How to Hire Mobile App Developers? A Must-have Guide for Businesses

The world is on the go!

Literally.

If you look around, you will see people working while exploring new places, tracking their fitness goals, navigating traffic with GPS, and shopping for everything from essentials to luxury items—all through mobile apps.

This seamless shift to digital has empowered individuals to search, shop, and engage with services from virtually anywhere in the world.

If you, as a business, haven’t leveraged this opportunity, it’s time to become accessible at your target audiences’ fingertips with a mobile app.

We know what you might be thinking — How to hire mobile app developers?

Well, let’s make your journey an easy one.

Continue reading this blog as we guide you in choosing the right resources for mobile app development.

Mobile App Development: 9 Steps Into A Seamless & Successful Hiring of Developers

(1) Define your requirements

Clearly defining your requirements is the first step in hiring mobile app developers.

Start by mapping out the scope of your project, including the type of app and platform (Android, iOS, or both) alongside its features and functionalities.

You also need to focus on user experience. Afterall, the elements and layout will contribute to enhancing the user experience.

Determine the technology stack for frontend and backend, followed by frameworks, programming languages, and development tools to ensure seamless development.

Pro Tip - Rather than mentioning your requirements verbally, outline these details in a document with a catchy introduction and upload it on online platforms like Upwork, Fiverr, Freelancer.com, and more or provide it to staff augmentation companies to Hire Android Developers or iOS one of your preference.

(2) Choose hiring model

Once you pass the step one, move on to the next — Selecting the hiring model.

Typically, there are three hiring models in the market:

• Freelancers
• In-house Developers
• Development Agencies

Let’s give you an overview of each one -

• Freelancers - This type of model is ideal for short-term or small projects. Freelancers are independent contractors who work on a per-project basis, where the project’s deliverables and timeline are limited. They are cost-effective compared to in-house developers and development companies. Most importantly, they are extremely flexible and possess specialized skills in niche technologies.
• In-house Developers - Much like its name, this hiring model suggests a team or an individual entity will exclusively work for you or the firm full-time. They are also regarded as salaried employees who receive a predetermined pay cheque every month. One of the perks of hiring in-house developers is that they are dedicated to your projects, collaborate with the team, and keep an eye on the development process, ensuring quality and compliance.
• Development Agencies - Development agencies offer all-inclusive development services, where their pool of resources manages everything from initial concept to final deployment and maintenance. These agencies extend experienced professionals who are ready to get head on head with any development challenge. The best part, you ask? They have a wealth of resources, allowing you to hire iOS developers, android, and even hybrid ones depending on your demands who can seamlessly scale up or down to your requirements.

Since you are familiar with the perks of each model, it's time you gauge your needs and make a thoughtful decision that goes hand in hand with your project’s needs and business goals.

(3) Evaluate Skills & Experience

Step 3 is all about evaluating the skills and experience of the developer(s) you opt for your project. Always remember — Never settle down for less; assess the team wisely by asking relevant questions related to their proficiency and experience on similar projects.

Apart from comprehending their knowledge, measuring their communication skills and ability to collaborate and adapt to your needs is crucial. Don’t forget to check out their portfolio and look for apps that have similar complexity and functionality to yours.

You can also conduct coding tests or a technical assessment in programming languages used for your projects, like Swift, kotlin/Java, React Native, Flutter, Ionic, and more, to understand developer(s) accuracy and problem-solving skills.

(4) Technical Proficiency

Technical proficiency is not limited to having a knowledge of technology and programming languages, it is also about testing their understanding of app architecture, databases, APIs, version control systems, and seamless integration with relevant third-party apps and libraries.

The developer should also have expertise in testing tools & debugging techniques, optimizing an application for flawless performance, and implementing robust security.

If your selected team or candidate has these skills, jump to the next step.

(5) Communication & Collaboration

Nat Turner once said, “Good communication is the bridge between confusion and clarity,” and we couldn’t agree more with him.

While you must have a straightforward conversation with the resource(s) you hire, it’s imperative that they, too, communicate clearly, share their remarkable ideas, express their viewpoints, and, above all, be open to feedback.

They must collaborate with the other team members and stakeholders to discern their vision and thought process, ensuring effortless alignment.

(6) Quality Assurance & Testing

The app development cycle will never be complete without thorough testing of the application, which is why it is significant that the developer or team should have a solid understanding of quality assurance and testing methodologies like functional, performance usability, security, compatibility, regression, and alpha & beta testing.

They should also know how to track and manage defects, generate extensive testing reports, and conduct User Acceptance Testing (UAT) to launch a robust, reliable, user-friendly, and appealing app that stands out in the market.

(7) Budget & Cost Considerations

When budgeting for app development, it is essential to stay aware of the cost implications related to development and post-launch support. Establish a realistic budget that includes expenses such as development, marketing, maintenance, and updates right from the start.

Compare different hiring models to choose the best for your needs. As far as app development is concerned, you not only pay for coding, but also designing, technology, tools, testing, project management, marketing, launch, maintenance, and updates. 

You also have to consider hidden costs, such as changes or additions to the project scope, delays or overruns, licensing & compliance, and integration with third-party services.

Besides this, you also need to follow strategies like the MVP approach, agile development, and leveraging reusable components to bring out a cutting-edge and powerful product without burning a hole in your pocket.

(8) Legal & Contractual Agreements

To protect your intellectual property rights and ensure clear & detailed terms of engagement it's important to draft a legal agreement containing all the information related to the project.

You must make sure that the contract highlights the project's scope, the timeline of each milestone, payment terms, details of the deliverables, revisions & change requests and a clause related to confidentiality of safeguarding sensitive data.

Furthermore, it should define both parties' rights, the confidentiality duration, and the consequences of the breach. The agreement must also comprise ownership of deliverables, a work-for-hire clause, moral rights waiver, third-party IP, governing law, arbitration and other termination clauses like termination of cause & convenience and compensation upon termination.

Lastly, liability and warranty clauses should be addressed in the legal documentation. Doing so will guarantee a secure and smooth collaboration, benefiting both parties that leads to a successful project outcome.

(9) Post Launch Support

Many tend to overlook this step, but you must not. It is one of the most notable aspects that will continue to maintain your application functionality and resolve potential issues, promising an app that adapts to market fluctuations and keeps impressing the audience.

Here’s what post-launch support includes -

1. Bug fixes & issue resolution  
   
   
   • Bug tracking
   • Prompt fixes
   • User communication  
      
2. Regular updates & enhancements  
   
   
   • Features addition
   • Performance improvements
   • User interface enhancements  
      
3. User support & feedback  
   
   
   • Help desk
   • Feedback mechanism
   • User engagement  
      
4. Compatibility & performance updates  
   
   
   • Load times
   • Resource management
   • Scalability  
      
5. Documentation & knowledge base  
   
   
   • Technical documentation
   • User guides
   • Training materials  
      
6. Backup & disaster recovery  
   
   
   • Regular backups
   • Disaster recovery plan  
      
7. Marketing & user acquisition  
   
   
   • Promotional campaigns
   • App Store Optimization (ASO)
   • User retention strategies

Why Choose Netclues for Your Next Big Idea?

Seeking a next-generation mobile app for your business? Netclues can be your best choice to hire mobile app developers.

Since the advent of 2008, we have been crafting contemporary solutions with our extensive experience, innovative approach, unrivaled expertise and exceptional skills.

We not only create an app that’s visually striking but also offers a seamless user experience in terms of intuitiveness, information, functionality, and uptime.

Our company has trained and vetted experts who have been designing and developing top-notch mobile applications for diverse verticals, including real estate, government & public sectors, retail, restaurant, banking & finance, travel & tourism, legal, spa & salon, and healthcare.

From native to hybrid, we have a range of dedicated developers for your unique needs.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Dedicated vs freelancers vs development team: which is the best type to hire?

The choice between the three depends on the complexity of the app, budget, timeline, and expertise needed. 

Each of them comes with a suite of benefits:

• Dedicated developers are perfect for long term projects requiring constant support. 
• Freelancers are an excellent choice for short term projects with limited budget. 
• Development team is great for managing complex projects that needs diverse skillset and consistent collaboration. 

2. How many app developers can I hire for a project?

Generally app development team consists of 2-10 developers. However, your need is directly correlated to your requirements such as complexity, timeline and budget of your project.

3. How long does it take for mobile app development?

The timeline may vary on the difficulty of the project, technology & programming languages used in it, accessibility of the resources, development tools, and budget.

Although a simple app with limited features and functionalities can be created within 2-4 months and complex apps may take up 6-12 months.