Mobile Development
Hire Mobile App Developers
Mobile developers design, build and publish apps for iPhone and Android, and keep them working as the operating systems change underneath them.
The role
What mobile app developers do
The first decision is native (Swift for iOS, Kotlin for Android) or cross-platform (Flutter or React Native, one codebase for both). A mobile developer also handles the parts that get forgotten: push notifications, offline behaviour, app store review, and updates when Apple or Google change their rules.
Typical deliverables
- An app published to the App Store and Google Play
- Source code and build configuration in your repository
- A connection to your backend, or a hosted backend such as Firebase
- Push notifications and analytics set up
- Store listing assets and release notes
Tools you will see
- Swift and SwiftUI
- Kotlin and Jetpack Compose
- Flutter
- React Native
- Firebase
- Xcode and Android Studio
- TestFlight
Choosing
How to choose mobile app developers
What to look for
- Apps you can download from the stores, with a clear account of their part in them.
- Experience getting apps through App Store review, including rejections they resolved.
- A reasoned recommendation for native or cross-platform for your app.
- Attention to offline states, slow networks and older devices.
- A plan for updates after launch, since each OS release breaks something.
Questions to ask
- 1Would you build this native or cross-platform, and why?
- 2Which of your apps are still live, and who maintains them?
- 3How do you handle App Store and Play Store submissions?
- 4What backend does this app need, and who builds it?
- 5How do you test on real devices?
Planning
Before you post the job
One platform or both
Launching on one platform first cuts cost and tests demand. Cross-platform frameworks narrow the gap if you need both at once.
The backend is part of the budget
Most apps need accounts, data storage and notifications. If that backend does not exist yet, it can be as much work as the app.
Maintenance after launch
Plan for yearly updates when iOS and Android change. Hourly or a Dedicated Hire suits this better than a fixed price.
Hiring on Open Lance
- Posting a job and reviewing proposals are free.
- Each milestone is funded into escrow before work starts and paid when you approve it.
- Hire fixed-price, hourly, as a monthly Dedicated Hire, or buy a packaged Drop-In.
- Client fees are shown before you pay and added on top of the work.
FAQ
Questions about hiring mobile app developers
Is cross-platform good enough for most apps?
For most business, content and marketplace apps, yes. Native matters more for heavy graphics, deep hardware access, or apps that must feel exactly like the platform.
Who should own the App Store and Play Store accounts?
You. Create developer accounts in your company's name and add the freelancer as a team member, so the app stays yours.
Can a mobile developer build the backend too?
Some can, especially with services like Firebase or Supabase. For a custom backend, check their server-side work as carefully as their apps.
Related
Related skills
Post a job for mobile app developers
Describe the work and compare proposals. You only fund the first milestone once you have chosen someone.