A custom app is one that is built from scratch to fulfill the specific requirements of a business and its customers. The codes, features, and designs of these apps are unique to each business, making them easy to use and difficult to hack into. This gives businesses a competitive edge and allows them to only pay for the features they need. Businesses get complete control over their custom app – they can modify and scale it themselves and will not require external support to solve any issues that arise with it. This increases their productivity and helps them to save money which they can invest in company growth.

Outsourcing a custom app is an easy way to get it developed and launched into the market quickly. However, finding the right developer can be a challenge. If you are considering hiring one, there are a few questions about the development process you should ask the developer before they get started. This will help you to make sure that you find the right fit and get the right app made on time:

Can You Tell Me About Your Previous Clients And Projects?

A good way to gauge the skills of your potential developer is by checking their portfolio. You can know if the developer has experience and expertise in developing apps for your industry and for your preferred platform. Ask them if you can contact their clients for references. Client testimonials will tell you what resumes won’t – they will give you a deeper insight into the work ethics of the developer, like their professionalism, punctuality, etc.

What Is Your Expected Delivery Time?

It is important that you ask your developer by when you can expect your app to be delivered to you. Ask them if they are working on any other project along with yours and how many people they have on their team. The more the number of developers working on developing your app, the faster it will be delivered to you. This is especially important if your app is a complex one with many advanced features, or if you want to add features to it midway through the development process.

What Is Your Fee Structure?

Different developers have different pricing structures. Some of them will charge you for each milestone or per hour, while others will charge you the final amount after the completion of the project. The price of your app will also depend on the number of its features, its operating system, and the number of updates it will require.

Which Operating Systems Do You Develop For?

There are three major operating systems that are used most commonly – Android, iOS, and Windows. The OS you choose will depend on the target audience you choose for your app. Researching your target audience will let you know which OS they use so that you can choose a developer that develops for that OS.

What Is Your Maintenance Process?

This is one of the most important steps in the app development process and one of the most important questions you should ask your developer. Your relationship with your developer does not end once he hands your app over to you. The app will need constant updation and maintenance to improve its user experience. Bugs are one of the most common reasons why users uninstall apps. You should make sure that your developer can test your app for bugs from time to time and fix them.

Which Development Environments Do You Support?

People today use many different types of mobile devices. You should try to get your app on as many of them as you can to increase its reach. There are two types of development environments that are most commonly used by app developers – native and hybrid/cross-platform. Before you choose a native or hybrid app developer, there are a few aspects about each of these development environments that you should consider: Native apps can be used on one type of device. On the other hand, hybrid apps can be used on multiple devices. Hybrid apps can also be accessed like websites on internet browsers, which means that they don’t have to be purchased and downloaded like native apps. Constant updates and bug fixes are required for native apps unlike hybrid apps, which makes the latter easier and cheaper to develop.