How to hire an app developer

Step 1: Define the job

Developers cannot quote what they cannot see. Describe the problem you solve, who will use it, the main features and any must-have tools or deadlines. A page or two is enough. The guide on writing a project brief walks through it, and the project brief tool gives you a structure.

Decide what kind of help you need. Building something new differs from fixing bugs, adding features or rescuing a stuck project. Each has its own page: build something new, fix bugs and rescue a stuck project.

Step 2: Choose where to look

You can hire a freelancer directly, work with an agency or use a marketplace. Each route has different costs, speed and risk. Freelancer vs agency vs marketplace compares them neutrally.

Step 3: Compare proposals

Look for proposals that show the developer read your brief. Good signs:

• They restate your goal in their own words.
• They ask smart questions about unclear points.
• They split the work into steps with a clear result for each.
• They say what is not included.
• They explain the choice of tools in plain language.

A very short reply that copies a template, or a promise that everything is easy, is a reason to ask more questions.

Step 4: Check fit

• Past work: ask for live links, app store pages or a repositoryi they can show you.
• Relevant experience: have they built something similar to your project type?
• Communication: do they answer clearly and on time before you hire?
• Availability: when can they start and how many hours per week?
• Technology: do their tools match yours, for example React Native and Expo or Flutter?

More questions to ask are in questions to ask before hiring a developer.

Step 5: Protect yourself

• Agree on a fixed result per step before work begins.
• Pay in stages tied to delivery, not everything upfront.
• Make sure you receive the code and the accounts you need.
• Put in writing who owns the work. See who owns the code.

More on this in how to hire a developer safely.

Step 6: Start small

Begin with one small milestone. You learn how the developer communicates and delivers before you commit to the whole project. If it goes well, continue. If not, you have spent little.

How this works on ErdiBuilds

ErdiBuilds is an open marketplace where clients post app, SaaS, website and game projects, see which independent developers from the EU fit best based on what they have already built, and pay per milestone. You describe your project and developers send proposals. Matching uses help type, project type, technologies, portfolio, budget fit and availability, and every proposal shows a score from 0 to 100 with plain reasons. You see proposals sorted by score. Each milestone is funded before work starts and runs 1, 2, 3, 4, 6 or 8 weeks. You approve each delivery before funds are released. Developers are independent professionals, not our employees. See how it works.