I’ve hired many freelancers myself, and I’ll tell you from the get-go that finding a competent Android developer can be tough work. Emphasis on competent. Search online, and you’re guaranteed to find multiple Android development services from freelancers, agencies and full-time developers alike. The problem is very few of these services do what they claim to do.
This Android developer hiring guide outlines what you need to do to stay away from the hacks.
The hiring pitfall
When you hear Android app developer, you might make a mistake to think this is about hiring a developer who can code in the ‘Android programming language.’ Fun fact, there’s no one’ Android programming language,’ so most times, you’ll be hiring a developer who’s skilled at many programming languages all relevant to Android app development.
What you should look out for in the ideal Android developer
Full-stack Android developer
Full-stack basically means having all the programming skills required to create application software in a particular programming niche. For Android developers, these programming skills include;
- Java (or Kotlin, or both)
- Android SDK
- Material design
- Database management
- JavaScript (NodeJS or another restful web framework)
- Git for version control
All are important in developing any robust Android app, but knowledge of Java and the Android SDK dev environment stand out for being the most essential. Don’t worry if any of what I’ve mentioned comes off as unfamiliar; there’s a way to assess them without diving into the technical details.
How to test for this
Developers who have a firm grasp of these skills will invariably have one or more full-fledged Android app(s) to their name. For any Android developer, you intend to hire, ask about apps they’ve developed. Ideally, the app should be available on the Play Store for download. If yes, you’ll want to:
- Check the number of downloads – a higher download count is better.
- Check the ratings of the app – a good app crosses the 3.5/5 overall rating margin.
I should say at this point that some apps might not have a high download count or a significant number of ratings, and that doesn’t immediately mean they’re bad. There’s a lot more that factor into the success of any Android app.
For apps that have a low download count/number of ratings, download the app on an Android device. What’s the overall feel of the app? Then, answer these questions;
- Does the app look full-featured, or is it just another run of the mill Android app?
- Does it have a user login or user identification feature? I’m talking apps that allow users to create custom profiles that are customizable and retained over time.
- Does the app have features that allow it to communicate/integrate with other services? For instance, does it have a short sign up button that allows for one-click sign up with Google, Facebook or Twitter?
- Does the app interface feel fluid and seamless or minimalist?
If you answer yes to all of these questions, then you’re most likely dealing with a developer who possesses all or most of the skills we talked about earlier. Note that this is only true if they developed the app from the ground up by themselves.
Experience with publishing apps on the Play Store
Most Android apps find their users on the Play Store, and I’m assuming you want people to use whatever app you create. Any developer you choose should be familiar with what it takes to release and publish an app on the Play Store. Specifically, they should be familiar with;
- Code packaging tools like Proguard that minimize block code into smaller production-ready code for publishing
- App signing and hash generation processes for guaranteeing code/app ownership
- Play Store specific app optimization tools
- Version and update control on the Play Store
How to test for this
Do they have an app published on the Play Store? If yes, how long and how many downloads does the app have. Higher numbers are a somewhat direct marker of good experience with publishing apps on the Play Store.
Experience with accessory Android dev tools like React Native, Python and JavaScript
While Java and Kotlin remain the traditional programming tools for building Android apps, accessory programming languages like React Native, Python and JavaScript offer an additional edge to developing robust, cross-functional and fully integrated Android apps.
This skill requirement is not an absolute must. It’s, in fact, hard to find a full stack Android developer as I’ve just described with expert knowledge in the listed accessory Android dev programming languages. Treat it as an accessory requirement. If an Android dev has demonstratable experience coding in React Native, JavaScript or Python, excellent; if they don’t but tick the other checkboxes, then that’s fine as well.
How to test for this
Ask the developer for Apps they’ve built that interfaced with other software solutions. The ideal scenario here is a multiplatform app with web, iOS, or even Windows and Mac OS versions.
Alternatively, it could be an Android app with specialty functionalities, as would be machine learning or AI. A simple assessment of any app should reveal its features just as a Google search would show if it’s cross-platform.
Where to find Android developers
Armed with the knowledge of what to look out for in an Android App developer, the next step is to search for one. Where can you find Android app developers? A lot of places, actually, but let’s focus on Android app developer hiring platforms where it’s both easy and cost-efficient to hire an Android app developer.
Agencies
Android app development agencies exist in the thousands, and they’re arguably one of the most efficient ways to hire an Android app developer. Agencies can be broadly grouped into Reputable, full-fledged agencies and Android app development hubs.
Choose a reputable Android app agency
There’ll be a temptation to hire the relatively unknown Android development agencies you found through Google, maybe because of their insanely low rates or otherworldly sales pitch. Nine out of ten times, that’s a bad idea. Except a newbie agency absolutely overperforms on all the requirements I’ve outlined, you should always stick with the known Android dev agencies with a reputation to protect.
If you prefer to go local with your hiring, make sure whichever local Android dev agency you pick has;
- An extensive dev portfolio – use the points I itemized in the skills to look out for segment to screen their portfolio apps.
- Robust presence on professional social media sites, preferably LinkedIn
- Has a list of verifiable past clients. It makes sense to sometimes reach out to former clients for their thoughts on the agency.
Be upfront about your requirements
Document your requirements in very clear but elaborate terms. State exactly what you want in your app, including the features, design language, specifications, and everything else that matters. Except you’re signing off on a valet Android dev package, you can’t assume the agency will know what you want. And since most agencies will charge extra for modifications and adjustments, it pays to be crystal clear on your requirements from the get-go.
Divide payment into milestones
Set milestones for your Android app development project and pay any agency you choose based on the completion of said milestones. Many business owners commit to paying a one-time lump sum for their entire Android app development project only to then have the agency delay and/or gloss over their project. Except you’re dealing with a noteworthy agency, with a glowing reputation for excellent service delivery, payments should be split into tranches that match project deliverables.
Negotiate maintenance and debugging upfront
The mistake many entrepreneurs and business owners make is to think of app development as a one-time thing. But, it’s rarely ever one time. Any app you develop will need maintenance and updates in the future. Talk to your final pick agency about app updates and, very importantly, debugging after app release.
Usually, debugging (that is, correction of unprecedented errors or ‘bugs’ with released apps) comes as part of the development package. Future app maintenance, on the other hand, might not be a part of the package. You want to clarify what’s included and what’s not with any agency before committing to a contract.
Why agencies for Android development
Agencies provide an a la carte solution
Reputable Android app dev agencies are ensuite with all the developers and auxiliary staff you need to take your idea from concept to full floated app. Most offer this service as a single package without the need for the sometimes cumbersome business of figuring out the technical bits of what you need. That’s to say they’re easier to work with for first-timers.
Usually better, standard code
Agencies, especially specialized, reputable Android app development agencies, staff top tier devs who produce clean, optimized and standardized code. Clean code is easily maintainable and performance-oriented code. For you, that means a better Android app and easier transitioning if you ever need to hire another developer to take over the project. Freelance android devs also produce clean code, but the risk is many freelance devs don’t, at least compared to Android dev agencies.
The drawbacks
It’s expensive
Hiring an agency can pan out to be expensive, like very, very expensive. This is especially true for the reputable and notable agencies I talked about earlier.
There’s limited flexibility
With many agencies, you don’t interface directly with the Android app developer, and that can cause friction in communication or worse, limited flexibility. Limited flexibility in the sense that you might not be able to chime in a few suggestions or new preferences once development commences.
Freelance sites
Most business owners turn to freelancers for their first Android apps, and it’s not hard to see why. Freelancers are, on average, cheaper to hire than full-fledged Android app development agencies. But like I hinted earlier on, there’s a higher risk of getting a botched Android app when you work with freelancers – many overestimate their skills and many others are outright hacks. Here’s a stepwise guide to help you hire a perfect match for your project.
Use Upwork or Fiverr
See my guide to hiring an Android developer on Fiverr for recommendations on reputable freelance Android devs on Fiverr
If you want a straightforward hiring process with little to no friction, then you’re better off hiring an Android app developer off of an established freelance site like Upwork or Fiverr. Much like shopping for groceries on Amazon, freelance sites allow you to directly shop for Android developers hassle-free.
There are important things to note, however, when you’re using either Upwork or Fiverr to hire a freelance Android developer;
Use reviews as a first screen
Both Upwork and Fiverr allow previous clients to leave reviews for completed projects. Reviews give you an insight into what it is like working with a dev. That said, they can be faked. Here’s how to approach reviews to filter off fake reviews;
Don’t dwell on the five-star reviews
They don’t tell you much aside from what’s good about the developer, and that’s the least you expect.
Three-star, two-star reviews provide a clearer picture
Freelance sites provide filters to sort reviews based on the star rating. Sort for the three, two-star reviews, if any. What do they say? Is there any indication that the dev’s code quality is poor? Are there issues with communication?
Be extra diligent with your screening
Make sure to run any one developer you consider on these sites through the four-item ‘skills you should look out for’ I described earlier. Screen out developers who don’t meet the first three requirements – the fourth requirement is optional.
Alternatively, you could actively test the dev’s skill using easy-to-set-up template Android dev skill-testing platforms like imocha.io. The page for setting up Android app tests on Imocha is located at https://www.imocha.io/tests/android-test
Use freelance Android dev forums and job boards
Hiring a freelancer using job boards might pan out to be a lot trickier than simply hopping on Fiverr to choose from a list of readily available Android devs. For the extra stress, you typically get a selection of more experienced and sometimes better skilled developers.
Top job boards and forums for hiring Android developers include stack overflow and my personal favorite, Reddit.
Hiring an Android developer on Reddit
Forums like Reddit don’t have a provision for reviews, so if you’re hiring an Android developer from one, your hiring process must be detailed and strict. Here’s how to go about it
Create a job post on a Reddit forum
The r/Forhire is a general subreddit for posting job requests, but you can use specialized subreddits like the r/androiddev subreddit to find prospective candidates. With the latter, you don’t necessarily need to create a job posting to find a developer. Simply head over to that subreddit, scroll through forum posts, and choose a dev profile using your better judgement.
Nine out of ten times, you’ll pick someone who’s worth their onions, and even if you don’t, the other steps in this guide should help you filter off bad matches.
Your job post should contain what you require in the Android app; if you’re familiar with the technical bits, make sure to include them; otherwise, just state what you want and drop an email for correspondence. If you’re familiar with Reddit, you could also ask applicants to send a message through Reddit chat.
Run a potential hire through the what-to-look-out-for checklist
You want to start by asking if they have any professional dev related online profile. Major plus for Android developers that respond with a link to their GitHub account. I didn’t cover accessing GitHub accounts in the what to look out for section because it’s a little bit technical. To summarize, however, the ideal developer has;
- An active GitHub account
- Maintains a handful of repositories
- Has a handful of commits
Once you’re through with accessing their GitHub profile (if they have one), the next step is to subject them to the what-to-look-out-for checklist. Make a shortlist of candidate profiles that stand out based on the assessment.
Schedule an Interview
Since forums don’t necessarily have review panels, an interview helps you access a potential hire’s soft skills and fit even better. Interview questions should revolve around how they plan to approach your project. Take note of how they communicate and try to gauge your applicants based on how feasible, reasonable and innovative their solutions pitch match up with your Android development project goals.
Pick a preferred Android dev and sign a contract
The interview phase should help you identify your best fit candidate. Offer them the job with your terms and proceed to sign a contract. Your offer should include the requirements of the project (again, this could be technical or non-technical, what’s important is that it is holistic), the timeframe to completion, your offer rate, project deliverables within the time to completion, and any other additional details you deem fit.
A note on rates and payment
Ask your developer for a quote based on your requirements. Attempt to negotiate this to about 15% less the original quote.
Android developer rates vary by developer and project complexity. As I always say, good developers charge good money for their time, so expect to pay top dollar for your android development project if you plan on having a solid app.
That said, it shouldn’t exceed the rates agencies charge – for a ballpark figure expect to pay $3000 for a simple Android app, $10,000 for something more robust and up to $1,000,000 for a full-fledged, sophisticated Android app.
If you’re not tech-savvy, from experience, I’d say it’s better to opt for a flat rate rather than hourly rates when hiring an Android developer. Payment should be processed through platforms that provide dispute mediation and escrow like functionalities – I’m talking PayPal – at least in the first instance of working with the developer.
Also, you should never pay full upfront. Instead, negotiate a deliverables-based payment plan where you pay the developer based on milestones reached.
Accessory bits
Great developers with great work ethics should provide updates on the progress of the project, but like I said, it’s better not to leave anything to chance. Your contract should include expected daily or weekly meeting times (if necessary and usually for large scale Android dev projects).
Ensure to address copyrights issues from the start – ideally, you should include a copyright document formulated by a lawyer in your contract. That’s especially true for large scale apps (remember formulated by a copyrights lawyer, not you or your tech-savvy friend). If it’s a small to mid-size app not counting on any huge commercial success, then you might be able to get off with a template copyrights document.
Also, address the issue of future maintenance and updates. The best developer to handle future updates for an Android app is the dev who coded it in the first place. Inquire about this and include the agreed terms in your contract as well.
The advantages of freelance Android developers
If you’ve gone through this guide, this should be clear by now but for emphasis;
It’s cheaper
Not every time, but certainly most times, freelance Android devs from freelance sites like Fiverr usually pan out to be cheaper hires than agency Android developers.
It’s more flexible
Freelance Android devs might not mind going a bit off the contract terms to your advantage; the same cannot be said for most Android development agencies.
It can act as a segue to hire a full-time developer
Many times, clients click perfectly with freelance devs and absorb them as in-house staff. You can think of hiring to complete an Android development project as a try out period.
The drawbacks
There’s a risk of substandard Android app builds with freelancers.
Unlike agencies who diligently regulate the quality of talent on their platform, most freelance websites offer free admission to all types of developers. Fair to note that freelance sites like Fiverr have taken a step to introduce packages like Fiverr Pro to combat this.
It might be harder to manage your developer
This is especially true if you don’t have a technical background. Like I said, agencies provide a managed service; with freelancers, it’s up to you to supervise the development process.
How much should you expect to pay an Android developer?
I did say that freelance Android developer rates vary by developer and by project complexity. That remains true for all developer subclasses as well. I’ll, however, add that the developer’s country of residence plays a role in their rate charge.
It’s overall cheaper in developing worlds, and that’s why many people intentionally outsource dev work to many African and Asian countries. But, I’ve noticed that this mostly holds true for small to mid-sized projects – if you’re planning on developing a robust Android app, it’s unlikely that your expense will change based on geographic location.
With all that said, expect to pay;
- Per hour $40 or a flat rater of $3000 For a small app
- Per hour $100 or a flat rater of $10,000 For a mid-size app
- Per hour $200 or a flat rater of $200,000 For a large scale app
To conclude
A lot goes into hiring a competent Android dev, no doubt. But doing it right ensures you get a great app that acts as a competitive advantage and not the other way round. I’ve seen many businesses diminish their bottom line because of a buggy app. This guide provides all you need to hire a great and competent Android dev – stick to it, and you’ll have no regrets.
