How to hire a mobile app developer in 2024 and beyond

If you’ve come across the saying “there’s an app for that”, or “why don’t they have an app for this yet?”, you’ve probably understood the extent of app influence in the marketing industry. Consumers download and delete applications on a regular basis. From food applications to ride-hailing applications to ones that boost productivity, the key is to create a mobile experience that understands your customers’ needs and has them staying around longer.

If your industry has the use case for an application and is looking to hire a mobile app developer for better engagement with customers, creating a mobile application can help convert ideas to a profitable business. However, in any scenario, the utmost important task is to hire a mobile app developer. While it may seem like a simple hiring alert, interview and intake process, in reality, it holds much more than that.

A mobile app developer for your project is someone who would have to be sharing the same vision, willing to design a prototype and go through the challenges of designing an app. As a new recruiter or as a frequent app developer recruiter, it can be a challenging process as the search does not stop at “mobile app developer near me”. It starts with conducting interviews, going through projects and ends with the final decision to hire an app developer committed to a long term project.

Self-evaluating the company’s needs and goals before embarking on the hiring process is essential. What are your app development goals? Do you need an app developer for the short term or the long term? Is the application for a new business? These are some topics that require being specific about, before defining the app development timeline or the process to hire a mobile app developer.

When you are prepared to hire an app developer, it is important to provide an apt description of what your mobile app can be, the complexity of your app and how it can impact consumers. From the recruiter’s end, here are some skills you ought to be looking for,

1. Do your research

Before getting started on putting up a “need an app developer post”, it is recommended to go through current market trends, get in touch with recruiters who have recently hired app developers, programming languages currently used with trending apps, and average rates for projects.

This way, screening and communication with the app developer become easier, when combined with the requirements of your organization’s projects. Be it agencies or individual app developers, before moving on to hire a mobile app developer, ensuring that their experience and promises match your requirements is crucial.

2. Look for relevant experience

While narrowing down the search for the right developer, one can either go through the portfolio of the developer and the specializations mentioned in them or go through case studies and approach the companies that they have worked for. Based on reviews, insights into the work done, project handled and method of handling by the developer are derived.

On average, looking for a relevant experience that matches your project requirements helps increase transparency between the developer and the client. There is an overall positive impact with hiring a specialist in your app requirement’s niche as they are prone to handle technical issues and challenges efficiently.

3. Communication is key

Let’s assume you’ve hired an app developer who’s had an impressive portfolio, multiple clients and rankings that don’t drop below five stars. But what if there’s a disagreement in the very first meeting? Or an issue with features? What if the team or individual is in a different time zone? Even with an impressive background, many companies underestimate the importance of communication.

To make the experience less challenging, it is recommended to discuss communication tools prior and based on requirements, choose or hire an app developer who would be easier to communicate with, in terms of location and ideas. Good communication minimizes the hiccups that arise in the app development process.

In the process of hiring an app developer, there are many flexible choices to choose from, based on your industry’s requirements. One could hire a freelancer, train the in house team with the required programming languages and skills or choose an outsourced team. Each option to hire a mobile app developer has its own pros and cons, and matching it with the app requirements can help your industry choose the right app developer.

1. Working with Freelance app developers

On your journey to hire an app developer, you may encounter several freelancers specialized in various fields. There is an onset of freelancing websites that make the search process easier for the organization. Based on the required filters, finding a freelancer with the required skill set may seem like a breeze. Then again, as with every other option, this too has its pros and cons.

The contractual nature of the agreement with a freelancer is devoid of any organization related benefits that an employee may be offered. This cuts down the freelance app developers cost in some cases. Freelancers work on their basis and may set their own app developmental timeline that can be discussed and negotiated with. This may reduce any opportunities and time required for micromanagement as done with employees of the organization.

On the other hand, language and time zones may be possible obstacles, along with missed deadlines or unfinished tasks. Freelancers also have the tendency to have several clients, and before going to hire a mobile app developer, it is important to communicate thoroughly regarding the requirements and ensure their commitment to the app.

2. Train your in-house team

This method is in stark contrast to hiring a freelancer or preferring an outsourced team and requires time, effort and can work in the cases of a long term project. This eliminates the challenges overcome to hire app developers and requires training and updating of your current team.

The advantages of this method could be the lack of communication barriers as an existing team and the continuation of a current management method. There is increased control over the entire app development process and guarantees commitment throughout and beyond the project.

The cons, however, are the increased costs with employee benefits and requirements, the time required for updating skills and the requirement of management. In such cases, it is essential to have a project manager to ensure continuous and effective teamwork.

3. Outsourcing a company

Outsourcing the app development to a professional IT company that specializes in the same can also cut down costs and tedious interviews. Choosing from a vendor to hire a mobile app developer or a known company providing onshore, nearshore or offshore mobile app development services can help build the team of professionals required to develop the application.

The advantages of outsourcing are reduced costs, lesser management and an assurance of product delivery and maintenance from the vendors. Any specific requirements related to tech, design and development can be fulfilled with an outsourced company. However, time zones and communication remain a challenge with outsourced companies, which can be resolved with experienced vendors and prior discussions with the outsourced company.

When onboarding the process of hiring, it can be confusing to narrow down on one platform of hiring. With some platforms specifically for hiring, networking, filled with communities of developers or freelancers or a social platform, considering each or relevant platforms can help narrow down the search to hire a mobile app developer.

1. Tech platforms

There are several tech platforms that offer different audiences of app developers. To hire a mobile app developer, one can visit platforms that are specific to hiring freelancers, full-time employees or outsourced teams. These platforms are likely to offer app developers at reasonable prices.

2. Referrals

There are always chances that either people in your network or through known networks, that a professional developer may turn out to be the right mobile app developer for your organization. Sharing the job description among the existing team or among family and friends can distribute the job requirement to hire an app developer among different contacts and help reach developers as well.

3. Tech communities and events

Tech events, either virtual or offline can help expand contacts in the field of expertise on which it is held or meet people and developers in the field. Attending events that are related to mobile app development could provide the opportunity to meet a mobile app developer with possibilities of further cooperation.

Tech communities and groups, on the other hand, are either public or private and are a rich source of possibilities of networking or developing contacts with recruiters, app developers or industry experts who can share knowledge on relevant fields.

As a highly competitive mobile app market, those who pursue a career in app development either become an android app developer or an iOS app developer. The number of mobile developers who target Android first is 5.9M and those who target iOS is 2.9M. The cost of hiring an app developer mainly depends on their level of experience, knowledge, skills, ability to develop specific features, troubleshooting among others.

From a business point of view, it makes sense to concentrate on the platform you need and create a budget around requirements. A fair representation of the factors that influence the budget required to hire android developer or iOS developer include,

1. Application type- Native, Hybrid or Cross-platform

2. Platform targeted

3. The complexity of the application

4. Development team

5. Number of hours put in

6. Skills and knowledge

7. Geographic location

8. Functionalities

A tip for calculating the cost to hire a dedicated android developer or an iOS developer can be to estimate the number of hours put in for each stage of the app developing process and assess accordingly. When features, development time and hourly rate of the developer is considered, multiplying these can provide an idea of the cost to hire a mobile app developer.

On average, the cost to develop a feature-rich software ranges anywhere from $20,000 for basic apps such as a calculator or clock. As the data consumption and features increase and vary, the price range increases from $50,000 to around $100,000. There may also be significant price differences within operating systems, based on the target audience and marketing strategy. Overall, it is important to cover all aspects while planning your budget such that no immediate or large budget costs catch your planning off guard.

With our highly experienced and certified team, we make outsourcing seem like a breeze. We start by getting to know your organization, your application goals and chart an app development journey. We’re here to overcome the challenges, smoothen the workflow, maximize productivity and ensure a customer experience worth coming back for. With a dedicated and certified team across specific domains, Toobler can help bring your application ideas to reality.

Talk to us today.