Hire App Developers: Hiring a Mobile App Developer vs an App Development Team

Updated September 2026 · Written and maintained by the Progression Agency strategy team

Hiring an app developer is one of the biggest decisions in any app project. You can hire a freelance developer, recruit in-house, or hire a development team from an agency. This page explains what each option costs, what to look for, the questions to ask, and when hiring Progression Agency’s team is the better route.

On this page · 9 sections

Hiring an app developer: your three options
How to hire a mobile app developer: step by step
Questions to ask before you hire app developers
Where to find app developers near you
Hire iOS, Android or React Native developers
What app developers earn in major US cities
Skills to test when you hire an app developer
Total cost of hiring vs engaging a team
Video: how apps are built

The short answerTo hire developers for an app, decide first whether you need one person or a team. A freelance app developer suits small, well-defined work; a production app usually needs design, iOS, Android, backend and QA, which an agency team covers in one contract. Whoever you hire, check shipped apps, insist on code ownership, get a written scope and see working builds every sprint.

Rate ranges are typical US-market planning figures, not quotes.

Hiring an app developer: your three options

Hire a freelance app developer

Good for small, well-defined tasks or a prototype. You manage design, QA, backend and continuity yourself.

Hire in-house mobile app developers

Best when the app is your long-term core product. Expect a recruiting cycle and salaries; the US Bureau of Labor Statistics reports a $135,980 median wage for software developers in May 2025 (BLS).

Hire an app development team

An agency supplies product, design, iOS, Android, backend and QA under one contract and can start in weeks. See app development outsourcing.

Ways to hire app developers — Freelancers are ideal for small fixes; a full product usually needs the range of skills a team provides.

Cost of hiring app developers (planning ranges)
Option	Typical cost
Freelance app developer (US)	$60-$150 per hour
Agency team (US)	$100-$250 per hour, or a fixed first-release price
In-house developer	Salary plus benefits, recruiting and management

How to hire a mobile app developer: step by step

Write a one-page brief: users, core job, platforms, integrations, timing.
Decide freelancer, team or in-house.
Shortlist developers with shipped apps in the stores.
Ask the questions below and compare written answers.
Run a small paid discovery or prototype before committing to the full build.
Sign a contract with code ownership, scope, milestones and maintenance terms.

Shipped apps — Check. Live in the stores..

Written scope — Check. Before development..

Sprint builds — Check. Every two weeks..

Maintenance terms — Check. After launch..

Questions to ask before you hire app developers

Interview questions for app developers
Question	What a good answer sounds like
Can I see apps you shipped?	Live App Store and Google Play links
Who will actually work on my app?	Named people and roles
Native or cross-platform, and why?	A reasoned recommendation for my case
How do you handle the backend?	Scoped and priced separately
How will I see progress?	Installable builds every sprint
Who owns the code and accounts?	I do, from day one
What happens after launch?	Defined maintenance with response times

Where to find app developers near you

Local developers are useful for in-person workshops, but most app projects run well remotely. Progression Agency is based in New York City and works with clients nationwide; see our NYC, Atlanta and Austin pages.

Hire iOS, Android or React Native developers

Through our team you can engage iOS developers, Android developers or React Native developers, always with design, QA and project management included.

What app developers earn in major US cities

Salary data is the best benchmark for any quote you receive. The table shows the median annual wage for software developers in nine large metros, from the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ May 2025 survey.

Software developer median wages by metro, May 2025 (BLS OEWS)
Metro area	Software developers employed	Median annual wage
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ	121,000	$166,830
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA	20,610	$163,270
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA	55,540	$160,920
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN	40,370	$134,380
Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX	31,960	$134,120
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX	67,030	$133,290
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA	36,300	$132,960
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL	18,900	$132,650
Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX	22,940	$129,440
United States	1,687,890	$135,980

Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. City pages: Dallas, Los Angeles, Houston, Miami, Chicago, San Diego, Austin, Atlanta and New York City.

Skills to test when you hire an app developer

Match the skills to the platform approach you have chosen.

iOS developers

Swift and SwiftUI, Xcode, App Store submission and TestFlight.

Android developers

Kotlin and Jetpack Compose, Android Studio, Google Play Console and device testing.

Cross-platform developers

React Native with TypeScript or Flutter with Dart, plus enough native knowledge to write platform modules.

Backend developers

APIs, databases, authentication and cloud hosting: the part of most apps users never see.

Total cost of hiring vs engaging a team

A salary is not the whole cost of an employee, and a day rate is not the whole cost of a freelancer.

Costs beyond the headline rate
Cost	In-house hire	Freelancer	Agency team
Recruiting	Recruiter fees or internal time	Platform fees	Included
Benefits and payroll tax	Roughly 30% of compensation (BLS ECEC)	None	Included
Management	Your time	Your time	Project manager included
Coverage when someone leaves	Rehire	Find a replacement	Team continues

Ready to hire an app team?

Tell us about the app. We will propose the team, scope and a planning estimate.

Get an app proposal

Video: how apps are built

Explainers on the frameworks your developers will use.

React Native in 100 Seconds
Fireship · 2021-09-28
Flutter in 100 seconds
Fireship · 2020-04-14
WWDC24: SwiftUI essentials | Apple
Apple Developer · 2024-06-10

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Websites and design

Choosing and working with an agency

Software and app development

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Frequently asked questions

How much does it cost to hire an app developer?

US freelancers commonly charge $60-$150 per hour; US agency teams $100-$250 per hour or a fixed first-release price.

Should I hire a freelancer or an agency?

A freelancer for small, defined tasks; an agency team for a production app needing several skills.

Where can I hire app developers?

Agencies, freelance marketplaces, referrals and local tech communities; check shipped apps either way.

How do I hire a mobile app developer?

Write a brief, choose the hiring model, shortlist by shipped work, compare written answers and start with a small paid phase.

What should I look for in an app developer?

Shipped apps, relevant experience, clear communication, code ownership terms and a testing process.

How long does it take to hire app developers?

Days for a freelancer, weeks for an agency, months for in-house hiring.

Can I hire an iPhone app developer only?

Yes, though a team adds design, backend and QA.

Do I need a technical co-founder or can I hire developers?

Many companies hire an agency team, especially for the first release.

What questions should I ask an app developer?

Ask about shipped apps, who does the work, approach, backend, progress visibility, ownership and maintenance.

Who owns the app if I hire developers?

You should, contractually, with code and accounts in your name.

Can I hire app developers near me?

Yes, but remote teams work well; we meet NYC clients in person and others remotely.

Where is Progression Agency located?

New York City, working with clients across the United States.

What is the difference between an app developer and an app development company?

A developer is one person; a company provides a full team and accountability.

Should I hire offshore app developers?

Lower rates, but consider time zones, communication and management overhead.

How do I evaluate an app developer’s portfolio?

Download their live apps and check reviews and quality.

What contract should I sign with an app developer?

One covering ownership, scope, milestones, confidentiality and maintenance.

Can I hire developers for a fixed price?

Yes, for a written first-release scope.

What is staff augmentation?

Adding individual developers to your own team.

Do you provide dedicated developers?

We provide a dedicated project team with design, QA and PM.

How fast can you start?

Commonly within weeks of agreeing scope.

Sources and further reading

Planning an app?We design, build, launch and maintain iOS, Android and web apps, with a written scope before any code.

Get an app proposal

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Tell us what you are trying to grow and we will come back with a plan, not a pitch deck. Same-day reply on weekdays.