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
- Hire developers for an app: which model fits
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.
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.
| 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.
Questions to ask before you hire 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 and worldwide; 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.
| 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 |
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.
| 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 |
Hire developers for an app: which model fits
When you hire developers for an app you are choosing a model as much as a person. Hire an app developer as a freelancer for a defined task; hire a dedicated mobile app developer through an agency when you need months of capacity on your own backlog (see hire dedicated developers); engage a full team when you are launching a product. Startups usually combine the last two: a team for the MVP, then dedicated developers after launch.
Ready to hire an app team?
Tell us about the app. We will propose the team, scope and a planning estimate.
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Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to hire an app developer?
Should I hire a freelancer or an agency?
Where can I hire app developers?
How do I hire a mobile app developer?
What should I look for in an app developer?
How long does it take to hire app developers?
Can I hire an iPhone app developer only?
Do I need a technical co-founder or can I hire developers?
What questions should I ask an app developer?
Who owns the app if I hire developers?
Can I hire app developers near me?
Where is Progression Agency located?
What is the difference between an app developer and an app development company?
Should I hire offshore app developers?
How do I evaluate an app developer’s portfolio?
What contract should I sign with an app developer?
Can I hire developers for a fixed price?
What is staff augmentation?
Do you provide dedicated developers?
How fast can you start?
What should I check when hiring a mobile app developer?
Is it better to hire developers for an app individually or as a team?
Can I hire dedicated mobile app developers through you?
Should a startup hire developers or an agency?
Planning an app?We supply a complete app team under one contract, with shipped apps you can check and code ownership in writing.
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