How To Develop An App Like LiveOne : A Complete Guide

Music and live entertainment applications have totally changed the way users consume online content. In 2024, the worldwide music streaming market crossed $46.66 billion in revenue, and analysts estimate it will reach $108.39 billion by 2030.

Besides, the market generated $29.6 billion in recorded-music revenue in 2024 and counts 752 million paid subscribers, according to a study by IFPI’s Global Music Report. These figures show heavy user engagement, but they also highlight a shift.

Users no longer want a basic audio player; they want an app that mixes music, live concerts, podcasts, exclusive artist shows, and community experience in one single place. That’s exactly why apps like LiveOne have grown so fast.

Thus, if you are a business owner planning to develop an app like LiveOne or similar to something that, this guide will walk you through the entire process.

We will cover what makes LiveOne successful, what features you must include, how to monetize, a step-by-step development roadmap, and other aspects, too.

What is a LiveOne App?

LiveOne is an all-in-one entertainment platform. It brings together music streaming, live concerts, podcasts, artist events, and online fan experience.

Users can switch from listening to a playlist to watching a live concert with just a single click. This smoothness is a big part of its success. What makes the LiveOne app stand out from others is its multiple content formats in one app.

Additionally, it’s engaging fan interactions, exclusive content, and a personalised experience that attract people to the LiveOne app. As one of the best music streaming apps, LiveOne has more than 1.4 million active users. These are combined subscribers and ad-supported users.

Understanding What Makes Apps Like LiveOne Successful

Before you create an app like LiveOne, it is vital to understand why the LiveOne model performs well. It is not just the music library that attracts users. It is an experience. It’s a mix of live events, content formats, and a community feel that makes users stay longer.

Here are the core dynamics that drive this category:

► Users Want Multi-Format Entertainment

Music alone is no longer enough. People are expecting an app that provides:

• Music
• Podcasts
• Interviews
• Live concerts
• Exclusive video shows
• Creator updates
• Short clips or highlights
• Artist-driven radio

A single-format product now feels limiting to Gen Z. They want multi-format apps that perform much better in engagement and average session time.

► Live Content Creates Higher Retention

On-demand listening is frequent but predictable. But live content creates urgency, excitement, appointment-based consumption, and a stronger emotional connection.

In addition, live concerts and exclusive events push users to stay inside the app and return more often. This creates a higher retention rate.

► Exclusive Content Differentiates the Brand

Music catalogues are often similar across platforms due to licensing. What differentiates a brand is:

• Original shows
• Unique formats
• Behind-the-scenes content
• Artist collaborations

If you provide exclusive content, it will develop loyalty and reduce dependency on generic catalogue licensing.

► Community Features Boost Engagement

Users do not want to listen. They want to be part of something. Features like live chat, fan clubs, interactions with artists, comments and reactions, collaborative playlists, and so on.

These features help your users stick to your app. This can lead to longer user engagement and higher lifetime value. 

Essential Features Your LiveOne-Like App Must Have

Don’t overload your app with features at the start. When you develop an app like LiveOne, try to include only the must-haves to test your idea.

Below is a complete list of LiveOne-like music streaming app features that you can consider adding to your app :

Step-by-Step Process to Develop an App Like LiveOne

Developing a LiveOne-like app requires a structured approach. You begin with planning to ensure everything runs smoothly.

This section walks you through the step-by-step process to build an app like LiveOne:

♦ Know Your Audience and Purpose

Before you develop an app like LiveOne or choose features, it is vital to have clarity about who the app is for.

Are you developing for casual listeners, live event fans, podcast lovers, or a mix of all? Knowing your target audience helps in deciding your content style, UI layout, and subscription plans.

This step saves a lot of future rework. Additionally, it shapes the music streaming app like LiveOne’s personality, like whether it will be fun and youthful, or premium and polished. A clear purpose becomes your guiding direction for every decision that follows.

♦ Research Competitors and Identify Gaps

Now spend some time exploring apps like LiveOne, Spotify, YouTube, Amazon Music, and so on. Basically, you have to perform mobile app market research on competitor apps.

Notice what they do well and where they fall short. Look at their user reviews because people openly share what is missing. These gaps are golden opportunities for your music streaming app.

Your main goal is not to copy others. This is to provide a better and smoother experience. When you understand the competition, your app becomes more focused and stands out in the market.

♦ Finalize Essential Features List

Once you have done competitor research, make a clear list of core features first. Don’t try to add all the features at the start. Your focus should be only on the essential features.

When you build an app like LiveOne, you need certain features to deliver content and manage access.

For example, if your app allows users to watch some content for free and requires a paid plan for the rest, you’ll need a system that unlocks premium content for subscribers. Because of this, it’s important to figure out which core features your app needs based on how you want people to use it.

♦ Create a Wireframe and UI/UX Design

This is where your music streaming app, like LiveOne, starts to take shape visually. Designers create a mobile app wireframe into screens, layouts, and interactive mockups.

The goal is to make the app feel simple and visually appealing for someone who has never used an app like LiveOne before. A good design guides users naturally without forcing them to think too much.

You also finalize color themes, icons, menus, and placement of major features. A music streaming app design foundation makes the entire user experience smooth and enjoyable.

♦ Build the Backend and Streaming Engine

The backend is the brain of your music streaming app, like LiveOne. It stores user data, handles subscriptions, manages content, and communicates with servers.

For a LiveOne-like app, you also need a stable streaming engine that can handle high-quality music and live video without lag. Developers will set up APIs, content storage, and real-time streaming logic to develop an app like LiveOne.

This stage is technical but crucial because users judge the app by its performance. So choose the right programming languages for backend development. If the backend is strong, everything else becomes easier to scale as more users join.

♦ Test and Launch the App

Now you have to make sure your app works smoothly in real life. Before you launch the music app, it is vital to test every button, screen, audio stream, and live event to catch issues. Also, check how the app, like LiveOne, behaves on different devices, slow networks, and heavy usage.

The mobile app testing phase may feel long, but it is what separates a messy app from a polished and reliable one that people trust and enjoy. After all the testing, you are ready to release the app like LiveOne to real users.

But the work does not stop here. You should monitor how the people use the app, like what they watch, what they skip, and what they enjoy. This helps you understand which features to improve next.

How Much Does it Cost to Develop an App Like LiveOne?

Developing an app like LiveOne depends on how many features you want and the level of streaming quality you aim for. Music + live streaming apps are costlier than normal apps because they need strong servers, fast performance, and smooth video or audio delivery.

Generally, the cost to develop an app like LiveOne mostly depends on live streaming, audio quality, and the number of features you choose. The music streaming app development cost table below shows the different app complexity levels and their estimated cost.

Most of the cost to build an app like LiveOne comes from streaming servers, content handling, subscriptions, and backend infrastructure. If you want to know the actual LiveOne app development cost, then consult with a trusted and dedicated development team.

Monetization Strategies For a LiveOne-Like Application

Creating a mobile app like LiveOne is not enough; it is about choosing the right way to earn from it. The good thing is that an all-in-one platform has more revenue opportunities than a normal music app.

So, below are the more user-friendly and profitable music streaming app monetization strategies you can use:

➤ Subscription Plans

You can provide the most common revenue streams such as subscription models. Entertainment apps survive on subscription models because users love the idea of unlimited access. Right?

Well, you can provide different tiers like:

• Free plan with ads and limited features.
• Basic plan for ad-free streaming.
• Premium plan for HD audio, exclusive content, and offline access.
• VIP plans for special live events and fan experiences.

People will only pay for monthly plans for uninterrupted listening, and if your app, like LiveOne, feels valuable, the subscription becomes your strongest earning stream.

➤ Pay-Per-View Live Events

Did you know LiveOne grew popular due to its exclusive concerts and events?

You can also leverage this app monetization model and do the same thing by providing :

• Live concerts
• Artists Interviews
• Fan meet and greets
• Multi-angle performance streams

Users buy online tickets to watch these events in real time. All these things really feel personal and unique. Right? Well, yes, and these people are willing to pay more. And you know what, sometimes they pay a higher fee than a subscription fee.

➤ In-App Advertisements

Ads are optional, but you can really earn huge revenue from them. They help you earn from the audience that does not buy subscriptions.

You can add audio ads between songs, short video ads before live events, and sponsored podcast segments. But make sure ads do not ruin the listening experience of users. Just keep the ads short and smartly placed.

➤ Online Event Passes and Season Bundles

Instead of single-event tickets, you can sell monthly event passes, festival bundles, and artist-specific passes. This makes users feel like they are a part of a premium community, and they stay engaged for longer durations.

Challenges and Their Solutions for Developing an App Like LiveOne

Making an app like LiveOne that mixes music, podcasts, and live shows is exciting, but it also comes with challenges. The good thing is that each music streaming app challenge has a practical solution if handled early.

Below are the challenges you might face and their possible solutions:

► Ensure Smooth Live Streaming

Live concerts and events are the heart of a LiveOne-like app. So, users easily get irritated after a few seconds of buffering. Streams should work smoothly in different network speeds, devices, and time zones.

Solutions :

You can use low-latency streaming services like AWS IVS, Agora, etc., and run multiple tests to ensure stable performance during peak traffic.

► Handling Large Content Files

Music tracks, podcasts, event replays, and video recordings take up a huge amount of storage. Over time, this can slow down your music streaming app and increase your server bills if not managed properly.

Solutions :

Developers can use cloud platforms with automatic scaling and store files efficiently. They can use CDNs so users can access content very fast without your servers getting overloaded.

► Managing Content Licensing

Music, podcasts, and event recordings come with legal rules. Without proper licenses, you risk copyright claims, takedown notices, or penalties. This becomes really tough as your content library grows.

Solutions :

You can work with creators directly, use legal music libraries, negotiate licensing deals early, and set clear rules for user-generated or uploaded content.

How Can Nimble AppGenie Help You to Develop an App Like LiveOne?

If you are planning to develop an app like LiveOne, you need a team that understands how music streaming apps work, the streaming part, the content flow, the UI, and the backend. That’s exactly where Nimble AppGenie makes a difference.

We have already worked on Nujaxx, a music streaming app, so we know what it takes to blend audio, video, and user engagement in a seamless way. That experience helps us build modern and easy-to-use platforms. With Nimble AppGenie, you do not just get music streaming app development solutions.

You get a team that helps you :

• Shape your idea properly
• Decide on the right set of features
• Create a visually appealing UI
• Set up music streaming features
• Build a stable backend
• Test the app across devices

If you have decided to build your own app like LiveOne, we are happy to serve you with our end-to-end services.

Conclusion

Developing an app like LiveOne is not as complicated as it first seems. Once you understand the features, the tech behind it, and the roadmap, the whole idea becomes much easier.

No matter if you want to start small with a basic MVP app or build a custom AI music streaming app, the key is to move one step at a time and keep the user experience at the center.

Hopefully, this guide helped you understand how these apps work and what it takes to build one. If you are planning to create an app like LiveOne, feel free to reach out to us.

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Niketan Sharma

Niketan Sharma, CTO, Nimble AppGenie, is a tech enthusiast with more than a decade of experience in delivering high-value solutions that allow a brand to penetrate the market easily. With a strong hold on mobile app development, he is actively working to help businesses identify the potential of digital transformation by sharing insightful statistics, guides & blogs.