Is your business thinking of adding a mobile app to sell your products or enhance your customer service? You’re not alone. In the second quarter of 2019, there were almost 2 million apps available in the Apple Store alone, with 205 billion mobile apps downloaded in 2018. You may have already begun to search for the right mobile app developer to help bring your product to market. With so many options to choose from, how do you make sure you select the right mobile app developer for your needs?
Here are 8 considerations for hiring a mobile app developer to help make that choice easier.
1) Portfolio
The first thing you want to look at when evaluating a mobile app development company is its portfolio. Look for projects that demonstrate experience with the type of technology you want to use, the platform your app will run on and features similar to yours.
Look beyond the company’s technical prowess, however, and spend some time deciding if they have the user interface and design skills your app will need. How a user interacts with your app and its interface could make or break its success.
And make sure you don’t just view their apps’ screenshots or descriptions – actually download the apps and install them. Play around, click everything. Make notes of what features or workflows you do or don’t like to discuss with the developer later.
2) Past Clients
For added due diligence, check out reviews of the development company on sites like Clutch or Goodfirms, third-party services that rank providers and allow users to submit somewhat anonymous reviews and feedback. Read each review and rating carefully for any details of budget, schedule, or project management abilities. See if the review mentioned whether the company used subcontractors and how they performed. What you learn from these sites doesn’t necessarily have to make your decision to work with that particular developer or not, but being forewarned of potential issues means you can address them with the developer before signing a contract and perhaps help you negotiate terms.
3) Price
“You get what you pay for” is wise advice. Never let a low price quote be the sole reason you select one mobile app developer over another. Instead, look at the value behind the quoted costs – what does each development team bring to the table and is that value-priced fairly? Will you end up spending more on added features and additional scope if you go with a low-cost developer with less experience? Does a higher-priced team have more resources available to get your project done faster?
More often than not, a quality, professional, and experienced team is priced higher because they’ve developed apps like yours before and know all the pitfalls and additional work required to bring your idea to market. Trust that expertise.
That being said, if you’re just getting your business off the ground your budget may be tight. In this case, hiring a high-caliber, knowledgeable mobile app developer located outside the United States could be a great option. Offshore developers have the experience and tech chops to work with you effectively, but charge much less than US competitors.
4) Partnership
Ideally, you want to find a mobile app developer who will be with you through all phases of the entire project: design, development, launch, and support. Look for a team who is interested in your business, and how your app will affect and grow your business and can recommend solutions, ideas, and tips for integrating the app into your sales efforts, marketing plan, and long-term business strategy. Don’t go for a developer who just wants to get in, get the development done, and then move on to the next client. Instead find one willing to build a partnership with you and your company that could last beyond this one particular app.
5) Package
It’s a good idea to make sure whatever mobile app developer you hire doesn’t just work in one technology or specialty. Does their expertise encompass a wide range of languages, platforms, or software? Or do they have access to sub-contractors or other partnering companies who can fill any knowledge gaps? This might be important if a critical feature of your app requires additional front- or back-end technology that can’t be supplied by a development company with a narrow skillset.
6) People
Building a mobile app is a big undertaking and can be a long, intense process. It’s important to know if you’ll be able to work well with the people on the team you hire because you’ll be spending a lot of time with them, either in person or remotely. Can they communicate well? Do they treat you with respect and make an effort to understand your desires and goals? Are they professional and have your best interests in mind? See if you can spend some time in the hiring process getting to know not just the team lead, but also some of the developers who will be working directly on your code to help answer these questions.
7) Platform/Project
Make sure before you hire a mobile app developer you do your research to know what platform and mobile devices you want your app to run on. Know your app’s requirements inside and out. Have a clear, defined set of goals you can provide each mobile app developer you talk to. Find out if the developer does strictly native apps or can develop cross-platform, which could make a difference if you want to reach all mobile users regardless of device.
8) Process
Try to discover if the development company has a project management process and, if so, what that process is, in detail. Knowing this will help you understand what to expect from them and when during the project, and also what they’ll need from you before they can move on to each next step.
If they don’t have a process? Think long and hard about whether they’re right for you. Even if your app is very small or low-tech, development can’t be done well when it’s done haphazardly. There needs to be a step-by-step development procedure with benchmarks, milestones, and measurable goals in place.