Hiring an App Developer? Here’s What You Need to Know.
On the surface, it seems like there are a lot of app developers out there. But finding the top app developer can be a long and painful task.
As a business owner, marketer, or professional, we all know that poorly run outsourcing projects can lead to disastrous results: You might get substandard work, communication issues, high prices, and project deadlines not met. To avoid this requires research – lots of it. And that takes time and energy.
Don’t Stress. We’ve Done the Hard Work for You.
In this comprehensive guide you’ll learn everything you need to know including why app development costs vary wildly for similar services, we’ll show you how to avoid the rip-offs and walk you through our essential process to ensure you hire an amazing app development team that delivers outstanding results. With our tips, and tricks all lined up – it couldn’t be easier.
Consumers are increasingly favouring mobile – with app usage amounting to 90% of global mobile internet usage (Google), businesses are creating mobile apps to stay in touch wherever their customers are – whether a patient on the move checking lab results or an athlete keeping track of his or her workouts.
The Power of Apps – Do You Know That...
- Your business’s success hinges on reaching new customers, and adding a mobile app to your arsenal of marketing tools will give you an instant lead over the competition according to this entrepreneur article.
As a savvy Aussie company that has already discovered that building an app is smart – and a gold mine, you want to make sure you get maximum ROI. App developers are invariably the most important consideration.
You’re Probably Asking...
- How do I find the best and most trusted app developers for my project?
- How much does it cost to hire an app developer?
- How do I know if they are good?
The most important thing before you hire app developers is to do your research.
Android or iOS?
Should you develop an app for Android or iOS? Which one first? Each provides its own set of core features and benefits. Some might argue that choosing one over the other is a no-brainer, but this is far from a popular opinion.
Consider the following before you decide on where to invest:
- iOS apps are typically cheaper and faster to develop.
- On the other hand, the average Android app would require 40% more time to build than building the same app for iOS.
- There is also the economic consideration.
You might also be interested in where the money is coming from most – iOS users spend “nearly 2.5 times more” money than Android users (AppsFlyer study). - Significance: These differences between iOS and Android apps are why companies often roll out iOS apps first before building Android apps. The iOS app would provide them with an insight into whether the app would be a hit or miss without the additional expense of building for both platforms.
- Finally, you should remember you are not building the app for yourself, but rather for a target market. iOS devices are more popular in Australia (55.38% of all mobile devices).
Skills That are Needed to Build an App
Technical skills and developer expertise are in high demand and with this a surge in the number of people picking up interest in switching careers to software development – with up to 70% having no prior experience in the software development space according to this research. This is especially so following the economic devastation caused by Covid-19. What this means is that there would be a lot of people parading themselves as app developers. Due diligence is advised.
The skills you should be looking for depend on what type of app you want to create. Some apps are more time-consuming and complicated than others, so the person who will be working on your project must have the right skill set required by your app.
Essential App Development Skills You Need from Developers Include:
- In-depth knowledge of modern Programming Languages – Your mobile app developers should be at home with at least one of the top programming languages for app development in 2023 such as HTML5, Typescript, Swift, and Kotlin.
- Excellent understanding of Cloud Infrastructure – Nowadays, applications are deployed, hosted, and managed in the Cloud. So only candidates that know how to work with the likes of Amazon AWS and other popular cloud services should be considered. At Bilue we have a team of experts proficient in both and would gladly recommend the best for your needs.
- Practical knowledge of Mobile Design Systems such as The HIG(Apple), and Material Design(Google).
- Proven experience in the implementation of great User Interfaces. You don’t want your users dissatisfied with using your app, do you? App developers skilled in UI implementation would ensure that doesn’t happen. Our developers know you’ve got less than 10 seconds to grab users’ attention, so they put as much into making sure the product is visually appealing as it is engaging – this has been reported to increase customer acquisition since the first impressions a customer makes regarding an app is 94% design-related.
- Expertise in Data management and structuring – Data is crucial for applications to run successfully. You need an expert who can use and make sense of all the data – one who can create efficient databases and repositories without hassle.
- Experience working with collaborative tools – to share code and co-edit code they should know how to use tools like git and GitHub at least.
Other Important Soft Skills to Look Out for:
- Excellent communication skills – app development requires extensive collaboration and communication is at the heart of it all. According to this Microsoft article, developers could spend as high as 70% of their time working in a team. Your choice of developers should be able to communicate their ideas and thoughts clearly and accurately through speech and writing.
- Lastly, look for App Developers who have the personality that will add something to your company too – if you are a start-up with an idea but no employees yet then find other App Developers interested in joining and make sure they will be able to grow with you and work well together from day one.
This is just a small list of what you need to look out for when hiring app developers in Australia.
Outsourced or In-house App Developers: Which is Better for Your Business?
In most cases, you’ll likely need a blend of both, we tend to see more companies ditching the idea of having 100% in-house developers and hiring freelancers or app companies. But why? What are the differences between the two and how can you determine which is best for you?
In-house developers are often costly because you need to invest in salaries, training, and management. If they leave or decide not to stay for an extended period, that can be disastrous. And then there is turnover – in-house developers will eventually start looking for other jobs as well which opens up the potential of another money-gulping recruitment process again.
On the other hand, outsourced developers will be paid for the work they do and it’s easier to find qualified app developers. It can be less expensive in total because there are no training costs, salary expenses, or management fees that come with hiring an in-house app developer. Think of it as having your mobile dev dream team: all you’ll need, including a Product Manager, a Designer, Mobile Devs (2 or more), and a QA. All these professionals need to be seasoned with mobile experience – at Bilue that’s what you should come to expect at the very least.
- It’s worth considering what is more important to you: is it costs, continuity or experience?
- If solid expertise and cutting cost is the most important factor for your organisation then outsourcing development may be an option you want to explore.
- If continuity of knowledge and building a team in-house is more important, not minding the financial implications and other drawbacks, then you may want to consider hiring in-house.
Why You Should Hire a Team of App Developers Instead of Just One Individual
Hiring just one app developer to create an app seems like the most cost-effective and practical solution. However, there are many reasons businesses generally need a team of developers instead of just a single person. The truth is; that a team of app developers is more effective for several reasons.
First of all, it is very difficult for one person to manage your whole company’s app development needs. Why is it so difficult? The ecosystem has become very large, and very complex. For example, iOS SDK has almost 50 frameworks alone. Then we have other platforms, cross-platform advancements, lo-code platforms, and other mobile trends to consider – staying on top of all these frameworks and changes is impossible for any individual.
Secondly, if you hire individual developers, one of the things you have to do to ensure the success of your app development project is to manage the individual or team. This is time-consuming and can also overwhelm you with day-to-day duties, which over time translates to hindering your ability to always be on top of what’s happening in other aspects of your business or life. This isn’t only about managing the individual or team, but also about leading and motivating – which can sometimes be difficult if you’re not a natural. On the other hand, if you collaborate with a dedicated team of app developers like Bilue, the entire life cycle of your app’s development will be taken care of which allows you to have more time to focus on other aspects that are crucial for your company.
Thirdly, having a team of developers working on one app will help to mitigate risk by allowing for redundancy and can be useful in situations where there is no single expert capable of tackling all aspects of an app development project or when a team member is indisposed. Developers who are well versed in more than one area of the development process are not only invaluable to a project but also represent an extremely valuable asset that can be used both internally and externally in their respective companies.
Finally, another big downside of working with individual developers like freelancers is that it takes time to find and hire the right talent. Also, because you’ll have multiple positions to fill – you might be hard-pressed to do so as quickly as possible, meaning less time for due diligence, therefore, increasing the risk of hiring someone that is not suitably qualified. Instead, when you hire a top app development team, finding highly qualified, hard-to-find talent becomes easy. For example, our audit system keeps things in check, continuously checking our hiring process and the quality of our developers. This way, you get only top developers working on your project minus all the hassle of the recruitment process.
In the early 2000s, it was fashionable to bring in a single coder to build your website or mobile application. This created many less-than-stellar apps that didn’t last long. Nowadays it’s common knowledge that you need an entire team of specialists to create a quality application.
The fact of the matter is that the price of entry for apps these days is at its highest – “more than 1 in every 2 apps that are downloaded is uninstalled within 30 days” if it doesn’t meet users’ expectations. Therefore, for your app to survive, you will need expertise in mobile design, developer(s), QA, Security specialist, and marketing specialist. Each brings its trove of capabilities to the table resulting in a dream team with performance, speed, and efficiency greater than the sum of its parts who will create your app from concept to completion, with the best results.
If you are looking for a team of app developers in Australia or want to outsource your project, then you need to know the steps you need to take.
Before you proceed, there are a few things that you need to keep in mind.
5 Most Common Mistakes to Avoid When Hiring App Developers
We work with a lot of people who want to build apps. And from those that we’ve worked with over the years, we’ve noticed there are five most common mistakes people make when hiring developers.
1. Hiring the Cheapest Developer
The most common mistake people make when hiring an app developer is to hire the cheapest. Application developers require a lot of time, care, and attention, so if you want them to do their best work for your company then it’s worth investing.
2. Not Asking for Portfolios or Testimonials of Work
To find the best fit for your project, make sure to ask for portfolios and testimonials of work. That’s the proof you need to validate their claims.
3. Hiring an App Developer Without Understanding Your Needs
If you want to build a successful app, there are some key things your app developer should know. For example, you need to share the business problem the idea is trying to solve and how you envisage the platform will make that happen. What is even more painful is work done that is not needed or simply doesn’t do the job. To help clarify your plan, even if you don’t have a fine detail of exactly what you want, get in touch with our team.
4. Not Considering an App Developer’s Availability in Terms of Time Zone, Hours Worked, and So Forth
People often make the mistake of not making sure that they hire a developer who is available at their convenience – this makes communication more difficult and can lead to delays or missed deadlines.
5. Expecting a Quick Turnaround Time for Development
It’s common to want an app or software developed within a short timeframe. Sadly, this can potentially affect the quality of production. The amount of time required to develop an app may be variable depending on the size and complexity of the app. However, note that fixing and deploying bugs in mobile apps is much harder than in web apps – so, make sure you allow the team enough time to iron out bugs before deployment. In any case, working with a top app development agency would guarantee that the result would be worth the wait.
You need a plan of action to successfully recruit the right app development team. Interviewing is one of the most important steps in this process. Having a setlist of questions can be a good starting point to get you going.
Here are Some Questions to Ask Your Potential Candidates so That You Can Get the Best Results From the Interview Process:
- Ask for examples of where a developer has worked on something similar.
- Which programming languages will be used in the development: Kotlin, Swift, Typescript, both, or something else?
- How do you prefer to communicate during the development process, in person or via email and chat?
- Ask for Customer references – i.e. indicate interest you’d like them to refer you to a few of their past customers.
Here are Some Practical Tips to Help You Land Your Best-fit App Developer:
- Look at their past work: The only way to be sure that a developer is going to do something great, or even complete it on time, is by looking at what they’ve done in the past.
- Action: Check their portfolio – you want to see how much they’ve accomplished in the past and if they have any reviews from clients who can attest to their abilities. The best way to get a feel for someone’s knowledge is by looking at what they’ve previously done, so go ahead and take a look at examples of the apps they have created or worked on previously. It also gives you an insight into what kind of person would be best for your project and how much time will be invested in your project. If you’re looking for someone to create your next app, don’t forget Bilue! Take a look at this case study and you’ll discover why we’re one of the best in Australia.
- Go with a local app development company: You want an Australian developer if they’re going to be working on your app’s code or designing it from scratch. They know what works and doesn’t work in Australia better than a company in another country.
- Interview them: This is your chance to find out what they are like as people and how you would work with them on a day-to-day basis. Remember we discussed app developer interview questions earlier.
- Look for developers who specialise in the type of app you’re looking to create. If your company is developing an app for fleet management or medical application, make sure they have experience working on projects similar to what you want.
- Don’t forget that reliability is key when it comes to hiring anyone to undertake an investment as profound as building a mobile app. You need someone who can assure you of their commitment to seeing your project through in line with industry best practices.
- They should be able to answer questions if any problems arise in the development and stay open-minded during feedback sessions – it is a collaborative process and they should be open to input from others and also, be willing and able to contribute in a meaningful way themselves.
The Benefits of Hiring App Developers from Australia
There are many benefits to hiring a legitimate and reputable app development team in Australia, such as:
- Customer service – If something goes wrong, you can contact the developer directly and get help.
- Collaboration – You can achieve more results because collaboration becomes easier when working with app developers in the same time zone where there is also a possibility of working in person.
- Cultural fit – If you’re building an app for the Australian market, having Australian developers means you’ll get more meaningful feedback and insights from the team that can be beneficial to your project.
Create the Best App Within Your Budget and Deadline
You’ve got an idea; have heard about competitors’ apps going viral, and now you want in. But enduring a slow, ineffective, or even failed process is unacceptable if you’re eager to see your dream come to life.
But nothing is ever that simple when you are dealing with someone who wants to make a quick buck. Some app development services offer cheap services at the price of sacrificing quality in their work. Others just can’t keep pace with modern technology, or deliver what they promise.
Also, there is always a catch when you choose low prices over quality. In most cases, the app will not work as you expected or you get app developers who lack the skills to turn your idea into reality. On the other hand, if you choose quality over price, you will pay more money but in return, you will get a product that potentially exceeds your expectations. You won’t have to try and fix major issues in the app once it’s already live because app development companies make sure the app works before they deliver it to the App/Play Store.
At Bilue, we pride ourselves on delivering quality apps across multiple sectors, on multiple platforms and devices. Of course, you will save money and time using our services – we will build your app on time so you can focus on your business and marketing strategies. Yes, it’s more than just a business strategy, developing your app on time is crucial in this competitive marketplace to retain all of those customers you worked so hard to win over in the first place.
However, what is more, important about working with a company like ours is your satisfaction. Your absolute delight in the product we deliver is non-negotiable. To ensure this, you’ll be part of a process that generates real results at the earliest possible time. Here at Bilue, we focus on quality app development with rapid prototyping and agile methodologies to avoid any unnecessary stress and make the most of your budget.
Bilue is located in Sydney and Melbourne, Australia. If you would like to meet us to talk through a project or find out more, we’d love to hear from you.
