With an app developer who understands and supports your business goals, you will soon enter a new world of mobile commerce that will take your business to the next level.
Do you have an idea for an app in your mind? And do you want to make money off of this idea? Yes, who would not want to monetize the concept of the app, given its vast demand and scale in the digital market? To avoid any pitfalls in the app and to save money, the best solution is to hire an experienced freelance app developer.
Finding a decent freelance developer is sometimes more difficult than coming up with an idea for a startup. This is not surprising, since IT is the fastest-growing sector. The laws of economics are unshakable: the demand for digital solutions and related offers go hand in hand.
Despite the fact that you always need to hire a mobile app developer to create the app for you, the question that usually arises is “how to find a suitable developer?” It is never difficult to find mobile app developers; it is difficult to determine the right one for your needs. How do you get into the right type of app developer? What should you ask when hiring an app developer?
Based on our experience, we have compiled the following checklist to help you choose the best freelance app developer for your project.
What to do when you have an app idea
- Plan ahead a bit and do some research on top app developers.
- Make a list of app features, as well as the priority of each of them. Putting them on a bulleted list will make the whole process much easier. Thus, you can clearly describe your plan for the developer. Ideally, the very first version of your app should be simple, including only the most basic functions. You can always continue and add more features in future releases.
- As soon as you clear this step, the next step will be to create an action plan. Outline the rough design of your app and how you want it to look, function, and so on. This document helps the developer understand exactly what you are looking for.
1. Find out what type of app developer you want
The first thing to keep in mind when hiring a developer is that not every app developer has experience in creating an app according to requirements; always ask for portfolios of apps that the potential developer has worked on in the past, then download them and try those apps. If you find these apps user-friendly, well-designed, stable and full of features that you would like to see in your app, then you might have a winner.
2. Don’t sacrifice quality
The cost of developing an app from the very beginning might come as a surprise to some business owners, but it is important for you to invest your money and time in an app that works great and does exactly what it should do. The last thing you want is to save a few dollars on a low-cost and inexperienced developer who ultimately produces something that you are not proud of putting your brand name on. Mobile app users evaluate companies by the quality of their apps. Your online reviews and social media reputation are important for every successful brand. Your app should be a smooth and multifunctional representative that inspires confidence.
3. Work with a developer who provides feedback
Before hiring an app developer, you must insist your app developer to provide you with customer links to projects that they have worked on and successfully completed. Follow the recommendations of other clients to find out whether the developer you are going to hire is reliable and easy to work with and test the apps they have created for their clients in the past. After you are satisfied with their previous work, you can confidently hire your new developer.
As you check your developer’s feedback, remember that some clients may be biased or have negative feedback due to personal conflicts. However, if you find that clients are reluctant to give a positive link, or if you hear the same criticism from more than two customers, you might want to look somewhere else.
4. Research the technology they use
“Trust, but verify!” is a well-known saying. Unfortunately, many customers forget about it when it comes to apps. Let’s say you looked at a bright app of a developer, studied a portfolio of their projects, and got a preliminary assessment. It would seem that you can start, but it is important not to rush in, but to pay attention to the professional competencies of an app developer.
Find out what technologies your app developer is going to use for your project. Mobile development is an area of constant updates. If your developer does not follow the latest trends and technologies (tools, frameworks, libraries), then your app will be outdated.
5. Decide on the design of your app
It’s nice to have an app that works great with multiple features and has great connectivity, but none of this will attract customers if it’s poorly designed. Ideally, you would want to hire a developer who has experience in design as well as technicalities. There are chances that mobile app users might remove an app that is not visually appealing.
A developer with user experience skills is an asset for any app development project. The ability to quickly test app features and fix bugs is instantly invaluable in any app developer – and there are chances that you might need to pay extra for developers who have this set of skills.
Proper design of your app is the number one priority when you work with a developer. Functions can always be added later in the process, but you cannot do with poor app design. It is incredibly difficult to change bad design without redesigning the app (and increasing costs). The best way is to closely work with your app developer and provide them with ideas at the design stage and approve only after you are 100% satisfied.
6. Determine the cost and terms of app development
The answer to this question depends on the type of functions that you want to include in the app. The most basic app can cost you anywhere from $3,000 to $5,000 or even more. Adding more features will increase the overall cost of your app. Developing a database-type app is likely to cost you around $10,000 or more while adding cloud synchronization services can double that cost.
You need to decide which particular features you want to include in your app. Talk with your potential developer and ask them for a figure before deciding anything at all.
Timing, like the estimated cost of your app, will be a relative factor. Although basic apps can usually be developed in a couple of weeks or so, some may take several months. An experienced developer is likely to spend more time writing code that will work more efficiently and will be more light-hearted in the future. There should be no reason for you to rush into the project, only to find that it needs to be repaired constantly.
7. Remember, your app developer is your long-term partner
The closer you work with your app developer, the more design options and features you can provide, and hence the better end result. This partnership does not end when the app is completed, because you will need to add new features and updates over time. This is why it is recommended to choose an app developer who is genuinely in your project and who is ready to provide you with inputs whenever necessary.
Finding the right app developer for your needs can be difficult, but once you have got what you were looking for, you will never look back. Working with a highly skilled and experienced app developer will increase your brand presence and attract customers to your products. With a developer who understands your business goals and strives to support them, you will soon enter a new world of mobile commerce that will take your business to the next level.