How to Find Mobile App Developers: A Comprehensive Guide with 6 Tips

According to the statistics of Grand View Research, in 2022 the size of the global mobile software market reached $206.85 billion. Experts also predict that from 2023 to 2030, the compound annual growth rate (CAGR) will increase by an average of 13.8%. Thus, building a mobile app is still a promising idea to make money and grow your business. Planning to release a product but not sure where to start development? The answer is simple: find an IT team. Weelorum experts will help you understand the most common types of hiring: In-House, Freelance, and Outsourced. Based on our own experience, we have formed practical tips for you on where to find and how to choose mobile app developers.

Unlock Your App’s Potential: The Essential Steps Before Hiring App Developers

Before you hire mobile application developers, follow these steps.

1. Define the project’s goal

Consider the idea and concept of your digital product, aligning it with your company’s activities. Determine the business objectives for which the application is being created and what value it will bring to users.

Tip: Make a business plan to help you visualize the development goals and organize the stages of work.  

2. Analyze your competitors

What advantages will your mobile app have? To answer this question, you must analyze your competitors’ digital solutions in detail. The input you receive will help you pinpoint the features in demand among users.

3. Research your target audience

Our experience in development shows that one of the critical tasks of promoting apps is to convince the user to download the product. 

Chances are you already analyzed your target audience’s interests, desires, and concerns when you launched your business. Use this information to develop a successful app. After all, by focusing on the motivations of your end users, you can provide them with a truly valuable and beneficial product.

4. Set requirements and budget

Consider what the main functions of your app should be. A development team will help you list additional options to improve the user’s interaction with the program. Highly qualified specialists will also help you determine the best way for the users to get the desired results. They will also help with estimating the budget for the project.

Primary Ways For Hiring Developers: In-House, Freelance, or an Outsourced Team

Hiring mobile application developers is always based on your needs, goals, and financial capabilities. To make an informed decision, you need to compare three basic types of hiring.

Hire in-house developers

An in-house development team is an excellent solution for large-scale projects requiring constant scaling. At the same time, assembling a team of in-house developers implies creating the necessary conditions for work: office, office equipment, software, and much more. 

Pros

• Simplified task control.
• Regular communication between you and your employees.
• High involvement of the team in the project.
• Prompt resolution of arising problems.

Cons

• High cost of staffing and training.
• The need to create an appropriate working environment.
• The need for finding app developers independently or hiring an HR manager to do so.
• Availability of only local specialists who may not have the necessary skills.

Who is it suitable for?

Relevant for large companies with long-term projects that are planned to scale gradually.

Find freelance developers

Thanks to the popularity of freelance platforms such as Freelancehunt, Upwork, and others, you can easily find app developers online. The main advantage of freelancing is the large number of specialists in different fields.

Pros

• Access to talented developers from around the world.
• No need to organize physical workplaces.
• No need for social packages, vacations, or sick leave benefits.

Cons

• High risk of hiring a dishonest employee who will not fulfill their obligations.
• Issues in establishing communication between all participants in the project.
• A long process of selecting the right specialist.

Who is it suitable for?

Freelance developers are suitable for small and medium-sized businesses for projects with small budgets.

Delegate tasks to outsource developers

Find an outsourced team of app developers by contacting a specialized company. A manager will advise you on all issues related to staffing, determining the budget and deadlines, and implementing your idea.

Outsourcing agencies offer flexible collaboration and payment models, making them the most attractive among all three types of hiring.

Pros

• The contractual model of cooperation does not require the cost of hiring employees.
• Ensure a fast development process without additional financial costs.
• Access to highly qualified experts from around the world.
• Ability to expand your in-house team with third-party app programmers who have the tech stack you need.

Cons

• Possible problems in setting up communications with a company from another time zone.
• Language and cultural barriers; yet, they can easily be eliminated by discussing all issues before the contract is signed.

Who is it suitable for?

Small and medium-sized businesses that want to develop actively but do not have the means to form an internal team. Large enterprises, when it is necessary to add a skilled specialist to their staff.

How to Find Skilled Mobile Developers: 4 Smart Ways

Once you’ve decided on the type of hiring, it is time to answer where to find app developers. We’ve already mentioned freelance platforms; let’s discuss other channels for finding specialists.

Platforms to find programmers

An easy way to find a team for a project is to visit contractor search sites with candidate profiles. There are both general and narrowly focused platforms, so we recommend turning to specialized IT recruiting resources.

Examples: Toptal, Clutch, Freelancer, IT Job Pro, and others.

Web platforms are great for finding app writers, UX/UI designers, backend and frontend developers, and other app-related professionals.

Hackathons and IT conferences 

To hire an app development company, you can attend specialized technical events, for example, hackathons for app coders or IT conferences, where specialists from all fields gather. With a focus on a particular conference, you can find a team to help you create an app tailored to your needs and wishes.

Forums and tech communities

Visit forums or join professional IT communities where you can meet qualified experts. There you can also get recommendations on how to select talented developers. There you will also learn about the different technologies used to create mobile apps, which will give you an understanding of the specialists you should look for and with which talents. You can also ask about the development process to improve your business plan, set realistic deadlines, and calculate your budget more accurately.

Among the most popular platforms are: GitHub, HackerNoon, Stack Overflow, etc.

Networking

This method involves meeting people who can lead you to highly qualified technical experts. The social network LinkedIn is great for networking. After registering an account, you can immediately start finding mobile app developers. 

How does networking work?

• Make business connections, e.g., on LinkedIn.
• Find the developers you need and other representatives of companies who have already worked with different teams.
• Collect feedback and recommendations from new connections.
• Get in touch with potential contractors.

6 Tips for Hiring the Best App Development Team 

Building mobile applications is a meticulous and complex process, so entrusting the case to real professionals is important for the best result. We have compiled 6 recommendations for you, which will help you to know how to find good app developers.

1. Study portfolios, cases, and reviews

Once you find several right candidates, learn as much as possible about their experience and previous projects. Explore reviews and ratings from other clients on various platforms where the company is represented. This approach will help you determine how the team handles assigned tasks, solves problems, and more.

2. Get familiar with various methodologies and technologies

Continue your “investigation.” Ask for or find information about the tech stack on the website. For example, you need to write a cross-platform app. Find out if the team members have the necessary skills and whether they’ve done it before.  

Tip: Make a list of technologies for development to narrow down your search for specialists.

Also, to develop a mobile app, you need to understand what methodologies the team uses and how they will manage your project. This way, you can set up the most reliable form of cooperation and communication.

3. Interview the team

Any collaboration begins with a dialogue, so a great tip when recruiting a team is to talk to the experts. You can ask any questions at the interview to understand how experienced and competent the team members are in your field.

Examples of questions for an interview:

• Do you have experience with projects like mine?
• What technologies do you use?
• Can you do a preliminary cost estimate?
• How do you check the reliability of a developed app?
• What communication channels do you use?
• How do you organize project flow?

4. Define key performance criteria

After the interview, you need to set clear requirements and expectations for the team. Such performance criteria include:

• experience and qualifications;
• tech stack;
• communication skills;
• salary and terms of employment;
• location of each employee (for multicultural teams).

When hiring a team that includes talent from different countries, clarify how they deal with differences in time zones.

5. Plan the budget

It is essential to provide the team with a list of your product requirements for review to get a preliminary estimate of cost and deadlines for delivery. Discuss with the team representative the price of the services and your financial capabilities.

How to hire mobile app developers if the budget is limited. The good news is that you can find contractors from countries with much lower prices for outsourcing services. Ukraine, for example, is one of the most promising destinations for IT outsourcing. As a rule, the average hourly rate here is $30-60. By comparison, in the U.S., you pay $65-130 for an hour of work.

6. Avoid common mistakes

It’s important to familiarize yourself with the most common mistakes employers make when looking for outsourcers. We do NOT recommend you to:

• look for one specialist for different kinds of work;
• save money on hiring testers because the reliability of your app depends on their work;
• focus only on trending technologies.

Good experts will always tell you where it is better to use proven tools and where you can apply an innovative approach.

Transform your Mobile App Development Experience with Weelorum — Your Trusted Partner

Our company will help you create a project from scratch, come up with a creative design, and more. We provide full-cycle development services: from research and development of your idea to post-release support of the finished app.

Our app developers for hire specialize in developing products for iOS, Android, Internet-of-Things devices, or cloud platforms. We use various proven tools, including React Native and Flutter frameworks. We also use cutting-edge technologies: cloud computing, AI, facial recognition, and more.Check out the Weelorum team’s success stories to learn more about our work.

Final Words

We talked in detail about where and how to find mobile app developers and shared tips for selecting them. Remember that the success of a mobile app depends on various factors. Among them, the professionalism and experience of the IT team play a key role. Thus, you must focus on those candidates who share your ideas and views.

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