The internet has become a crucial part of our lives.

Today, there are 3.5 billion mobile users worldwide. The transition of feature phones into smartphones during the past years has led to higher internet usage. There are many​ ​surveys that show an insight into higher mobile usage compared to preceding years.

The following graph forecasts an increase in smartphone users by the year 2025 in India.

Courtesy:​ ​Statista.com

People mostly use smartphones for games, business and education along with communication. On average,​ ​a user in India spends about 4.3 hours on a smartphone daily.

This recent trend has led to the development of various mobile apps in many genres. Here is where a business firm thinks twice before developing an app. They find finding a good mobile app developer is rather hard.

Most businesses start planning a mobile app by looking into the interests of the user. The next phase usually involves hiring mobile app developers.

The future of the mobile app depends on whether you were able to hire the best mobile app developer and how much expertise he/she had in the field working on similar solutions.

Hiring a mobile app developer is not a troublesome task if you know how to approach it. Consider these points before hiring a mobile app developer.

• How to hire a mobile application developer?
• Which is better: freelance app developer, app development company or dedicated app development team?
• The best place on the internet to hire a mobile app developer
• Developing a mobile app: in-house developing team or offshore development team?
• How much does it cost to hire a mobile app developer?

Let’s discuss these points in detail.

How to hire a mobile app developer?

As the number of apps launched on different platforms is increasing day by day, your app should have its own strong points. To ensure that your app stands out from the rest of the apps in the market, you should hire mobile app developers who are exceptional in their field of work.

How to hire a mobile app developer for your next project?

Usually, this is the first question that comes to the mind of anyone who is looking to develop a mobile app.

To hire mobile app developers, begin your search using the internet. You can also ask for help from your contacts from the industry. After finding the most experienced and the most reputed team of mobile app developers, compare the price range.

An analysis and comparison of the projects accomplished in the past will help in hiring the right mobile app developer for your project. The best way is to hire mobile app developers who have received awards and certifications.

Looking into the expertise in multiple fields of app development and search based on reviews by earlier customers will help you to hire mobile app developers who are exceptional in planning and developing a mobile app.

There are three types of mobile app developers.

This includes freelance mobile app developer, mobile app development company and dedicated app development team.

Which one is better?

Let’s analyse the pros and cons of hiring freelance mobile app developers, mobile app development company and dedicated app development team.

Hiring app development company vs freelancer vs a dedicated app development team

When it comes to finding a developer for your next mobile app, you usually have three options.

• Hire a mobile app development company
• Hire a freelance mobile app developer
• Hire a dedicated team of mobile app developers

There are many mobile app development companies that offer exceptional development services. There are also fraudsters who take advantage of posing as a great mobile app development company, thus draining all your money.

Hiring mobile app development companies helps you in hiring staff with more skill, experience and expertise as they are appointed after an initial screening or tests. The mobile app development companies assist you in the full development of the app including testing and app deployment. A mobile app development company will also offer you a more professional approach and support.

There are also some disadvantages to hiring a mobile app development company. Communication barrier is one of the cons of hiring a mobile app development company. As you cannot interact directly with the team of developers, accessibility to the workflow is less. Rate of hiring mobile app development companies is higher if you are looking for developing a budget-friendly app.

A Freelance mobile app developer is a good option for startups. But hiring a freelance mobile app developer is not a good choice in the long run. ​The main disadvantage is he/she will have less exposure to new technologies and less expertise compared to app development companies. Also, a freelancer may not know all the aspects of mobile app development.

While hiring a dedicated app development team, one should look into the quality and commitment provided by the team.

Let’s take a closer look at each aspect of hiring a mobile app development company, freelance mobile developer and a dedicated app development team.

Hire mobile app development company

Mobile apps are now an unavoidable part of every business.

There are a lot of mobile app development companies that offer good services. But one should hire a mobile app development company, that is the best to succeed in the competition.

Before hiring a mobile app development company, you should have a thorough background check on the firm. This helps in knowing the track record of the app developer company.

Checking similar apps developed by the mobile app development company helps in knowing their expertise in the field and involvement in the project. This also helps in knowing the feedback and ratings from the users.

To hire mobile app developers, who are the best, you should emphasize on communication. Hire mobile app development company that briefs project updates on a daily or weekly basis. A good mobile app development company will arrange a project manager to communicate with the client on project updates.

Timely completion of the project is another important part of hiring mobile app developers. A right-minded mobile app development company respects project deadlines and will complete the project promptly.

To hire a mobile app development company offering the best work, a look into the data security norms will help you in choosing the right one. The mobile app development company should have strict laws on data security. Hiring app development companies without a single incident of a data breach is an added benefit.

The mobile app development company should have developers who are proficient in a variety of platforms such as Android and iOS. The firm should also have the best UI/UX team of designers. Choose the right one with unique creative skills.

Before hiring a mobile app development company, the client should have a detailed analysis of the commitment of the firm. You can contact past clients to get a detailed work review of the mobile app development company. Hiring a mobile app development company that supports the client in the entire process of planning and development including the launch of the mobile app is an admirable point to consider.

Hiring mobile app developers who give proper support and maintenance after the launch of the app is also an important part of this process.

Hire freelance mobile app developer

Hiring freelance mobile app developers is a tricky task.

There are many sites which offer help in hiring freelance mobile app developers. Top sites include DevTeam.Space, Upwork, Hired etc. Also, job portals like Jooble help you post vacancies for mobile app developers on their platforms and find the right talent.

Keep these points in mind before hiring freelance mobile app developers.

• Request to present a portfolio of earlier works to know the skill level before hiring a freelancer.
• There are people out there pretending to be a qualified mobile app developer, but in reality, he/she may be a fresher in the field. Only hire freelance mobile app developers after an initial screening.
• Hire a freelance mobile app developer who is established rather than freshers. This will help you in securing fail-proof work.
• Hire a freelance mobile app developer who is brilliant in mobile app planning, development and execution of ideas.
• Hire a freelance mobile app developer who is trustworthy and works according to the needs of the client.
• Hire mobile app developers who are flexible in their working hours.
• Look out for good communication skills before hiring freelance mobile app developers.
• Hire a freelance mobile app developer only after discussing the price and project deadlines. Some freelance mobile app developers work on different projects at the same time. This may increase the time for project completion.
• Country of origin is another factor to look out for. ​Surveys​ ​suggest that some countries such as the USA and India have the highest number of android app developers in the year 2018. Rates also differ from one country to another while hiring a freelance mobile app developer.
• Online interactions are another important part of hiring freelance mobile app developers. Identify the best freelancer available with the criteria set by you.
• You can also choose between a group of freelancers or an individual according to the complexity of the project.
• Conduct a thorough online and offline research before hiring a freelance mobile app developer to minimise risks such as data breach.

Hire dedicated mobile app development team

While hiring a dedicated mobile app development team, there is no need to set up a workspace as every necessary element is set up already. Give preferences to the dedicated app development team which has the most modern tech and innovations.

Hiring a dedicated mobile app development team who have the necessary skills to develop engaging digital solutions for the customers will help in getting positive feedback. The dedicated mobile app development team should consist of multi-talented individuals. The client should also have full control of the team.

Hire dedicated mobile app development team only if they have the proper infrastructure facilities which support uninterrupted internet, power supply and ​access to the latest technologies.

Hiring a dedicated mobile app development team can help in minimizing the risk involved in data security as you are in direct control of the team. Direct communication and involvement are other features of hiring dedicated app development teams. You should also make sure that strong encryption data protocols are followed before hiring a dedicated mobile app development team.

• If you are looking for cost-cutting strategies while developing an app, you can definitely hire a dedicated mobile app development team. But you should ensure that it does not compromise the quality of the work and ​you have the resources and expertise to manage the team.
• Hiring a dedicated mobile app development team will help you in getting a workforce that is better than hiring freelancers.
• Consider experience and flexible hours of work while hiring from a different timezone.
• Hiring a dedicated mobile app development team also helps you in analysing the skill set of each individual in the team. If anyone is not up to the mark, you can immediately have a replacement.
• You can also hire a dedicated mobile app development team on an hourly/ weekly/ or monthly basis.

If you do not want to compromise on the quality of the product, you can hire a mobile app development company.

If you are just starting a business and need a mobile app for better reach, then hire a freelance mobile developer.

If you are looking for a minimum cost and best quality, hire a dedicated mobile app development team.

The next step of the hiring process involves finding the best place to hire a mobile app developer.

Let’s have a closer look.

The best place to hire mobile app developer

The best place to hire mobile app developers, of course, is through the internet. A thorough search on the internet helps you to hire a mobile app developer who is an expert in the field.

Search platforms such as google help in finding the best place to hire a mobile app developer. There are also B2B directories such as Clutch, AppFutura, TopDevelopers, GoodFirms which helps you to hire a mobile app developer.

Only hire mobile app developers from reliable sources such as mentioned above. Websites offering full details ​such as company profile, past work portfolio, reviews and ratings from past clients​ along with contact number and address is a reliable one.

Hire mobile app developer only and only if he/she understands and meets the requirements furnished by you. You can also search sites offering professional assistance which helps to hire mobile app developers from the best circle.

If you hire a mobile app developer using the internet, please double-check for reliability and quality.

You can opt for hiring an in-house development team or offshore development team for developing a mobile app.

Now, what is in-house mobile app development and offshore mobile app development?

Let’s have a closer look.

Developing a mobile app: in-house development team or offshore development team?

Hiring offshore mobile app developer

Offshore mobile app development in simple words is outsourcing mobile app development to other companies. Nearshore and onshore are terms associated with offshore mobile app development. It is based on the geographical location of the mobile app development company you are outsourcing with.

Nearshore mobile app developers are those from neighbouring countries. Onshore mobile app developers are the developers located in the same country as you.

Offshore mobile app developers are those from different countries mostly far away from your nation.

Hiring an offshore mobile app developer is one of the most feasible choices. The majority of the offshore mobile app development companies offer high-quality work at an affordable rate. ​Since they will be mostly from a different part of the world, they might have a different perspective in creating better solutions and add more value to the project you are planning.

Hiring an offshore mobile app developer helps you in cutting your cost as you do not need to hire mobile app developers including other staff and also do not need to spend on infrastructure.

Offshore mobile app developers have expertise in different areas of work so adding new elements to the project that was not discussed before is easy. There are also no problems when a staff resigns, as there will be a replacement.

Different nations have different economic structures. A good understanding of the currency differences helps you in developing a mobile app at the lowest cost. For example, if an American offshore mobile app developer can develop an app for around $100,000; a mobile app developer from India can develop the app for approximately $4000 which is due to the currency conversion rate and cost of living. Reduction in time and budget is the greatest advantage of hiring offshore mobile app developers.

There is a risk of piracy and copying codes in hiring an offshore mobile app developer. You should take extra care while hiring an offshore mobile app developer.

Hiring famous and established mobile app developers can help you in developing your perfect app and reducing risks. According to some ​surveys​, India is one of the best countries to hire an offshore mobile app developer.

Now, what is an in-house developing team?

Hiring in-house development team

If you already have a team of developers who is part of your organisation, the team is called an in-house development team. There are many advantages and disadvantages while depending on in-house development teams.

You are in direct control of an in-house development team. There may be no language and cultural barrier as​ the employees have already adapted to the work culture of your organisation​. You can have a deep involvement with the development of the project when you have ​an in-house development team.

You can communicate directly with the team and execute your ideas much more easily. The development process of the app is closely watched and evaluated by you. This helps in avoiding and rectifying errors as early as possible.

Sufficient training given to the team ensures that every member meets the requirements. There is also a very low risk of a data breach as you are directly involved in the project.

There are also some disadvantages of relying on an in-house development team for your app development.

The first one is the cost of creating an in-house development team. The cost of setting up a workspace and the necessary infrastructure is costlier ​compared to hiring ​an offshore development team.

To hire mobile app developers with the right talent, a lot of time and investment are ​needed. You would also want to pay allowances and bonuses on special occasions to the employees which will increase the cost of owning an in-house app development team.

Hiring staff and giving them necessary training will increase the time of mobile app development. Everyone in the team will not have the required expertise in the field. Training given to such employees will further increase the time of project completion ​or indirectly affect the cost.

According to the complexity of the app, the number of staff and infrastructure requirements may also increase. When a staff resigns, filling the position is a difficult task. This further increases the ​cost and time needed for completing the development of the app.

In the long run, hiring an in-house development team is a good choice. But if you want to consistently reduce costs and develop an app in a short time period, hiring an offshore development company is the best option.

How much does it cost to hire a mobile app developer?

Let’s assess this question in detail and find out how various steps of app development associates with the cost.

Every business is turning into developing mobile apps to widen their horizon. To plan, develop, and execute a perfect app, you should hire a mobile app developer who is a specialist in the field. The main thing to consider here is the cost to hire a mobile app developer.

There are mainly three factors that affect the cost of hiring a mobile app developer.

• Mobile technology/platform
• Location of the mobile app developer
• App complexity

Mobile technology/platform

There are mainly three types of mobile applications.

This includes native, hybrid, and cross-platform mobile apps. To understand how much it costs to hire mobile app developers, let’s analyse these mobile apps in detail.

Courtesy: Clutch.co

The first one is the native mobile app. Developed for a particular platform, native apps maximise functionality and user experience. Developing native apps is more expensive than developing apps in the other two categories. Cross-platform apps are designed using JavaScript.

Cross-Platforms are useful for those looking for compatibility in various platforms. The cost of developing cross-platform mobile apps are less compared to native apps. Cross-platform apps offer limited functionality.

Native apps and cross-platform apps are combined with the help of CSS, HTML, or other web tech to develop hybrid apps. The main benefit of using hybrid apps is that it works on any platforms with slightly modified codes. The cost of developing a hybrid app is lower compared to native and cross-platform apps. As this is a new category of app, troubleshooting options are minimum compared to other categories.

If budget is not a problem and if you want to provide maximum user experience, go for native apps. Also use this category, if the app is having a complex structure.

To be compatible with various platforms and to gain a wide market, use cross-platform apps.

If yours is a startup company and is looking for a low budget app, hybrid apps will be your best bet.

Location of the mobile app developer

The next factor that determines the mobile app development cost is the location of the developer. Mobile app developers from the USA, Canada, Australia charge the highest rate. Whereas India, Ukraine, South East Asia charges the lowest rate to develop a mobile app.

Courtesy​: Goodfirms.co

App complexity

Another factor that determines the mobile app development cost is the app complexity. To develop a complex app you need to hire a mobile app developer who has the required expertise in the field of work. The cost of hiring experienced mobile app developers is higher than that of hiring a fresher.

App design and security, user experience are other factors determining the cost of mobile app development. User experience defines the success of a mobile app. A good app design helps in providing good user experience. Thus a good amount of money spent on the design helps you to get positive feedback from users. As an important feature, a significant part of the budget goes into strengthening the security of the app.

App deployment, maintenance, and updates are other factors that determine the cost of developing an app.

Time is also a factor determining the cost of development of a mobile app. If you want to launch an app very soon, then you need to hire more staff along with the necessary infrastructure to speed up the process.

How much does it cost to hire a mobile app developer?

Based on GoodFirms ​survey​, the average cost of hiring a mobile app developer is as follows:

Choosing a perfect mobile app development company helps in planning the perfect app. Hiring mobile app developers who have the experience and expertise in each and every stage of mobile app development helps you in establishing a successful mobile app.

AlignMinds Technologies is an award-winning app development company with a decade of success stories. We can help ​your ​businesses ​to get an edge in the competition and​ bring more glory and revenue through innovative solutions. ​Contact us now!