How to Choose a Mobile App Developer: Complete UK Guide 2026
Choosing the right app developer in the UK? Compare freelancers vs agencies, typical costs from £10,000, and 12 questions to ask before hiring. Expert guide from London agency.
Quick Answer Choosing the right mobile app developer requires evaluating their portfolio, technical expertise, communication, and pricing. UK app development costs range from £10,000-£150,000 depending on complexity. Key factors: verify their experience with your app type (iOS, Android, or cross-platform), check client references, ensure they offer post-launch support, and clarify ownership of code and intellectual property.
Introduction Your mobile app could transform your business—or waste £50,000+ if you choose the wrong developer. The UK app development market is crowded with options: freelancers, agencies, offshore teams, and in-house builds. Each has trade-offs in cost, quality, speed, and support. This guide breaks down everything you need to know to make the right choice for your business. Whether you're building your first MVP or replacing a failed project, these insights will help you avoid costly mistakes.
Types of App Developers in the UK ### Freelancer App Developers **Pros:** - Lower cost (£300-£800/day vs £1,000+ for agencies) - Direct communication with the person building your app - Flexible availability and faster decision-making - Good for simple apps and MVPs **Cons:** - Limited capacity (solo developers can't scale quickly) - Single skill set (one person rarely excels at design, iOS, Android, backend, and QA) - Availability risk (illness, other projects, personal commitments) - Less formal processes and documentation **Best for:** MVPs, simple apps, tight budgets under £25,000, and projects where you can manage development yourself.
### App Development Agencies **Pros:** - Full team (designers, iOS/Android developers, backend engineers, QA testers) - Proven processes and project management - Ongoing support and maintenance packages - Higher accountability and contract protection - Capacity to handle complex requirements **Cons:** - Higher cost (£30,000-£150,000 for most projects) - Slower decision-making due to team hierarchy - Less direct access to developers during the project **Best for:** Complex apps, businesses without technical expertise, projects requiring ongoing support, and clients who value reliability over cost savings.
### In-House Development Team **Pros:** - Full control over priorities and roadmap - Long-term investment in your product - Team understands your business intimately - No external dependencies **Cons:** - Expensive (£50,000+ salary per developer, plus recruitment, equipment, benefits) - Time to hire (3-6 months to build a team) - Management overhead - Requires continuous work to justify cost **Best for:** Large companies, continuous app development needs, businesses with funding for a long-term product team.
12 Critical Questions to Ask Before Hiring ### 1. What mobile apps have you developed in my industry? **Why it matters:** Industry experience means they understand your users, competitors, and sector-specific requirements (e.g., GDPR for healthcare, PCI-DSS for payments). **What to ask for:** 3 case studies with App Store links, user reviews, and business outcomes. **Red flag:** No relevant experience or reluctance to share client examples.
### 2. Do you develop native or cross-platform apps? **The difference matters:** **Native apps** (Swift for iOS, Kotlin for Android): - Best performance and user experience - Full access to device features - Higher cost (2x development time for both platforms) - Typical cost: £40,000-£150,000 **Cross-platform apps** (React Native, Flutter): - 70-80% code sharing between iOS and Android - Faster development and lower cost - Minor performance trade-offs - Typical cost: £20,000-£80,000 **Our recommendation:** Cross-platform for MVPs and most business apps. Native for performance-critical apps (games, AR/VR, photo/video editing).
### 3. What's the typical timeline for an app like mine? **Realistic timelines:** - Simple app (basic features, 1 platform): 2-3 months - Medium complexity (custom features, 2 platforms): 4-6 months - Complex app (advanced features, backend, integrations): 6-12+ months **Red flag:** Promises like "We can build Instagram in 6 weeks." Quality app development takes time. **What to clarify:** Does the timeline include App Store submission (add 2-4 weeks), design iteration, testing, and revisions?
### 4. What's the total cost breakdown? **Insist on itemised pricing:** - Development: £X - Design (UI/UX): £X - Testing and QA: £X - App Store submission: £X - Post-launch support: £X/month - Backend/API development: £X - Third-party integrations: £X **Hidden costs to ask about:** - Premium design tools or stock images - Payment gateway setup fees - Push notification services - Analytics and monitoring tools - Legal review for terms/privacy policy
### 5. Who owns the source code and intellectual property? **Critical clause:** YOU should own 100% of the code and IP upon final payment. **What to verify:** - Full ownership transfers to you (not just a license) - Source code delivered in a format you can use - No ongoing licensing fees to use your own app - Rights to modify or hire another developer later **Red flag:** Developer retains ownership or charges extra for code handover.
### 6. What does your post-launch support include? **Standard support should cover:** - Bug fixes (30-90 day warranty is typical) - OS updates (iOS/Android release compatibility) - App Store maintenance and resubmissions - Performance monitoring and crash reporting **Ongoing costs (monthly):** - Basic maintenance: £500-£1,000/month - Active support + minor updates: £1,000-£2,000/month - Full development partnership: £2,000-£10,000/month **What to clarify:** What happens after the warranty period? Can you handle updates yourself, or do you need their support?
### 7. How do you handle app updates and version management? **Questions to ask:** - Do you use CI/CD pipelines for automated testing and deployment? - How do you handle staged rollouts (release to 10% of users first)? - What's your testing procedure before releasing updates? - Do you have a rollback process if an update breaks something? **Why it matters:** Apps need regular updates for OS compatibility, bug fixes, and new features. Poor version management can break your app for thousands of users.
### 8. What's your approach to app security? **Essential security measures:** - Data encryption (at rest and in transit) - GDPR compliance for UK/EU users - Secure API communication (HTTPS, token-based auth) - Penetration testing before launch - Regular security audits **Red flags:** - Storing passwords in plain text - No mention of encryption - Unfamiliarity with GDPR requirements - Skipping security testing to save costs
### 9. Can you show me your design process? **Professional design workflow:** 1. **Wireframes** - Layout and user flow planning 2. **User flows** - How users navigate the app 3. **UI mockups** - Visual design for each screen 4. **Interactive prototypes** - Clickable designs to test before coding 5. **Usability testing** - Real users test the prototype **Why it matters:** Changes during development cost 10x more than changes during design. A thorough design phase saves money.
### 10. How do you handle App Store submission and approval? **What to ask:** - Have you submitted apps to Apple App Store and Google Play before? - How do you handle rejections (Apple rejects 30-40% of first submissions)? - Do you provide App Store Optimization (ASO) - keywords, descriptions, screenshots? - Who creates the developer accounts (you should own them)? **Typical timeline:** 2-4 weeks for first-time submissions (including potential rejections and resubmissions).
### 11. What analytics and tracking will be implemented? **Essential tracking:** - Firebase Analytics (or equivalent) - Custom events for key user actions - User behavior tracking (screen views, session length) - Crash reporting (Firebase Crashlytics, Sentry) - Performance monitoring (load times, API response times) **Why it matters:** You need data to improve your app. Without analytics, you're flying blind.
### 12. Can I speak with 2-3 previous clients? **What to ask references:** - Was the project delivered on time and on budget? - How did they handle unexpected challenges? - How responsive were they to feedback? - What's the app's performance post-launch? - Would you hire them again? **Red flag:** Reluctance to provide references or references that feel scripted.