Mobile appE-commerce & marketplacesOriginal by Inter IKEA Group
The value of the IKEA app is that it solves the biggest question in furniture shopping: will this fit in my home, and will it look right? Users place a product in their living room with augmented reality, explore combinations, see the aisle and shelf location in the store, and arrange delivery and assembly for large packages in the same flow. It is a digital experience that fits an affordable, self-assembly model.
To build something similar you need, beyond standard e-commerce, 3D product models and AR placement, a room planner that works with real dimensions, multi-package product and stock management, delivery planning for bulky items and assembly service booking. A customer app, a web store, operations screens for logistics and assembly teams and a comprehensive admin panel are built.
How IKEA works: the core user flow
How many apps and dashboards do you need?
Customer app
Users discover products, try them in AR, place orders and book delivery and assembly.
Logistics and assembly screen
Delivery and assembly teams manage their daily routes, addresses and job statuses.
Admin panel
Catalogue, 3D models, stock, delivery zones and service capacity are managed.
Critical features of a product like IKEA
AR room placement
A true-to-scale 3D model of the product is placed on the floor via the camera; users can rotate it and walk around it.
Room planner
Users enter room dimensions to design a wardrobe, kitchen or bedroom layout, and the products in the plan go to the basket in one tap.
Multi-package product management
Each product's multiple boxes and the stock of each box are tracked, preventing sales with missing packages.
Delivery and assembly booking
Available delivery days are shown by zone and volume, and an assembly service is added to the same order.
Store shelf information
The aisle and shelf number in the self-serve warehouse are shown, and the shopping list is sorted by store route.
Combination and set suggestions
Matching products are presented with room photos, and complementary items are suggested automatically.
What goes into the first version, what comes later
First version (MVP)
- Catalogue, filters, basket and payments
- Multi-package product and stock structure
- Delivery booking for bulky items
- Add-on assembly service
- Order tracking and notifications
Later releases
- AR room placement
- Room planner with real dimensions
- In-store shelf information and shopping list
- Second-hand buy-back programme
Modules and how the budget is calculated
The budget is calculated with 360 SOFT’s pricing model from the modules below, about 34 screens and the project’s complexity: roughly 223 person-days for the full scope and 147 person-days for the first version. Every module you drop lowers the budget directly.
| Module | Phase |
|---|---|
| Sign-up, login, social login | First version |
| User profile and settings | First version |
| Admin dashboard | First version |
| Product / content catalogue | First version |
| Cart and checkout | First version |
| Online payments (Stripe / PSP) | First version |
| Advanced search and filters | First version |
| Booking / reservations | First version |
| Maps, location, routing | First version |
| File, photo, video upload | First version |
| Push notifications | First version |
| ERP / accounting integration | Later release |
| Reporting and analytics | First version |
| Multi-language | First version |
Hosting, SMS, map APIs, app store accounts and payment-provider fees are separate items. Maintenance and improvements (optional): €750 / month. We send a fixed written price within 24 hours after a free discovery call.
The hard parts
3D model production
Preparing an accurately sized, lightweight 3D model for every product is a significant content cost; start with the best-selling products.
Bulky logistics
Planning large boxes around warehouse, vehicle and crew capacity is far more complex than standard parcel shipping.
Planner performance
Making the room planner run smoothly on mobile devices and calculate dimensions correctly requires intensive optimisation.
Business model
The main revenue is product sales; large furniture orders raise the average order value. Services such as delivery, assembly and made-to-measure planning can be charged separately. Loyalty membership, free-service campaigns and B2B channels such as corporate office projects bring extra revenue and repeat business.
Get a free quote for your project
Let us scope it together and send a fixed written quote within 24 hours. NDA on request; you own the source code.
Choosing a company to build an app like IKEA
Most people searching “build an app like ikea” are really looking for a reliable app development company. When comparing quotes, check four things:
- Can you try similar products they have shipped, in the stores or live?
- Are the source code, design files, servers and store accounts transferred to you by contract?
- Do they show a working demo every two weeks, with written scope and acceptance criteria?
- Are maintenance, scaling and GDPR/security costs written into the quote?
Copyright and trademarks
A business model and features are generally not protected on their own, but the IKEA name, logo, interface design, content and source code are. That is why we build a product with similar functionality but your own brand, design and code. This is not legal advice; we recommend a trademark search before launch.
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to build an app like IKEA?
A first version with catalogue, payments and delivery booking can be ready in a few months. Project risk is lower if AR and the room planner are handled in separate phases.
What does the AR feature require?
Each product needs a true-to-scale 3D model and a viewing layer based on ARKit and ARCore. Once prepared, the models can also be reused in a web 3D viewer.
Are there copyright or trademark issues?
Furniture e-commerce and the idea of AR try-out are free to use; names, logos, design, content and code cannot be copied. Product designs may also be separately protected. This is not legal advice.
What should I look for in an app development company?
Look for experience with AR, a 3D content pipeline and logistics planning. Ask for a demo showing AR performance on different devices.
Costs of similar apps
Who should build it?
360 Soft is a mobile app development company based in Istanbul, Turkey. Our clients include Memorial Healthcare Group, iddaa.com and the Turkish Presidency of Defence Industries (OSTİM cluster). See the app development cost guide, hire a dedicated development team or IT outsourcing services.
