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How to Choose a Mobile Developer: Tips & Tricks
25 OCT 2022

Have you ever wondered how difficult it can be to choose a mobile developer? Especially when you have an exceptional project idea and put your heart and soul into it. The market is full of many options to choose from. You may stumble upon companies who wish to get only profit from you and don’t care about the app that much. And no wonder it’s easy to make a mistake when finding the right fit. 


In this article, here is going to be a talk about the earliest stages of mobile app development. We will dig out some critical information about choosing the right mobile developer and the places to look at, and answer the most asked questions. Keep reading!

How to choose a mobile developer: the main steps

When choosing a mobile developer, it’s worth following the following steps

🔴 Research

The first step is doing the research and picking some companies/developers a business wishes to work with. Here, the search for companies with the needed set of tech skills and knowledge of programming languages depends on the app type and features.

For example, a company may want an Android app, then the required skill for a developer is being able to build an app for the Android platform. The same goes for creating a virtual reality app. In this case, it’s reasonable to look out for companies with experience in VR software development.

Later in the article, there will be a list of valuable sources where you can find an app development partner.

🔴 Getting to know them better 

When a business has found and selected the developers, it’s time to start reviewing their portfolios and client feedback. Having access to their previous works is fundamental. A company may want to see an example to be sure of making the right choice instead of lacking of information.

Examining their works, observing visuals of interfaces and how user-friendly they are – these are rather useful actions. For instance, a developer must have excellent UI/UX skills as they will help with consumer segmentation and bring a more loyal audience that will continuously be ready to buy from the company.  

🔴 Overview

At this step, it’s time to choose a few companies/developers you like the most. You can do so by highlighting the pros and cons and comparing them. After that, creating a shortlist and collecting their contact information will help to make the details clear. 

🔴 Getting in contact

Drop them a message/call with your project idea. Usually, app development companies would have a specific page to come in contact with. Or get in touch with the developer directly via emailing or messaging on different platforms.

🔴 Waiting for a response

Sometimes it takes time for companies to answer but not too long! The approximate waiting time is a few days, and the maximum is a week. If there is no response, it’s time to move on to a different company or developer.

🔴 Making a genuine connection

It’s like a date; make sure you’re on the same page. Talk deeply about the value of your product and all the essential details. Don’t be afraid to ask questions about how your idea will come to life.

Choose a developer who cares about your project not only money.

🔴 Making an agreement

Time to choose a company. By now, you’ve already had some meetings and long conversations about the whole mobile app development process with a few different experts. 

So how to find an app development partner that is ideal for you? Consider all the significant factors, like budget, deadlines, approach to solving your needs, design, communication skills, and others. Then choose a mobile developer that perfectly aligns with your expectations and requirements. 

🔴 Happily ever after 

Congrats, you have found the one! Buckle up and let the mobile app development start.

Where to find a mobile developer?

If you’re on haunt to find an app development partner, it’s good to make sure to use the resources below.
  • Network. You can ask your friends, colleagues, and family members if they have somebody in mind. Another useful option is working through your social network. Maybe you’ve met a great developer at an event, haven’t you? Or maybe you’ve chatted with the HR specialist that works at the developer company, right? So, it can be helpful to speak to different people and get some practical information.
  • Blogs. Another fantastic place for finding hidden gems. Thus, you can check out your favorite bloggers to find some recommendations and get yourself educated in mobile app development
  • Freelance and hiring platforms. There are many platforms you can use. The most common ones are LinkedIn, UpWork, and Guru. As well as Behance to find creative designers and developers. To a greater extent, you can go through their portfolios, reviews, and pricing with ease.
  • B2B platforms. If you want to hire a team from a mobile app developer company, Clutch and Goodfirms must be used. These platforms are focused on reviewing leading companies in the market that sell services and products to other companies.


How to choose a mobile developer? Find an app development partner

Clutch website for searching developers.



  • Social media platforms. Today, most companies and developers are active on social media. You can go over on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, YouTube, or whatever social media you like, introduce yourself to their content, and get to know more about the projects, workflow, and team. It’s all about being transparent. 
  • Google. Last but not least, you can simply use Google. Based on your requirements, find some rating articles like “Top 10 mobile app developer companies in Dallas” or “Best app development companies in Alabama” and do an investigation.  
Taking into consideration that there are three main types of app developers can also relieve the process of choosing.
  • Outsourcing team. To choose a mobile developer using this method is the most popular by far. Hiring the team from an outsourcing company, you can expect a high-quality product in the end, in most cases. It’s less expensive and quick, and the companies’ developers have a good experience in app development. Moreover, you may face difficulties in building a communication process.
  • In-house team. If you have a business, you can hire a developer on your team. It will be a highly pricy and lengthy process. But it can reassure you because the employee will have a dedication to your company and know about the internal process. 
  • Freelancer. It’s the second most popular option. This hiring type is cheap and can save you some money. But on the other hand, one freelance mobile developer can’t be responsible for the whole application lifecycle. It’s difficult to control, and there is less commitment to work. 

FAQs

It was hard to choose only a few questions, but here are the answers to the most popular ones.

⚫️ Can a business trust an app development company’s reviews on the website?

❗️ Yes, but don’t forget to check other resources and third-party websites. Overall, any review website like Glassdoor or Clutch can help you with that. Just use the one you trust and like the most.

It doesn’t mean that a mobile app developer company is deficient in posting only positive client responses. And the feedback doesn’t need to be fake. But it’s better to check twice before jumping into the work and feeling sorry afterward for wasting time and money on a project you don’t like at all.

⚫️ What can a company expect from an app development company’s manager?

❗️ You may expect that the manager doesn’t know a lot about your app at the beginning stage. Make sure to be detailed enough about what you want to achieve at the end and deliver as much information as possible. Prepare a list of major points and goals so you wouldn’t forget anything.

Also, it feels like there is a need to warn you about the red flags: 

🚩 It takes too much time to give you feedback.

🚩 A manager doesn’t care about your project or its values.

🚩 The main topic in conversation is your budget.

🚩 A manager doesn’t ask any questions.

🚩 A manager doesn’t talk to you about the company’s workflow.



In this case, please start looking for better options on the market. The Brivian team cherishes customers and is here to build partnerships in the long run. Try to look for a similar approach to work.

⚫️ What is necessary to look for before signing a contract with the app development company?

❗️ Here is the list of what is helpful to have on your hands before making a final decision:
  • References and presentation of the final product.
  • The main stages and details of the mobile app development are discussed and presented to you. It can be design, testing, usability, back-end development, business analysis, and so on. Everything that can help to solve your needs.
  • You have a specific timeline of a workflow and a rough meeting schedule.
  • The will to sign a non-disclosure agreement.
  • Cost of the project.

⚫️ What is the best way to describe an app to the company?

❗️ Usually, it depends on your app needs, but here are some main things to mention in any way:
  • The concept. In other words, you need to find your brand positioning statement. You can use this standard planning marketing tool:

FOR – target audience
⬇️

WHO – have a problem
⬇️

WE – provide A, B, C
⬇️

UNLIKE – competitors 1, 2, 3

Also, to make it more manageable, you can try to answer questions such as:

⚪️ What are the exact problems your app can solve and how users can benefit from it?

⚪️ What makes the application so extraordinary among the competitors?

⚪️ How can it stand out?

⚪️ Who are your competitors? 



  • Target audience. It’s about understanding who your customer is. Tell more about the people who will use the app. You can even create a profile of the potential customer: age, gender, geography, looks, habits, lifestyle, education, income, and family status.
  • Marketing. What will be the perception of your brand based on the user experience? How are you going to position your product on the market? How are you going to create emotional ties with your brand? How are you going to promote the app? 
  • Mobile app platform. When you’re entering the mobile app development process, have in mind the specific platform. It can be IOS or Android at the start, or maybe all two at the exact time.
  • Workflow. Define the specific flow of movement from one page to another. Make the app as simple as it can be for users but not too boring. Usually, people don’t like overcomplicated things, so think for them first. 
  • Intuitive navigation. It is more of a psychological factor to think of where to place the navigation buttons, menu, and internal links. 
  • Design. Have a specific style of design you want to have in the end. Maybe you want a minimalistic app or some pops of color? What about glass through elements? You can even share some references.
  • Color scheme. Have you ever heard of color physiology? Choosing the right colors can empower your brand identity. People will start to affiliate the color combination with you. And colors will speak for themselves and bring the message on emotional levels. 
  • Budget. Knowing your budget is essential. A small tip, don’t lower the pricing as the app’s function partly depends on it. But also ask the company that you have chosen to be transparent in expenses. 


In addition, you can fill out a request for a proposal on the mobile company website.

Conclusion

To summarize everything, these are some key points in the article:
  • When choosing a mobile developer, it’s reasonable to do deep research, check reviews and portfolios, and try to build a great relationship with a team.
  • To find an app development partner, you can use networking experience, tech blogs, freelance platforms, B2B platforms, social media, and Google. 
  • There’s no need to rush oneself into deciding on a mobile app developer company. It’s much more effective to be concerned about being on the same level of understanding.
  • Being open and detailed when informing about your app’s idea also provides a good impact on the final result. 
Now, you are fully aware of how to choose a mobile developer.

If there are any questions left or you require assistance with the app idea, don’t hesitate to contact us. The Brivian is ready to provide a consultation and follow your project from the start to the end. And even after the release, we are here to support you.

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