Poker App Development: 5-Step Guide

What is the best poker app?

A poker app is an application developed for mobile devices that allows users to play poker games in a convenient way. Typically, such gaming apps are available to be downloaded on smartphones and tablets. The popularity of poker applications within audiences is undeniable as it allows them to enjoy a favorite game without the hassle of physical cards, chips, and tables.

This trend can also be traced in a study that shows the number of downloads in the market of card game apps. By 2029, such games are expected to show a market volume of $13.41 billion, which is quite significant. Hence, it becomes self-explanatory why the increased interest in developing poker gaming apps is happening.

So, how can a business owner break into the industry and build an application that will be successful in a niche with such vigorous competition? The answer lies in many different factors. Being able to offer a diverse range of different poker variations is one of the methods to attract users to the app. As it turns out, there are truly a lot of types of poker games.

You can provide gamers with as many options as you like and as your development budget allows. For example, Texas hold ’em, Seven-card stud, and Omaha are some of the most popular poker variations.

The other factor that makes iGaming solutions compelling for consumers is ease of use. Focusing on creating a user-centered design and authentic gaming experience will definitely build a more positive perception of the app and encourage users to come back again. This approach should be discussed in-depth with your software team.

Lastly, a crucial component of making a great poker game app is listening to the feedback of the community. Catering towards the needs of actual users and implementing features that they genuinely would like to use is how you can earn their affinity. Later in our guide, we will touch more on the subject of the most sought-after features in a poker application.

Poker game app development: 5 steps

The development of a custom application is a commonly asked-for service for many software-providing companies. Generally, this is an established process with specifically set out steps. However, depending on the requirements of the projects and the nuances of a particular industry, there may be slight variations in the phases.

Regardless, we have analyzed a typical process of building a gaming app and put together a list of the key stages that you are likely to go through. Without further ado, here are the five essential steps to creating a poker game app of your own.

Step 1: Needs analysis

The first step in the poker app development that builds the foundation for the whole process is analyzing and assessing the vision for the project. At this stage, you need to designate specific requirements for the functionality of the app to establish how it should operate and look like.

To aid in that process, you have to conduct market research, identifying your competitors and the pain points of users that your solution is trying to solve. In order to get a better understanding of the users’ expectations and needs, you and your team can lay out surveys and interviews for the targeted audience.

Establish overarching goals and work toward dividing them into tasks that can be accomplished. When considering how to make a poker app organize and document the needs and objectives of the project to create a smoother development flow where every member of the process understands each end goal. That way, you ensure the final product meets your expectations.

Step 2: UI UX design

With a documented set of requirements ready to be used, you can forward the first task to the design team. During this step, the poker game app design will be separated into two stages. These are user interface (UI) and user experience (UX) design. So, what does that entail?

The UI portion of the design is aimed at building all of the visual aspects of the app. That includes figuring out the design styles, selecting color schemes, typography, icons, and more. Generally, you can think of interface design as everything that a user can see with their own eyes when using your app.

On the other hand, UX focuses on internal processes that go behind the scenes. At this stage, designers create user story maps and build out the information architecture. This is done to map out an intuitive navigation of poker game apps to ensure the users can get from one point to another without getting confused or frustrated.

Step 3: App development

After the UI and UX design are complete, they are forwarded to the development team. The experts select the programming frameworks and tools to build poker app, as well as settle on the platform. The choices are native and cross-platform development. The first one means the app is built for either the iOS or Android platform, while the second entails development for both simultaneously.

Following this, the developers then work on implementing the ready-made design and building out the interactive options in the app. This process is called frontend development.

The next stage would be writing the code for the core functionality of the app and ensuring that it is operational. That includes building games and their features, like joining the table, folding, playing against the automated contestant, viewing the history of tournaments, etc. This is typically referred to as backend development.

In addition, poker app developers also work on ensuring security measurements are in place. They integrate a payment system that is stable and protected from outside threats. Development specialists also take time to encrypt the user data, making certain that the poker game is safe to play and maintaining the trust of the customers.

Step 4: Testing

In order to make sure the finished code operates as expected and doesn’t have any issues with bugs, the testing phase must be set in place. The quality assurance (QA) engineers plan out several types of tests to conduct to check the quality of code. This is done before release to verify that the application doesn’t have any faults and is ready to be launched to the public.

Performing some of the tests during the development process is also one of the standard practices of how to make a gambling website. The main purpose of QA testing is to identify and eliminate any defects or inconsistencies in the code that prevent it from functioning correctly. Hence, this step is no less important than any of the previously mentioned ones.

There are different types of testing aimed at various processes. For example, functionality testing checks to see if the features of the poker app perform as intended and if users can carry out operations. Compatibility tests validate that the app works across all of the devices. Security tests detect any vulnerabilities in the app that are susceptible to data breaches. And so on.

Step 5: Launch

After all of the tedious and hard work, once every step is taken and the app is approved for release, the app launch phase comes. During this stage, the marketing campaign for the app is established, and the app is made available to the public according to the plan.

Typically, the poker game apps are submitted to designated platforms, like Google Play Store and Apple App Store, where users can download them for free or for a certain price. Of course, the app has to undergo a verification process first to be approved by the platform to be published. Hence, ensuring that all of the regulations and criteria are met beforehand is a must.

Keep in mind that even after the deployment of your application, you have to pay attention to maintaining it. Having a support team that quickly reacts to any bugs and introduces updates to improve the app is essential to keeping your business competitive over time. You can also check out our guide on how to create a betting website for other information.

The cost of poker app development

Several factors go into determining the price for poker game app development. Therefore, without knowing the details of the project, it is hard to estimate any specific costs. To find out the approximate pricing for your poker solution, we recommend you contact an app provider and get a quote for your project.

Still, to make the exploration of price formation for development more understandable, we can separate the crucial aspects into two categories: the requirements of the project and the software providers you choose to work with. Let’s take a look at each closely.

The scope of work that needs to be done to complete the project and create a poker app that is good enough remains one of the main facets of price formation. Extensive projects with a lot of customized features and designs are inevitably going to cost more than the applications that use pre-made templates and basic functionalities.

Establishing shorter deadlines will also spike the price, as the app development team will need to allocate more resources to your project to finish it on time. Still, there is an argument to be made that bespoke solutions tend to perform better with customers, so keep that in mind when setting the budget for the project.

The iGaming software providers of your choice will be the second most important aspect. The kind of experts you decide to collaborate with will make an impact on the final price. For example, the services of developers, designers, QA engineers, and project managers with a higher level of professional experience and expertise in developing gaming applications will cost more than specialists with a lesser background.

The number of experts you onboard on the project also matters. In case you want a shorter development timeline, you may require more professionals on the team, which will be more expensive.

In addition, you have to keep in mind the pricing model of the particular poker app development company. Most typically, app providers charge on a per-hour basis. However, a few sportsbook software providers prefer fixed-price models or retainer agreements, which can be more beneficial for some projects.

Essential features for poker apps

The attractiveness of developing your own application for playing poker is that you can add as many or as few features as you like, besides creating a design that goes in hand with your branding. However, some of the functionalities are vital to the excellent performance of the app and the interest of users in it. We outlined some of the most in-demand features below, and they include the following:

• Single-player and multiplayer modes. These capabilities are the foundation of the poker apps since some players prefer to practice playing against a computer before moving forward. Offering a multiplayer option where users can play against other users is a must. You should also provide players with different options for table sizes and limits for betting.
• Real money and in-game money play. Most poker players are seeking the experience of playing an online game that is similar to a real-life tournament. Hence, it is best to acquire the necessary licenses and permissions to allow for betting of real money. Yet, providing an option to wager in-game currency is still essential to cater to those players who would instead use a safer option.
• In-app chat. With the rise in popularity of chatting apps like Discord, it has become the new norm to chat during the game. It is a great way to add engagement and realism to the experience, so be sure to add functionality for live chatting through the application so the users can have conversations as they play the games.
• Leaderboards and statistics. Demonstrating leaderboards is a common practice in competitive gaming apps that add thrill and excitement to the experience. Showing personal gaming statistics can also encourage users to play again to improve their metrics. In addition, you can also display tournament information so the players know when the next competition is about to begin.
• Customization and tips. Being able to personalize the user profile is essential to most apps in this category. However, you should go an extra step and add customization to settings like betting types and limits. Furthermore, it is recommended to implement tips and guides for using your application. After all, not all consumers who come to your platform are experienced in using poker game apps and may require additional help.

Consulting with designated online casino software providers about which features to prioritize is a great idea to filter out what options you want and need to provide to users. In any case, be sure to monitor changes in the trends and consumer demands to adjust your application accordingly.

Looking for a poker app development company?

The decision on how to approach the development of your custom application for playing poker requires a lot of preparation and knowledge of the niche. With that being said, wrapping your head around all of the nuances and intricacies of this process is worth the effort in the long run, as you will be able to receive a polished product that resonates with your audience.

Having a reliable software partner alongside you during the conceptualization and development process is going to improve and speed up the operations vastly. Experienced specialists are capable of guiding your business in the right direction by leveraging their industry insights and selecting the most advantageous strategies.

In case you are searching for a trustworthy development vendor, feel free to drop us a line anytime to schedule a consultation to discuss your project. At Limeup, we have 10+ years of experience in the poker app development sector, building dependable solutions that meet the standards of the market.