A Brief Guide to Mobile App Development Outsourcing in 2021

Whether you are an entrepreneur working on a novel business idea or a manager working on an organisation’s software project, you must be figuring out ways to develop your mobile application in the most efficient manner possible. If you aim to launch your application within a short timeframe without spending too much time or money on hiring resources or have limited in-house skills and require niche expertise, mobile app development outsourcing can be a good idea.

However, if you haven’t outsourced any of your projects before, the task can appear to be daunting. To help you out, we have presented a guide on what steps you can undertake to make the outsourcing process as smooth as possible. So, let’s get started.

Outsourcing Mobile App Development: 5 Steps to Follow

Define your Requirements

To begin with, outline your requirements in terms of platforms and technology you want your app built on along with the features you want in your app. Do not forget to align your requirements with your business plan. Doing so will help you evaluate what exactly you are expecting from the outsourcing project. Assess your target audience-their demographics, needs and preferences-and how your app can fulfill these requirements.

Platforms you will launch the app on:

Here, you can choose any of the following options:

a) Native apps:

Apps in this category are built for a specific platform such as Android or iOS. For a native app, you will need to hire two different teams, so be ready to spend accordingly. This is the most expensive development option but fares the best in terms of quality.

b) Hybrid apps:

These apps can be developed once and then deployed on any platform. A hybrid app costs far less than a native one-all you need to build is just one app that will run anywhere. Needless to say, these apps don’t perform as well as their native counterparts.

c) Web apps:

These work on any device with a browser. Though they can be developed fast, they are limited in terms of functionality. So, if you need something just to test your idea, a web app can be a great option.

Technology your app will be built on:

Once you have figured out the kind of app you need, it’s time to decide the technology. Your technology stack will depend on the approach you have chosen.

1. If you have decided to go the native way, you’ll need at least two development teams-Java or Kotlin developers for the Android app and Swift or Objective C for the iOS app.
2. For hybrid apps, you can use JavaScript in addition to frameworks such as Cordova. Flutter and React Native are also great for building cross-platform hybrid applications.
3. Web apps are also created using JavaScript. Here, you can go for Angular or React for front-end development and Node.js or Laravel for back-end development.

In addition, you will need to discuss the databases and cloud solutions used for your projects. With well-defined requirements in place, you will have clear communication with your development partner and get a product that meets your expectations.

Features your app will have:

An application can have a wide range of functionalities but integrating all of them right away is a bad idea. A unique feature will take time more time to develop than a generic one, driving up the total time of development. So, at this stage, it would be a good idea to consider just the features you would require in your minimal viable product (MVP).

Search for App Development Companies

Considering the plethora of app development companies we have, shortlisting some of these for your project can be a real pain. You can count on the following sources to speed up your work:

1. Freelance websites:Freelance sites such as Up-work and Guru are great places to start with. Here, you can get a lot of information on app development companies: number of projects completed, ratings, reviews, etc.
2. Google Search:Through Google, you can look for companies specialized in the kind of product you seek. For instance, if you are looking to develop a food delivery app, your Google search query can be ‘food delivery app development company’.

• Recommendations:Find if any of your connections have outsourced development for any of their apps in the recent past.

Finalize your App Development Company

When you have a list of prospective vendors, it’s time to finalize one of these for your project. When doing so, make use of the following parameters:

• Technology Stack and Experience:Check if the company has the experience of working with similar clients in the past. Also, if they work on the technology stack you are looking for.
• Industry Certifications:Find if the vendor is recognized as a high-rated custom mobile app development company by trusted organisations. It’s good to associate with a company with reputed organisations as its partners.
• Communication:Spend some time discussing how they will communicate during the development process, how they will ensure transparency in communication, and which tools they will use for collaboration.
• Live Products: It’s always recommended to check the live mobile applications of your prospective vendor. Install one or two of their apps and assess the overall quality of the product. Does it live up to your expectation?
• Reviews: Check out the reviews of the company on review websites and ask if you can connect with any of their clients for a recommendation.

By following the above steps, your task of choosing a development partner will become quite easy.

 Choose a Service Model

App development projects typically work on any of the service models mentioned below:

1. Project-based model:Also called end-to-end development model. In this case, your app is built by a dedicated team that works on a fixed budget to achieve pre-defined goals within a fixed time frame. As it is an end-to-end development model, it will include complete support, both before and after product release. This model is employed by companies with no development team or no experience in project management.
2. Dedicated Team:In this case, your development vendor is responsible for building the team, assigning tasks, handling project management and process quality. You can delegate project decisions to the vendor and manage the overall project at a high level. This model can be a fit for mid-size companies looking to outsource a part of their project such as developing a chatbot.
3. Team Extension:In this case, you assign various tasks to developers and provide them with a place to work. You are responsible for controlling the work process, managing the project, regulating working time, and promoting inside the team. The model works well for mid-and-large sized companies that already have a developers’ team and want to hire a specialist for a particular task while staying within the project’s budget.

Once you have chosen a service model, it’s time to consider the payment aspect of the project.

Choose a Payment Model

If you go for the team extension service model, you will pay the developers a monthly salary like regular staff members. If, however, you decide to work with a dedicated team or a project-based model, any of the payment models mentioned below can work for you:

1. Fixed Price: This model can a good choice if you are working on a relatively smaller project with a limited budget wherein you have a clear understanding of what needs to be done. This model can be a good fit in cases where you want to build an MVP with no third-party integration. A clear drawback of this model is that if you want to change the scope of work by adding new features, a re-estimation would be needed and that would be time-consuming. That’s why most of the companies prefer the other model i.e. time and material model.
2. Time and Material Model:This payment model is popular among companies using agile methodology. Here, you agree on the hourly rate of each developer and pay according to the actual time spent on development. The time and material model works well when you cannot decide the scope of work beforehand. An advantage of this model is that it works for projects of all sizes.

How much does Mobile App Development Outsourcing cost?

The cost of mobile app development can vary depending on the complexity of your app, features, tools, platform, and, the location to which the work has been outsourced.

Building a decent application requires a team of around 10 people, each with distinct roles-project manager, business analyst, front-end developers, back-end developers, UI/UX designers and quality analysts.

Let’s consider the cost range for the common types of apps:

• Messaging app: $50,000-$130,000
• Ride booking app: $25,000-$100,000
• Social networking app: $70,000-$100,000
• Video streaming app: $20,000-$50,000
• E-commerce app: $25,000-$50,000
• Food Delivery app: $70,000-$80,000

Choose Cyfuture’s Application Development Services to Stay Ahead of the Digital Curve

In today’s ultra-competitive world, most businesses look upon outsourcing as a strategic move that helps them focus on their core competencies. Companies of all types and sizes from start-ups and mid-sized entities to large-sized corporations are collaborating with development companies within and outside their country and getting innovative apps built within a specified time frame and budget.

If you too are looking to outsource app development, get in touch with our technical consultants and get a free quote today.