According to Statista – there are more than 14 billion active Android active devices worldwide. Keeping in mind this huge number of users, Android app developers have numerous opportunities to build more unique applications for their users. But the developers must ensure that they are using the best tools to stay one step ahead in the game.
For the seamless app development process, we have short-listed some of the best Android app making and design tools for app developers. We will also discuss app optimization and marketing tools, tips on how to sell and market your applications and the best app building platforms for the year 2016.
App design tools:
1. Adobe XD
Features:
Adobe XD, once known as Project Comet, is a tool to design and prototype mobile apps and websites. Innovative design tools minimize the time and helps designers create great apps within no time. In just one click, the users can switch from design to prototype.
According to the website of Adobe – new features are added every month in this tool. There is this option of live previewing the design and the links can also be shared with the team members to get feedback etc.
Rating: 4/5
2. InVision
Features:
InVision is a design collaboration tool. This tool is available for prototyping website and mobile applications. It offers a full commenting system for its users where people can know the status of the project. InVision gives real time collaboration as well. There are two types of users – designers and clients / stakeholders. Designers can view and edit the prototype whereas; the clients can only view the product’s developmental stages.
Whoever has the link to a prototype can come online through InVision and can discuss various things about the design. The best feature of InVision is that it gives version control to undo those changes which were not required in the first place.
Price: 1 prototype is free to create. Starter, Professional, Team versions are available for $15 (3 prototypes), $25 (unlimited prototypes) and $99 (unlimited prototypes) per month respectively. InVision has also introduced Enterprise version for with unlimited prototypes and advanced features.
Rating: 3/5
3. Marvel
Features:
Marvel the application lets its users turn simple on paper sketches into tappable and interactive prototypes which allow the designers etc. to give a demonstration of their apps. The prototypes can also be shared with the concerned individuals.
Marvel is compatible with .psd files as well. A lot of time is saved when Marvel is being used to design different apps because there is no need to convert the designs. This design tool updates the changes in the background. Images from cloud storage can be synced for creating prototypes on Marvel.
According to the website page of Marvel, it is said that they have made it ridiculously easy to share projects and get real-time feedback on the designs. This collaboration allows designers their clients to directly comment on each screen and get to know what exactly is happening in the context of design.
Price: Marvel’s free version doesn’t cost anything but it has limited features whereas; Pro, Plus and Company versions are available for $15, $19 and $42 per month respectively. Paid versions come with the options of downloading, password protection, user roles depending on the versions the designers opt for.
Rating: 4/5
4. PopApp
Features:
If you need to have working prototypes, PopApp is the best tool to use. Designers as well as all those people who have an app idea and can make the most out of PopApp. This means that you do not have to be a professional designer to start prototyping. It is a simple yet powerful platform and comes up with an interesting feature i.e. prototyping can be started with the hand-drawn app sketches. The sketches can also be linked together to the devices.
Team discussions and sketches are doable using PopApp so each and every change can be seen and discussed then and there on different platforms (screens). Synching of mockups with Dropbox is also possible.
Price: The free version of PopApp allows 1 member to create prototypes for 2 projects. Basic (10 projects and 3 members) and Pro (unlimited projects and members) versions are available for $10 and $25 per month respectively. Team version is yet to come.
Rating: 4/5
App development tools:
Any software’s interface is the first thing app developers have to interact with. Let’s focus on the app development tools.
Tools for cross-platform apps:
1. Appcelerator
Features:
Appcelerator is a mobile engagement platform which allows cross-platform native mobile app development. JavaScript is used as the mobile backend as a service (MBaaS), crash detection and mobile test automation and performance management.
Price: Indie package is for $39 per month whereas; Team version is for $259 per seat per month. As far as the Enterprise version is concerned – the Appcelerator team can be contacted.
Rating: 3/5
2. PhoneGap
Features:
This tool is used to wrap HTML5 applications in native containers which makes this tool a preference of most of the entrepreneurs and of course developers. By using this tool, existing web development skills can be reused to make hybrid apps built with HTML, CSS and JavaScript.
You can also use your mobile app to connect all your devices to the development machine and can also see the changes (if you’re making any) instantly. PhoneGap can also be used to wrap mobile web applications developed with other platforms for example Dojo Mobile, Sencha etc.
This tool is available for Linux, Windows and Mac OS platforms.
Rating: 3/5
3. Xamarin
Features:
By using Xamarin for creating a native app, Android developers can deliver their best products. Native User Interface (UI), native API access and native performance for multiple platforms can be ‘witnessed’ by the app developers. Developers can create native apps using C# easily. Xamarin also provides an interactive dashboard for real-time interaction among active users.
Other than that, there is this interesting feature available on this platform, Xamarin Test Cloud. Android app developers can test the apps and find bugs before they have to ship them by automated test runs. App developers can also get live crash reports, receive feedback from their users and examine test coverage.
Price: Xamarin Studio Community and Visual Community Studio are free to download. For downloading Visual Studio Professional and Visual Studio Enterprise, app developers can get in touch with the Xamarin team.
Rating: 4/5
Tool for native apps:
1. Android Studio
Features:
Android Studio is the officially integrated development environment (IDE) for the purpose of Android app development. One of its features is that it enhances the productivity during the development of Android applications.
There is a rich layout editor available with a drag and drop theme editing and code templates to let developers build common app features. In addition to these features, Built-in support for Google Cloud Platform can be used to integrate Google Cloud Messaging and App Engine easily.
Rating: 3/5
App maker tools
There are different Android app maker tools available in the market. These tools allow the non-techy people to quickly create exciting apps. In this section of the article; we will tell you the best and easy to use tools for mobile app making.
1. BuildFire
Features:
This is a great app maker tool for the beginners as it lets the app developers create professional looking applications that too within minutes. It simplifies the app making process and you don’t need any tech skills for creating an app.
The following steps can be followed to use this DIY app maker:
The look and feel of an app can be selected as the first step so the users have a choice to choose between premade layouts and backgrounds, colors, and can also use background images as well.
Branding can be done by adding the company’s logo as app
Colors from the premade color palettes can then be selected according to the requirements.
After that, the font and icon style can be selected.
You can also add widgets by choosing the right widget from the list available on BuildFire. The content and other widget settings can also be modified later on.
Price: App building is free but you definitely have to pay when you decide to publish your app. This Android app maker tool is not the cheapest one available and the plans start at $39 per month.
Rating: 4/5
2. Mobincube
Features:
Everyone can build an app using Mobincube. It is a very affordable tool to use. Their cheapest ad-free plan is priced at the rate of $9.99. Also, all of Mobincube plans allow the users to go native – that is you can upload your creations to the app stores. You can also add HTML5 modules into the applications for example; advanced forms, user account registration screens, animations etc.
Price: This tool is available at very competitive prices which make it a unique one.
Rating: 3/5
3. Good Barber
Features:
By using Good Barber, app building can be done in 4 easy steps which are:
Design the app
Add the content
Check the results
Publish the app
Beautiful applications for mobile and tablets can be built through this platform – testing of the native apps can be done in real-time. Also, developers can edit in the backend and can see results real quick.
Price: There are 3 Good Barber packages available for app development. Standard, Full and Advanced are for 16€, 32€ and 48€ per month respectively. Publishing the application in Google Play store is also an easy job.
Rating: 4/5
4. AppYourself
Features:
AppYourself creates apps in 3 easy steps which are as follows:
Choose the design and layout
Select the modules
Publish the app in stores
AppYourself is the one stop shop for smartphone app and mobile and desktop websites. Android apps can be created free of cost by using AppYourself platform – though the app developers will have to pay around £18 to get the app published on Google Play.
This app builder offers 30 different modules to create applications which can cater the needs. There is a wide variety of templates as well and no coding is required for the app creation process. Developers can also combine a web app with a native app on this platform.
Price: There are 4 packages available; The Web Only, Basic, Premium and Business for 5€, 15€, 30€ and 50€ per month respectively.
Rating: 3/5
App optimization, tracking and measuring tools
With the help of app optimization tools, user acquisition can be tracked and measured. By using these tools, one can easily analyze which audience is downloading the apps in which parts of the world. Also, companies can understand different traffic sources better.
1. Localystics
Features:
This tool gives the users flexible and powerful reporting and real-time engagement analytics as well. Lifetime tracking can be done by using this tool. Funnel management is also possible. The best part of using Localytics user insights, marketing automation and smart targeting can be done using one platform.
Rating: 4/5
2. Kochava
Features:
Kochava is supposed to be one of the biggest players in the app acquisition and data tracking field. This tool does real-time tracking and reporting of apps attribution. Some of the features of Kochava are mentioned below:
Kochava specializes in game apps.
It shows the ROI for up to 300 mobile ad networks including Google, Facebook, Twitter etc.).
Its software development kit (SDK) provides integration with more than 2000 publishers and networks.
This tool is simple, flexible and reliable – and that’s probably what matters the most.
Rating: 3/5
3. Google Analytics
Features:
Being the best tool to provide app and website tracking data – Google Analytics is the most widely used analytics service. It collects all the data across websites, mobile apps and offline channels as well. It is free to install and also allows cross platform linkage between other Google products.
Sr. Director, Marketing Analytics of National Geographic Mia Vallo says:
“Google’s analytics products helped us improve engagement by 33% and click-throughs by 21% for content promotions on our homepage.”
These are some of the advantages of using Google Analytics:
You can create customized Dashboards based on which data you want to see first
You can determine where your best users are located
You can learn what people search on your website
You can also identify those pages which are not performing well
Price: Free
Rating: 4/5
App A/B testing tool
1. Apptimize
Features:
By using Apptimize, mobile A/B testing of applications can be done easily. There is no coding required as well. Applications can be published instantly and roll outs can be segmented to specific sub-sets for the users to visualize the whole process and also to get feedback from them.
It is a reliable and scalable platform used for the optimization of android apps. Getting started on this tool is free of cost whereas for the Enterprise version, Apptimize Support team can be contacted.
Rating: 3/5
2. Robotium
Features:
Robotium, an open-source test framework- is used for writing automatic gray-box testing cases for Android applications. The main purpose of this testing is to search for any sort of defects due to poor structuring or usage of applications.
Rating: 3/5
App marketing tool
1. Apptamin
Features:
This amazing tool helps its users by offering professional app videos. Through the app videos, marketing or pitching the application becomes more effective. There is a huge library of app videos examples to choose from or to think of another unique idea. This tool is great for marketing games and apps.
Prices: Apptamin offers different price packages and a 10 percent discount to the companies which have less than 5 members.
Rating: 3/5
Tips on how to sell and market your apps
We would like to give you some tips on how to successfully sell and market your mobile applications. Companies can also market their applications by letting their users performing the same action. This can be done by enabling social media links on your apps.
Tip 1:
You have a mobile application – now you want to promote it. Make sure that your application is fulfilling the new demands of your users well. Businessmen / app developers must understand the fact that no promotional campaigns can make a bad app famous. Develop something which is worth all the effort, money and promotions / marketing.
Tip 2:
Ask yourself a question – Is your mobile app useful? Because no matter how well you carry out the marketing process of your app, if it doesn’t fulfill users’ needs, they won’t be interested.
Tip 3:
It is better to have a one stop mentality for your mobile app. As this is convenient for the mobile device users to locate things within one app (unlike mobile websites). The biggest advantage of having a mobile app is that it influences the app’s lifespan on the user’s device.
Tip 4:
Social advertising helps a lot in marketing an app well. Also, it targets people by their interests and demographics. For example; with Facebook ads, an app can be marketed specifically.
In a nutshell..
In the world of mobile devices and apps, the competition never ends. What mobile developers can do in this regard is to choose the best tools for carrying out the app development process in an excellent manner.
We hope that the above mentioned tools prove beneficial for you. Creating the best apps these days to generate revenue for businesses is pretty much the ultimate challenge for app developers. We would like to ask if you know some more tools which we might have missed. Which tools did you use for your Android mobile app? Leave a comment and let us know!