How to hire an app developer:
a complete guide

Determine your goals and expectations

How do you start the process of finding a mobile app development company?
By thinking about what you need so you can communicate this to the developer.
Consider these key points:

Before you begin with development, you need to get to know your own expectations and requirements. This gives you a handy foundation on which to build. As you browse potential app development partners, you can use this as a checklist. The perfect developer partner will be able to fulfill all your needs.

Company or freelancer?

What sort of app developer are you going to choose? Are you thinking of hiring a freelancer to develop your mobile app for you? Or would you prefer to outsource the job to a larger company? Let's take a look at some of the advantages and disadvantages of each.

• 

  In-house app developers

  The in-house mobile app developer approach means you hire developers to work with you. They are in your team and on your payroll, which has its perks as well as its downsides.

  Advantages
  • You gain your very own development team, ready to work with you on any mobile app project.
  • This development team is fully dedicated to the needs of your business.
  Disadvantages
  • In-house developers tend to be more expensive than other options.
  • You may not have enough ongoing work to justify hiring an in-house development team.
• 

  Hiring a freelance developer

  A freelance developer is usually an individual working for themselves. Or they may work for an agency. Plenty of freelance developers are highly skilled at what they do. They have all the qualifications and experience necessary to deliver on your project. However, there's only one of them, and this can make things difficult.

  Advantages
  • Freelancer development is usually the cheapest option of the three.
  • You should be able to build a close relationship with the mobile app developer.
  Disadvantages
  • The freelance developer may not have the resources of a larger company or an in-house team.
  • They may be working on other mobile app development projects at the same time as yours.
• 

  Outsourcing company

  When you outsource to a company, you benefit from a professional development team. At the same time, you won't have to actually hire these mobile app developers permanently. In some senses, it's the best of both worlds.

  Advantages
  • Gain access to a full team of mobile app development professionals rather than an individual developer.
  • This is a cheaper option than hiring an
    in-house development team and is more flexible.
  Disadvantages
  • Outsourcing development will usually be more expensive than hiring a freelance developer.
  • The outsourcing company may also be handling lots of development clients at the same time.

Challenges in hiring

Hiring an outsourced app developer team can be a little challenging.
Take a look at some of the common obstacles to this approach to development.

• 

  Time zone gaps

  It's 4 p.m. in your San Francisco office. You want a progress report on your mobile app development project. The trouble is, your outsourced developer team is in Manila, the Philippines. It's 7 a.m. there, and the team is not yet at work. Working through these time zone issues can be tricky when you outsource. Even if your team is only two or three time zones away, this is still important to keep in mind.

• 

  Lack of in-person communication

  Your in-house development team might be just down the hall. Your outsourced development team, on the other hand, might be in a different country. This can create communication challenges.

• 

  Cultural differences

  It's November 17th. You're looking forward to the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday, but you're still working. You reach out to your app development team in the Czech Republic, but there's no answer. That's because it's Struggle for Freedom and Democracy Day. Everyone has the day off! This is just one example of cultural differences between countries around the world. You'll need to navigate these differences as you build a successful development partnership for your business.

What to consider before hiring

How do you choose a software development company? There's a lot to consider before you make your final decision. Here are some key points to bear in mind as you narrow down your choice of app development partners.

Expertise and competence

What is the developer good at — and we mean really good at? Take a look at their competency levels. For example, a candidate might list Amazon Web Services in their areas of expertise. But have they achieved AWS Certified Developer status? Do they have an AWS DevOps Engineer certificate? These accreditations can set development teams apart from the rest.

Also, be wary of too many areas of expertise from mobile app developers. Smaller outsourced development teams and individual freelancers may have one or two specialties. Larger developer companies will have more resources — and may be experts in more areas as a result. If small development teams and freelancers claim to be experts in all technologies, this might be a red flag.

Portfolio and case studies

The mobile app developer's portfolio is a great way to let you know exactly what they can do. Be sure to examine this portfolio and discover more about their track record. Measure this against your own project requirements. Do they have experience in your specific field? Have they produced apps similar to what you need?

Developer case studies are useful here too. Looking at a case study will give you insight into the whole development process, not just the end result. How did they put their development technologies to the best use? How did the developer get to know about their client's aims? How did they work alongside their client to bring these aims to life?

Reviews from previous clients

Good, honest developer reviews are an important resource. This is where previous development clients have their own say on the experience. Look for genuine insight into the process, and learn more about how the mobile app developer operates. Examine all the different levels of reviews, including four, three and two star reviews. Often, these lower to mid reviews give a more critical analysis of what the developer is capable of.

Responses from the developer are also useful. If a client had a bad experience with a mobile app, the developer should take time to address this. They may offer some explanation as to what happened, or they may try to make the bad experience good. This shows a real commitment to great client service. Everyone makes mistakes, but the best developer candidates correct these mistakes.

Testing, implementation, and ongoing services

A mobile app is a product, but it's not a normal product. You can't just take delivery of an app and leave it at that. Instead, you'll need to use testing technologies to make sure the application is fit for purpose. You'll need to install and implement the mobile app, and you'll need updates too. There may be a number of different ongoing services you require from your developers.

Most app development partners won't be able to offer services on a round-the-clock basis. For example, if you want ongoing performance monitoring in
real-time, 24 hours a day, you're going to need your own in-house team for this. However, most outsourced developer partners should still be able to offer ongoing services. This might involve the initial implementation, back-end training for your team, periodic updates, and help with scaling your app.

No-obligation consultation

The only way to really get to know your app development partner is to meet them. With outsourcing, this won't always be possible face to face. However, you will be able to set up an online meeting in which you can chat about the project. You'll also be able to learn more about the technologies they are using. The development team will need to have this capability in place anyway, as ongoing communication is going to be crucial.

This developer's consultation should be no-obligation. If the app developer wants to tie you into a contract before you have had a chance to chat, this is another big red flag. The consultation is an important process for both sides. It gives you the opportunity to make sure that the developer candidate is a good fit. At the same time, it helps the developer learn more about your project and how they can meet your needs.

Direction and process

You might already have a fully formed mobile app idea in your mind, and you simply need a developer to make this happen. In other cases, you might need the developer to offer some assistance with realizing your idea. You may need someone to work with you as you craft winning app ideas for your users. Keep this in mind as you choose a development candidate.

Remember, your developer will have expertise that you can draw upon. They might have real insight into what sort of design elements will work for your audience. They may also have some feature ideas that you can implement in your own mobile app. You are always in the driving seat, but a collaborative process can work wonders for your development project.