Build & Ship

Build & Ship articles from RaftLabs, practical write-ups from engineers who built these things.

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Voice AI · Research

Text-based interviews converted to automated phone calls

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Manual invoice OCR across 40+ gas stations

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SuperValu & Centra loyalty platform with receipt validation

1,062 users in 4 weeks

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Multi-carrier shipping hub for Indonesian eCommerce

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How to build an app like Airbnb: Two-sided marketplace architecture and real challenges

Airbnb is a two-sided marketplace with a trust engine, a payments escrow system, and a real-time calendar sync problem at the center of it. Here's what actually makes it hard to build - and where most teams underestimate the scope.

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How to Build an App Like BetterHelp: Teletherapy Platform Architecture, HIPAA Requirements, and Real Costs

BetterHelp connects clients with licensed therapists through async messaging and video sessions. Building something like it means solving therapist credentialing, HIPAA compliance, and a matching engine -- before you write a single line of client-facing code.

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How to build an app like Booking.com: Architecture, features, and real costs

Booking.com is a hotel search and booking engine backed by live inventory from 28 million+ properties. Here's how the property data pipeline, availability engine, and payment flow work -- and what it takes to build something comparable.

Teacher using tablet in a preschool classroom while children play in the background

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How to Build an App Like Brightwheel (Childcare Management)

Brightwheel costs preschool chains $36K–$72K per year. Daycare franchise operators and multi-center networks build custom to own parent data, cut per-center fees, and meet state-specific licensing requirements.

Property manager reviewing lease documents on a laptop at a modern desk

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How to Build an App Like Buildium (Property Management)

Buildium charges up to $460/month. A 200-unit portfolio manager pays $1,500-$5,500 per year. Custom property management software pays back in 2-3 years. Here is exactly how to build it.

Smartphone showing a card-swipe dating app interface with match notification and chat screen

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How to Build an App Like Bumble: Dating App Architecture for Founders

Bumble turned one product decision, women message first, into a category differentiator that attracted 50 million users. If you are building a dating, networking, or friend-finding app, here is the product architecture, the safety requirements you cannot skip, and what the build actually costs.

Calendar scheduling interface on a laptop screen with appointment booking flow

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How to Build an App Like Calendly (Appointment Scheduling)

Calendly charges $10-$20 per user per month. A 50-person sales team pays $6K-$12K per year. Here is the exact technical breakdown for building your own scheduling software: calendar sync, availability rules, timezone handling, and what it costs.

Browser-based design editor interface with canvas and templates panel

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How to Build a Design Tool Like Canva: The SaaS Product Architecture

Canva made graphic design accessible to non-designers by building a browser-based tool that renders professional-quality output without a design background. If you are building a template-driven design tool for a specific vertical -- real estate flyers, restaurant menus, event programs, social media for a specific industry. Here is what the engineering actually looks like.

How to build an app like Carvana - online car sales platform with financing and delivery

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How to Build an App Like Carvana: Online Car Sales from Search to Delivery

Carvana made $14.4B selling cars entirely online in 2024. The model works: search, finance, sign, deliver. Building a digital car-buying platform means solving VIN decoding, auto financing, state-specific paperwork, and delivery logistics. Not just a pretty inventory UI.

person sending money on a smartphone - How to build an app like Cash App: features, compliance, and cost

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How to build an app like Cash App: features, compliance, cost

Building a P2P payments app looks simple until you hit the compliance wall. Here's what Cash App actually is, why fintech is harder than other app types, and what it realistically costs to build.

Desktop and mobile screens showing a branded online community platform with discussion spaces, member directory, and event listings

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How to Build a Community Platform Like Circle.so: Architecture for Membership Businesses

Circle.so charges communities up to $399 per month plus a 4% transaction fee. For media companies, professional associations, and B2B SaaS teams with 1,000+ members, that math inverts fast. Here is how to build a branded community platform, what it costs, and when custom wins.

Attorney reviewing legal documents on a laptop in a law office

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How to Build an App Like Clio (Legal Practice Management)

Clio charges $49-$129 per user per month. A 20-attorney firm pays $12K-$31K per year. For large firms and legal networks, custom practice management software is a serious alternative. Here is how to build it.

Credit card and smartphone showing a rewards platform dashboard

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How to build an app like CRED

CRED rewards credit card users for paying bills on time. Here's what it actually takes to build a CRED-like platform: tech stack, cost ($100K-$160K), timeline, and the hardest engineering problems.

Real-time community platform architecture diagram showing servers, channels, and voice rooms

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How to Build an App Like Discord: Real-Time Community Platform Architecture and Real Costs

Discord is not a chat app. It is a persistent community operating system built on real-time WebSocket messaging, WebRTC voice rooms, and a flexible permission model. Here is what to build first, what to skip, and what will cost you the most.

Person signing a document on a tablet with a stylus - how to build an app like DocuSign

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How to Build an App Like DocuSign (E-Signature Platform)

A custom e-signature platform like DocuSign costs $60,000–$100,000 and takes 10–14 weeks. Here is what you actually need to build, where the hard parts are, and who should stop paying DocuSign's per-seat fees.