How To Build Messaging App Like Kakao App

Do you like messaging apps? Did you know Kakao App is an incredible messaging app? If you want to build an app like Kakao App, this blog is just for you.Let’s explore how to create an awesome messaging app like KakaoTalk.

Kakao App has gained worldwide popularity thanks to its unique features and user-friendly interface. We’ll guide you through every step to create an app like KakaoTalk, from the initial concept to its complete implementation. We’ll cover essential topics like such as backend programming, user interaction methods, design considerations, and feature planning. If you’re interested in developing an app like KakaoTalk, now is the perfect time to start. Let’s embark on this exciting app development journey together!

What is The Kakao App?

The popular South Korean chat app Kakao App was created by Kim Beom-su and launched on March 18, 2010, by Kakao Corporation. This app lets users send messages, make audio and video calls, and share things like pictures and videos. KakaoTalk quickly became very popular, reaching 10 million downloads worldwide.

KakaoTalk success is largely due to its many features, user-friendly interface, and seamless integration with various Kakao services. The app also offers a wide range of stickers and emoticons that enhance creative communication. Also Kakao Talk remains the most popular messaging app in South Korea and has a significant user base World Wide.

List of Services Offered by Kakao 

Kakao, the South Korean company behind KakaoTalk, offers a diverse range of services beyond just its popular messaging app. Finally Here’s a list of some of the key services offered by Kakao.

KakaoTalk: 

The core messaging service that allows for text, voice, and video communication, and likewise with a platform for various other services.

KakaoStory: 

A social networking service where users can share photos, videos, and life updates

KakaoPay: 

A mobile payment and digital wallet service to facilitate easy and secure online and offline payments.

KakaoTaxi: 

A ride-hailing service similar app like Uber, allowing users to book taxis through their mobile device.

KakaoBank: 

An online-only bank providing a full range of banking services without the need for traditional brick and mortar branches.

KakaoPage:

A webtoon and digital content publishing platform, where creators can publish and monetize their visual stories.

KakaoMusic: 

A music streaming service offering a wide range of music tracks and playlists.

KakaoFriends: 

A brand featuring characters used in KakaoTalk stickers, which has expanded into a line of merchandise and physical stores.

Kakao Games: 

A gaming platform offering a variety of mobile games developed and/or published by Kakao.

Kakao T: 

An umbrella app that combines transportation services like KakaoTaxi, car rental, and navigation.

Explore these market analytics!

  • KakaoTalk is a top mobile messaging app from South Korea. It boasts over 53 million active users worldwide as of the fourth quarter of 2023.
  • In South Korea, KakaoTalk reigns supreme around 47 million of its users are from this country.
  • By 2024, KakaoTalk had surpassed 53.5 million monthly active users globally.
  • KakaoTalk holds a monopoly-like share of the South Korean texting market. All 47.6 million of its monthly active users are based in South Korea.
  • Since its launch in 2010, KakaoTalk’s features like group chats and free audio calls have fueled its rapid rise in popularity.
  • Other popular messaging apps include such as WeChat (1.2 billion users), Viber (260 million users), and Telegram (700 million users).
  • The global market for mobile messaging apps is projected to reach USD 93.6 billion by 2024, growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.2%.
  • While KakaoTalk is most popular in South Korea, it’s available worldwide: the company aims to reach 100 markets by January 2024 through its “Our Local Market” initiative.
  • Every day, over 1 billion messages are sent and received on KakaoTalk, and then highlighting its active user community.
  • Besides messaging, KakaoTalk generates revenue through music, games, and other media provided by Kakao Corp.
  • In 2023, KakaoTalk generated an impressive $4.8 billion in revenue.

10 Popular Messaging Apps Similar to Kakao App!

AppLaunch DateRatings (Google Play)Downloads (Google Play)Founder(s)Platforms
ViberMay 20124.51 Billion+Igor MagazinnikAndroid, iOS, Windows, Desktop
KakaoTalkMar 20104.7200 Million+Min Seok KimAndroid, iOS, Windows, Desktop
WeChatJan 20114.61.2 Billion+Zhang ZhidongAndroid, iOS, Web
SignalFeb 20144.5100 Million+Moxie MarlinspikeAndroid, iOS, Desktop
BBMAug 20084.1100 Million+Douglas FreelandAndroid, iOS, BlackBerry
LINEJun 20114.4700 Million+Masayoshi SonAndroid, iOS, Windows, macOS
TelegramAug 20134.8500 Million+Pavel Durov, Nikolai DurovAndroid, iOS, Web, Desktop
ZaloOct 20114.5100 Million+Pham Hong ThanhAndroid, iOS, Web
WhatsAppJan 20094.75 Billion+Jan Koum, Brian ActonAndroid, iOS, Web
KIKFeb 20104.1100 Million+Ted LivingstonAndroid, iOS

Features Offered By Top Messaging Apps

1.Viber

Viber is a messaging app known for its free messaging, such as voice, and video calls. And as well as With features like group chats, stickers, and multimedia sharing, it’s widely used across various platforms.

Features:  

  • Free Messaging: Send text messages, photos, videos, and stickers to your contacts.
  • Voice and Video Calls: Enjoy HD-quality voice and video calls with follow users.
  • Group Chats: Create groups with up to 250 participants for group messaging.
  • Stickers and GIFs: Express yourself with a wide range of stickers, GIFs, and emojis.
  • Public Accounts: Follow and interact with brands, celebrities, and then public figures.

2.KakaoTalk

KakaoTalk offers free messaging, voice, and video calls, as well as along with additional features like group chats, stickers, games, and multimedia sharing.

Features: 

  • Free Chat: Send text messages, photos, videos, voice messages, and stickers.
  • Voice and Video Calls: Make free voice and video calls to other KakaoTalk users.
  • Group Chats: Create groups with unlimited members and schedule group events.
  • KakaoTalk Plus Friends: Follow and interact with brands, businesses, and celebrities.
  • KakaoTalk Games: Play games with friends directly within the app.

3.WeChat

WeChat is a versatile app providing messaging, voice, and video calls, as well as social networking features, payment services, games, and multimedia sharing.

Features: 

  • Messaging and Calls: Send text messages, voice messages, and make voice and video calls.
  • Moments: Share photos, videos, and updates with your friends in a feed similar to social media.
  • WeChat Pay: Send and receive money, pay bills, and make purchases within the app.
  • Mini Programs: Access a wide range of third party apps and services within WeChat.
  • Official Accounts: Follow and interact with businesses, organizations, and then celebrities.

4.Signal

Signal prioritizes privacy and security, offering encrypted messaging, voice, and video calls, as well as with additional features like group chats and file sharing.

Features: 

  • End to End Encryption: All messages, voice calls, and video calls are encrypted for privacy.
  • Disappearing Messages: Therefore set messages to disappear after a specified period.
  • Group Chats: Also create groups for secure conversations with multiple participants.
  • Voice and Video Calls: Make encrypted voice and video calls to other Signal users.
  • Screen Security: Prevent screenshots from being taken within chats for added security.

5.BBM

BBM provides messaging, such as voice calls, stickers, and group chats, with a particular focus on BlackBerry users.

Features: 

  • Chat: Send text messages, photos, videos, and voice notes.
  • BBM Groups: Create groups for group chats, file sharing, and calendar events.
  • Voice and Video Calls: Moreover Make voice and video calls to other BBM users.
  • Channels: Follow and interact with brands, business, and celebrities.
  • Timed Messages: Set a timer for messages to for that reason disappear after a specified time.

6.LINE

LINE offers a comprehensive messaging experience with messaging, voice, and video calls, as well as along with stickers, games, social networking, and multimedia sharing.

Features: 

  • Free Messaging: Further Send text messages, photos, videos, and stickers.
  • Voice and Video Calls: Make high quality voice and video calls to other LINE users.
  • Timeline: Further Share updates, photos, and videos with your friends on your timeline.
  • LINE Pay: Send and receive money, make purchases, and pay bills within the app.
  • LINE Games: Therefore play a variety of games with your friends directly within the app.

7.Telegram

Telegram emphasizes security and privacy with its encrypted messaging, voice calls, and file sharing. It also supports group chats and channels, making it popular for various communities.

Features: 

  • Secret Chats: End to end encrypted messaging for enhanced privacy.
  • Cloud Based: Access your messages from multiple devices, with in general data synced securely in the cloud.
  • Group Chats: Also create groups with up to 200,000 members for large scale discussions.
  • Channels: Broadcast messages to large audiences with also unlimited subscribers.
  • Bots: For that reason interact with automated programs to perform various tasks within chats.

8.Zalo

Zalo offers messaging, such as voice calls, group chats, stickers, games, and multimedia sharing. It’s particularly popular in Vietnam, offering a wide range of localized features.

Features: 

  • Chat: as well as send text messages, photos, videos, and voice messages.
  • Voice and Video Calls: Make free voice and video calls to other Zalo users.
  • Group Chats: Create groups with up to 5000 members for group messaging.
  • Zalo Wallet: Also send and receive money, pay bills, and make purchases within the app.
  • Stickers and Games: Next express yourself with a variety of stickers and play games with friends.

9.WhatsApp

Ultimately WhatsApp is one of the most widely used messaging apps globally, such as offering messaging, voice calls, video calls, group chats, and multimedia sharing in a simple and user friendly interface.

Features: 

  • Messaging: Send and receive text messages, such as photos, videos, and voice messages.
  • Voice and Video Calls: In addition Make free voice and video calls to other WhatsApp users.
  • Group Chats: Create groups to chat with multiple contacts simultaneously.
  • Multimedia Sharing: such as Share photos, videos, documents, and location information.
  • Status Updates: In addition post photos, videos, and text updates that disappear after 24 hours.

10.KIK

KIK provides messaging, group chats, stickers, and multimedia as well as sharing with a focus on anonymity and privacy, making it popular among younger users.

Features: 

  • Chat: In addition Send text messages, photos, videos, and GIFs to friends and groups.
  • Group Chats: Further create or join groups with up to 50 participants for group messaging.
  • Bot Shop: And then interact with chatbots to play games, get news updates, find new friends, and more.
  • Kik Codes: Likewise Scan Kik Codes to quickly add friends or join group chats.
  • Anonymity: In general users can register on Kik without providing a phone number, allowing for a level of anonymity.

7 Steps to Develop a Messaging App Like KakaoTalk

1. Market Research:

In general Conduct thorough market research to understand user needs, competitor offerings, and market trends in messaging apps.

2. Define Features: 

Define the features and functionalities you want to incorporate into your messaging app, considering both essential features and unique selling points.

3. Choose a Platform:

Decide whether you want to build a native app for iOS, Android, or both platforms, or opt for a cross platform development approach using frameworks like React Native or Flutter.

4. Design UI/UX: 

Equally important to Design an intuitive and user friendly interface for your app, focusing on ease of navigation, aesthetic appeal, and seamless user experience.

5. Develop Backend:

Develop the backend infrastructure for your app, such as including servers, databases, and APIs, to handle user authentication, messaging, file storage, and other essential functionalities.

6. Implement Features:

 Implement the features identified in step 2, such as instant messaging, voice and video calls, file sharing, stickers, group chat, and security measures like end to end encryption.

7. Test and Launch: 

Therefore, Conduct thorough testing of your app to ensure functionality, performance, and security. Once testing is complete, launch your app on the chosen app stores and continue to gather user feedback for further improvements and updates.

Essential Features for a Messaging App Similar to Kakao App

Instant Messaging – Allow users to send and receive text messages instantly.

Voice and Video Calls – In general enable users to make voice and video calls to contacts individually or in groups.

File Sharing – Allow users to share various types of files such as photos, videos, documents, and voice messages.

Stickers and Emoticons – And then provide a wide range of stickers, emojis, and emoticons for users to express themselves creatively.

Group Chat – Support group messaging with multiple participants for both text and multimedia communication.

Voice Messages – Allow users to send short voice messages as an alternative to text.

Read Receipts – Provide read receipts to let users know when their messages have been read by recipients.

Additional Essential Features

Customizable Themes – Allow users to personalize the app’s appearance with customizable themes and also chat backgrounds.

Push Notifications – Further send real-time notifications for new messages, calls, and other activities within the app.

End-to-End Encryption – Further implement robust security measures to ensure the privacy and security of user communications.

User Profiles – Allow users to create profiles with profile pictures, status messages, and also other personal information.

Integration with Social Media – Enable users to connect their social media accounts for easy sharing of content and contacts.

Multi-platform Support – Provide support for multiple platforms such as iOS, Android, and web browsers for seamless cross-device communication.

Search Functionality – Offer a search feature to help users easily find past messages, contacts, and also shared files.

Voice and Video – Messages: And then Enable users to send recorded voice and video messages for more dynamic communication.

Contact Syncing – Allow users to sync their contacts with the app to easily find and also connect with friends.

Location Sharing – Enable users to share their real-time location with friends and also family members.

Status Updates – Allow users to post status updates or stories to share their current activities or thoughts with their contacts.

Message Translation – In general provide an option for automatic translation of messages to facilitate communication between users who speak different languages.

Backup and Restore – In addition offer a backup and restore feature to allow users to save their chat history and restore it on a new device or after reinstalling the app.

Global Instant messaging App Market Growlth and Potential

The provided report outlines the market size and forecasts the value of the Instant Messaging Software Market, denoted in USD million, across various segments including Application (Personal, Enterprise, Other), Product (PC, Mobile), and geographical regions (North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, South America, Middle-East, and Africa).

The market for instant messaging software has grown quickly and significantly lately, and it looks like this trend will continue from 2023 to 2031. The market dynamics are positive, indicating further growth ahead. In simple terms, the instant messaging software market is set for significant development in the coming years.

How much does it cost to build an Instant messaging app Like Kakao App?

Kakao App, with its extensive features and popularity, also serves as a benchmark for messaging app development. If you’re considering building a messaging app similar to Kakao, you must account for various factors influencing the development cost. Let’s break down the estimated costs to developing such an app on different platforms using separate technologies.

1. Android Development:

Android is one of the most popular mobile platforms worldwide, and developing an app for it involves careful planning to ensure compatibility and performance across various devices. Here’s a summary of the estimated costs for developing an Android app:

Cost ComponentEstimated Cost
Design$5,000 – $15,000
Development$20,000 – $50,000
Backend Infrastructure$10,000 – $30,000
Testing and QA$5,000 – $15,000
Maintenance$5,000 – $15,000 annually
Total$45,000 – $125,000

2. iOS Development:

iOS provides a unique user experience that requires specific development approaches. Also here’s an overview of the estimated costs involved in developing an iOS app:

Cost ComponentEstimated Cost
Design$5,000 – $15,000
Development$25,000 – $60,000
Backend Infrastructure$10,000 – $30,000
Testing and QA$5,000 – $15,000
Maintenance$5,000 – $15,000 annually
Total$50,000 – $135,000

3. Flutter Development:

Flutter, Also known for its cross-platform capabilities, can lead to cost savings and quicker development times. However, detailed planning and careful execution are still essential. Here’s a breakdown of the estimated costs for developing an app using Flutter:

Cost ComponentEstimated Cost
Design$5,000 – $15,000
Development$20,000 – $50,000
Backend Infrastructure$10,000 – $30,000
Testing and QA$5,000 – $15,000
Maintenance$5,000 – $15,000 annually
Total$45,000 – $125,000

The actual cost may vary depending on specific requirements, additional features, and the expertise of the development team. Consulting with a professional development agency will provide a more accurate estimate tailored to your project’s needs.

Why Choose Teamforsure as Your Development Partner?

Choosing the right development partner can make all the difference in your app’s success. At Teamforsure, we bring over a decade of in-depth knowledge and experience in developing food delivery apps, Uber Eats delivery apps, and handyman apps. Here’s why you should choose us:

Proven Expertise in Food Delivery Apps

We have successfully delivered numerous food delivery app, helping businesses thrive in a competitive market in the food delivery industry. Our team understands the unique challenges and requirements of the food delivery industry.

Comprehensive Guidance

When developing an app, it’s crucial to consider several factors. We provide awareness and guidance on what all to consider while developing an app, ensuring you make informed decisions every step of the way.

Decade Long Experience

With more than ten years of experience, we have an unparalleled understanding of food delivery services. Our seasoned developers and designers are adept at creating apps that are user-friendly, reliable, and scalable.

Uber Eats Delivery App Specialists

Our expertise extends to developing Uber Eats delivery apps. We know the intricacies involved in creating an app that meets the high standards of the leading delivery services.

Handyman Apps Expertise

In addition to food delivery, we excel in developing best handyman apps. Our solutions help streamline service bookings, ensuring both service providers and customers enjoy a seamless experience.

Why Teamforsure?

  • Extensive Experience: Over a decade in the industry.
  • Successful Track Record: Numerous successful app launches.
  • Comprehensive Support: From planning to deployment and beyond.
  • Specialized Knowledge: Experts in food delivery, Uber Eats, and handyman apps, Airbnb like rental apps development.

Choose Teamforsure for your clone app development needs and benefit from our extensive experience, industry specific knowledge, and commitment to excellence. Let us help you bring your vision to life with a top-notch app that stands out in the market.

We make sure to understand exactly what you need and create a custom app that works well and looks great. Trust TeamForSure to build a top-notch messaging app that will attract users and stand out in the industry.

Author

A well-versed experience in the field of IT with more than 14+ years of expertise in DevOps Consulting, Quality Assurance, Project Management & Outsourcing and predominantly focusing on customer relationships, negotiations, estimations, contact partners, market research and helping small business owners and young entrepreneurs to reach their next level.