Best on demand app development ideas in 2021

Welcome to the era of On Demand services!

When was the last time you took a taxi by standing on the roadside and flailing your arms? For how long have you not visited a restaurant to pick up a parcel?

On Demand platforms have revolutionized the way people avail services. A survey by the Aspen Institute showed that 86.5 million Americans had used at least one On Demand service. And this number is surging, making On Demand applications a profitable business idea for aspiring business owners.

In this post, we talk about the best On Demand app development ideas for startups, entrepreneurs, and solopreneurs.

On Demand food delivery apps

If you’re an avid user of Uber Eats and Grubhub, you know what we’re talking about. According to the IMARC group, the online food delivery market in North America reached $21.2 billion in 2019 and is expected to exhibit strong growth in 2020-2025.

Several factors have contributed to the surge in this sector. Convenience is one of them, as it enables customers to have their favorite food delivered at their doorstep. The second major driver is the COVID-19 pandemic. People don’t want to dine in a restaurant. To avoid human contact, they’re ordering food online.

This rise of the online food market makes food delivery apps the best On Demand mobile app idea.

The process

These apps work a commission-based model. You, the On Demand platform owner, can partner with multiple restaurants and list them on your app. Customers can choose their favorite restaurant and order food. You’ll employ riders who’ll pick up the food from the restaurant and deliver it to the customer.

On every completed order, you’ll receive a fixed commission. You can monetize a food delivery app in other ways as well. These include offering premium subscriptions, showing ads, and engaging in sponsorships.

On Demand cab-booking apps

Who hasn’t taken an Uber or Lyft? On Demand taxi apps are changing the way people use public transport. Back in the day, passengers had to wait for minutes – sometimes hours – before a taxi showed up. And, of course, the taxi driver had all the rights to refuse a ride.

This resulted in a terrible experience for passengers.

On Demand cab booking resolved this hurdle. Now, passengers can locate a cab from their smartphone, enter their location and destination, check the fair, and book a ride. The driver can accept or reject the ride. The driver accepts the ride request, drives to the entered location, and picks up the rider.

This concept has skyrocketed the ride-hailing and taxi market. A Statistareport showed that the sector’s global revenue could reach $385 billion by 2025, exhibiting a CAGR of 10.4%.

However, managing an On Demand taxi business can be tricky. You’ll need to administer drivers, fleets, rates, etc. If you have the required resources, a taxi booking app will be an excellent On Demand application development idea.

The process

The app comprises three panels: customer, driver, and admin. The customer adds her location and destination to find nearby cabs. A cab driver accepts the ride, picks up the passenger, and drops her at the entered location.

You, the platform owner, earn a commission on every completed ride. Similar to the food delivery app, you can add multiple revenue streams to the app. These include premium memberships, sponsorships, and advertisements.

On Demand grocery app

Groceries are a new entrant to the On Demand industry. Shopping for groceries is a personal experience. Shoppers like to check the freshness and quality of the grocery before purchasing them. For this reason, people continued to shop for groceries in-store.

But COVID-19 has changed things. Many consumers, especially baby boomers, who had never ordered anything online, are now using On Demand apps to purchase groceries. As a result, the US e-grocery market, which was valued at $28.6 billion in 2019, is likely to double in the upcoming years, said a report by
Cushman & Wakefield.

Image Source: Cushman & Wakefield Research

Setting up an On Demand grocery platform is similar to a food delivery app. You partner with grocery stores, list them on your app, and allow your customers to order groceries from their favorite stores.

In countries like the US and Canada, where the online grocery market is booming, e-grocery app development is certainly the best On Demand mobile app idea.

The process

The customer will select the grocery store and the items she needs to purchase. Once the order is confirmed, your executive will visit the grocery store, pick the items, and deliver it to the customer. The customer can also schedule the order by selecting the date and time of delivery.

The revenue model remains the same. You charge a commission on every completed purchase. You can add other revenue streams, such as subscriptions and ads.

On Demand E-learning app

You must’ve come across platforms like Coursera, EdX, and Skillshare. These e-learning platforms enable people to take online courses – both free and paid – and enhance their skills. While these platforms aren’t On Demand, you can utilize their model to develop an On Demand e-learning application.

As you might already, COVID-19 has made online education the new normal. Schools, colleges, and institutions are providing distance learning via apps like Zoom and WhatsApp. Hence, the US e-learning market is projected to reach $21.64 billion in 2020-2024, showed a report by TechNavio.

However, these platforms lack tools and feature essential to provide a seamless learning experience. You can develop an On Demand e-learning app to resolve this hurdle. Your app can act as a platform where schools and institutions can provide live education to their students.

In addition to video streaming and conferencing, you can add modules like online assessments, question bank development, and more to improve the learning experience.

The process

An On Demand e-learning app provides both tutors and learners a platform to interact with each other. The tutors can create courses, offer live training, and conduct tests and assessments. You can charge a fee from the tutor to let them use your platform. If your platform has paid courses, you can also take a commission on every sale.

On Demand entertainment app

Video and audio streaming has been surging over the past decade. A report by Grand View Research projected that the global video streaming market size could reach $184.27 billion by 2027, as video streaming is accounting for more than 60% of internet traffic.

Similarly, a Statista report showed that global music streaming revenue reached $11.4 billion in 2019 as total music streaming subscribers crossed 300 million.

Source Statista

You can develop an On Demand video platform like Netflix, a music streaming platform like Spotify, or a blend of the two, like Amazon Prime.

A few years down the line, video and audio streaming will likely overthrow TV and traditional entertainment mediums. So, if you want to develop a future-proof On Demand business, a live streaming platform is one of the best On Demand app development ideas.

The process

You’ll need to partner with artists and producers so that they can list their work on your platform. You can either charge them a fixed fee for using your platform or work on a commission model.

When it comes to the users, you can offer a premium membership like Netflix and Amazon Prime, or offer a freemium model like Spotify.

On Demand services app

You must’ve come across On Demand service platforms that allow you to book services like plumbing, landscaping, moving, and more. All of these fall under the On Demand service category.

According to a report by Yello the US On Demand services sector will reach $600 billion in 2021, exhibiting a CAGR of a whopping 49%. This clearly shows that On Demand services in the US are on the rise.

Therefore, a service platform is the best On Demand mobile app idea. Here’s a list of On Demand services you can offer:

Source Yello,

Of course, you can get creative and offer a service depending upon the demand and supply in your area. You can provide car cleaning services if there are a limited number of car cleaning stations in your area. Babysitting services can be another lucrative idea.

The process

Like most other On Demand platforms, an On Demand home service app has three panels: vendor/supplier, customer, and admin. You can partner with service providers and list their services on your app. Customers can use your app to book the needed services by making the payment in-app.

On every transaction, you receive a commission. You can also charge a nominal fee from the vendors to allow them to list their business on your platform. It’s not recommended to charge a fee from the customers, but you can offer a premium subscription with additional features and benefits.

Wrapping up

With the On Demand economy rising, On Demand app development has become the go-to business idea for many business owners. While the competition in the industry is fierce, working with the right On Demand app development company can help you launch a successful business.

If you’re looking for a technology provider to help you turn your dream On Demand app idea into reality, get in touch with TriState Technology.