How Much Does It Cost to Build a Fantasy Game App Like Dream11?

We all know that games are a way to escape the busy and stressful lives. But, what if you couldn’t go out and play your favorite game? The answer is simple. Try out getting indulged in these games virtually using Fantasy Game Apps like Dream 11, FanDuel, ESPN Fantasy Sports, and many more.

By allowing newbies as well as experts to get involved in their favorite games in real-time. Apps like Dream 11 are actually proving as a boon for sports enthusiasts especially in this time of the pandemic. Also, with people getting used to staying at home, their craze and popularity don’t seem to end anytime soon.

If you are a budding entrepreneur planning to make it big in this industry and want to know about Fantasy Game App Development Cost, this article is for you. This article intends to put the spotlight on why developing a fantasy game app is a good idea. How you can successfully do that, and how much it will cost you. So, let’s get started.

Why Is It a Great Idea to Develop an App Like Dream 11?

1. The Fantasy Sports Market Size Is Expected to Reach $43370 Million by 2026

As per reports, in 2024, the Global Fantasy Game Market size was $32.21 Billion and it is expected to reach $105.58 Billion by 2033, growing at a CAGR of 14.1% during 2025-2033. 

Because of the increasing number of smartphone and internet users, there are a ton of hidden opportunities in the worldwide fantasy sports application market. As per reports, there are 60 sports fantasy operators in India alone against the future demand of 50 Million users. Additionally, laws around the globe are on the side of Fantasy Sports Apps so it is a brilliant opportunity for Fantasy Sports App Developers to grab the market share and build the user base to earn Billions.

2. The OFS Sector Has Been Experiencing Rapid Growth For the Last 4 Years

If we dig deeper into the Online Fantasy Sports (OFS) segment, we will find that the sector is on an undeniable rise – a bit because of its user base that it works around and somewhat because of the popularity of the industry and the income it generates. Have a look at the below statistics:

3. Investors Are More Than Willing to Invest In Fantasy Sports Market

The prevalence of the fantasy sports applications is also driven by investors who are more than willing to invest in this market which in turn is helping Fantasy sports apps grow and scale at a much faster rate.

Usually, Fantasy Sports Applications also attract users in local languages to improve engagement. This is the reason why esports pioneers like Nazara and Tencent are also putting resources into Fantasy Sports Gaming. 

So, before investing in Fantasy Game App, if you are worried about raising the funds for the same – you don’t have to. Just develop a robust product and investors will reach you with funds.

Let’s now see what features you should integrate into your app like Dream 11 to match it as per the industry standards. An overview of features you want to add in your dream 11 like app will help you find out a ballpark estimate on Fantasy Sports App Development Cost. So, let’s dig in.

Must-Have Features of a Fantasy Game App Like Dream 11

Participant’s Application

• Easy App Onboarding

When developing a Fantasy Sports App, you need to pay special attention to the app onboarding feature. Asking your users to fill long forms when they are eager to use your app – is not a good idea at all. Instead, you should give your users the option to sign-in your app in just a few taps.

You can consider adding an option to register-in app using popular social media apps like Facebook or Gmail. Or, you can also let users register in-app using an OTP. 

• Well-Organized Landing Page

When users come on board, you should show them a list of sports that are being played at present to let them decide in which game they want to indulge – cricket, football, basketball, or some other game. To make things even easier – you can add a search bar to your home screen to let your users search for games using various filters like date, type of match, players, etc.

• Ability to Socialize

When users of a Fantasy Game App feel connected to each other – they engage with the app more which in turn will help you retain them easier. The greatest dilemma of businesses in this industry is that they feel their users play against each other. Hence, they don’t provide them the option to interact which lessens their app engagement rate.

Also, the sense of achievement compels users to use the app again and again. It also helps them show people they know that they have a good knowledge of the game. Hence, it is worth adding a social element in your app like Dream 11 to acquire more and more users and also to retain the old ones.

• Details of Contest 

In this section of the app, the users will be able to view details of sports that they chose to play. Here, they should be given all the details related to their fantasy sports and they should also be able to filter that content according to – contest type, winning range, contest size, entry fee, and winners count, etc.

• Hassle-Free Payments

This is a crucial part of the Fantasy Sports Apps. If you want your users to use the app to fulfill their fantasy of getting indulge in real-time games – you must give them the option to pay in-app hassle-free. 

For the best experience, consider integrating multiple payment options in your app like credit or debit cards, PayPal, Paytm, and more to let your users pay using their preferred payment option.

• Achievement Badges

This is again a feature to keep your users hooked with your application.

It ensures user retainment on your fantasy sports platform by giving your users a reason to keep coming back to your app. App users are more likely to return on platforms where they have a badge allocated to their profile. 

Besides, this can be taken one step ahead with the ability to share accomplishment badges on social media platforms. This feature will kill two birds using one stone – first, it will boost the ego of your existing users who get the badge, and second, it will attract new users (Social media friends of users) towards your app.

• Live Game Feeds

What more can an avid sports fan ask for if he can change from dream mode to the real mode on a similar Fantasy Sports Application? Auditing your virtual team’s performance and experiencing the live feeds of the real matches is an incredible feature to have. 

Admin Panel

• App Analytics

The admin of the app should have all the details related to how things are going in app on a single dashboard.

This dashboard should include all the factual figures around the number of ongoing matches and information related to the number of players, and so on. It should also show the total amount of income generated by the app users in the application. 

• Contests Management

The feature is utilized by the admin for managing and planning the ongoing contests in the app. He should easily deal with the category of contests, addition, deletion, or even deactivation of a contest whenever required. 

• Earnings Reports

The best aspect of a fantasy game application is the earning that an individual gets through the app. Using this particular feature, the admins can easily see and track how much an individual user is earning in the app.

• Reports

The overall reports management functionality empowers the admin to access all the different report types like earning reports, player ranking reports, and so on. 

While searching for how much it will cost you to develop a Fantasy Sports App, it helps to know the feature set that you want to integrate into it, it also helps to know the tech stack that you will be following to develop your fantasy game app. The cost to develop an app varies greatly depending on the tech stack you follow – the more complex the tech stack you chose, the more will be the cost.

Tech-Stack For Developing a Fantasy Game App Like Dream 11

Now that we have looked at both – the Scope and Technical side of Fantasy Sports Apps, it is now the time to look at the business aspect of the app. Because if you are investing in developing an app – your end goal must be to make money from the same.

Thus, next we should look into the ways in which Fantasy Sports Apps bring in money and have figured out how to become one of the most revenue-generating businesses of not just the sports industry but of the whole world before we head on to uncovering the expense to build up these applications.

How to Make Money With an App Like Dream 11?

Apps like Dream11 are guiding the new way fans get involved with fantasy sports on their phones. This is how you can monetize a fantasy sports app like Dream11 and turn it into a successful business.

1: Paid Contests & Entry Fees

The main attraction in any fantasy app is paid tournaments. To join a league, users pay a small fee, and the system deducts a 10-20% commission from the total prizes given out. The model scales well, particularly in big tournaments like the IPL or FIFA World Cup, and guarantees repeat revenues every time there is a match.

2: In-App Advertising

Since users of fantasy sports apps spend so much time on them, these platforms are perfect for ads. If you choose to use Google AdMob or Facebook Audience Network, you can earn a regular income with banner and interstitial ads, sponsored posts, and brand promotions.

3: In-App Purchases & Premium Features

Many users are willing to pay for an edge over the competition. Offering advanced analytics, player performance predictions, or even team optimization tools as premium add-ons creates an effective microtransaction ecosystem. These features not only enhance the user experience but also significantly boost lifetime value (LTV) per user.

4: Subscription Plans

For income after every game season, fantasy apps can allow users to buy monthly or yearly memberships. Allowing bettors to participate in special competitions, without paying any fees for the app or first-mover access to matches, can convince casual sports betting fans to become paying customers. It guarantees businesses will earn good profits, and people will use the product for longer.

5: Sponsorships and Brand Collaborations

When your app becomes popular, brands will start to see Benefits in cooperating with you. Organizing contests with your brand, publishing posts sponsored by advertisers, or using promotions by partners can help you reach and make money from your audience. It monetizes your users without directly charging them—a benefit to all concerned.

6: Affiliate Marketing & Merchandise Sales

Using fantasy sports apps can help a company increase its revenue outside the digital space. You can advertise jerseys, sports collectibles and gaming accessories, all while earning money from affiliate sites. Having a custom store selling merchandise for fans is also a good idea. This form of monetization caters to what your users value every day and makes them come back.

Now that we have seen the ways using which you can get the money back from your Fantasy Sports App Like Dream 11 – let’s see how much you will have to invest in the first place in the next section that is all about Fantasy Sports App Development Cost.

How Much Will It Cost to Build a Fantasy Sports App?

While considering how to make a fantasy sports app, the first thing that comes to mind is the cost of its development. Whether you choose a Fantasy Sports App development company or approach freelancers for your project, it is good to have an idea of the factors that determine the cost of a fantasy sports application.

Let’s check what these factors are:

1: Platform

Android vs iOS – which platform should I build for?

The platform you chose to develop your app for is one of the most important factors in calculating the cost of a fantasy game app.

That’s why whether you want to build your app for iOS or Android should be clear before you approach any Fantasy Sports App Development Company. Building for iOS is a bit less expensive than building for Android because of the variety of devices available for the latter. However, if you don’t want to miss out on any group of audience, consider building your app for both the platforms and grab the market share.

2: Tech Stack

Once you decide the platform, the next important decision you need to make is on the Tech Stack. Using which programming language or platform do you want to build your app? Which database will you use to store your user’s data? Which third-party APIs or tools you will need? Do you want to build your app the native way or you prefer Cross Platform App Development?

It is better to consult these things with your Fantasy Sports App Development Company to make an informed decision. If you are hiring expert developers, they will surely provide you data on hidden costs of mobile app development to help you avoid any surprises later on.

3: App Features

The cost to develop an app also varies depending on the features you want to integrate in it. For adding certain features in your app like push notifications – you might need to integrate third-party APIs in it which will increase or decrease the app development cost. Also, if you would like to add high-end features that require integration of emerging technologies in your app – it may cost you a bit more.

4: Location of Developers

Finally, the location of your fantasy app developers will also affect your app development cost. While app developers in Western Countries like the USA or Canada work on around $30-$40 per hour, developers in Asian countries work on around $15-$20 per hour. 

5: Types of Sports

The cost of building a fantasy app also depends on how many sports you want to include. A single-sport app (e.g., cricket-only) will require fewer features and logic than a multi-sport platform supporting football, basketball, kabaddi, etc.
Each sport demands a unique scoring system, player database, live data API, and gameplay mechanics. Naturally, the more sports you plan to support, the more development, testing, and third-party integrations are needed, leading to a higher budget and extended timelines.

6: Maintenance & Post-Launch Updates

One of the most overlooked but vital factors is ongoing maintenance. Launching the app is just the beginning. Regular updates, bug fixes, performance optimization, server monitoring, security patches, and adapting to new OS versions or devices all require continuous attention.
Most successful fantasy apps allocate 15–20% of their initial development budget annually for maintenance. This ensures the app stays stable, competitive, and aligned with user expectations.

After you decide these factors for your fantasy game application, you can hire a trustworthy fantasy game app development company to find out the exact number on Fantasy Sports App Development Cost. For now, if you want a ballpark estimate on How much it will cost you to develop a Fantasy Sports App Like Dream 11, we can say it will cost you somewhere around $10k-$25K with the basic features only.

If you want to take your app experience to another level by integrating advanced features in it – then it might cost you somewhere around $25k-$50k. Remember, this is just a ballpark estimate and these numbers can vary depending on your requirements and your app’s business model.

Build the Next Fantasy Game App Like Dream11 with Apptunix

In a world where sports are more than just a game, fantasy sports apps have redefined how fans interact with their favorite teams and players. If Dream11 could transform the Indian fantasy sports scene into a billion-dollar empire, imagine what your idea can become with the right tech partner behind it.

At Apptunix, we don’t just develop fantasy sports apps, we help you build the next big phenomenon in the sports-tech space.

Whether you’re a sports startup founder or an entrepreneur looking to cash in on the booming fantasy gaming industry, your dream deserves more than a generic, cookie-cutter app. At Apptunix, we combine market research, game mechanics, and cutting-edge tech to create custom fantasy sports apps that captivate users and drive real revenue.

We understand that building an app like Dream11 isn’t about copying but elevating the experience. That means real-time scoring engines, flawless payment systems, AI-driven player suggestions, and a seamless user journey. Every pixel is designed to engage, retain, and monetize.