How Much Does It Cost to Build A FinTech App Like Revolut?

FinTech businesses globally encounter a myriad of challenges that impede their growth and sustainability. These include cumbersome banking procedures causing transaction delays and hindering cash flow management, stringent lending criteria from traditional financial institutions limiting access to capital for expansion, navigating complex regulatory requirements leading to potential legal ramifications, and maintaining outdated financial systems hampering efficiency and productivity.

However, the advent of FinTech applications presents a transformative solution, offering streamlined financial services and innovative tools to help businesses overcome these challenges and thrive in today’s dynamic market. FinTech apps are empowering businesses to operate with greater efficiency and agility, paving the way for a new era of financial freedom and accelerated growth.

According to McKinsey’s research, revenue in the fintech sector was valued at $936 billion in 2023 and is projected to increase nearly threefold compared to those in traditional banking sectors between 2023 to 2028.

Given the expanding market, FinTech apps like Revolut have become integral to the way contemporary consumers engage with financial services, offering a structured yet adaptable platform for various transactions. For businesses aiming to tap into this thriving sector, comprehending the total cost to develop an app like Revolut is essential.

Crafting a FinTech app resembling Revolut demands a methodical approach, encompassing thorough market analysis, meticulous planning, and significant technological investment. To give you a rough idea, the cost to develop an app like Revolut typically falls within the range of $40,000 to $300,000, contingent upon variables such as the intricacy of UI/UX design, the location of the development team, and the breadth of features to be included.

This blog is crafted to steer you through the critical factors affecting the expenses involved in creating a FinTech application akin to Revolut, alongside other fundamental aspects indispensable for a prosperous app introduction. Let’s delve deeper!

Revolut: A Comprehensive Overview of FinTech Innovation

Revolut is a leading neobank and financial technology (FinTech) company that has gained significant prominence recently for its innovative banking and financial services approach. Founded in 2015, Revolut offers a range of financial products and services designed to simplify banking and empower users to manage their money better.

At its core, Revolut provides users with a mobile app that serves as a digital banking platform. Through the app, users can open an account in minutes, manage their finances, and access traditional banks’ features.

Boasting a global user base of 40 million, the fintech business has significantly advanced its cryptocurrency services by launching Revolut X, a standalone crypto trading platform targeting UK retail customers. The platform is designed for both novice and experienced traders, emphasizing security and ease of use. Furthermore, Revolut X is a part of the brand’s broader efforts to enhance and specialize their services in the cryptocurrency domain.

Additionally, Revolut has also enhanced its services with mobile wallets, enabling customers to swiftly send money abroad using recipient IDs such as names, phone numbers, or email addresses. This expansion and innovation are underscored by a remarkable 380% increase in app downloads, from 5.3 million in 2019 to 26 million by 2023.

Given Revolut’s success and the growing FinTech market, now is an ideal time for businesses to explore FinTech app development, embracing the opportunity to innovate and capture a share of this expanding industry.

How Much Does It Cost to Develop a FinTech Platform Like Revolut?

The costs of developing a fintech app like Revolut can vary widely, typically from $30,000 to $250,000. This variance is influenced by several factors, including the app’s complexity, desired features and functionalities, platform preferences (iOS, Android, or both), design specifications, and the development team’s expertise.

Additionally, the stages of complexity, the range of features, and the duration of development play significant roles in determining the overall cost of developing a fintech app similar to Revolut. Let’s explore these factors further to understand the investment required for such an endeavor.

Let’s explore the various factors contributing to the cost to build a FinTech app Like Revolut.

Factors Influencing Cost To Develop An App Like Revolut

The cost to develop an app like Revolut can vary considerably, influenced by numerous factors that play a significant role in determining the overall investment. Let’s delve deeper into these factors to understand their impact on the development cost.

App Complexity

The complexity of a FinTech app like Revolut can vary widely based on the range of features and functionalities it offers. Basic apps with fundamental financial services may incur lower development costs, while more intricate platforms integrating advanced features like multi-currency accounts, investment options, budgeting tools, and AI-driven financial insights can enhance cost to develop an app like Revolut significantly.

Design Requirements

Design plays a pivotal role in shaping the user experience of a FinTech app. From intuitive user interfaces to seamless navigation, investing in strategic design decisions is crucial. This may involve engaging UX/UI designers, prototyping tools, and user testing sessions to refine the app’s design iteratively, thereby ensuring optimal usability and engagement. Therefore, leveraging sophisticated design approaches can augment the cost to develop an app like Revolut.

Development Team and Location

The choice of the development team and their geographical location can significantly influence FinTech app development cost. Seasoned Revolut-like app developers with expertise in FinTech app development may command higher rates but offer unparalleled quality and efficiency. Consequently, outsourcing development empowers businesses to tap into specialized expertise, accelerate project timelines, and enhance overall efficiency.

Third-Party Integrations

FinTech apps often rely on integrating with third-party services and APIs to enable essential functionalities such as payment processing, data aggregation, and identity verification. Each integration adds complexity to the development process, requiring thorough testing and optimization to ensure seamless interoperability and data security. This enhanced integration process inevitably contributes to higher cost to develop an app like Revolut.

Compliance and Security Standards

Compliance with regulatory standards and implementation of robust security measures are paramount in the FinTech sector. Adhering to data protection laws, financial regulations, and industry standards incurs additional FinTech app development cost but is essential for fostering trust and credibility among users and mitigating legal risks.

App Platform

Choosing the right app platform (iOS, Android, or cross-platform) influences the cost to develop an app like Revolut and timelines. Developing separate native apps for each platform requires tailored development efforts, while cross-platform solutions offer cost efficiencies but may compromise performance and user experience.

Tech Stack

The choice of technology stack plays a crucial role in determining the FinTech app development cost. The tech stack includes programming languages, frameworks, libraries, and tools used to build the application. Opting for the right technology stack can enhance the app’s performance, scalability, security, and user experience while keeping development costs reasonable.

Quality Assurance

Quality assurance (QA) is a critical aspect of app development that ensures the final product meets the desired standards of performance, reliability, security, and user experience. QA activities involve testing the application thoroughly across various devices, platforms, and scenarios to identify and address any issues or bugs before deployment. Consequently, quality assurance augments development costs of app like Revolut.

Maintenance

Maintenance is a continuous process essential for keeping the FinTech app performing optimally and remaining secure and relevant. It encompasses tasks such as monitoring performance, addressing bugs and software updates, implementing security patches, optimizing performance and scalability, and adding new features to enhance functionality. This ongoing effort ensures the app meets evolving user needs and industry standards, which enhances development costs.

Valuable Features for Developing FinTech App Like Revolut

When embarking on the development of a Fintech app akin to Revolut, it’s essential to incorporate features that streamline financial management and empower users with intuitive tools for their monetary well-being. Just as Revolut revolutionized banking with its innovative approach, your Fintech app can offer a comprehensive solution. Here are key features to consider:

User-Side Features

Account Management: Users can create and manage their accounts, including setting up profiles, linking bank accounts or cards, and updating personal information.

Money Transfer and Payments: This allows the users to send money to other users or external accounts, make payments, and set up recurring transactions.

Currency Exchange: Users can exchange currencies at real-time rates, enabling them to spend or transfer money internationally without incurring high fees.

Budgeting Tools: Features such as expense tracking, budget setting, and spending analysis enable users to track their expenses, set financial goals, and make informed decisions about their money. The app can help users improve their financial health and achieve their financial objectives by offering robust budgeting tools.

Investment and Savings: These features allow the users to invest in stocks, cryptocurrencies, or savings accounts, depending on their area of interest.

Security Features: The platform incorporates robust security features such as two-factor authentication, biometric authentication, and transaction monitoring to safeguard users’ accounts and transactions, ensuring a high level of security and protecting against unauthorized access or fraudulent activities. Furthermore, the integration of features like disposable virtual cards also offer enhanced security by generating unique numbers for each transaction, minimizing the risk of fraud. Users can also control spending with limits and expiration dates, adding an extra layer of protection for their financial information.

Loyalty & Rewards Programs

Implementing loyalty and rewards programs within the app can incentivize users to engage more with the platform. By offering rewards for various transactions, referrals, or specific behaviors, users are encouraged to continue using the app, thus fostering customer loyalty.

Custom Notifications

Allowing users to customize notifications according to their preferences is essential for enhancing the user experience. Users can choose to receive notifications for various activities such as transactions, account updates, or promotions, allowing them to stay informed and in control of their financial activities.

Admin-Side Features

User Management: Tools for administrators to manage user accounts, including account verification, blocking suspicious accounts, or managing user access levels.

Compliance and Regulation: Features to ensure compliance with financial regulations, such as Know Your Customer (KYC) checks, anti-money laundering (AML) measures, and regulatory reporting.

Transaction Monitoring: Systems to monitor transactions for fraudulent activity or suspicious behavior and take appropriate action, such as freezing accounts or investigating transactions.

Customer Support Tools: Tools for administrators to assist users with account-related issues, answer inquiries, and resolve disputes.

Analytics and Reporting: Dashboards and reports that provide insights into platform usage, transaction volumes, revenue generation, and other key metrics to help administrators make informed decisions.

Platform Configuration: Settings and configurations to customize the platform’s functionality, such as setting transaction limits, defining fees, or enabling/disabling certain features.

How To Build An App Like Revolut?

Crafting a Fintech app necessitates a meticulous approach, innovative technology, and expert Fintech app developers to deliver a solution that caters to users’ evolving needs. From conceptualization to launch and beyond, the Fintech app development process demands careful planning and execution. Let’s delve deeper!

Define Goals and Features

To build an app like Revolut, start by outlining the app’s objectives and identifying key features based on market research and user needs. These features may include multi-currency accounts, budgeting tools, investment options, and secure transactions.

Build a Team

Hire a skilled team comprising Revolut-like app developers, designers, product managers, compliance experts, and legal advisors. Collaborate closely to align technical execution with regulatory requirements and user expectations. Carefully choosing a development team helps to build an app like Revolut.

Design

Create intuitive user interfaces (UI) and seamless user experiences (UX) through iterative design. This involves conducting thorough user research to comprehend user preferences and behaviors.

Regulations and Compliance

To develop a FinTech platform like Revolut, regulations and compliances are necessary. Understand the regulatory landscape governing financial services in target markets. Ensure compliance with regulations such as KYC (Know Your Customer), AML (Anti-Money Laundering), GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation), and PCI DSS (Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard).

Development

Utilize mobile development frameworks and backend technologies to build scalable and responsive applications. Prioritize a robust backend system to handle user authentication, data storage, and other backend processing.

Secure Data and Communication

Implement robust encryption protocols, secure authentication mechanisms, and data storage practices to safeguard user information and ensure secure communication between the app and external systems.

Testing and Refinement

Conduct comprehensive testing to identify and address bugs, usability issues, and security vulnerabilities. Perform functional testing, security testing, and user acceptance testing (UAT) to validate the app’s performance and reliability.

App Deployment

Prepare for app deployment by configuring servers, setting up hosting environments, and integrating with app stores (e.g., App Store, Google Play Store). Follow submission guidelines and obtain necessary approvals before launching the app to the public.

Ongoing Maintenance

Continuously monitor app performance, user feedback, and market trends post-launch. Iterate on features of a finance app like Revolut, address customer support inquiries, and release updates to improve app functionality, address security concerns, and adapt to regulatory changes.

By following this systematic approach such as selecting appropriate FinTech app developers, finalizing technology, and setting clear goals help businesses to navigate the complexities of FinTech app development, deliver a high-quality product that meets user expectations, and establish a strong presence in the competitive Fintech market.

How To Monetize An App Like Revolut

Developing a Fintech app presents an opportunity not only to improve financial management but also to unlock diverse revenue streams. By incorporating various monetization strategies, businesses can maximize profitability while delivering value to users. These strategies may include:

Subscription-based Models

Offer subscription tiers with premium features of a finance app like Revolut, enhanced security options, or access to exclusive financial insights. Subscriptions provide a recurring revenue stream and encourage user loyalty through ongoing value delivery.

Transaction Fees

Implement transaction fees for certain financial activities, such as peer-to-peer transfers, currency conversions, or investment transactions. These fees can be structured based on transaction volume, amount, or frequency, contributing to revenue generation while aligning with user activity.

Premium Services

Introduce premium services or add-ons, such as personalized financial advisory services, expedited customer support, or advanced analytics tools. Premium offerings cater to users seeking tailored solutions and are willing to pay for enhanced functionality or convenience.

Partnerships and Affiliations

Forge partnerships with financial institutions, insurance providers, or third-party services to offer integrated solutions and earn referral or commission fees. By leveraging strategic partnerships, businesses can expand their service offerings and monetize user interactions beyond core app functionalities.

Advertising and Sponsorships

Monetize the app through targeted advertising placements or sponsored content from relevant financial brands or service providers. Advertisements can be displayed within the app interface or integrated into transactional communications, providing additional revenue streams without direct user fees.

Data Monetization

Explore opportunities to monetize anonymized user data or aggregated insights by offering data analytics services to third-party organizations, market researchers, or financial institutions. Data monetization can generate supplemental revenue while maintaining user privacy and data security.

By diversifying revenue streams and aligning monetization strategies with user value propositions, businesses can create sustainable revenue models for their Fintech apps. However, it’s essential to balance revenue generation with user experience and regulatory compliance to foster long-term engagement and trust among users.

Designing Your FinTech App Revolution: How Appinventiv Can Transform Your Vision into Reality

Appinventiv, a leading Fintech app development company, is at the forefront of revolutionizing the financial services sector. With our innovative solutions and disruptive mindset, we empower businesses to redefine industry standards and drive unparalleled success in the realm of finance.

With a collaborative ethos, we specialize in crafting cutting-edge Fintech applications that redefine user experiences and drive tangible business outcomes.

Our Fintech app development services encompass every development lifecycle stage, from conceptualization to ongoing maintenance. We begin by conducting in-depth consultations to understand our client’s unique needs and objectives, laying the foundation for comprehensive concept ideation.

Our strategic UI/UX design approach ensures that every interaction with the app is intuitive, engaging, and aligned with the brand’s identity. Our seasoned experts excel in frontend and backend development, leveraging the latest technologies to build robust, scalable, and secure solutions tailored to our clients’ specifications.

We’ve recently crafted Edfundo, a pioneering FinTech app revolutionizing financial literacy for children. Appinventiv spearheaded the evolution of Edfundo into the world’s premier financial intelligence hub for children. By providing flexible parental controls, the app ensures that parents could actively participate in nurturing money-smart youngsters. The platform not only met the client’s objectives but exceeded them, securing a pre-seed funding of $500,000 and preparing for a subsequent seed funding round of $3 million.

Unleash your potential with us as we embark on a journey to develop an app like Revolut in the FinTech realm. Together, we’ll redefine service delivery and set new standards for excellence.

FAQs

Q. How long does it take to develop a Fintech platform like Revolut?

A. The timeline for Revolut-like app development varies based on factors like complexity, features, and integration requirements. Developing and launching a fully functional Fintech app can typically take a few months to a year.

Q. What is the estimated cost to develop an app like Revolut?

A. The cost to develop an app like Revolut depends on several factors, including project scope, features, technology stack, UI/UX design, security, hourly rates of development, etc. Generally, the overall budget necessary to develop a fintech app like Revolut can range from  $40,000 to $300,000.

Q. What are the benefits of developing a finance app like Revolut?

A. Developing a finance app like Revolut brings significant advantages to businesses by facilitating seamless financial management solutions. With comprehensive multi-currency support, businesses can effortlessly cater to international customers, expanding their market reach. Robust security measures safeguard sensitive financial data, fostering trust between businesses and their customers.

Q. What are the common challenges faced during Fintech app development?

A. Revolut-like app development presents various challenges for businesses, including regulatory compliance, security concerns, integration with third-party systems, and scalability. Overcoming these challenges requires expertise in navigating regulatory frameworks, implementing robust security measures, and building scalable architectures.

THE AUTHOR

Sudeep Srivastava

Co-Founder and Director