Freelancers, remote employees, or IT outsourcing companies? It depends. Below, we’ll explain in what case each type of mobile app developers for hire might work best, and will give a list of websites where to look for them.
Freelancers
If you have a small project that doesn’t need an app development team, designers, and testers (like creating a WordPress website), finding a freelance developer will be enough.
Upwork and Freelancer are the most popular platforms for hiring mobile app developers. Both Upwork and Freelancer function as liaisons between freelancers and employers, processing all the payments and protecting both parties from possible fraud.
Codementor is a commercial IT tutoring platform, connecting engineering mentors and mentees. It’s a go-to website if you want to find experts in a particular field to help you acquire new skills. Codementor will also match you with independent contractors if you need to have a small project or assignment done.
Pros of choosing freelancers:
- Hiring freelancers is often the most cost-efficient way to gain access to a worldwide base of knowledge and skills.
- You don’t have to pay for workplace appliances, perks, and benefits, etc. — you only pay for the job itself.
- There are fewer responsibilities as an employer; once the project is delivered, the work relationship is either ended or paused until you collaborate on some project in the future.
Cons of choosing freelance developers:
- The managerial overhead of keeping track of multiple tasks done by separate contractors.
- Potential data security issues created by providing complete outsiders with access to mission-critical systems.
- Unless they are long-term partners deeply engaged in the company events and strategy, freelancers are less personally invested in the long-term success of your endeavor due to the temporary nature of their employment.
Remote employees
When it comes to medium- and long-term projects that require specific training, consider hiring a remote employee. An RE is more like an extension to your team, rather than an independent player.
Places to find remote employees:
Of course, you can hire a mobile app developer on your own, using LinkedIn, for example. But you’ll have to weed out candidates who are not currently looking for a job or those who seek office-based positions. Instead, consider platforms specializing in remote mobile app developers for hire, such as Remote.com, Hired, and YouTeam.
Remote.com is a go-to platform for finding full-time and part-time remote contractors from around the globe. On Remote, you can either search for candidates manually or rely on the AI algorithm that finds the best talent based on the project duration, skills, and the payment model.
On Hired, you can find both freelancers and full-time mobile app developers for hire. The platform is industry- and location-specific (some regions of the US, Canada, and France). With a 5% admission rate, Hired accepts only IT talents with degrees from leading universities and backgrounds in leading companies (Facebook, Apple, etc.). At Hired, you can also hire a mobile app developer from your city.
YouTeam connects individual mobile app developers for hire from agencies and clients. All agencies and their developers have to pass a thorough screening and will be banned if their skills differ from what they advertise. If you need a team of developers, YouTeam is an ideal option. The platform offers multiple teams working in the same office and used to collaboration.
Gun.io utilizes their own network of high-quality independent developers to tackle any software engagement — whether it requires a few hours of work from a senior engineer — or the combined year-long efforts of an entire engineering team. Gun.io only accepts fully vetted developers who have passed their technical assessments, and collected endorsements from previous colleagues to verify their skill and seniority. They present candidates based on your project specifications and set up interviews with candidates you like best. Book your freelancer for the monthly hours that you need, and swap talent as your roadmap requires.
Pros of choosing to work with remote teams:
- You form productive and engaged teams ready for a long-term commitment.
- The expertise gained during the project stays within the company.
- Employees working remotely often cost less, as they don’t require office expenses and other benefits.
Cons of choosing to work with remote teams:
- It involves all the pains and hurdles of hiring employees and forming teams out of them.
- If they fall ill, go on vacation, or quit, corresponding parts of your project are halted.
- It can be difficult to accurately review developers’ performance and productivity.
- Outsourcing companies and agencies
If you have a complex project, consider an IT outsourcing company or an app development agency. This gives you the privilege of hiring mobile app developers with a unique experience of work on top projects. It also guarantees that the deadlines will be met, the quality will shoot off the charts, and the management headache won’t be yours.
For example, Relevant Software offers mobile app developers for hire, as well as UI/UX designers, business analysts, security specialists, project managers, and QA experts. Having provided 200+ effective solutions, we are proud to be listed as one of the top software development companies, according to Clutch and GoodFirms.
Pros of outstaffing/outsourcing:
- Instant access to ready teams possessing the needed expertise.
- Ready solutions to minimize time-to-value for your projects.
- The technology vendor takes care of the team’s motivation, perks, benefits, and replacement if need be.
Cons of outstaffing/outsourcing:
- You might experience management difficulties.
- Cultural differences may set teams apart.