How to hire an app developer in India

For many businesses, mobile apps are becoming an increasingly crucial tool for success. They help engage customers, streamline operations, drive business growth, and more; in fact, mobile apps are expected to generate more than $935 billion in revenue this year.

As apps become more and more significant in the digital economy, finding the right app developer can make or break a project. Many companies are looking to India when hiring mobile app developers, thanks to its vast and growing talent pool. Hiring an app developer in India can connect your company with the expertise it needs to build an innovative and effective mobile app that aligns with your business needs.

Ready to learn more about how to hire an app developer in India? This guide will walk you through the considerations and steps to take. Let’s get started.

What is an app developer?

An app developer is a professional who specializes in creating software applications for mobile devices. They are responsible for designing, coding, testing, and maintaining mobile applications that meet specific user needs and business objectives. Also called programmers or coders, app developers play a crucial role in the tech industry, especially for startups looking to bring innovative products to market quickly and efficiently. 

What do app developers do?

App developers typically offer comprehensive mobile app development services, covering everything from initial concept to final deployment and beyond. They focus on custom mobile application development tailored to the specific needs and functionalities required by each client.

App developers are responsible for a wide range of tasks in the mobile app development process. Their roles and responsibilities include:

• Native app development: This involves creating applications specifically designed for a particular operating system, such as iOS or Android. Native apps provide the best performance and user experience as they are optimized for the platform they are built on.
• Cross-platform app development: Developers can also build applications that work on multiple platforms with a single codebase (also called hybrid app development). This approach saves time and resources, making it ideal for businesses that want to reach a broader audience without developing separate apps for each platform.
• App testing: Ensuring the app functions correctly across various devices and operating systems is a critical part of the development process. App developers perform rigorous testing to identify and fix bugs, ensuring a smooth user experience.
• Maintenance and upgrades: After the app is launched, developers provide ongoing support to keep it updated and running smoothly. This includes adding new features, improving performance, and ensuring compatibility with the latest operating system updates.

What skills do app developers have?

App developers typically possess a diverse set of skills that enable them to create robust, user-friendly mobile applications. Their skills often cover various aspects of software development, design, and problem-solving. Here are some common skills that app developers typically have:

• iOS app development: Expertise in developing apps specifically for the iPhone that are compatible with Apple App Store guidelines.
• Android app development: Expertise in developing apps for Android devices.
• Cross-platform app development: Expertise in developing apps that can be used on all platforms and devices.
• Programming languages: Proficiency in languages such as Swift (for iOS development), Kotlin (for Android development), Java, JavaScript, MongoDB, Node.js, PHP, and Objective-C.
• Environments and frameworks: Experience with frameworks like React Native and React.js, Flutter, Ionic, Xcode, Eclipse, and Xamarin for cross-platform app development.
• UI/UX design: Understanding of user interface and user experience design principles to create intuitive and engaging apps.
• Database management: Knowledge of database technologies like SQLite, Firebase, and Realm for managing app data.
• Platforms and methodologies: Knowledge of common platforms like Angular and development methodologies like Agile and Azure DevOps.
• API integration: Ability to integrate third-party APIs and services to enhance app functionality.
• Augmented reality (AR): Skills in integrating AR technologies to create immersive app experiences.
• Internet of Things (IoT): Ability to develop apps that interact with IoT devices, enhancing their connectivity and functionality.
• App testing and debugging: Skills in testing methodologies and tools to ensure the app is bug-free and performs well across different devices.
• Version control: Proficiency in version control systems like Git to manage code changes and collaborate with other developers.
• Problem solving: Strong analytical and troubleshooting skills to identify and fix issues during development and post-launch.
• Project management: Competence in managing the development process, including planning, execution, and monitoring to guarantee timely delivery of app projects.
• Security best practices: Knowledge of mobile app security practices to protect user data and ensure app integrity.
• Continuous learning: Willingness to stay updated with the latest industry trends, technologies, and development practices.

What is the app development process?

From initial planning to post-launch support, each step in the app development process is crucial for creating a successful mobile application.

Step 1: Project planning

Project planning is the foundation of a successful app development project. During this phase, clearly define the project requirements and understand your target audience. This involves identifying the core features and functionalities of the app, setting realistic goals, and determining the resources you need.

Step 2: Hiring developers

Once the project plan is in place, the next step is to hire the right app developer or team. There are various engagement models to choose from, depending on the project scope and budget. Businesses can opt for freelancers, employees, or a dedicated team from a mobile app development company. Each hiring model offers different benefits:

• Freelancers: Best for smaller projects or specific tasks within a larger project.
• Employees: Can be part-time or full-time. Best for ongoing projects requiring constant updates and maintenance.
• App development team: Often hired through an agency or company. Best for comprehensive projects requiring a range of skills and long-term commitment.

Step 3: UI/UX design

The design phase is all about creating a user-friendly and visually appealing interface. App design plays a crucial role in user experience—this is when you design the intuitive navigation, aesthetically pleasing layouts, and engaging interactions that will make your app easy to use. The goal is to create an app that is not only functional but also enjoyable, so customers will be satisfied and keep using it over time.

Step 4: Mobile app development

During the development phase, your hired app developers will write the code and build your app based on the design specifications and project requirements you’ve outlined so far. This step includes both front-end and back-end development, resulting in a fully functional app that meets all the planned features. 

Step 5: Testing and debugging

Before the app is launched, thorough testing and debugging are necessary to make sure it’s free of bugs. This phase can involve various types of testing, such as functional testing, usability testing, performance testing, and security testing. Identifying and fixing issues during this stage will help you deliver a high-quality app that performs well across different devices and platforms. How long it takes to test and debug your app often depends on how feature-rich it is.

Step 6: Post-launch support and maintenance

After the app is launched, providing top-notch post-launch support and maintenance is crucial for its success. This includes monitoring the app’s performance, fixing any issues that arise, and releasing updates to add new features or improve existing functionalities. Regular maintenance ensures that the app remains high performing and continues to meet user expectations over time.

Why hire app developers in India?

Hiring app developers from India can offer businesses many advantages, making it an attractive option for companies looking for the best mobile app developers—especially on a budget. Indian app developers are renowned for their technical expertise, cost-effectiveness, and ability to deliver high-quality applications that meet global standards. Here are some of the key reasons companies all over the world hire tech talent in India.

Cost savings

One of the primary reasons to hire app developers from India is the significant cost savings. Outsourcing app development to India is highly cost-effective due to lower labor costs compared to Western countries. A study by Deloitte and NASSCOM found that talent costs were up to 30% lower and real estate rentals cost up to 50% less in 26 of India’s “high potential” cities compared to more developed tech hubs around the world.

High level of quality and skill

Indian app developers are known for delivering high-quality work. Another report from NASSCOM showed that 1.5 million engineers graduate from universities in India each year, resulting in a steady stream of tech workers proficient in the latest technologies, cutting-edge tools, and frameworks used to create innovative mobile applications. 

India’s dedication to continuous learning and improvement means app developers there stay up-to-date with the latest industry trends and best practices, resulting in high-quality and reliable apps that meet global standards.

Government policies and infrastructure

The Indian government has implemented several policies to support the IT and software development sectors, including IT Act 2000. These policies include tax incentives, ease of doing business initiatives, and investment in technological infrastructure, all of which help create a conducive environment for app developers to thrive and deliver exceptional services to their clients.

Language proficiency

Communication is a crucial aspect of any development project, and English proficiency among Indian app developers helps facilitate it. India has the second-largest English-speaking population in the world, which helps keep language barriers minimal, especially with client companies in Western countries.

Time zone advantages

The time zone difference between India and Western countries can be leveraged for round-the-clock productivity. This allows for continuous development and quicker turnaround times since Indian developers can work on projects while their Western counterparts are off-duty.

Experience

Indian app developers bring a wealth of experience to the table. With years of experience working on diverse projects across various industries, many of the country’s app developers have honed their skills and expertise. Hiring experienced developers from India puts your app development project in capable hands.

Challenges when hiring app developers in India

While hiring app developers in India offers many benefits, there are also some challenges that businesses might face.

Communication barriers

Effective communication is necessary for the success of any development project. Despite high proficiency in English among Indian developers, there can still be communication barriers due to differences in languages, cultural nuances, and communication styles. 

To mitigate these issues, establish clear communication protocols, use collaboration tools, and schedule regular check-ins to keep everyone on the same page.

Time zone challenges

One of the significant challenges when hiring remote developers from India is managing the time differences. While Indian developers’ ability to accommodate different working hours can be an advantage, it can also pose challenges when coordinating real-time collaboration and meetings, especially with in-house teams located in different time zones.

To address this, it’s important to plan and schedule meetings well in advance, considering the time zones of all team members. Using project management and communication tools can facilitate asynchronous communication, allowing team members to stay updated and collaborate effectively even when working at different times.

Lack of control

Managing remote developers can sometimes lead to a perceived lack of control over the development process. Stakeholders may feel disconnected from their remote teams’ daily activities, leading to concerns about productivity and quality.

Good project management practices can help overcome this challenge. Clearly define roles, responsibilities, and expectations from the outset and use project management tools to track progress, set milestones, and ensure transparency.

How to hire an app developer in India

Interested in hiring a remote app developer in India? This guide will help you navigate the process, from sourcing potential candidates to handling paperwork and deciding on payment methods.

Note: The following information is for informational purposes only and isn’t intended to be legal advice.

Step 1: Source potential candidates

The first step in hiring an app developer in India is to find potential candidates. There are several platforms and strategies to consider, depending on the hiring model you decided to use:

• For freelancers, platforms like Upwork, Freelancer, and Toptal are great places to connect with independent contractors looking for new clients and projects.
• For employees, sites like Naukri, Indeed, and LinkedIn allow you to post job descriptions and offers to match with part-time and full-time candidates.
• For development teams, consider reaching out to mobile app development companies in India. These companies can match clients with dedicated teams of experienced developers.

You can also utilize your professional network to get referrals. Recommendations from trusted sources can lead to finding reliable developers.

Step 2: Review and vet your candidates

Once you’ve sourced potential candidates, the next step is to review and vet them thoroughly. 

Look at the developer’s previous work to assess their experience and quality. Check for apps they have developed and their ratings on app stores. Conduct technical interviews to evaluate their coding skills, problem-solving abilities, and familiarity with the technologies you need. Contact previous clients or employers to get feedback on the developer’s performance, reliability, and work ethic. And consider giving them a test project to gauge their practical skills and how well they understand your requirements.

Step 3: Make sure they’re classified correctly

Once you’ve found the developer or team you want to work with, the next critical consideration is to make sure they’re classified correctly. Whether you engage with a freelancer or an employee, India takes worker classification seriously. Employers who misclassify their workers (even accidentally) could face fines, back pay on entitlements, or even jail time.

Indian courts and other regulatory authorities consider many different aspects of the working relationship when investigating misclassification claims. Here are some of the key differences between contractors and employees in India:

Our free Worker Classification Analyzer lets you know if you’re risking fines, penalties, and more.

Step 4: Handle the paperwork and taxes

As you move through onboarding your new app developer, compliance is the next key consideration.

If you work with a freelancer, they’ll handle a lot of their own paperwork and taxes—but you’ll still want to draft a locally compliant freelancer agreement to cover the scope of the work, deliverables, pay structure, and other important details of your project to avoid disagreements down the road.

For employees, compliance can be much more complicated. When you hire employees in foreign countries, you may be required to withhold and remit payroll taxes from their wages, submit paperwork to local authorities, and more. As their employer, the onus is on you to know and follow local laws in their jurisdiction.

To hire and pay employees in India, you have two options: You can establish a business entity in the country, or hire through an Employer of Record (EOR) service. An EOR helps simplify international hiring by helping businesses hire global employees without having to establish local business entities. Instead, you hire your employees in India through the EOR, which then handles administrative tasks like running payroll, administering benefits, paying taxes, and complying with local laws—all on your behalf. 

Using an EOR can help you save both time and money, since setting up a business entity in India can be an expensive and time-consuming process that requires approvals from local authorities. If you use an EOR, you can start hiring right away.

Rippling EOR makes it easy to hire, pay, and manage developers in India quickly and compliantly without setting up your own entity there.

Step 5: Decide how you’ll pay them

The last thing to determine is how you’ll pay your workers in India.

If you work with contractors, you have a few options, such as:

• Bank wires
• International money orders
• Digital wallets or online payment platforms

If you hire employees through an EOR, it will take care of payroll for you.

Compliantly hire and pay global employees with Rippling EOR. Pay all of your employees around the world without delay. Rippling does the calculations and money movement for you so you can be free to focus on what matters.

Rippling can also support international contractors and HR and payroll for employees on your own entities—so you don’t need to replace your systems as your business scales and your needs evolve.

Frequently asked questions about hiring app developers in India

What other types of developers are there?

Aside from dedicated mobile app developers, there are many other common types of developers, including:

• Software developers
• Ecommerce developers
• WordPress developers
• Back-end developers
• Front-end developers
• Full-stack developers
• Web app developers

What should you look for in an app developer?

When hiring an app developer, consider their portfolio, technical skills, experience, and references. You might also consider giving them a small test project to evaluate their practical skills.

What’s the difference between a mobile app and a web app?

A mobile app is a software application designed specifically for mobile devices, such as smartphones and tablets, and is usually downloaded from app stores like the Apple App Store or Google Play Store. Mobile apps can be native (built for a specific platform) or cross-platform (built for multiple platforms using a single codebase).

A web application, or web app, is accessed through a web browser and does not need to be downloaded or installed. Web apps are responsive and can be used on both mobile devices and desktops.

How much does it cost to develop an app?

The development cost of an app can vary widely based on factors such as complexity, number of features, the platform (iOS, Android, or both), and the developer or development team's pricing.

How long does it take to develop an app?

The time required to develop an app depends on its complexity, the number of features, and the development process. When planning, be sure to include time to design, develop, test, and deploy your app.

Disclaimer: Rippling and its affiliates do not provide tax, accounting, or legal advice. This material has been prepared for informational purposes only, and is not intended to provide or be relied on for tax, accounting, or legal advice. You should consult your own tax, accounting, and legal advisors before engaging in any related activities or transactions.