How to Design and Develop Successful SaaS Application
Not so long ago, all of a company’s IT systems were on-premise. Back then, a cloud was just something white and fluffy above us. Cloud computing has since become the norm. Today, cloud platforms can be utilized for just about all of your processes and systems. Enterprises consider the flexibility and risk-management implications and add SaaS to their portfolios of IT services.
About the SaaS application development, the next thing will.
Content
1 What Is Software as a Service (SaaS)?
3 Software as a Service Examples
4 SaaS vs. On-Premise: Which One to Pick?
6 Cloud-Based SaaS Applications Development: Six Suggestions to Build One
6.1 1. Decide On the Key Features of the SaaS System
6.2 2. Choose Your Pricing Strategy
6.3 3. Finding the Right SaaS Application Development Tools.
6.5 5. SaaS Application Development Cost
6.6 6. Find a Trusted SaaS Development Team
WHAT IS SOFTWARE AS A SERVICE (SAAS)?
Let’s start with the basics. SaaS stands for “software as a service.” It can be described as a software distribution model. In a nutshell, it means that some independent third-party provider hosts applications and makes them available to users online, without installation. SaaS application examples include picture editing tools, email, office apps, and calendars, among others.
SaaS is one of three central cloud computing categories, alongside infrastructure as a service and platform as a service (IaaS and PaaS). If you’re diving into transitioning over to a cloud, it may be helpful to understand that there are usually three different models to choose from:
- ⇒ Software as a Service (SaaS) — software that’s available via a third-party over the Internet.
- ⇒ Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) — a cloud-based service, pay-as-you-go for services such as storage, networking, and virtualization.
- ⇒ Platform as a Service (PaaS) — hardware and software tools available over the Internet.
There is a direct link between SaaS, ASP (Application Service Provider), and on-demand computing software delivery models. The hosted application management models of SaaS are a lot like ASP in the sense that a provider hosts software for the customer before delivering it to confirmed end-users online.
A SaaS deployment service provides beneficial payoffs and saves users from all of the hassles that come with updating, maintaining, installing, and buying an app. SaaS application access is simple and quick, and all is needed is a connection to the Internet.
Besides being secure and reliable, SaaS app development ensures benefits like the following:
- App data available online, from anywhere. No need to be connected to a specific workplace or computer.
- No need to deal with the technical issues of the software.
- SaaS is hosted on a remote server by a third-party provider.
- Scalable, with different tiers for different businesses.
- As part of the cost, it offers security, compliance, and maintenance.
- Easy to customize, monitor, and update.
- Single / multitenant architecture.
- No compatibility problems with another platform(s).
- No performance problems.
- Customers pay a certain fee for the usage period only.
As in the case of any other work model, the SaaS approach has its downsides as well:
- Due to Internet disruptions, users can lose access to the application.
- When using a SaaS system, users’ commercial data is accessible to a third-party provider, which raises privacy concerns for both.
HOW DOES A SAAS MODEL WORK?
A SaaS application is sometimes called “hosted software.” Cloud computing is used to transmit an application over to multiple customers, no matter where they are situated. It permits handling activities out of central locations using the model some refer to as “1-to-many.”
Because the delivery model is web-based, there is no need for IT employees to download/install apps on each computer. Instead, vendors will manage technical issues pertaining to storage, servers, middleware, and data. It will result in streamlined support and maintenance for the company.
The SaaS software is located on the service provider’s network, and users’ data is stored there. Users can access it from a web browser on any computer or Internet-connected device.
For organizational use, companies can rent productivity apps, such as email, collaboration, calendaring, and sophisticated business applications such as customer relationship management (CRM), enterprise resource planning (ERP), and document management. Companies pay for the use of these apps by subscription or according to the level of use.
SOFTWARE AS A SERVICE EXAMPLES
There are hundreds of examples of well-known products working according to the SaaS model, from mobile management tools to expense report management, from video transcoding to financial calculations, from customer data cleanup to computer-aided design (CAD).
Google Apps, Salesforce.com, Microsoft Office 365, HubSpot, Amazon Web Services, DocuSign, and others were early SaaS companies, and its SaaS platforms remain one of the most popular cloud-based applications. The SaaS business market continues to grow, and cloud technology continues to gain in popularity.
Among the other leading enterprises, SaaS providers are Mailchimp.com email marketing platform, Wix.com website builder, Canva.com (graphic editor), Adobe Systems, Citrix Systems, Dropbox, ServiceNow, and Workday.
SAAS VS. ON-PREMISE: WHICH ONE TO PICK?
To answer this question, you’ll need to determine how complex your business is. Ask yourself these questions to figure out if SaaS will be suitable for your business:
- ⇒ Is there a specific software customization level you need?
- ⇒ Are shelf products enough to provide you with the functionality your business needs?
- ⇒ How is your company specialized in contrast to your competition?
Another aspect to keep in mind is your company’s budget. SaaS subscriber payment models can help businesses with small budgets spread out the overall ownership cost gradually. This allows businesses — especially small ones — to adopt modern, robust software.
Buyers no longer need to pick between functionality and flexibility. A majority of modern cloud-based programs provide the very same experiences that on-premise installations do.
A bigger question lies around ownership of data. Most vendors allow end-users to possess data. However, it is worth reviewing service contracts to determine precisely how the data is used.
Many industries haven’t yet embraced cloud solutions. Some manufacturers prefer conventional ERP deployment solutions. Regardless, any business interested in contemporary approaches tends to steer toward cloud-based solutions by default.
SaaS can be quite convenient in all types of situations, including the following:
- ⇒Apps that require both mobile and web access.
- ⇒Apps that are not used very often.
- ⇒Projects of a short-term nature that need fast, affordable, and simple collaboration.
- ⇒Small companies or start-ups trying to launch their businesses quickly but lack time to deal with software or server issues.
More: https://devcom.com/tech-blog/how-to-design-and-develop-saas-application/
DevCom is an awarded development company with significant experience in the engineering of top-performing SaaS applications for enterprises across diverse industries. With a strong SaaS development portfolio, DevCom provides a diverse range of world-class programming services that cover consultancy, designing, development, testing, 3rd party integration, and ongoing support/maintenance.
Start building intelligent SaaS apps today with DevCom. Contact us now.
Written by: Halyna Vilchynska, Head of Marketing at DevCom.
