Is It Worth Developing an App like Likee to Rock the Global Digital Business?

According to Facebook and Instagram latest trends, video is the future. But Likee, the mega-popular social network featuring short-form videos, is already there.

Video sharing using the Likee app has become a hot trend. The app allows millions of users to express themselves by making their own videos. Users spend hours on Likee watching videos and creating content.

Likee’s success has led many people to ask how they can make a similar app and what it will cost. In this article, you will learn what it will cost, what tech stack you will need, and what features you should include to develop an app like Likee.

What Is Likee? Why Is It So Awesome?

Likee, formerly LIKE, is very similar to TikTok. However, there are several significant differences between the two apps that we will discuss.

In a nutshell, Likee is a streaming platform that allows users to create and exchange short videos. Users can add music or stickers to their videos or use special features such as 4D effects and an AI face swap tool. Fellow users can comment on the videos, rate them, and even create video responses. The app also highlights how users can promote themselves through their videos.

While Likee’s features are appealing, the app has privacy, data-harvesting, and safety issues.

Now, let’s take a closer look at how Likee works and why this video-sharing app has become so popular.

According to its developer, BIGO Technology, Likee has 150 million users worldwide who create a total of about 5 million videos a day. Even though the app is intended for individuals 16 years of age and older, roughly 80% of its users are between 12 and 22 years old.

Essential Features of the Likee Short Video App

To launch an MVP app, it is enough to supply basic features like video uploading and editing. However, you should provide more advanced functions as you gain users. You could include:

• Stickers. You can make funny and dynamic Likee-like masks and animations in any style. Users can become superheroes and pop culture icons. Likee’s sticker library contains more than 180 stickers.

• Dialogue game. This allows you to shoot a video using a sound fragment. For example, you can take on the role of a rock star from your favorite movie. Likee’s track library contains millions of tracks from all over the world.
• 4D magic. Likee has a foreground and background function and an edge recognition function. You can add an epic appearance or disappearance to the video, replace the background, or make yourself the master of the elements.

• Superpowers. Likee employs body action recognition and a self-learning AI algorithm model to enable gesture and movement control of special effects during the video-recording process. You can control rain, snow, thunder, fire, and even the earth through easy gesturing.

• Music filter. Using the music filter, you can mix music and effects smoothly to make a dynamic music video in 1 minute.
• Magic live. The magic live mode allows you to interact with your fans and prank them. You can make funny videos and become a live vlogger.
• Mix effects. You can use special effects like Soulstuff, Blurred Lines, Heartbeat, and more to create and share marvelous videos.
• AI beauty filters. When shooting, you can choose the recording speed and beauty filters to make your skin clearer and your eyes more prominent.
• Likee streamer. On the homepage of the web version of the app, you’ll find a link to download a PC app designed for creating Likee game streams.

• Likee mini-games. Likee mini-games are mini-programs used for gaming.

• Nearby video option. With this feature, you can view videos that are being created by users near your location.
• Hashtag search. Videos with hashtags become instantly popular on Likee, garnering millions of views and eventually going viral on other social media channels.
• Swipe to navigate. You can swipe up for non-stop browsing of user videos or swipe right to access features such as popular videos, nearby videos, or live chat.

• Earn Likee money (beans and diamonds). You can convert diamonds into fiat money and withdraw them later. 210 Likee diamonds equal 1 US dollar.
• Stories. This feature allows you to write something or post a photo to record and share your life with fans at any time.

Why Do Users Prefer Likee over TikTok?

Although TikTok still dominates the short video market, Likee is treading on its heels. The idea behind Likee is simple: it is a social platform for sharing short videos. Like TikTok videos, Likee videos can be up to 15 seconds long or live streamed. You can apply audio tracks and visual effects or create collaborative split-screen videos by replying to someone else’s post.

But Likee is not simply a clone of TikTok. Likee‘s tools are its hallmarks: advanced AI and AR-based filters, body recognition, 4D special effects, and an extensive music library. Likee’s users can change their hair color, leave and re-enter a room, or even create a blockbuster movie.

Likee’s community is an essential part of its success. Users with highly rewarded videos can climb a ranking ladder and unlock new features and special effects. Both TikTok and Likee users engage in viral hashtag campaigns. However, Likee has a strong localization strategy.

Likee vs. TikTok: Comparison Table

What You’ll Need to Create an App Like Likee

To develop an app like Likee, you will need to hire a development team and choose a tech stack for your future project.

You Will Need a Team to Create an App Like Likee

To build an app like Likee with the features that are outlined above, you’ll need to put together a team that includes the following professionals:

• A business analyst
• A project manager
• A UI/UX designer
• Back-end developers
• An iOS developer
• An Android developer
• A QA engineer

It’s worth noting that there are two main ways to recruit IT specialists—hire an in-house team or contract with an outsourcing company. Each option has benefits and drawbacks.

What Is the Tech Stack Behind Likee?

We are not going to detail all of the steps involved in building an app like Likee. Instead, we will describe the tools and technologies that can be used to create a Likee app clone.

iOS app

• Programming language: Swift
• Networking: Alamofire

Android app

• Programming language: Kotlin
• Networking: HTTP

Back-end development

• Programming language: JS
• Framework: Node.js, Express.js
• Database: MongoDB, SQL, MySQL
• Cloud: AWS or Azure

Tools

• Storage: Amazon S3
• Signup: Amazon SES, Amazon SNS
• Notifications: Firebase Cloud Messaging, Google Cloud Messaging, and Apple Push Notification Service
• Real-time analytics: Azure Stream Analytics, Google Analytics for Mobile Apps
• AR-filters: ML Kit, ARCore
• Geolocation: Google Maps API, MapKit, Core Location framework 
• Chat: Twilio

Now, let’s take a closer look at how Likee is monetized and what it would cost to develop a Likee clone.

How Does Likee Make Money? The Likee Revenue Model

Choosing the monetization model for your mobile application is an essential step. Likee generates revenue from advertising and in-app purchases. For your app, you can choose one of the following ad options:

• Banners with a link to your landing page. They appear on the main search page at the top of the screen.
• Branded stickers, lenses, AR, and VR effects, some of which are shown in the picture above.
• In-app purchases. Users can pay for features or content such as special stickers, filters, and gifts. They can also buy coins and present them to others during live streaming. In-app purchases can be made when users convert their money into an in-app virtual currency.

Likee Business Model Canvas

How Much Does It Cost to Develop an App Like Likee?

A team of business analysts and developers at VironIT has provided a rough estimate of the costs of a project like Likee.

Based on the estimates above, creating an MVP app resembling Likee could cost between $64,500 and $112,500.

And finally…

Likee is extremely popular and earns millions of dollars for its creators. This is why developing an app like Likee could be a good move.

To get started, you’ll need to take several basic steps:

• Plan what you want your app to do and conduct preparatory research.
• Choose and hire a software developer.
• Create a Minimum Viable Product.
• Obtain feedback, test, and improve your app.

If you find the right development team, then you will be able to enter the market with a competitive app that will be among the top three most frequently used.

If you have more questions about creating an app like Likee or want to hire professional software developers, feel free to contact us.