Mobile App Development Outsourcing: Things to Consider
Do you want to grow your tech startup and start it on the right foot? Consider how app development outsourcing can help you take your business from an idea to a reality.
Great companies, like Appvales, aim to help business owners like you create apps without the hassle and cost of doing it in-house. By outsourcing, you can save a lot of time and frustration.
Keep reading to learn more.
Benefits of Outsourcing Mobile App Development
When considering if app development outsourcing is right for you, it’s important to look at the benefits. Outsourcing is an excellent way for some companies to build their first mobile app.
Hiring a mobile app outsourcing company offers many advantages over building an in-house team of mobile app developers. It’s especially useful if you plan to make one app and keep it simple.
Unless the app will be the main part of your business, outsourcing is usually the better choice. Consider some of the specific benefits and how they can affect your business.
More Affordable
Being able to outsource mobile app development is almost always more affordable than hiring full-time developers. When out outsource, you only need to pay for the time the developers work on your app.
If you hire full-time employees, you’d have to pay a salary, even when the developers have downtime. You may also need to pay for benefits, such as health insurance, retirement contributions, and paid time off.
And you would need to hire the developers full-time with no set end date. Application development outsourcing only requires money for the duration of the project. You may need to pay for ongoing maintenance, but it will still be less than a team of employees.
Save Time
Similarly to saving money, app development outsourcing can save you time. You won’t have to write a job description and go through tons of resumes and interviews to find mobile developers for your project.
Instead, you can compare freelancers and development companies and decide on the best fit. Then, you can start your project sooner and get it done sooner.
An application development outsourcing company can also save your current developers time. Your employees can focus on other projects, while you hire experts to complete your new app.
Very Flexible
Another advantage of application development outsourcing is the added flexibility. You can hire the perfect person or team for the job, so you don’t have to worry if they’ll make a good full-time, long-term employee.
There’s also the option of hiring a team of people all at once. Instead of having to fill multiple roles, you can look at a mobile development firm and get everything you need.
Outsourcing is also more flexible in terms of location. You don’t need to hire people who live in the same city or country as your business, so you have access to more mobile app developers.
Better Developers
Speaking of access to more developers, you have the ability to find mobile developers who are the best fit for your project. Hiring developers can be easy and less time-consuming than finding employees.
Whether you want to work with people in the same country or on the other side of the world, you can do so. Having access to a bigger talent pool means that you don’t have to settle for subpar quality.
If you want to make your app the best it can be, hiring an outsource mobile developer is an excellent option. That way, you can prioritize what matters most to you and your business.
Easy to Scale
Perhaps you’ve already developed a mobile app in-house, but you want to grow and scale it. At some point, you may run out of resources to build your app.
Fortunately, app development outsourcing can take away those problems. You can add more developers and engineers as necessary so that you have enough people working on your app.
Even if you can’t afford to hire more full-time employees, you can get the support you need. Then, you can grow your app and business to increase revenue and profit.
Lower Stress
When you outsource mobile app development, you can decrease the amount of stress and risk that you take on. You’ll have a partner, especially if you work with a development company.
The company can help you make decisions that help move your app forward. You can ask them any questions you have about your app, so you can avoid making crucial mistakes.
Then, you can give your app the best chance of being successful. Building an app will involve some stress and risk, but working with the right mobile developers can help reduce those factors.
More Support
You can also enjoy more support and assistance when you outsource app development. Outsourcing to a development company gives you access to experts in the field.
Those experts can work with you during and after the initial development phase. They can test for issues with the app and correct them before the launch.
After releasing your app, you can keep working with them to update your app. That way, you don’t have to learn the development technology or hire employees to do so.
Risks to Consider When You Outsource Mobile App Development
While there are plenty of benefits of application development outsourcing, it doesn’t come without risks. Some of these risks come specifically from outsourcing, but some are inevitable no matter how you find mobile developers.
Before you rush to outsource iPhone app development, consider how the risks can affect your project. For some companies, outsourcing is the best option, while others need to spend time researching first.
Either way, these risks are important to think about when deciding to outsource mobile app development.
Lack of Experience
If you aren’t careful, you may choose a mobile app development company without as much experience. The company you hire may not spend time learning about new development trends.
When you hire people like that, your app won’t be the best possible. However, you can do some research and ask questions to ensure the person or company you hire does have enough experience.
Look at the developer’s website and find their portfolio or testimonials. Contact them and ask as many questions as you can about their experience and development process.
Difficult to Communicate
Working with any mobile app outsourcing company can make it difficult to communicate. You may only have one point of contact between you and your developers.
If you or your employees have questions about the app, having one person to contact can be nice. But if that person isn’t available right then, you may need to wait.
You may also face a language barrier if you find someone to work on your mobile app development offshore. That can be important when deciding where to outsource.
Communication Delays
Not only can it be hard to talk to your developers, but you also may face a communication issue if you and your developers are in different time zones. In that case, it might take a day to get a response, which can be costly in an urgent scenario.
This typically isn’t a problem if you’re only a few hours apart, such as within the same continent. However, working with developers in a different continent can lead to issues.
At worst, a company in Hawaii working with developers in Australia only share four working days, despite sharing most of the daytime. When it’s noon on Friday in Hawaii, it’s 8 am on Saturday in eastern Australia.
Continuous Fees
After you finish developing your app, the costs might not go away even with outsourcing. Unless you’re willing to handle updates in-house, you will need to pay a developer to make those changes.
These fees can be hard to estimate because you don’t always know when you’ll need to update your app. You may have an update schedule, but you can’t always predict security problems that require immediate fixes.
Ongoing support can be an excellent benefit of app development outsourcing, but the cost of that service is a risk. If you have a tight budget, outsourcing your development might not be the best choice.
Scope Creep
Scope creep occurs when you want or need to add extra features to your app. It may also happen if you end up needing rush services or other special additions from your developer.
When these things happen, you will need to pay extra. Even with a budget, it can be hard to account for these extra costs, and it’s a risk you take when you outsource.
If you hire developers to work in-house, your costs will be predictable. All you have to cover is salaries, and maybe a bit of overtime if something takes too long.
Harder to Protect
If you keep your mobile app development in-house, it will be easier to protect the idea and the app itself. Meanwhile, application development outsourcing can leave your app vulnerable.
Depending on the developers you hire, they may use your app to create an app for a different client. It can be almost impossible to keep your ideas and plans secret.
However, you can ask your developers to sign a non-disclosure agreement. Then, you’ll have peace of mind that they won’t expose your project to your competitors or other clients.
Less Control
Along with not being able to protect your app as easily, you will have to give up some control. Of course, you can tell your developers when you want them to start on the project, and how quickly you want them to complete it.
But they aren’t your employees, and things can come up that may affect your project. You might need to adjust your timeline to accommodate changes with your app.
If you want to have as much control over your app development as possible, outsourcing can be stressful. You’ll need to be willing to compromise and work with your developers to get everything done.
How to Outsource Mobile App Development
Once you decide that application development outsourcing is a good decision, you need to figure out how to outsource app development services. That way, you can choose the best development company or freelancer.
If you’ve ever outsourced a project, you can follow similar steps in terms of finding a company and setting up your project. But you can outsource your app even if you haven’t outsourced anything before.
Use the following steps to get the best experience out of outsourcing your mobile app.
Consider Your App Idea
First, you should consider what app you want to create. List out any features or functions you want it to have and the app stores you want to release it to.
Then, consider if you want the app to integrate with your website or any other existing websites or apps. You should also make sure to include features that your ideal customers would want.
Use this information to ask the right questions when you contact potential mobile app developers. That way, you can determine if they can fulfill your requirements.
Determine Your Ideal Structure
Next, consider how you want to structure the app development project. One of the easiest ways is to use a project-based model. This model focuses on setting up the project from the start so that you can focus on other areas of your business.
Another option is a team extension model. You can work with the developers as if they were your employees, but you don’t have to hire them full-time. You’ll control the project, but you can have experts to complete it.
A service-based model is great if you need a bit of help with mobile app development. You can hire people to help with any step, from development to app testing.
Compare Multiple Developers
After you decide which structure you want to use, you can look for developers who work that way. Try to compare at least a few developers and companies, such as Appvales.
Think about any specific services or offerings the developers have and how that can help your project. You may also want to consider when the developer will be available and if you’ll have to wait for them to get to you.
Find mobile developers who can meet as many of your requirements as possible. Then, you can decide which developer or company to hire.
Set a Budget and Pay Structure
When looking at outsource mobile app development cost, you should compare it to your budget. The budget can vary based on your needs, but having one can help you outsource your app the best way you can.
However, you should consider the right pay structure for you and your app. The time and material model is a great option if you want to account for changes and flexibility.
On the other hand, using a fixed price model can help you predict your costs. Then, you can better plan for your payments, and you can work with a good developer.
Start Your Project
Once you decide who to hire and how you’ll pay them, have both parties sign a contract or agreement. That way, you have in writing that you both agree to your terms.
Now, you can have your mobile app developers get to work using native or hybrid apps, depending on your goals. Make sure you know how your developers will create the app in case your employees need to work on it later.
As you complete the project, consider getting regular updates from your developers. That way, you can make sure everything stays on track, and you can fix any issues as they arise.
Schedule Meetings
One great way to communicate with your app developers is through meetings. You can visit them in person if you’re willing to travel, but you can also make phone or video calls
In the meeting, you can go through what your app looks like and how it works. Ask any questions you have about the progress so that you can understand what still needs to happen.
While you can get regular reports through email, speaking with your developers is great if your time zones aren’t too far apart. That way, you can learn more about your app more quickly.
Test Your App
Once your app is almost done, you should have your developer or someone else test it. Use the test to check for small or big problems relating to security, user experience, and accessibility. Test the app on as many devices and operating systems as you can.
If you run into problems, you can address them now before you release the app to the public. Your developers can adjust the app, and you can test it again to make sure the issue is gone.
Launch the App
When you have fixed all of the app’s issues, you can launch it on one or more operating systems. Before you launch, do some promotion to build interest for your app so that you can get downloads.
After you launch it, include a link in your emails and social media posts. That way, you can make the app as easy to download as possible. Then, your app can start making money or doing whatever your goal is for it.
Get Ongoing Maintenance
Whether you decide to outsource mobile app updates or not, you will need a plan for ongoing maintenance. If you keep working with your developer, you should agree on when and how to make updates and how you can contact them with urgent issues.
When moving your updates in-house, you can create a plan with your software development team. Either way, you should know when to look for issues and how to make necessary fixes.
Best Countries to Outsource Mobile App Development To
When looking to outsource mobile app development, you can look at domestic and foreign developers. Both options have pros and cons, and neither answer is always the right one.
However, sending your mobile app development offshore can help you save money. Developers in countries with a lower cost of living, such as Ukraine, Poland, India, Argentina, or Romania. won’t charge as much as developers in the United States.
Still, the cheapest countries aren’t always the best. Here are a few countries to consider when outsourcing your mobile app.
Argentina
Outsourcing to developers in Argentina can be a great option when it comes to communication and skills. While the foreign country is a few hours ahead of the United States, the time zones are close enough to make meetings easy.
Many developers in Argentina also have solid English language skills. That means you won’t have to use an interpreter or worry about a communication problems.
Argentina also invests a lot of money into education. Because of that, developers have more training and experience than in some other countries, but they can still have an average cost of $30 to $50 per hour of development.
Poland
Poland is another excellent country to consider when outsourcing your app development. Developers there can offer excellent quality work starting at $15,000 for the interface and $20,000 for the server side.
Like in Argentina, many Polish developers can speak English, making communication easier. Poland has a great education system, so developers have plenty of training to provide good quality work.
Working with Polish app developers is convenient for European companies. For those in the US, the time difference is easy enough to cover with morning meetings.
Ukraine
Ukraine may be a surprise, but there are plenty of expert developers and development companies in the country, including Appvales. Outsourcing to developers in Ukraine costs about the same as Poland.
Eastern-European app developers tend to have a good handle on organization, so they can get things done efficiently. It’s also relatively easy to travel to Ukraine if you want to meet your developers in person.
However, you can communicate over the internet from almost anywhere. And the time difference between Ukraine and most countries isn’t too bad. The average hourly rate starts at 20$/hr.
Germany
Outsourcing to developers in Germany can be an excellent compromise between outsource app development cost and quality. The country has tons of available developers, so you can find rates ranging from $50 to $150 per hour.
German developers can offer great quality work, and they’re especially convenient for businesses with European offices. Even US-based businesses can travel to Germany easily.
Phone calls and video meetings are also easy enough despite the time difference. You may or may not have language barriers, depending on who you hire to develop your app.
India
If you want to prioritize affordability, you can’t go wrong with application development outsourcing to India. Developers in the country charge much less than those in the US, Australia, and Europe.
You can pay as little as $15 per hour for an Indian developer. Then, you can get a basic app for much less than average.
However, you may not get the best results because developers don’t have as much experience. The time zone and language barrier may make communication difficult as well.
Where to Find the Best Mobile App Developers?
A big part of how to outsource app development is knowing where to find app developers and companies. If you don’t know much about app development, you can still find great freelancers and agencies.
That way, you can hire the right people to work on your project. You don’t have to do much research to find a few candidates.
Here are a few resources and tools you can use to find mobile app developers.
Use Clutch
Clutch is a website you can use to find firms that can help your business. The website has over 500 categories of services for various industries, so you can find the best agency.
Over 200,000 agencies have listings on Clutch, including Appvales. You can review agency listings to find things like:
- Reviews
- Pricing
- Agency size
- Industries
- Clients
The website lets you view agency portfolios, so you can see what the companies can do. Clutch is an excellent tool for finding and comparing potential companies to hire.
Check Out GoodFirms
A similar website to Clutch, GoodFirms focuses on helping tech companies find software and service providers. Service categories include:
- Mobile app development
- Digital marketing
- eCommerce development
- Business services
Agencies, such as Appvales, have profiles that list their services, rates, and reviews. The profile also shows their location and contact information, so you can reach out if you find the perfect company.
Go to Google
Another fantastic way to find mobile app developers is with a Google search. Many businesses use Google My Business to include more information about their company right on Google.
Whether you want to hire a freelancer or a mobile app outsourcing company, Google is a great place to start. You can enter keywords like “mobile app development” and combine it with words like company or freelancer.
Adding words related to a city or country can also help. Then, you can narrow your search more easily.
Visit Upwork
Upwork is a platform businesses like Appvales can use to find and hire freelancers for almost anything. When you sign up, you can post a job and wait for people to apply, or you can find freelancers and send them an invite to apply.
You’ll be able to review pitches and interview candidates that interest you. Then, you can choose and hire someone right through the platform.
Upwork makes it easy to communicate with your developer and pay them. You won’t have to worry about using a specific invoice tool or having to deal with a freelancer who doesn’t respond.
Try Fiverr
Fiverr is another platform available to freelancers in all industries, but freelancers post instead of businesses. You can view freelance gigs and search for mobile app development.
If you find a freelancer you like, you can send a message to learn more about them or buy their services right there. Fiverr is an excellent choice if you want a simple mobile app or need a bit of help here and there.
While you can find many affordable options, the Fiverr Pro section lets you filter your search to find expert developers. That way, you can still get a good quality app.
Ask for Referrals
If you know other business owners who have developed a mobile app, you can ask for referrals. See what freelancer or company the other business hired and ask about their experience.
You can also go to business networking events or join business groups on Facebook. Ask for recommendations on app developers, and talk to people about their experience.
How Much Does It Cost to Outsource Mobile App Development?
Another important thing to consider is your outsource iPhone app development cost or your Android app development cost. Many things go into determining the price for application development outsourcing.
As you set your app development budget and hire a mobile app development company, you should know how different elements will affect your price. That way, you can make sure your budget accounts for everything.
App Features
One of the most significant factors that determines pricing is an app’s complexity. Adding more features to an app will cost more for a few reasons.
- Takes more time
- Can lead to different problems
- Requires more expertise
If you want to save money on your app, outsourcing is already a great option. However, you may need to consider if you need all of the features you tell your developer or if you can go without some.
You don’t need the most complex app, but having a basic app may not be intriguing enough to your customers. Finding a balance will help you create a good first version of your app.
Timeline
Your ideal creation and launch timeline may affect the cost to outsource mobile app development. If you want to get the app done faster, you may need to pay a rush fee.
And you’ll almost always have to hire a company over an individual freelancer. Individuals can only work so much, but having a team can help you get your app done in less time.
Still, you’ll have to pay for the app and the extra time developers have to spend. Consider if you can wait an extra month or if you need to get it out sooner.
Development Team
Your final bill may also be higher if you hire a development team with experts in different areas. Some teams may have developers, software engineers, UI and UX designers, app testers, and a project manager.
Meanwhile, a freelancer will be an individual with, hopefully, some experience in those areas. You’ll have to rely on one person to do everything, which can add time to your project.
But a freelancer may not charge as much per hour as a full team. Hiring newer freelancers can be a great way to lower your total cost as long as you’re willing to deal with their lack of experience.
Hourly vs. Fixed Rates
The way your developer or company charges for the project may also affect your price. An hourly rate can be a great option because you pay for the amount of work the company does.
Hourly rates won’t change during the middle of the project, so you can set a weekly or monthly budget. However, it can be hard to estimate the overall project cost.
Fixed rates give you a better estimate of the project. But they don’t allow for as much leeway when it comes to adding extra features or testing the app. You may need to pay more for those services as necessary.
Both hourly and fixed rates can be useful. Consider your app development budget and the developer you want to hire. Then, you can do some math to figure out if one payment method is better than the other.
FAQ
If you’re still unsure if app development outsourcing is right for you, you aren’t alone. Consider some popular questions and their answers to help you choose the best route for creating your mobile app.
Can You Outsource App Development?
App development is an excellent thing to outsource in your business. Odds are, you won’t need someone to work on the app every day once you launch it, so hiring an employee for the job isn’t necessary.
Outsourcing is great if you can’t hire another person to work for your company. Another reason to outsource mobile app development is the flexibility.
You get access to any developer in the world, which gives you more freedom when it comes to pricing and quality. Whether this is your first app or not, hiring another company to develop it is a great investment.
How Much Does It Cost to Outsource App Development?
The cost to outsource app development depends on various factors, like complexity, number of operating systems, and experience. A developer’s location may also influence the price.
App developers can charge anywhere from $20 to $150 per hour based on their location, experience, and if you hire a freelancer or company. Simple apps can take 300 hours to develop, while more complex apps may take more than 900 hours.
You can expect to pay about $6,000 for a simple app from a beginner. On the other end of the price spectrum, a mobile app development agency may charge $135,000 for an app with a lot of features.
Be sure to get a quote from any developers that interest you. Then, you can compare prices to see which is right for you.
Is It Worth Hiring a Mobile App Development Agency?
Another big decision to make is to hire a freelance developer or a development agency. While freelancers can be cheap and easy to find, app development agencies are worth hiring.
An agency works with multiple developers, and those developers may use a wide range of development technology. For example, Appvales developers can use React Native, Flutter, Python, and more.
If you hire a freelancer, they may only have experience with one or two development options. That can limit the type of app you can create, so you might need to compromise on more.
How Much Does It Cost to Have a Mobile App Developed?
The cost to develop a mobile app depends on a lot of factors. If you decide not to outsource it, you may end up paying more for the same end product.
On average, you can expect to pay about $50,000 to create a simple app in-house. However, developing a more advanced app within your company may cost more than $130,000.
If you don’t have a developer on staff, you’ll need to pay to recruit and hire someone new. Then, you’ll have to pay a salary and benefits, and that can add up.
What Team Do You Need to Build an App?
All you need to build an app is an iOS app developer or Android app developer. It can be native or hybrid development. However, it can help to have other people on your team, filling roles such as:
- Project manager
- User interface (UI) designer
- User experience (UX) designer
- Software engineer (Android, iOS or cross-platform app developer)
- App tester
If you work with a mobile app development team, you won’t have to worry about covering those roles. However, you would need to fill those roles when completing the project in-house or with an individual freelancer.
How to Choose a Mobile App Development Company?
You’ve decided that you want to work with a mobile app outsourcing company, but you aren’t sure who to hire. Consider a few factors to help make your decision.
- App features
- Available operating systems
- Budget
- Timeline
- Maintenance services
- Ease of communication
- Developer experience
You may also want to consider any reviews or testimonials from past clients. Hearing about other experiences with a company can give you more insight into what it’s like to hire them.
If you still aren’t sure about a company, schedule a time to meet them in person or over the phone. Ask as many questions as you have to ensure that you will work well with the team.
Get Started With App Development Outsourcing
App development outsourcing can seem daunting and unnecessary. However, it can be much easier than trying to develop an app with your current employees.
Not only is outsourcing more affordable, but it can also be less stressful and more efficient. You can then focus on other tasks in your business while your developers create your new app.
Are you ready to outsource mobile app development? Learn more about how our services can help you.
