How To Outsource Mobile App
Outsource mobile app development in 6 easy steps
- Outline your requirements.
- Search for experience relevant to your field.
- Get your questions and concerns answered.
- Ask for a strong project plan.
- Collaborate with the partner of your choice.
- Maintain successful communication.
The idea of having a team of app developers can be quite appealing and can offer you loads of benefits. It means that you have people who understand your business’s core values and do not require you to explain everything about your organization, its products, and services. Additionally, it gives you complete control of your application development processes as the people will be working as in-house developers. But things are not as perfect as they seem. Along with many advantages of having a full-time team of developers, there are also some drawbacks that you might want to know about.
Let’s start with the cost. Of course, when you hire people, you offer them a salary package that they will not be able to say no to. Specialists, experts and people with vast industry experience will not settle for an average salary. Even if you find people who are eager to help you, you will have to give them equipment, space and all necessary resources needed for development processes. This makes having an app development team very much expensive.
But it is not just about the cost. It also means limited experience and scope of knowledge of a fixed team of developers. Let’s put it this way, as you move forward towards development and improvements; you need fresh ideas and people who can think from a new point of view. However, it does not mean that a fixed team will fail to help you. People who develop apps know their products very well. However, using a fresh pair of eyes can not only help you to highlight specific areas where improvements are needed but also you will have many innovative ideas to develop unique applications or to improve the existing ones.
Having a team working at your company is the best idea when you have a plan that can bring a huge shift. Something that can even exist for years or decades or something that does not depend on funding or have a restricted timeline. If that is not what you intend to do, then it is better to outsource app development.
In-house Development Or Outsourcing
Thinking what outsourcing app development could possibly bring to the table?
Well, the answer is quite simple. It brings a whole experience bank and a range of skills.
An organization whose operations revolve around app development for businesses of different types, specialists and experts with a range of skills can be found to collaborate and work for developing apps. This makes the process of solving problems easier and in a timely manner.
An in-house team, as your project progresses, will require you to look for experts and specialists, and you will end up covering large expenses. It will not only consume a lot of time but will also put you in a tight spot to find the one with relevant experience.
Outsourcing, however, gives you less control as you and the team of developers might not be in the same area, city, country, or even time zone and it can even cause problems in communication but that is what a good project manager takes care of; maintaining successful communication and making sure you and the team are on the same page.
An in-house team of developers is expensive and increases the fixed cost in your expenses, whereas outsourcing app development will cost you very less. You will only need to take care of the cost spent on the development of your application and not the cost to hire developers.
If you remain successful in finding reliable app development service providers, your organization’s work efficiency will more likely to increase as compared to if you hire an in-house team.
Benefits of Outsourced Application Development
Before you consider application development outsourcing, you might want to learn about some of the major benefits it has to offer. Let’s have a look.
Reduced Costs
The first and the most appealing advantage of outsourcing application development is cost reduction. An offshore service provider helps its customers in minimized outsource app development cost which helps to save a sum of money and resources that can be utilized for other important development opportunities.
Saves Time
In the present age, the market calls for a quick turnaround to hire a mobile app development company. Outsourcing app development helps you to save not only money but also time spent on interviewing, hiring, training workers.
Professionalism and Quality Work
If you go for a company that has a huge experience in app development and has been serving customers for many years, you will more likely to receive high-quality services. Plus, your application will surely be unique and will fit your business requirements. Such companies have skilled people and experts who have years of experience and they know the market very well.
Outsource Mobile App Development
Outsource iOS App Development
Choosing to outsource iPhone application development can be your best decision as it can offer your years of experience and you will have a team that carries a track record of developing thousands of iOS apps. Having the right experience, the team of developers will not only be familiar with bugs but also with the development of codes that are error-free.
The app development service providers are experts in their field and hence they are always up-to-date with the new technology and trends in the market. They are equipped with the knowledge and the right blend of resources that your in-house team of developers might lack.
Outsource Android App Development
Android app development outsourcing is not as difficult as you might think.
Development of an application requires a clear outline of the app’s requirements including all of its features, look, design and overall feel so as to convey your idea to the developers for successful app development.
Setting a timeline and making sure that all the deliveries are on time is the most essential thing when outsourcing app development. Of course, the experts in this area will surely know how to deal with certain problems experienced when developing an application for android hence outsourcing can help you save your time and energy spent on looking for such an expert in-house developer.
What Options Are There For Mobile Application Outsourcing?
Hire A Development Company
A development company can offer you’re a reliable and good working experience as it provides you with a team that is already assembled according to the requirements of your application and in no time. You get everything done in a more formalized way that includes the scope of work and costs. Hiring a development company will benefit you the most as you will find experts and specialists with amazing work records and diverse skillsets who will help you with your app development and deliver you a one of a kind solution for your business needs. You will enjoy an organized process of app development with step by step approvals and regular updates on the development process. Though hiring a development company will cost more than any other option but since this ensures a reliable and secure work process and flawless app development, it can be the best of all.
Hire Freelance Developers
If you do not have the budget to go for a development company, you can always look for freelance app developers who are available on platforms like Upwork, freelancers, and many others like these. You can ask them for their previous projects to see if they have relevant experience and make sure that they can fulfill the promise they make. Hiring such developers who work freelance can be a good choice for small-scale to medium-size businesses for their app development but it can also work for large-scale organizations for some specific requirements. Freelance developers will not charge you as a development company would, and it is easier to maintain contact and discuss updates and improvements in the development process. However, it is hard to hire expert app developers who are working freelance as almost all of them are working in the industry with big organizations so that leaves the medium level or newbies and it might be a risk to put your valuable project in their hands.
Moreover, freelance app developers have fewer resources and they sometimes lack certain skills needed for the development of the application which leads to compromise on the app quality. Plus, communicating with freelance app developers is a tough job sometimes if you both are in different time zones.
Go With An Off-the-shelf Software Solution
Simply put, this is the cheapest option among all and is faster to launch as many features are already included right away. However, it is not always possible to find a solution that matches your needs and can successfully carry the implementation of your idea.
The customization and transition are a tough job if you are trying to move to any other system. But there is a possibility that it may include a lot more options than your actual requirement. However, the UI/UX design will be a standard design. It may lack swift changes and updates according to the situation of the market.
How Do You Outsource A Mobile App To Get The Best Results
If you are already set to outsource app developers for your next project and you want to know what steps will you need to follow, here we have explained everything that you want to know.
Know Your Requirements
No one can understand your requirements if you yourself are not clear about them. You know your business better than anyone and hence you must outline the needs of the application you want to get developed. Do this before you start looking for app development options.
If you know what you need, only then you will be able to communicate it to others in a proper manner. If you fail to do so, you will more likely end up with an app that does not fit your business needs, and you will regret not doing the homework.
Outlining your requirements will not only save your time but will also save you from repeated revisions that will only waste your money and time.
Here are some questions that you need to ask yourself for this part:
- Who are the customers?
- What is the function of your application?
- What feature makes your app unique?
- What features do you need in your app?
- If your app paid or is it free?
- Do you have a strategy for app monetization? If yes, what is it?
- What kind of app do you need i.e. native or hybrid?
Choose The Right Option For Your App Development
‘No size fits all’. The same is the case with app development options. Every business has its own requirements and budget, hence different options can work for each business in a different way.
Before you start selecting your app development option, understand the good and the bad side of each option that we have discussed earlier in this blog.
You can look for some best app outsourcing companies and specialized firms having years of experience, a team of specialists and experts, and satisfied client reviews, to offer you quality services with a strategy-focused approach.
This can be an expensive option and can be impossible for medium and small scale businesses. However, for building robust and flawless applications, hiring an app development company seem to be the best solution.
Outsourcing app development to freelance/independent developers is a suitable option for such businesses who have a low budget and cannot afford to work with app development companies.
However, finding a technically skilled developer is a tough job, and it is not possible to easily find one on freelance platforms. Even if you find one, he might lack the experience, resources, and knowledge of the market to deliver you with a unique app.
Off-the-shelf mobile app developers and firms can also work for small scale businesses as they offer solutions that are cheap, but they might not meet your requirements completely. Also, they have standard designs, and there is a considerable risk that they might not meet your customers’ and target market’s demands.
Examine The Developers
It is possible that you end up making a long list of app development companies, freelancers, or agencies, and it might seem challenging to contact each one of them personally. If this happens, dig deep for relevant information about these companies and their prior experience before contacting them. This will help you to cut down some names, making a list smaller and contacting easier.
Check all of their portfolios, be it companies or freelancers. Make sure that they have worked on similar projects or have the knowledge and skills to develop your unique application. Investigate as much as you can before you spend your hard-earned money. If you do not see relevant experience, it is better to cut them off from your long list.
Another way to investigate an app development company or freelance developer is to look for their clients’ reviews. See if their clients are satisfied with their products and services. This can help you understand their way of dealing with customers and whether or not they are worth choosing.
Select The Best Service Model
Project-Based
A project-based model is where there is a limited number of team members, and they work in a pre-defined timeframe to complete the development processes. The outcome of the project is also dependent on the outsourcing company’s backlog.
Dedicated Team
In this service model, it is the responsibility of the outsourcing company to allocate the resources to the project while ensuring process quality and personal management. The resources include project managers with a full-cycle team of developers and business analysts who outline the project pipeline and complete services.
Out-staff or Extended team
This service model means that specific tasks are allocated to outside resources and providing them with a workspace. The client hires different individuals for different tasks, and hence it is their responsibility to regulate the process of development, vacations, working time, and salaries. They will be managing the development process, motivating the team, and promoting within the members of the team.
Contact The Remaining Mobile App Development Outsourcing Companies
It is better to shorten the long list you have made and leave only five to ten options to contact. You will save time and energy this way. It will be easier to contact them individually and ask them for consultation and a quote.
Once you have successfully established the contact, you can have your concerns answered and can ask for additional information that you might require such as their means of communication, method of payment, work process, etc. This way, you will not end up making an ill-informed decision.
Tips For Outsourcing Mobile App Development After Your Work Has Begun
Once your app development process has started, it is better to keep an eye on all the things and make sure you receive regular updates on your project. If you are going for an app development company, maintain constant contact with the project manager and ask him to keep you posted about the process. If you choose to go for a freelancer, make sure that he sends you regular updates and establishes a reliable means of communication so that you both can stay in touch easily.
As the owner of the product, it is essential for you to make things official and have proper documentation. However, keep an eye out for companies or freelancers who are reluctant to sign a contract with you or resist to provide you with the documentation.
How Much Does It Cost To Outsource App Development With A Professional Company?
There can be several factors that affect the cost of outsourcing app development. Starting from the range of features your app requires to the tools, platforms, service model, and resources used to develop your application.
The applications that are more complex to build usually take more time than those which are simple. Their development process is expensive, and they require a longer timeframe to be developed in.
US-based app development companies and freelance app developers usually charge higher whereas those who are located in India or Eastern Europe will charge comparatively less. Learn some more information about offshore app development costs.
Take Away
App development is surely not a piece of cake, and so is the outsourcing of mobile app development. But once you end up with a reliable service provider to outsource mobile application development, be it a company or a freelancer, you will be at ease, and you will enjoy high-quality products and services with minimized costs.