Mobile App Development Companies v/s. Freelancers – 5 Factors That Help You Take the Right Decision
The world consists of over 19 million developers. More than 50% of these developers focus on developing applications for mobile platforms. Since the largest portion of market share in mobile applications is covered by iOS and Android, we can safely assume that nearly 8-10 million people in the world focus on developing applications for smartphones/tablets. With such a strength, it is not tough to find an app developer in your vicinity. However, the question that arises after seeing these facts is, ‘how to find the best app developer?
So, should you hire a mobile app development company or a freelancer to do your job? Here are 5 factors that will affect your decision.
Justify Your Need
If you hire a freelance app developer he/she might be able to help you complete one aspect of mobile application development process. For example, he/she can either develop the source code or the interface for the application. However, if you plan to create an application for public use or a larger user base and want to add all the necessary elements, it is advisable to hire a professional app development company. A mobile app development company is a one-stop destination right from the phase of idea generation to execution, post-development testing and marketing too.
Cost and Size of the Project
If budget is not a constraint, you must opt for a mobile app development company as you get the added benefits of the professional approach, well-laid process, timeliness and accountability, apart from knowledgeable and experienced resources. However, if you are operating with a limited budget scenario, you have no option but to choose a freelancer for the job. The charges might vary between USD 5-40 per hour depending on his expertise. However, it is always cost-effective to rely on a freelancer who charges a bulk amount for a project instead of an hourly cost.
Who is Your Audience?
When you wish to target a large population, you need to go with a mobile application development team to serve your customers better. You can hire a freelance mobile app developer for the project, if you are developing a mobile application for a limited audience base and intend to work in a limited budget.
Confidentiality of the Project
If you are concerned with the confidentiality of the mobile application source code, it is best to hire a mobile application development company for your project. You just cannot rely on the word and contract with an individual. On the other hand, you can sign a legally binding document with an app development company that plans to use the application source code for only your project.
Time and Testing Constraints
If you want your application up and running in the least amount of time possible, you need to rely on a reputed app development company that will finish the testing procedure for you. However, if you have a team of ethical hackers or application testing software within your company, you can opt for a freelancer. In the second scenario, the overall development cost for your application might increase significantly.
The best application developers know that it is not only difficult but impossible to develop a complete application single-handedly. They realize that it is not so much about developing the pure source code, but also adding the necessary graphical elements to make the applications truly appealing. Out of the millions of applications on the Google Play Store and iTunes store, less than 1% applications have over a billion downloads. Most of these applications are made by some of the best application development teams in the world.
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