Hopper travel app: business model, Development cost, and featured explained

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The Hopper travel app allows travelers to book and manage their travel plans in just a few taps. It’s free to download and easy to use, making it perfect for people who don’t want to spend hours sorting through dozens of websites or hunting down hard-to-find phone numbers. 

The innovative app also features an artificial intelligence engine that can find and compare flights across different travel booking sites—including airlines, hotels, car rental agencies, cruise lines, etc.—so you can always find the best deals possible.

As a person in the travel or hotel business, you might have noticed the newest trends in how people make flight or hotel reservations. Travelers these days prefer to reserve online instead of the old-fashioned way.

Apart from this, most people now prefer to book their hotels through apps or websites, as many sites are available.

Looking to design your hotel booking app like Hopper? This article discusses the online travel app’s business model, features, and development costs. It can help you understand all there is to know about the app before you commit to hiring its development services from any of the top mobile app development companies in India. 

Let’s see what it offers and how it can help you dominate the industry with minimum investment!

What is Hopper?

Hopper is a travel app that helps you find cheap airfare. It monitors flight prices for your destination and gives you a notification when it goes on sale. Hopper finds savings by comparing everyday ticket prices to finding people who are looking to cancel their flights for similar destinations. 

Travel app Hopper, which uses Artificial Intelligence technology, has now been downloaded over 30 million times, and 75 million trips are planned.

Hopper is currently the only travel application in the Apple App Store’s best of 2015 list. Hopper also reported that it is among the top 7 overall apps in the Apple App Store.

It is an award-winning application for travel and has been included in the App Annie Top 10 Travel Apps in the United States.

The travel application utilizes AI to predict the cost of airline tickets, and in the coming weeks, it will also offer hotels. Prices for hotels are also cheaper. They are altering the explorer’s requirements. With the number of downloads steadily rising, the app has become one of the biggest names in the industry within only six years since it was released.

Suppose you want to know about the Hopper travel app business model 2022; the company’s daily revenue is $1.5 million for flights sold in the context of 300 airlines. It earns about $5 per ticket. It charges between 1% and 4% commission from airlines, too. This is also the general revenue or profit-making policy for the passenger.

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How does the Hopper app works?

Where to from

Locating the lowest hotel prices and airfares prompts users to input the locations from and to. Additionally, adding the number of travelers and whether they wish to reserve hotel rooms for a stay is also possible. Then comes the crucial element, the date and the type of ticket you want to purchase, roundtrip or one-way.

Prediction Magic

When a user has completed all the necessary filters, the application displays an organized list of hotels and flights. (Yeah, it’s an application for booking hotels as well.)

However, the most interesting aspect of Hopper is that it informs users whether to book hotels or tickets today or wait for prices to decrease. In actuality, Hopper uses artificial intelligence algorithmic prediction to tell users when prices are likely higher and vice versa.

Personalization & Push Notifications

Users can choose a flight or book tickets on the app. You can also choose Hopper to continue searching for their next adventure and let them know whenever there is a price change.

In addition, this mobile-only travel app lets users follow and sends push notifications, along with forecasts of the cost of travel.

For instance, it recommends various routes and dates that users will save money. Hopper offers tips on making the best trip choices.

In total, travelers can find affordable flights and hotel rooms and even plan their trips. You can also make reservations right away using a Hopper account.

Main features of the Hopper app.

Provide users with the right price prediction

According to Hopper, its predictive accuracy for its price forecasts was 96%. Now, its AI can also be used to predict hotel prices. When a user selects the date of their trip, Hopper predicts how much it will cost for hotels and flights.

When it comes to hotel booking app development, if you intend to develop something like Hopper, this particular feature will prevent your project from going wrong.

Enable users to Book Flights, Hotels, and Cars in a single place

Hopper is a multipurpose application for booking flights and hotels with just a few taps. If you are looking for a Booking app development for your business, then it is best to consider platforms that allow users to book flights, hotels, and cars in a single place. Through such platforms, users can make all their travel plans and get all services under one roof. Through such platforms, users can also book mini-vans or small vehicles while traveling with friends or family members.

It helps in planning a trip easier.

Just remember, price is not a criterion while booking a hotel. When developing an app like Hopper, one needs to catch up on features that help to plan a trip more elegantly.

The Hopper app provides details about the hotel we’re seeking and nearby hotels.

A calendar with the cost of flights and hotels on various days is essential and should be. It will help you create a loyal client base for your business and keep bringing the customer who traveled with you.

If you’ve got an app but have not added this feature, then add it to your application. If you haven’t developed the app, this feature must be present in the app.

Combined search

Having the combined search feature in your app is a must. A combined search will help users find the best deals and prices quickly, which is essential in booking flights or hotels. It also helps if you’re already established as a travel site because your potential customers can use the same provider for their booking needs. 

The combined search feature should be present during a user’s session so they can find flights or hotels immediately.

Six steps to develop Hopper app clone

Research your app’s target market

So, we’ve determined that you want to build a travel app business like Hopper. Now it’s time to find your market. What kind of people would use such a thing? 

Most successful entrepreneurs will tell you that there’s no point in even starting if you don’t know who your customers will be—so get started on figuring out who they are. Take note of what attracts you and what doesn’t, and make sure that whatever features are part of your final product somehow address these findings!

At Hopper, for example, founder Frederic Lalonde came up with his idea after struggling to figure out how he could quickly compare prices for flights between cities. This problem is easily solved by using their new app! That said, not everyone has problems finding cheap flights, so addressing a common one may not be enough to ensure success. Do research other apps and services like yours and think about why they haven’t taken off yet or how you can differentiate yourself from them.

Choose a monetization model.

The second step in creating a travel mobile app development is choosing a monetization model. Will you build a paid app? Will you use advertising? In-app purchases? or free. Whatever your choice, make sure that your model will be one that people want to use.

Start by thinking about why someone would need such an app and how they would use it. Thinking through these questions will help clarify what features you’ll have to include in your product and which revenue model makes sense for it.

There are two main ways to make money with travel apps: You can charge users a fee directly or rely on advertising. With both models, you’ll have certain responsibilities under your agreement with Apple or Google that you need to fulfill for your app not to be banned.

For example, if you’re using their payment systems, you must meet their requirements for protecting cardholder data and ensuring transactions are secure and processed properly. Or, if you’re using their ad platforms, you need to meet campaign delivery criteria like viewability standards and audience measurement guidelines.

Hire Hopper app developer

You’ve had your idea, vetted it through market research, and now it’s time to bring your app idea to life. You can develop mobile apps on your own with no outside help, but that route has a high probability of failure. 

Without experience building in-demand consumer apps or access to expert product developers, you’re unlikely to succeed by yourself. That’s why many startups outsource their app development; they let experienced companies with proven track records do what they do best: create awesome products that people love.

Create an MVP

The next step in developing a new app is creating an MVP (minimum viable product). It simply means as little as you can get away with. Ideally, your MVP will consist of just one screen with one function. For example, if you’re building a sports app that predicts team performance, your MVP might be what will happen on Monday Night Football.

It doesn’t have to be super or pretty easy to use—just enough so you can test out your idea and see what users do with it. It doesn’t matter how long it takes to develop your app’s initial MVP; every successful company has had one.

Marketing and promotion

For a travel app like Hopper, you’ll want to get customers in your door as quickly as possible. The best way to do that is with some combination of advertising and marketing. You’ll need a short-term strategy to get your name out there, build buzz, and make money.

But you’ll also need a long-term plan for word-of-mouth growth, organic downloads, and brand loyalty. Most importantly, set goals and objectives before putting together any plans – don’t just hope it will happen! Goals make good roadmap markers, while marketing principles provide tactics that help you navigate along that road.

Ongoing maintenance and support

While developing your app is critical, keep in mind that you’ll need ongoing maintenance and support for your product. Your app will go through changes and may even require upgrades over time. 

Be sure to account for these additional costs in your pricing model, if possible. It might be a good idea to hire a dedicated developer who can provide ongoing updates as needed rather than rely on outside freelancers who only take on large-scale projects.

How to Develop Your Hoppe App Clone Standout?

The app’s model of operation and the kind of features might depend on the type of app and business model. However, here are a few of the essential features you should have for an app for mobile travel:

Personalized Booking Experiences

Modern customers want personalized online travel experiences that, at present, very few businesses are providing. It means that travel websites have lower conversion rates and lower revenue. However, the travel industry giants are trying to adapt the latest technologies quickly to offer their customers seamless travel experiences that are different in the marketplace.

For instance, the Hilton app lets users use the “choose your room feature,” by which they can choose the room that best suits their preferences before checking in.

Customers can choose the flooring they would like and also whether they want an area with a pool or a room with parking. Numerous travel websites are making this personalization step further, allowing users to choose what they would like within their accommodations.

If you’re considering entering the field of travel, be sure to be aware of personalization and utilize the latest technologies to deliver similarly.

Economical Traveling

Nowadays, consumers are both conscious of their time and budget. So, they are more inclined to use low-cost travel over expensive ones. Solo travel is also popular, so apps such as Hopper must meet the requirements of any traveler. You can allow your consumer to:

  1. Find low-cost transportation and lodging options
  2. Meet other backpackers and discover options that are suitable together
  3. Explore local cuisines and destinations to visit
  4. Local dialects can be translated into different languages
  5. Knowledge about the weather conditions for the destination

Technologies like Artificial Intelligence

To help your app stand out, it’s important to use techniques like Artificial Intelligence, ML, AR/VR, and many more. For instance, you could utilize AI to integrate chatbots. Bots are responsible for offering 24/7 support for your customers. You can either use an already-built bot or put money into creating the bot of your choice.

AI and Machine Learning are a pair of innovative technologies that can make travel apps stand above their competitors. It is possible to use these new techniques to detect fraud, recommender techniques, cost reduction, and sales optimization. All of these will assist you in improving your sales and marketing strategies tremendously.

In the same way, with push notifications and beacon technologies, businesses in the travel industry can design effective marketing campaigns and get greater conversions. AR and VR could aid customers in taking an immersive tour of the place or hotel they’re looking to visit.

Benefits of Development of Hopper App Clone

Today, travel businesses have begun moving on to mobile app development. With travelers beginning their booking process on a smartphone, hotels and airlines are adapting themselves accordingly with mobile applications for booking and other purposes. Here are some benefits of Hotel booking app development:

  1. A travel app is a great way to build a brand for your business and can be used as an additional marketing tool. 
  2. Apps can help increase customer loyalty by giving them incentives or rewards when booking with your company. 
  3. Your customers will appreciate having access to your services at their fingertips, making it easier for them to plan their trips and travel around without hassle or delay in service delivery.
  4. The travel booking app helps you reach out to more customers who are on-the-go 
  5. You get access to real-time data about how many people are using your services and where they’re located.
  6. A travel app is also an effective way of reaching out to new markets, especially if you’re looking at expanding globally.
  7. It gives you another medium through which you can communicate with existing customers.

How Much Does it Cost to Develop a Hotel Booking App Like Hopper?

The first thing you’ll want to do is estimate how much money you plan on spending on your project and when it needs to be finished. The amount of money you spend depends on several factors—the platform you choose and whether or not you use external services or built-in tools that come with a particular software can make a big price difference. 

To find Hotel booking app development costs, you should also consider how long your project will take and whether you have any constraints, such as tight deadlines or strict budget limitations.

  • What features do you need to include in the app?
  • The model of app development you select is Waterfall or Agile.
  • You can hire freelancers and in-house developers and outsource your work.
  • The platforms you want to target are either iOS or Android or both
  • The stack of technology you choose (Objective C or Swift and Java or Kotlin).

India

Indian app development costs may be just as affordable as possible. The Indian workforce is quite hardworking and talented. So if you’re willing to get your Hopper app clone done for rates from $10 to $80 per hour, it will also include excellent technical support.

Australia

Talent is abundant in this location, and you’ll get the most proficient individuals for your mobile application’s AI and ML requirements. Fees will be slightly higher – between $50 to $150 per hour. Get an all-star team of developers led by experienced, top-level Sr. developers.

Eastern Europe

Eastern Europe is known as a business hub, so from my experience, you get some of the most credible development companies in the world. It’s up against the Australian companies. The developer here asks for $50-$150 per hour for work.

USA/Canada

Therefore, the United States and Canada are seen as the hub of the tech sector; no company targets any other country to gain access to these countries. So if you choose to make your travel app from this region, you’ll be paying thousands of dollars, like $50 to $250/hour.

These are the estimated costs based on various regions. Please find the most prominent developers in the region and then reach out to the most reputable companies via their websites. Prices will also vary based on the needs of the customer and the type of technology used.

Final Words

You have to focus on the user’s needs for Hotel booking app development that functions well and is aesthetically pleasing. So remember, you need to make sure that your forecasting algorithm works.

You need to build an algorithm that can produce similar results outside your preferences. A mobile app development company can help you with their skilled developers and designers, leveraging their quality IT resources and modern tools to achieve high-quality products.

Contact Esferasoft Solutions if you’re unsure about where to start when making an app for booking flights and hotels.

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