A great app idea is like a gem, it has the potential of unlocking new opportunities, captivating users, solving their problems, reshaping the digital landscape, and creating a potential new revenue stream for you.
But what will truly determine the fate of your app idea is its execution. Finding the right app developer who will use their expertise and skills to bring the app to life will shape the success of your app.
When looking for the right developer to present your idea to, most struggle with the following:
- where to look, where to start from
- whether to go forward with a company, freelancer, or how many developers
- who to trust with your idea
- how to evaluate technical skills of developer(s)
- how to evaluate compatibility and reliability of developer(s)
This article will provide you with answers to these most asked questions and provide you with a comprehensive guide on how to find the right developer to present your app idea to.
We will go through the steps involving finding out who you need, looking for developers in the right places, evaluating their skills and compatibility, and in the end making an informed decision.
Understand My App Idea, It’s Size, Volume Of Work & Costs
Before reaching out to developers, you would need to
- do sector research,
- clearly define the idea and its purpose,
- what problem its solving,
- its value,
- your vision,
- define name, logo, branding if you can,
- outline the key features you’ll be needing,
- what will set your app apart from competitors,
- its uniqueness,
- who is going to be your target audience, demographics,
- research competitors.
Nextly, you should know that creating an app is not cheap and often will require many hours, so depending on many factors like the type of app, its size, features, complexity of features, and developers you choose, the price point will be around $40000 – $125000, but the estimates can also go astronomical with more complex apps.
And it will take about 1000 to 2000 hours to create a mid complexity app. But this range can also differ from developer to developer.
After thoroughly researching the sector, putting together a brief of your idea and its features, refining your idea, figuring out how you’re going to be paying for it, you then should evaluate again. Is it worth going forward with the idea? We’re assuming you’re still fascinated and excited about the idea, so now you’re ready to actually look for developers.
Do I Need a Development Company or Freelancer?
There are many options to go forward for the development step of your app.
Generally, enterprise companies tend to come with a higher price tag but offer the most efficient methods to develop your app. On the other hand, boutique agencies provide personalized attention to detail. And sole freelancers are the most uncertain option.
- Enterprise -in house: Companies with employees that do everything from design to development to even marketing. Requires the highest budget, results not the quickest, but positive outcome.
- Enterprise -outsource: Companies with freelancers working on your project, costs less,, results are mostly positive, but less structured.
- Enterprise – white label: Companies with ready- templates of apps and their features. They use these templates as a base for everyone. Will make some changes and add branding to the app to make it fit you. Often the cheapest solution and fastest.
- Boutiques: Small teams. Can choose them if they’ve specialized or have experience in an app similar to your idea.
- Freelancers: With luck or after heavy research, you may find a freelancer who does everything (all developing processes, testing, publishing the app) but this will come out to be expensive and hard to find.
For the best results, the first 3 types (enterprise – in-house and outsource, and white label providers) are recommended.
If you’re still stuck between choosing what type of company/developers you need, email a couple different ones with your app idea and requirements/features, and they will let you know their procedure, the time it will take and prices.
Find the Right Developer to Present My App Idea to
Next, comes the search part. By thoroughly researching and identifying potential developers, you increase your chances of finding those with the right skills and experience to bring your app idea to life. Take the time to review portfolios, seek recommendations.
To find freelance developers try online platforms such as:
- Upwork
- Freelancer
- Toptal
- Github
To hire developers for your team try:
- Indeed
- Glassdoor
- Stack Overflow Jobs
- Developer communities and forum
- AngelList
- Dice
- Authentic
- Job & Networking events and conferences
- Referrals and recommendations
For white label app providing companies, try the following:
- Zangi Business, professionals in creating specifically messaging apps and social apps, with your company branding.
- BiznessApps specializes in white label app solutions for small businesses.
- Shoutem offers a white label app builder with a focus on customization and design.
- BuildFire provides tools and templates for creating custom mobile apps with customizations.
- AppInstitute offers various industry-specific templates and feature and social media integration.
Some app developing companies to choose from are:
- V-Soft Consulting
- MindSea
- Saffron Tech
- Y Media Labs
- OpenXcell
- Codiant Software Technologies
- Eleks
- Prismetric
- Octal IT Solution
- WillowTree
- Consagous Technologies
- Intuz
- Blue Whale Apps
How to Know Who to Trust My App Idea With
The best way to be sure of who you can trust is by carefully evaluating them and involving NDAs.
Here are some factors to consider:
- Reputation & credibility: Research the reputation of the development company or individuals you are considering. Check for what clients they’ve worked for, their reviews, ratings, their reputation.
- Strong track record: Look for professionals with client testimonials, with a notable portfolio.
- Seek recommendations from colleagues, friends, or industry professionals: They can provide valuable recommendations and information based on their own experiences and direct you to those they trust.
- Confidentiality and non-disclosure agreements: Prioritize partners who are willing to sign a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) to protect your confidentiality for your idea and other data.
- Transparent communication: Make sure all sides are clear about the idea, goal, development process, decision-making, deadlines, prices, support.
- Legal considerations: Consult with a legal professional to ensure you protect your intellectual property rights and consider any necessary legal agreements or contracts.
How to Evaluate Developer’s Technical Level
Determine if the developer has experience with similar app projects. Especially with white label app providers who have perfected their features and structure, the process of getting your app up and running is going to be so smooth and easy. Experience with similar app projects is truly invaluable.
- Do consider developers who have prior experience in developing apps with comparable features or functionalities over those who don’t.
- For iOS apps, ensure they have expertise in iOS development languages, including familiarity with Apple’s guidelines and App Store submission process
- For Android apps, check if they have a strong understanding of Android development languages, including knowledge of different device screen sizes and versions. If considering hybrid app development, evaluate their knowledge of cross-platform frameworks like React Native or Flutter.
- Evaluate knowledge of best practices, UX design, performance optimization, and security.
- Find out about awareness of emerging technologies like AR, VR, ML, and their potential for enhancing your app.
Evaluate Professionalism, Compatibility, Reliability
Determining if they are the right fit also involves getting to know the developer’s or company’s working style, their understanding and motivation and even their personalities.
For developer professionalism, look for:
- A structured and organized approach to app development. They should be able to tell you the process: planning, execution, testing of their work.
- Their attention to detail
- Coding standards, education
- If they follow best practices
- Prioritization of documentation, version control, and clean code practices,
- If they meet deadlines, and have a good track record to do so
- Request previous work from them
- Google search them, look at customer testimonials.
For developer compatibility and reliability look for:
- Their willingness to sign a non-disclosure agreement (NDA)
- How available/or busy they are and how committed, interested they are in the project
- How much they understand the objectives and vision
- How familiar they are with the field/ niche
- If they’re good at communicating
- Consider if they match your work style
- If they also can provide valuable insights and suggestions
Conclusion
Finding the right developer or development company is a crucial step in presenting your app idea to the world.
Enterprise companies that do white-label app development are the most ready-to-go and risk free solutions, which already have the base of the app and are ready to add your choice of add-on features. They are also usually the cheapest and fastest solutions. By carefully considering factors such as technical skills, compatibility, professionalism, and communication, you can increase the chances of your app succeeding.
