31 January 2025
How to Choose the Best Mobile App Development Company for Your Business Read More
In today’s hi-tech world healthcare apps no longer need any introduction, and Australia is dominating this digital revolution. At the frontline is HotDoc, an impressive testament to its vital role transforming how patients connect with healthcare providers.
Well if you are an entrepreneur thinking of building a healthcare app like HotDoc, understanding the cost structure is crucial. Because depending on its complexity, features, and compliance needs, the cost to develop HotDoc like app ranges from $8,000 to $100,000 or more.
Inspired by a tech-savvy population and a powerful healthcare system, Aussies adoption of telehealth and smart digital booking platforms has made extremely quick progress towards success. And this immense growth has created a profitable market for startups and enterprises building smart and innovative solutions that fill the gap between patients and medical services, improving accessibility and operational efficiency.
Its ability to simplify complicated processes helps patients make booking, manage, and track their medical appointments enhanced patient experience and operational efficiency for healthcare providers. Your one right idea, team and execution can transform the entire patient healthcare experience and build a highly profitable, scalable business like HotDoc.
Henceforth, this detailed cost breakdown delves into the financial investment needed to create an app like HotDoc. We will analyze the key features, development phases, and crucial factors that determine the final HotDoc app building cost, providing you with a clear and strategic roadmap for your project’s budget.
HotDoc isn’t just another leading appointment scheduling app, in fact it is another revolution that set a standard in redefining Australian healthcare accessibility. Launched in 2012, this Melbourne, Australia based go-to-platform for patients solved critical problems of frustrating gap between patients needing care and doctors managing overwhelming appointment systems.
Users can search healthcare providers and simply book an appointment.
For entrepreneurs and healthcare businesses inspired by this success, still a critical question arises: what is the cost of building a healthcare app like HotDoc? And what makes it Australia’s leading patient engagement platform?
Well these impressive numbers explain why investors and healthcare innovators are eager to create an app like HotDoc. The platform’s success demonstrates that Australians are ready for digital healthcare solutions—they just need platforms that understand local healthcare complexities.
HotDoc’s growth from startup to Australia’s largest healthtech company proves there’s substantial market opportunity for well-executed healthcare platforms.
Did you know that the global mHealth apps market size is projected to reach USD 88.70 billion by 2032 from USD 40.65 billion in 2025 exhibiting a CAGR of 11.8% during the forecast period.
And at present this telehealth services adoption is propelling the growth of the Australian market also. The Australia healthcare mobile application market highlights growth in revenue of USD 12,957.0 million by 2030 at a CAGR of 42.9% from 2025 to 2030.
Also Australia’s digital health industry is also ready for lift-off in personalised and preventive care with integrating data and AI in healthcare applications.
Startups and enterprises are increasingly utilizing wearables data, genetic tests, and lifestyle data to provide consumers with more personalized health advice. For businesses planning to dive into a similar model need to understand the cost of building healthcare app like HotDoc. Whether you are a startup or looking to gain traction get in touch with Dev Story to transform your healthcare practice with an app like HotDoc. Because the above-mentioned market projections make Australia a hotspot for scalable, personalized digital care regions.
Here we have reached the point where understanding the HotDoc app building cost is the first step for any healthcare entrepreneur. Dear reader, this investment is not a one figure amount but a spectrum, determined by your chosen path. Let us discover the key factors that impact your Cost of building healthcare app like HotDoc.
Below is a quick breakdown that will make your dreamy vision clear into a realistic budget.
Your final HotDoc like app development cost is directly linked to its complexity. More complex apps need more budget. Although simple healthcare apps development cost lies between $30,000 – $80,000 whereas highly complex apps with high-end features like AI-integrations, advanced analytics etc cost you around $100,000 – $300,000+.
Your feature choices directly dictate the HotDoc app building cost. Core booking and reminders form an affordable foundation. Adding EHR integration, patient portals, and secure messaging increases investment. Premium features like telehealth, AI-driven analytics, and custom admin panels constitute the highest cost tier, significantly impacting the total HotDoc like app development cost but offering greater market differentiation.
| Complexity Level | Features Included | Development Time | Cost Range (AUD) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic/MVP | • User registration • Simple search & booking • Basic notifications • Payment integration • Admin panel | 3-4 months | $7,000 – $30,000 |
| Intermediate | • Advanced search filters • Telehealth integration • Practice management tools • Review system • Multi-platform support • Real-time sync | 6-8 months | $20,000 – $50,000 |
| Advanced | • AI-powered recommendations • EHR integration • Multi-language support • Advanced analytics • Custom reporting • IoT device integration | 10-15 months | $50,000 – $100,000 |
| Enterprise | • Machine learning algorithms • Blockchain integration • Advanced security features • Custom workflow automation • Multi-tenancy architecture • Compliance automation | 18-24 months | $100,000+ |
The cost to develop an app like HotDoc is significantly shaped by your development team’s composition and its location. Choice is all yours whether you want to hire local Australian developers, offshore teams, or a hybrid model directly. Team structure, size , hourly rates, and location affects your budget, timeline, and final product quality. Each option offers unique experience, trade-offs between cost efficiency and control, making this one of the most pivotal decisions when you create an app like HotDoc. To achieve your goal that resonates with Australian patients and clinics, it’s crucial to hire mobile app developers in Australia or a team with proven experience in the local healthcare market, ensuring cultural and regulatory alignment.
| Team Structure | Team Size | Location | Hourly Rate (AUD) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Freelance Team | 3-4 developers | Mixed locations | $50 – $100 |
| Offshore Agency | 5-7 developers | India/Eastern Europe | $30 – $60 |
| Hybrid Team | 4-6 developers | Australia + Offshore | $70 – $120 |
| Australian Agency | 5-8 developers | Major cities | $100 – $200 |
| In-house Team | 6-10 developers | Sydney/Melbourne | $80 – $150 |
Don’t ignore UI/UX as your business depends on it. A poor UI UX can lead to costly redesigns and redevelopment efforts later on. It is a pivotal yet often underestimated cost factor. A beautiful design, seamless, intuitive, and accessible interface is non-negotiable for user adoption in healthcare. The investment here directly impacts the overall Cost to develop a HotDoc like app.
| Design Complexity | Features | Timeline | Cost Range (AUD) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic Design | • Standard templates • Minimal customization • Basic wireframes • Simple color scheme | 2-3 weeks | $8,000 – $15,000 |
| Custom Design | • Custom UI components • Brand-specific design • User journey mapping • Responsive design • Accessibility compliance | 4-6 weeks | $20,000 – $35,000 |
| Premium Design | • Advanced animations • Interactive prototypes • User testing & iteration • Multi-platform consistency • Advanced micro-interactions | 8-12 weeks | $40,000 – $70,000 |
| Enterprise Design | • Design system creation • Multiple user persona designs • A/B testing setup • Accessibility audit • Performance optimization | 12-16 weeks | $70,000 – $120,000 |
# Factor 4 Regulatory Compliance and SecurityWhen you develop an app like HotDoc in Australia, regulatory compliance and security are the fundamental non-negotiable requirements.
The cost to build a secure app in Australia is significantly influenced by the need to stick to strict standards like the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs) and HIPAA to protect sensitive patient data. Implementing strong security measures ensures protection of sensitive data both in transit and at rest, prevents costly breaches, and builds the essential trust your platform needs to succeed in the healthcare sector. An application with enhanced features and advanced functionalities will necessitate more comprehensive security protocols and compliance measures, thereby raising development expenses.
| Compliance Level | Requirements | Cost Range (AUD) | Ongoing Costs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic Compliance | • Australian Privacy Principles • Basic data encryption • SSL certificates • Terms & privacy policy | $8,000 – $15,000 | $3,000 – $5,000/year |
| Healthcare Compliance | • AHPRA integration • Medical data encryption • Audit logging • Access controls • Data backup systems | $10,000 – $60,000 | $5,000 – $15,000/year |
| Advanced Security | • Penetration testing • Security audits • Multi-factor authentication • Advanced encryption • Incident response plan | $20,000 – $100,000 | $10,000 – $25,000/year |
| Enterprise Security | • ISO 27001 compliance • SOC 2 Type II • Advanced threat detection • Zero-trust architecture • Continuous monitoring | $30,000 – $150,000 | $15,000 – $50,000/year |
A major portion of the cost to build a healthcare app like HotDoc is linked to third-party integrations and API development. To create a seamless ecosystem, a cohesive ecosystem, your application needs to interface with vital external systems, including EHR/EMR software (for instance, MedicalDirector), payment gateways, Medicare, and SMS services.
Each integration introduces additional complexity and extends development time; however, it is essential for the application’s functionality, representing a critical investment that significantly improves the app’s value and user experience.
| Integration Type | Complexity | Development Time | Cost Range (AUD) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Payment Gateways | Low-Medium | 1-2 weeks | $3,000 – $12,000 |
| Practice Management | High | 4-6 weeks per PMS | $9,000 – $30,000 |
| Telehealth Platforms | Medium-High | 3-5 weeks | $10,000 – $40,000 |
| EHR Systems | Very High | 8-12 weeks | $20,000 – $100,000 |
| Notification Services | Low | 1 week | $2,500 – $8,000 |
| Analytics Platforms | Medium | 2-3 weeks | $6,000 – $18,000 |
| Cloud Services | Medium | 2-4 weeks | $9,000 – $25,000 |
A frequent mistake in budgeting is neglecting to recognize that the initial cost of app development in Australia is just the beginning. After the launch, the yearly maintenance and support usually amount to 15-25% of the original HotDoc like app development cost. This crucial investment encompasses server hosting, security updates, bug fixes, and ensuring compatibility with new operating system versions, thereby guaranteeing that your application stays secure, operational, and competitive in the constantly changing digital healthcare environment.
| Support Level | Services Included | Monthly Cost (AUD) |
|---|---|---|
| Basic Support | • Bug fixes • Minor updates • Server monitoring | $3,000 – $5,000 |
| Standard Support | • Regular updates • Performance optimization • Security patches • Phone & email support • Monthly reports | $4,000 – $8,000 |
| Premium Support | • Priority bug fixes • Feature enhancements • 24/7 monitoring • Dedicated support team • Quarterly reviews | $6,000 – $15,000 |
| Enterprise Support | • Custom development • Dedicated DevOps team • Advanced monitoring • SLA guarantees • Strategic consulting | $8,000 – $25,000 |
Key Roles & Salaries (Australia):
Hidden cost, value lost. Bear the cost consequences of a surprised budget, unexpected charges if you often overlook the hidden expenses that follow. Although the initial cost to develop HotDoc like app is crucial, ignoring the hidden and ongoing costs may affect and negatively impact the ability to deliver an excellent patient experience. From planning and development to compliance, these ongoing expenses are significant for ensuring better performance, and long-term sustainability of healthcare applications.
Your healthcare app needs the best infrastructure for better support uptime, and scalability. Depending on the usage the hosting, cloud services, and monitoring tools ranges from $2,000–$5,000+ monthly
Inefficiencies, lack of transparency, and administrative burdens surely increase the cost of building apps. Integrating third-party services plays a significant role in rising costs. These tools are important for engagement and operations, streamline administrative tasks and often scale with app usage and transaction volumes.
Reduce risk of heavy fines, improve patient safety, and boost a culture of trust and integrity with strict data and legal compliances. These unavoidable security audits, privacy assessments, regulatory reporting increase the cost but ensure patient safety and legal protection. Compliance regulations aim to curb significant monetary penalties. Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) is one of the most powerful and familiar regulations.
App launch is not the end goal. Very often the best developed apps fail due to bugs and i.effective post launch strategy. Your app maintenance and updates ensure apps stay secure, functional, and competitive and resonate with users’ experience. You need a budget to keep your healthcare app technology profile up-to-date, safe, and capable of the highest possible. These costs are continuous and represent a large part of lifecycle management for healthcare solutions.
Don’t miss out on any step in building an app like HotDoc. Each step ensures the success of your healthcare app. Comprehending the structured development process is the entry key to managing the timeline and cost of building healthcare app like HotDoc.
Discovery, design, development, testing, and deployment each stage involves unique planning and strategy and directly influences the final cost to develop HotDoc like app.
While building an app ensure each feature is meticulously planned, built, and validated for its scalability, security and success.
Journey from initial planning to ongoing maintenance is not mere a process, it’s a big transformation in the healthcare sector.
This transformation defines how doctors provide care to patients, how hospitals optimize resources and how an individual manages their health directly on one tap from their smartphones.
Let’s deep dive and discover each stage and know how it affects the cost to develop HotDoc like app in the Australian market.
A Quick View Of Development Process and Cost Associated
| Development Phase | Cost Range (AUD) | Percentage of Total Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Research & Planning | $3,000 – $20,000 | 5-10% |
| UI/UX Design | $4,000 – $30,000 | 10-15% |
| Development | $8,000 – $100,000+ | 50-60% |
| Testing & QA | $4,000 – $30,000 | 10-15% |
| Deployment | $2,000 – $20,000 | 5-10% |
The initial step to develop an app like HotDoc is the making strategy and planning, where concepts are transformed into a structured guideline. The research and planning phase involves detailed market research, knowing target audience, competitor analysis, and defining the core features like appointment booking, patient management, and secure communication for both provider and user. This phase costs you around $3,000 – $20,000.
During this phase entrepreneurs or startups partner with business strategists, developers to outline objectives, compliance requirements, and user experience goals and sets the foundation for success and ensures budget efficiency. Investing in this stage drives business growth with app development services while estimating the cost to build a healthcare app like HotDoc accurately.
Manage 10-15% of the total cost in the UI UX design phase. Here the focus is to create a stunning interface for both patients and healthcare providers. Skilled designers craft wireframes, prototypes, and design mockups to ensure smooth navigation, easy appointment booking, and user-friendly experience. The design complexity directly impacts the cost of building a healthcare app like HotDoc. Simple designs cost less comparatively to complex designs, so therefore it is crucial to balance usability with development efficiency. Giving special attention to accessibility, security, and compliance with healthcare standards build user trust and enhances patient engagement and satisfaction
Entering the phase where you will turn your healthcare app idea into a fully functional solution. Your developers start the first line of code for front-end and back-end, integrate APIs, and implement healthcare core features like profile filling, appointment scheduling, patient reminders, and secure data storage.
In today’s world emerging healthcare app trends like telehealth integration, AI-driven chatbots, and digital payment gateways are also considered to keep the app future-ready, while increasing the cost to build healthcare app like HotDoc.
The development stage needs highly skilled developers, powerful coding, deep understanding, testing and iterations to ensure reliability and compliance with healthcare regulations. Since complexity and functionalities directly impact the cost of building healthcare app like HotDoc, careful execution here ensures both performance and scalability.
Before you hit an app on Google Play or App Store it must undergo rigorous checks to ensure seamless functionality, security, and performance. Keep 10% to 15% of your budget aside for app testing on multiple devices, in multiple environments. Ensure your healthcare application adherence to predefined quality standards and specifications.
Each feature from appointment scheduling, to notifications, or telehealth must be tested for bugs, usability, and compliance with healthcare standards. Quality analysts must evaluate software both manual and automated methods to guarantee a smooth patient and doctor experience. Mobile app testing and quality assurance identify the issues before launch, reducing risks, and boosting reliability. CI/CD practices, frequent OS updates, usability and compatibility testing significantly improve the efficiency and effectiveness while adding to the cost of building a healthcare app like HotDoc.
Get ready to make the transition from development to making your app get live to users. At this stage, the app is submitted to platforms like the App Store and Google Play, ensuring the app has passed all rigorous testing phases, focusing on functionality and compliance with all publishing guidelines.
The developers also configure hosting, databases, and cloud infrastructure for secure and scalable performance. A soft release of the finalized app may be done to gather feedback before the full release. Continuously monitoring the app’s performance post-launch, gathering user feedback, and identifying areas for improvement support are critical for updates and bug fixes.
Keep abreast of technological advancements and get ready to explore innovation beyond healthcare apps? Talk to our experts today to get a clear estimate of the cost to build AI app in Australia.
When Australian businesses plan to develop an app like HotDoc, it’s crucial to discover the unique regulatory, technical, and market-specific challenges in Australia. From stringent compliance frameworks to integration with present healthcare systems, each factor importantly affects the app building cost and long-term scalability. Below are the key considerations:
Applications that offer diagnosis or treatment may be classified under the regulations for Software as a Medical Device (SaMD). Adhering to TGA recommendations, ensuring safety validation, and providing clinical evidence can account for 15–20% of the HotDoc like app development cost. Businesses aspiring to create an app like HotDoc should plan their budget accordingly.
Adhering to the Australian Privacy Principles (APP), implementing breach notification systems, and safeguarding cross-border data transfers are crucial. Privacy measures represent approximately 10–15% of the overall cost, yet they foster long-term trust. It is imperative to invest in these areas when you create an app like HotDoc for an Australian audience.
Manage everything from patient records and scheduling to billing and claims processing with practice management software ecosystem. Remember incorporating multiple with PMS providers in Australia is complex. Each adds nearly 20–25% i.e. around $10,000–$30,000. On the other hand frequent API updates and maintenance increase the HotDoc like app development cost. To avoid discrepancies plan properly and ensure smoother adoption when you develop an app like HotDoc for clinics and practices.
Medicare and health insurance integration munch around 15–20% of the total budget. It includes provider number verification, bulk billing, and private health funds. It also ensures usability and compliance, making it significant for businesses thinking to create an app like HotDoc with real-world value.
If you are aiming to launch your HotDoc like app first in regions like Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane, then be prepared for the extra deployment cost that may account for 10–12%. On the other hand entering into rural and regional areas adds connectivity challenges and budget differences. Henceforth smart release planning helps manage the HotDoc like app development cost while ensuring broad adoption.
If you are thinking about underserved areas like allied health, dental, or cosmetic practices then increase your budget by 8–10% of additional investment. Although this targeted approach helps business owners differentiate in the market, white manages the HotDoc like app development cost for niche audiences.
Are you aiming to ensure compliance, scalability, and user trust while controlling the cost to build healthcare app like HotDoc? Check out our guide on the best practice to develop healthcare app to build a future-ready solution.
Save 25% to 30% in overall costs by implementing smart cost optimizing strategies throughout the app journey from ideation to deployment. As a business owner it could be a great feeling to save the cost while developing your healthcare app.
Thinking to create an app like HotDoc? Launch it with a Minimum Viable Product while integrating the most essential features. This method reduces risks, enhances time-to-market, and can cut nearly 20% of the overall budget. The cost of building healthcare app like HotDoc with MVP approach ensures budget efficiency and allows businesses to scale functionality as user demand grows. Breaking down essential versus advanced features improves the product, saving time and resources by avoiding the development of unnecessary features.
Choosing the right tech stack, frameworks, and cloud solutions reduces the infrastructure cost and accelerates scalability. Save up to 10–15% of the budget, with streamlined technology that directly influences the cost to build healthcare app like HotDoc.
Leveraging Agile and iterative methodologies boost the efficiency by offering quicker updates and fast feedback loops. This lowers rework and delays, allowing companies to optimise costs and manage development expenditures while providing top-notch healthcare solutions.
Partnering with experienced tech partners like Dev Story ensures access to highly skilled developers, ready-made APIs, and robust compliance support. This can minimize project risks and save up to 15% of overall costs, positively impacting the cost to build healthcare app like HotDoc.
For forward-thinking business owners, building an app like HotDoc is more than a project—it’s a strategic decision to lead in the modern healthcare landscape. Investing in a robust telehealth and appointment booking platform represents a compelling opportunity to generate sustainable revenue streams and build significant, long-term business value.
This move showcases a fundamental shift in how healthcare is delivered and accessed. Today’s patients expect the same convenience and comfort from healthcare that they routinely get from banking or entertainment. Meeting this expectation isn’t just an advantage; it’s becoming a necessity.
Choosing the right partner for this journey is critical. By selecting Dev Story for your app development services in Australia, you gain a distinct competitive edge. We enable you to maximize your ROI while delivering secure, compliant, and highly engaging healthcare solutions. Give your users the features they demand: 24/7 booking, seamless virtual consultations, and the full suite of tools that define modern healthcare.
Acquire a stake in the future of healthcare delivery with a robust business model designed for long-term success. This is your opportunity to deliver genuine value to both patients and providers, creating a thriving ecosystem.
Contact Us to get an accurate, tailored cost of building a healthcare app like HotDoc, designed specifically for your business needs.
We help businesses build innovative, scalable, and future-ready mobile app solutions.
Certified Developers
Apps Delivered
Businesses Transformed
pre-built AI architecture
Our bespoke, result-driven solutions deliver measurable
outcomes and drive client success.
Certified Developers
Apps Delivered
Businesses Transformed
pre-built AI architecture
Before you go, grab Free Expert Insights to jumpstart your web project:
Custom App Development Plan Accurate Budget Estimation Realistic Time-to-Market ProjectionBefore you go, grab Free Expert Insights to jumpstart your web project:
