5 Mobile App Features Every Business Needs
Eric Downing
Founder & Lead Developer
Not all app features are created equal. Some are nice-to-haves. These five are must-haves for any business app that wants to drive engagement and results.
1. Push Notifications
Why it matters: 90% open rate vs 20% for email. Push notifications are your direct line to users.
Restaurants use them for Tuesday specials. Gyms send streak reminders. Salons confirm tomorrow's appointments. E-commerce recovers abandoned carts. The possibilities are endless.
Best practices: Don't spam (1-2 per week max), make them valuable, let users control preferences, and test timing—mornings and evenings work best.
2. User Accounts & Profiles
Why it matters: Personalization drives loyalty. Users with accounts are 3x more likely to return.
Include easy registration (email, phone, or social login), profile customization, order history, and saved preferences. The key is making it frictionless—don't ask for too much upfront, offer guest checkout for products, and use social logins to reduce friction.
3. Loyalty/Rewards Program
Why it matters: Rewards increase repeat visits by 40-60%. Gamification works.
Simple systems that work: points-based (earn per dollar spent), digital punch cards ("buy 9, get 10th free"), tiered levels (Bronze → Silver → Gold), or referral rewards ("invite a friend, you both save").
Real example: A coffee shop app with a digital punch card saw 35% more repeat customers in the first 3 months. The cost to build? $1,500. ROI was clear within 6 weeks.
4. In-App Analytics
Why it matters: You can't improve what you don't measure. Know what's working and what's not.
Track daily/monthly active users, most-used features, drop-off points, conversion rates, and push notification open rates. Use Firebase Analytics (free), Mixpanel (advanced tracking), or Amplitude (product analytics) to get insights that actually matter.
5. Seamless Payment Processing
Why it matters: Friction kills conversions. Make buying as easy as possible.
Must-haves: securely saved payment methods, one-tap checkout for repeat customers, multiple payment options (card, Apple Pay, Google Pay), and clear confirmations. Use Stripe for one-time or subscriptions, Square if you already use their POS, or RevenueCat for app subscriptions with free trials.
Cost: Payment processing typically costs 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction—far cheaper than DoorDash's 30% commission.
Bonus Features Worth Considering
Once you have the essentials, consider adding social sharing (let users share achievements or referrals), in-app messaging (support chat), booking/scheduling (calendar integration), GPS/location services (store locators, delivery tracking), or dark mode (users expect it, and it's easy to add).
What About AI Features?
AI is trendy, but ask yourself: does it solve a real problem for your users? Most businesses don't need AI in v1. Focus on the fundamentals first. You can always add AI-powered recommendations or chatbots later.
Start With the Essentials
Don't try to build everything at once. Launch with these 5 core features, get users, and iterate based on feedback. A simple app that works beats a complex app that never launches.