business plan template for mobile app

Upmetrics AI Assistant: Simplifying Business Planning through AI-Powered Insights. Learn How

Entrepreneurs & Small Business

Accelerators & Incubators

Business Consultants & Advisors

Educators & Business Schools

Students & Scholars

AI Business Plan Generator

Financial Forecasting

AI Assistance

Ai Pitch Deck Generator

Strategic Planning

See How Upmetrics Works  →

• Sample Plans
• WHY UPMETRICS?

Customer Success Stories

Business Plan Course

Small Business Tools

Strategic Planning Templates

E-books, Guides & More

• Sample Business Plans
• Mobile Apps & Software

Mobile App Business Plan

A business has three pillars: the idea, the plan, and the execution. Congratulations! You have the app idea already, now you have to step forward with a plan.

But, somewhere with all the workload, the concept of the app, hiring the right people, budget, and development of the app, entrepreneurs overlook the need for planning.

Worry not, we are here to lighten your burden with our step-by-step guide for mobile app business plan writing.

Key Takeaways

• A mobile application business plan helps you define your marketing strategy, customer acquisition strategy, retention strategy, and strategies to achieve your business goals.
• Craft an impactful executive summary that outlines the type of your app business, marketing approach, financial outlook, and team expertise to attract potential investors and partners.
• Conduct thorough market research to understand market trends, consumer preferences, and the needs of your target market.
• To ensure efficient daily operations, provide in-depth operational plans that incorporate staffing, additional services, and customer service.
• Create realistic financial projections for sales revenue, expenses, and profit forecasts while considering contingencies & emergencies.

Let’s get started with our guide, without any further ado:

How to Create a Mobile App Business Plan: A Complete Guide

1. executive summary.

An executive summary is a quick overview of the whole business plan. From mission & vision to financial projections, it includes everything in between.

Generally, entrepreneurs write this section at the end after having the full knowledge of the entire business plan.

Begin your executive summary with a brief introduction of your business, and include other elements like:

• Market Opportunity
• Vision & mission statement
• Target market
• Unique value proposition
• Details of your services
• Management team
• Financial Outlook
• Call to action

For instance, here is an example of an app business USP’s section:

USP for PrivyConnect – Social Media App: “Connect with Total Privacy”

Our social media app is dedicated to ensuring your online interactions remain private and secure. Unlike many other platforms, we don’t share your data or personal information with third parties.

We use robust encryption to protect your messages and content, and you have full control over who can see your posts. With us, you can truly connect with your friends and family in a safe and trusted environment. Your privacy is our priority.

Note: your readers might not read the whole business plan, but they will go through the executive summary. Therefore, make sure you write it engagingly to grab their interest.

Say goodbye to boring templates

Build your business plan faster and easier with AI

Plans starting from $7/month

2. Company Overview

In this section, present your business in detail. It should provide the details of your business & app name, the location of your office, the structure of your business, and other such information.

Now it is time you introduce what type of business you own, for example, your app type will be one from below:

• Social media app
• Messaging app
• E-commerce app
• Entertainment app
• Health and fitness app
• News or magazine app
• Navigation app
• Finance app

After that, mention the company history if you have any. Add the name and other qualifications & achievements of business owners. Mention the vision & mission statement of your app business along with your future goals.

In short, this section should provide an in-depth understanding of your business and business owners.

3. Industry Analysis

In the industry analysis section of your mobile app business plan, you have to provide the details about the mobile app industry. It will help you understand the market and gain a better insight into your business positioning.

Here are certain questions to ask while performing industry analysis:

• What is the current size of the app industry in terms of both revenue and users?
• What are the current trends of mobile app businesses?
• Which apps are leading the industry?
• Which mobile app concept is famous in public?

Conduction this industry analysis will educate you about the market and help you prepare marketing strategies according to the market trends.

In short, industry analysis will help to know a clear picture of the market, helping you in making informed decisions.

4. Competitive Analysis

Competitive analysis will help you identify the unique selling propositions (USP). Also, this way you will get to know your competitors.

Start by specifying who are your competitors – then compare it with both direct and indirect customers.

Now, let’s focus on your direct competitors, those similar to your mobile app. Provide an overview of each competitor, including their size and where they’re based.

Here are some questions to ask for competitive analysis:

• Who are your primary competitors?
• Who do they serve?
• What are their USPs?
• What is their pricing strategy?
• What do they need to work on according to their customers?

A more effective way to this analysis is to conduct it from the customers’ viewpoint. You might even ask your competitors’ customers what they like and dislike about their apps to better understand customers’ perspectives.

Here is an example of competitors and competitive advantage of the app:

Competitors

SocialShield: SocialShield is a notable competitor in the privacy-focused social media segment. It emphasizes strong user data protection and secure communications. Their user base has been steadily growing, particularly among privacy-conscious users.

GuardChat: GuardChat offers encrypted messaging and content sharing. It has a user-friendly interface and strong encryption features. While their user base is smaller compared to established platforms, they have garnered a dedicated following.

PriviNet: PriviNet has made a name for itself by offering comprehensive privacy controls and anonymous user interactions. They have built a niche community of users who value privacy and user-controlled sharing settings.

Competitive Advantages of PrivyConnect

PrivyConnect’s comprehensive privacy controls and encryption set it apart as a top contender.

The app’s transparent communication and commitment to environmental responsibility contribute to its appeal.

PrivyConnect’s active community-building efforts and user engagement foster loyalty.

The app’s plans to expand into secure content sharing and social community growth align with industry trends.

This way you can get to know the USP of a mobile app development company. Once you get the USP, flaunt it in the entire business plan.

5. Market Analysis

In the market analysis section, do the market research and dive right into the market where you will be providing your app services. Begin the section by providing the details of your target customers.

Your target customers will depend on the type of app you own and the services you provide.

After a thorough discussion of the target market, discuss the market trends. Mention what your target customers prefer and what new are they looking for. For example, people might be looking for:

• Integration of AR/VR
• Sustainable and eco-friendly apps
• Privacy and data protection
• Personalization

At the end of the market analysis, do mention the regulatory environment mobile apps need to follow in the particular location.

6. Sales and Marketing Plan

Writing the sales and marketing section means jotting down the marketing strategy you will use to acquire new users and retain the existing ones.

Now it is time to mention the marketing strategies for your app, there are three phases of the launch:

Pre-launch phase

• App-store optimization: Before launching the app, search for the keywords to include in your title, description, and other content.
• Build a landing page: You can create a website or build a landing page to make your brand presence prominent on the web too.
• Pre-launch promotion: Launch a teaser for your app before the release date itself. Give some special offers to the ones who will sign up even before the launch.

Launch phase

• Deploy it on major app stores: Launch your app on all the major app stores to reach a wider audience. Make sure it is working smoothly and is free of bugs.
• Social media marketing: There were going to be 147.2 billion annual app downloads in 2023 itself. Imagine the competition, so be sure to make your visibility strong through social media platforms.
• Content marketing: Create blog posts, videos, or infographics related to your app’s niche. Share valuable content on your website and social media to engage users.

Post-launch phase

• User reviews and feedback: Encourage users to leave positive reviews and ratings on app stores. Actively respond to user feedback and address issues (if any) ASAP.
• User engagement strategies: You can enable push notifications or in-app notifications to interact with your users. You can also ask them to invite friends in exchange for a referral bonus.
• Collaboration or influencer marketing: You can collaborate with some other mobile app companies and do cross-marketing. Influencer marketing is also a great choice.

Once you have noted down how you will acquire customers, then mention below things too:

• Customer acquisition cost
• Your monthly paid advertisement budget
• Number of followers you have on social media
• If there are any in-app purchases

7. Management Team

Knowing who is behind your app business will increase the appeal of your business plan.

The management team tells you about the people in charge of the app business. It should explain each manager’s experience, what they’re good at, and what their jobs are.

Here is an example of the management team:

Management team of PrivyConnect

Founder and CEO – Sarah Anderson Sarah is the visionary leader behind PrivyConnect. With a background in cybersecurity and a passion for online privacy, she founded the company to provide users with a secure and private social media experience. Sarah is responsible for setting the company’s strategic direction and ensuring its commitment to user privacy and data protection.

CTO – David Ramirez David brings a wealth of technical expertise to PrivyConnect. He has a strong background in mobile app development and security protocols. David oversees the technical development of the app, ensuring that it employs state-of-the-art encryption and privacy measures.

CMO – Emily Davis Emily is the marketing guru behind PrivyConnect’s success. With a knack for digital marketing and user engagement, she is responsible for building the app’s user base and promoting its unique selling propositions. Emily focuses on user-centric marketing strategies and community engagement.

COO – Michael Chen Michael is the operations expert at PrivyConnect. With years of experience in streamlining business operations, he ensures the app runs smoothly and efficiently. He also oversees partnerships and collaborations to enhance the app’s offerings.

8. Operations Plan

As earlier sections mentioned everything about your company goals, here it is time to mention how you will reach them. These goals are differentiated into two sections:

Everyday goals

They’re the heart and soul of your mobile app’s daily life, from coding and upgrades to the nitty-gritty of customer support. These are the everyday heroes that keep your app running smoothly.

Long-term goals

It’s all about milestones: the moments that make you pop the champagne. Picture celebrating your 10,000th app install, hitting that milestone sales figure you’ve dreamt of, or expanding your team.

9. Financial Plan

Your financial plan needs to have a 5-year financial forecast. For the first year, break it down into monthly or quarterly details, and then summarize it annually. This forecast should cover your income statement, balance sheet, Use of Funds, and cash flow.

Income statement

An income statement, often known as a Profit and Loss statement or P&L, displays your earnings and then deducts your expenses to know the profitability of your business. Make practical assumptions based on your competition.

Balance sheet

Balance sheets display your assets and liabilities. Although they can contain a lot of details, like equity, goodwill, other intangible assets, etc.

Uses of Funds

When you are seeking funding, this statement becomes necessary to show where you will use the funds. Here is an example of the Uses of Funds chart with the help of Upmetrics:

Cash flow statement

Your cash flow statement helps you see how much money you need to start or grow your business and avoid running out of money.

Surprisingly, you can make a profit but still face financial problems that could lead to bankruptcy. Therefore, you will need proper cash flow planning to avoid such circumstances.

Why Do You Need a Business Plan for Your Mobile App

For entrepreneurs who jump into business directly without writing a business plan is like delaying their success. Here are some reasons why you need a mobile app business plan:

Writing a business plan helps you work out and make clear your business strategy. Do you want customers to pay upfront? Or there are in-app purchases? Writing this down from the start helps your team understand where you’re headed.

Finances are important

Sometimes, it takes months or even a year to cover customer acquisition costs. So, you need a plan with a solid financial forecast. A good plan lets you play with different situations, so you know how much money you need for both the long and short term.

Acquiring and retaining customers

Acquiring and retaining customers is one of the sole purposes of a business. In the business plan, you have to mention in detail about your strategies to have a clear roadmap.

Knowing Your Market

A business plan lets you identify your ideal customer profile. Knowing your customers is crucial, and having a deep understanding of your customers helps you make the correct updates to your product in the future.

Related Mobile App Resources

• How Much Does it Cost to Start an App
• How to Start an Mobile App Business

Download a Mobile App business plan template

Ready to kick-start your business plan writing process? And not sure where to start? Here you go, download our free mobile app business plan pdf , and start writing.

This intuitive, modern, and investment-ready template is designed specifically for mobile app businesses. It includes step-by-step instructions & examples to help in creating your own mobile app business plan.

The Quickest Way to turn a Business Idea into a Business Plan

Fill-in-the-blanks and automatic financials make it easy.

Finally! You know how to write a mobile app business plan. Thus, you are one step closer to starting or expanding your business.

No doubt, writing a business plan is a challenging task, but it is a lot smoother with a top business planning tool . Therefore, take a deep breath and get started with your plan. All the best!

Related Posts

Web Design Business Plan

Dating App Business Plan

Top Business Planning Tools

Business Plan Presentation Tips

Frequently asked questions, do i need to include information about competitors in the business plan.

Yes, in the section of competitive analysis: you need to mention your competitors and their USPs. This will help you to understand the market and know your strong points.

How often should I update my mobile app business plan?

An app business plan is a living document, you can change or update it whenever you want. Ideally, go through your plan and make changes according to the current situations atleast once a month.

Can I use a mobile app business plan to secure funding for my app project?

One of the main purposes of writing a business plan is to secure funding or get a loan. So, of course, you can present a solid mobile app business plan in front of lenders to secure funding.

How much does it cost to create a mobile app business plan?

Writing a mobile app business plan might cost from a few hundred to thousands of dollars depending on the complexity of the app, the number of integrations, UI/UX, etc.

About the Author

Vinay Kevadiya

Vinay Kevadiya is the founder and CEO of Upmetrics, the #1 business planning software. His ultimate goal with Upmetrics is to revolutionize how entrepreneurs create, manage, and execute their business plans. He enjoys sharing his insights on business planning and other relevant topics through his articles and blog posts. Read more

Plan your business in the shortest time possible

No Risk – Cancel at Any Time – 15 Day Money Back Guarantee

Popular Templates

Create a great Business Plan with great price.

• 400+ Business plan templates & examples
• AI Assistance & step by step guidance
• 4.8 Star rating on Trustpilot

Streamline your business planning process with Upmetrics .

Growthink's Ultimate Business Plan Template

The world's #1 business plan template.

• Search Search for: Search Close

Mobile App Business Plan Template

The world’s #1 mobile app business plan template — it’s the quickest and easiest way to create a winning mobile app business plan, period.

• Quickly & easily finish your business plan
• Turn your ideas into reality
• Get funding from lenders & investors
• Dominate your competitors
• Increase sales & profits
• Trusted by more than 100,000 businesses
• Zero learning curve
• 365-day 100% money back guarantee
• Get the world’s best growth strategies & tactics
• Lifetime access and no recurring fees
• 365 days of free customer support
• “Insider Secrets to Raising Capital” ($299 value) included FREE
• “Productivity Secrets” ($197 value) included FREE
• … and much more!

It Took Us 17 Years to Create the Ultimate Mobile App Business Plan Template for You

Hi, I’m Dave Lavinsky, the co-founder and President of Growthink.

I’m honored and flattered to have been recognized as the world’s foremost business planning expert by BusinessWeek, Forbes and others.

Seventeen years ago we started writing business plans for entrepreneurs, executives and business owners like you.

During this time, we’ve helped over 100,000 entrepreneurs and businesses achieve great success.

Using this vast experience, we have created and constantly refined Growthink’s Ultimate Mobile App Business Plan Template to be the hands-down quickest and easiest way to create a professional Mobile App business plan that allows you to raise capital and build a strategically sound business.

100,000+ Satisfied Buyers

“Your Business Planning Template has been the single most valuable tool for helping me think more critically and strategically. So thank you.”

Michael Saletta

“I always thought writing a business plan was going to be very difficult – and that’s why I kept putting it off.

Growthink’s Ultimate Business Plan Template made it as easy as filling in the blanks and pressing ‘print.’ Thanks again.”

David Schleider

“I downloaded your template onto my computer, opened it up… and I actually was able to finish my business plan by the end of the day!”

Brett Perrine

“I bought your business plan template and raised $1,550,000 this year. Thank you for all you do!”

Wendy Drumm

INCREDIBLE FEATURES

You can finally create a professional Mobile App business plan in less than 1 day thanks to these powerful features of Growthink’s Ultimate Mobile App Business Plan Template:

Simply Fill in the Blanks

We’ve created simple, fill-in-the-blank exercises that guide you through all the key questions your Mobile App business plan must answer.

And we give you samples for every section of your plan.

Just type your answers directly into our template and you’re done!

Automatic Financials

Simply type in some numbers, like your salary and expected growth, and our template automatically calculates your complete 5-year financial projections.

You’ll have your Income Statement, Balance Sheet, Cash Flow Statement, and multiple charts and graphs completed in minutes.

Turn Your Ideas to Reality

If you don’t have an action plan for executing on your ideas, they’ll never materialize.

That’s why Growthink’s Ultimate Mobile App Business Plan Template includes an Operations Plan section.

This section takes you through our proven and proprietary process for creating an Operations Plan that will transform your ideas into reality.

Improve Your Strategy

Growthink’s Ultimate Mobile App Business Plan Template helps you build a strategically sound business.

It guides you through key questions about your company, marketing and operations strategies, and gives you tons of ideas for improvement.

For example, in the Marketing Plan section, you’ll see several of the best marketing tactics to get new customers.

Expert Answers

Our Ultimate Mobile App Business Plan Template “Members Area” gives answers to all your questions, plus access to our amazing customer support team.

Raise Money Faster

The content and format of our Ultimate Mobile App Business Plan Template is tailored to the wants and needs of investors and lenders, so you raise more funding faster.

Our formula works wonders — our clients have raised over $2.5 BILLION!

Lifetime Access

Once you purchase Growthink’s Ultimate Mobile App Business Plan Template, you have lifetime access to use it for any Mobile App business in which you’re involved, now or in the future.

There are no recurring or monthly fees for our template, just a one-time fee.

Zero Learning Curve

There’s no software to learn or install.

You simply download, personalize & print our Microsoft Word® and Excel® compatible Ultimate Mobile App Business Plan Template. And it works flawlessly on both PCs and Macs.

This is yet another way you save precious time!

365-Day Money-Back Guarantee!

Here’s our promise: Purchase today 100% risk-free because Growthink’s Ultimate Mobile App Business Plan Template comes with a full 365 Day 100% Money Back Guarantee.

If for any reason you are not delighted with your purchase, simply contact our friendly support desk and you will be promptly given a full refund… No questions asked!

Plus 2 Great Free Bonuses – Yours Free

Raise Funding in a Flash

When you order, we give you instant access to “Insider Secrets to Raising Capital” ($299 value) for FREE.

This program includes 15 expert interviews (both audio recordings and transcripts) we conducted with top investors, lenders and entrepreneurs who have raised funding.

The interviews teach you the keys to raising funding and the critical mistakes to avoid.

$299 Value – Yours FREE

Fast-Track Your Growth

We not only help you quickly and expertly finish your business plan, but we help you grow a thriving business.

We do this by giving you FREE instant access to our renowned “Productivity Secrets for Entrepreneurs” course ($197 value).

This program gives you the precise techniques the world’s most successful business executives use to achieve amazing success in less time than you’d ever think imaginable!

$197 Value – Yours FREE

Get Growthink’s Ultimate Mobile App Business Plan Template Right Now!

Even More Satisfied Buyers

“I knew I had to create a business plan, but I didn’t know how to go about doing that.

I was delighted that I could pick up your template with all the key components… just drop in my idea… and put it together in a way that hits all the key points and makes an impact with the investment community.

Obviously, the result is in whether or not you’re able to raise money…

We’re delighted because we were able to raise money, and we’re off to the races!”

Andrew Kessler

“I wanted to let you know that since I used your template, my business has improved dramatically and I am FINALLY starting to really grow.

You were right. I was able to easily create my financials (I was really scared about that going in) and editing the document was pretty straightforward.

And, then, a friend of mine introduced me to some angel investors. And when I showed them the business plan, they wrote me a check on the spot!.”

Scott Sofsian

“I purchased this product and it was amazing! Guess what? I got my loan and had 2 other offers.

My biz plan was done in 12 hours. Worth every penny!”

Maria Miranda

I wanted to thank you for the business advice around creating a compelling business plan.

I used your guidance and since then have raised more than $1 million in angel investment.”

David McGrath

“Dave’s business plan made all of this achievable. The excel spread sheets made it easy to provide forecasts and budgets.

When I had a question I just needed to call his team up. They were knowledgeable, helpful and friendly.

I highly recommend this product.”

Joseph Grimaldi

“It is my pleasure to write this glowing testimony concerning your business plan template. I am VERY pleased with this product and it has helped me complete my business plan.

I do not know how we would have achieved these results without your company’s product.”

Juan Zane Crawford

The Most Well-Regarded Business Plan Firm on Earth

For two decades the media has praised Growthink and looked to us for answers to their questions about business planning, raising capital and growing ultra-successful businesses.

We are the highest rated business plan firm on ResellerRatings.com (9.6 rating out of 10) and have had an A+ Rating with BBB since 1999.

Here’s a small sample of the 300+ media sources in which Growthink has been featured:

Frequently Asked Questions

Below are answers to your most frequently asked questions:.

Immediately upon purchasing Growthink’s Ultimate Mobile App Business Plan Template, you will be taken to our Member’s Area where you can instantly download our template and begin working on your business plan.

If for any reason you are not delighted with our product, simply contact our friendly support desk and you’ll be issued a full refund. You have an entire year to request a refund if desired.

Unlike other software that charges you a fee month after month after month, you only pay once for Growthink’s Ultimate Mobile App Business Plan Template and you own it.

You can create an unlimited number of business plans with Growthink’s Ultimate Mobile App Business Plan Template. Once you purchase it, you have lifetime access to use it for any business in which you’re involved, now or in the future.

Yes, Growthink’s Ultimate Mobile App Business Plan Template works flawlessly on both PCs and Macs.

Growthink’s Ultimate Mobile App Business Plan Template is designed for both established Mobile App businesses and startups.

Yes , you can! Anyone can easily follow our basic instructions and create a great business plan quickly and easily. Plus, my expert team is available to help you if you have any questions.

More Feedback

Even more feedback from the over 100,000+ customers who love growthink’s ultimate mobile app business plan template & other business plan templates.

“Before Growthink’s Ultimate Business Plan Template, I was really frustrated.

I knew I had to write my business plan in order to start my business. But I kept putting it off…because it seemed like it would be SO hard to do. And I wasn’t really sure how to write my plan.

But with your Template, within a few hours my business plan was done. What a relief! And now the business is really starting to grow.”

“Finding Dave Lavinsky and his Business Plan Template allowed me to take my dream of owning a business and make it a reality.

My investors and mentors have commented that my business plan is the most complete and informative plan they’ve ever seen.

Without you, I wonder if I would have been capable of raising the amount of capital I needed to start my own business and follow my dream.”

Bobby Wiltgen

I bought your business planning template and have been receiving your emails and videos for a few months now…

I just wanted to say thanks for cranking out such amazing work!

You’re doing an incredible job, and I know entrepreneurs everywhere are benefitting from it! Please, keep it up!”

“I want to say how impressed I am with the planning template product I bought from you. It’s saving me a ton of time and effort, and enabling me to develop a new plan so much easier and faster than before.”

Rick Braddy

“From an end user point of view, your template was perfect for putting my ideas on paper.”

Larry Graise

“I think this is a great tool for what you want to do. It is beautifully done!!! I am very impressed!”

Joyce Howze

“I had tried other business plan templates in the past, but yours is better.”

Edward Whitney

“I am in the midst of completing my plan, using your template. I have found it not only user-friendly but thorough (without being overwhelming) and professionally designed.”

Dr. Dwight Lysne

“This is amazing, thank you so much. I researched so many business plan templates and yours is so amazing and easy to follow.”

DeeEllen Jennings

“I didn’t feel I knew enough to write a business plan… But this is a very good and thorough template.”

Brian Serup

“Would you like some more positive feedback?

I sent the business plan, drafted using your business plan template to a trusted friend who is a retired CEO of a Fortune 500 company for comment.

Within 24 hours he got back to me, ‘… very professional presentation…’.”

Susanne Chess

“We review funding requests all the time. Dave Lavinsky is right: most of them don’t address what we need to see and totally miss the point. After recommending this product, we see them pass with flying colors, without fail.”

Marc Kneepkens

“Hi Dave, You are a wonder. Your Financial Business Modelling put in the Excel format is an excellent way to make entrepreneurs understand the basic concept of finances. Your direct involvement and assistance in my case is very much appreciated. “

Khai Levinh

“Thank you for creating a template par excellence. It’s one of the best ‘Business Plan’ templates that I’ve ever come across.”

Kevin Arjel

“Dave Lavinsky really understands how to create compelling business plans and raise capital, and his products succeed in infusing this knowledge.”

John Morris

“I just purchased your business plan template… it is exactly what I need… People think starting a new business in bad times is crazy, me? I say it’s the glue that holds us together! Thanks for your wisdom!”

Debbie Cooke Butcher

“Your business plan template has instilled hope and confidence in me. There are times I thought of giving up my dreams because I just could not deal with things like finances for a start up business.

As an individual, accounting and finances have never been my thing but with this template my dilemma becomes a walk in the park. Thus I am assured of success in business and also when persuading investors.

This template is a dream saver and I guarantee that no one will face disappointment.”

Fatuma Yussuf

“I was so happy to find your business plan template. It was just what I needed to get my new business started in the right direction. The template pushed me to think in areas I had not put much focus on before, and I was able to put all the information in a well laid out plan and have it look very professional.

When I approached the bank and they saw my business plan, they were blown away!

As they began to ask questions about my business and monies needed, I was able to answer without stumbling over my words because I had a well thought out plan. They told me they had never seen anyone so prepared to start a business as I was. This gave me great confidence as well as being able to secure a loan for all that I asked for and more!

Danell Fitzgerald

Please wait while you are redirected to the right page...

Mobile App Business Plan Template

Written by Dave Lavinsky

Business Plan Outline

• Mobile App Business Plan Home
• 1. Executive Summary
• 2. Company Overview
• 3. Industry Analysis
• 4. Customer Analysis
• 5. Competitive Analysis
• 6. Marketing Plan
• 7. Operations Plan
• 8. Management Team
• 9. Financial Plan

Start Your Mobile App Plan Here

Mobile App Business Plan

You’ve come to the right place to create your mobile app business plan.

We have helped over 100,000 entrepreneurs and business owners create business plans and many have used them to start or grow their mobile app businesses.

Mobile App Business Plan Example

Below are links to each of the key elements of a mobile app business plan template:

• Executive Summary – In the Executive Summary, you will provide a general overview of your business plan including your target market, business model, and how you plan to make your business successful.
• Company Overview – The Company Overview section will provide an overview of your app idea, history of the company, monetization strategy and milestones achieved.
• Industry Analysis – From your market research, you will provide an industry analysis. This will include a discussion of the current mobile app industry landscape, trends, and issues facing your industry.
• Customer Analysis – The Customer Analysis section will describe your target market. This includes information on demographics, psychographics, and behaviors.
• Competitive Analysis – This section includes an overview of your direct and indirect competitors, their market share, your competitive advantage, and how you plan to compete against them.
• Marketing Plan – The Marketing Plan section will describe your marketing strategy. This includes information on your target audience, pricing strategy, and promotional activities.
• Operations Plan – The Operations Plan section of your mobile app business plan will describe your business operations.
• Management Team – The Management Team section will provide information on the management members of your team. This includes their experience, education, and skills.
• Financial Plan – In the Financial Plan section, you will provide the financial model and financial statements for your business. This includes your income statement, balance sheet, and cash flow statement.

Next Section: Executive Summary >

Mobile App Business Plan FAQs

What is a mobile app business plan.

A mobile app business plan is a plan to start and/or grow your mobile app business. Among other things, it outlines your business concept, identifies your target customers, presents your marketing plan and details your financial projections.

You can  easily complete your mobile app business plan using our Mobile App Business Plan Template here .

What Are the Main Types of Mobile App Companies?

There are many types of mobile app companies across a variety of categories. There are mobile app companies that focus solely on mobile games. Others are exercise or wellness focused. Some mobile apps provide guidance on specific topics, some offer music streaming, and other apps provide help or assistance on a variety of topics. Many companies have developed company-specific mobile apps to allow users to become more connected with their products or offerings. For instance, most major brands, restaurants and financial services companies have company-specific mobile applications.

What Are the Main Sources of Revenue and Expenses for a Mobile App Business?

The primary source of revenue for mobile app companies are subscription paid by the users on an annual or monthly basis. Advertising (selling ad space to other companies on their app) is another significant revenue sources.

The key expenses for mobile app companies are the costs to advertise and generate users. These expenses are often in the form of targeted social media advertising or online targeted marketing. Some major mobile app companies pay to have their mobile apps advertised on television commercials or music streaming platforms. Another major expense for app companies are office space, employee salaries and technology licensing fees.

How Do You Get Funding for Your Mobile App Business Plan?

A mobile app startup is most likely to receive funding from angel investors and friends and family. Personal savings and credit cards are also often used. Venture capitalists will fund a business plan for an app once it achieves enough traction (e.g., enough users or generating enough revenue).

A well crafted mobile app business plan is essential for attracting any type of potential investor.  Most app startups require funding to get off the ground and cover at least their startup costs.

What are the Steps To Start a Mobile App Business?

Starting a mobile app development company can be an exciting endeavor. Having a clear roadmap of the steps to start a business will help you stay focused on your goals and get started faster.

1. Develop A Mobile App Business Plan - The first step in starting a business is to create a detailed business plan for an app that outlines all aspects of the venture. This should include market research on the mobile app industry and potential market size, information on the mobile app concept, the services or products you will offer, pricing strategies and a detailed financial forecast.  

2. Choose Your Legal Structure - It's important to select an appropriate legal entity for your mobile app business. This could be a limited liability company (LLC), corporation, partnership, or sole proprietorship. Each type has its own benefits and drawbacks so it’s important to do research and choose wisely so that your mobile app business is in compliance with local laws.

3. Register Your Mobile App Business - Once you have chosen a legal structure, the next step is to register your mobile app business with the government or state where you’re operating from. This includes obtaining licenses and permits as required by federal, state, and local laws. 

4. Identify Financing Options - It’s likely that you’ll need some capital to start your mobile app business, so take some time to identify what financing options are available such as bank loans, investor funding, grants, or crowdfunding platforms. 

5. Choose a Location - Whether you plan on operating out of a physical location or not, you should always have an idea of where you’ll be based should it become necessary in the future as well as what kind of space would be suitable for your operations. 

6. Hire Employees - There are several ways to find qualified employees including job boards like LinkedIn or Indeed as well as hiring agencies if needed – depending on what type of employees you need it might also be more effective to reach out directly through networking events. 

7. Acquire Necessary Mobile App Equipment & Supplies - In order to start your mobile app business, you'll need to purchase all of the necessary equipment and supplies to run a successful operation. 

8. Market & Promote Your Business - Once you have all the necessary pieces in place, it’s time to start promoting and marketing your mobile app business.  A mobile app marketing plan includes creating a website, utilizing social media platforms like Facebook or Twitter, and having an effective Search Engine Optimization (SEO) strategy. You should also consider traditional marketing techniques such as radio or print advertising. 

Learn more about how to start a successful mobile app business:

• How to Start a Mobile App Business
• How to Start a Mobile App Development Business

Where Can I Get a Mobile App Business Plan PDF?

You can download our free mobile app business plan template PDF here . This is a sample mobile app business plan template you can use in PDF format.

How To Write a Winning Mobile App Development Business Plan + Template

Creating a business plan is essential for any business, but it can be especially helpful for mobile app development businesses looking to improve their strategy or raise funding.

A well-crafted business plan not only outlines the vision for your company, but also documents a step-by-step roadmap of how you are going to accomplish it. In order to create an effective business plan, you must first understand the components that are essential to its success.

This article provides an overview of the key elements that every mobile app development business owner should include in their business plan.

Download the Ultimate Mobile App Business Plan Template

What is a Mobile App Development Business Plan?

A mobile app development business plan is a formal written document that describes your company’s business strategy and its feasibility. It documents the reasons you will be successful, your areas of competitive advantage, and it includes information about your team members. Your business plan is a key document that will convince investors and lenders (if needed) that you are positioned to become a successful venture.

Why Write a Mobile App Development Business Plan?

A mobile app development business plan is required for banks and investors. The document is a clear and concise guide of your business idea and the steps you will take to make it profitable.

Entrepreneurs can also use this as a roadmap when starting their new company or venture, especially if they are inexperienced in starting a business.

Writing an Effective Mobile App Development Business Plan

There are a few key components of a successful mobile app development business plan.

Executive Summary

The executive summary of a mobile app development business plan is a one- to two-page overview of your entire business plan. It should summarize the main points, which will be presented in full in the rest of your business plan.

• Start with a one-line description of your mobile app development company
• Provide a short summary of the key points in each section of your business plan, which includes information about your company’s management team, industry analysis, competitive analysis, and financial forecast among others.

Company Description

This section should include a brief history of your company. Include a short description of how your company started, and provide a timeline of milestones your company has achieved.

If you are just starting your mobile app development business, you may not have a long company history. Instead, you can include information about your professional experience in this industry and how and why you conceived your new venture. If you have worked for a similar company before or have been involved in an entrepreneurial venture before starting your mobile app development firm, mention this.

You will also include information about your chosen mobile app development business model and how, if applicable, it is different from other companies in your industry.

Industry Analysis

The industry or market analysis is an important component of a mobile app development business plan. Conduct thorough market research to determine industry trends and document the size of your market. 

Questions to answer include:

• What part of the mobile app development industry are you targeting?
• How big is the market?
• What trends are happening in the industry right now (and if applicable, how do these trends support the success of your company)?

You should also include sources for the information you provide, such as published research reports and expert opinions.

Customer Analysis

This section should include a list of your target audience(s) with demographic and psychographic profiles (e.g., age, gender, income level, profession, job titles, interests). You will need to provide a profile of each customer segment separately, including their needs and wants.

For example, a mobile app development business’ customers may include small businesses that need an app to increase their customer base and reach new markets.

You can include information about how your customers make the decision to buy from you as well as what keeps them buying from you.

Develop a strategy for targeting those customers who are most likely to buy from you, as well as those that might be influenced to buy your products or mobile app development services with the right marketing.

Competitive Analysis

The competitive analysis helps you determine how your product or service will be different from competitors, and what your unique selling proposition (USP) might be that will set you apart in this industry.

For each competitor, list their strengths and weaknesses. Next, determine your areas of competitive differentiation and/or advantage; that is, in what ways are you different from and ideally better than your competitors.

Marketing Plan

This part of the business plan is where you determine and document your marketing plan. . Your plan should be clearly laid out, including the following 4 Ps.

• Product/Service : Detail your product/service offerings here. Document their features and benefits.
• Price : Document your pricing strategy here. In addition to stating the prices for your products/services, mention how your pricing compares to your competition.
• Place : Where will your customers find you? What channels of distribution (e.g., partnerships) will you use to reach them if applicable?
• Promotion : How will you reach your target customers? For example, you may use social media, write blog posts, create an email marketing campaign, use pay-per-click advertising, launch a direct mail campaign. Or you may promote your mobile app development business via word-of-mouth or by exhibiting at trade shows.

Operations Plan

This part of your mobile app development business plan should include the following information:

• How will you deliver your product/service to customers? For example, will you do it in person or over the phone only?
• What infrastructure, equipment, and resources are needed to operate successfully? How can you meet those requirements within budget constraints?

You also need to include your company’s business policies in the operations plan. You will want to establish policies related to everything from customer service to pricing, to the overall brand image you are trying to present.

Finally, and most importantly, in your Operations Plan, you will lay out the milestones your company hopes to achieve within the next five years. Create a chart that shows the key milestone(s) you hope to achieve each quarter for the next four quarters, and then each year for the following four years. Examples of milestones for a mobile app development business include reaching $X in sales. Other examples include developing new products or services, launching a new website, hiring new employees, and so on.

Management Team

List your team members here including their names and titles, as well as their expertise and experience relevant to your specific mobile app development industry. Include brief biography sketches for each team member.

Particularly if you are seeking funding, the goal of this section is to convince investors and lenders that your team has the expertise and experience to execute on your plan. If you ar e missing key team members, document the roles and responsibilities you plan to hire for in the future.

Financial Plan

Here you will include a summary of your complete and detailed financial plan (your full financial projections go in the Appendix). 

This includes the following three financial statements:

Income Statement

Your income statement should include:

• Revenue : how much revenue you generate.
• Cost of Goods Sold : These are your direct costs associated with generating revenue. This includes labor costs, as well as the cost of any equipment and supplies used to deliver the product/service offering.
• Net Income (or loss) : Once expenses and revenue are totaled and deducted from each other, this is the net income or loss.

Sample Income Statement for a Startup Mobile App Development Company

Balance sheet.

Include a balance sheet that shows your assets, liabilities, and equity. Your balance sheet should include:

• Assets : All of the things you own (including cash).
• Liabilities : This is what you owe against your company’s assets, such as accounts payable or loans.
• Equity : The worth of your business after all liabilities and assets are totaled and deducted from each other.

Sample Balance Sheet for a Startup Mobile App Development Company

Cash flow statement.

Include a cash flow statement showing how much cash comes in, how much cash goes out and a net cash flow for each year. The cash flow statement should include:

• Cash Flow From Operations
• Cash Flow From Investments
• Cash Flow From Financing

Below is a sample of a projected cash flow statement for a startup mobile app development business.

Sample Cash Flow Statement for a Startup Mobile App Development Company

You will also want to include an appendix section which will include:

• Your complete financial projections
• A complete list of your company’s business policies and procedures related to the rest of the business plan (marketing, operations, etc.)
• Any other documentation which supports what you included in the body of your business plan.

Writing a good business plan gives you the advantage of being fully prepared to launch and/or grow your mobile app development company. It not only outlines your business vision but also provides a step-by-step process of how you are going to accomplish it.

A well-written business plan is essential for any mobile app development company. It can attract investors, provide clarity and direction, and keep you organized and on track as you grow your business.

Finish Your Mobile App Business Plan in 1 Day!

Wish there was a faster, easier way to finish your mobile app business plan?

With our Ultimate Mobile App Business Plan Template you can finish your plan in just 8 hours or less!

Other Helpful Articles

Best Mobile App Development Business Models

How To Create A Killer Mobile App Business Plan [+Template]

September 27, 2022

Adam Hoeksema

If you’re on your way to developing your first mobile app, or you’re looking to grow your mobile app business, you might be considering improving your business plan. If you haven’t got one already, maybe you’re still in need of a little convincing, or the thought of doing it yourself is still overwhelming. 

Fortunately, building a mobile app business plan isn’t all that hard, and with the right approach you’ll end up with a robust document that will inspire investors, woo bankers, or, at the very least, give you valuable insight into where you’re headed and how to get there. 

In this article, we’ve got the whys and the hows of your mobile app startup business plan, as well as a handy template to follow.

Download: Mobile App Business Plan Template

First, though, in case you’re in need of a little push, here’s a little motivation.

Do you Really Need a Mobile App Business Plan? 

The short answer to this is: yes. The longer answer holds the caveat that it depends on how serious you are about succeeding financially with your venture. 

When you’re starting out, you probably won’t know a huge amount about the market or how your product will fit into it. You might have an idea for an app and are willing to just build it and see what happens. 

And this could be fine; if you’re not worried whether or not it’ll be successful, you don’t have a lot to lose, and spending time on a business plan for a hobby project might not be the right choice for you. 

But if you want to compete and actually reach the most people, you do need a plan, and you do need a business-minded approach. You need a business plan. This is true, regardless of whether or not you’re ever going to show it to anybody. 

A business plan can feel a bit like an overwhelming commitment to a certain direction, but in fact, it’s the very vehicle for defining and understanding that direction in the first place. 

Further, your mobile app business plan will be a documentation of your investigation into the industry, and how you’ll be navigating your way through it with your app. This document puts your commitment into writing, and demonstrates to any outside stakeholders your business chops: essentially, how reliable you are as an entrepreneur. 

The importance of a business plan, therefore, is two-fold: Firstly, you’ll be gathering significant information on your company and its position in the industry. This will lead you to accurate projections and enable to you take the right business risks to grow your company. 

Secondly, you’ll be setting yourself up with a reputable document that you can show to investors or loan providers, should you be looking to fund the next growth phase of your business.

Funding Options for Your Mobile App Startup

When it comes to funding in business, there are three main sources. To find the first one, you need to look no further than the end of your nose. Bootstrapping a business, or self-funding it, has many advantages over the more involved options of taking out a huge loan or persuading another individual or company to invest in you. However, it also has its drawbacks. Let’s break down these three options, for clarity:

• Bootstrapping – There’s a good chance your overheads are going to be relatively low with a mobile app startup. If you’re a single person or a small team, you can work from home, and your initial costs could range anywhere from $50 to $500k, depending on whom you ask; the lower end of which is nothing to be sniffed at, but certainly more attainable from the proceeds of a side-gig or savings account. However, if you’re a little farther ahead in your project, or it’s a bigger job, you might need a rapid injection of capital that your wallet can’t handle. In these cases, you could try one of the next two options.  
• Loan – Loans for mobile apps aren’t hard to come by. Getting a good deal takes a little longer, but there are plenty of options from banks to crowdfunding that could provide you with a hefty chunk of capital for your mobile app project. Banks might be faster but more expensive, and crowdfunding might be cheaper but could take a while. Weighing up the pros and cons for the range of options, and consider that if your business fails, you’ll still probably have to pay that money back.
• Investment – For less financial risk, consider an investment. The added benefit of finding the right investor will come with their handy experience in the market, which you may or may not be allowed to make use of. This is one of the most time-consuming approaches to get right, and you’ll have to hand over a significant percentage of your company equity to get a good deal, but you won’t be held financially responsible if you don’t make it. 

So, the benefits and drawbacks of each capital source are related to what you have and what you are willing to give away. Loans and bootstrapping allow you to maintain full equity share but are limited either by additional financial risk, or (typically) lower financial injection, respectively. 

The investment brings with it the opportunity to learn from expert involvement but will take away some of your control in the project. So, this is a personal choice and will depend on your available options. However, there’s one thing that all funding options will require to make a return on your app business, and that’s a solid demonstration that you know your market. 

If you’re looking to scale quickly, and you’re trying to get capital from external sources, you’ll need to be able to provide a good business plan. If you’re not getting anyone else involved just yet, you could still benefit from a business plan simply through the research you’ll need to embark on to build one. The first and most immediately useful data you’ll gather will be on the market.

Market Research for an App Startup Business Plan 

Now we’re segueing into building a business plan, and we’ll have a template for the full mobile app business plan document for you in the next section, but if you’re still not entirely convinced you need one, consider one of the major components to a business plan: The market research. 

Even if you’re paying your own way, and you don’t need to prove anything to anyone, you’re going to want to have some good financial projections to know where you’ll be in five years. Working backward from this, you’ll need strong financial papers to project from, and to form those, from a very short or non-existent financial history, you’ll need to know your market very well, as well as how to find them. 

So, market research is the early investigation to find the data you need to figure out your financial future and plot your path toward it. Market research will alert you to whether you’re launching your app at the right time, what your unique selling point is, and how you’re solving problems for your customers. 

All of this will come in the form of good, hard data, from which you can extrapolate everything from your marketing media to your expected growth rate. We’ll go into a little more detail about how to begin your market research in the mobile app business plan template below. 

In completing your market research, you’ll be completing a significant portion of your business plan, and you’ll have gathered plenty of data to compile much of the rest of it. So, by the time you’ve got this far, you’re already almost there. Take a look at how your business plan might look as a document once it’s laid out. 

Your 7-Page Mobile App Business Plan Template

There are numerous layouts and sections you can add to a business plan, most of which follow a similar template to the one we’re about to go into. You can add sections where you need to if you need to, but the seven pages below make up the basis for a solid plan, and shouldn’t be left out. Let’s see how it breaks down:

Page 1 – The Executive Summary

This is the front page of your document, and it’ll summarize what’s to come. Therefore, it’ll usually be written last. It’s designed to catch the eye and lead the reader to the relevant section to their interests, but it can also be quite a handy reminder of all the work you’ve put in. 

Of course, you haven’t put in that work yet, so keep reading, and compile the next six sections before you come to this. 

Page 2 – The market Analysis 

Here we get into the meat of the issue. All that market research should have given you a deep insight into what’s out there, who the competition is and what they’re providing to your future customers. What is the state of the industry? Who are the heavy hitters and what do they accomplish?

Identify all of these things in the context of your customer profile; who they are, what they like, and what problem they’ve got (that you’re going to solve for them). This page should include statistics, graphics, and a brief overview of the market as a summary. 

Page 3 – The Company Description

Now it’s time to introduce yourself as a solution. Your introduction will cover the next two sections too, beginning with a description of how you plan to address all the issues mentioned in the above section. What is it that you’re providing that will keep you competitive? 

List the attributes that give you an advantage, and point your focus on all the things that make you unique. Cover your history and your mission statement in the context of how you will use these to your advantage in the market. 

Page 4 – Your Organization and Management

Next, break down the way the company is structured. If it’s all you, this shouldn’t take long. If you’ve got some key players, here’s where to show them off. You’ll also put in the legal structure of your company, or, if there isn’t one yet, what you want it to be. 

Management will get a section each, and a link to their resume, with a short blurb on why they’re there and how they boost your standing in the industry. List their responsibilities here, and tie it all together. 

Page 5 – Your products and Services

So, what are you actually selling? Talk about your app, which platforms it’s going to be available on, any copyrights you have, and any upcoming R&D info you’ve got in the pipeline. Follow up with how your product will address the specifics you mentioned in the market research and how it will help your ideal customer. 

You might have two versions of this page, depending on whom you’re planning to show it to. For investors versed in tech, you can list features. For loans or marketers, you might want to focus more on the customer perspective. The things it does for the consumer, from that angle. 

Page 6 – Your Sales and Marketing Strategies

Your revenue streams should have become evident to you during your market research; the strong, low-risk ones and the weaker or higher-risk avenues should be listed as such. You need to have a marketing strategy that reaches your people where they’re looking, and you need to have at least a rudimentary understanding of your sales funnel and where your touchpoints will be. 

If you’ve got someone on your team dedicated to this, they should be able to fill it out for you. If not, do your research and find some marketing and sales templates for inspiration. 

Don’t worry too much about this at the early stages – the important part is to have some idea of your first two or three strategies to focus on. Trial and error will help you complete this section later on. 

Page 7 – Your Financial Planning

In business, this is what it’s all about. Your project will never scale without an ROI, and you need to know what that’s going to be, and how it’ll be affected by market trends, capital injections, and company growth. There are several important financial documents you’ll need to have completed for this, these are the income statement, the balance sheet, and the cash flow statement. Each will help you when it comes to projecting. 

And project you must! We’re going to go into why that’s so important to get this right in the next section, but for now, consider that you’re going to need a projection with which you can manipulate inputs to see what the outcomes of different strategies will be. This is critical for knowing where and when to invest, cut spending, increase spending, and all other long-term financial decisions.

And there you have it. A pretty comprehensive mobile app business plan; the construction of which is almost as significant as its existence.

You can download our free mobile app business plan template here.

More on the Significance of your Financial Documents

This is so important, it warrants its own section. Your financial papers are going to act as the calculator with which to determine how to run your finances. This means you’ll need to be able to enter your proposed investment, and immediately see how long it will take to make a return. Then, you’ll want to add in a pandemic or a tsunami or some other act of god and see if you’ll be able to recover from that. 

You’ll need to know these things for your own benefit, but if you’re ever going to be taken seriously by a bank or investor, you’re going to need to prove to them you’re not dreaming. Projections that are too optimistic are going to be an immediate turn-off. Data that isn’t accurate show that you’re not a diligent business partner. Incomplete documents suggest that your organizational skills aren’t reliable, and investing in your project is taking a risk on an amateur. 

For a professional mobile app financial projection template, check out ours here at ProjectionHub . This template has facilitated accurate projections for over three thousand mobile app businesses and it comes fully customizable with free support and review of your projections to make sure you’re on the right track.

Even if you’re not looking for funding, your mobile app business plan template is a valuable tool for entering the market and staying there. It doesn’t take a panel of experts to build a business plan either; you can do most, if not all of the work yourself. 

Putting in the time to do the right research and gather accurate market data, compiling your financial documents, and designing realistic templates that depict your upcoming financial situation are the major keys to success when building a mobile app startup business plan.

About the Author

Adam is the Co-founder of ProjectionHub which helps entrepreneurs create financial projections for potential investors, lenders and internal business planning. Since 2012, over 50,000 entrepreneurs from around the world have used ProjectionHub to help create financial projections.

Other Stories to Check out

How to know if your financial projections are realistic.

It is important for financial projections for a small business or startup to be realistic or else an investor or lender may not take them seriously. More importantly, the founder may make a financial mistake without a reliable plan.

How to Finance a Small Business Acquisition

In this article we are going to walk through how to finance a small business acquisition and answer some key questions related to financing options.

How to Acquire a Business in 11 Steps

Many people don't realize that acquiring a business can be a great way to become a business owner if they prefer not to start one from scratch. But the acquisition process can be a little intimidating so here is a guide helping you through it!

Have some questions? Let us know and we'll be in touch.

• Powerful and easy to use
• HMRC & RTI compliant
• Used by payroll pros

• Great for entrepreneurs
• Powerful data analytics
• Manage sales and data

• Great for startups
• Powerful web page builder
• E-commerce available

• Great for marketing
• Better than lists or sheets
• Manage social media

• Launch your website fast
• Powerful data intuitive
• No coding skills needed
• App development →

Guide to writing a business plan for a mobile app business

✓ Updated on 25 April 2024

Mobile app business plans

Thinking of developing a mobile app? Done properly, app development requires a significant investment of time, money and resources. And therefore some careful consideration before you proceed. 

Writing a business plan for a mobile app business, in advance of any development, can really help to clarify your vision as well as identify the steps you need to take to maximise the return on your investment.

We’ve written about how to make an app . But in order to make sure your app pays for itself and provides an income , you really need to make sure you have an app business plan in place.

How to write a business plan for an app:

Make sure you’ve taken the right factors into account

What problem are you aiming to solve with your app?

It’s vital to understand what your competitors are already doing – and how your app will improve on this

Think about your app’s USP and how it benefits your users

No matter how good your mobile app business idea, good financial management will ultimately be key to its success

You will need to give some considerable thought to how you plan to market your app

1. Decide what to consider when writing a mobile app business plan

Mobile apps are continuing to grow in popularity year on year – in fact, mobile apps are projected to hit $188.9 billion in revenue by 2020 – up from just $88billion in 2016 ( Statista ).

It doesn’t seem entirely unreasonable to wonder  what the future holds for mobile apps  – and whether the market is already saturated.

And yet technology is constantly changing (think about the rise of voice-based apps such as Google Home, Amazon’s Alexa and Apple’s Siri for instance) along with consumer habits and expectations. 

So there is no doubt that the demand is still there for apps that can genuinely be shown to be more innovative and more engaging than their competitors.

Whatever your business, writing a business plan takes time. But it’s an iterative process can and one that can be hugely helpful in clarifying exactly what you want to achieve in the development of your own app.

So what are some of the key points you might want to consider when putting together a business plan for your mobile app?

To get you started, here is a app business template:

App business plan template

• Executive summary
• Company overview and business goals
• Industry analysis
• Customer analysis
• Competitive analysis and market research
• Marketing strategy plan
• Operational plan
• Management team (if you have one!)
• Financial plan and forecast

2. Define what kind of app do you want to develop

It is tempting to rush into the development of an app simply because other businesses similar to yours already have one.

But it’s worth giving some genuine thought to the ‘problem’ that you aim to solve with the creation of an app.

Businesses build apps for all sorts of reasons, such as branding, improving customer engagement, direct marketing etc. 

But as online publishing platform  Medium  says “Ultimately an effective mobile strategy involves more than just a mobile friendly website.”

3. Research your market

Once you have identified  why  the marketplace needs you to develop the app, it is vital to understand what your competitors are already doing – and how your app will improve on this.

When  conducting market research , you should look at both primary and secondary data and consider key information such as include the size of your market as well as a thorough understanding of pricing. 

A  SWOT analysis  can be useful for understanding your business’ Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats. 

LivePlan  explains “Strengths and weaknesses are internal to your company—things that you have some control over and can change. Examples include who is on your team, your patents and intellectual property, and your location.

“Opportunities and threats are external—things that are going on outside your company, in the larger market. You can take advantage of opportunities and protect against threats, but you can’t change them. Examples include competitors, prices of raw materials, and customer shopping trends.”

Building on this, there is also a value in conducting a  PEST analysis  to look at macro economic factors that may influence your business.  These are opportunities and threats due to Political, Economic, Social, and Technological forces. 

Pestle Analysis  explains these four areas in more detail: 

• Political   Here government regulations and legal factors are assessed in terms of their ability to affect the business environment and trade markets. The main issues addressed in this section include political stability, tax guidelines, trade regulations, safety regulations, and employment laws.
• Economic   Through this factor, businesses examine the economic issues that are bound to have an impact on the company. This would include factors like inflation, interest rates, economic growth, the unemployment rate and policies, and the business cycle followed in the country.
• Social   With the social factor, a business can analyze the socio-economic environment of its market via elements like customer demographics, cultural limitations, lifestyle attitude, and education. With these, a business can understand how consumer needs are shaped and what brings them to the market for a purchase.
• Technological   How technology can either positively or negatively impact the introduction of a product or service into a marketplace is assessed here. These factors include technological advancements, lifecycle of technologies, the role of the Internet, and the spending on technology research by the government.

4. Define your app’s unique selling point (USP)

So what problem does your app actually solve? What makes it different from all the other apps out there? Any why will someone download your app rather than another, similar one?

Identifying your app’s unique selling point (USP) is a useful exercise in really understanding what you plan to do that’s different to everyone else. 

It can also help you develop an ‘ elevator pitch ’ – a 20 second, one or two line summary that comprehensively explains your product. And which could, as the phrase suggests, be articulated to a potential investor between the floors of a buildings – should you be lucky enough to find yourself in a lift with someone on the lookout for your product! 

5. Understand your budget and how your app will make money

No matter how good your mobile app business idea, good financial management will ultimately be key to its success.

How, for instance, are you going to make money from your app? You might decide on a freemium model, where basic features are free but full functionality is hidden behind a paywall. You might prefer in-app advertising. Or your app might be for solely for in-app purchases. 

It is reassuring to know that  it is possible to develop a mobile app on a tiny budget  – but that budget still needs careful management.

Alongside all the usual business plan financial headings, you should also consider costs that are specific to app development. 

These can include customer acquisition cost, which  Appster  elaborates as cost per app install or CPI, suggesting “If you want to go one level deeper and be more exact, find out the cost per activation, keeping in mind that there will be a percentage of users who might install the app, and then uninstall it without engaging with the app.”

6. Decide how you plan to market your app

Developing an app is one thing but getting it to arguably saturated marketplace, with good take up is quite another.  

You will therefore need to give some considerable thought to how you plan to market your app once it is built (and possibly even before you have launched it). 

And so taking the time to put together a  marketing plan for your mobile app business  can pay dividends after launch.

Looking for a hand with writing a business plan for your mobile app business?  

If you would like a steer developing a business plan for your mobile app business, then the team at Creative.onl would love to help.

We are a friendly bunch with expertise across all of the following areas: 

• Digital strategy 
• UX design 
• App development
• Web development 
• Responsive web design
• Graphic design
• Video animation 
• Marketing support 

And we would love to help you with any aspect of your digital marketing strategy.

Whatever you are looking for,  get in touch with Creative.onl  to talk through the creative process.

App business plan FAQ

A mobile app business plan is exactly what is sounds like: a business plan, created specifically for a business based on launching a mobile app. Any startup business should have a business plan, and mobile app businesses are no exception.

Follow our 6-step process, and include the following 9 sections: • Executive summary • Company overview and business goals • Industry analysis • Customer analysis • Competitive analysis and market research • Marketing strategy plan • Operational plan • Management team (if you have one!) • Financial plan and forecast

If you feel that you have the expertise then you can go ahead and write your own app business plan yourself, without spending a penny: totally free. Or if you’d like some professional help, you can commission an app launch specialist like Creative.onl to write one for you: this might cost anything from £500 to £5000, depending on the level of support needed.

Every business is unique, whether it’s a mobile app business or otherwise. So this means that every mobile app business plan is also one-of-a-kind of tailored specifically to the business in question. But having said that, most app business plans follow the rough format we detailed, with emphasis added or removed from each section.

Send us an email to [email protected] and let us know what you need, we should be able to provide you with a PDF template.

✓ Reviewed by Joe Dawson , Managing Director

Mobile App Business Plan Template [Updated 2024]

Mobile App Business Plan

If you have a mobile app startup or want to expand your current mobile app business, you clearly need a business plan.

The following mobile app business plan template and example give you the key elements to include in a winning plan.

You can download the Mobile App business plan template (including a full, customizable financial model) to your computer here.

Mobile App Business Plan Example

Below are links to a sample of each of the key sections of a solid business plan for a mobile app development company:

• Executive Summary – The Executive Summary provides an overview of the mobile app business and its goals. If you are seeking funding, this is the first section that a potential investor or lender will read, so it should be compelling.
• Company Overview – In this section of your business plan, you should provide a detailed description of your mobile app business including the history, mobile app concept, business model, mission statement, and the company’s growth plan.
• Industry Analysis – In the Industry Analysis section, you will describe the mobile app industry including recent developments, market research and trends, and the competitive landscape.
• Customer Analysis – The Customer Analysis section of a business plan for an app will provide details about your target audience including their demographics, needs, and preferences.
• Competitive Analysis – In the Competitive Analysis section, you will provide information about the strengths and weaknesses of your direct competitors (other mobile app businesses) and how you will establish your competitive advantage to gain market share.
• Marketing Plan – The Marketing Plan will detail the monetization strategy for your mobile application and how your company will promote your mobile apps and/or development services. This includes a comprehensive digital marketing strategy to reach your target customers on multiple platforms (Google Play, Apple Store, etc.).
• Operations Plan – The Operations Plan outlines the day-to-day operations of your mobile app business. This includes information about how you will manage your team and develop, launch, and support your mobile applications.
• Management Team – In the Management Team section, you will outline the qualifications and experience of your executive team members and advisory team.
• Financial Plan – The Financial Plan section will include a 5-year financial model and projections (income statement, balance sheet, and cash flow statement). This is important to show potential investors and lenders that you have a viable plan for the mobile app business.

Comments are closed.

Mobile App Business Plan Outline

• Case studies

How to Write a Business Plan for a Mobile App Startup?

Anton Baryshevskiy

Head of Business Development, Co-Founder

Head of Business Development

Get your project estimation!

If you’re on the threshold of launching your mobile app startup, there are numerous things you need to be concerned with: workload, core concept, budget, product implementation area, employees… You need to rightly put all key elements of this puzzle together to provide a clear roadmap for your project — that is, to compile a business plan for mobile app development.

We at Mind Studios know how to make a business plan for an app. Here, you'll find a complete guide to creating a business plan. Also, we’ve added our template to help all stakeholders and investors have a clear and most importantly, equal understanding of your startup idea. So if you don't know how to plan an app yet and where to start, let's find out more about it.

A business plan is a guide that turns your ideas into action

As a rule, you should start with visualizing the project and formulating its key ideas. They will later become the basis of your business plan.

Another vital component of developing your project is writing a product requirements document (PRD) for your app. It consists of three sections: business requirements, user requirements, and software system requirements . The business plan is, actually, a component of the PRD, namely the business requirements part.

All the preceding processes, such as developing a project vision, core ideas, and concepts, creating an app development plan, and drafting a PRD, allow all stakeholders to be on the same page as the startup's founder.

In this post, we’ll go through how to write a business plan for an app startup.

Some statistics

Still not sure if your startup needs a business plan? Numerous studies back up the value of having a well-thought-out business plan for companies on different stages of their business journeys.

According to one study that involved 3,000 company owners from diverse fields, those with business plans were almost twice as likely to succeed as those who didn’t. Furthermore, such strategic-planning companies were more effective in attracting investment or securing loans.

You can find more detailed information in the diagram below:

If your way is developing a mobile application

As of 2021, people have made 230 billion downloads of mobile applications, up by 63% than in 2016. Everyone appears to require mobile solutions these days, so your startup has a lot of room for imagination. You can choose from a wide range of mobile app types. To name a few, it could be a travel, event planner (here's an event app development guide), money management, social networking, or fitness app.

No matter which one you decide to create, a pre-written mobile app business plan can help you seamlessly go through the mobile app development process with its four fundamental stages : discovery, idea validation , design, and actually, development.

A goal without a plan is just a wish

There is a plethora of mobile applications these days. It means, though, that there are hundreds of almost identical apps in each category. Attracting users becomes a task of utmost importance.

Chad Mureta, an app tycoon, says that a developer’s profit directly depends on their knowledge of what’s interesting to the user; that is, to create a successful and profitable application, a developer should think like a user .

Creating a mobile app business plan template based on thorough user analysis will help you explain your business idea to stakeholders. Also, you’ll see a path to a product-market fit. To make that happen, you should determine what your target audience wants, needs, likes/dislikes in competitors’ apps, and tends to expect from using your app.

Therefore, identifying your target audience preferences should be your priority, as it is one of the main drivers of your startup.

Understanding the market is the key to success

The author of the bestseller 4 Steps to Enlightenment. Strategies for creating successful startups , Steve Blank, suggests that very few people understand where their market is. The writer believes it is almost impossible to launch a thriving startup without analyzing the market it’s going to enter.

Before you start writing a business plan, it’s crucial to figure out not only the degree of public interest in your product but also the level of competition in the market you’re going to enter.

Thanks to the preparatory analysis of your rivals and potential app users, you’ll be able to flawlessly identify your product’s objectives, advantages, and unique value proposition (UVP). This will also help you form the basis of a proper business plan.

Review your business plan annually

Steve Blank claims that a business plan is static in contrast to a business model, which is dynamic. A business plan appears to be stable by definition: that’s a document created once and rarely revised after adoption.

But in our quick-to-change world, do you believe there’s anything that could remain static? Especially in terms of business? Investopedia , for example, shares an opposite to Steve Blank’s statement: A business plan should evolve in tandem with a company’s growth.

We at Mind Studios adhere to the last approach and recommend you go through your business plan for an app at least once every year . It will allow you to respond to changes in your users’ demands and assess what goals you have achieved and which ones you still need to accomplish.

Moreover, refreshing a business plan will enable you to keep your finger on the pulse of your startup’s current and upcoming financial needs and, therefore, help you develop efficient strategies to attract investments. Consider it a dynamic document that adapts to your startup’s development path.

Why should you make a business plan for apps?

In addition to helping you get your startup off the ground, a viable business plan acts as an indicator for investors to consider it as a potential asset.

Let’s summarize the main reasons why your mobile app startup needs a business plan:

Both startups and established businesses need business plans, the content of which will depend on the company’s primary goal.

To attract partners, startup owners tend to use a business model canvas — a more flexible model of the traditional business plan. It can seamlessly adapt to the iterative nature of tech startup development, yet providing core information about a project.

However, the business model canvas for an app does not guarantee 100% success; it can only be one of the components that will help your project attract investment. A comprehensive business plan with a detailed description of your company and mobile app, justification of funds use, and coverage of all legal concerns is what can instill trust in all stakeholders of your project.

Is there a difference between a business plan for a mobile app and other software?

There are obvious distinctions between mobile applications, websites, and other software solutions. They significantly contrast in marketing approach, monetization strategy, and feature sets. As a result, business plans for these solutions will differ as well.

A traditional software development business plan might be structured similarly to a business strategy for a mobile app company. However, any document that presents the firm and its product will be distinctive in content. It is reasonable since each project is unique, with its own goals and target audience.

What does a business plan for a mobile app look like?

Your mission is to create a reliable and stable mobile application for either enterprises, individuals, or non-profit organizations. In this case, a business plan will help you pave the road to make your project profitable.

Therefore, when writing a mobile app business plan for startups, you’ll need to estimate the cost of development and commissioning as well as the timing of the return on investment in your project. Only by doing this, will you get a clear picture of your app’s viability.

One of the essential factors in writing a good startup business plan for a mobile app is delivering maximum transparency at each part. Let’s highlight what you should include in your mobile app business plan to make it serve your business in the most effective way possible.

Executive summary

Let’s start with the executive summary . It is the first and most significant part of your mobile app business plan because it’s the first thing an investor will read. The executive summary should be clear and concise, with no detailed information about how your product works. Address the situation in the market, who your target customer is, and what unique problem your application can solve.

Make your proposal unique to distinguish your company from others. In other words, create a unique value proposition (UVP). Use your imagination: consider your executive summary as a movie teaser and your investor as a spectator. Would they like to see your movie?

Specify your goals . These objectives should rely on your business analysis. Investors will examine your aims to see if they satisfy their needs. You also have to determine the ultimate goal of your exit plan . Furthermore, you should establish a list of funding requirements and the proceeds that will be used to boost the attractiveness of your company. One of the essential factors in the startup business plan for your mobile app success is ensuring maximum transparency at each stage.

Make your document convincing . To do this, ensure your product’s concept and goals are crystal clear and do not vary throughout the paper. Provide the reader with accurate data and realistic expectations about your project. Of course, don’t forget to make sure that the name of the person who created the business plan and executive summary and the names of your team members are consistent throughout the documentation.

Business description

Introduce your company in this part, beginning with corporate information and ending with your mobile app concept. This part of your startup business plan will show investors the corporate values of your company, your mission, product vision, and the fundamental factors for your startup success.

This information is vitally important for investors. For example, a technology startup accelerator Y Combinator considers getting money as by far the easiest part whereas working on ideas — the most significant part for any startup in achieving success. In most cases, Y-Combinator-like organizations make compiling a thorough business plan a prerequisite before introducing newly-formed projects to investors.

Company overview

Here you should describe your company’s:

This section should give the reader of your business plan detailed information about your startup: the official name of your company, the location of the headquarters, and its structure, namely the business entity type (LLC, corporation, etc.). Make sure to provide further details about your team, such as the number of workers, their names, job titles, and so forth.

Describe the purpose of your company and the fundamental principles that guide your business in the mission statement. After establishing your mission, outline the primary challenges and solutions your startup can offer.

Company history

Before making any business proposal, describe the history of your company, how your team formed, and how you came up with your idea. In addition, you can talk about the main stages of your company’s development and the experience that precedes the product launch.

Whether you are outsourcing app development process or you have an in-house team, it is often the most significant part of the executive summary because your app development team is the main engine of your project implementation. You should specify each person’s name, position, work experience, and responsibilities in the company. In addition, you can involve an advisory group that will help you make essential decisions. Consultants on your advisory team should have experience in the industry.

Market analysis

Information about the state of the market should be the main factor in your app idea realization. You should be aware of the present situation in your industry, have up-to-date information, and be able to generate a short-term forecast.

To conduct market analysis , you should take several steps:

• Examining existing business environment
• Defining your market research criteria
• Determining your total available market (TAM), service available market (SAM), and service obtainable market (SOM)
• Identifying your direct competitors
• Analyzing your target audience and figuring out the cost per acquisition (CPA) for your niche

No market research in the mobile app industry can be conducted without analyzing Google Play Store and Apple App Store with their ranks for top paid, top free, and top-grossing apps as well as user reviews.

Market forecasts

Forecasting is an integral component of writing a business plan for an app development startup realization.

Forecasts from reputable research firms such as Nielsen and Forrester are of interest when creating any business plan, be it a business plan for an app development, a website, or a traditional software startup business plan. To provide reliable market forecasts, you can:

• Include data on the growth of companies with solutions similar to your mobile app
• Add information on the amount of money poured into similar startups (platforms like Crunchbase or Y Combinator can help with this)
• Enrich your business plan with some forecasts on your target customer behavior

Your goal is to assess whether there’s a real market for your product, whether there are enough customers in the market, and, accordingly, whether those customers are willing to pay money for using your product.

SWOT analysis

A SWOT analysis is a strategic planning method that allows you to present a structured description of your business situation. It can be a great way to evaluate your app startup concept from four perspectives. Namely, its:

• W eaknesses
• O pportunities

It’s natural when a business has weaknesses: knowing about them will serve as a powerful driver for finding solutions and will reduce any risks your company may need to face.

Marketing strategy

An app marketing strategy is a bridge that allows your product to fall into the hands of your customers. You have to convince investors that you have such a bridge. This is an important part of the mobile app strategy.

When drawing up a mobile app marketing plan, you have to define the marketing strategies you intend to use in application promotion. Here are a few examples, along with descriptions of how they work:

Create a landing page

Creating a landing page for your mobile app will help you reach a wider audience by informing users about new features and updates. Make sure your page contains the name of the application, a description of its functionality, promotional videos, and so on.

Launch a website and blog

Launching a website is a great way to promote your application. There, you may, for example, provide more information about your company, its goals and values, and an overview of your future mobile solution.

A website blog is also a helpful thing with your app advertising. You can share news on your upcoming product and publish SEO-optimized articles for better promotion.

Social media marketing

Consider social media marketing while developing a business strategy to promote your app. Describe how you intend to use this form of advertising at various phases of your mobile solution development: before launch while attracting your audience and retaining users.

Estimate your marketing budget

You may estimate the cost of marketing services based on the market analysis you outlined in the preceding section of your business plan. Understanding the marketing budget is essential to all parties: you, the app owner, investors, and other stakeholders.

Product growth

Depending on the type of app startup, growing the user base approach differs, as does the business plan for entering different markets. For example, a massive advertising attack tends to make sense in markets where consumers understand your product or service and its usefulness.

Take, for instance, Uber , which has successfully launched extensive marketing campaigns. The company’s ads have spread globally with Uber localizing advertising for each region.

So, if you’re still working on a business strategy, think about how you’ll expand your user base in advance. This will tremendously assist you in future product growth.

Choose your product launch type

Be sure to indicate the product launch type in your business plan. There are two such types: hard and soft launch . The first one means delivering a finished product to your entire target audience. A soft launch is when you release an MVP or full version of your app, but for a limited audience.

To rightly set out this part of your business plan, you should clearly understand what kind of financing you need to move forward. Moreover, you need to express it as clearly as possible to be sure a potential investor will also understand what funding you need.

The financial model includes, as a rule, a three- to five-year forecast of all the main forecasted indicators, including profit and loss, cash flow, balance sheets, start tables, unit economics calculation as well as your app’s projected revenues and costs. Your financial document has to contain the following components to determine the actual cost and distribution of investments in the best way, with a clear explanation of each.

Startup costs/funding required

Inform your investors about estimated costs. We recommend placing reasonable estimates and leaving room for extra expenses since these numbers might fluctuate.

Designate all types of costs :

• One-time costs (e.g. relocation costs, costs for buying an office space, equipment, servers, software, licenses)
• Fixed costs: they remain unchanged regardless of whether you produce something or not (e.g. rent, insurance, lease payments, fixed salaries)
• Variable costs: costs that change according to the production volume (e.g. wages)

Monetization strategy

It is another section you need to add to your mobile app business plan. By illustrating your monetization model, you’ll demonstrate to your investors and other stakeholders that your project will be profitable and provide a return on investment with positive unit economics. It will also help you be sure that your startup will reach its break-even point.

The most common ways to monetize an application are :

• Advertising
• Charging for the application (if your business model describes a paid application, you need to convince the consumer why they have to pay and what they’re paying for)
• In-app purchases (this is a widespread mobile app business model in iOS and Android applications)
• Subscriptions (this model of monetization is quite popular and works until the user decides to cancel the subscription; in most cases, subscription apps have a free trial period)

One of our prominent projects in which we’ve helped set up a monetization strategy is Fitr. Training , a remote fitness coaching application. Our team analyzed the platform’s performance and discovered we could enhance the conversion rate.

We established a monetization model based on the collected data and customer feedback. Namely, our team launched an efficient subscription option. The results were remarkable: one out of every four coaches now uses the paid membership.

Mind Studios can also assist you in elaborating a potent monetization strategy.

Business plan example for a mobile app startup

We’d like to offer you a business plan template for a startup updated to 2023. Keep in mind that, although this mobile app business plan itself is structured according to all the rules, the calculations are entirely fictional. To complement our business plan, we also provide a mobile app marketing plan template, ensuring a strategic approach to promoting your app in the competitive market. This template includes up-to-date techniques for 2023, guiding you through effective advertising and user engagement strategies.

Download the free PDF business plan template for a mobile app here .

Writing a business plan for a mobile app startup isn’t easy. As a rule, the most challenging part of developing a business plan for a mobile app idea is writing the first page. Many people in this situation rush to find and download a free copy of another company’s business plan. They mistakenly believe that someone else’s business strategy will help them achieve their goals. But it absolutely won’t!

A business plan cannot be a cloned document. It must be one-of-a-kind reflecting your passion and enthusiasm in bringing your idea into life . A successful business plan should demonstrate that your company is viable and financially attractive. The higher the viability, the higher the investment opportunity.

If you need to compile a well-thought-out business plan to attract investments and successfully launch your app, our expert team at Mind Studios is here to help .

You may also find interesting .svg-wave path { transition-duration: 0.8s !important; } .svg-wave.active path { stroke-dashoffset: 0 !important; } @media (max-width: 640px) { .svg-wave path { stroke-dashoffset: 0 !important; } }

Search suggestions:

• check your spelling
• try more general words
• try different words that mean the same thing

Got an idea in Mind?

App Business Plan Template

Create an app business plan with venngage app business plan template..

• Design style modern
• Colors light
• Size Letter (8.5 x 11 in)
• File type PNG, PDF, PowerPoint
• Plan business

An app business plan template shows the goals and objectives of a company that creates mobile apps. It includes detailed information on the company's mission, vision, and target market. It also includes information on the app's features and how it will be marketed and sold. An app business plan template can help you get funding for your app before it is created. It is also helpful for app developers, investors, and entrepreneurs. Mobile app development can be complicated, but Venngage offers an app business plan template that will show you exactly what to include in your business plan. This app business plan template allows you to fill in the details on the left side of the spreadsheet and watch as it calculates the app development costs on the right. Create an app business plan infographic using Venngage’s app business plan infographic template. To personalize this app business plan infographic, you don't need to be a designer, have design expertise, or use any design tools. To get started with this app business plan infographic template, go to Create. In the editor, you may

Read more >

Explore more

Don't bother with copy and paste.

Get this complete sample business plan as a free text document.

Mobile App Development Business Plan

Start your own mobile app development business plan

Value Proposition

AppHero provides cutting-edge, tailor-made app development solutions to businesses, helping them expand their reach and boost customer engagement through seamless, user-friendly mobile applications.

The Problem

Businesses seeking to enhance their digital presence struggle to find reliable, affordable, and high-quality app development services that can deliver customized mobile applications that meet their specific needs.

The Solution

AppHero offers comprehensive app development services, including consultation, design, development, testing, and maintenance, to deliver fully customized, high-quality mobile applications that cater to each client’s unique business requirements and target audience.

Target Market

The primary market for AppHero is small and medium-sized businesses looking to establish or improve their mobile presence. The secondary target market includes startups in need of app development services to launch their innovative ideas into the market.

Small and medium-sized businesses are the primary target market:

• They require affordable yet high-quality app development solutions.
• They want a reliable partner to guide them through the app development process.
• They need customized mobile applications that cater to their unique business needs and audience preferences.

Competitors & Differentiation

Current alternatives.

• Freelance app developers
• Other app development agencies
• In-house app development teams

AppHero stands out from the competition by offering fully customized app development solutions, a dedicated team of experienced professionals, and a commitment to delivering exceptional customer service. Our transparent pricing model, coupled with our efficient project management approach, ensures that clients receive high-quality mobile applications within their budget and timeline.

Funding Needs

AppHero requires $100,000 in initial funding to cover operating expenses, marketing efforts, software and hardware purchases, and other startup costs.

Sales Channels

• Official AppHero website
• Social media platforms
• Networking events
• Referrals from existing clients

Marketing Activities

• Content marketing through blog posts and articles
• Social media campaigns
• Google Ads and targeted advertising
• Partnerships with industry influencers

Financial Projections

• 2023: $250,000
• 2024: $375,000
• 2025: $525,000

Expenses/Costs:

• 2023: $175,000
• 2024: $225,000
• 2025: $300,000
• 2023: $75,000
• 2024: $150,000
• 2025: $225,000
• Secure initial funding – June 1, 2023
• Launch official AppHero website – July 15, 2023
• Acquire first 10 clients – September 30, 2023
• Complete 20 app development projects – December 31, 2023
• Expand team with additional developers – March 1, 2024
• Reach $500,000 in annual revenue – December 31, 2025

Team and Key Roles

Ceo & lead developer:.

Oversees overall business operations, client management, and leads the app development team.

Project Manager:

Coordinates app development projects, ensuring timely delivery, and efficient resource allocation.

UI/UX Designer:

Creates visually appealing, user-friendly app interfaces that meet client requirements.

Marketing Manager:

Develops and executes marketing strategies to attract new clients and enhance brand visibility.

Partnerships & Resources

The purpose of these partnerships and resources is to enhance AppHero’s capabilities, reputation, and reach in the app development industry. Collaborating with these organizations and leveraging their expertise will allow us to deliver more comprehensive solutions to our clients, stay updated on the latest industry trends and technologies, and contribute to the growth of our brand.

• Technology Partners: Aligning with leading technology companies such as Apple, Google, and Microsoft will allow AppHero to access the latest developer tools, resources, and training programs. These partnerships will enable us to stay up-to-date with the latest platform updates, ensuring our apps remain compatible and optimized for various devices and operating systems.
• Design Agencies: Partnering with design agencies will help us provide an exceptional user interface (UI) and user experience (UX) designs for our clients’ apps. These collaborations will ensure that our apps not only function flawlessly but also deliver visually appealing and user-friendly experiences.
• Digital Marketing Firms: Collaborating with digital marketing firms will enable AppHero to offer our clients end-to-end solutions, including app promotion, user acquisition, and engagement strategies. These partnerships will help our clients maximize the potential of their apps, driving downloads and user engagement.
• Industry Associations: Joining app development industry associations such as the Application Developers Alliance or the International Game Developers Association will provide AppHero with networking opportunities, access to industry events, and valuable resources. These memberships will also increase our credibility and showcase our commitment to delivering high-quality app development services.
• Educational Institutions: Partnering with local colleges and universities can help AppHero recruit talented graduates and interns, ensuring a steady pipeline of skilled app developers. These partnerships may also present opportunities for collaborating on research projects or offering guest lectures, further strengthening our ties to the local tech community.
• Mentorship & Incubator Programs: Participating in mentorship programs and joining startup incubators can provide AppHero with valuable guidance, resources, and networking opportunities. These initiatives can help us refine our business strategy, connect with potential clients or investors, and gain insights into industry best practices.

The quickest way to turn a business idea into a business plan

Fill-in-the-blanks and automatic financials make it easy.

No thanks, I prefer writing 40-page documents.

Discover the world’s #1 plan building software

Mobile App Business Plan Template

Writing a successful business plan for your mobile app business + template.

If you’re looking to start or grow a mobile app business, you need a business plan. Your plan will outline your business goals and strategies, and how you plan on achieving them. It will also detail the amount of funding you need, and if needed, present a case to investors and lenders regarding why they should invest in your business.

In this article, we’ll explain why you should invest the time and energy into creating a mobile app business plan, and provide you with a mobile app business plan template that includes an overview of what should be included in each section.

Why Write a Business Plan For a Mobile App Business?

There are many reasons to write a business plan for a mobile app company, even if you’re not looking for funding. A business plan can help you see potential pitfalls in your business strategy, as well as identify opportunities you may not have considered. It can also help you track your progress and adjust your plans as needed.

That said, if you are looking for funding, a business plan is essential. Investors and lenders want to see that you have a solid understanding of your industry, your customers, and your competition. They also want to know that you have a realistic view of your financial situation and how much money you’ll need to get started.

How To Write a Business Plan For a Mobile App Business

While every business plan is different, there are 10 essential components that all mobile app business plans should include:

Executive Summary

Company description, industry analysis, customer analysis, competitor analysis, marketing plan, operations plan, management team, financial plan.

Keep in mind that you’ll need to tailor this information to your specific type of mobile app business, but these 10 components should be included in every plan.

The executive summary is the first section of your business plan, but it’s often written last. This is because it provides an overview of the entire document.

In the executive summary, briefly explain what your business does, your business goals, and how you plan on achieving them. You should also include a brief overview of your financial situation, including how much money you’ll need to get started.

For organizational purposes, you could create headings for each main section of your business plan to highlight the key takeaways.

For example, your mobile app executive summary might look something like this:

Company Overview

[Insert Company Introduction / Short Summary]

Business Goals

[Insert Business Goals & How You Plan To Achieve Them]

Industry Overview

[Insert Industry Statistics on the Size of Your Market]

Competition

[Insert Overview of Competitors & Your Competitive Advantage]

[Insert Information About The Marketing Strategies You Will Use To Attract Clients/Customers]

Financial Overview

You can add and/or remove sections as needed, but these are the basics that should be included in every executive summary.

The next section of your mobile app business plan is the company description, where you’ll provide an overview of your business.

Include information about your:

• Company History & Accomplishments To Date

Mission Statement and/or Company Values

With regards to the company overview, here you will document the type of mobile app company you operate. For example, there are several types of mobile app companies such as:

• Developers (those who design and build apps)
• Publishers (those who market and sell apps)
• Enablers (those who develop the technology or platform that powers apps)

For example, a mobile app company description might look something like this:

We are an X type of mobile app company.

Company History

If an existing company: Since launching, our team has served X customers and generated $Y in revenue.

If startup: I conceived [company name] on this date. Since that time, we have developed the company logo, found potential space, etc. 

This is just an example, but your company description should give potential investors a clear idea of who you are, what you do, and why you’re the best at what you do.

The next section of your business plan is the industry analysis. In this section, you’ll need to provide an overview of the industry you’re in, as well as any trends or changes that might impact your business.

Questions you will want to answer include:

• What is the overall size of the mobile app industry?
• How is the industry growing or changing?
• What are the major trends affecting the mobile app industry?
• Who are the major players in the mobile app industry?

For example, your industry analysis might look something like this:

The size of the mobile app industry is expected to reach $XX billion by 20XX.

It is currently growing at an annual rate of XX% and is predicted to continue this growth in the future.

Major trends affecting the industry are:

– The continued growth of global smartphone usage

– The ever-changing landscape of the app store algorithms

– The rise of in-app purchase models

– The popularity of subscription-based models

How We Fit Into The Industry

This is just an example, but your industry analysis should give potential investors a clear idea of the overall industry, and how your company fits into that industry.

The next section of your mobile app business plan is the customer analysis. In this section, you’ll need to provide an overview of who your target customers are and what their needs are.

• Who are your target customers?
• What are their needs?
• How do they interact with your industry?
• How do they make purchasing decisions?

You want a thorough understanding of your target customers to provide them with the best possible products and/or services. Oftentimes, you will want to include the specific demographics of your target market, such as age, gender, income, etc., but you’ll also want to highlight the psychographics, such as their interests, lifestyles, and values.

This information will help you better understand your target market and how to reach them.

For example, your customer analysis might look something like this:

Target Market & Demographics

The demographic (age, gender, location, income, etc.) profile of our target mobile app customer is as follows: 

– Age: 18-24

– Gender: Male

– Location: Urban

– Income: $50,000-$100,000

Psychographics

Our core customer interests are as follows: 

– Technology: Mobile apps, smartphones, new technology adapters

– Music: Listening to music and going to concerts

– Lifestyle: Progressive and open-minded

– Values: Innovation, creativity and self-expression

– Gaming: Mobile and online gaming

In summary, your customer analysis should give potential investors a clear idea of who your target market is and how you reach them.

The next section of your business plan is the competitor analysis. In this section, you’ll need to provide an overview of who your major competitors are and their strengths and weaknesses.

• Who are your major competitors?
• What are their strengths and weaknesses?
• How do they compare to you?

You want to make sure that you have a clear understanding of your competition so that you can position yourself in the market. Creating a SWOT Analysis (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats) for each of your major competitors helps you do this. 

For example, your competitor analysis might look something like this:

Major Competitors

XYZ Company is our major competitor. Its offerings include this, this and this. Its strengths include XYZ, and its weaknesses include XYZ.

Competitive Advantage

Your competitor analysis should give potential lenders and investors a clear idea of who your major competitors are and how you compare to them.

The next section of your business plan is the marketing plan. In this section, you’ll need to provide an overview of your marketing strategy and how you plan on executing it.

Specifically, you will document your “4 Ps” as follows:

• Products/Services : Here is where you’ll document your product/service offerings.
• Price : Detail your pricing strategy here.
• Place : Document where customers will find you and whether you will use distribution channels (e.g., partnerships) to reach them.
• Promotion : Here you will document how you will reach your target customers. For instance, mobile app businesses often reach new customers via promotional tactics including online ads (e.g., Google AdWords), PR, social media marketing, etc.

For example, your marketing plan might look something like this:

Products/Services

We offer the following products/services: 

We will use a premium pricing strategy to establish ourselves as the highest quality brand.

We will serve customers directly and through a partnership with XYZ company.

As you can see, your marketing plan should give potential investors a clear idea of your marketing objectives, strategies, and tactics.

The next section of your business plan is the operations plan. In this section, you’ll need to provide an overview of your company’s day-to-day operations and how they will be structured.

• What are your company’s daily operations?
• How are your company’s operations structured?
• Who is responsible for each task?

Your operations plan should be detailed and concise. You want to make sure that potential investors have a clear understanding of your company’s day-to-day operations and how they are structured.

You will also include information regarding your long-term goals for your operations and how you plan on achieving them.

For example, your operations plan might look something like this:

Daily Operations

Our company’s daily operations include XYZ.

Operational Structure

Our company is structured as follows:

• Department 1
• Department 2
• Department 3

Each department is responsible for XYZ tasks.

Long-Term Goals

Our long-term goals for our operations are to achieve the following over the next five years.

Date 1: Goal 1

Date 2: Goal 2

Date 3: Goal 3

Date 4: Goal 4

Your operations plan should give readers a clear idea of your company’s day-to-day operations, how they are structured, and your long-term goals for the company.

The next section of your business plan is the management team. In this section, you’ll need to provide an overview of your management team and their experience.

• Who is on your management team?
• What are their qualifications?
• What is their experience?

Your management team ideally includes individuals who are experts in their respective fields. You want to make sure that lenders and investors have a clear understanding of your management team’s qualifications and experience, and feel they can execute on your plan.

For example, your management team might look something like this:

Our management team is comprised of the following X individuals with the following experience.

Team Member 1: 

Team member 1’s qualifications and experience include XYZ.

Team Member 2: 

Your management team should give potential lenders and investors a clear idea of who is on your team and how their qualifications and experience will help your company succeed.

The final core section of your business plan is the financial plan. In this section, you’ll need to provide an overview of your company’s financials.

• What are your company’s projected revenues?
• What are your company’s projected expenses?
• What is your company’s projected growth rate?
• How much funding do you need and for what purposes? For example, most startup mobile app businesses need outside funding for things like initial app development costs, marketing, and operations.

Your financial plan should give potential investors a clear understanding of your company’s financials. While you may include a summary of this information in this section, you will include full financial statements in the appendix of your business plan.

For example, your financial plan might look something like this:

Our company’s projected revenues over the next five years are $XYZ.

Expenses & Net Income

Our company’s projected expenses and net income over the next five years are $XYZ.

Uses of Funding

This is just an example, but your financial plan should give potential investors a clear idea of your company’s financial projections.

The final section of your business plan is the appendix. In this section, you’ll need to provide any additional information that was not included in the previous sections.

This may include items such as:

• Full financial statements
• Resumes of key management team members
• Letters of reference
• Articles or press releases
• Marketing materials
• Product information
• Any other relevant information

By including this information in the appendix, you are allowing potential investors and lenders to learn more about your company.

In summary, writing a mobile app business plan is a vital step in the process of starting and/or growing your own business.

A business plan will give you a roadmap to follow. It can also help you attract investors and partners.

By following the tips outlined in this article, you can be sure that your business plan will be effective and help you achieve your goals.

1777 SW Chandler Ave. Suite 267 Bend, OR 97702

Business Plan Services Business Plan Writing Business Plan Consultants

Item added to your cart

How to write a business plan for your mobile app development project.

Starting a mobile app development project is a great idea because it allows businesses to reach a larger audience with their product or service, and it gives users the convenience of being able to access the app from anywhere on their mobile devices.

But, first thing first, you need to write a business plan.

A business plan is essential for any project, especially for mobile app development. It outlines the goals, objectives and strategies needed to successfully launch the app. It also helps to identify potential risks and provides a roadmap for the project's success.

In short, a good business plan will help ensure the profitability of your mobile app development project .

What are the essential parts of a business plan for a mobile app development project? What is the recommended format? Which important financial measures should be there? What's the best way to create a business plan quickly and effectively?

Please, find comprehensive answers to all these questions below.

Also, please note that starting your business plan from scratch is not mandatory.

You can download our editable business plan for a mobile app development project and adapt it to your project.

How to prepare a business plan for a mobile app development project

Is it worthwhile to invest time in a business plan for your mobile app development project.

Yes, you should invest time in a business plan for your mobile app development project to ensure the success of your project.

Formulating a comprehensive business plan will allow to:

• get familiar with the mobile app development market
• stay on top of the industry's emerging trends
• identify what makes a mobile app development project solid and successful
• understand the target audience's requirements and preferences for mobile applications
• come up with a unique value proposition for your app
• analyze competitor target markets
• identify solid competitive advantages for your mobile app development project
• find a business model that will generate positive cash flows
• implement a well-structured and calculated action plan
• evaluate risks associated with a mobile app development project, including technical challenges, user privacy, and market competition

Our team has created a business plan for a mobile app development project that is designed to make it easier for you to achieve all the elements listed.

How to outline a business plan for a mobile app development project?

A business plan is filled with facts, figures, and indicators. It must be presented in a structured format, to make easy to read and digest.

When we built our business plan for a mobile app , we took care to arrange it appropriately.

The content is arranged in 5 sections (Opportunity, Project, Market Research, Strategy and Finances).

1. Market Opportunity

The introductory section has been named "Market Opportunity".

This section presents a comprehensive report on the mobile app development project, including key data and metrics to guide your decision-making.

We continuously update all the data there.

2. Project Presentation

The second part is dedicated to the "Project" of your mobile app development project. Here, you can outline the purpose and functionality of your app, target user demographics, user interface and experience design, development timeline, app store submission plans, and the unique value proposition that solves a specific problem or provides a unique solution for users.

Remember to introduce yourself at the end of this section.

Discuss your expertise in mobile app development, your range of services, and how you plan to provide innovative and user-friendly app solutions to clients. Highlight your track record of successful projects, your skilled team of developers, and your dedication to delivering seamless and engaging mobile experiences that meet the needs and expectations of users through your mobile app development project.

You'll find wording already provided in our business plan. Tailor it to fit your concept exactly.

3. Market Research

Next up is the "Market Research" section.

In this section, you will find a detailed market segmentation analysis for your mobile app development project.

It includes a presentation of other mobile app development companies in the industry that will be competing with you. Your project's unique app features and competitive advantages are also highlighted. A customized SWOT analysis is included.

4. Strategy

In the "Strategy" section, you will find a detailed growth plan for your mobile app development project, outlining all the necessary steps and initiatives to ensure its high profitability.

Furthermore, there is a marketing strategy, a risk management strategy, and a Business Model Canvas that has been filled in, all included in this section.

5. Finances

Ultimately, the "Finances" section provides a comprehensive view of the financial aspects and metrics of your project.

How to write an Executive Summary for a mobile app development project?

The Executive Summary is like an introduction to the business plan for your mobile app development project.

Keep it brief, not exceeding 2 pages. Stick to the crucial points.

When you show your business plan to an investor, this is what they will read first. It needs to get their attention and make them want to read the rest of the plan.

In the Executive Summary of your mobile app development project, answer these questions: what is your mobile app development project about? who is your target audience? are there any similar projects in the market? what makes your project unique? how much funding do you require?

How to do the market analysis for a mobile app development project?

The market study of your mobile app development project helps you understand external factors such as customer demands for mobile applications, competition within the app development industry, and emerging trends in mobile technology.

By conducting an extensive market study, a mobile app development project can understand user needs, offer innovative and user-friendly mobile app solutions, optimize pricing strategies, and execute targeted marketing campaigns, ultimately leading to increased user adoption, app downloads, and a prominent position in the mobile app industry.

This is what we've outlined in the "Market Research" section of our business plan for a mobile app :

• interesting data points and market insights about mobile app development, including app usage trends, app market revenue, and the growth of app-based services
• a list of potential customer segments for a mobile app development project
• the competitive research
• the competitive advantages for a mobile app development project

The key points of the business plan for a mobile app development project

What's the business model of a mobile app development project, business model of a mobile app development project.

A mobile app development project's business model revolves around creating and monetizing mobile applications for specific platforms such as iOS or Android. Revenue can be generated through app purchases, in-app advertising, in-app purchases, or subscription models.

The business model focuses on identifying market needs or gaps, designing user-friendly and engaging apps, developing robust and scalable code, testing and optimizing app performance, and implementing effective monetization strategies.

Success depends on market research, delivering high-quality user experiences, effective app marketing, regular updates and improvements, and staying responsive to user feedback and evolving industry trends.

Business model ≠ Business plan

Please don't mix up the terms "business plan" and "business model."

A business model outlines the way a company creates value, generates revenue, and operates.

In a business plan, you demonstrate your business model using a structure called the Business Model Canvas.

Rest assured, we provide a Business Model Canvas in our business plan for a mobile app .

How do you identify the market segments of a mobile app development project?

Market segmentation for your mobile app development project involves dividing your potential clients into different groups based on their app development needs, industries, and target audience.

These categories may include factors such as iOS app development, Android app development, gaming apps, or clients from specific industries (e.g., healthcare, finance, education).

By segmenting your market, you can offer specialized app development services and solutions that cater to each segment's specific requirements. For example, you might provide iOS app development services and design user-friendly and intuitive interfaces for Apple device users, offer Android app development services and optimize apps for a wide range of Android devices and versions, specialize in gaming app development and create immersive and engaging gaming experiences, or develop industry-specific apps tailored to the needs of clients in sectors such as healthcare, finance, or education.

Market segmentation allows you to effectively target your marketing efforts, showcase your app development expertise, and deliver high-quality and customized mobile app solutions that meet the unique needs of each client segment.

In the business plan for a mobile app , you will get a detailed market segmentation, helping you understand your target audiences and their needs.

How to conduct a competitor analysis for a mobile app development project?

Without surprise, you won't be the only mobile app development project in the market. There will be other developers working on innovative and user-friendly mobile applications.

Your business plan should encompass an extensive market study that examines your competitors' characteristics, strengths, and weaknesses.

Address their weaknesses (such as inefficient app development processes, lack of user testing, or poor app performance).

Why should you focus on these elements? Well, these weaknesses can hinder the success of mobile app development projects. By addressing these aspects, you can offer innovative and user-friendly app designs, provide efficient and reliable app development and testing processes, and deliver excellent customer support, positioning your mobile app development project as a trusted and preferred choice for businesses and individuals seeking high-quality and functional mobile applications.

It's what we call competitive advantages—building them is key to standing out in the market.

Here are some examples of competitive advantages for an app: user-friendly interface, innovative features, regular updates and improvements.

How to draft a SWOT analysis for an app?

A SWOT analysis can help identify potential strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats that can inform the development of a successful mobile app.

As you can guess, there is indeed a completed and editable SWOT matrix in our business plan for a mobile app

The strengths for a mobile app development project

When we talk about the "S" in SWOT, we mean Strengths, which are the project's positive attributes or advantages.

For a mobile app development project, possible strengths could include a user-friendly interface, comprehensive testing, scalability, and a secure back-end system.

The weaknesses for a mobile app development project

The "W" stands for Weaknesses, referring to the areas or aspects of the project that need to be addressed.

In the case of a mobile app development project, potential weaknesses could include an inexperienced development team, lack of proper project management, and poor quality assurance processes.

The opportunities for a mobile app development project

O represents Opportunities in SWOT, referring to the external factors or conditions that can create opportunities for the project's advancement.

In the case of a mobile app development project, potential opportunities include creating a social media app, a productivity app, a gaming app, and a shopping app.

The threats for a mobile app development project

When we mention the "T" in SWOT, we're referring to Threats, which are the external risks or negative factors that can impact the project's performance.

How to craft a marketing strategy for an app?

A marketing strategy plays a pivotal role in a business plan as it defines how a business will entice customers and generate sales.

An app can attract users by implementing a well-crafted marketing strategy that showcases its unique features, user-friendly interface, and how it solves a specific problem or meets a particular need.

Users won't choose your app without effective marketing; highlighting its features, usability, and benefits is necessary.

Have you explored marketing approaches to attract customers to your app? Consider optimizing your app store presence, running targeted advertising campaigns to reach your target audience, and utilizing social media platforms to engage with users and receive feedback.

No worries if you don't know anything about marketing and communication.

How to build a 3-year financial plan for an app?

A solid business plan must include detailed financial information such as projected income, expenses, cash flow, and balance sheets.

When creating your business plan, you must include anticipated revenue figures for your mobile app development project.

To earn the trust and confidence of potential investors, it's crucial to have revenue projections in your business plan that are based on believable and well-founded assumptions.

Our financial plan for a mobile app is straightforward and equipped with automated checks, enabling you to validate and adjust your assumptions easily. This way, we make sure you're building solid financial projections.

It goes without saying that you'll have to develop a provisional budget for your mobile app development project. Pay attention to every expense and don't leave any out (our financial plan includes a complete list for your convenience).

The break-even analysis is central in the financial plan as it will tell you whether your mobile app development project will generate profits or not.

• Choosing a selection results in a full page refresh.
• Opens in a new window.

Step-by-Step Visual Guide to Mobile App Planning

Have a promising idea for an app on your mind? Great! That’s 20% of what you need to do to create a thriving product, already done!

Next comes the harder part of it, where you actually have to turn your idea into something that works.

We are about to dig into a visual strategy that could help you speed up your app development process. Read on to find out how to plan an app using easy-to-use visualization tools.

Goals for the App

Who is your target audience, brainstorm solutions, draw user flows, architecture diagrams, your app vs. your competitor’s app, outline your campaign process, putting it all together, working together, now you know how to plan an app. are you ready to plan yours, define the specifications.

There are a few specifications you need to define before you go ahead and develop your app.

These specifications come under your business plan – which documents what you want to do and how you plan to do it.

Check out how to visually improve your business plan here .

During the mobile app planning process, the goals you set will help you decide which features to add and how you should develop and design your mobile app.

Now, goals you set may vary from what you want your app to do to how you will market it to people. It is important to sit down and define what these are. Ask yourself

• What is the purpose of your app?
• How will it help simplify the lives of its users?
• How will it help solve the problems of its users?
• How do you plan to market it to your target audience?

Answers to these questions will help you outline the goals you need to focus on. And once you agree on them, prioritize your goals so you’d know where to start.

Tip: Usually it’s a good idea to keep your goals to 1-2 at max so that your app is focused and easy to use.

Understanding your target audience is vital to the development of your app.

Among information such as age, gender, career, location and other quantitative data, you should also learn about your user’s requirements, challenges, needs, and responsibilities.

Other qualitative information you should have a record of are the technologies your users use, what platforms (Android/ iOS) they are familiar with, what app functionalities they prefer etc.

For example, using a Venn diagram you can identify what app features you should prioritize given the different types of customers you would attract.

Now that you know who your target audience is and what problems they have, it’s time to figure out how to use your app to solve those problems.

This calls for brainstorming for ideas with your team. To facilitate the session, you could use a visual tool like mind maps .  What’s special about mind maps is that it increases productivity by helping you better structure or organize a free flow of ideas.

A completed mind map drawn around a single topic – in this case, the issue your user is facing – will give you a quick overview of how you should approach the situation and make quick decisions.

Tip: Color code – use different colors to represent each of your main branches – your mind maps to organize ideas better.

To determine which features to add to your app, you need to know how users are going to go through it. Is it a registered user who wants to edit information on her account, or is it a new user who wants to create an account?

All kinds of interactions that a user will have with your app can be visualized through use case diagrams – which are basically used to describe what a system does.

It’s the easiest way to convey to the developer what app features need to be focused on and show to your stakeholders what problems you are trying to solve.

Or you can draw some Flowcharts to explain how a user gets something done via the app. This will really help you zero in on how the app is supposed to work.

Start Sketching Your App

Now that you have identified how different users may interact with your app, it’s time to flesh it out. This means, turning your idea into pictures which will be converted into navigable screens during the final stage.

This is where you get to decide how many screens there will be and how each will look like. And putting them in a logical manner will help you get the idea as to how it will work.

Most apps will have some sort of data they have to capture and use. A great way to visually break it down is to use an  Entity Relationship (ER) Diagram. This will allow you to identify the key things you want to capture and how they are related to each other.

ER Diagrams are a really simple tool to do this even if it may sound daunting to use at first.

Based on your user flows and data needs identified earlier, it’s time to define how the app looks and works .

Wireframes are line sketches of the interface of your app. They show how it should work without really bothering about colors, placement, and other styling details. At this stage, it’s more about the functionality vs. styling.

Tip: Link the wireframes together via button clicks to show the navigation experience within the app.

When describing how your app works to outsiders such as stakeholders, you can use architecture diagrams like block diagrams or network diagram (example below).  They simplify complex processes that a non-tech savvy person might find confusing.

Plan Your Promotional Strategy

How many users you attract to your app depends on how you promote it.

Before you plan your strategy, you need to figure out where you are at compared to your competitors. This means analyzing the strengths and weaknesses of your app against that of your competitors, and opportunities and threats that you might have to face in the market.

A simple SWOT analysis will help you get a quick overview of these factors.

SWOT analysis to plan your promotional or marketing campaign step-by-step. Get the input of your marketing team as well.

And if you initially want to brainstorm for new ideas, use a mind map to generate promotional campaign ideas .

As you can see, there are a series of aspects that go into creating an app. A great idea is to link these Flowcharts , Mind maps , ER Diagrams and wireframes together in a sensible fashion. This way anyone can really walk someone through the entire app concept and know exactly how things are going to work.

We guarantee you that this clarity will save you a large chunk of money and time when it comes to actual mobile app development.

Building an app is usually not a single person’s job. You’ll have your developers, potential clients/customers, partners all wanting to have a say in how things should work and be done.

Using real-time collaboration when you are on a conference call or even in the same room to update and modify the diagrams as you make decisions is a great way to make sure that everyone is on the same page.

If you are using Creately , you can also use offline commenting so that you can have pointed discussions on various parts of your mind-map, wireframe or flowchart easily with everyone in your team.

Visualization makes communication easier, whether it is between you and your development team or your stakeholders.

As they simplify complex processes, help organize and communicate ideas, visual tools like these make planning an app -well – a piece of cake!

Join over thousands of organizations that use Creately to brainstorm, plan, analyze, and execute their projects successfully.

FAQs on Mobile App Planning

• Clarifies the purpose and goals of the app, ensuring it meets user needs and aligns with business objectives.
• Takes a user-centric approach by understanding the target audience, their preferences, and behaviors.
• Efficiently allocates resources, estimating budget, time, and development requirements.
• Mitigates risks by identifying and addressing potential challenges in advance.
• Facilitates a seamless development process with a structured roadmap and improved collaboration.
• Enhances user experience through well-planned UX and UI design.
• Considers scalability and future-proofing to accommodate growth and expansion.
• Optimizes cost and time by defining scope, prioritizing features, and streamlining workflows.
• Aligns the app with business goals, evaluating its impact on revenue, customer engagement, and brand awareness.
• Provides a competitive advantage by conducting market research and developing unique features or value propositions.
• Inadequate market research, leading to a lack of understanding of target audience needs and competition.
• Unclear objectives and goals, resulting in a lack of direction and purpose for the app.
• Poor user understanding, neglecting to consider user preferences and pain points.
• Feature overload, including too many features that can lead to a cluttered and confusing user experience.
• Ineffective planning and scope creep, causing delays, increased costs, and compromised user experience.
• Ignoring platform considerations, leading to inconsistent user experiences across different platforms.
• Poor UX/UI design, resulting in confusing navigation and unattractive visuals.
• Insufficient testing and quality assurance, leading to bugs and poor performance.
• Lack of analytics and metrics, missing out on valuable insights for optimization.
• Neglecting post-launch support and updates, hindering user satisfaction and app growth.
• Product manager: Defines app vision, sets goals, and coordinates development process.
• UI/UX designer: Creates intuitive and visually appealing user interface and experience.
• Mobile app developer: Implements app functionality using programming languages.
• Backend developer: Builds server-side infrastructure, handles data storage and integration.
• QA engineer: Tests app for functionality, usability, and performance.
• Project manager: Manages timelines, resources, and communication.
• Database administrator: Manages databases, ensures data integrity and security.
• DevOps engineer: Handles app deployment and CI/CD processes.
• Security specialist: Ensures app security and data protection.
• Marketing specialist: Develops marketing strategy for app launch and user acquisition.

More Related Articles

Amanda Athuraliya is the communication specialist/content writer at Creately, online diagramming and collaboration tool. She is an avid reader, a budding writer and a passionate researcher who loves to write about all kinds of topics.

Business Plan Template for Mobile App Marketers

• Great for beginners
• Ready-to-use, fully customizable Subcategory
• Get started in seconds

Thinking of launching a mobile app and dominating the app marketplace? You'll need a solid business plan to make it happen! ClickUp's Business Plan Template for Mobile App Marketers is your ultimate tool to outline your marketing strategy, target audience, monetization plans, promotional tactics, competition analysis, and financial projections—all in one place!

With this template, mobile app marketers can:

• Clearly define their marketing objectives and strategies
• Identify and analyze their target audience for precise targeting
• Create a comprehensive monetization plan to maximize revenue
• Develop effective promotional tactics to boost app visibility
• Conduct thorough competition analysis to gain a competitive edge
• Project financials and measure success with accurate financial projections

Ready to skyrocket your mobile app's success? Grab ClickUp's Business Plan Template for Mobile App Marketers now and unleash your app's full potential!

Business Plan Template for Mobile App Marketers Benefits

A business plan template for mobile app marketers can provide a range of benefits to help you succeed in the competitive app marketplace:

• Clearly outline your marketing strategy, target audience, and monetization plans to ensure a focused and effective approach.
• Conduct a comprehensive competition analysis to identify your unique selling points and develop strategies to differentiate your app from competitors.
• Create a solid financial projection to attract investors and secure funding for your app marketing initiatives.
• Develop a well-defined promotional tactics plan to maximize app visibility and drive downloads.
• Ensure a cohesive and organized approach to app marketing, making it easier to track progress and make adjustments as needed.

Main Elements of Mobile App Marketers Business Plan Template

ClickUp's Business Plan Template for Mobile App Marketers is designed to help you create a comprehensive plan to effectively market and promote your mobile app in the competitive app marketplace. Here are the main elements of this template:

Custom Statuses: Track the progress of your tasks with statuses like Complete, In Progress, Needs Revision, and To Do, ensuring that you stay on top of your marketing plan and easily identify areas that need attention.

Custom Fields: Utilize custom fields such as Reference, Approved, and Section to add important information and categorize your tasks within the business plan, making it easier to navigate and update as needed.

Custom Views: Take advantage of five different views including Topics, Status, Timeline, Business Plan, and Getting Started Guide to organize and visualize your business plan. These views allow you to focus on specific aspects of your plan, track progress, and ensure that you have a clear roadmap for success.

Project Management: Enhance your marketing efforts with ClickUp's robust project management features, including task dependencies, time tracking, collaboration tools, and integrations with popular marketing platforms.

With ClickUp's Business Plan Template for Mobile App Marketers, you can streamline your marketing strategy, stay organized, and achieve your goals in the competitive world of mobile app marketing.

How To Use Business Plan Template for Mobile App Marketers

If you're a mobile app marketer looking to create a comprehensive business plan, the Business Plan Template in ClickUp can help you get started. Follow these four steps to effectively utilize the template:

1. Define your target audience and market

Before diving into your business plan, it's crucial to have a clear understanding of your target audience. Identify who your app is designed for and conduct thorough market research to determine your target market's needs, preferences, and behaviors. This information will be essential for developing effective marketing strategies.

Utilize the Goals feature in ClickUp to define your target audience and outline your market research findings.

2. Outline your app's unique value proposition

Highlighting your app's unique value proposition is crucial for attracting and retaining users. Clearly define what sets your app apart from competitors and how it solves a specific problem or fulfills a need in the market. This will form the foundation of your marketing messaging and positioning.

Use the Docs feature in ClickUp to create a compelling value proposition statement and outline its key features and benefits.

3. Develop your marketing strategies and tactics

Once you have a clear understanding of your target audience and your app's unique value proposition, it's time to develop your marketing strategies and tactics. Identify the most effective channels and techniques for reaching your target audience and outline your promotional activities, such as social media campaigns, influencer partnerships, content marketing, and app store optimization.

Leverage the Board view in ClickUp to create a visual representation of your marketing strategies and tactics, and assign tasks to team members responsible for executing each activity.

4. Set measurable goals and track your progress

To ensure the success of your mobile app marketing efforts, it's important to set measurable goals and regularly track your progress. Determine key performance indicators (KPIs) that align with your business objectives, such as app downloads, user engagement, or revenue generation. Set specific targets for each KPI and regularly monitor and analyze your app's performance to identify areas for improvement.

Take advantage of ClickUp's Dashboards feature to track and visualize your app's key metrics, and set up Automations to receive regular progress reports and alerts.

By following these four steps and utilizing the Business Plan Template in ClickUp, you can effectively plan and execute your mobile app marketing strategies, ultimately driving success and growth for your app in the competitive app market.

Get Started with ClickUp’s Business Plan Template for Mobile App Marketers

Mobile app marketers can use the Business Plan Template for Mobile App Marketers in ClickUp to effectively plan and execute their marketing strategies for their mobile apps.

First, hit “Add Template” to sign up for ClickUp and add the template to your Workspace. Make sure you designate which Space or location in your Workspace you’d like this template applied.

Next, invite relevant members or guests to your Workspace to start collaborating.

Now you can take advantage of the full potential of this template to create a comprehensive business plan for your mobile app marketing:

• Use the Topics View to organize your business plan into different sections such as marketing strategy, target audience, monetization plans, promotional tactics, competition analysis, and financial projections.
• The Status View will help you track the progress of each section of your business plan, with statuses like Complete, In Progress, Needs Revision, and To Do.
• The Timeline View will give you a visual representation of your business plan milestones and deadlines.
• Use the Business Plan View to have a holistic view of your entire business plan, including all the sections and details.
• The Getting Started Guide View will provide you with a step-by-step guide on how to use the template effectively and get started with your business plan.
• Customize the template with the Reference, Approved, and Section custom fields to add additional information and categorize your business plan sections.
• Update statuses as you progress through each section and task to keep team members informed of progress.
• Monitor and analyze your business plan to ensure maximum productivity and success.
• Business Plan Template for Lululemon
• Business Plan Template for Plumbers
• Business Plan Template for Livestock Farmers
• Business Plan Template for Gender Decoder
• Business Plan Template for Nurses

Template details

Free forever with 100mb storage.

Free training & 24-hours support

Serious about security & privacy

Highest levels of uptime the last 12 months

• Product Roadmap
• Affiliate & Referrals
• On-Demand Demo
• Integrations
• Consultants
• Gantt Chart
• Native Time Tracking
• Automations
• Kanban Board
• vs Airtable
• vs Basecamp
• vs MS Project
• vs Smartsheet
• Software Team Hub
• PM Software Guide

More From Forbes

Beyond the browser: mobile apps are revolutionizing business marketing.

• Share to Facebook
• Share to Twitter
• Share to Linkedin

Founder of Vyten , a mobile app development agency, 3x Chief Marketing Officer, and NBJ 40 Under 40.

Ten years ago, businesses had a limited digital presence, usually consisting of a website and a basic social media profile. Digital marketing wasn't seen as a necessity. Nowadays, having a website is considered essential for launching a business. However, a new trend is set to redefine the playing field again: the rise of mobile apps as a critical tool for business growth.

Consumer behavior and technology adoption have revolutionized over the years. People spend over 3.5 hours daily on mobile devices, and 88% of that time is spent on mobile apps over mobile websites. Consumers are 50% more likely to make an appointment or book through a mobile app than other digital channels. This pivot toward mobile apps represents a shift in technology usage and a fundamental change in consumer expectations.

Integrating Mobile Apps Into The Marketing Flywheel

For local businesses, from med spas and fast-casual restaurants to chiropractic offices, integrating mobile apps into their marketing strategy offers a unique opportunity to engage with customers on a more personal and practical level. Utilizing the marketing flywheel framework—comprising awareness, acquisition, experience, retention and referrals—mobile apps can drive sustained growth and customer loyalty in ways traditional digital platforms cannot.

Awareness And Acquisition

In the flywheel's early stages, mobile apps are powerful tools for increasing visibility and attracting new customers. Through app store optimization (ASO) and targeted push notifications, businesses can cut through the noise and reach potential customers directly on their most used personal device—their mobile phones.

Apple iPhone 16 Pro Design Upgrade Shines In New Leak

Three ukrainian helicopters landed near the front line. a russian drone was watching—and a russian strike force was ready., fallout dethroned in amazon prime video s top 10 list by a new offering.

Apps genuinely shine by offering a faster, more responsive mobile experience. They provide personalized content, streamlined booking processes and instant communication, elevating the customer experience.

Retention And Referrals

Mobile apps can significantly enhance customer retention and encourage word-of-mouth referrals by offering tailored rewards and making it easier for satisfied customers to leave a review or share their experience with a friend.

The Future Is Mobile

As we envision the future of local business growth, it's clear that mobile apps will play a pivotal role. Businesses without websites today find themselves at a significant disadvantage, but those without mobile apps are poised to face similar challenges soon. The consumer preference for mobile apps over mobile websites is a trend that's only gaining momentum. This preference is rooted in the convenience, speed and personalized experience that apps provide—a trifecta that mobile websites struggle to match.

For local businesses, the message is clear: Adopting a mobile app is not just about keeping pace with current trends but positioning oneself for future success. As the digital landscape continues to evolve, the businesses that will thrive are those that recognize the shifting preferences of their customers and adapt accordingly.

Small businesses often grapple with several key concerns when contemplating the development of a mobile app. Chief among these is the daunting specter of cost. Understandably, smaller enterprises with limited budgets may hesitate due to the perceived financial burden associated with app development. From the initial investment required for coding and design to ongoing maintenance costs and marketing expenses, the financial commitment can appear prohibitive. A mobile app helps with retention marketing, making customers more loyal and more likely to refer friends. While the upfront costs may seem daunting, businesses can view app development as a strategic investment in customer engagement and brand visibility, potentially leading to increased sales and loyalty over time.

Moreover, the challenge of limited resources and expertise presents a significant barrier for small businesses eyeing the mobile app landscape. Without in-house developers or designers versed in app development, the prospect of outsourcing these tasks can be daunting both in terms of cost and time. By tapping into development agencies that specialize in mobile apps, small enterprises can access the necessary expertise without overextending their capabilities or budgets, thereby making the prospect of launching a mobile app more feasible.

Looking Ahead

As we stand on the cusp of this digital evolution, the imperative for local businesses to develop and integrate mobile apps into their marketing strategy has never been more critical. The companies that invest in mobile app development today are not just setting themselves up for success in the present—they're paving the way for sustained growth and competitiveness in the digital future.

More prominent brands and franchises have already implemented mobile apps in their retention strategy. In a world where consumer preferences increasingly lean toward mobile app interactions, those who fail to adapt risk being left behind. For local businesses aiming to flourish in the coming years, embracing mobile apps is not just a strategy; it's a necessity for survival.

Forbes Communications Council is an invitation-only community for executives in successful public relations, media strategy, creative and advertising agencies. Do I qualify?

• Editorial Standards
• Reprints & Permissions