How To Build an App Like Threads: Features, Process and Cost

The global social media app market is currently valued at $49 billion and is projected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 26% from 2023 to 2030.

On average, social media users spend 145 minutes each day using various apps and websites.

This is why Meta recently introduced Threads, a microblogging platform that competes directly with Twitter in terms of features and usefulness. Meta is the company behind popular platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp.

Interestingly, Threads achieved the fastest user acquisition in the history of the Internet and social media, attracting a record-breaking 100 million users in just five days!

Given the high demand for additional social media platforms and apps offering enhanced features and more interactive experiences, now is an excellent time to consider developing and launching a program similar to Threads.

Here’s your guide on how to build an app like Threads with complete details about must-have features, the development process, and the cost of building such an app:

What is Threads App?

The Threads app is developed by Meta, the company that owns Facebook. Threads is an intriguing and unique application designed with a specific purpose. Its primary aim is to facilitate real-time text updates and interactions with a broad audience. Instagram Threads users can create posts of up to 500 characters, incorporating links, photos, and videos, each limited to five minutes in duration.

Must-Have Features For An App Like Threads

Let’s move on to the next phase and discuss the key features of an application like Threads. Now that you’re familiar with Threads, its popularity, and its benefits, we’re providing these features to help you create a feature list before reaching out to a company that specializes in enterprise mobile app development.

1. Privacy Settings

Upon logging into the app, users can handpick followers from their existing list of Instagram users. This grants users complete freedom to choose some, all, or none of them.

Users can also set the privacy level for their profile, deciding whether they want to keep their account public or make it private.

2. User Management

Users have easy control over how other users engage with them. They can determine who can mention them or respond to their thread posts. Additionally, users have the option to filter out responses that they consider inappropriate.

3. Push Notifications

The notification area displays all profile activity, including new followers, comments, likes, shares, and updates from verified profiles. You also have the option to mute or unmute alerts.

4. Status Updates

On Threads, users can share their status updates with followers, much like they do on Instagram and other Meta platforms. Additionally, it offers privacy features, allowing users to share updates exclusively with their closest friends.

5. Auto Status

Threads offers an auto status feature that automatically updates your status based on your phone’s location, motion sensors, and other data. This feature provides information such as “At Home,” “On the Move,” and “Low Battery.” To ensure users have complete control over their data and easy access to configuration settings, Facebook has implemented robust privacy controls and permissions.

6. Instagram Integration

Threads seamlessly integrates with Instagram, allowing users to share their Instagram Stories directly from the app. This integration provides a convenient way to cross-post content and maintain a consistent user interface across both platforms.

7. Enhanced Discussion Control

The Threads app offers improved control and communication features. Users can choose who can mention or respond to them on Threads, and they have options to unfollow, block, restrict, or report a profile.

8. Automatic Account Following

You can stay connected with the people you care about by allowing Threads to automatically follow all the Instagram accounts you already follow when you join the platform. You can also discover and follow other accounts from the main page to view their posts and content.

9. Insights and Analytics

Threads provides users with the ability to track their engagement, post reach, and other relevant metrics through analytics services.

A Step-by-Step Guide on How to Build an App Like Threads

It’s not easy to build an app like Threads; a well-planned approach and a deep understanding of this app are essential. We’ve covered enough about Threads, so let’s dive into how a similar app can be built:

Step 1: Thorough Market Research

Conduct comprehensive market research to create a text-based app like Threads. Identify your target market, study your competitors, and gain a deep understanding of user needs. Your app should cater to both user requirements and current market trends.

Step 2: Prototyping

Following the research phase, create a blueprint for your text-based app, considering the visual layout and storyboarding. Clearly define the app’s screen features, navigation, and feasibility to develop the user experience and interface effectively. Provide drag and drop option so that client can translate their vision on screen.

Step 3: Design an Elegant User Interface

There’s no single app design that can attract everyone so the focus should be on keeping the user interface (UI) clean and visually appealing. Your design team should work on aspects like layout, frameworks, and the app development platform. This will help in creating a mockup of the Threads messaging system. Prototyping can assist in aligning the design more closely with the Threads app. A solid design also contributes to a robust architecture.

Step 4: Development

Once the design phase is complete, the app developers step in to take charge of the project. They select the framework and technology stack that best suits your needs. Additionally, developers design the essential components and integrate various APIs and database servers to enhance the app’s scalability, usability, performance, and compatibility.

If you’re short on time or skills, you can opt for no code app builder or hire an outsourcing time for faster time to market.

Step 5: QA Testing

To ensure that an app meets the necessary requirements before it’s released to the market, various types of software testing must be conducted. Testing allows you to assess the app’s compatibility, and functionality, identify bugs, and evaluate the user experience. It also enables developers to address any issues upfront, saving both time and money.

Step 6: Deployment and Maintenance

After testing the app, it is deployed on the Apple App Store and Google Play Store. Continuous app performance monitoring, gathering user feedback, and making necessary adjustments and enhancements are crucial to ensure that the app functions seamlessly across all platforms. This ongoing maintenance is essential after the app has been distributed through various app stores.

Right Technology Stack To Build An App Like Threads

You’ll choose the technology stack based on your development requirements, allowing you to customize your app’s design to meet your specific needs.

Hiring a Specialized Mobile App Development Company

When seeking a mobile app development company, look for one that specializes in providing cutting-edge solutions using advanced techniques and technologies. Their skilled team of app developers will thoroughly understand your requirements and create feature-rich applications.

Cost To Create A Mobile App like Threads

Threads, a growing competitor to Twitter, is gaining popularity due to its innovative features. When considering the development of a social media app like Threads, factors to take into account include:

App Complexity: Intricate design and functionalities increase the development costs because they add complexity to the program. In general, iOS apps are considered slightly more complex than Android apps.

Additional Features: The overall development time increases when more features are added, leading to higher development costs.

App Size: The app’s size significantly impacts its production cost. Developing a Minimum Viable Product (MVP) will be relatively inexpensive compared to creating fully functional software with numerous features.

Development Platform: Most people go for iOS and Android platforms for their apps. If you intend to create an application that runs on multiple platforms, you’ll require a skilled developer, which can raise the cost.

Considering these factors, the cost of developing a mobile app similar to Threads may range from $50,000 to $150,000.

Technocrats Horizons- Your Social Media App Development Partner

Build an app like Threads in a seamless way with Technocrats by your side. Our extensive experience in mobile app development and deep knowledge of social media platforms and programming languages enable us to turn your idea into reality. Our team will collaborate closely with you, from strategic planning to creative design, seamless development, and rigorous quality assurance. We prioritize open communication to ensure your specific needs and goals are met at every step of the building process. You can count on Technocrats Horizons as your reliable partner to build an app like Threads that can grab users’ attention in the competitive market.