How to Hire App Developers?
The mobile app market is going to reach $717 billion by 2030. Startups and businesses around the world realizing the importance of mobile apps have fueled this growth. Businesses in sectors like healthcare, retail, education, and finance are moving to mobile apps to be competitive. The apps provide customers the comfort and businesses treat apps as a new area for growth. Businesses either want to be the first mover or stay competitive through mobile apps. The biggest question for many businesses after decking to develop an app is, “How to hire app developer?”
We will answer your questions about where to start, what questions to ask and how to hire the best mobile app developer.
Two Things to Decide Before Searching and Hiring a Developer
Before you look for a developer, you need to decide these two things.
1. What are your business goals with the mobile app?
Planning a business strategy with an app helps you set your expectations. You should list services and information you want to be part of the app to search for and hire a relevant app developer. The services you want to offer will decide how complex an app you will need. The average app cost and required developer expertise will depend on your goals.
2. What kind of app do you need to hire app developer for?
First of all, you have to choose between a native and web mobile app. Native apps have greater customizations while web apps are cheaper and work on all platforms. If you go for a native app, you will have to choose between iOS, Android or both. The choice has to be based on the target market, budget and business goals.
Options for Mobile App Development Partner
Mobile app development has three major options to choose from.
In-house App Developers
1. Who needs in-house developers?
In-house app development is a good idea for businesses with focus on the digital market. Employing a team of developers involves high costs in salaries and benefits but also advantages. Full time experienced developers can focus on your app and regularly improve it. Moreover, it helps in having direct control of project management and maintaining corporate culture. In-house app development may not be suitable for businesses centered around offline services which is when you may want to hire app developer from outside.
2. How to find in-house developers?
If you don’t have an in-house team, you can look for developers through local ads in newspapers and on job-searching websites. If you have an in-house team, you may need to discuss any further requirements with the department and look for experts based on their demands. Conduct interviews with focus on your business goals and vision for the mobile app.
Pros
- Greater control and project management
- Effective communication
Cons
- Hiring difficulties
- High cost
- Responsibilities towards full-time employees
Outsourcing App Development
1. Why should you outsource app development?
Outsourcing app development is preferable for all kinds of businesses that don’t want to go for in-house development. Expert app development agencies can offer comprehensive services for all kinds of apps. You also get a wide range of options including onshore and offshore app development agencies with different rates.
2. Onshore App Development Agencies
For business in North America and Europe, agencies in their own country or nearby ones are onshore agencies. These agencies can provide high quality apps with local talent. An advantage of outsourcing app development to onshore agencies is the cultural and time zone closeness. These become important to the success of a long-term project. The drawback is usually the rates which are way above those of offshore agencies.
3. Offshore App Development Agencies
App development agencies in developing countries can be a great alternative for western businesses looking to save on app development costs. Offshore app development companies in countries like India can offer the expertise and communication required for a successful project. The costs can be ten times cheaper which more than offsets the inconvenience of time zone gaps.
4. Where to find an app development agency?
You can do a simple Google search to get the list of top app developers in your area or in a foreign country. LinkedIn is a great place to go through various app development companies and their work. Many app development agencies operate through online platforms like Upwork, Fiverr and Freelancer. You can easily get ratings, portfolio and reviews for verified agencies through these sites. Focus on agencies that have worked in your sector as that will provide the expertise you will require.
Pros
- Customizable teams with experts
- Faster app development
- No additional costs on employee benefits
- Dedicated project manager
- Low cost due to offshore options
Cons
- No direct control of developers
- Cultural and time zone gaps
- Higher cost with onshore agencies
Hiring a Freelance App Developer
Freelance app developers can be a good option for small businesses looking for basic apps. Freelancers often have lower costs and can offer greater control over the app development. You can go for a freelancer from the developing world and save on the costs as well.
The concern with hiring freelancers is often about managing the project. Hiring one freelancer might not be enough and getting multiple freelancers to collaborate can be a headache. If you have the time and resources to handle it, freelancers can be a good option.
You can hire app developer as a freelancer in multiple ways. You can ask for references from friends, surf LinkedIn, or marketplaces like Upwork, Freelancer and Fiverr.
Pros
- Cheapest option
- No employment benefit costs
Cons
- More management required
- Cultural gap
- Quality might not meet high standards
- Commitment issues
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Things to Look for When You Hire App Developer
Now that you have chosen the type of developer and shortlisted a few, you need to focus on what each can offer you. There are many questions you should get answers to before you trust and hire an app developer for your mobile app.
1. Go through their website and profile
An app developer’s website says a lot about their services. Going through the website and social profiles gives you details about their app development process, services, portfolio, case studies and other important details. You also get to know about their philosophy and culture which plays a big role in long-term projects.
2. Go through their portfolio
An app developer’s portfolio is the quickest way to gauge their quality and capabilities. Try to find relevant apps in there that match your requirements. Read the case studies and download the apps to experience the apps as a user. You’ll easily notice the graphics, smoothness, features and technologies used in the app. An intuitive UX is often a good sign of the developers expertise, optimization and focus on little things that matter.
3. Ask for client references
No one can tell you about the experience of working with a developer better than their clients. If they can provide client references, you can get an idea of how the developer treats clients and whether they can tackle unexpected problems faced during the project. You can also go to Clutch.co to check out the B2B reviews for the developer.
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4. Get a custom quote for your app
Hiring app developers based on rates only is never a good idea but the cost matters. Not all developers that charge high rates deliver the best quality so assessing the rates and quality is crucial before hiring a developer. Most of the app developers offer free custom quotes based on the requirements of their clients. You can provide the feature requirements or a similar app as information to get the cost estimate. Asking for a quote will help you compare the quality and rates of different app developers.
5. Interview the dedicated team
When you hire an agency to work on your mobile app, you should prefer getting a dedicated team. A dedicated team will have complete focus on your project and provide quicker, high-quality results. While interviewing the developers, ask about their work experience, expertise and how they work in a team. The main goal of the interaction is to establish a connection with the team and get an idea of their professionalism.
Once you have enough information about all developers and their rates, you should be able to choose whom to hire as your app developer. The process described here is a generalized one. You should look for developers at different places and ask different questions based on your requirements at every stage. The process may take time but remember, it is better to spend time looking for a developer than choosing an incompetent one.
Looking to hire an app developer for your business? Zenia Mobile is a leading mobile app developer based in India serving businesses around the world. We can provide you with a dedicated team of experienced mobile app developers and a manager as the single point of contact. Contact us today to get a custom quote and hire app developer for an app based on your business requirements.
