If you look back to your childhood there was a time when families sat together in front of their TV sets to watch their favourite shows together. But, with the development of web and mobile app innovations, online video streaming apps are pushing the old TVs to the drawing-room corners.

And when we think of online streaming shows, the first app that comes to mind for most of us is Netflix, and for good reason, it is now the most dominant source, for streaming movies and TV shows worldwide.

About Netflix

Netflix started in 1997 by Marc Randolph and Reed Hastings as a company that pioneered the concept of renting DVDs by mail along with an idea of charging a flat monthly fee. By 2007, Netflix introduced the feature that let subscribers stream TV shows and movies directly to their PCs. By 2012, Netflix took up an active role as distributor and producer for both films and television series.

Topping the list of movie streaming apps for Android and iOS platforms, Netflix offers an impressive library of content to watch, including original programs, movies and series from different languages. And this is the reason why Netflix has paid subscribers in over 190 countries.

The prominence of movies and series streaming apps in a users’ life has made both users and businesses understand the role of such apps in the present and the future of the entertainment world.

According to Statistics

  • Netflix holds 71% of the global streaming video on-demand market
  • It captures 63% of the market in the USA
  • Video streaming industry is predicted to hit $73.9B by 2024
  • By 2020, Netflix will be available in around 114M households
  • The average time a user spends on watching TV is now just 25 minutes a day
  • 60% of millennials and Gen Z watch streaming videos daily

Advantages of Netflix

  • Top-notch streaming
  • Unique substance
  • Commercial free
  • 30-day free trial
  • Wide range of ‘Original TV shows’
  • Offers high-interest movies and series
  • Download content and watch it offline
  • Affordable membership plans
  • Quality-driven content
  • Create favorite lists Parental controls
  • Stream on multiple devices at once (premium plan)

How to Develop a Video Streaming App like Netflix?

A video streaming platform can be built either from scratch or a clone of a video streaming app can be modified as per your requirements. Considering the requirements, development budget, and time frame, one needs to choose a suitable development process.

Video streaming apps can be developed according to your personalized ideas and strategies but for the same, it is important to hire a skilled mobile app development company. The following are the main features of an on-demand video streaming platform.

  • User Registration Module and Login
  • User Profile
  • Live video streaming
  • Secure Transactions & Payment Gateway
  • Multi-language support
  • Multi-device support
  • Content search
  • Create video playlists
  • Settings/ controls
  • Download/watch offline
  • Social login/Sign-up
  • Push Notifications
  • Share playlists
  • Video Resolutions
  • Review & Ratings

Steps You should Undertake before Creating an App like Netflix

1. Develop a Unique Strategy

Every app starts with an idea. Set a unique strategy; define how your app needs to work and what are the features to include.

A few questions you can ask yourself:

  • What features should you include?
  • What are the effective app marketing strategies?
  • How do you create content for your video streaming app?
  • Does your app’s interface meet varying cultural and language expectations?

2. Choose the Desired Platform

Launching an app like Netflix is a complex project. So, it is better to start with an MVP (minimum viable product) which you can further modify according to the market feedback.

If you wish to cover a larger user base then, it’s better to choose cross-platform app development where you can create an app for both the platforms.

3. Hire an Efficient Team

To create an efficient app you need to choose a talented team that can make the best use of different frameworks to deliver a cost-effective development process.

The team includes: Software Architects, Business Analysts, UI/UX Designers, Android/iOS Developers, Testers, and Project Managers.

4. App Designing

Researches have proved that a high-quality UI/UX design can create 200% to 400% of conversion rates. So, if you think spending too much on the design part is a waste of money and time, then think again. Because, the final goal is to provide the users with an impeccable & flawless experience.

Here are 7 things for you to remember while designing your product (app).

5. Pick the Right Technology for Development

Along with choosing a perfect team, design concept and platform, you will also have to choose the right technology stack for building a live video streaming app.

Below is the list of current in-demand tools for building a video-streaming app:

    • Programming languages & frameworks for a web app: C++, HTML5/CSS3, Java, JavaScript (Node.js, React, AngularJS, Vue.js), Python, Ruby (Ruby on Rails).
    • Programming languages for mobile app: Kotlin/Java (for Android); Swift, React native and flutter (for iOS).
    • Front-end: Angular, Vue.j, React and RxJS, Falcor (a JavaScript library developed by Netflix).
    • Databases: MySQL, PostgreSQL, Cassandra, Oracle.
    • Big Data Tools: Hadoop, Parquet, Pig, Presto, Spark, Kafka Analytics and insights: Google Mobile App Analytics, Flurry Analytics, Hive, MixPanel, Localytics.
    • CDN services: Amazon CloudFront, Cloudflare, Fastly, Open Connect.
    • Streaming protocols: RTMP, Adobe HTTP Dynamic Streaming, Apple HTTP Live Streaming, Microsoft Smooth Streaming, WebRTC.
    • Media formats: AVI, DMW, MOV, FLV, WMV, SWF, MKV, MP4, AVCHD.

Read also: Best Video Conferencing Apps 2020

6. Build your Content

Since content is the base of your video-streaming app, it’s important to determine what type of content you prefer to use, Is it videos from other distributors? Or is it your own original content?

Either way, the choice completely depends on the business goals and requires authorizsd licensing.

7. Monetization Model

To start with, first give the users an optional free trial for a month and then proceed to a paid subscription. This would give the user an idea about the app and the content. For an on-demand video streaming app you have 3 different ways of monetization:

      • Pay-per-view: PPV only charges the user when a service is used; it’s a straightforward pricing scheme.
      • Advertising: It’s a strategic use of an advertising medium, to reach a specific target audience.
      • Subscription: This is the monetization strategy that is used by Netflix. Subscribers are charged according to their plan. If you can regularly update content to the app, then this would be the ideal monetization model. Go for flexible subscription models that allow the users monthly, quarterly, or yearly plans.

8. Payment Gateway

If your app is going to use an operating system from Google or Apple then you need not create a separate payment gateway as both have their payment systems. Some of the other payment integrations are PayPal, Stripe or Braintree.

9. Integration with Social Media Networks

Social media integration feature on your VOD app is a great way to promote the app online. Including such options allows users to share links on their social media platforms which will in turn help you improve app visibility & encourage more people to download the app.

Having social media login options, apart from the usual email login or user name option will also be helpful.

10. Multiple language support

This feature is helpful to target regional audiences from different countries.

Cost to Create a Video-Streaming App

The cost of app development depends on the following factors:

      • App Design
      • Technology stack
      • App Features
      • Hourly rate of Developers
      • Development timeline

The most significant variable here is the hourly rates. See how hourly rates differ depending on the region:

Because of differences in price range, a video streaming app with the same set of features and technology stack can cost you from $30,000 to $200,000 depending on the country where the app development company is situated.

Final thoughts

Performance is the key to every successful online video-streaming platform and there is no short road to it. Though there are already many great players in this industry, the market is far from saturated. Beyond question, Netflix is an ultimate game-changer in the video-on-demand industry and has brought out limitless opportunities for online streaming.

Are you planning to launch a video streaming app with custom features? A team of true professionals can turn your ideas into a unique application.

So if you are ready to switch from ideation to development, then connect with NeoITO, a web and mobile app development company with expertise in developing mobile and web applications across different platforms.

Suggested read: 15 Different Business Model Ideas for Your Startup.