How to Build an App Like The ENTERTAINER?

Key Takeaways:

• The cost to develop an app like The ENTERTAINER ranges from $5,000 to $10,000 for basic features to $25,000 or more for advanced apps.

• The ENTERTAINER-style apps operate on a three-sided marketplace model connecting users, merchants, and the platform through location-based incentives.

• Future growth trends include blockchain integration, super app ecosystems, AI personalization, AR/VR previews, and cross-platform accessibility.

• Success requires balancing user value through savings with merchant growth through customer acquisition, creating a mutually beneficial ecosystem.

• The ENTERTAINER-like app development process begins with planning and market research, followed by final custom development with JPLoft.

Are you planning to build an app like The ENTERTAINER? Then you are at the right place. Today is the right time to grow your business and lead the industry digitally.

To build a lifestyle and deals platform that truly stands out requires both strategic planning and tech innovation. One of the most compelling success stories in this niche is The ENTERTAINER.

It is a Dubai-originated mobile app that transformed a traditional “Buy One Get One Free” incentive model into a digital platform used by millions globally.

Originally launched as printed vouchers in 2001, The ENTERTAINER evolved into a subscription-based mobile app in 2013, delivering location-based offers across various categories.

However, for businesses seeking to replicate this success, understanding the core architecture is vital. They must consider monetization strategies and user experience principles that underpin the app.

In this blog, we’ll walk through the step-by-step process to develop an app like The ENTERTAINER. We will also detail feature planning, backend design, tech stack selection, and go-to-market strategy.

What is The ENTERTAINER App?

The ENTERTAINER is the top provider of “Buy One Get One Free” offers across Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Middle East. The app provides a discount for categories such as dining, wellness, entertainment, travel, and attractions.

The business has successfully transitioned from a printed voucher book to a digital ecosystem. Company partners with quality businesses and merchants like hotels, restaurants, and leisure brands to help them increase footfall while delivering tangible savings to users.

For businesses, the app acts as a powerful marketing and customer acquisition channel, while users benefit from consistent savings throughout the year. 

You can also create a similar app by partnering with reliable Dubai based app development companies and entering the market. 

How Does The ENTERTAINER App Work?

The ENTERTAINER app operates on a three-sided digital model involving users, merchants, and the platform itself. The working process of The ENTERTAINER app is as follows.

• Users begin by downloading the app and creating an account using email, mobile number, or social login.

• After registration, they choose a subscription plan based on their preferred city or country to unlock exclusive deals.

• Users can browse offers by category, such as dining, wellness, entertainment, travel, or attractions.

• To redeem an offer, users generate a digital voucher within the app at the merchant location.

• Partner merchants verify the voucher through their merchant portal or POS integration.

• Finally, users can rate their experience and leave feedback.

However, merchants onboard through a partner portal, where they upload offers, set redemption rules, and track performance metrics. The platform performs a quality check of the merchant and its services before the onboarding process. 

On the backend, the platform manages subscriptions, merchant contracts, analytics, and user behavior data. When a user consults THE ENTERTAINER to redeem an offer, the app validates it in real time using secure authentication and a usage limit to prevent misuse.

The result is a scalable app with over 1 million downloads on the Play Store and a 4.8 average rating on App Store. Moreover, the brand acquires over 4.2 million active users along with a global network of 10,000+ merchants, providing users with an exceptional experience while saving money for them.

Till here, you must be aware of how the ENTERTAINER app works; now is the right time to know the features you should integrate into your application. Read the next section for a complete detail.

Key Features To Make An App Like The ENTERTAINER

Consider a reliable development partner to create an app like The ENTERTAINER. They will help integrate key features that give life to your business idea. Hence, below are the essential features that form the foundation of a successful app.

1. Order Management Modules

The order management modules form the operational backbone of such applications. This feature manages the complete lifecycle of user subscriptions, including plan purchases, renewals, upgrades, cancellations, and offer redemptions.

From an admin perspective, it enables accurate transaction tracking, automated invoicing, refund processing, and revenue reporting.

2. Multilingual Support

Multilingual support is essential for apps targeting Dubai’s diverse audience. With residents and tourists from across the world, the app must deliver content in multiple languages.

However, this allows users to browse offers, understand redemption terms, and receive notifications in their preferred language to improve user engagement.

3. Multiple Payment Gateways

Having multiple payment gateways is vital when you build an app like The Entertainer. This allows users to make payments using credit and debit cards, e-wallets, cryptocurrencies, or any other regional payment method.

Moreover, providing diverse methods reduces payment cancellations. This minimizes payment failures and improves conversion rates.

4. Multi-Currency Support

The apps like The ENTERTAINER provide services to customers from different regions. Multi-currency support enables users to make payments in their preferred currency, which is essential for a global market like Dubai.

Hence, this feature eliminates conversion confusion, improves pricing transparency, and enhances user trust.

5. Saving Tracker for Users

A savings tracker allows users to monitor how much money they save by redeeming offers within the app. This feature displays real-time savings insights, redeemed deals, and total value gained over time.

It increases user engagement, reinforces subscription value, and encourages repeat usage. Hence, making the app more rewarding and habit-forming.

6. Partner Dashboard for Merchants

The app must allow merchants to easily manage their deals and see how well they're working. Provide a simple dashboard that shows business owners' popular promotions and active customers.

The dashboard must describe whether the merchant is making money or not. Merchants can quickly create new offers, update existing ones, and make changes based on real-time data.

How to Create an App Like The ENTERTAINER? A Step-Wise Guide

To make an app like The ENTERTAINER, you need an approach that aligns with your business strategy, technology, and user experience. 

From identifying the right audience to ensuring high scalability, every step plays a crucial role in delivering success. For those still worrying about “How to build a mobile app like The ENTERTAINER,” here is a step-by-step guide.

Step 1: Define Business Concept

Defining a clear concept and identifying the targeted audience is the foundation of your app development. You need to determine whether the app will target residents, tourists, families, corporate users, or a combination of these groups.

Market research helps identify user spending habits, preferred deal categories, and regional expectations. One must also define whether the app focuses on premium offers, affordability, or exclusive experiences.

However, a well-defined concept ensures alignment between features, monetization strategy, and user needs. Hence, this enables the platform to stand out in a competitive lifestyle and entertainment market.

Step 2: Feature Planning

Feature planning translates the app concept into functional requirements. This step involves finding core features such as subscription management, deal discovery, offer redemption, payments, merchant dashboards, analytics, and user profiles.

Focusing on features for an MVP helps reduce development time while maintaining essential functionality. Advanced features like saving trackers and VR previews can be planned for later phases.

Proper planning ensures scalability, avoids unnecessary complexity, and aligns technical development with business goals. However, this makes the app efficient, user-centric, and ready for the future.

Step 3: UI/UX Designing

The UI/UX design services focus on creating an intuitive and engaging user experience that promotes frequent app usage. Clear categorization, smart filters, location-based suggestions, and simple redemption flows are essential.

However, a visually appealing yet minimal design improves readability and usability across devices. Designers work on app wireframes, user journeys, and visual layout to ensure seamless navigation and easy offer discovery.

Based on the wireframes, you must create an app prototype that helps minimize errors in the final product. A good design team considers accessibility, multilingual interfaces, and cultural discovery for a diverse market. 

Step 4: Backend Development

Backend development is responsible for building the app’s core infrastructure and logic. This includes setting up databases, servers, APIs, authentication systems, and integrations with payment gateways and third-party services.

The backend manages subscriptions, user accounts, merchant offers, redemptions, and analytics in real time. Hire a dedicated developer to ensure scalability and security, as the system must handle high traffic and sensitive user data.

A strong backend establishes smooth app performance, accurate data processing, and reliable communication between frontend interfaces and external services.

Step 5: Frontend Development

Frontend development converts UI/UX designs into a fully functional app interface. Hire a mobile app developer who focuses on performance, responsiveness, and smooth interactions across iOS and Android platforms.

This layer handles user actions such as browsing offers, subscribing, redeeming deals, and viewing savings. Efficient frontend development ensures fast load times, minimal crashes, and consistent design behavior across devices.

It also integrates with backend APIs to fetch and display real-time data. Hence, a well-optimized frontend enhances usability, improves engagement, and delivers a polished user experience.

Step 6: API Integrations

Connect the app with essential third-party services that enable real-time operations and automation. The process includes payment gateway APIs for secure subscription purchases, location and map APIs for nearby deal discovery.

Merchant-side integrations, such as POS or voucher verification APIs, ensure real-time validation of offers and prevent misuse. 

Additionally, analytics and tracking APIs help monitor user behavior, redemption patterns, and merchant performance. Proper API integration ensures smooth data flow between the frontend, backend, and external systems.

Step 7: App Testing

App testing is a critical phase where the application is validated. This phase includes functional testing to verify features and performance testing to assess speed.

However, you must also check load handling, security testing to protect data, and usability testing for user experience optimization. Moreover, testing is conducted across multiple devices, operating systems, and user scenarios to identify and fix issues early.

Thorough testing minimizes post-launch risks, enhances app stability, and ensures a seamless experience for users and merchants from day one.

Step 8: App Launch

Launching the app involves publishing it on app stores and executing a structured go-to-market strategy. This includes app store optimization, marketing campaigns, promotional offers, and merchant announcements.

Analytics tools are set up to track user behavior, downloads, and conversions. A successful launch focuses on visibility, early user acquisition, and positive reviews.

Finally, the development team submits your app to the App Store or publishes your app on the Play Store for public use.

Step 9: Post-Launch App Maintenance 

App maintenance services ensure the app continues to perform efficiently after launch. This includes regular updates, bug fixes, performance optimization, security patches, and feature enhancements.

Monitoring user feedback and analytics helps identify improvement areas and new feature opportunities. However, ongoing maintenance also ensures compatibility with OS updates and evolving technologies.

Continuous support keeps the app competitive, improves user satisfaction, and supports business scalability. Long-term maintenance is essential for sustaining growth, retaining users, and adapting to changing market demands.

Hence, going through these steps will easily solve your query on “How to make an app like The ENTERTAINER?” Below, we will discuss the tech stack to use when building such applications.

Tech Stack to Include In An App Like The ENTERTAINER

The right technology stack is crucial for building a scalable, secure, and high-performing app. Here is the latest mobile app tech stack table you can use to develop an app like The ENTERTAINER.

What is the Cost to Make An App Like The ENTERTAINER?

Apart from how to create an app like The Entertainer, you must also know the cost of development. The cost to develop a mobile app depends on various factors. 

You can develop a basic app with an initial investment of $5000. However, the cost goes over $25,000 for a complex, feature-rich application with plenty of use cases.

The actual cost differs as follows:

Let us discuss some factors that impact the cost to develop an app like The ENTERTAINER.

• Number of platforms: Developing for both iOS and Android doubles the cost compared to building for a single platform.

• UI/UX customization: Custom designs with animations and brand-specific interfaces cost more than using standard templates.

• Backend and server infrastructure: Complex systems for managing merchants, vouchers, and user data require significant server investment.

• Hiring cost of developers:The cost to hire mobile app developers in Dubai largely impacts the overall development cost.

• Third-party APIs: Integration of payment gateways, maps, analytics, and notification services adds to overall expenses.

• Project Duration: The time to develop a mobile app impacts the development cost due to extended team engagement.

How to Monetize an App Like The ENTERTAINER?

An app like The ENTERTAINER uses a varied monetization strategy to ensure stable and recurring revenue. The strategy even creates value for both users and merchants. Below are the key revenue streams, explained in detail:

► Subscription Fees

The primary revenue source is paid user subscriptions, usually offered on an annual or monthly basis. Users pay to unlock premium deals such as “Buy One Get One Free” across dining, leisure, and travel categories. 

Levelled pricing plans help target different segments, increase conversions, and ensure predictable recurring revenue.

► Merchant Partnerships

Merchants partner with the platform to increase visibility and customer footfall. While basic listings may be free, businesses often pay for featured placements, sponsored offers, or promotional campaigns. 

This model allows merchants to achieve measurable ROI while generating advertising-driven revenue for the platform.

► Corporate & B2B Plans

The app also earns through corporate subscriptions, where businesses purchase bulk access for employees as a perk or benefit. 

These long-term contracts deliver high-volume sales and consistent B2B revenue with lower acquisition costs.

► Third-Party Advertisements

Third-party advertisements provide an additional monetization channel for such apps without disrupting the core user experience. 

The platform can display targeted ads from relevant brands such as travel companies, lifestyle services, or local businesses within the app.

► Delivery Fee

Delivery fees act as an additional revenue stream when the app supports food, service, or experience bookings. The platform charges a small convenience or service fee on each delivery or booking transaction. 

This fee helps cover operational costs while generating incremental revenue without relying solely on subscriptions.

Future Trends to Use in An App Like The ENTERTAINER

The future of an app like The ENTERTAINER looks highly promising as user demand for value-driven, experience-based lifestyle platforms continues to grow. 

Below are some trends that will help you build an app ready for the future.

1. Blockchain Integration

Blockchain integration can enhance transparency, security, and trust in future Entertainer-style apps. Smart contracts can be used to validate offers, track redemptions, and manage merchant agreements.

Choose a reliable blockchain development company that will help you with seamless integration. Hence, the technology will support secure data handling and audit trails.

2. Super Apps

Build a super app to grow your business in different divisions and provide services in a single place. The future of apps like The ENTERTAINER is moving toward super app ecosystems.

The app can evolve into a single hub for dining, entertainment, travel bookings, payments, and rewards. Hence, by integrating multiple services within one app, users spend more time.

3. Cross-Platform Accessibility

Cross-platform accessibility will play a key role in future growth. Users expect seamless experiences across mobile apps, web platforms, tablets, and even wearables.

However, this flexibility improves user satisfaction and allows the platform to reach a wider audience beyond mobile-only users.

4. AI Agents

AI agents will redefine personalization and user interaction within such apps. These assistants can suggest offers, plan outings, answer queries, and automate bookings based on user preferences.

Moreover, for merchants, AI agents can optimize deal performance and predict demand trends. You can connect with an AI agent development company for an easy development process.

5. AR/VR Integration

This helps businesses boost customer confidence by offering virtual venue tours. Businesses can partner with an experienced AR/VR app development company to showcase interiors or ambience through 360-degree views.

Moreover, this feature improves decision-making, reduces uncertainty, and increases conversions by delivering an interactive preview of venues.

Why Build Your Own ENTERTAINER-Style App with JPLoft?

JPLoft is a mobile app development company in Dubai that has unmatched experience in creating custom applications based on your demand. They have a team of skilled developers and designers who specialize in building reliable backend systems and user-friendly interfaces.

JPLoft helps businesses transform their idea into high-performing digital products that seamlessly rule the market. They focus on scalability, performance, and user experience to ensure long-term success.

Partner with the team of JPLoft to launch a feature-rich app that drives user engagement, merchant growth, and consistent revenue in competitive markets like Dubai and beyond.

Conclusion

You require a strategic combination of the right business model, feature-rich functionality, and future-ready technology to build an app like The ENTERTAINER. From ideation to using advanced features like AI, AR/VR, and blockchain, every development stage plays a critical role in long-term success.

A well-planned tech stack, strong merchant partnerships, and scalable monetization strategies ensure sustainable growth. With evolving user expectations and digital lifestyles, ENTERTAINER-style apps continue to hold strong market potential.

Partnering with an experienced development team can help you transform this concept into a high-performing, revenue-generating digital platform.

Still thinking about how to build an app like The ENTERTAINER? Consult experts at JPLoft for a solution.