Business and individuals build mobile apps for a variety of reasons. Some apps help customers communicate quickly and securely. Others are designed to speed up internal processes. All in all, there’s no shortage of innovative ways enterprises can benefit from a customized mobile app.

But whatever your reason is for building a mobile application, deciding which company has the best qualifications and skills for your project is no small task. Plenty of mobile app developers will waste your time and money. Others don’t have the requisite skills to make an app that fits your needs. 

Mobile application development is a broad field, so choosing the first company that pops up on Google is a risky game. Here are nine things you should consider when you are trying to choose a mobile app development company.

9 Tips for Choosing a Mobile App Development Company

Understanding how to pick a mobile app development company will save you time and money in the long run. Here are our top suggestions as you begin your search.

1. Come prepared

While developers can help you brainstorm and refine your idea, you should start with an idea of what you need when searching for mobile app developers. Some basic market research and a trip through the app store to see your competitors’ apps can give you a good idea of the features you need. 

Knowing the features you need can help you create your budget and look for developers who can fulfill your requirements.

2. Decide where you want to look

Depending on where your company is located and the budget you come up with, the location of your developers makes a big difference. 

First, having your developers in a different time zone can cause communication breakdowns. For example, an opposite workday can turn a quick question into a two-business-day conversation, creating needless delays. 

However, the counterpoint is that the average cost of mobile app development services varies wildly from country to country. If you’re in the United States, you’ll have many options, especially in San Francisco, but it’s one of the most expensive places to develop an app. To give you an idea of the cost difference, a software architect makes around $110 to $125 an hour in the US. In the United Kingdom, they make $60-100; in Eastern Europe, they make $45 to $67 an hour.

You’ll want to decide if accessibility or cost is more critical when planning your search.

3. Find a specialized app developer

The rising need for enterprise apps has led many software development companies to add mobile app development as a side branch. However, when building a custom app, you need to work with a company that has the right experience to develop a hybrid or native app.

Search for a company specializing in mobile app development, not one doing it on the side. Find out how long they have been doing mobile development and get to know the team. You want to work with people you feel comfortable communicating with. Don’t sign anything until you have had a chance to speak directly with the development team.

4. Talk to their customers

Every company is going to showcase its best reviews on the company website. While these can certainly put you at ease that this company has some experience, it doesn’t always tell you the whole story. 

Any reputable app development company should be happy to put you in direct contact with some customers so you can talk to them about their experience building an app. You should also check the web to read good and bad reviews. If you come across negative reviews, ask the company about them. Why was the customer unhappy, and how did the company resolve the issue?

5. Review their portfolio

Request to see the app development company’s portfolio so you can get a good idea of the result of their mobile app development process. Look at apps in the same industry as yours and some outside it. 

Seeing a wide range of apps can help you better understand the types of features the company excels at. Plus, some apps that seem different can have similar characteristics. For example, a dating app might have a live chat feature that could also work for an internal app for the human resources team.

6. Find out how they work

Does the app development company work in a silo until the app is ready to launch, or do they involve clients along the way? Of course, as the paying client, you should be included in the app development process. This includes being involved in the ideation phase, prototyping, and testing before launching the app. You need to be in the loop throughout the process so there are no surprises at the end.

You should ask about communication. It’s important to partner with a mobile app development company that prioritizes an open and transparent feedback loop. It’s much faster and easier for developers to make changes early in the process than to make significant adjustments at the end.

7. Ask about timing

All good things take time to build. So be suspicious if you talk to a mobile app developer who promises to deliver a high-quality product quickly. They will be cutting corners somewhere, and the final result will not be as effective (or secure) as it could be. 

Expect mobile app development to take months, not weeks and certainly not days, to go from an idea to the app store. If you need the app developed quickly, be candid about your timing when speaking to the company. They may be able to deliver an MVP (minimum viable product) by your timeline that can meet your minimum requirements before going back and finalizing the project.

8. Ask about support

App development doesn’t end when your app hits the app store. Instead, your app development company should care about your business’s success overall, not just completing one app. 

Look for a mobile app development company that offers quality assurance and will for the lifetime of your app. This support should include app maintenance, such as fixing bugs and making updates.

9. Be as detailed as possible in your RFP

Instead of writing that you want your app to be “the UBER of eCommerce,” write a detailed description of the experience you want for your customers, including any specific features you want to include. The more details you can provide, the more accurate the quote will be. Plus, you’ll avoid surprising the app developer and ending up with an app development process that takes significantly longer than expected.

The cost of building a mobile application varies, which isn’t different from any other product type. You wouldn’t expect a car manufacturer to give you a blanket cost estimate of how much it costs to build a car. The features and mechanics are very different and will impact the final product’s cost.

Looking for a Mobile App Development Company? Let’s Talk

We at Confianz have been part of the growth of the app industry and are well-versed in building mobile apps for Androids and iOS. 

If you’re ready to build an enterprise app, let’s talk. We want to hear about your project and offer our expertise to help you get the desired results. We’ll connect you with former clients so you can hear first-hand about why they love working with us. 

Contact us today to set up a free consultation. Hire the best iPhone or Android developer from the top Mobile App Development Company in Charlotte, NC !

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How much does it cost to create an App?

We’re available to help build your mobile app, whether you want it made for Android, iOS, or both. You can get an estimate for your app using the Confianz app cost calculator.