With an estimated 500 million weekly visitors, 20 million registered developers, and 1.8 million apps available on the Apple App Store, building an application and finding the best iOS app developers can be a challenge. Considering that iOS apps are some of the most popular and well-loved in the world, choosing just any developer is definitely not the right thing to do. You have to look for developers that are experts in their field.
Hiring iOS app developers who are trained and experienced in building applications, especially in Apple products, requires time, resources, and effort. There are several things to consider to ensure you’re making the right choice – or choices.
What to Consider When Hiring iOS App Developers
Before you start searching for iOS app developers, you need to determine your goals first. What kind of app do you plan to have? What are your business objectives for building the app? Are you planning to develop just one or multiple apps?
Likewise, it is vital to know how much development work you’re aiming for. Is your app a simple one, or are you planning to come up with enterprise-level applications? Your iOS app developers might need the answers to these questions so they can come up with a detailed plan.
1. Know where to find the best developers.
The internet is a vast network, and you’re guaranteed to find what you need if you know where to look. For developers, the best online places to go to are forums. There are thousands of these online forums, but the ones you should be interested in are those catering to iOS app developers.
Other virtual places where you can search for developers include tech blogs, freelance websites, B2B directories, developer marketplaces, and creative online communities. If you want to take your search offline, the best thing to do is get in touch with your network (families, friends, past & present colleagues, colleges, and universities) and ask for their recommendations.
2. Study your prospects.
Once you’ve found prospects, find time to study them. Get in touch with them so you can ask for a copy of their portfolio. Take note of their special skills, training, and experiences. It is also important that you check their previous works. If the apps are still available, try using them. Getting a feel of the applications they’ve created will give you an idea of what to expect from them.
3. Verify their iOS app development knowledge and experience.
Choose prospects who are well-versed and experienced in iOS app development. Your best option should be iOS app developers who know the ins and outs of the Apple ecosystem, including the requirements. For example, Apple requires developers to specify a category for their apps. If your probable developers know this information and other essential development requirements, then you know you’re on the right path.
4. Don’t choose individual freelancers.
There’s nothing wrong with hiring freelancers, but they’re not the best option if you want your iOS app developers to focus on your product. Freelancers usually work on multiple projects for various clients simultaneously. While there certainly are a lot of freelancers who are more than capable of tackling multiple jobs, there will be times when you’ll find yourself wondering if your freelance developer can finish the project on time.
Additionally, not all freelancers are equipped with enough experience to handle major iOS development projects. Choosing a dedicated team of developers should be your first option.
5. Create a criteria for judging prospective developers.
If you have several teams of iOS app developers in your list of prospects, come up with a set of criteria so you can fairly judge each candidate. You can choose what aspects or areas to include in the criteria, but be sure to include professional training, iOS app knowledge, programming tools, communication skills, development process, technologies used, project management process, specialty, and experience.
6. Consider flexibility.
Your chosen team of iOS app developers should not only be creative but also versatile. Developers who are knowledgeable in a variety of features, tools, and toolkits are the best ones to work with. The more flexible your developers are, the better they will be able to cope with the demands of their tasks.
Additionally, a versatile team of developers means you don’t have to worry about future developments. You can work with just one team for different projects – again and again.
7. Talent is not the only thing that matters.
No matter how talented and skilled your iOS app developers are, if they do not possess the right work attitude, nothing good will come out of your projects. You need to hire developers who know how to collaborate and communicate. You need to choose a team that’s easy to work with.
Working with a team of developers who believe in the value of your product is also vital. If your team does not have faith in the app they are creating, success might be difficult to achieve.
8. Choose a team that can do multi-platform.
While it’s true that your goal is to build an iOS app, it won’t hurt if you choose a team of developers who can work on multiple platforms. This kind of versatility might prove to be a big help for your future projects.
9. Ask for feedback from references.
Aside from checking out the apps your potential iOS app developers have created, you can also ask for feedback from their current and past clients. Character references help give you an idea of how your candidate works, how the team deals with work-related pressure, and what their process is in completing a project.
10. Meet with your prospects.
Before making the final decision, schedule an appointment (virtual or face-to-face) with all your prospects. This will give you an opportunity to talk to them and ask additional questions. Likewise, the meeting is a good way of gauging the team’s communication skills – which is an essential aspect of successful collaborations.
Finding and hiring the best iOS app developers will be easier if you follow the tips enumerated above. The process might take days (even months), but it will ensure the success of your project.
