How to Choose a Mobile App Development Company? [Step-by-step Guide]

According to a Statista study, in 2021, mobile applications and games have brought more than $130 billion in revenue to app store owners. However, such products’ development becomes more complex and time-consuming every year.

That’s why it is so important to choose the right vendor: the success of your mobile app depends on it. Otherwise, it is impossible to compete and maintain the leading position in the market.

So in this article, we’ll talk about finding a reliable app development company. These step-by-step instructions will help you to determine the right option based on the essential criteria, such as communication skills, examples of successful projects, etc.

Source: Statista.com

How to Choose an App Development Company?

App development agency will be not only the executor of your tasks but also your adviser and guide, so it’s important to take choosing process seriously. The company must perfectly understand your business and market needs and provide a qualified team to create the product.

So you have to choose a company that should become your partner for a long time. Before you start your search, make a basic list of requirements. Our step-by-step guide will help with other criteria. Let’s begin the journey!

Systematic Approach to Choosing Development Company

It’s essential to comply with the order in choosing a reliable partner in any field. A step-by-step development company check will help you make an informed decision without doubts and distractions.

That is why we offer you a systematic approach, which consists of three main stages.

Check 1. Portfolios

Portfolio is the face of any IOS or Android app development company. The team can demonstrate the business approach, skills and tech strengths here. It also includes

• demonstration of developers’ technical knowledge, skills and experience;
• clear examples of specific technologies used;
• projects’ details and business types.

The portfolio helps you determine if the company has experience with applications in your industry and will be able to meet all specific requirements. So, where to check it out? There are several options.

Website Portfolio

Every company with a proven reputation and at least minimal experience in mobile app development has a section Portfolio/Projects/Examples on its website. Here you can see the most successful products created by the team, so you can properly assess its competence level.
Each project must have a detailed description with:

• the list of professionals involved in development (engineers, PM, designers, etc.);
• solved challenges;
• tech stack;
• deadlines;
• end-user and target audience description, etc.

Here is Leobit’s portfolio, by the way. You can check it out to understand why an accurate product description is so important.

Dribbble and Behance Portfolios

According to Statista, 12 % of the global market research spending was on user experience studies, and this number is increasing every year. It means that end-user opinion dramatically affects the product’s popularity, success and profitability.

Source: Statista.com

UI/UX design is a key component of app success, so it’s essential to find a vendor who can ensure its quality. Platforms such as Dribbble or Behance allow you to evaluate the company’s portfolio regarding user interface quality and design approach. A team must understand your target audience’s needs and respond to them correctly.

In addition, the Dribbble/Behance portfolios are an opportunity to understand if the company is aware of current trends and following changes in the design industry.

GitLab/GitHub Portfolio

Attendance at GitLab or GitHub is not necessary but a preferable criterion. Some mobile app development companies may not share project details due to certain NDA conditions or are simply at their early stage and haven’t had time to create profiles.

However, the portfolio on these platforms allows clients to ensure that the company knows its business well, uses flexible product development techniques and takes full advantage of CI/CD practices.

Check 2. Reputation and Testimonials

The reputation factor is crucial in any business, so you definitely should pay attention to reviews when choosing a software development company. Of course, not all positive feedback shows the team’s impeccability, just as not all negative ones speak of its poor performance.
However, client opinions, reviews and ratings on popular listing platforms will help you see the full picture.

Listing Platforms

Listing platforms such as Clutch or GoodFirms can be a reliable source of clients’ opinions. Such websites’ ratings are based on various factors, from service costs to quality of communication with customers.
So, it’s not superfluous to read a few detailed reviews about the company. In addition, on such platforms, you can see the company’s clients list to understand its scale. Perhaps this will help you to decide whether the company suits you or not.

Awards

Not all companies are seeking fame, but awards and honors may indicate that you’re dealing with a professional organization, the achievements of which were evaluated by experts.

Of course, labels are not enough to choose a company. Let the awards be something that tips the scales in its favor. In addition, the awards must have actual weight in development and business terms, that is, be truly expert.

LinkedIn Page

LinkedIn is a huge and influential professional online platform, so it’s worth paying attention to. Software development companies create special profiles that help them communicate with customers, connect with partners and represent their organization.

The main advantage of LinkedIn is that you can view basic information about the company and read clients’ reviews in one place. You can also find links to social networks, portfolios, Git Lab, etc., in the profile. At the same time, it is quite easy to check the accuracy of reviews and ratings because you can always go to the clients’ page and learn more about them.

Why isn’t a website enough?

Well, everyone can write whatever they want on their website. It doesn’t mean that the information here can’t be reliable. However, you would hardly want to see negative reviews about your work on your own web resource.

In turn, on LinkedIn, Clutch or GoodFirms, it’s impossible to “clean up” the reviews. Therefore, if the company has its downsides and hasn’t yet corrected mistakes, you will find information about it on social media. In addition, such sources allow you to look at the future partner from a broader perspective.

Check 3. Transparency and Communication

There are many software development methodologies, including Agile and Waterfall. Each option has its advantages and disadvantages, and each can be more useful in a particular case.

Your task is not to determine this and dozens of other nuances by yourself; you need to find professionals who can do it for you. And here, the focus is on communication and transparency.

Social Media Behavior

There is a stereotype that developers are closed and not sociable people. Even so, they must be backed by a strong managers’ team, and it becomes a bridge between the client and the contractor.

Agencies that provide mobile app development services are well aware of this. Absence on social media is equal to business suicide today, so all companies have accounts. You can get helpful information from there: how quickly the company answers questions, how it communicates with the audience, etc.

Communication

Communication is no less important than team skills. Even the most talented developers can’t create a quality product without a good connection and communicative management.

So, choose some of the best options and evaluate how company representatives communicate with you. The result of cooperation depends on the speed and professionalism of their response.

What questions should you ask?

There are a few basic points to discuss before starting a collaboration. They are

• features of the formation development team, its composition;
• development methodology and work processes;
• channels of communication with the client, reporting.

It’s important to have a clear cooperation plan and receive regular reports on the state of software development.

At the End of the Day, It’s All About Transparency and Trust

The more transparent the communication processes with the client is, the faster the development process. So, you need to choose a company that has enough experience and works openly. Then you will be able to build trust and partnership.

Some Final Tips

There are a few obviously important things to look out for, in addition to the points mentioned above. Firstly, getting a detailed and transparent estimate is very important to understand whether it fits your budget. And in general, you should look for a company that will be interested in the further development of your product.

Secondly, the right partner can provide quality product support and maintenance. Therefore, this issue should be discussed in the first cooperation stages.

Wrapping Up

We at Leobit have faced different challenges for 7 years of experience. We’ve met various clients’ needs and specific market requirements. And from customers’ words, we know perfectly well how difficult it is to find a reliable development company and get involved in creating an application.

We can be the perfect partner for you, and here are some other reasons why:

• We have a large portfolio of really successful projects in various industries.
• We have extensive experience in various development technologies.
• We have relevant experience in developing not only iOS or Android, but also hybrid mobile apps on Flutter, React Native, and Xamarin.
• We provide a full range of development services, from design to maintenance.

Leobit is open to any kind of partnership. It’s important for us not only to perform a good job but also to contribute to your business evolving. So feel free to contact us at any time.