How to Find an App Developer for Your Project in 2024

Finding a mobile app developer can be a daunting task, especially if you’re not sure where to start or where to look for a talented developer.

According to Statista, in 2022, the United States had around 1.63 million software developers and software quality testers. This number clearly shows how difficult it would be to find a developer who is the perfect fit for your project.

So before you begin to find a developer, ensure

To determine your specific business needs
What kind of app you are looking for
What features it should have
To define the estimated budget and timeline for the app

Once you have a clear understanding of your project, you can start your search. But how to find an app developer?

Don’t worry. As a top mobile app development company specializing in offering a flexible hiring model, we have shared valuable insights and information to help you find the right app developer for your project. We are going to discuss the following:

Things that you need to know before you find a developer
Various platforms to hire a developer
Important things that you should consider for finding developers

So, let’s get started.

Table of Contents

Why is It Important to Find the Right App Developer for Your Project?

You cannot risk the success of your project by hiring developers who are not skilled enough for the requirements.

Hiring a responsible developer will bring their vision to your app idea and play a crucial role in determining the success of your app.
A skilled and experienced developer will be able to understand your needs and create an app that meets them.
An experienced developer will be able to anticipate and solve any technical challenges that may arise during the development process, saving time and money.

As every entrepreneur might not be updated with the latest tools and technologies, it is crucial that you find and hire an ideal app developer for your project. Overall, finding the right developer is crucial for ensuring that your app is of high quality, functions well, and meets your goals.

Hiring In-house

You can choose to hire in-house developers as your app development team members. Based on your requirements, you can find and screen developers for the interview rounds. This will also require hiring a developer who perfectly fits into your working environment and company’s culture.

Check the following table to find the pros and cons of hiring an in-house developer.

Pros of Hiring an In-House Developer	Cons of Hiring an In-House Developer
You are able to guide the developer The developers show commitment to the work Get integrated into the company’s culture soon More input and involvement Knows the development process followed in the company.	Need to spend extra on hiring and onboarding Costs of providing suitable working equipment Only full-time/part-time employment option

Hiring A Freelancer

If you are looking to hire a developer for a short-term project, then hiring freelance mobile app developers is the best option. With a vast pool of talents, you are able to find a developer with various skill sets. In addition, this option gives you the benefit of not paying developers for vacation days, social security, and medical expenses.

However, this option also comes with some disadvantages that you need to know before finding the developers. Then check the following pros and cons of hiring a freelance developer.

Pros of Hiring a Freelance Developer	Cons of Hiring a Freelance Developer
Freelance developer charges less compared to in-house developers, and other options You are not required to spend on taxes, office space, holidays, etc. The employment model is optional in this case	Once the project is ready, it is difficult to scale after the release Less commitment is shown as freelancers have other projects as well Complicated onboarding process for the freelancers

Hiring An Outsource Team or App Development Company

Hiring developers from agencies will come on a contractual basis so that you leverage their expertise and release them once the project ends. In addition, you can choose to hire developers based on different hiring models, such as full-time, part-time, and hourly basis.

The best part of hiring developers from an agency is that you expand the team size whenever required to fit the exact needs of the project and release them all once the project is over. Also, mobile app development companies carry a lot of experience and expertise to work on different projects. Hence, this will make it easier for you to share your requirements and start the project quickly.

Now, check the following table to see the pros and cons of hiring a developer from an agency.

Pros of Hiring an App Development Company	Cons of Hiring an App Development Company
Access to professionals worldwide Direct hiring with different levels of expertise No need to take responsibility for work Flexible hiring model for the unique requirements Contract-based collaboration	Need to contact the team for updates regularly Possible communication or language issues Higher budget than the freelance model

In the next section, let’s discuss all the steps to find mobile app developers.

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7 Steps to Find an App Developer

In this section, we have discussed all the steps that you need to consider while finding an app developer. We have explained all the steps briefly, so you don’t have to invest much time and can quickly hire a suitable developer.

Step 1: First, you need to define your app idea and create a clear project along with the specifications.

Step 2: Go through various hiring platforms or create a list of app development companies and see which perfectly fit your requirements in terms of budget, skill sets, and delivery timeline.

Step 3: Check the portfolio and reviews of the developers on your list to evaluate their past work and experience.

Step 4: Identify the type of hiring model you are looking for and discuss the same with the consulting team (e.g., full-time, part-time, or hourly basis).

Step 5: Schedule interview rounds with the developers on their availability, and once confirmed, discuss your project in more detail and get a sense of their communication and project management approach.

Note: The following 2 steps are not actually related to finding an app developer. However, these steps are crucial for you to hire developers. Hence, we have discussed the same here.

Step 6: Make a decision based on your budget and the developer’s skills that fit with your project.

Step 7: Ask the developer to sign an NDA and work together to bring your app to life.

Now going forward, let’s understand all the essential things you need to know before finding the right mobile app developer.

Things You Should Know Before Finding App Developers

There are various things that you need to consider before you start your search for app developers. Knowing all the things will ensure that you find the right app developer for your needs and budget.

Define Your Project’s Scope and Requirements
You will be required to define the scope of app development. This will include deciding on the timeline for the app development team to design and develop an application. You also need to check the requirements of features you want to integrate into your app.
Therefore, conduct detailed research to understand what features will actually solve your users’ problems. Then, find the solution and see how effectively you can solve the problems with the expertise of the developers.
Your Budget
The app development cost can vary. However, you need to fix a tentative app development cost in order to find a developer who fits into your budget. Ensure you have included everything, such as designing, testing, deployment, and maintenance, to create a more accurate budget for the app.
The Platform(s) You Want to Develop For
Finding experienced app developers to develop an app before deciding on a platform will only create challenges for you. Hence, you need to consider a platform where you want to publish your app and then go on to find a developer. In case you want to deploy your app on multiple platforms, then consider finding a developer with experience developing hybrid apps using technologies like React Native, Flutter, and JavaScript.
Your Timeline
This is one of the crucial factors that you cannot ignore. Deciding on the timeline will ensure you market your app quickly to cover the maximum number of users. Once you decide on the timeline, you can discuss the same with the developer and hire them based on your requirements and conditions. This will also help the developer get an estimate and be able to deliver the project on a timely basis.
Your Legal Requirements
To protect your mobile app idea, you need to consider hiring a developer who is ready to sign an NDA (non-disclosure agreement). This will bind the developer to safeguard your intellectual rights and protect your unique idea as well as the app’s source code.
Your Team
Suppose you already have a team in your organization. In that case, you need to consider hiring a developer with a different skill set who can fit into your company’s work culture and gel up with them quickly. For this, either you can choose to hire an in-house developer or a developer from an agency. However, hiring a developer from the agency is recommended so you can release them once the project ends without any commitments
Set Criteria to Shortlist App Developers
At last, you set your essential criteria to shortlist the developers. As you understand the project better, you will have more clarity on the requirements. Hence, put the shortlisting and hiring parameters accordingly.

This is the time now you should know where to find talented developers for your project. Therefore, check the next section, where we have discussed different places to find a developer.

Where to Find an App Developer?

There are various places to look for if you are finding an experienced or skilled developer for your project. In this section, we are going to discuss all these options in detail. All you will require is to compare different options based on your requirements and select a developer or team with the skills and experience necessary to bring your project to life.

Freelance Websites & Platforms
This is one of the easiest ways to find mobile app developers. There are various sites and platforms that you can leverage and access their profiles, ratings, portfolios, and technical abilities. With such platforms, you are most likely to get a talented developer who will fit into your budget and requirements.
- Platforms for Freelance App Developers: Upwork, Toptal, Fiverr
- Platforms for Full-time Employees: Glassdoor, Indeed, LinkedIn, Dice
- Platforms for Finding Agencies: Clutch, GoodFirms, IT Firms
Tech Blogs & Social Media
Nowadays, developers are quite active on social media and keep sharing their expertise on such platforms. If you are also active on such platforms, you can directly reach out to them in order to learn more about their work process and experience. If everything goes well, you can further schedule an interview round for them.
- Tech Blogs: DEV Community, GeeksforGeeks
- Social Media: LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook
Ask for References & Networking Events
Asking your colleagues who are in the same industry will help locate the right talent for your project within the limited resources. As you trust the person, they will be able to guide you in a much better way in order to hire the developer. They will share genuine feedback and speak for the candidate’s experience. On the other hand, they will also convince the developer to work on your project within the estimated budget and timeline.
Communities, Forums, & Directories
There are various communities and forums where developers are actively contributing their work. You can spot the right talent through such communities and hire them for your mobile app development project.
- Communities: GitHub, Stack Overflow, Hackernoon
- Forums: Reddit, Quora
- Directories: GoodFirms, Clutch
The above sources are a good place to hire app developers as per your project requirements. If you are still searching then go through our post about best places to hire an app developer. This will help you find app developers who have already gone through a thorough vetting process.
Now let’s find out what how much it costs to hire an app developer.

How Much Does It Cost to Hire an App Developer?

The cost to hire an app developer varies based on factors like location, experience, project size, platform, programming language and the complexity of the app project. It’s essential to consider your specific needs, as well as the hiring process and time zone compatibility if working with app development teams. The hourly rates of hiring app developers range from $25 to $150+ per hour. However, it’s essential to get personalized quotes based on your specific project requirements.

If you want to learn more about app developer rates then go through our post about cost to hire an app developer. This post will help you get a clear idea about factors affecting cost as well as tips to reduce the overall cost.

Points to Keep in Mind While Finding Mobile App Developers

These are the points that are extremely important to keep in mind when you go to find app developers. This will enhance your finding process and help you get the best developer.

Look at Developer Portfolio, Experience, & Skills
You surely wouldn’t want someone with no experience working with a technology that is essential for your app development. This is why you need to look into a developer’s portfolio to understand all types of mobile apps they have developed. Download their apps, check their functionality, and see if that developer would be an ideal fit for your project or not.
Moreover, look for the experience to ensure that you will get the best app development services. On the other hand, skills are essential for you to evaluate the knowledge of the developer and how much they are aware of the latest technologies.
Learn More about Their Development Approach
The app solution can not be developed on time and perfectly if you and the developer are not on the same page. It will only increase the app development cost and mismanagement of resources. Hence, get more clarity on their app development approach and understand how efficiently they will be able to bring your idea to life.
Discover Technologies They Use
If you have a specific technology in your mind, then you need to clear this up beforehand. Dig out more to understand what sort of technologies the developer is using. This will give you clarity on understanding how efficient the developer is with the technologies.
Decide on Communication Channels & Reporting
Communication is really essential when you decide to outsource your software development project. Hence, set a particular communication channel before you onboard a developer. It is also important because the developer has to be comfortable with the communication channel you want to use to get regular updates. Therefore, discuss this beforehand with the developers to avoid last-minute hiccups.

Want to Discuss Your Unique App Idea With Our Developers?

Our mobile app developers have experience building more than 4400 mobile apps with the latest technologies like AI, machine learning, and blockchain.

If you want to know more about finding mobile app developers, such as which country to choose for hiring a developer or the best way to find a mobile app developer, then check the next section. We have shared some of the most asked questions by our readers and clients.

Frequently Asked Questions about Finding Best App Developers

Which country should one choose when hiring app developers?

Hiring developers from a country specifically depends on your requirements and budget. This is due to the difference in the per-hour charge of the developers from different geographic locations. For example, developers from the USA or Canada will tend to charge more for an hour, typically between $100 – $150 per hour.

On the other hand, developers from countries like Ukraine, Poland, and India charge less, typically between $25 – $50 per hour. However, you will get the best quality of services even if you choose to hire developers from India because of the strong pool of talented developers.

What is the best way to find an app developer?

There are several ways to find a talented mobile app developer:

Freelance marketplaces like Upwork, Clutch, Fiverr, Topcoder, and Toptal
Job boards like Indeed, LinkedIn, Glassdoor
Referrals from friends, colleagues, and industry connections
Developer communities like GitHub, Stack Overflow, and Reddit
Mobile app development agencies like Space-O Technologies

Hire Top App Developers From Space-O Technologies

Finding the right app developer is always crucial for the success of the project. Through this guide, you get to know several ways to find app developers, including freelance marketplaces, job boards, referrals, developer communities, and agencies. Additionally, it is recommended to review the portfolio of the developers, look for their relevant experience and skills, and ask for references or testimonials from previous clients.

However, if you do not want to do this tiresome work of finding mobile app developers through the mentioned platforms, then get in touch with us. As a leading iOS and Android mobile app development company in the USA, we have more than a decade of experience. Our top mobile apps, like Glovo, have received funding of $1.2 billion, and Aesthetic Editor got more than 3 million users in the very first year.