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An app that was launched on 5 July 2023, soon became news headlines around the world. Why? For amassing 100 million users within just 5 days.

Sounds unbelievable? But it’s not. It’s none other than ‘’Meta Threads” that gained the title of “most quickly downloaded app ever”.

Even, the users bombarded social media with questions like “Is it the next Twitter?”, “Is it going to be a top social media platform” and whatnot.

These crazy downloads definitely hinted at people’s eagerness to engage in something new and different.

Furthermore, Businesses are going crazy to utilize this piquing interest of users to build something similar like Threads or maybe a little better than that.

But, to achieve so, you should have complete knowledge about Threads from what inspired the app idea to the cost to develop an app like Thread.

Find out every detail about “Thread” with this app development guide.

Backstory of Threads

Instagram Threads is a game-changer app that has taken social media by storm. It is basically a text-based app that was launched by Meta to offer a unique space for people to share their thoughts and connect with each other.

Just like Twitter, you can upload photos, share videos, & update your status. But, the customization & control given to Threads users is immense.

There was a drawback. If you signed up for the app, you can’t delete your account. And, if you are rebellious do so, it will also permanently delete your Instagram account. This was in the past.

But, thanks to Meta for fixing it by giving the “delete or deactivate profile” section without deleting your Instagram account.

Now, the prior question is what inspired the idea of ‘’Threads’’?

One study respondent has considered Twitter as the most toxic app. People were afraid to post something due to negative feedback.

Soon after Elon Musk acquired Twitter, things went downhill for Twitter users. Seeing this turmoil, the news started circulating about a new Twitter competitor from Meta. There was a cage fight that was supposed to happen this year in August between both magnets( Mark Zuckerberg & Elon Musk).

Although it didn’t happen physically, with the launch of ‘Threads’ it was digitally won by Meta.

People are confidently looking forward to this new revolution. As its popularity grows, Threads will certainly bring changes and improve itself to provide an amazing social media experience to its users.

With that being said, let’s move forward with the other important aspects of the Threads- app.

How Does the Threads App works?

To create an app like Threads and market it, it is very important to know its workings.

How Does the Threads App works

In this competition, to set your idea apart you need to focus on every detail of your rivals. With that, let’s first dive into the Threads app working, and then we will move further with features.

  • Firstly, download the app; you can sign in to the app via your Instagram account.
  • The username you have on Instagram will move to Threads.
  • You can customize your new profile.
  • Also, choose to make your Threads profile “public or private”.
  • Moving on, you can upload your posts with 500 characters, photos, or videos. You can also reply to people on your post.
  • Once you are on Threads, you can add your Instagram followers while getting new content suggestions to decide on someone new to follow.
  • With new updates, you can now delete your Threads account without deleting your Instagram.

With that being said, even if you have a small thought to build an online text-based social media app like Threads we will surely say this is the right time to leverage the market. You should go for it.

X (Twitter) versus Threads

This is one of the most talked questions ‘’how Threads is different from Twitter?”. Well, there are a lot of features and functionalities that are different on both platforms.

Below we are highlighting the differences with a brief table. Let’s go through it-

Basis X (Twitter) Threads
Characters limit 280 characters allowed 500 characters allowed
Charges You have to pay to enjoy some extra features. Threads don’t have any subscription, it’s free to use.
Multimedia sharing There is a limit of 4 media items. Whereas in Threads, you can upload up to 10 photos.
Video upload You can upload 2 minutes and 20 seconds video. In Threads, the video length limit is 5 minutes.
Verification X verification is a little complex. You can be verified on Threads if you are on Instagram.
Platform availability Available for both desktop & mobile. At present, only for mobile.

Why Develop a Social Media App Like Threads?

Okay, with so many social media apps in the market. You must have the query ‘Is it worth developing an app like threads”?

Reasons to Develop an App Like Threads

This section will answer your query and make you even more prepared than ever.

1) The Growing Need for Social Media Apps

Just when you think there are already so many social media apps present in the market, there’s no need to bring more. The market always surprises with a new app.

However, the growing need for social media apps is due to many reasons. But, the top reasons that are working as fuel for the need of more social media apps are connectivity, letting you learn new things, a new way of revenue generation & more.

Due to increasing interest from millennials & Gen-Z to socialize, this trend won’t go back. So, this is a good reason to start today.

2) 21st century is the age of social media, the demand is rising more than ever

It will be not shocking if we say more than a moiety, meaning 60% of people globally now use social media.

It is not wrong to say that the social media market has grown immensely within a short period of time.

Moreover, the progression of free platforms and chat rooms has created many fresh social media opportunities. But, apps like Facebook, Instagram, & others have pushed it further. This has also given space for new platforms to emerge and foster innovation & creativity through their app.

3) Revenue Generation Opportunity

It is said one of the key reasons to create a text-based social media app like Threads. You can make millions by leveraging this industry.

Frankly, Social media has evolved a lot in the past few years, some ideas are used by many apps and some are still unexplored.

Besides, if you plan to launch an app like Thread, new expanding ideas of social interaction such as augmented reality, Metaverse, AI tools & more will prove beneficial for you. Furthermore, this will increase your user engagement, improve your ROI, and generate remarkable outcomes.

4) Community-driven Brand

By building an app like Threads, you can naturally create a brand community that’s emotionally invested in your app.

Thus, they will timely leave their feedback; and tell about the best parts and pain points of the app which you can use to launch for new updates.

Once you bring what they like, the customers will feel emotionally attached to your brand at the same time giving their loyalty to your brand.

5) Increased Audience Reach

The first thing that a Threads clone app development helps will help to upsurge reach among a significant audience. And, as you know social media apps have been a hot topic for a couple of years. Every new social media app make user eager to try and find out more about it. This can prove to be a positive aspect of your app.

Once you launch your app, if it has amazing features then it will not take much to see success in the market. Moreover, you can capitalize on a huge customer pool by targeting global customers.

How Much Does It Cost to Build a Social Media App Like Threads?

Calculating the cost to create a text-based social media app like Threads is not an easy task. After all, it is not a particular number that we can tell you and you’re good to go.

Several factors affect Threads app development cost such as the complexity of your project, features, tech stack, location of development company, & more.

Giving an approximation, the cost to develop an app like Threads can range from $25,000 to $100,000. This price can increase or decrease as per your project needs.

As we have given you a rough estimate. You need to consult an iOS or Android app development company in the USA for a precise breakdown of Threads like app development costs.

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Breakdown of Threads App User Interface

Instagram Threads are a hot topic in the social media universe right now. The query of how to create an app like threads’’ has landed us on yet another important aspect which is UI/UX design.

Below, we will get a helpful insight into the UI/UX design of the Threads app that you can learn and implement in your app.

Here are some of the UI principles used in Threads that make it a human-centric and popular app.

  • Easy Signup

If you have an Instagram account which we believe you have, it will do half the work for you. Wondering how? You can easily sign up using your Instagram credentials removing the work of registering on the app with your complete information manually.

Threads has made signup an easy & one-step process, as you know user sign-up is a vital part of a user’s journey. If there are so many steps to follow, users might get irritated and stop mid-journey. In return, this may lead to reduced user-sign up on your app.

  • Visibility

Threads provide clear access to settings without searching here and there on the app. All the necessary features are visible for user convenience. For instance, you can see a search bar with a sign to search for something.

A notepad with a pen icon is available through which you can start writing a thread. Two arrows on a thread means you can repost the threads and further. If you want to know more, then you should use the app and see it for yourself.

  • Minimalism

Sometimes less is more; this saying is so true when it comes to UI design. And, Thread has surely followed this.

Keeping UI minimalistic is a popular strategy that aims to remove excessive and unnecessary content from your app. In return, this helps to highlight the details of the app and make it easy to navigate for users. You should also keep your UI less clustered otherwise details will get buried under texts & images.

  • Profile switching feature

Newer updates are coming from Threads; this is also a new one. Threads have added the’ profile-switching” feature. This feature helps to simply switch between your accounts without logging out. You can add different accounts and switch between them by pressing on the profile icon in the bottom right.

Such kind of feature helps users to maintain a balance between different profiles without re-entering their credentials again & again. This way you can have a futuristic app that provides a constant revenue stream while providing a loyal customer base at the same time.

  • Consistency

Meta has preserved consistency just as they have done on Instagram. They have made sure to use familiar styles for navigation, fonts, icons, & layout that are logical & foreseeable across platforms.

This is a smart move to reduce frustration, and misunderstanding & make the app more intuitive as well as rational for your users. You should take cues from Meta and keep your UI elements coherent for your users.

Features to Consider when Developing App like Threads

Initially, when Threads was launched, it felt like a rush release leading to a lack of many features.

But, with more and more updates it has added many new features.

Features to Consider when Developing App like Threads

To create an app like Threads, you need to know about those exceptional features that are improving overall user experience & attracting more users to the app.

1. Seamless Instagram Integration

With Instagram taking the wheel of Threads, it has surely profited from it since its launch. Users can use the same Instagram credentials to register on the Threads app. Consequently, This helped users with a quick sign-up that skyrocketed the registrations on the app.

People can even share their memories & moments and block someone, similarly they do on Instagram. All thanks to this integration between both apps, it has created an effortless transition between the platforms.

2. Continue Your Conversation with Threads Within Threads

At present, Threads lacks a direct messaging feature, something you like to see in chat app development. But, you can enjoy its multi-level Threads.

In response, you can reply to someone’s Thread and show your appreciation while creating a sub-thread with a series of replies or comments. You can engage with them in lively conversation.

Instead of only consuming content, Threads promotes engagement with the content prioritizing interactions on the app.

3. Tune out the Noise

Threads is built to offer encouraging and dynamic conversations. It provides an amazing feature ‘Tune out the Noise’ that lets you control whom you can follow, block, or report. Once you upload a Thread, you can then choose who can reply to it and who can mention you.

This way you can have complete control on your Threads. One more feature that you will surely love is those people whom you have blocked for creepy DMs from Instagram will stay blocked in Threads as well.

4. Interoperability with other Networks

One more feature to add to your is ‘Interoperability’. Simplifying this, Threads will be able to interact with other applications using ActivityPub Protocol such as WordPress & decentralized applications. It is a result of the compatibility of the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) which makes it even better than Twitter.

5. More exposure for your thoughts

Just 280 characters limit you to express yourself on Twitter. This might lead to incomprehensible sharing of thoughts, like you have shared something in fewer words which may not be conveying the same message as you want to your users.

As a result, Threads have more extended exposure when it comes to content. You can post your thoughts in 500 characters; you can upload a video with a length of 5 minutes. You can also upload 10 images, add links, and do much more.

Advanced Features for Social Media Apps Like Threads

Social media platforms like Threads have become an important part of our day-to-day lives. Users are always in search of an app that provides extraordinary features, especially something more than basic.

Advanced Features for Social Media Apps Like Threads

If you are planning to build an app like Threads then it’s necessary to incorporate some advanced features that boost the overall user experience. Explore the list below-

A. Gamification

Whenever you have a query in your mind about “How to make an app like threads and make it successful in the market”.

You should be ensure to provide modern features to win your user’s heart such as Gamification.

Basically, it includes elements like rewards, badges, avatars, and more that should be offered timely to users to improve their engagement and interaction with the app.

B. Accessible

When we say make your app accessible, we are not talking about making it accessible on different platforms.

We are talking about making it Disability-friendly. Make sure your app is designed to be retrieved by those who are disabled.

You can provide audio & video guidance to lead them for your app navigation and offer a satisfactory experience. Furthermore, you should also prioritize the selection of colors for your app to ensure its accessibility and clarity for people with vision problems.

C. In-app chat & video calling

Another feature that you need to create a social media app like Threads is ‘’ In-app chat & video calling’’. You can take the example of any big social media app, be It Facebook or Snapchat every app offers a chat & video-calling feature in their app.

This can said to be one underlying reason for their popularity. Furthermore, it is advisable to get a feature-rich In-app chat & video calling feature that helps users communicate in any way they want through your app. Also, this will help them to spend more time on your app without switching between different apps.

D. Chatbot Integration

Chatbot API will be a really helpful feature that allows for seamless integration into the app. In return, this helps to get your hands on a more refined and well-informed conversational ability to deliver to your users.

To create a social networking app like Threads, Integrating the Chatbot feature into your app will be really helpful. Once you incorporate bots with your app, it can assist in delivering exceptional services to your customers.

E. Integration with Natural Language Processing

Technology has advanced a lot. Using AI in apps has become a standard for businesses to attract customers.

Additionally, you can take steps ahead by integrating NLP (Natural Language Processing), which is a branch of AI, into your app. This will enable your app to understand texts and respond to users similarly to humans. Furthermore, it evaluates the thoughts of your user to provide user-attentive responses.

F. Text-to-speech feature

One key benefit of integrating text-to-speech in your app is that it will provide them comfort and make the user’s experience better.

The implementation of Text-to-speech will help to eradicate the boredom and time taken to read long paragraphs. Just tap and play!

This feature will help to read the content clearly in an understandable voice. Moreover, this way your user can communicate with your app while completing other chores.

To make an app like threads, this feature will surely prove its worth and will get attention from more and more users. When it comes to using advanced features for your social media app, we believe we have shared some of the best ones that will surely become your user’s favorite in no time. Make sure you hire a mobile app Development Company in USA to customize these features in your app in a very successful way.

How To Build An App Like Threads?

We have gained a lot of knowledge about the Threads app. Haven’t we?

But, the prior question was ‘’how to develop an app like Threads’’ which brought you to this blog. So, it’s time to explore the step-by-step process to build an app-like Threads in detail.

How To Build An App Like Threads

We will first walk you through the process then we will cover the cost to build a Text-Based App like Threads. So, without any delay, let’s dive in –

Step 1: Requirement Analysis

One of the important aspects you shouldn’t overlook is to do a requirement analysis.

Basically, the aim of this is stage to summarize the important components of your app’s requirement and its goal. This phase includes plainly understanding your app’s functions and features such as chat, photo & video sharing, real-time updates, & more. Overall, you should create an app that satisfies user needs and promotes your business towards growth.

Step 2: Market Research

The base of “How to Develop a Text-Based App like Threads?” starts with market research for your app.

This extensive research will help you explore the market landscape, and understand your users’ requirements, and the latest market trends.

By collecting your user feedback, you can analyze gaps or unused opportunities to create a similar app like Threads. Additionally, this will help you cultivate the overall concept in your mind, gain a brief knowledge about the cost to create an app like Threads & tailor your app to meet user’s demands.

Step 3: Designing the interface

Once you are ready with your idea, it is really important to build a beautiful and easy-to-navigate UI-UX that attracts the user.

Using different app design tools, your designers will create mockups to visualize your design, navigation, buttons, and much more to create visually appealing UI.

But, here is a little suggestion make sure to keep the UI simple and intuitive, your goal is to attract users not to drive them away. You can take help from expert UI/UX design companies in the USA like We Appit who have experienced designers to give an interactive and user-friendly look to your app.

Step 4: Application development (Front-end & Back-end)

This phase includes the front-end & back-end development. This front-end includes building the user interface, implementing the screen, navigating between screens & much more.

Whereas, working on the back-end includes servers, API integration, database management, and many necessary components. In the end, developers write code using different tech stacks and harmonize the back-end and front-end to exhibit the complete app properly.

Step 5: Testing

Once your app is developed, we will then move further with mobile app testing. It’s another critical part of the Thread app development process which takes place to test the features, and functionalities and to fix bugs as well as errors that arise.

This phase includes examining both the front-end and back-end through different testing. This includes app usability testing, integration testing, performance testing, & more.

The aim of testing is to ensure app performance optimization & seamless experience from the user end.

Step 6: Deployment

Once all the technical issues are eradicated, it is time to move forward to bring your idea to reality by deploying the app to relevant app stores (Apple App Store or Google Play Store).

Make sure you have followed the rules and regulations of the preferred app store. It will take some time from days to weeks to get accepted. Meanwhile, you can also work on marketing strategies and SEO to target your audience.

Step 7: App Maintenance & Support

Once you get approval and launch the app. You might think the work is over.

But, it is far from over.

Now, you have to collect user feedback about your app. Keep track of your app and look for areas of improvement. Furthermore, you should release new updates, fix bugs, and make sure the app is functioning properly.

How to Make Money with an App Like Threads?

While thinking about launching an app, somewhere back of our heads we also think about how this app will earn money. After all, as an entrepreneur, you are already investing a lot of money and effort to shape your idea into a functional solution. So, you should plan your earnings beforehand.

How to Make Money with An App Like Threads

As of now, Threads don’t have any monetization in their app. But, soon with more users joining the app and newer updates, it will bring different monetization to earn millions.

But, for you, it is necessary to know how your app will earn money. Here are some of the app monetization strategies that you can try out:

Basis Function
Advertisements Through this method, you can collaborate with brands to show ads and receive a particular promotional amount.
Premium version You can provide a basic version for free and for cutting-edge features such as an ad-free experience charge a fee from customers.
Partnerships Collaborate with content creators where their followers can tip them and in return, you can charge a portion of their tip earnings.
In-App purchase Let your users make additional purchases such as more customization, avatars, and blue ticks and you can charge them a certain fee.
Data licensing Without breaching the privacy of users, you can collect their data and offer it to businesses and other organizations for a particular amount.

Tech stack used to build an app like Threads

Choosing the right tech stack is a must for your app’s success. Implementing a modern tech stack will provide exceptional benefits and a competitive edge. But, it will also vary your Threads like app development cost.

Get to know about these teck-stacks which can help in better implementation of your required feature.

Basis Technologies
Front-end React, HTML, CSS, Javascript, Vue.
Back-end Express.js, Python, Golang.
Database Amazon RDS, MongoDB,
Authentication OAuth
Cloud computing Amazon EC2, Amazon S3.
Messaging Apache Kafka
Deployment AWS
Additional tools Git, Postman, Campaign Monitor

How We AppIt Can Help You to Build an App like Threads?

The social media space is now driven by new apps like Threads. We hope through this article you have gained an understanding about the worth of building a social media app. To become a record-breaking product like Threads, you need to partner with a top social media app development company i.e. We AppIt that helps to grow your business remarkably.

WeAppit follows a unique approach to understand your app needs & customize it accordingly.

We make sure to work with the latest app design trends, modern top-stack, advanced features, and more that result in a robust and scalable app.

With ample years of experience, our developers have always delivered social media apps that made remarkable solutions that exceeded user expectations.

We make sure to provide

  • 24/7 Support.
  • Complete transparency while working on the app.
  • Services within affordable cost to develop an app.
  • Key focus on data security.
  • Top-notch maintenance & support.

So, it’s time to take your idea further by leveraging our social media app development services & seeking fresh social media experiences for your users.

CTA 2_ Ready to start your dream project

Conclusion

It is not hard to believe that an average mobile user spends approximately 2 hours and 20 minutes using social media apps like Instagram. Around 55% of the world’s population has social media accounts.

This number will grow more and more in the upcoming period. It is not wrong to say that this is one of the best times for your business to enter the realm of social media. Whether it’s Android or iOS app development in the USA, We AppIt has the upper hand in both. So, if you are invested in your project and want to take things further. You can contact us to get outstanding & feature-rich applications like Threads.

FAQs

To build an app like Threads, firstly you will need requirement analysis and market research for your app. Then, designing the interface, front-end & back-end development. Once it’s done your social media development company in the USA will move forward with testing & deploying the app.

Several challenges might occur while building an app like Threads such as privacy, content moderation, user data storage, and much more. Consequently, we have suggested you take the assistance of an experienced and expert company like We AppIt.

There are several legal considerations one must follow to create an app like Threads such as data protection, user privacy, compliance with relevant laws and regulations, and trademarks.

There are several monetization models that you can use to gain a good amount of revenue from your app. This includes In-app purchases, data licensing, premium models, advertising & more.

There is no accurate number for it. The cost to develop an app like Threads depends on several factors such as the complexity of the project, features, development team experience, and more. But, the Threads app development cost can range from $25,000 to $100,000.

The development timeline of your project can vary as mentioned before on various factors including team size, complication & more. However, developing an app like Threads can cost you somewhere between 4 months to 12 months. This may vary depending on your project.