applications. All the steps have been highlighted beneath followed by a brief description. Do have a look.

  • Choose SaaS App’s Key Features
  • Always start with MVP. Though there are a lot many features, you need to select the best one depending on the product type you are dealing with. Also, choose the basic features on the basis of the market research report and most important on the basis of your budget.

    Here is the list of a few must-have features:

    • Single sign-on
    • Multi-tenancy model
    • Automated provisioning
    • High availability
    • Application security
    • Data security
    • Subscription-based billing
    • Elastic infrastructure
    • Rate limiting
    • Audit

    Before selecting the best features, you must estimate your potential profits, start-up costs, and the scalability of your platform.

  • Consider Security & Reliability
  • SaaS is no doubt very profitable for businesses, but this model is often accompanied by reliability issues and security risks. As the SaaS model runs and is completely operated in the clouds, you should consider the reliability of the cloud vendor before finalizing.

    AWS is one of the reliable SaaS service providers that take every safety measure to safeguard the data of its clients. The data stored on its clouds or data centers are very safe as they leverage the most excellent security practices.

    Another issue that arises when you use cloud services is multi-tenancy. This means multiple customers are granted permission to access the app. Hence, the data transmitted via these apps must be backed up as well as encrypted. This prevents the hacking of data in the clouds.

  • Analyze Competitors, Market & Clients
  • The Cloud-based SaaS app development services offering developers use new generation technology like AI, ML, VR, and other immersive technologies. Study on the recent trends, know about your target client and market segment. Discover their concerns and needs while refining your SaaS application idea.

    Never fail to analyze the SaaS apps of your competitors. Note down the weak points of their app and read the reviews received by them so that your SaaS app is better than your competitor’s app.

  • Choose Monetization Model
  • Before your SaaS developers start the app development process, you must choose the monetization model. The revenue model that you choose is going to speak about your app features and architecture. Hence, you need to carefully map out the monetization model beforehand.

    From the above research, you can know what the spending capacity of your users is. This will make your work easy. There are different monetization models and they are:

    monetization model
    • Freemium Model
    • Paid Model
    • In-app Advertising Model
    • Subscription Model
  • Integration of 3rd-party Services
  • While building a SaaS app, you should integrate the services of 3rd-party like social media channels, Google Maps, Payment Gateways and association with CRM. Your SaaS app must have at least one APIs. Pay due attention while choosing an API architecture for ensuring security and reliability.

  • Select The Best Technology Stack
  • The best mobile app development company offering cloud-based SaaS app development services will always use the latest and the most opt technologies while developing a SaaS app. Still, you should have some knowledge of which tech stacks are the best.

  • Choose Interactive UI/UX Design
  • To make your SaaS application appealing to your audiences, you need to create a SaaS app that has a brilliant and interactive UI/UX design. Unattractive and unclear designs of an app fail to withhold the audience for a long time. Hence, to get the most downloads for your app; ensure that the app design is user-friendly.

    Play with fonts, various graphics, and colours to make the app appear appealing. Discuss with the mobile app development services offering team whom you have hired on how to create a magnificent design for your SaaS application.

  • SaaS App Development Team
  • Here comes another essential step where you need to find the most trusted developers who offer Cloud-based SaaS app development services and create a team. The number of members of a team varies on the basis of the project requirements or on the SaaS complexity.

    Your development team must comprise of:

    • Project Manager
    • UX/UI Designer
    • Business Analyst
    • Frontend Developer
    • Backend Developer
    • QA tester
  • Deploy, Test & Improve
  • After your SaaS app is ready, you will have to release it in-house prior to releasing it on Play Stores. Test your final product against bugs and errors. Once everything is fixed, you can deploy it on Play Stores. Receive feedback from your users and make necessary improvements.

    You need to do ample marketing through online communities, social media, and advertising when you launch your product.

● Summing up

As it is said “Rome was not built in a day” likewise a SaaS application cannot be planned and created overnight. You have to consider a lot many factors while designing and developing a SaaS application. From this piece of writing, you must have acquired ample knowledge of the SaaS application and the steps to follow for its development.

● Why Choose XongoLab?

XongoLab, being the most reputable SaaS mobile app development company, keeps on researching, carries out tech experiments, optimizes resources, tracks innovations, and monitors the needs of the users so that its client can stay competitive. Our dedicated developers offer world-class mobile app development services backed by the latest technology and programming languages. If you are looking forward to creating a SaaS app, don’t hesitate to get in touch with us!

About: Ankit Patel

Ankit Patel is a Director of Sales & Marketing at XongoLab Technologies LLP and PeppyOcean, A leading mobile app development companies. In his free time, He likes to write articles about technology, marketing, business, web, and mobile. His articles featured on YourStory, E27, Datafloq, JaxEnter, TechTarget, eLearningAdobe, DesignWebKit, InstantShift, Business Magazine, SimpleProgrammer, and many more.

You may also like

outsource app development

How to Outsource Mobile App Development? [Steps + Cost]

  • Ankit Patel Ankit Patel

In today’s digital world, having a mobile app can be a game-changer for startups and businesses. But, building an app in-house can be expensive and time-consuming. This is where app… Read More

web app vs mobile app development

Web App vs Mobile App Development: Where You Should Invest?

  • Jignesh Nakrani Jignesh Nakrani

In today’s digital age, startups, businesses, and entrepreneurs are constantly looking for ways to engage customers and enhance their online presence. One key decision they face is whether to invest… Read More

cost to build ott app like netflix

A Detailed Guide to Netflix-like OTT App Development [+Cost]

  • Ankit Patel Ankit Patel

When it’s time to unwind and relax, many of us turn to the familiar phrase “Netflix and Chill.” It’s a cozy way to spend our weekends, escaping into the exciting… Read More

Request A Quote