Avoid These 5 Common Web App Development Pitfalls: A Guide for Startups

Small mistakes can lead to big problems. Agree? 

There are already more than 3 million apps on Google Play Store and Apple Store combined. Sounds hilarious, but this means the competition is fiercer than ever. Web apps are no exception to this rule. 

To ensure your startup’s app doesn’t become one of the countless failures, you need to know not only what works but also what does not. 

Read our blog post and discover the TOP 5 most common web app development mistakes startups make while developing their apps. Watch out for key strategies to sidestep them and make yours stand out from the crowd.

Dive in!

Lack of clear direction

Do you know why you really need an app? Is it because it is a popular trend, and everybody is talking about it? If yes, there is a high chance you will be disappointed with the results. 

In app development, much depends on the strategy and your vision of success. Both short and long-term. An absence of clear goals is one of the first and most common web app development mistakes that can ruin everything from the start. And it is not as rare as you may think. 

To make sure your startup has a clear vision,, try to ask these questions:

• Why do you need an app? And, most importantly, why do your users need it? Could you build a website, for example? 

• Should everything revolve around your app, or would the app be just one of the elements bringing you closer to your final destination?

• How will your users use this app? 

• Do you have a competition? If yes, how does your app differ? 

• Do your developers or your team know how the app will function in real-world scenarios, and what are your future plans? 

• How could your app change in the future? What is the long-term vision? 

• What resources are required to build and maintain this app?

• What metrics will you use to measure the app’s success?

• How will you acquire your first users?

• Who will handle ongoing updates and improvements?

Two important things relate to building your vision. First, are there people dying to solve the problem you are offering to solve? If the problem isn’t pressing, your app might struggle to find its place in the market.

The second point is how unique or effective your solution really is. Does it offer something simpler or better than existing solutions? 

To catch two fish with one net, you need to conduct market research.

Market research

Imagine selling heaters in Africa. It wouldn’t work, right? You haven’t listened, and you haven’t asked, so you don’t understand the needs of your audience. 

Market research involves gathering information about people interested in the service, competitors, and the industry landscape. When this critical step is skipped, your startup could risk launching products that are either irrelevant or poorly received. 

Analyzing the audience should start with the basics. The table below shows what you need to know from the start. To avoid the most common web app development mistakes, create a comprehensive buying persona profile that encapsulates its needs, challenges, and behaviors.

Think also about this. 

As it was mentioned above, market research also involves studying your competitors. By conducting thorough market research, you can validate your app idea, ensure it addresses real user needs, and save time building something that won’t gain traction. 

Example

One of the good examples of telling about the most common web app development mistakes is Google+. 

Although Google+ was launched with high hopes, it lacked strategy and failed. Google+  tried to mimic and combine features from both Facebook and Twitter. 

At its peak, it boasted around 2.2 billion registered users. Largely because Google linked it to other services like Gmail and YouTube. However, only 9% of users had publicly posted content. The company ended with 2.5 million active users.

Poor UI/UX design 

Poor UX/UX is one of the most common web app development mistakes, causing users to abandon an app. 

The competition is fierce, so even a little thing like loading your app 2 seconds longer can be decisive. Research shows that 55% of users will refrain from using a website if it is poorly designed or difficult to use. The same is true of apps. 

It takes only fifty milliseconds to form an opinion. A regular app loses 90% of its traffic in the first 90 days. The best advice that we could give you to win in this battle — stick to what works. 

What are the common web app development mistakes in UI/UX design? 

1. Poor navigation

Users who can’t easily navigate the app will likely get frustrated and abandon it. This includes confusing menus, unclear buttons, or a lack of logical structure.

Source: https://ella-wilsonn01.medium.com/major-8-poor-ui-ux-practices-that-must-be-avoided-bae20eb63123

2. Ignoring text hierarchy

Another point related to the most common web app development mistakes is ignoring text hierarchy. Users could overlook important information as they might struggle to differentiate between headings, subheadings, and body text.

Source: https://ella-wilsonn01.medium.com/major-8-poor-ui-ux-practices-that-must-be-avoided-bae20eb63123

3. Poor iconography

Poor iconography can cause confusion and hinder user interaction, as unclear or inappropriate icons fail to communicate the intended action.

4. Lack of visual hierarchy

Without a clear visual hierarchy, users may struggle to know what actions are most important. 

Source: https://procreator.design/blog/design-flaws-drain-millions-business/

5. Poor feedback and error handling

Users may feel lost or confused if they don’t receive clear feedback after performing an action, such as submitting a form or clicking a button.

6. Slow performance

A slow app can lead to a poor user experience, especially if it freezes or takes too long to load content. This can result from heavy graphics, inefficient code, or poor optimization.

7. Overloaded interface

A cluttered interface with too many elements or too much information can overwhelm users and make the app difficult to use. Conversely, an interface that’s too sparse can be confusing.

Expert tip: Remembering your target audience while working on UI/UX design is still important. This is also one of the most common web app development mistakes. For example, adding flashy animations that appeal to youngsters may not work for older people. 

3.   Overloading with features

The less, the better—especially for startups.. We know you are tempted to make your app the best on the market and add all these bells and whistles. But integrating all possible functionalities is not always the right thing to do. In fact, this is one of the most common web app development mistakes. People often make it when beginning with a new product. 

Too many features from the start mean a complex user flow, which leads to user frustration. Users may find it difficult to navigate or understand the app’s core purpose. Additionally, overwhelming users with excessive options can reduce engagement, as they might not feel clear on what actions to prioritize.

Too many features also mean you spend a lot of time and budget on something that could have little value. Undoubtedly this is one of the most common web app development mistakes. We advise focusing on high-impact functionalities and starting with an app that serves its main purpose first. 

Once again, we can recall Google+. It tried to combine features from everywhere. 

• Its famous Circles were borrowed from Facebook and Twitter
• The Hangouts feature possibly originated from Skype, FaceTime, and Facebook Messenger 
• A photo-sharing feature borrowed elements from Flickr’s photo albums and Instagram’s focus on visually appealing content
• Sparks —  a feature designed to help users discover and share content they were interested in — had a lot in common with Pinterest
• Customizable profiles were similar to LinkedIn and Facebook

Result? Confused users abandoned Google+. So, think twice whether your users need a few extra-features.

Expert tip: Adding too many features can significantly increase the number of bugs. Each new feature introduces additional complexity to the codebase. More features mean more interactions between components, which can lead to conflicts or unintended side effects. 

Poor budgeting

This is one of the most obvious problems and one of the most common web app development mistakes. There is no fixed cost for developing an app, but figures fluctuate between $10,000 and $80,000. More complex enterprise-level solutions may require even greater budgets. 

The simple formula for calculating the cost of your app is: Total App Development Cost Estimate = Development Time x Cost Per Hour. However, it takes into account only the development phase, and doesn’t mention other crucial costs.  

What are other factors affecting cost:

• App features and their complexity

Earlier we highlighted that too many features can become a big problem being another point in the list of the most common web app development mistakes. Cost is one of the factors proving this point. 

Of course, your app should have basic functions like user authentication, profile creation, and push notifications. However, adding complex features like real-time chat, AI integration, or advanced analytics can significantly increase development time and cost.

• Licensing fees

You must account for licensing fees if your app requires third-party libraries, software, or any proprietary technology. These costs can vary depending on the tools or services you integrate. 

For instance, using paid APIs or integrating with platforms like Google Maps, payment gateways, or other specialized services, may come with recurring fees. The licensing fee structure can be annual, monthly, or based on usage, so it’s essential to budget for these ongoing costs in advance. 

• Server infrastructure costs

Every app that requires data storage or communication between users (especially in real-time apps) needs server infrastructure. This can involve cloud services like AWS, Google Cloud, or Microsoft Azure or setting up dedicated servers depending on the app’s needs. 

Server costs vary widely based on app size, data storage, traffic, and the level of security required. For instance, an app that handles large volumes of data or sensitive information (e.g., e-commerce or healthcare apps) will incur higher costs. 

• Customization of visual design

The design of your app is the first thing your users see, so do not save on this. 

A unique design helps differentiate your app from competitors, reinforcing your brand’s message, values, and aesthetics. For example, using your brand’s color palette, logo, and style guidelines makes the app instantly recognizable.

• App maintenance cost

Do not forget that developing is just the beginning of your road. App maintenance can account for 15% to 20% of the original development price. 

As your user base grows, you may need to add new features to stay competitive. For example, you could wish to integrate new payment gateways, add social media integrations, or enhance existing features like search functionality or AI-powered recommendations.

Expert tip: One way to estimate the cost of your app is to approach several companies in the same niche for quotes. This will give your startup an understanding of the high and low figures and help you avoid the most common web app development mistakes. 

Lack of testing

A recent study shows that 55% of people would delete an app if they found at least one bug. What’s more, a web app can lose 95% of traffic in the first three months. There is no prize for guessing: many fail because of glitches that could be avoided. 

Some companies limit their testing only to developer reviews. However, this may cause developers to miss bugs or usability issues that new users with fresh perspectives can quickly detect. We bet you would not buy a car without a test drive. The same is true with apps. Take testing as a golden rule.

What types of testing can you conduct? 

• Compatibility testing

Compatibility testing ensures that the app functions seamlessly across different devices, screen sizes, and operating systems.

Example: WhatsApp ensures it works even on old devices and lower-spec hardware. 

• Functional testing

Functional testing ensures each feature in the app runs as expected. Functional testing addresses core functions, input data handling, and error conditions.

Example: Amazon ensures its key features work seamlessly. Any issue could result in lost sales. 

• Usability testing

Usability testing evaluates the app’s user interface, intuitiveness, and overall user experience.

Example: Airbnb invests heavily in usability testing to understand how users experience its interface when booking accommodations. This helped to learn that some users struggled to understand how to filter options or navigate listings.

• Installation testing

Installation testing verifies that the app installs, updates, and uninstalls correctly across various devices and works on popular browsers like Chrome or Safari. 

Example: Microsoft Teams goes through extensive installation testing, particularly when rolling out updates across various platforms like Windows or macOS. WhatsApp also thoroughly tested its web feature before the launch. 

• Low-level resource testing

Low-level resource testing examines the app’s battery, CPU, and memory usage.

Example: Google conducts low-level resource testing on Chrome to minimize its memory, CPU, and battery usage. Chrome’s resource optimization testing includes analyzing the app’s impact on device battery life, especially when multiple tabs are open or when users are streaming video.

Unfortunately, even giants of the market can experience problems due to the lack of testing. For example, Snapchat’s new update has led to big performance issues, resulting in 1.2 million users signing petitions to revert to the previous version. Another example is Instagram, which rolled out an untested horizontal-scrolling feature in 2019. 

Expert tip: If you start testing after your app launches, you are too late. In fact, testing should start on the first day of the development process. 

Bonus point

We’ve talked about five of the most common web app development mistakes business owners make while developing their apps. But there is one hidden thing no one talks about. It is choosing the right partner. 

Choose Flatlogic to avoid the most common web app development mistakes. Our unique code generator can create an app in minutes, and it costs only $33. 

It is based on a modular, customizable template. It allows you to focus on the core functionalities and due to a rapid prototyping, you can always test ideas and gather user feedback much quicker.

Features of our apps :

• Modular architecture 
• Rapid deployment
• Highly customization
• Integration capabilities
• Robust security features
• User-friendly interface

Technical details:

• Both frontend and backend
• Three roles: super-admin, admin, general user
• Backend languages: Node,js, Lavarel
• Frontend languages: React, Angular, Vue
• Database options: MySQL, PostgreSQL
• Cloud-based system

Most common web app development mistakes: Final word

We hope now you know how to protect your app from the most common web app development mistakes. Armed with our advice, you can prevent your app from becoming another sad statistic. 

Start simple. Start small. Remember: no app development is a cakewalk (except for using Flatlogic’s code generator). 

Flatlogic’s code generator is a super-easy way to create an app that rocks within minutes. Try our code generator and see what it can do for you!