An OutSystems and Opinion Matters research has found that most organizations are struggling to recruit the right mobile developers. In fact, 63% of respondents had from 11% to 25% open vacancies for developers. That is why the question of whether to outsource mobile app development is now raised and getting more attention than ever.
Today, in CMC Global’s ultimate guide to mobile app development outsourcing, we will help you answer all these questions and give you some noteworthy tips to secure your success.
Should you Outsource app development?
We all know that mobile app development outsourcing is now a trend as it brings out so many benefits. Some of these are:
Costs reduction
The major reason for a company to choose mobile app development outsourcing is to find a cost-effective solution to save training and recruitment of in-house resources expenses. This is the perk of many Asian outsourcing countries, such as Vietnam, India, China, etc., as the average salary of developers and the living cost here is significantly lower than those in developed countries.
See an ultimate comparison list of top countries for IT outsourcing 2021 here.
IT talent access
This is the second-best reason for IT outsourcing, as businesses may find it hard to recruit enough qualified developers of a specific language or expertise. The problem is solved by outsourcing mobile app development as they get full access to a huge pool of IT skilled resources. What is more, they are already equipped with the latest tools and technologies.
Core competencies focus on getting maximum results
Having a team of IT experts to take over all the IT-related jobs will allow organizations to focus on their main business competencies. This ensures maximum operational efficiency as people have the room to do what they do best, ensuring state-of-the-art infrastructure facilities for a successful project.
High-quality services
By choosing the right IT Outsourcing service provider, you can have high-quality results within the shortest time to deliver. To achieve this, you must have a thorough insight into the potential service provider’s background and work history.
An outsourced team will be more likely to have its own specialist team and has a deeper and greater understanding of the space than a generalist. An experienced agency will use a variety of strategies to gain the best understanding of the app requirements, primary goals, and priority features. From there, the team can confidently leverage existing industry experience and the latest trends to provide their unique perspective that only comes from focus.
Outsource mobile app development costs.
Research from Deloitte has found that it takes U.S. companies 52 days on average to fill open mobile developer positions, with surprisingly high costs of $4,000. This expense includes job postings, interview conduction, staff training, and background checks.
Moreover, US mobile developers are making 77% more than their average colleagues, as the average salary for a mobile app developer in the U.S. is $102,000.Â
Let’s break down the cost for an in-house IT department to see how much you must pay if choosing not to outsource:
Startup team (From 1 to 4 people)
If you have a team consisting of developers and designers, and now you are ready to build your mobile product, collaborating with a start-up of the same size is a good idea. You can pay them through investor funding or time and energy investment in the very same product.
Small app team (From 3 to 5 People)
If you are a mid-sized company searching for a dedicated team to build a small app for a small audience, you can go for this option. Here, you will need to pay people with real cash, unlike in the previous scenarios. Their salaries can range widely:
- Mobile app developer: from $81,000 to $102,000
- Mobile app designer: from $61,000 to $92,000
- Product manager: from $50,000 to $120,000
- Senior iOS developer (for Part-time contract): $20,000 to $60,000
Ideal app team (From 5 to 8 People)
If you are aiming to launch an app for thousands of people to use, you will need to pay much more since you want to avoid any glitches or bugs. Here is what your ideal team might look like:
- Product manager: from $50,000 to $120,000
- Mobile app developer: from $81,000 to $102,000
- Mobile app designer: from $31,000 to $92,000
- Backend developer: from $85,000 to $102,000
- Lead UX designer: from $85,000 to $119,000
- Senior Android developer (for Part-time contract): from $25,000 to $65,000
- Senior iOS developer (for Part-time contract): from $25,000 to $65,000
- Quality assurance engineer (for Part-time contract): from $10,000 to $45,000
Total: from $392,000 to $710,000
But, that’s not everything. To have your team work smoothly, you will need to equip them with adequate facilities (Hardware and Software requirements), benefits (to keep your employee happy), and many other fees, such as taxes. Remember, every hire is going to incur additional costs.
On the contrary, choosing to outsource mobile app development will cost much less. Check out our article about developer salary in Vietnam
What options do you have for outsourcing mobile app development?
When you conclude that yes, I need to outsource mobile app development after seeing their benefits and cost, what’s next? You have to determine the scope of work you need and the type of app you are developing to choose the right outsourcing option.
| Comparison | Development Company | Freelance developers | Off-the-shelf software |
| Advantages | A complete team of experienced, diverse specialists with full equipment. Everything is formalized, from the project’s cost to the scope of work |
Cheaper than most services agencies |
Usually, the cheapest option Launch quickly with a lot of features included |
| Disadvantages | It is the most expensive option of the three types, and in some cases, a contract with a company can be less flexible in the work process than freelancers. | A freelance developer will be more likely to have narrow specializations in platforms and technologies. Clients lack guarantees and protection measures. |
This option can’t be applied to all product ideas. It will be difficult to customize and transition from the existing system to another one. What’s more, it may include more features than you need, or the standard UI/UX design has no swift updates/changes in response to market trends and requirements. |
What options to choose depends on your very own situation. For example, if you want to build a big and complex system, choosing to outsource mobile app development from a reliable company is the best choice.
Big IT service providers such as CMC Global have the ability to provide you with the right specialist you may need, from Android and iOS developers, UI/UX designers, testers, and project managers or business analysts to take you to your success line. For a customized system requiring end-to-end development, a full team is much more beneficial.
On the contrary, a simple app can be assigned to a freelance developer or a group of them since freelancers usually have one or a couple of niches. Usually, freelancers have their own connections so that they can form a group up to your demand but consisting of 3 primary roles: developers who can code, hustlers who manage and understand the business process of the clients, and designers who implement the design.
How to outsource your app development for the best results?
Have a solid outline for your app.
An experienced outsourcing company often has brief, additional research and business analysis to guide you through the process. Still, it is best you have your own clear vision of your product. Only by this will you have the right expectation of the final products and avoid miscommunication as much as you can.
Miscommunication can also create technical debt.
To be as clear as possible, you should have answers to these questions:
- What is your app’s purpose?
- What problem can the app solve for its users?
- Is it an iOS app or an Android app (or both)?
- What features do you need?
And so on.
Estimate your budget
As reflected in our above table, different types of mobile app development outsourcing have different ranges of expenses. The cheapest solution is off-the-shelf apps, and yet it offers you the least unique. So if you are aiming at something better, more flexible, and customized, it is best to choose either an app development company or freelance developers.
Contrary to the most common belief, there are companies with extensive experience that provide high-quality service for good prices. So yes, thorough research and background checking will help you find an IT outsourcing company whose prices won’t break the bank with excellent results, and CMC Global is among those.
Apart from these two most important factors, there is something else you should be aware of. We call them best practices for outsourcing app development.
Beware of trends but stay unique.
Minimalism is all the rage, yes, but be inspired to stand out. Add your value, show the community who you are, what you bring about, and your ambition
Security
With COVID-19 yet to go down, cybercrime is now becoming a booming issue for each and every company. The trend of working from home has left hackers more active than ever before. It is equal to playing risky Russian roulette and not investing in mobile app security measures.
Agreement and software documentation
Keep a thorough system of documentation so that your colleagues or later person in charge have something to reference on how to run and maintain the app.
Legal representation
It is better to have your base covered since not all agreements go smoothly. There are plenty of possible risks, from Inadequate end product and ownership rights, to data loss and ownership. You should have your legal department involved or consult a law firm based in the country of your outsourcing app development.
How NOT to outsource app development
There is more to this guide, as we have listed some common mistakes when choosing to outsource mobile app development. Our list includes the most popular mistakes that most people fall for
Outsource to those behind trends.
Mobile app developers aren’t designers and marketers, but it is best they are familiar with the practices, app culture, and trends in your region. In terms of your targeted end-user, knowing their insight and preferences play a crucial role in UX/UI tendencies.
CMC Global is riding the RPA trends with our RPA Automation Anywhere Certificates.
Ignore the time zone differences.
If your dedicated team/ mobile app development team pays little mind to the time zone differences, there is a high chance that you’ll end up with constant delays. Lower prices come with a cost, but you can get this in control with an experienced project manager with excellent communication and team management skills. Fails to have such employees, you’ll probably get your issues/bugs fixed later, stretching project deadlines or causing disaster.
Good deal price rather than quality
If you are a risk-taker and an adventure seeker, then you can try services of $8 to $10 per hour rate. However, high chances are you will get exactly the same in return. So, do your research carefully to find out the right service provider.
Late responsiveness
When you outsource, most of the time, you have to communicate online. And thus, having your extended IT teams responsive, eager, and active is a good choice to get your work done smoothly and quickly.
Integrity
This needs to be taken into consideration right in the recruiting phase. Great skills and competence is one thing, yet integrity and a basic code of honor are something to be sought after. For instance, when you interview your candidate and ask about their previous job, if they refuse to give out the information under NDA, you should understand that he is doing the right thing.
Outsourcing mobile app development: Conclusion
When you want to outsource mobile app development in Vietnam, another noteworthy thing is to know whom to trust. Distinguishing good guys from bad guys in the initial stages can save you a lot of money, and you can do that by consulting CMC Global’s list of best app developers.
