You've got a great idea to for a mobile app that is going to change the world or makes a difference. Or you have an existing app that needs enhancement but the developer is no where to be found. Unlike big corporations, not many businesses or individuals have a team of dedicated in-house developers. Your only other choice is to look for a professional app development company to help you bring your app idea to life. 

The questions is, how do you go about searching for the right app company out of over 20 millions app developer around the world? It is more than a daunting and overwhelming task. It is like looking for a needle in a haystack. 

Here at MobileAppDevelopers, we've put together a series of guidelines and checklist to help you choose the right app development that best fits your app project. We've also developed a research methodology to help you narrow down your search to a handful of app companies that meet your need. 

Caution: 

Before you jump right in, you first need to determine the type of scope of your project the category of app you are trying to build. For the most part, your app project will fall into one of the following categories:

• Full-blown app or end-to-end app development
• Design & development
• Design or development only
• App maintenance and Support

On a general note, we hope this guide will also help you for things to looking for when shopping for app development company. We recommend the following:

• Company's experience and track record
• Customers feedback
• Past projects and portfolio
• Type of Company
• Company location, timezone, spoken languages and culture
• Personal relationship with company
• Company viability

You may be temped your decision primarily on the cost of company , However passing emphasis  primarily on the cost risk the quality of final product. Read MobileAppDevelopers' guide on app development cost to understand how to pick a mobile app developer company that's suites your needs and maximizes your budget . Before cost you should consider the type of company you need,. Where you prefer the company  be located t, and how well you will  worked with the company.

Myriad of factors need to be considered as it comes to hiring a mobile app development company. After all, you must make certain that you are choosing the right firm and this is why ensure these parameters are choosing the firm:

Size & Global Presence: It is vital to look into the size of the app development firm you are planning to hire, like the number of developers, designers, Testers, UX/UI experts, QA experts, working in the company. Also, look out for the firm’s global presence, as it is vital to opt for a reputed and globally-recognised company.

Check the portfolio: Another significant factor to look for in order to make the right choice. As you have shortlisted a firm, it’s time to now explore its online presence and find about its products, outstanding capabilities, past projects, and success stories, which are relevant to your app project.

Ask about their experience: While you shortlist, experience should be one of the criterion, so that you can decide on a firm with a proven record in the industry – the number of mobile apps they developed is equally important as their quality. Mobile app development is a complex process which requires expertise, deep understanding of intended audience and creativity, and this skills are also acquired with experience.

Ask for Client references: As you hire from other sources and channels, it is important that you request for references from service provider. The best way to do the same is by connecting with their previous clients via phone and gain comprehensive understanding of their possible vendors.

Meet with company representative: It is important to meet with the company representative and make him/her understand your viewpoints, objective and requirement related to the mobile app in-depth. As you get to meet them, talk openly and freely about all the factors, and you must not forget to ask the company representatives about their location. After all, it is good if they can work clearly for your location with your team.

Communication: You definitely won’t like the idea of ending up with developers who just cannot understand you. So ensure that at least one of the developers is fluent in English, so that it’s easier to make your requirements understood.

Team engagement & hiring models: It is up to you to decide which model is suitable for your app requirements and your budget, like:

Fixed-priced model:Here, you require defining the scope, requirements & timeline and then pay a decided amount of fixed price of the final product. This is a low-risk option for clients and is best-situated for situations when scope & specifications for project are clear.

Dedicated-hiring model: Here, you can hire dedicated developers for your development purpose and keep the task & project management in-house. You just need to pay a fixed month fee for each resource you use. You can choose skilled resources & complete development process with knowledge retention.

Time & Material Hiring Model: In this model, project & efforts are estimated in terms of execution of time & resources deployed. In case you are willing to invest in gradual and continuous development of quality app development, then this one is ideal for you.

In case, there is any confusion in terms of selection & engagement model, then feel free to ask your chosen company support system.

Price & Contract: Usually, the cost of complete mobile app development project is subject to app’s features, scalability, scope& complexity. It also comprises of the amount & type of resources that go into app development. However, it definitely doesn’t mean that you should choose the one offering low-rates, quality supersedes everything here.

At the same time, as you enter into an agreement or contract with the mobile app development company, don’t forget to ensure that it includes provisions, estimated release, promise of protection, NDA, payment structure, etc. the contract document must offer simplicity to well-understand all the compliance terms and conditions.

Quality Assurance & Maintenance: Once your app is release in the app store, it will be requiring timely updates, maintenance, bug fixing addition of new functionalities & features. This is why, it is vital to understand the chosen company’s policy in terms of app maintenance, like for ongoing support whether they charge at an hourly rate or a monthly fee.