Should You Hire An App Development Agency? Let’s Weigh The Pros & Cons.

Many Entrepreneurs have asked themselves this question and you won’t be the last one. Apps are on their way to become business essentials. After organizations have their processes and people in place, app development would be the next logical step. So, if you are a manager or an entrepreneur considering app development, the biggest question staring back at you is – Should I outsource it?

You are not alone and you won’t be last. As far as the answer is concerned, let’s take you through an extensive analysis of the pros and cons when it comes to choosing an app development partner. With this blog you can easily find out what your next steps should be.

What To Expect?

Before jumping into the pros and cons of hiring an app development company, it is important to understand the services you will be paying for. So, let’s take a look at what a typical app development package looks like.

Consultation

Any app outsourcing company worth its salt will start with understanding what you desire, how to overcome the challenges and to accomplish with the app. The right consultation will bring focus to the development process.

Industry Analysis

Once the app development company understands what you want, they will shift their focus on what the industry is doing and the standards they are absolutely expected to meet. This will provide structure to the process by defining preferred technology, interface designs, etc..

Design Development

Based on the brief, their research, and the complexity of the app, you can decide how the app should look like. It is then time for the app or web development app company to brainstorm UI/UX design ideas and bring your idea into a digital design.

App Development

After the UI/UX design meets the conceptual and technical requirements, the development of the app starts. The backend is set up and the app is developed using the most appropriate and up-to-date technologies.

Quality Testing

While smaller unit tests are performed during development, it is time to do a full E2E test after the app is finished. In this step the developer and the tester work very closely together to fix all bugs. This is an integral part of the application development process.

Post-Production Support

Once the app is live, it is expected that it will run into technical issues or will need upgrades as the technology becomes more sophisticated. Professional app development will have the duration of support in the initial contract.

Making An Objective Decision: Identifying The Pros & Cons

Like every decision, outsourcing app development also comes with its pros and cons. Here is an extensive list for you to make a sound decision for your app development needs. Let’s understand how outsourcing works vs. in-house development.

1. Domain Expertise Vs. Learning Curve

When you outsource app development to a specialized service provider, you are automatically transposing their expert talent to your app. This translates to a broader understanding of available technologies, ease of matching industry standards, and fewer glitches throughout the process.

On the other hand, if you develop an app in-house, you are basically reinventing the wheel. Even with experts at hand, you will have to ensure that they work together as a team and keep themselves updated with the latest available technology. This includes a steep learning curve.

Preferred: Outsource

2. Language/Cultural Barriers Vs. Non-Existent Barriers

When developing an app in-house, your team is composed of people who have known each other for a while, they share similar work cultures, and due to the physical proximity, there are usually no language barriers. Moreover, there is complete transparency too.

On the other hand, when you outsource app development, you may be working with a team anywhere in the world. While it seems nothing at first, it might become a challenge during the initial stages of development. However, you will not face such a problem with an experienced service provider. For e.g. Vitec GmbH provides local IT support in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland.

Preferred: In-House

3. Streamlined Processes Vs. Staggered Processes

At a professional development agency, optimized development processes are already in place. This allows work to happen efficiently, which is key to minimizing time-to-market. However, an in-house team has to first lay down the processes, create or purchase resources, and then resolve issues as they come. This means extended timelines for every phase of development.

Preferred: Outsource

4.Optimized Costs Vs. Possible Incremental Costs

The costs for app development are completely optimized for a professional app development agency. Due to their specialized approach and costs spread across multiple projects, they can register some major cost-savings. The cost optimization result from economies of scale, which is impossible with in-house development. Moreover, with the lack of expertise, the costs of the in-house project may also lead to an incremental increase in costs.

Preferred: Outsource

5. Contract-Mandated Support Vs. Life-Time Support

When you are working with an external app development agency, they will provide you support to ensure that your app runs without any issues and upgraded to the latest industry requirements. On the other hand, when it comes to in-house development, support lasts a lifetime. While this support is easier to access, it costs exponentially higher than outsourcing the app development.

Preferred:Depends on client needs

Make A Smarter Choice

At Vitec, you don’t just get a good app that matches the highest quality standards and 7+ years of experience that ensures premium results, but also exceptional customer support. Our developers can help you create apps using the technology of your choice and based on both iOS and Android operating systems. This ensures a better understanding of market dynamics, real-time local support, and irreplaceable trust as compared to “out-of-continent” service providers.

If you are still toying with the idea of whether or not you should outsource your app, talk to us once. We will make the decision a lot easier. Contact us now.