For those who love cannabis or depend on it for some reason, having an instant cannabis delivery app on their phones may seem like a blessing. Especially in countries that have not legitimized the use of cannabis or marijuana-based products yet.
For regions with a little bit of relaxation when it comes to the selling and consumption of marijuana, mobile apps for ordering cannabis on the go are already in full swing.
Several retailers and dealers have already launched a cannabis delivery app for their loyal and friendly customers.
Among them are Leafly, Eaze, and the like, which are used by a large number of potheads, be it for recreational use or medicinal purposes.
In case you also deal in some type of marijuana-related products or are eager to expand your business, then building an app for the same can be a great place to start.
There are several benefits of launching a mobile-friendly app for your cannabis business and buyers, including an increased audience, online ordering, cashless payments, higher revenue, improved customer service, and so on.
What is a Cannabis Delivery App?
A cannabis delivery app, similar to a food or grocery delivery app, is an on-demand mobile application that you can use on your iPhone or Android to order cannabis from the office, home, or on the go.
As a convenient mode of ordering cannabis online, a mobile app may be the only thing that your customers would want or need to buy different products such as edibles, oils, peripherals, and concentrates.
No huss, no fuss of finding a peddler or even visiting a licensed cannabis store in person, just a single app on your phone is all you would need to order your favorite flower.
Moreover, a dedicated delivery app for cannabis products, similar to their physical counterparts, would also meet your needs of tools, devices, or gadgets required to have a smooth doping session every time.
From different types of strains to strengths flavours to consumables to gadgets and accessories such as vape pens, paper rolls, pipes, bowls, and bongs. In short, everything is needed for a safe and sound experience.
Some Popular Cannabis Delivery Apps like Leafly
While there are dozens of mobile apps meant specifically to sell weed in different parts of the world, some of the most common and popular across the globe are:
- WeedMaps
- PotBot
- Eaze
- Muncheez
- Dutchie
- Nugg
- Greenrush
- HighThere
- Emjay
- Ending Notes
- High Tide
- Duby
- & Vana
Although there are other cannabis-selling apps in the digital market, what’s common across these is their close resemblance to Leafly, which is one of the leading apps in the cannabis industry due to its relatively easy-to-use interface and features.
Speaking of it, some of the rather common features found across all of these major apps are:
- User Registration/ Login.
- Dispensary Location.
- Product Catalog.
- Smart Search Engine.
- Product Details & Description.
- Online order placement.
- Order Tracking and Intimation.
- Secure Online Payment Options.
- Real-time Delivery Tracking.
- Reviews and Ratings.
- Account/ Profile Management.
- Round-the-Clock Customer Support.
Thanks to useful features such as these, cannabis users can now order their poison right from the comfort of their homes or spaces.
As important as it is to have a dedicated cannabis-selling app to grow your business exponentially, knowing how to start is equally important.
How to Build a Cannabis Delivery App Like Leafly/Eaze: Step-By-Step Process
There are several crucial steps to building a cannabis delivery app like Leafly or Eaze.
With a clear goal in mind, here’s how you can accomplish it step-by-step:
Step 1: Research the market and legal requirements of all the service areas. Also, analyse your competition to understand their app and features.
Step 2: Know your target audience, their demographics, preferences, and experiences of using other cannabis delivery apps.
Step 3: Define your values and business proposition by offering unique solutions and features to meet consumer demands.
Sep 4: Plan your app’s design and features depending on your initial research into the market, audience, and competitors.
Step 5: Choose the right tech stack, such as frameworks, languages, programs, and databases to successfully develop a simple and intuitive app of your liking.
Step 6: Design the UI (User Interface) & UX (User Experience) part of the app by creating wireframes and mockups. Use them to visualise the app's layout, navigation, and interaction to get a sense of your app in real-time. Remember, an intuitive and user-friendly interface goes a long way compared to complex apps that are rather hard to use.
Step 7: Develop backend infrastructure to support authentication, storage, management, processing, and third-party integration.
Step 8: Optimize for mobile devices using cross-platform or native app development platforms for iOS, Android, and other smaller-screen devices.
Step 9: Integrate third-party services such as payment gateways, geolocation services, push notifications, and analytics, along with all the frontend features to enhance your app’s functionality and usability.
Step 10: Add an admin panel for complete control over the management of users, content, analysis, and support.
Step 11: Test for quality assurance to ensure seamless performance of your app across different screen sizes and platforms. Check for functionality, usability, security, and compatibility.
Step 12: Launch and advertise the app after obtaining the right certifications and govt approvals. Before deploying the app on both Google Play Store and Apple App Store, though, make sure to have a marketing strategy for the promotion of your app across all the possible channels, including social media and online influencers.
Step 13: Monitor and improve your app from time to time for a better user experience.
As evident enough, building a cannabis delivery app is a hectic job. One suited-best only for expert app developers and our computer nerd friends.
However, as the owner of the app, you should know that after all the research, planning, and legal considerations, the success and fame of your cannabis app would ultimately rely on the value it delivers to the end-users.
The more relevant the features, the better your app will perform in the fast-paced digital world.
Key Features to Build a Cannabis Delivery App like Leafly/ Eaze
There are tons of features that you can think of when building an app like Leafly or Eaze.
Some of the most common and basic include:
- User Registration and Authentication.
- Dispensary Finder.
- Product Catalog & Product Details.
- Smart Search Engine.
- Online Ordering and Payment.
- Order Status and Alerts.
- Shipping and Delivery management.
- User Reviews and Ratings.
- Profile Management.
- Push Notifications.
- Dashboard for admins and management.
While there are plenty of other complex and advanced features, incorporating these key features alone will help you create a robust and user-friendly app for cannabis lovers and dispensaries around.
Benefits Of Developing A Cannabis Delivery App
Just like any other mobile app, delivering an app for your legalized cannabis business can have profound benefits for both consumers and dealers alike.
Apart from being a safe and approved medium, a cannabis delivery app has the following advantages:
- The convenience of ordering your favorite cannabis on the go.
- Accessibility to all regardless of the proximity to the physical store or personal issues.
- Wide range of cannabis-related products, including dispensaries, strains, concentrates, and accessories.
- Transparency and authenticity.
- Safe and secure for a discreet shopping experience.
- Saves the time and effort required to visit a physical dispensary.
- Streamlines operations and business automation.
- Higher sales and revenue, thanks to a border audience!
- Better brand image and visibility.
- More opportunities for marketing and target ad campaigns.
- Insightful data analysis of consumer behaviour and shopping patterns.
- Regulatory compliance and CSR.
All in all, there are ample benefits worth noting when making a delivery app for your cannabis stock on any given day.
Again, the more features there are, the more benefits there are of launching and using a cannabis delivery app in the first place.
The catch is, always the cost!
How Much Does it Cost to Build a Cannabis Delivery App like Leafly/Eaze?
The cost of building a fully-fledged cannabis delivery app can vary greatly depending on its complexity, features, technology, development, location, and so on.
License cost and post-launch maintenance can also affect the overall cost in the end.
Therefore, before enhancing your app with all the cool features at once, it’s better to start slow and build/ develop it from there.
Also known as an MVP or Minimum Viable Product, it is the basic version of an app that is furnished with all the necessary features to run your business and gather crucial details and valuable feedback for further improvements.
Based on the performance and user acceptance of your product, you can figure out the amount of investment and effort required to carry out further ongoing development. As a rough estimate, the cost of the most basic app or MVP may fall somewhere between $10,000-$15,000 in the least. Add extra features to the app, and the cost of development could go upwards of $16,000 and up to $25,000 with ease
.
Other than that, the maintenance of such an app would also cost you 15-20% of the overall cost of development. As such, maintenance would fall somewhere between $1,200-$4,000 per year, including bug repairs and regular updates.
All-in-all, the total cost of developing a cannabis app like Leafly or Eaze would be somewhere between $40,000 to $50,000 or more.
Perhaps the biggest obstacle or challenge in running a cannabis delivery business app is the part where you’ll be required to fill out a stockpile of forms to get the necessary approvals, licenses, and permits.
Legal Requirements for a Cannabis Delivery Business
Since every country has a different approach to regulating the use of marijuana, the legal requirements for the same may also differ based on the jurisdiction in a particular service area.
In general, some of the most common legal considerations and regulatory requirements include:
- Licensing and permits.
- Cannabis compliance and regulations.
- Age verification and identity checks.
- Security measures for storage, transportation, and delivery.
- Taxes are imposed by local/ national authorities.
- Record maintenance and reporting.
- Employee training and safety protocols.
- Insurance coverage for business, property, vehicles, drivers, and workers.
- Local zoning and land-use regulations.
- Customers’ privacy and data protection.
- Transportation laws and regulations.
Apart from that, cannabis delivery businesses need to stay up-to-date with changes in local laws and regulations and seek legal counsel if needed. Failure to do so will invite unwarranted penalties, fines, and even loss of licenses, which can jeopardise your entire business and ruin your brand image.
Being well-informed with all the latest updates will also help you find the best app development company that would be aware of these legal formalities along with their technical expertise.
Hire a Cannabis Delivery App Developer in the USA
Known for their tech giants like Google, Facebook, and Apple, USA has some of the most iconic app development companies in the world.
As one of the more recent trends, a lot of newcomers and startups have also made a significant impact on the app development industry.
One of the rather newest names in the realm is none other than tecHindustan. Known for their tech-savviness and superior computer skills, they have a technically sound team of engineers who are well versed with all things digital.
With ample experience and expertise in several types of app development, tecHindustan is fully prepared to build a cannabis delivery app for your business.
For more information and an up-close interaction, kindly reach out to their talented team of individuals.
FAQs
Q 1. How Long Does It Take To Build An App Like Leafly?
Ans: While it depends on several factors, such as the complexity of the app, its features, development process, technology required, and so on, the stipulated time to build an app like Leafly would be somewhere around 8 weeks.
Q 2. What Are The Advanced Features of An App Like Leafly?
Ans: Advanced search and filter option, personalisation, a complete knowledge base for cannabis enthusiasts and new users, integration of medical records of those consuming cannabis for medicinal purposes, virtual budtender, AR/ VR, cannabis testing, monthly/ annual subscriptions, advanced analytics, etc.
Q 3. Are cannabis apps allowed on the App Store?
Ans: Yes! However, the availability of cannabis apps depends on the specific region or country.
Q 4. Is a weed delivery app legal in the USA, Asia, and Europe?
Ans: Cannabis laws vary greatly from country to country, regardless of the continent. Although many states in the US have legalized the use of marijuana for medical or recreational purposes, each has its restrictions and requirements.
Similarly, in Europe, some countries have allowed the selling and consumption of marijuana while others still consider it a criminal act.
Perhaps the strictest of the three is Asia, which is yet to have accepted and allowed the full use of cannabis, which makes them quite unfriendly to weed delivery apps such as Eaze or Leafly.