SA
KW
IE
AU
UAE
UK
USA
CA
DE
QA
ZA
BH
NL
MU
FR
[ LET’S TALK AI ]
X
Discover AI-
Powered Solutions
Get ready to explore cutting-edge AI technologies that can transform your workflow!
Get ready to explore cutting-edge AI technologies that can transform your workflow!
The educational platform has experienced enormous growth over the past few years. Unacademy, along with Byju’s and Coursera, is establishing digital learning standards that have transformed digital education from a privilege to an essential part of modern learning. Your primary concern about starting an e-learning app similar to Unacademy most likely centers around the projected development costs.
The blog examines all critical elements related to developing an app similar to Unacademy, exploring costs, essential features, and technology requirements to help readers make better decisions.
With the rise of digital education, building an e-learning application is becoming a lucrative investment. One prominent success story is the Unacademy app, which has revolutionized learning in India. If you’re wondering how to make an app like Unacademy, this blog explores every aspect of the process, from feature planning to development costs.
As an Indian edtech leader, Unacademy offers online courses, live classes, and educational resources covering multiple subject areas. The platform launched on YouTube before evolving into a complete e-learning platform that earned a massive user base and an extensive educator network.
Students use Unacademy for preparing for competitive examinations, including UPSC, NEET, JEE, and CAT, among others. Live interactive sessions, expert video courses, and personalized learning, along with mock tests, make up the core benefits of the platform.
The Unacademy learning app showcases the potential of educational apps in reshaping modern education. As demand grows, education app development is attracting both startups and enterprises looking to enter the EdTech market.
The cost analysis for creating this type of application becomes clearer after reviewing the motivations behind entrepreneurial and startup investments in this area.
Multiple reports indicate that the worldwide eLearning industry will reach $840 billion in value by 2030. A study shows that edtech growth in India will surpass $10 billion, driven by increasing smartphone popularity and rising demand for education accessibility and affordability in the same market.
Unacademy operates under a freemium strategy, providing cost-free basic educational content alongside premium educational products that require subscriptions. The company produces various types of revenue streams through these methods:
The Unacademy platform expands its business model smoothly because it serves students from various learning areas, including school education, competitive exams, skill development, language learning, and corporate training.
Understanding the needs of modern learners is essential. Here are the comprehensive features for students:
Helping instructors manage and deliver quality content efficiently:
Ensuring smooth operations and quality control across the platform:
Modern e-learning platforms must stay ahead with innovative features:
A successful mobile app like Unacademy must cater to both learners and educators. Features in the Unacademy educator app include uploading content, scheduling live classes, and tracking performance. If you’re planning to create an app like Unacademy, these features form the foundation.
The selection of a technology stack functions as the basic system for developing an e-learning platform such as Unacademy. Selecting the right technology stack not only determines expenses associated with development and speed, but also how effectively it performs, supports scalability requirements, and endures for long-term maintenance. To build a robust, scalable application with maximum features, a specific stack should consist of the following components.
To reach both Android and iOS audiences with a single codebase, cross-platform frameworks are widely used:
Choosing Flutter or React Native reduces development cost by 30–40% compared to building two separate native apps.
A responsive web platform is vital for educators and students who prefer browsers over mobile apps.
The backend handles business logic, APIs, user data, course content, and more:
A solid database layer is essential for storing student profiles, educator data, course materials, and more:
APIs form the bridge between the front end and back end.
Real-time video functionality is a core component of Unacademy-like platforms:
Facilitates real-time interactions between students and educators.
Keeping learners engaged and informed is key.
Your choice of cloud provider impacts app performance, uptime, and cost.
Used for storing videos, notes, images, and user-generated content:
Monitor performance and fix issues before they affect users.
Secure and seamless transactions are vital for subscription-based models.
You’ll need a reliable and scalable solution for delivering video content.
Ensures that users log in securely and data stays protected.
Choosing the right stack isn’t just about features; it’s about aligning your tech choices with business needs:
The technology stack you choose must align with current e-learning app development trends. Partnering with a seasoned mobile app development company in India ensures the use of the right frameworks and a scalable architecture.
The ideal technology stack for your Unacademy-like app depends on your business priorities:
Your choices today will shape the scalability, performance, and maintenance of your app tomorrow. It’s highly recommended to consult an experienced development team to evaluate the best tech stack tailored to your vision and budget.
The total development cost depends on various factors, including features, tech stack, app complexity, and the region where your development team is based. Below is a cost breakdown by development phase.
This includes defining the project scope, audience, market, and app structure.
| Task | Estimated Hours | Cost |
| Market Research & Competitor Analysis | 20-40 hrs | $500 – $1,500 |
| Requirement Gathering & Wireframing | 30-50 hrs | $1,000 – $2,000 |
| Technical Documentation | 30-50 hrs | $1,000 – $1,500 |
Total Cost: $2,500 – $5,000
Design defines the app’s look and usability.
| Task | Estimated Hours | Cost |
| Mobile App Design | 80-100 hrs | $2,000 – $4,000 |
| Web Interface Design | 60-80 hrs | $1,500 – $3,000 |
Total Cost: $3,500 – $7,000
Frontend development covers mobile and web platforms.
| Platform | Hours | Cost |
| iOS App | 300-400 hrs | $7,000 – $10,000 |
| Android App | 300-400 hrs | $7,000 – $10,000 |
| Web Platform | 200-300 hrs | $4,000 – $8,000 |
Total Cost: $18,000 – $28,000
This includes core business logic, data storage, and application programming interfaces (APIs).
| Task | Hours | Cost |
| API and Server-side Logic | 300-400 hrs | $6,000 – $10,000 |
| Database Architecture | 80-120 hrs | $2,000 – $4,000 |
| Admin Dashboard | 150-200 hrs | $3,000 – $5,000 |
Total Cost: $11,000 – $19,000
Recurring costs associated with streaming, messaging, cloud, and notifications.
| Service | Monthly Cost |
| Live Streaming | $200 – $1,000 |
| Video Hosting | $100 – $500 |
| Notification Services | $50 – $200 |
| Cloud Hosting & CDN | $100 – $1,000 |
| Payment Gateway Charges | 2% – 3% per transaction |
QA ensures a bug-free user experience.
| Task | Hours | Cost |
| Functional Testing | 100-150 hrs | $2,000 – $4,000 |
| Load & Performance Testing | 50-80 hrs | $1,000 – $2,000 |
Total Cost: $3,000 – $6,000
| Task | Cost |
| Play Store & App Store Launch | $200 – $300 |
| Server Configuration | $500 – $1,000 |
Total Cost: $700 – $1,300
Maintenance includes updates, bug fixes, and server management.
| Type | Annual Cost |
| Feature Updates | $8,000 – $12,000 |
| Server Hosting | $2,000 – $5,000 |
| Customer Support & Monitoring | $2,000 – $5,000 |
Total Annual Maintenance: $12,000 – $22,000
| Stage | Estimated Cost |
| Planning & Documentation | $2,500 – $5,000 |
| Design | $3,500 – $7,000 |
| Frontend Development | $18,000 – $28,000 |
| Backend Development | $11,000 – $19,000 |
| QA & Testing | $3,000 – $6,000 |
| Launch & Deployment | $700 – $1,300 |
Total Development Cost: $38,700 to $66,300
For a basic MVP version with limited features, the cost could range between $25,000 and $35,000.
The cost of building an app like Byju’s or Unacademy depends on several variables, including features, tech stack, and development region. On average, the e-learning app development cost ranges between $30,000 and $200,000. However, the cost to develop an e-learning app with advanced features like AI or gamification can be higher.
1. Number of Features
More features equate to higher development time and cost.
2. Platform Selection
Native apps cost more than cross-platform frameworks like Flutter.
3. Team Location
Offshore developers, such as those in India and Eastern Europe, are more affordable compared to teams in the US or the UK.
4. Development Timeline
A shorter timeline may require more resources, which can increase the overall cost.
5. Use of Custom vs. Ready-made Modules
Custom modules offer flexibility but take more time and cost to build.
Techugo is a trusted mobile and web app development company with years of experience delivering enterprise-grade edtech applications. Whether you are looking to build a prototype or a full-fledged Unacademy-style platform, we bring:
Our team has successfully built apps for startups, enterprises, and government bodies, and we’d be happy to guide you through your eLearning journey.
Collaborating with a trusted elearning app development company or an experienced education app development company ensures your app not only functions seamlessly but also delivers a competitive user experience.
Planning to launch your education app? We’d love to partner with you to make it happen.
Building a mobile app like Unacademy requires more than just inspiration—it requires a strategic approach. The success of the Unacademy app proves that well-crafted e-learning platforms can transform education and empower learners worldwide. Whether you’re aiming to build an education app like Khan Academy or an Arabic language learning app, the user panel features remain crucial. For example, integrating live classes, quizzes, and chat options is essential, especially if you’re evaluating the cost to build a classroom communication app.
Reach out for a free consultation and a detailed cost estimate tailored to your business goals.
Contact Us Now!
Software as a Service (SaaS) has drastically reimagined software access and utilisation for businesses. Initially dominated by expensive, bulky on-pre..
BBC News is one of the most trusted and used news apps globally, providing millions of users with real-time breaking news, high-quality analysis, and ..
Write Us
sales@techugo.comOr fill this form
