How to Create an App like Dream11

The IPL season is going on live & many people are now behind the Dream11 app. They are busy creating their fantasy team with real-life cricketers.

Dream11 has opened up an exciting fan world where “the more the players score on-ground, make you win”. One can compete with their friends and even earn money by joining different sports contests.

Let’s dive into the topic How to create an app like Dream11 and its development cost through this blog.

The Dream11 Success Story

With more than 20 million active users, Dream11 started its journey in 2008 with just cricket as their fantasy sports offering. Today, it is the first Indian gaming platform to enter the unicorn club in 2019. It is no just a platform for cricket anymore but also allows users to play other sports fantasy games like football, hockey, kabaddi and many more.

Dream11 has been continuously experimenting with innovative additions to their online fantasy sports platform drawing in more and more users every day.

Other than that, this online gaming app has added to the thrill of the sport giving the audience a sense of power. Along with that, it is not just an opportunity to socialise with like-minded sports fans but also to win a ton of cash prizes and rewards.

With such passion, energy and commitment from the userbase, apps like Dream11 have been able to establish a strong foothold in the market in a very short period of time.

If you are aiming to create a similar fantasy sports app like Dream11, considering it as a benchmark is a wise move. Plus, you also need to have an assessment of the concept, features and cost to create an app like Dream11.

App Features & Functionality

Before you kickstart the app development process for your Dream11 clone platform, you should prepare a list of features and functionalities that will be integrated with the app at the time of launch. Generally, any fantasy sports league app must include these features and functionalities to begin with.

User Panel

#1. Contestant/Application user Registration and Log-in

App users should be able to register and log-in via a convenient and hassle-free process. Ensure that you do not overcomplicate this step by collecting unnecessary information. Limit it to a unique email id or a mobile number with a password combination.

That said, a number of apps also offer the option to register using social media profiles or Google accounts. This facilitates a single tap registration system as the user does not have to remember additional usernames and passwords.

#2. My Profile

The profile dashboard of the user is where he can build on his online player persona by adding relevant information.

#3. Edit Profile

The profile details such as username, phone number, email id, etc. can be entered in this section. The user can also edit, add or delete information here.

#4. Check Reward Points

The reward points earned by the user can be checked from the Profile too. This comes in the form of points gained, account balance, bonus, etc.

#5. Home Screen

Post registering on the app, the user lands on the home screen by default. This is a mandatory navigating where the user glimpses a bit of everything that is available on the platform.

Be it filtering or searching for games or matches, types of sports, category of matches, match listing, timing, tournament names, team names and so on.

#6. Search

If the home screen looks like too much information, the user can easily take the help of the Search box to look up specific games or sports that are currently being played. The app displays a list of upcoming matches on keyword search results too.

#7. Filter

The search results can be streamlined further with the assistance of applicable filters. From the returned results, the user needs to select the desired game or match.

Users can see details like match timing, match teams, venue, etc. By clicking the same, the user is directly taken to the contest screen.

#8. League Arena

The league arena feature is the essence of any fantasy sports app. This functionality is key to audience engagement and keeps them hooked on to ongoing and upcoming tournaments and championships.

The arena highlights information such as new leagues, the cost of entering the leagues, winning range, rules of the contest, size of the tournament, period, etc. needs clear articulation.

#9. Contest Listings

Contest listings can be viewed via the Contest feature on the app. Information on individual matches and games are displayed as part of the listings.

Other details that are also viewable include filter contest by entry fee range, winning range, contest type, contest size; then on contest listing includes contest type, contest name, entry fee, total winning amount of the contest, winners count, total team count.

#10. Join Contest

The user can choose the match or game listing of their choice to join in the contest. Entry fees will be applicable as part of the joining process.

Read Also : 24 Best Sports Apps 2023

#11. Create Your Own Contest

This feature allows the user to create a contest with a single tap. All they need to do is to submit information such as Contest Name, Total Winning Amount (Min & Max), Contest Size (Min 2 & Max 100), Allow multiple teams (yes/no), Entry fees (Entry fee is calculated on the basis of total price amount & contest size selected).

The join contest button will enable other players to participate. However, the creator of the contest will have to join in first to activate the contest.

#12. My Contest

The creator of the contest will be able to view all players that have joined in the contest. The creator will have the rights to view & edit their picked team players. They can even filter and search by types of matches including live, upcoming games and their results.

#13. Payment Mode

Entry fee or joining fee can be paid on the app platform. This is possible with the integration of multiple payment modes like Credit/Debit Card, Paytm Wallet, Application wallet, etc.

#14. See Transactions

The transaction history section shows the user his or her history of earnings for every match or game that they have played on the fantasy app platform.

#15. Invite & Earn

The fantasy sports app generates a unique referral URL or a code that users can share with their friends and family to join in and participate in the matches and games.

Every time a new user joins in using the referral link or code gives the primary user a reward or a cash bonus which is added to the app’s wallet. This wallet amount can be later used as a means to join in contests.

Features of the Admin User Panel

#1. Admin Login

The administrator of the app can log in using a unique id and password combination, very similar to the user login process.

#2. Dashboard

The admin arrives at the dashboard of the admin panel after logging in. The dashboard is equivalent to the home screen where the administrator gets a 360 degree overview of what’s happening on the platform.

#3. User Manager

The admin also has the authority to manage users who are registered on the app. The administrator can edit, add, delete or even activate or deactivate user accounts.

#4. Manage Matches

Match listings are also managed by the administrator from the admin panel. Match listings can be edited, added, deleted, activated and deactivated by the administrator.

#5. Manage Games Category

Similarly, the administrator can also manage the games categories by adding, deleting, editing, activating and deactivating whenever required.

#6. Contest Manager

Match contests on the app is managed by the admin via the backend panel. The administrator has the right to add, delete, edit, activate and deactivate match contests any time.

#7. Revenue Management

Administrators are able to conveniently view the total earnings of every match played on the app’s platform at any point in time.

#8. Manage Payment

The various payment modes integrated with the app is again handled by the administrator at the backend.

#9. Manage Reward Points

The reward points earned by every individual user is authorised by the app’s administrator.

10. Manage Cash bonus

Cash bonus and prizes offered to players are distributed post the administrator’s authorisation.

#11. Manage Reports

Administrators can generate reports based on business requirements at any time. Commonly shared reports include Contest reports, Contestant reports, Match report, Earning Report, Player Ranking reports, etc.

#12. Manage Bank Withdraw Request

The administrator has the right to authorise contestant requests to withdraw their winning amounts and transfer it to their respective bank account.

Typically, this involves accepting or rejecting bank details, pan card information, view the complete contestant list and then transfer the funds to the winning contestant.

#13. CMS Management

Administrators also need to look at managing subsidiary functions such as help, contact us, about us, etc. of the fantasy sports app.

#14. CRM Integration

Integrating the CRM with the admin panel makes it more convenient for the administrator to manage key operational tasks like tickets, user-location, send emails, push notifications, etc.

Additional App Features

#1. Live Match Scores

Having a live scoreboard incorporated in the app’s platform will bring in more users when there are ongoing live matches and tournaments. Having analysis from experts in the game, highlights, etc. makes the app more engaging for the user.

#2. In-App Advertising

Having a dedicated in-app advertising functionality helps to scale promotional campaigns with by reaching out to a wider audience base.

#3. Push Notifications

Users need to be alerted of updates, news, match or app related information periodically. This can be done by integrating the push notification feature on the app.

#4. Multi-Language Support

If you looking to operate your fantasy sports app on a global platform, you must think of offering a multi-language support functionality.

#5. Live Chat

Easy to access live chat feature are a must have these days on any mobile app. You can consider a combination of bots and live agents manning the functionality, offering optimal 24×7 support to users.

#6. Real-time Analytics

Generating real-time analytics is key to any app being successful. This captures essential data and draws vital insights upon which future business decisions are based.

#7. GPS Location Tracking

If you need to send push notifications and alerts to app users for ongoing leagues and upcoming games, the GPS location tracking integration comes in handy.

#8. Custom Mail Reminder System

Participants will be informed of upcoming matches or any other essential information through a customised mail reminder functionality.

#9. Cryptocurrency Payment Integration

Apart from conventional payment modes, adding cryptocurrency as an additional avenue of making payments can attract more users to your fantasy sports app.

#10. Loyalty Programs

Designing a loyalty program will keep players hooked to your app in the long term.

What Team Structure is Needed for Fantasy App Development?

To create your Dream11 clone fantasy sports app, you will need to hire the services of an expert team of specialists.

The common team structure required for developing a basic fantasy sports app is:

2 UI and UX designer
3 to 4 developers
1 Quality Assurance Engineer

To create a medium to advanced Dream11 app version, you will need a team of:

5 to 6 Team Managers
8 to 10 UI and UX designers
4 to 6 Quality Analysts
15 to 18 developers
1 Project Manager

What Is the Recommended Technology Slack for Your Fantasy Sports App?

The recommended technology stack that you may use for your version of the fantasy sports app platform may include the following:

Sports API: GoalServe, Cricket API, RapidAPI.com, Sportsmonks, Entitysports, Cricinfo
Payment: BrainTree, PayPal, Stripe, e-banking, PayUMoney
Database: MongoDB, MySQL, HBase, Cassandra, PostGress, MailChimp integration
Frontend: JQuery, Angular JS, JavaScript, CSS, HTML5, Bootstrap
Cloud Environment: AWS, Azure, Google Cloud, Salesforce, Cloud Foundry
Real-time Analytics: Hadoop, Spark, Bigdata, Apache Flink, CISCO, IBM
Push Notifications: Twilio, Push.io, Amazon SNS, Urban Airship, MAP, ADPush

Choosing the Right Framework

With your feature list, team structure and technology stack sorted out, you need to decide on the type of Dream11 app that you would like to create. You have the option to choose between Native apps, Progressive Web Apps and Cross-platform apps. Your expert team can help you arrive at decision.

For example, Dream11 app went for Flutter as it helped in balancing their traffic need and took care of key platform related concerns.

If you have budget constraints or are relying on the type of monetization you plan to implement through the app, your target audience, the features you plan to offer the users, etc., then you would be better off selecting between a native, web or cross-platform framework.

Plus, you will have the flexibility to work with different coding languages if you have opted for native or cross-platform frameworks. In addition to that, the type of framework you end up selecting must be backed by solid market research.

While this stage is slightly iterative in nature, working out your sports, its fan-base, categorization of the fan-base, etc. are critical factors when it boils down to deciding on the type of app framework you would create.

How to Design an Effective Fantasy Sports App?

The app’s design is possible one of the most critical aspects of developing an effective fantasy sports app like Dream11. This is the vital element that creates that distinction between a sports platform and other app categories.

Remember that there are multi-level engagements for users in a fantasy sports app. When designing the user interface, all of these facets have to be looked into to ensure that the end user experience is superlative.

Here are some guidelines to follow:

#1. Easy Onboarding

The user onboarding is the first design aspect of a fantasy sports app platform. A lot of active users have complained of developers and designers not paying adequate attention to this stage of the user’s app onboarding experience.

It is best to go through the best practices of designing a sports app user onboarding and apply the guidelines when designing your platform.

#2. Defined Real Estate

The information set of most fantasy or traditional sports mobile apps is on the heavier side. There is an endless list of things that the user can do – create leagues, join one, track real-time score, view their team’s management, access dashboard, make payments and so much more.

It is important to concentrate on wireframing the screen’s real estate properly as this multiple information set is the foundation of a fantasy sports app. The designed must be able to figure out how best to showcase these different data sets as and when the user needs to access it.

#3. Minimal Text Usage

With a ton of adrenaline pumping you do not want an overload of text distracting the user from the games. The presence of minimal text is what a fantasy sports app demand. Keep the screen real estate clutter free as possible allowing users to interact freely during matches and games.

How Much Does It Cost to Create an App Like Dream11?

Even when everything has fallen in line the one question that needs to be addressed pinpoints directly to numbers. How much is it going to cost to create an app like Dream 11?

That is a difficult question to answer as it is hard to arrive at an exact figure as there are several factors that influence the budget of mobile app development. Having said that, you may calculate a rough estimate taking into account the outlined parameters that will help you meet the budgetary requirements to finance the project.

Here are the key factors to look at:

#1. Location of your Development Team

You may choose to have an in-house team to create your Dream11 clone app. Alternatively, you may outsource it to a credible mobile app development company.

Do consider that the cost of app development will vary depending on the location of your development agency. For example, companies or developers located in the US have a relatively high per hour rate. On the other hand, agencies located in South East Asia or India offer more economical per hour rates.

The rates of developers are as given below:

USA: USD 100 to USD 250 per hour
Europe: USD 70 to USD 200 per hour
Asia: USD 60 to USD 180 per hour

#2. Team Experience

The experience of your team will have an impact on the cost of development. If you hire specialists with a lot of experience, they are bound to charge you more whereas a newbie will come at a more affordable price.

#3. App Complexity

Incorporating basic functionalities and features will keep your costs down. However, integrating advance and unique sets of features will skyrocket the budget. But the user experience will be one of kind.

#4. Platform Support

If you opt to create your Dream11 app compatible with both Android and iOS will result in a higher financial outlay whereas going for a single platform at the deployment will keep your costs down. iOS typically needs more expert coders which can raise your expenses so if you are on a tight budget, opting for an Android version first will make sense.

All factors in, you are looking at an average figure of USD 19000 to USD 24000 to develop a fantasy sports app for both iOS and Android platforms. On the other hand, an app with just basic features and functionalities will range anywhere around USD 8000 for Android and iOS versions.

How to Monetize Your Fantasy Sports App?

So, your app is now ready to be launched in the public domain. You also need to figure out how is your fantasy sports app going to generate revenue.

Let’s look at some avenues of making money from your app platform.

#1. Advertisement

One of the most popular mediums of creating a constant flow of revenue of your fantasy sports app is to allow third-party advertisers to promote their products and services.

This can be done via dedicated real estate on the app’s screen which does not disturb the overall app’s user experience and design sensibilities.

#2. Participation Fees

Most major games, matches and tournaments come with a participating or entry fee. This is also an ongoing stream of revenue for the app. Plus, you can also organize contests with a chance of winning high payouts. Generally, the app keeps a commission percentage of the winner’s earnings too.

#3. In-app Purchases

Selling merchandises related to popular leagues and tournaments is an additional revenue making opportunity. Fans generally like to invest in such products that showcase their favourite sportsman, teams, leagues, etc.

#4. Sponsorship Rights

Getting title sponsors for leagues and tournaments can be a massive way to make money from your fantasy sports app platform. Other than just title sponsors, this can be taken to micro levels such as one-off matches or games too.

#5. Tie-ups with Sporting Leagues

Partnering with live leagues not only brings in revenue by adding new users but is also is a fantastic opportunity to create brand awareness.

Read Also : How to Create an App like Hotstar

In Conclusion

Many of the bigwigs of the sports world such as the likes of Sony Sports and ESPN networks started their respective fantasy leagues. Moreover, the NBA and NFL have joined in with their fantasy sports platforms too.

Witnessing phenomenal traffic has led to deeper interaction and engagement with the audience making it one of the primary reasons why fantasy sports leagues are rising quickly on the popularity ladder.

Creating a fantasy sports app like Dream11 can help you tread paths which are yet not fully explored. While there are established players, there is still a lot of space for new apps to enter the market. After all, it is the game of the future and the demand is only expected to rise in the coming years.

So, what wait any longer. Create your fantasy sports app like a Dream11 today and provide the sports lovers the with best possible reason to play.