Freelance app developer professionals have become an integral option for businesses looking for a cost-effective and scalable way to bring app development ideas to life. With a vast pool of talented candidates available on various freelancing platforms, finding the right mobile developer for your project has never been easier.
As a software development outsourcing company, Aloa has vetted over +10,000 developers to create a partner network of the best talent globally. Part of that process was exploring various platforms and agencies and linking with professionals. Throughout that process, we've gained insights into the best sites for hiring freelance app developer experts within the United States and across regions like Eastern Europe and Latin America.
Putting our experience to good use, we've compiled this blog exploring the top sites for your project to hire freelance app developers. These platforms offer a wide range of mobile developers with different skill sets and expertise in iOS development and Android app creation, allowing you to find the perfect match for your app development needs.
Let's get started!
Top 7 Sites to Find Freelance App Developers for Your Project
Freelance app developers offer businesses a flexible format for reducing costs while optimizing delivery and quality when creating projects. These platforms have been chosen based on their reputation, user reviews, and the quality of talent available for developers with experience in iOS, Android, or cross-platform development.
Here are the top sites that have a diverse pool of freelancers with the skills to bring your idea to life.
1. Upwork - Diverse Pool of Freelance App Developers
Upwork is one of the largest freelancing platforms available on the market today. The large offering of diverse freelancers worldwide caters to different industries. Regardless of the project scope, collaborative requirements, or time zone restrictions, Upwork hosts high-quality freelance app developers with the skill sets and expertise to suit different needs.
Freelancers have more opportunities to disclose their ability and technical ability while also opening opportunities for employers to browse through different clientele for a more streamlined assessment experience. Built-in messaging and payment systems are also integrated to help both parties communicate and prevent unnecessary issues throughout development.
Notable Features of Using Upwork
- Easy Access to Previous Work: Those who use UpWork to hire freelance app developer professionals can access a candidate's previous work for evaluation and consideration.
- Streamlined Freelance Outreach: UpWork offers a streamlined process for reaching out to freelancers within the platform, making it easy to start communications.
- Secure Payment Process: The platform has a secure payment processing system that enables freelancers and clients to handle all transactions internally.
- Professional Results: Employers can expect professional results from freelancers affiliated with the platform due to its high standards in proposing candidate options.
Upwork's large number of diverse freelancers makes it an excellent choice for businesses of all shapes and sizes. Smaller companies that require financial planning can optimize their development strategies by optimally setting budgetary restrictions, while larger corporations can hire a wide range of talent from around the world under one freelancing website. You can also check out our blog on Upwork alternatives for more freelance hiring options.
2. Freelancer - Competitive Bidding System
Freelancer is another popular platform for finding freelance app developers. One of the main selling points of Freelancer is its ability to see potential hires quickly and easily through its competitive bidding system. This unique feature helps make this website stand out, as it encourages developers to seek out active projects and make their presence known as soon as possible.
Budgetary restrictions, project requirements, development tools, and job details can all be posted within the platform's posting area. Interested developers can quickly gauge if they meet all criteria and send a bid with their portfolios attached. Easily chat with all interested freelance app developers with real-time updates through a dedicated mobile app.
Notable Features of Freelancer
- Bidding System: Freelancer offers employers a faster return rate when hiring freelance app developers, as the bidding system connects interested parties directly with companies. It also helps assess each potential hire's capabilities more easily through their profiles.
- Free Quotations: With free quotation services from this freelance platform, large-scale projects are easier to monitor and budget. Development projects also have easy consultation services to ensure that the asking requirement is fair for both parties.
- Pay When 100% Satisfied: Outcome and working experience results are crucial components of what makes Freelancer an excellent platform for hiring freelance app developers. Payment transfer to the hire is only shared once the employer is 100% satisfied with the delivery and quality of the project.
Freelancer offers a competitive platform for freelance app developers to pick and choose their jobs while allowing companies to carefully select which hires would suit their exact needs. This balance is an excellent opportunity for long-term projects. It relies on satisfaction and trust before payments can be properly disbursed.
3. Guru - Secure Hiring Environment
Guru prides itself on a platform that undergoes strict regulations to ensure a safe and secure scouting and hiring process. Each freelance app developer has undergone a complete background check to ensure that their skills, portfolio, and locations are all verified before they can take on job requests from the site.
This website houses a wide range of web and mobile app development services, including, but not limited to, programming languages, coding specialties, sales and marketing, and business and finance services. 24/7 customer service support is offered for both parties to ensure that quality assurance on both ends of the hiring and working process remains safe and legal and to ensure fair transactions and working conditions.
Notable Features of Guru
- Reliable Security Protocols: Safety is at the forefront of Guru's platform. Each freelance app developer will undergo a detailed background check to ensure that all credentials posted are legitimate to promote honest services.
- Multiple Payment Agreements: Employers can choose from flexible payment offerings when hiring freelance app developers. Based on the project's needs, fixed-price, hourly, task-based, and recurring payment schemes are offered.
- Wide Range of Services: Guru's wide variety of industry services makes app engineers and programmers working with specific niches available for hire. Custom-built solutions catering to the industry's specific needs are carefully analyzed during the development process.
A collaborative working environment starts with trust, and Guru enforces that notion with its extensive security practices. Real-time updates, secure transaction portals, quality assurance, and verified portfolios are part of the core concept that makes this freelance platform a great option for employers who want consistency and reliability with their potential hires.
4. PeoplePerHour - Focus on Hourly Projects
PeoplePerHour is a great option for hiring freelance app developers while consciously managing overhead costs through hourly-based projects. Although this platform only caters to a singular type of payment structure, dozens of potential hires are still available for tasks regardless of the size and scope.
One of PeoplePerHour's main advantages is its dedication to managing and securely tracking the time spent on each project. Each task is carefully considered and tracked to guarantee that the time spent per hire is spent working on project completion. Anti-fraud protection protocols are also in place to handle all transactions and recordings made with each project safely.
Notable Features of PeoplePerHour
- Extensive Tracking and Performance Monitoring: Each project includes a detailed analysis and recording to ensure that the performance metrics match the employer's intended target. This concept ensures that satisfaction is achieved with each job posted.
- Money-Back Guarantee: Use PeoplePerHour's money-back guarantee option to guarantee a reliable and consistent working partnership with each hire. Calculated time and effort spent on every task requires passing a specific checklist made by the employer before settling on payment.
- "Offers” System Helps with Fast Hiring: Employers can choose pre-set bundles from freelancers to find the best deals while limiting the working conditions to a fixed price. Freelancers can also select which services they can work on as a set bundle based on various jobs posted.
The platform's main web design simplifies and speeds up hiring and job finding for both parties. PeoplePerHour also offers a secure payment system, delivers efficient communication, and provides a work management tool while streamlining collaboration between two professional parties.
5. Fiverr - Services in Every Price Range
Fiverr is famously known as one of the largest freelance hiring services platforms. Different industries and skill sets are available for small, large, and even independently owned businesses. The overwhelming number of freelance app developers also helps make finding a price range for different related tasks easier for companies on a budget.
Employers can easily set various contingencies when setting up jobs on the platform. Factors such as setting a hard price point for a project or minimum working hours are all available to ensure that the job details are as clear as possible. Upfront payment holdings ensure that both parties will have a safe and consistent working experience with no fears of possible delays or issues.
Notable Features of Fiverr
- Large Number of Freelancers: The large number of potential candidates helps in choosing the hire that matches each client's needs and goals. Potential hires can also offer varying prices based on work experience and estimated completion time.
- Upfront Payment Security: We guarantee reliable service with each project, as payment will only be transferred once it is officially completed and approved by the employer.
- Professional and Amateur Services: Community-run organizations and independent freelancers are welcome to showcase their potential through Fiverr's many offerings from different industries and markets.
Fiverr's popularity and growth come from its safe and reliable payment delivery module. The growing population of users helps companies and employers find specific targets with extreme detail to ensure that all factors, such as budget, working conditions, and delivery, are met precisely to their specifications.
6. Hired - Matching Talents with Technical Needs
Hired boasts its freelance hiring platform through its extensive software technicality experience. This website houses talents from different fields in software development with a professional network of qualified and ready-to-interview candidates waiting to be hired. Each potential offer also comes with a full portfolio open for employers to help assess one's skills and abilities.
One of the best features that makes Hired special in the freelance hiring business is their integration with machine learning components to help the system learn through an employer's preferences. With each project posted and completed and candidates hired or ignored, Hired's artificial intelligence uses that data to help leverage the appropriate hires that match your technical needs.
Notable Features of Hired
- Sophisticated Learning and Adaptability: Hired's unique formula studies every action the employer makes to create and send candidates who perfectly match previous options and better leverage offers to their advantage.
- Focused on Software Technical Talent: Hired's dedication to providing the best software and mobile development hiring platform makes it easier to spot freelance app developers with different technical skills and abilities.
- Ready-to-Interview Candidates: Every software developer on offer is ready to discuss and collaborate professionally with employers to provide the best and most reliable mobile and web development services.
Hired's matching algorithm analyzes project needs, requirements, and goals for each candidate to simplify and improve the hiring process. This standout feature is a must-have for businesses that require extensive time and resource management to ensure that all critical components are met with minimal need for adjustments.
7. Codementor - Expert Developers and Mentors
Codementor is not only a freelance hiring platform but also a place where expert mentors in software development can be hired for consultation purposes on various projects. Each developer has been personally vetted by Codementor to ensure that their services and guidance are properly utilized and verified for all users.
Project-based freelance work with Codementor ensures that each job posted includes an on-demand code review to ensure the system operates precisely as intended. Project ideas and concepts will have an expert software developer and mentor ready to collaborate on the implementation strategies and provide a roadmap for progressing through app development.
Notable Features of Codementor
- Live Mentorship: Hiring freelance app developers is only one part of the job. The code mentor ensures that each project is carefully analyzed to help share the concept and inner workings of each code written for employers to take full advantage of.
- On-Demand Code Review: Professional coding mentors can assess existing projects and systems to spot glaring performance bugs or potential issues on the app's platform.
- Debugging Services: Software development also involves managing and exposing critical programming errors. Codementor offers debugging services for almost any program or application to ensure the system operates as intended.
Codementor is both a learning and hiring platform for employers who want to understand the complex nature of software development. Each project posted comes with a full examination and strategy formation before officially developing the system. Code reviews and bug fixes are also included in each service to provide an extensive experience for app updates.
How to Effectively Utilize Freelance Platforms?
Freelance app developer platforms cater to a wide range of different project scopes and needs, which helps businesses fine-tune their options based on their specific requirements. However, planning ahead and effectively utilizing these freelance platforms helps make the search more streamlined and increases the chances of positive results with every job post.
Here is how you can find a good fit to effectively utilize hiring the best candidate on different platforms:
Understanding Platform Policies
One of the main considerations every business should consider is the freelance platform's assigned policies. Familiarizing with the various contingencies regarding hiring processes, payment terms, dispute resolution procedures, and any other relevant policies helps make the choice clearer for interested companies.
Each freelance app developer platform will have guidelines and policies that make the partnership process simpler or more complex, depending on the regulations set. One way to avoid failing to find a software developer effectively is to adjust the expectations based on the rulesets given by each hiring website. This process helps make more informed decisions, leading to a smoother collaboration experience.
Setting Clear Project Requirements
A clear goal helps a potential mobile app developer understand the needs and requirements of each job posted. Defining the project's goals, desired features, and technical skills, such as knowledge of various programming languages, can help filter out undesirable talents from crowding the application process while guaranteeing a better chance at finding suitable hires for a steady development cycle.
Project requirements can extend to dealing with work outside of a developer's technical ability. Collaboration with other team members or being expected to work in a specific timezone are crucial components that businesses should always clearly state in their job postings to ensure that collaboration between all parties remains consistent and fruitful.
Clear project requirements also help freelancers provide accurate proposals and estimates, making the hiring process smoother and more efficient. By setting clear expectations from the start, you can minimize the risk of misunderstandings and ensure that the app developer can deliver a product that meets your needs.
Assessing Freelancer Portfolios
When hiring a freelance app developer, it is important to assess their portfolio so you can make the best choice. Reviewing a freelancer candidate's portfolio and resume gives better insight into their previously completed works to easily assess the quality of their skills and years of experience.
It also gives you an idea of their app development approach. Finding development projects that showcase similar results to your business's intended project helps determine if their ability will suit your needs.
Pay full attention to these projects' design, functionality, and user experience in a potential hire's work, as it showcases their creativity and ability to create complex coding structures. Unique approaches to various common problems with other industries can highlight possible limitations in a developer's approach to development.
Timelines between project completions are also a good indicator of a developer's ability to adjust due to demand. Longer project cues or frequent delays from the expected release are negative attributes that showcase potential issues when delivering projects and updates on time.
The Importance of Communication Skills
Effective communication between employers and employees is essential to hiring freelancers, especially when it comes to understanding their app development approach. Solid communication skills showcase a candidate's ability to relay updates effectively while ensuring that all progress will be reported truthfully and consistently. Formulating a good ground for communication also boosts collaboration efforts between team members and creates a strong working relationship.
Conducting one-on-one interviews with potential developers helps distinguish those with good soft skills from others. Asking each candidate about their thoughts on the project helps paint a clear understanding of the requirements, expected timeline, and skills needed to complete each job properly.
Giving each potential hire an opportunity to ask questions also helps boost morale early between hires by creating an open field for discussion. A freelance app developer with these skills is more likely to handle challenges and changes in the project effectively.
Negotiating Rates and Deadlines
Disclosing hiring rates and expected deadlines early on might seem counterproductive to some businesses. However, this concept is an important aspect when choosing to utilize freelance platforms when hiring developers. The ability to have an open and transparent discussion on the rates ensures that both parties are already in agreement from the start while securing high-quality work productivity.
Freelancers with more experience and expertise may command higher rates. Still, they may also be able to deliver higher-quality work in less time. Considering the complexity and scope of a development project alongside a freelancer's availability may lead to more negotiations than traditional hires. Still, it could provide more benefits to consistency and reliability for them to meet deadlines in the long run.
Tips for a Smooth Collaboration with Freelancers
Freelancers may have similar goals as regular employees, but there are some contingencies to consider in order to guarantee a smooth collaborative experience. Since most freelancers are only assigned a specific project or task, adjusting the work goals will be needed to prevent burnout or potential discourse on job responsibilities.
Take note of these tips for the best practice for a smooth and consistent collaboration with freelance hires:
Establishing Effective Communication Channels
Official communication channels provide crucial updates on the progress of each app project. Freelancers are expected to relay information regarding job updates consistently through preferred mediums set by the employer. Clearly discussing where and when reports should be received enforces effective communication between both parties.
Whether the communication channels are through email, instant messaging, video conferences, or project management tools, choosing the right channel should be established before the project officially begins. Clear guidelines on how a project should be reported and updated also help ensure steady information is always presented.
Using Project Management Tools
There are many different project management tools that businesses of all types of industries can use to communicate with their team members. These management software are essential components for helping track projects and conditions while easily breaking down tasks and workload between various team members.
When talking with a freelance developer, consider including various project management tools alongside basic communication channels. This process greatly benefits projects with multiple team members, ensuring that each person has the potential to relay critical details and important criteria about their work and preventing unnecessary delays between parties.
Regular Updates and Feedback Loops
Regular updates and feedback loops are essential for maintaining effective communication and ensuring successful collaboration with freelance app developers. Finding the perfect balance between constructive criticism and quality assurance testing guarantees that the development process remains consistent in both production output and resources.
Freelancers should also ensure they capitalize on every important criterion alongside the job description. This concept helps app engineers coordinate with the employer through feedback loops to help discuss the best approach to mobile application development.
Schedule regular check-ins with the app developer to discuss project milestones, deliverables, and potential challenges. These check-ins can be conducted through video conferences, phone calls, or email, depending on what works best for both parties to provide ongoing support.
Handling Payments Securely
Payments are the main foundation of good collaboration between clients and freelancers. Having a clear and concise payment structure discussed and agreed on in writing before officially starting the workload helps prevent potential issues from arising in the future. Payment terms, mode of payment, and any additional benefits should be addressed beforehand.
Milestones and other incentives can also be made to help ensure the payment deliverables can be used as inspiration and motivation. Finishing tasks earlier can also open up more opportunities for both parties to seek employment elsewhere. At the same time, some freelance platforms might require businesses to submit a percentage of the agreed wage as a service charge.
Always maintain an official record of all payments made, including invoices and receipts, to guarantee transparency between both parties. Security for payment transfer is also an important indicator of trust when dealing with freelancing.
Key Takeaway
Hiring a freelance app developer is an efficient and strategic move that businesses can utilize to help reduce costs while still maintaining a consistent development cycle. However, an integral component that can determine the success of a freelance hire solely falls on how a company or employer can assess the skills and qualifications of each potential candidate.
Understanding the needs of each mobile app development and industry trends in the app development world requires careful knowledge of the various requirements to successfully launch the program on an app store. Consider each potential candidate and assess both their technical and soft skills to determine if they can act as a perfect fit for your project’s needs.
Looking to learn more about how to vet developers for your project? Explore our resources or contact our Account Executives at sales@aloa.co to learn more. We’ll walk you through our development process and help you link up with the best app developers in the industry!
If you want to learn more about how to vet developers, contact us at sales@aloa.co to learn more.
