What to look for in an app company
What to look for in an app company
Do you have a great idea for an app but don’t have the technical expertise to build it? If so, you may want to consider working with an app company to turn your vision into reality. But there are a lot of app companies out there, so how do you decide which one to use? Here are some things to look for.
Broad Technical Expertise
Should you build your app for iOS or Android? Ideally, you’ll want to build a version for both. Together, the two account for 99% of the mobile phone market share. You may also want to build the same app for desktop devices (including laptops). You also want to find a developer that has experience creating native apps. These apps are coded in a specific programming language such as Java for Android or Objective C for iOS. Native apps tend to run more quickly and smoothly than non-native apps.
The mobile share of the market is continuing to increase, but desktop devices still account for over 40% of the market, so you may want to consider developing a desktop version of your app alongside a mobile version. You may also have ideas for multiple apps, some of which may be better for mobile devices while some are better for desktop devices. As such, you want to look for a company like AppsTango that has experience with iOS, Android, and AWS development, as they can create all the apps that you need.
Successful Track Record
As with anything, you want to find a company that has a proven track record of success in building apps. You may want to look at a company’s case studies or other examples of their work. You can often find examples on their website (for example, AppsTango has a webpage with their case studies), or you can ask them if they have done something similar to the app idea that you have. You may also want to ask what kind of results the company saw after the app was built, such as increased sales or better customer reviews. Evaluating a company’s previous work can help you determine if they have the kind of experience that you’re looking for and give you confidence that they can deliver a successful app.
Cost
How much something will cost is always an important consideration. You may want to contact multiple companies for a quote to see how much they will charge. If you can find a company that charges less, then you can either save on the project’s total cost or use the savings to add more features to the app. For example, while many companies in the Salt Lake City area charge between $150 and $175 per hour, some companies charge less, such as AppsTango, which has a rate of $95 per hour. AppsTango also offers free quotes, so you’ll know exactly how long the app will take to develop and how much it will cost ahead of time. This knowledge can be very helpful during the planning stages.
Service
It is important for any company to provide high-quality service, and app companies are no different. One of the most essential elements of customer service is communication. You want to find a company that will help you in all stages of developing the app, beginning with planning and consultation. It is helpful to have a dedicated project manager assigned to you so that you have a point of contact throughout the development process. The project manager can provide regular updates and answer any questions or address any concerns about the development of your app.
You also want to own the source code in case you decide to change developers or bring the development in house. AppsTango provides all of this, and they develop on GitHub so that you can enjoy transparency in the coding, quality assurance testing, and updating processes. They also use popular frameworks such as React so that other developers can hit the ground running.
Ongoing Maintenance, Support, and Updates
The first version of your app that you launch almost certainly won’t be the last. It is generally best to start with the Minimum Viable Product or MVP. This is the most basic version of the app that still has enough features to attract early adopters and validate the idea for the app. It also allows both you and the development team to get user feedback early so that improvements can be made in future versions.
Once the MVP is launched and feedback is gathered, you will likely want to make some changes or add some additional features for future updates. Even after the full version of the app is completed and launched, there still may be the need for new features down the road. And even if there isn’t, ongoing maintenance and support is important to ensure that your app continues to operate smoothly.
You’ll want to find a company like AppsTango that offers this level of support for your app, and there are a number of ways to do this. You can contract the company on an as-needed basis in which they will give you a quote for how long the update will take and how much it will cost. Or you can opt for a retainer in which a certain amount of development time will be dedicated to your app each month.
These retainers can range in size, as a small retainer might cover minor changes and improvements, as well as maintenance and support. A larger retainer would cover more significant changes and large new features. In this case, it’s a good idea to create a list of desired features for the developers to work on.
Once you’ve found a company that has what you’re looking for, you’ll want to contact them to get a quote on how long the project will take and what it will cost. AppsTango offers free quotes, and you can contact them on their website.
