Some businesses like to put in the hard strides, whereas some bank on smart work. If you relate to the second one, consider the decision to Outsource App Development in today’s conducive times.

Why?

The application outsourcing market is booming, with a USD 119 billion (approx.) annual revenue. Also, the number of smartphone users is rising continually. (you don’t need a statistic for this obvious fact, do you?)

So, instead of going through the hassle of recruiting full-time mobile app developers, it is effective to outsource App Development from reliable IT vendors.

But the million-dollar question is – does everyone succeed after outsourcing software development? Not really. You need to cover the basics and strike the perfect balance of a lot of aspects.

This blog will make things easy for you. Below, you will find actionable information on outsourcing app development smartly.

Why Outsource App Development?

Read this analogy:

You want to install new furniture in your living room. Rather than building the sofa, chairs, table, and other objects yourself, you reach out to a professional team.

This team of carpenters understands your requirements, the design, and craft the customized furniture. In the meantime, you can focus on other activities like your job or business.

The same is the case when you outsource app development.

If you are not an IT organization, outsourcing is a straightforward decision.

This strategy offers the following benefits:

• Cost savings
• Skilled workforce
• Business focus
• Rapid development

Even if you are a software-based firm, outsourcing can reduce the workload on your team. You can take up more projects and focus on other activities like business expansion and client relations, or relax in your living room!

Now, allow us to explain each facet in detail.

• Cost Savings

Most companies outsource app development to save money. Simple, right?

Why conduct an extensive hiring process and spend invaluable resources like time and finance? By outsourcing suitable talent, you can avoid all these activities.

Be it hiring freelancers or acquiring the services of a reliable mobile app development company, the decision to outsource app development can offer good returns.

What’s more? These days, you aren’t confined by the location of your business.

Here are two outsourcing strategies to consider:

• Offshore development
• IT staff augmentation

Both outsourcing strategies can prove fruitful for your business. To know more about these approaches, you can read our previous blogs on  staff augmentation vs outsourcing, best practices to manage offshore resources, and establishing a collaborative team culture in staff augmentation.

Now, let’s come back to cost-effectiveness. On the whole, outsourcing helps eliminate overhead costs drastically. It is thus beneficial to consider this strategy.

• Access to a Skilled Workforce

Who says local businesses cannot go global?

Suppose you are willing to research and connect with programmers in developing nations. In that case, the decision to outsource app development can prove profitable.

You can get in touch with skilled and dedicated mobile app developers who are adept in using technologies like Ionic, .NET, MS Power Apps, and others.

All these perks at a reasonable budget. Seems advantageous, right?

• Focus on Business Activities

Think about it. The process of building a mobile app requires hours of dedication and technical expertise.

Once you outsource app development, the designated team takes care of developing the application.

Here are the main pointers to consider:

• You don’t have to evaluate the skills of a developer
• There is no need to prepare the app development blueprint
• You don’t have to learn AI, VR, or AR
• In addition, there is no need to conduct time-consuming trials and quality assurance tests

The outsourcing team takes care of all these parameters. So, you can focus on generating leads, growing your infrastructure, raising investments, and other activities.

What’s more? You can even form life-long partnerships without caring much about your digital activities.

• Quick App Development

Once you decide to outsource app development, half the battle is over. How?

In today’s age, time is of utmost value. With dedicated mobile app developers working on your project, you have an assurance of meeting the deadlines.

Launching your app before your competitors holds high value in the market. So, instead of hiring full-time employees, outsource the project and reap the benefits of a fast development pace.

How to Outsource App Development?

Now that you know the evident benefits, it’s time to move one step ahead. How to reach a good outsourcing company? What are the proven methods or approaches that can increase the chances of gaining success?

We will address such questions on outsourcing app development in this section.

Step 1: Be Clear on What You Want

Are you a budding start-up or a stable business? Do you have the financial resources to hire offshore developers?

Can the decision to outsource app development prove suitable for your team? How many programmers can you afford to hire? What is the estimated project duration? Are you okay with a remote collaboration? Do you want to develop a web or a mobile app?

Answer all such questions before conducting research on the prospects. Once you have a clear vision of your business requirements, outsourcing becomes a straightforward venture.

Step 2: Conduct Market Research

These days, you don’t have to scan through several yellow pages or meet people physically. Online directories like Clutch are sufficient to outsource app development from a reliable firm.

(Speaking of Clutch, you can check out our official page on this directory as well. It has all the relevant information, like reviews, ratings, and portfolio, from a neutral perspective.)

Now, coming back to research, online B2B directories make it easy to find potential vendors. However, if you want to work with a Freelancer, prefer sites like Fiverr, Upwork, or even LinkedIn.

Step 3: Finalize and Assess

Enlist the top 10 mobile app development companies after finishing your market research. Then, check their official websites. What should you observe?

Here are some main aspects:

• The Homepage
• Blogs and Articles
• Case Studies
• Services Section
• Client Testimonials
• Certifications and Clientele

Analyze all these facets to gauge the reliability of an app outsourcing company. Then, book an online meeting (or in person if the company is in your country).

Step 4: Discuss and Choose

What to discuss?

Note the following points:

• Budget
• Confidentiality
• Active hours
• Number of developers
• Code Ownership
• Technology stack
• Project duration

Before deciding to outsource app development, be extremely clear on these points. Communicate continuously. If you want, arrange multiple meetings. These days, platforms like Zoom, MS Teams, and Skype have made it easy to conduct online video meetings. Check them out. Gone are the days when you had to commute to close business deals.

Today, a good smartphone or laptop is enough to do all the work from the comfort of your home or office.

Now, coming to the ‘choose’ point.

You should be careful when selecting the following services:

• Engagement models
• Outsourcing mode
• Active time zone hours

So, choose the ones that add convenience according to your business style.

Outsource App Development: Two Major Considerations

Outsourcing is a big decision. If you want to excel in today’s age, it is crucial to have fruitful connections. Once you outsource app development, it is likely that your vendor will become a long-term auxiliary support.

So, choosing a dependable app development vendor is essential.

By now, you know the following aspects:

• App development is vital
• Why you should consider outsourcing
• How to outsource app development

In this section, we want to give you fundamental technical insights. So, here they are:

Apps are of two types:

• Web apps: They run on a browser (on any device) and have central storage on a remote server
• Mobile apps: They are specifically built to run on a smartphone device, be it iOS or Android

So, when you approach a reliable software development agency, the concerned person will offer two services - customized web application development and mobile app development. Choose which one you want according to your business requirements.

Note that you can even develop a unified app that works on all platforms. Technologies like Flutter support cross-platform app development. So, choose an organization that has skilled developers who know such frameworks.

Custom Web Application Development

Companies that offer this service have the following subsets:

• Progressive web app development
• UI/UX development
• Front and backend development
• API integration and development
• Legacy app modernization

In addition, you can even outsource app development to design web portals for the target audience. The purpose of this service is to build a digital app that can establish your brand’s identity on the internet.

Prominent examples like Amazon, Spotify, and Gmail are all web apps.

Custom Mobile App Development

Android and iOS are the two most prominent smartphone operating systems. According to GlobalStats, Android has an approximate 70% global presence, whereas iOS stands at around 30%.

Other operating systems in the case of mobile devices are KaiOS and Windows, with a market share of  0.11% and 0.02%, respectively.

You can get an idea of your target audience and reach from these stats, won’t you?

It is clear that if you want to reach the masses, you need to outsource app development from developers who work on the Android and iOS platforms. So, by default, you can find the following offerings at a reputed app development firm:

• Android app development
• iOS app development

Furthermore, developers in such outsourcing companies can work on the following frameworks:

• React Native
• Ionic
• Flutter

So, when you decide to outsource app development, be sure to have a clear idea of the type of app you intend to develop.

What Does it Cost to Outsource App Development?

Are you looking for a quick answer to this question?

If you are, here it is – there is no fixed price for outsourcing app development. So, providing a number to you is tricky.

However, we can provide a median cost of mobile app development.

Take a look at this table:

Sr. No	Average Cost Per Hour	Region
1	$120 – $170>	USA
2	$90-$200	Australia
3	$20-$40	India

It is vital to understand that your final budget can also exceed these values. Various factors impact the final charges to outsource app development.

Here is a simple list so that you get an initial idea:

• Platform of the app
• Code reusability
• Category of the app
• Complexity
• Features and functions
• Location of the development team
• Maintenance and support

Also, the selection of developers has an impact on your budget. Suppose you choose a team of new programmers; the charges will be minimal.

However, choosing senior app developers can increase the development charges substantially. So, connect with a reliable software development company to get the best quotation and suggestions.

To Wrap Up

The decision to outsource app development can take you to the top of your game. Even if you are an IT firm, options like staff augmentation can add an enhanced element and boost your output.

Outsourcing web or mobile app development has benefits like cost-effectiveness, access to a skilled workforce, and a fast development pace. You can also focus on other business activities as the outsourcing agency handles the technical requirements.

To outsource app development, you should know your business goals. Perform detailed market research and finalize a list of potential app developers. Next, conduct meetings (online or offline) to discuss the main pointers. Choose the most suitable app development partner after assessing vital facets.