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Hiring Mobile App Developers in 2024

The mobile app market is among the fastest-growing sectors in technology. According to research, it had a valuation of $206.85 billion in 2022, and it is expected to grow at a CAGR of 13.8% from 2023 to 2030.  The current trends signal that there is more likelihood for consumers to use a mobile application rather than a website. It makes freelance app developers or programmers some of the most sought-after skilled personnel on the market today. Hiring mobile app development freelancers can be a daunting task, considering that 1 out of every 5 individuals abandons a mobile application upon first use.

The hiring process is multi-stepped and must be done with due diligence to ensure an exceptional end product. This article gives you a breakdown of the entire process of hiring competent mobile app developers who will implement your project right.

Hire mobile app developers

Factors to consider before hiring a mobile app developer

As highlighted before, the developer hiring process is multi-faceted. There are several aspects that you should consider when hunting for mobile application development talent. These factors are described below.

Define the problem and possible set

There is a need to define the problem before doing a talent hunt for a mobile app programmer. It includes extracting your target population from the pool and identifying their challenges. It will enable you to be laser-focused in your quest to find a competent app developer and the possible solutions. The stepwise process of defining your problem and assessing the possible solutions is highlighted below.

Establish and explore your target audience

The first port of call is filtering your target audience by basics such as age, sex, profession, education, or so on.

Pinpoint the problems

It is paramount to look into the problems that your target audience faces within the bracket of the challenge set you need to be solved. You should not have a hypothetical approach and go the extra mile to interview several of your clients to learn the depth of the problems.

Find the solution

The next step would be to come out with a solution. Coming up with this, you need to assess how the current solution providers in your industry are falling short and ensure that your application stands out from the rest of them.

Product fit

It is the stage where you establish the minimum features that your product should have to attract your initial clients. How do you do this? Read on.

Define an MVP

The minimum viable product (MVP) serves to check whether the solution satisfies the needs of your target audience. It should feature the solution’s most valuable features, the ones that form its core.

Build a landing site

A landing site will help you gain the much-needed momentum. It will serve as an effective tool for obtaining your leads’ contacts and converting them into customers.

Set key performance indicators

There is a need to come up with a set of indicators that will serve to gauge the product’s performance on the market. These may include the number of subscribers, leads, conversions, sales, or other financial metrics.

Useful reading: A Complete Guide to a Successful Mobile App Launch

Have a clear strategy and NDA

The absence of a clear strategy explains why most products fail on the market. It is paramount to highlight that you should specify your needs to match the mobile application’s purpose and key functionality. You should also guard against copyright violations by asking your potential vendor to sign a non-disclosure agreement (NDA).

Decide on your hiring priorities

Having answers to all questions mentioned above will help you to decide which tech specialists do you need:
– one developer or a tech team;
– freelancer, outsourced team, contractor, or in-house specialists;
– local or offshore talent, etc.

Each of these hiring possibilities is the best in each particular situation. Don’t limit yourself to your usual choices and analyze what’s better for a current case.

Useful reading: A Comprehensive Guide on App Development Outsourcing in 2024

Hire mobile app developers in 5 simple steps

How much does it cost to hire a mobile app developer

If you intend to outsource mobile application programmers, it is critical to be knowledgeable of the potential regions where you can find the perfect skill set. The popular places to locate team members (both front-end and backend) for an app development project are described briefly below. 

Average Mobile Developer Rates in Eastern Europe

Eastern Europe remains one of the best regions in the world to hire for software development. The average hourly rate for software engineers in the region is fairly modest compared to the US market, where the average salary is around $100K, ranging from $15K to $70K. Countries such as Ukraine also have an impressive tech-savvy community of developers. It is probably due to the outsourcing history of the region and the growth of several high-tech startup examples such as GitLabs, Grammarly, and Ajax Systems.

Country Junior Mobile Developer, $ Middle Mobile Developer, $ Senior Mobile Developer, $
Poland $23,000 $57,000 $72,000
Ukraine $22,000 $39,000 $67,000
Romania $16,000 $29,000 $45,000
Bulgaria $15,000 $38,000 $58,000
Hungary $20,000 $52,000 $78,000

Source: Glassdoor, Indeed, PayScale

Useful reading: How Do Mobile App Development Companies UK Compete With Outsourcing?

Average Mobile Developer Rates in Latin America

Latina America also makes it on the list of the regions where you can do your outsourcing for the best app development team. The combination of its proximity to Silicon Valley in the USA and affordable hourly rates makes it a perfect destination for picking development services talent. The IT sector in Latina America is on a boom, and the region is a splendid outsourcing destination.

Country Junior Mobile Developer, $ Middle Mobile Developer, $ Senior Mobile Developer, $
Mexico $12,000 $35,000 $72,000
Brazil $17,000 $44,000 $80,000
Costa Rica $28,000 $43,000 $65,000
Uruguay $15,000 $24,000 $55,000
Colombia $20,000 $31,000 $48,000

Source: Glassdoor, Indeed, PayScale

Average Mobile Developer Rates in Asia

Asia is another top spot for picking developers. The region, especially India, is popular mainly for its affordable pool of talent. However, the fact it is further away from the countries that tend to outsource makes it rank lower on the list of preferred regions. It is because of the significant time zone differences and different cultural philosophies which make communication is a hurdle.

Country Junior Mobile Developer, $ Middle Mobile Developer, $ Senior Mobile Developer, $
India $10,000 $21,000 $57,000
China $45,000 $62,000 $79,000
Philippines $9,000 $12,000 $22,000
South Africa $27,000 $54,000 $78,000
Egypt $7,000 $15,000 $25,000
Kenya $7,000 $14,000 $30,000

Source: Glassdoor, Indeed, PayScale

Useful reading: Mobile App Development Companies: Choose The Best One for Your Project

Overcome the developer shortage

Hire mobile app developers in 5 simple steps

Step 1: Decide on your budget

Identify the number of professionals to be hired, their rates or salaries, and any costs associated with the hiring process, such as job advertising, staffing agencies, employee referral bonuses, or hiring platform commissions.

Step 2: Create the project description and requirements

The project description and requirements can include a brief summary of objectives, methods, tools, and frameworks to be used, and a desired set of skills, experience, and personality traits. Hiring managers should also define performance-based requirements to set clear expectations for the mobile developer.

Step 3: Research the hiring platforms

Depending on your project timeline and requirements, you can turn to the following platforms to find the right mobile developers and development teams:

  1. Upwork, TopTal – if you’re looking for freelancers;
  2. YouTeam – if you’re looking for full-time vetted contractors;
  3. G2, Clutch – if you want to assign an entire project to an outsourcing provider;
  4. LinkedIn, Indeed, and Wellfound – if you want to hire in-house employees. 

You can also search Google for personal portfolio sites of freelance mobile developers or ask your friends and colleagues for references.

Step 4: Examine developer’s portfolio and experience

A company should define what education and experience are crucial for the project. Several years in mobile development and a portfolio of finished projects can show a developer has been long enough in the domain to be familiar with the languages, tools, and frameworks.

Step 5: Interview the best candidates and sign a contract or make an offer

Create a list of interview questions based on project requirements. Technical questions may cover specific mobile development platforms and methodologies or troubleshooting common issues, while behavioral questions provide insight into the candidate’s personality, communication skills, and problem-solving abilities.

Why YouTeam is the best place to hire Android and iOS app developers

Despite hundreds of service providers that can help you hire both Android and iOS mobile application developers, there is no doubt that YouTeam is one of the best places. There are several reasons why it is so, and they are described below.

Competence

YouTeam does not gamble with your project. We fully understand that you are desperate for exceptional talent. As a result, we make sure that you only talk to the right candidates. Our screening process is thorough. It involves multiple data points that will be utilized for personalized matching. As a testimony of the effectiveness of these methods, our candidate-to-higher ratio is 1.75.

Reliability

When looking for mobile app developers, you need an agent you can trust. YouTeam offers you the much-needed reliability. We have a standardized, tried, tested, and trusted contract that is signed between you and the mobile app development company that employs your selected software developers. YouTeam ensures that the resultant Internet Protocol is fully transferred to you. Furthermore, we have an excellent Customer Success Department that is always there when you need them. 

Speed

YouTeam understands that when you intend to execute an app development project, speed is of the essence. We can reach out to web development agencies with the skill set you are searching for in a short time. If you give us your business requirements, get ready to review the matches in less than forty-eight hours.

Hire mobile app developers

Top 10 aspects to consider when hiring mobile application developers

The following is the list of 10 aspects you should consider when hiring mobile app developers.

  • Professionalism
  • Portfolio (Check profile social media platforms such as LinkedIn)
  • Versatility in multiple programming languages such as Java and C++
  • Communication and involvement in the development process
  • Timeframe
  • Maintenance
  • Cost
  • Design

How to hire dedicated mobile app developers with YouTeam

The process of hiring mobile application developers through YouTeam is pretty simple:

  1. You request a call and briefly describe your app idea and preferred development process if any.
  2. Then, you make a 15-minute call with our Team Advisor where you get to introduce yourself to each other and find out whether YouTeam can be of help.
  3. If the answer is yes, YouTeam then begins to hunt for suitable developers among more than 500 agencies with a team of developers that are present on our platform. The first batch of candidates will be ready in 48 hours, or even less sometimes.
  4. You then select the most interesting mobile application developers, and the YouTeam schedules interviews with them. 
  5. If you find a suitable candidate, it is advisable to settle for them right away before they receive another offer. It is because events happen fast in the hiring market.
  6. A final stage is a contract signing through the YouTeam platform. The contract and process are standardized so that you save a lot of time if hiring several developers from different agencies.
  7. Within a week, or even less, you would be having full-time iOS or Android app developers in your team.

FAQ

How much does it cost to hire mobile application developers?

It depends on the region from which you are hiring. The hourly rates for Eastern Europe, Latin America, and Asia range from $35 to $65, $45 to $75, and $25 to $50 respectively.

How to hire the best mobile app development company?

You can find mobile app development companies on review platforms like G2 and Clutch. The latter allows you to filter companies by location, industry, and hourly rate. 

Alternatively, you can browse hundreds of mobile app development services on LinkedIn and filter them by location and company size.

How do I choose the right app developers?

To hire good Android or iOS mobile app developers, who guarantee the best user experience (UX) and user interface (UI), you need to assess several areas such as their portfolio, timeline, versatility, communication skills, years of experience, and professionalism.

What companies are hiring app developers?

With the prevalence of technology, companies across all sectors, from healthcare, finance, retail, automobile, manufacturing, eCommerce are hiring mobile app developers.
Written by
Svetlana Shevchuk

Digital Marketing Specialist at YouTeam, a Y Combinator-backed marketplace for building remote dev teams.

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