A Step-by-Step Guide to Find World-Class Mobile App Developers

1. Where to find mobile app developers?

Before considering different candidates, you need to know where to find freelancers for mobile app development. Your mobile app development team doesn’t need to be within the physical walls of your company. Many companies hire talent overseas, and so can you. Here are your options:

• Social Circle Referrals: Start by searching your social circle for people who have personally used the services of mobile app developers. Even if they can’t refer you to a trusted developer, they can be a good source of advice.
• Technology Blogs and Forums: Begin your global search with a few high-quality mobile app development or technology blogs. Developers who consistently share their know-how often explain complex issues easily and are masters of their craft.
• Independent Company Listings: Platforms like Clutch and GoodFirms provide independent company listings. These platforms offer general information, including pricing, portfolios, and honest reviews. Note: If you search for “top mobile app developers” on Google, you may not get the same result, as many lists are paid ads disguised as articles or research.
• GitHub: Find mobile app developers on GitHub by reviewing their code samples. Of course, you need relevant experience to evaluate their work properly.
• Freelance Platforms: For short-term collaborations (bug fixes, multi-feature implementation), search various freelance communities and websites such as Upwork, Guru, or PeoplePerHour. These platforms host self-employed developers, showcasing their experience, previous projects, customer reviews, and performance ratings. They also offer time tracking tools to ensure guaranteed payment.
• Design Communities: Many teams offer design in addition to programming. Finding a few communities for designers like Dribbble or Behance can lead to suitable candidates. Note: Most users of these communities are independent designers or design agencies, so finding a full development team here could be challenging.

2. Finding the Right Mobile App Developers

When looking to find mobile app developers, it’s crucial to know exactly who you need. The most popular mobile platforms today are Android and iOS, each requiring specific expertise:

• Android Developers: Look for developers proficient in Java.
• iOS Developers: Seek out experts in Objective-C or Swift.
• Cross-Platform Developers: Consider those experienced with technologies like React Native.

However, coding is only part of building a successful application. Your product should facilitate or even become your business, so it’s essential to find a team offering comprehensive services:

• Product Management and Business Analysis: These services help analyze your idea, conduct marketing and competition research, and ensure a well-rounded design.

Beyond the core developers, you’ll need additional experts to complete your team:

• Backend Developers: Many mobile apps require a robust backend. A developer with backend experience is advantageous, even if you don’t need a web application or website immediately.
• API Integration Specialists: Experienced developers can merge existing and future solutions or implement various third-party API solutions.
• QA Engineers: Ensure you have a skilled QA engineer to fix any errors. Ask if the company follows test-driven development (writing tests before code) and uses automated tests and various devices to test their applications.
• Designers and Project Managers: An excellent designer and a project manager are essential to keep the project cohesive and on track.

For a long-term development partnership, it’s recommended to find a full-stack development company that offers a full range of development-related services. This ensures you have a comprehensive and integrated team to support all aspects of your project.

3. Evaluate mobile app developers 

3.1 Check out their portfolio

Check out the case studies in the developers’ public portfolio. Find out whether they have developed apps in your industry or with a comparable range of functions. It’s not strictly necessary, but it is an obvious benefit to you.

Note: No development company displays all of the jobs it has carried out in its portfolio. If you are not looking for any projects, apply for other jobs directly by email.

>> InApps’ portfolio

Find out if their applications are economically successful.

Ask about the customer’s business problem and whether application development solved it. What are the advantages for companies by working with the developer? Did the startups get investments? How many downloads and active users do your applications have?

If the developers cannot provide you with this information, ask for the links to the relevant app stores or search on Google. Check out the app reviews. It would be best if you read the reviews as they may reveal some interesting and embarrassing details. Become a litmus test to understand if it’s worth reading on to see where to get it.

Download the apps and try them out to see how they work from the user’s perspective.

The first thing you will see is how quickly these applications start. You can then measure the performance of the applications and the interactions between the various functions.

The first thing users notice about an app is the design, so take a closer look at the UX/UI of the app. The ability of designers to create a visually pleasing user interface will be invaluable to any business.

Ask the developers to recount the development process and their thoughts about apps’ results before trying yourself.

You may find that some of the application errors can be explained by circumstances beyond the developers’ control.

3.2 Reach out to their past clients (if possible)

Any credible company will be happy to provide you with a list of their past or current clients.

All you have to do is ask for contacts and communicate with their past clients. You can give them a call or find some common connections on LinkedIn or Facebook. Take the opportunity to find out how happy they are with the developers and ask if the contractors were on schedule and budget.

Find out if there were any emergencies during development and how well the developers handled them. Has the impending deadline redoubled your efforts or plunged you into the abyss of consternation? It is, of course, a good sign if the majority of the developer’s customers return with new projects or are recommended to them.

3.3 Make sure mobile developers understand your business

When seeking to find mobile app developers, it’s crucial to look beyond technical skills and consider their interest in your business and industry. Here are key factors to consider:

• Passion for Your Business: Look for a developer who is not only interested in making an app that works but also passionate about the business side of your company. Their enthusiasm for your business will contribute to a more successful and aligned product.
• Industry Experience: Check if the developer has experience with customers in an industry similar to yours. If not, have a conversation about your target users and see how well they understand this segment. Their knowledge and insights will indicate their suitability for your project.
• Monetization Strategy: Ask developers how they would monetize your app. The common approaches include small download or subscription fees, but these may not work for all types of applications. This is where the developer’s business expertise becomes valuable. A developer familiar with your business domain can suggest optimal monetization solutions tailored to your app’s specific needs.

3.4 Matching expertise or not

Every developer specializes in developing a certain type of application. Once you have a good idea of ​​the features and functionality you want to have in your mobile app, you need to ensure your developer can turn your idea into a working product.

3.5 Good communication or not

Before your application is successfully published, there will be countless conversations to collect the requirements, define the scope of work, acquire adjustments and measure the project progress. Discuss how you will communicate during project development is essential.

Establish a schedule and define the means of communication in advance. Offshore developers offer you daily reports and voice calls. At the end of each week, a demo after each iteration.

At InApps, we have pursued the following approach: Before starting the project, we create and ratify a communication plan with our customer that identifies the most suitable form of communication for both sides, responsible for the various tasks and phases of the project. And how often we have to hold meetings. In this way, our customers have a clear idea of ​​what to expect from us and when to plan their work efficiently.

Ensure that the difference in time zones won’t impact your communications. For example, nobody likes to have important conversations at midnight. So check out if the developers in question have a history of successful cooperation with the clients in your time zone.

3.6 Consider some professional advice

Sometimes it is not enough to review each team member’s experience before signing a contract. It can also be quite difficult, or even impossible, to gauge the skills of programmers if you are not a specialist and you don’t have an experienced CTO on hand.

One trick is to find a friend, or at least someone you trust, who has the skills you need. You can then ask developers to post their code samples through GitHub or Bitbucket and ask your friend to check for quality and originality.

You can also find out if candidates actively participate in open source communities. That doesn’t speak only to their commitment to the development field, but it also shows that they are open to peer review.

3.7 Long-term cooperation

It would be best if you chose a developer worthy of a long and fruitful collaboration. If the candidate created a decent app but didn’t intend to take care of it in the long term, you can get rid of it without looking back.

Developing an app is not a one-off endeavor but a long road needing continuous improvement. So, find out if the developer offers support and maintenance services and the relevant terms and conditions.

3.8 Suitable budget

Last but not least, you need to consider your budget. How much does the developer cost? How do you settle accounts with your customers? What are your payment terms?

The developer must be open and honest about their pricing and the engagement models they use. A developer will be happy to provide you with a free estimate but don’t expect a detailed estimate as there will be hidden costs.

Also, be careful with the cost below average. Sometimes with lower-cost options, what you save may cost you more. Low cost leads to low quality in results.

4. Make a final decision 

When it’s time to make a final decision, consider these critical factors to find mobile app developers who will be the right fit for your project.

A great portfolio is a strong indicator of a developer’s capabilities, but feedback from previous clients can provide deeper insights into their performance and reliability. Look for developers with a track record of creating successful apps and maintaining long-term partnerships. These developers produce high-quality code, prioritize effective communication, and understand the business side of your app.

By considering these aspects, you can make an informed decision and choose the right mobile app developers. Now, take this knowledge and make the right choice!

Learn more: How much does app development cost?

5. Hire Top Mobile App developers in Vietnam

Would it be a good idea to outsource mobile app development? The answer is yes, you really should. So which is the best place to find a mobile app development outsourcing company?

Read more: Good reasons to outsource mobile app development

In recent years, Vietnam has been the destination for IT outsourcing thanks to the competitive labor costs compared to other countries, a large pool of IT talents with foreign language proficiency, and open policies regarding foreign companies of the government. During COVID-19, Vietnam is also one of the Safest Countries. 

There are many software development companies in Vietnam offering offshore development center services to provide international tech talents, and InApps Technology is proud to rank:

• 1st for Top Mobile App Development Companies in Vietnam 2020
• 2nd for Top Software Development Companies in Vietnam 2020 
• 4th for Top Web Development Companies in Vietnam 2020

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