Should You Outsource App Development to Local Or Offshore Companies?

Having a business idea for an app is just the first step. The actual challenge comes when you put the effort into action in order to make it happen. The first question that comes to your mind is, ‘Should I hire local app developers or outsource them?’ This article will help you find the appropriate answer to resolve your confusion.

As we all know that the current technological environment is very dynamic, it is always better to outsource app developers to get a much wider variety in terms of skills and experience. Also, this option is very affordable.

In this article, we will draw a comparison regarding hiring local vs. outsource developers. We will also be sharing tips regarding the places to find the best suitable candidate. Hence, this article will be a very useful guide on how to choose the developers for your concerning project.

Local vs. Outsource App Developers

We all have a misconception that local developers are better in terms of experience, affordability, and performance as compared to outsource developers. Let us compare both of them in terms of the advantages of working with domestic and offshore developers.

Advantages of Hiring Local Developers

Easy Communication

Communication is the main benefit of working with local developers. If you are working with a local team with the same time zone then it is more convenient as they can speak the same language and can meet you in person.

Uplifting Local Economy

You are investing in the local economy if you are hiring local developers. This way you are contributing to society and creating an impact on your surroundings.

Local Insights

One more advantage to hire a development team that is local is that they have insights into the wants and requirements of local customers in terms of functionality and design.

Personal Research

While you are conducting research regarding hiring a local development team, you are not confined to photos, Skype interviews, and reports. You can contact the team and meet the team members in person.

Advantages of Outsourcing Development

Affordable Prices

If you are planning to hire a mobile app Development Company in the USA, Australia, and Europe then be prepared to spend an amount that will charge you from $50 to $350 per hour. Outsourcing application development will be a good option if you want to save a huge chunk of money as you can hire developers from Eastern Europe at $35 per hour.

Flexibility to Hire Talent Globally

This is a very important reason where you can hire developers from a pool having a wide variety in terms of expertise in various technologies and frameworks. You can find a developer for your project having specialization and experience in sectors like healthcare, chatbots, baking, machine learning, artificial intelligence, big data, and many more.

Assistance With the Current Project

Local companies generally prefer to develop your project from scratch but in the case of outsourcing companies, they can help you with an ongoing project. This option works great if you have a tight timeline or don’t need the necessary specialists in your team.

Scalability

Scalability is easily possible in the case of outsourcing teams. Hence, in case your project needs more developers in your existing team, foreign outsourcing agencies are best in finding necessary specialist developers which might not hamper the development project.

Places/Platforms Where You Can Find App Developers

Recommendation or Reference

Our clients choose us to develop their mobile applications as their friends, or colleagues have a positive experience of working with us and hence they recommend The Ninehertz. Similarly, if you are looking for a development team for your project, then you can ask for some from your colleagues or friends from Facebook, LinkedIn, etc.

LinkedIn

LinkedIn is a very popular social networking website for professionals where they can find different developers having multiple expertise. There you can make use of some features like on-site search and filters including advance filters to find a suitable developer for your project.

IT Directories

Searching app developers via Directories is another good option for outsourcing developers. There are directories such as Clutch, Businessofapps, and GoodFirms where you can know all the details regarding the company you want to outsource for your project. There you get the details of the company in terms of Company’s Location and Structure, the company’s development expertise, portfolio, and review of the previous customers.

Upwork

Upwork is one of the best websites to hire freelance developers. There you can hire freelance designers and developers for your project. But this option is best if you want to hire someone to make improvements in your existing application. If your project is at the initial stage then hiring a freelance developer might not be a good option.

Now after learning about the platforms where you can search for your development team, it is time to learn more about various types of development outsourcing so that you can choose the option that fits your current needs or requirements.

Types of Outsourcing

There are mainly three types of outsourcing which are described below:

Onshore

Onshore signifies that you are working with the development team situated in your country. This could be your option if you are working with local developers only. Despite having no language or cultural barriers, companies of onshore development is a costly option.

Nearshore

Between onshore and offshore development there is a midpoint called Nearshore. In this type of outsourcing, companies and organizations work with clients from the countries located nearby. In nearshore, the countries are located in a similar time zone and speak the same language. Also, there are no such cultural barriers.

Offshore

The client base of such companies is generally foreigners. When we talk about cost-effectiveness, offshore is the best option since most of the clients work with companies internationally, especially in counties of Eastern Europe, the cost of development is generally reasonable and work is high quality. Despite this, you need to be very careful while choosing your development company as your whole project and cost is at stake.

If you have made up your mind to hire a development team from a foreign country, then kindly continue reading the remaining article to get a complete idea. Below we are sharing some of the most useful tips for choosing the most appropriate app development company for your project. You must check how to outsource your app development without failing.

A Step-by-Step Manual on How to Find an App Developer

These are the steps if you want to outsource an app Development Company and convert your idea into a kick-ass mobile application.

Setting Your Goals

Firstly, before hiring the development company, you need to make a decision regarding the type of project according to your need. For that, you need to do these following steps:

• formulate a concrete description of your project including its industry, feature list, and overall idea.
• Secondly, you need to make a decision whether you want to launch your product as an MVP or as a marketable product.
• Third step is to decide the product’s platform. You need to decide the operating system for your application – Android, iOS, or a Web Application.
• The last step focuses on the preparation of a list of criteria for choosing the development company. It comprises of team composition, structure, and roles of team members.

Establishing Industry Expertise

Before hiring a company, you need to first know about the portfolio of the company on websites like Dribble and Behance. This you should do before finalizing the quote. You should make sure that the development team must have the expertise to do the desired job for your project. Just have a look at the number of projects of the company that is delivered successfully in the past. See the previous apps it has developed and analyzed them in terms of design, creativity, and user interface.

Check Their Services

There are four categories to it:

End to End Mobile App Development

For startups, this end to end mobile application development is the most popular option. Under this, the development company will help you to create a strategy, design, and code. Also, in some cases, you might get services like post-launch marketing and maintenance.

Design and Development

Sometimes businesses have an existing plan for a future mobile application. In case, if this is your type, you need the development as well as UI/UX design for your app. It is recommended to develop both the designing and development components under the same agency. It is very important that the design and development team should have clear communication in order to launch the application successfully.

Design only

This option can be availed if you are having an MVP or working application prototype, but as far as the UI and UX are concerned it needs a lot of rework. Make sure that your future agency has designed only clients in their portfolio. In case, it is not in their portfolio, then it is not the right agency for you.

Development Only

If your designing part is completed, you need to find a development team to fulfill your development needs. While developing an application, it is very important that it reflects the vision of the client by identifying all relevant assets as well as requirements. Therefore, it is recommended to work with such companies which are full-service mobile companies as they can develop both the technical and design part for your project from scratch.

Also Read: 7 Tips to Hire a Dedicated Developer For Outsourcing

Reviewing Their Technological Expertise

You need to figure out what type of application you want to build. There are three most popular applications that you can build and they are:

Native Application

A native application can be created for a specific device and the operating system. Java is mainly used as the primary language to build a native application for Android. As far as creating a native application for iOS is concerned, Swift and Objective C is generally used by the developer. Using the language belonging to a specific platform, the developer can use the device features in a better manner.

Web Application

The cross-platform applications have an exclusive feature that they are compatible with multiple platforms. This implies that the application can work brilliantly with both the major operating systems – Android and iOS. The development companies apply HTML, CSS, and standard web technologies for cross-platform applications.

Hybrid Application

The Hybrid application is made after combining a native and a web app. Hence any device is compatible with such an application as it is technically a web app and one can make use of its native features. HTML, JavaScript, and CSS is used by the developer to build a hybrid app.

Remember, when you have decided what type of application you need in the future along with its programming language, you must ask your team regarding any prior experience in similar projects.

Ensuring Uninterrupted Communication

Clear and uninterrupted communication is necessary to work successfully with the outsource team located in different time zone. If your communication is weak then it might slow down your project development, increase your production cost, and cause a delay in your application launch.

While searching for the development team, it is better to know the communication channels that they are using. Also, ask how frequently they communicate with their clients and by what methods. Also, you need to ask them about their tools of project management. A responsible company will keep you updated regarding the progress of your project and ensuring that you both are on the same page.

Make a keen observation of the patterns of how they respond to you like to your emails, phone calls, and Skype calls. It is a good indicator f how they will communicate with you during the development phase. The team members have to be proactive and if they are not then you better look for a different team.

Take Feedback From Past Clients

If you have any doubts or confusion regarding your choice, then communicate with the company’s previous clients to get feedback. If the client had also hired a development team to develop a similar app like yours then it will be the best scenario for you. While you are communicating with their past clients, ask every possible thing as you can like their overall experience with the team, their advantages, disadvantages, weaknesses, and strengths. Also, ask whether the client is fully satisfied with the end product, did the team meet deadlines, and how good are their skills of communication, etc.

IT Infrastructure and Certificates

Always ask for certificates that act as proof of their skills in the specific domain. Note down the year of issuance of their certificates and licenses as it reflects their current expertise. The size of the team is also a very crucial element in deciding your future team. A company with a larger workforce is an indicator of growth and success. However, this doesn’t mean that companies having 5-10 developers will not perform well but if you are expecting outstanding design and development from such a team then chances are that you are going to get disappointed in the future.

Cost Element

Price is the main driving force of any development project. While you are having a discussion regarding the budget, be clear in your mind that your main goal is to develop such a mobile application that will integrate value to your business. Hence, the price of the project must reflect the quality, scope, and time to delivery.

Also, ask the development team regarding the additional costs related to maintenance or marketing that you need to take into consideration. Mostly it happens that the estimated cost includes the development, Designing, Quality & Assurance, and Testing. Remember, that there are no hidden costs as they can expand your project’s budget.

Also Read: Reasons Why Tech Companies and Startups Hire Developers from India

Quality Assurance and Maintenance

Last, but one of the most important factors while choosing the development team is the quality assurance of the final application and its further maintenance. This is for the reason that after launching the app, the actual game starts as the application will require additional support in terms of fixing bugs, timely updates, adding new features and functionalities, etc. If you want your application to work properly after the launch, the development team policy needs to be understood for further maintenance and technical support. You can make an offer like paying a monthly fee, paying per hour for ongoing support.

Conclusion

In the end, it is quite clear that the option, “to hire mobile app developers near me” is not the best option. Hiring local developers will limit your choice by local expertise. Also in some of the nations, the hourly rate of local developers is very high, hence you need to think accordingly. If you want to work with outsource developers in an effective manner then you need to have a clear-cut vision of your future application, its platforms, goals, and targeted audience. This guide will surely help you in finding an experienced developer/Development team.