10 Questions you Need to Ask Before Choosing App Development Companies

Choosing the right company to develop your app can be one of the most important decisions you make for your business. There are plenty of options when it comes to selecting a company to develop your mobile app. However, if you don’t take the time to ask the right questions, you may find yourself with an underdeveloped or even unusable app at the end of the process.

To make sure that doesn’t happen, ask these 10 questions before choosing the development company that’s right for you. You can then feel confident in knowing that your finished product will be exactly what you wanted when all is said and done. Be sure to choose a company that gives you the answers you want!

1) How many apps have you developed?

The first question you need to ask a prospective app development company is how many apps it has developed. If a company says thousands, that’s okay. That’s exactly what you want them to say.

The key, however, is to ask what percentage of those thousands are apps that aren’t available in an app store anymore and how long ago they were developed. Without asking these questions, you can’t trust what any company tells you about its app-development process.

2) Do you have development experience in my industry?

The only thing worse than picking an app development company without experience in your industry is going with one that doesn’t have any experience at all. You’ll want to make sure your developer knows your business and industry inside and out, so they can create something that looks good and functions well.

If you don’t get a strong enough feel for their knowledge base in either direction, there are other ways of ensuring they have what it takes. Look into reviews on their website or customer testimonials—if they don’t have any, chances are they won’t be able to build you a good app.

3) Can I see some examples of your app designs?

The best way to evaluate a design firm’s capabilities is to see some examples of their previous work. If they are not willing or able to show you actual projects, that should be a red flag. Even if you don’t like what you see in person, it’s important to at least understand where their strengths and weaknesses lie. You may love their ideas but feel less enthusiastic about how well they execute them.

Alternatively, you may really like their execution but find that some elements of your project are beyond them or out of budget. By seeing what someone else has done in the past, you can better gauge whether or not they’re a good fit for your project.

Good Read: Mobile App Design: An Ultimate Guide for Success

4) Can I meet your team?

You want people who are involved in a project from beginning to end, not just cogs in a wheel. This is why you should try and get as much face time with your app development team as possible—they should be accessible and easy to talk to. You’ll also want a dedicated developer who knows your project inside out and can discuss it with you clearly. It doesn’t hurt if he or she has experience working on projects similar to yours, too. Meet with potential developers for coffee or lunch so that you can put them at ease about any questions or concerns you might have about their services.

5) What support do you offer developers after launch?

The app development cycle is expensive and long. Any developer worth working with will offer free ongoing support after launch, which can make all of your employees more productive. Be wary of any company that won’t give you a straight answer about whether they provide ongoing support.

You should expect someone from your development team to be available for a year or more post-launch. Find out what channels (phone, email, live chat) developers will respond through during business hours and how quickly you can expect an answer when there are bugs or tech issues affecting your application.

Good Read: Mobile App Maintenance: The Best Practices

6) How long does it take to build an app?

How long does it take to build an app? The answer depends on a number of factors, including whether you have an existing app or need one built from scratch. If you’re looking for a quick (or instant) answer and don’t want any additional information about your business or idea, then sure—you can have a professional team of developers whip up an app for you overnight.

While developers will give you a range of times it might take to build an app, they might not be able to get a definitive answer without actually building your app. Some factors may affect development time, such as your industry or any special features you want in your app. If speed is crucial, try finding an experienced developer who has built apps similar to yours before. This can save time and money in the long run.

7) How much will I pay and when?

Find out if there are any fees associated with developing your app. Also, don’t forget to ask about costs for upgrades, maintenance, and hosting. Make sure you understand what costs are fixed and what will increase as your app becomes more popular.

Your questions here should be tied directly to your initial investment in developing an app (which we’ll talk about next). Does my budget include advertising?: If you plan on marketing your app through paid advertising campaigns, it’s important that you make sure those costs are factored into your development budget.

Ideally, most companies will give you an estimate for both development and launch so that you can determine how much money is needed upfront.

8) How do we communicate during development?

If you’re looking to create a quality app, you need to work with a development team that can communicate clearly and effectively. If you’re having trouble communicating, don’t be afraid to ask questions; clear communication is vital for app success.

Don’t be shy—make sure your goals are fully understood by all parties before moving forward. You should also find out how often you can expect status updates, which will help keep tabs on progress and ensure expectations remain in sync.

9) What should I expect from your designers/developers during development?

Every developer has a different approach when it comes to designing/developing mobile apps. Some prefer a more detailed explanation of what you want, while others tend to just sit down and build something based on general information provided by clients. Make sure you know how they prefer working with clients and what they are willing to do in terms of revisions.

Remember that early collaboration is important during development so be sure that you’re on good terms with your developers from day one. Most importantly, ask how often they will be in touch with you as that’s something that really sets developers apart from each other. Every developer has a different strategy for communication, but frequent interaction is always preferable for keeping everyone up-to-date and avoiding potential bottlenecks later in development.

Good Read: How to Develop Mobile App: Best Practices to Follow

10) Where are your offices located and what time zone do you operate in?

When choosing a mobile app development company to develop your app, you should make sure they are in your local time zone. This makes communication much easier. Additionally, it is important that you find out where their offices are located because many people think outsourcing apps is a good idea, but when you are working with developers across several time zones it is harder to get work done.

In addition, when hiring an app development company make sure they have offices close by so if there is ever an issue with your app or any kind of problem you can talk directly with someone and not have communication problems or run into delays from them being out of state or in another continent.

Conclusion

Time and again, we see startups rush into app development with almost no idea of what they’re getting into. And inevitably, their situation worsens. They might spend thousands of dollars on an app that doesn’t pan out; it may not be approved by app stores, or it might just flop in terms of downloads and engagement.

You don’t want that to happen to you—and you certainly don’t want your fledgling company or product defined by a poorly executed mobile application. If you have any plans for building a mobile app, above mentioned key questions every founder should ask before choosing an app development company.

Taking services from the right app development company is a crucial investment and hence it is very important to invest your money in the right direction and in the right company.

The best possible way to choose an app development company is by having a clear idea about your needs, market requirements and conditions, and the business challenges that you might face. A good company will always keep you engaged in the development procedure of your mobile app and will always choose to have clear communication between their developers and clients.