How Much Does It Cost to Develop a Cannabis Delivery App Like Eaze

The legal cannabis market is poised to reach $90.4 billion by 2026 at a CAGR of 28%. The market size is driven by two primary reasons – the legalization of marijuana and the growing medical applications. With digital transformation and relaxation in regulations, the sales of cannabis have turned the US into the fastest-growing cannabis business country.

According to Statista, cannabis has already reached the mark of $20.6 billion in the healthcare industry, it is predicted to reach $42.7 billion by 2024 and $33 billion worldwide by 2025.

Thus, it is evident that technology is transforming the cannabis industry into a whole new paradigm where on-demand cannabis delivery apps can be an excellent investment for your business. 

The ever-increasing revenue graph of the cannabis market makes entrepreneurs contemplate how much it would cost to develop an on-demand cannabis delivery app and how to create one for their business.

Before diving into further details, let’s discuss the cost first.

Estimated Medical Cannabis Delivery App Development Cost

The cost of developing a medical cannabis delivery app is a little higher than other on-demand delivery apps like UberEats.

If you go with the MVP version, the average cost of cannabis delivery app development will be around $40,000-$50,000. However, it is only a rough estimate; the actual cost varies, depending on many factors, such as how many integrations the app will support and how many platforms it will cover (tablets, smartwatches, etc.).

The factors mentioned here can increase or decrease the final cost to develop an app like Eaze. Therefore, make sure to consult a reliable iOS app development company or Android app development services to get an actual estimate of cannabis delivery app development cost while entering this domain.

While the average cost of cannabis on demand app development ranges around $40,000-$50,000, your budget estimate depends largely on cost-affecting factors, features, and app requirements.

Let’s dive deep into the factors that affect cannabis delivery app development cost, CBD app features, and how to establish the cannabis app business in this thriving domain. 

Factors That Determine the Cost of Cannabis App Development

Some key factors that affect the cost of building an online cannabis delivery business for different platforms are given below: 

1. Choice of Platform

Before going ahead with the mobile app development process, it’s imperative to choose a platform. Depending on your target audience, you can choose to build an iOS, Android, or cross-platform application. If you are a startup with a minimal budget, it’s better to opt for one platform in the initial stages; later on, you can shift to multiple platforms.

2. Features and Functionalities

The actual cost of a cannabis delivery application varies depending on the features and functionalities you want to integrate into the application. As the features advance, app development costs also increase. So, it is advisable to concentrate only on the core features in the initial version of the app and add features based on the feedback received from the users. It will help you offer a great customer experience.

3. UI and UX

User interface (UI) and user experience (UI) are vital for the success of your cannabis delivery application. UI/UX components such as push notifications, icons, and customization must be added to your application if you wish to make an impression on your users. A good app design will make your users engage with your app more and not drift away from it in the long run. However, this may increase the overall cost of app development.

4. Choice of App Development Company

The final cost of your app development will also depend on your chosen mobile app development company. A reliable app development company has expertise in multiple domains and offers expert resources to deliver excellent services. 

While outsourcing an app development company will add to the overall app development costs, it will be a worthy investment, resulting in speeding up the development process and the quality of the application.

5. App Maintenance

The work does not end with your app getting launched in the store. You need to constantly pay attention to app maintenance. Once the app is launched in the market, you need to maintain and update it constantly.

You will have to revamp the app integrations and functionalities as per users’ feedback and make efforts to scale your cannabis delivery app business. You will also require regular technical assistance from professional developers to ensure the smooth functioning of your app. This, in turn, adds to an increase in the cost of mobile app development.

Now that we have discussed the factors affecting cannabis delivery app development cost, let’s take a quick peek into the market space of cannabis app development.

Present and Future Market Space for Cannabis Delivery App

The growth in the market size of cannabis is backed by two prime factors. Firstly, the number of countries that opened up the idea of legal marijuana, and secondly, the likelihood that more countries might join the list soon.

On that note, let us look at the places where dealing in marijuana or cannabis is legal.

As you can see in the map above, the areas where cannabis is currently legal  are expanding, with more regions opening up to the idea of legalizing marijuana. So, if you are ready to invest in mobile app development for medical cannabis apps or cannabis delivery apps like Eaze, now is the right time to get started.

You can take a look at the below articles also to get some more references on on-demand delivery apps:

How to build a successful on-demand delivery app

How much does it cost to develop an on-demand delivery app, and

Four ways to bring out the best of your demand delivery apps

Here’s an overview of a leading cannabis delivery market player – Eaze. 

Eaze: The Biggest Player of Cannabis Delivery App Market 

Launched in 2014 by Keith McCarty, Eaze is a popular cannabis delivery medical app that connects independent licensed cannabis dispensaries with verified cannabis legal users. Eaze is a well-known app for providing cannabis delivery services wherever permitted.

With Eaze, users get cannabis delivery at the doorstep within a stipulated time and track the delivery status using the geolocation tracking feature. Not only this, but users also learn about the latest cannabis edibles and all other cannabis-associated updates through the app.

Other popular cannabis delivery apps such as Weedmaps, Budly, and Canary have established themselves well in the cannabis business system. All these top players are working on one or the other business model. 

Although it is up to you which model you wish to expand your business in, there are three commonly used business models that brands generally venture into. So, without further ado, let’s dive into the popular business models.

[Also Read: Tips for Entrepreneurs to be Successful in the Cannabis Market]

Business Models for On-demand Cannabis Delivery App Development

With a suitable business model, you can acquire maximum profit from cannabis delivery application development. Therefore, opting for an ideal business model that suits your needs the best is integral. 

Here is the list of the three best business models you can implement to start an online cannabis delivery business.

1. Delivery Specific

Under this business model, you can focus your energy on simply being a delivery partner. You can work around the delivery of orders made and items delivered. In return, you can take a commission on every fulfilled order. 

2. Single Store Startup

In this model, you can start your own store and keep the delivery part under your control. This way, you will earn from both the store and the delivery charges while expanding your business capabilities.

3. Aggregator Startups

Like Amazon and eBay, you can start your business as an aggregator that brings stores and customers to one place. So, your role would be to manage the order and delivery of cannabis and the groundwork recording of stores’ inventory.

Key Features For Your Cannabis Delivery App Development 

When you develop an app for cannabis delivery, you invest in not one but four application versions. Let us look at each of the versions separately.

Cannabis Customer App Features

Firstly, your app must allow users to register and sign up for your app. Next, the user should be able to search for products, read product details, set delivery dates and addresses, place an order, and pay online. Thus, from a buyer’s perspective, the app must include the following features:

1. User Registration

The registration process should be easy to follow for a customer. While they should not go through multiple lengthy procedures to enter a mobile app, it doesn’t mean they can sign up without a valid identity and age check. A basic form asking for the name, email id, age, etc., can come in handy. Users can also verify their identity via ID and upload their doctor’s receipt for medical marijuana.

2. Search Option

Along with allowing the customers to choose a product from a wide range of offerings in the application, you should also facilitate them to easily search for the required product through product sorting, filter, and search bar.

3. Multiple Payment Options

You should integrate multiple modes of payment in your cannabis delivery application. By integrating a payment gateway into the app, you make the transaction safe and convenient for the users. While making payments through debit cards, credit cards, and PayPal are the general must-have, it is cash on delivery (COD) that you must add as a mode of payment in the application. 

You can also read a few crucial factors to consider when adding a payment gateway to your application.

4. Schedule Delivery

Customers should be free to schedule the delivery of cannabis at their preferred time and availability.

5. Order Tracking

You should make use of APIs to give live tracking functionality to the customers. They should know where their order has reached at any given time. And if the delivery is being made through a dispensary in the same location as that of the customer, you can also consider offering them a GPS live tracking option.

6. Re-Order

Since most of the orders made under a legal jurisdiction serve medical purposes, there is a high possibility that the customers would demand it again. Thus, a reordering feature will be of immense help here.

7. Settings

Customers should have a separate section to manage their profiles, select the mode of payment, add and edit addresses, work around the app notification, etc. It will simply make the app journey easier for users.

8. Feedback and Rating

The sign of any good service is the rating and review that it gets. It means you would be able to judge how well your service is being accepted in the market after you give the customers a rating and feedback option to rate the product they are getting. 

It will also give your platform more credibility and allow users to share their delivery experience as well, leading to an enhanced customer experience.

Cannabis Store Manager App Features

Store manager app features include the seller’s profile, the store’s name and address, a help and support system, and so on. The app also prevents illegal activities, as merchants must upload their legal licenses for cannabis distribution before dealing with such services. Some of the main features added to a store manager app are listed below:

1. Profile

A store profile should contain all the essential information of the store/dispensary. This information includes but is not limited to the address, the owner’s name, contact info, a photo of the store, etc. Now, businesses usually keep the ability to edit profiles by themselves, but it helps if the store owner handles it independently. 

2. Product Catalog

To list products, merchants should give a detailed product description, upload a photo, and set the product category. Also, dispensary managers should update the status of cannabis availability.

3. Help and Support

The store manager should have a proper facility to contact the application’s admin or parent company in case of any query or doubts surrounding the service they offer.

4. Inventory Status

Before you pass a customer’s order to a specific dispensary, it is essential to know if all the goods are present in the dispensary. Noting this, it is vital to have an inventory update feature in the store’s app version so that the manager may update the status of cannabis availability with them.

Cannabis Driver App Features

A driver is a middleman between the buyer and the seller, responsible for delivering the order. Thus, to avoid credibility issues, the delivery person should confirm their identity.

Only after the admin verifies a user’s documents, the delivery person can receive an account. 

Below are the key features included in the app for drivers:

1. Profile

The driver should be able to manage their profile and put in information like name, address, identity proof, contact information, etc.

2. GPS Tracking

Driver’s application should have a proper GPS integration, which guides them to the route and exact address of the customers/stores where they have to go for delivery purposes.

3. Status of Delivery

Drivers should have the option to update the status of delivery – En Route, Arrived, Order Delivered, Payment Received, etc.

Cannabis App Admin Panel Advanced Features

The admin panel helps you oversee the whole operation. There are quite a few essential features that should be there in your admin app, such as:

1. Dashboard

Admins of the application should be given a dashboard from where they can manage, control, and view the whole activity happening on the platform in real time.

2. Listing Management

The feature would allow admins to edit the listings, change the pricing mentioned on the page, remove fishy listings, and so on.

3. Order Management

Administrators should have access to the functionality that helps monitor all orders made on the application, track their status, and queries related to the order, the payment scenario, etc.

4. Customer Management

Admins should gain information about the customers, their feedback, and order history so that they may analyze the received data and handle the whole reselling engagement process.

5. Feedback and Reports

Admins should have full access to view, comment, and take action on the feedback, customer/store reports, and blocks.

Final Thought

Overall, keeping all the facts and stats in mind, we can state that the marijuana delivery business is becoming a huge market in the US and other countries. Thereby, an increasing number of businesses are keen to invest in this thriving domain. So, whether you are looking for ways to expand your existing CBD delivery business or wish to get started with marijuana delivery, an on-demand cannabis delivery app is all you need.

So, if you are ready to get started with developing a CBD delivery app for your business, we at Appinvnetiv would love to help you out.

Appinventiv has helped many on-demand app development companies like IKEA, Domino’s, Adidas, etc., build and upgrade their mobile applications. The experts at Appinventiv take your business idea and mix it with the best industry-driven practices to develop on-demand apps that will help you achieve ROI and scale while being at the forefront of the industry. Our on-demand app development services include 

• In-app payments
• Social media integration
• Instant alerts
• Geo-IP location
• Analytics and so much more.

Connect with our on-delivery app consultants now and get started in your CBD delivery drive.

FAQs

Q. What factors affect the cost of cannabis app development?

A. To help you comprehend the crucial factors that affect the cost of cannabis app development, here is a list of some vital parameters:

• Firstly, designing a cannabis delivery app requires a team of skilled designers and developers who have a good comprehension of on demand app development and who can customize the app design.
• Another factor affecting the CBD delivery app cost is how it is tested. However, hiring a professional app development company can significantly reduce testing costs.
• If you require some customization or additional feature integration to your application, it could be another factor that can affect the cannabis app development cost.
• In addition, your app requires timely upgrade and maintenance, which would increase the overall cost of the cannabis delivery app.

Q. How to get started with developing a cannabis delivery app?

A. If developing a cannabis delivery app is your next big thing, you must follow specific steps and keep the below-listed factors into account:

• Doing market research
• Acquiring all legal requirements
• Obtaining the essential licenses
• Contacting a professional mobile app development company
• Contemplating a right technical solution

Q. How long does it take to create a marijuana delivery app?

A. Developing a CBD delivery app would take around six-eight months for an MVP version.

THE AUTHOR

Dileep Gupta

DIRECTOR & CO-FOUNDER