What Is The Process, Salary, and Skills Required To Hire iOS App Developer?
With the introduction of smartphones, every person is just obsessed with their mobile phones. But Apple is dominating the OS market in countries like Canada, the US, Norway, and France. Well, in order to develop an iOS app to gain revenue that satisfies Apple users, companies need to hire an iOS developer. According to Scaler Topics, Android holds a market share of 43% worldwide, followed by Windows (29%), Apple iOS (18%), macOS (6%), and (desktop) Linux (1.1%), which also uses the Linux kernel.
Then why does a company need to hire iOS developers? It is because, among both the mobile operating systems i.e. Android and iOS, it is iOS that generates more profit despite a smaller market share.
The process of hiring an iOS App developer can be a very daunting task. But it requires less time and money to build an iOS app as it is more standardized. Also, fewer Apple mobile device types make it convenient to build UI and UX designs for iOS apps.
There are more than 2.2 Apple App Stores all across the globe, while around 80% of consumers spend time on iOS apps as compared to Android apps. This is the reason why developers from all over the globe love iOS not just for its cost efficiency but for the simplicity of its development and minimalistic approach.
Apple devices relatively have a small lineup and all of them have a unified UI. The main skills you must look for in an iOS app developer is if they could work with Objective-C or Swift in Xcode or any other integrated development environment (IDE). In this article, you’ll get to know about the salary, skills, and many more things you need to learn before you hire iOS programmers.
1. What are the Roles and Responsibilities Of an iOS developer?
Not just one or two but plenty of responsibilities rely on the shoulder of an iOS developer. Many misinterpret that the role of an iOS developer is just restricted to writing codes. But it is beyond that, as iOS developers are a part of every single activity of app development. Be it planning and design aspects or testing and publishing the ready-made app to the App Store, iOS developers turn the specifications of your mobile application into a user-friendly product.
Developers are also in charge of transferring good experience to final users for an app in terms of app ‘design’. An iOS developer’s key skills should be an experience with both UI/UX.
Three Divisions Of iOS Developers
The iOS developers are basically divided into three categories on the basis of their versatility. This means that their working experience plays a very significant role in putting them into these categories i.e. Junior iOS Developer, Middle iOS Developer, and Senior iOS Developer. For instance, if an iOS app developer has solved more complex and diverse tech problems, then they are more likely to fall in the Senior iOS developer level.
Let’s get started with these three levels of iOS app developers!
1. Junior iOS developer:
The iOS developers at this basic level work alongside very experienced colleagues to improve their knowledge and enhance their skills. It takes a few years for them to reach the middle level.
2. Middle iOS developer:
An iOS developer can move to the second level only when they work on a variety of complex projects. Middle-level iOS app developers enjoy more freedom as compared to Junior level iOS developers.
3. Senior iOS developer:
Last but not least, at the Senior level, those iOS developers come who have gained immense technical knowledge and experience in terms of working on tons of code and have also released dozens of apps. Such developers are involved in every stage of iOS app development including code writing, app designing, app testing, integration of APIs, and even security matters.
Consider the size and needs of your project before you hire any of the iOS app developers from 3 of the above-mentioned categories. Choose wisely by keeping in mind whether your project requires less or more experienced iOS app developers. Another key factor that helps you take this decision can be the budget of your project. It is because the pay scale of every iOS app developer level varies dramatically.
Also, check the complexity of your project, as junior or middle-level iOS developers may not be able to work under pressure or cope well with a big project consisting of complicated business logic.
Mandatory Key Skills To Look For In a Good iOS developer
The basic yet important must-have technical skills of an iOS developer you should look for are as follows:
a. Swift or Objective-C programming language savvy
b. Knowledge of Xcode integrated development environment (IDE)
c. Experience with APIs like UIKit and also with Metal or OpenGL etc
d. Understanding of RESTful APIs, UI, and UX design standards
e. Knowledge of Apple Human Interface Guidelines and Core Data framework
f. Experience with Advanced knowledge of code versioning tools
2. What are the types of hiring options for an iOS developer?
Now you must have understood the roles and responsibilities of an iOS developer, let’s begin with their hiring process i.e. where and how exactly to hire iOS developers. Well, there are three hiring options to get an iOS developer onboard. Have a look at them!
a. Hire a freelance iOS developer
b. Form an in-house team of developers
c. Hire a software outsourcing company
Decide which one is suitable for your business after reading this. But it is suggested for startups hire a full-time developer because it will better for initial business development.
When to hire a freelance iOS developer?
The current trend for companies all across the globe the following is hiring “Freelancers” for projects of all sizes. Freelancers work remotely and are therefore easy to find. That is the reason why they are so in demand but do not hire an iOS app developer if you’re looking for long-term cooperation. They are suitable for projects with certain requirements and time frames, like, freelancers can be hired if you want to add some additional features to a ready-made app. Freelancers can also help you out in fixing bugs.
There are dozens of websites where you’’ probably find freelancers from all over the world. Desired freelancer iOS app developers can be found by using search filters. These filters allow companies to carefully explore freelancers’ profiles. Professional social network like Linkedin is one of the best platforms to find freelancers like iOS developers where a lot of them are looking for a project. The basic rule to finding and hiring a developer is simply by entering the position you’re looking for.
To help you understand this concept better, here are the Pros and Cons of a Freelancer iOS app developer.
PROS
a. Hiring a freelancer can be cost-efficient as compared to other available options and also helps you cut down your expenses.
b. There’s no need to pay a salary to a freelance worker in case you have no work for him/her.
c. Freelancers take away your burden as you don’t have to worry about their taxes, office space, vacations, sick leaves, and more.
CONS
a. Freelancers cannot work as closely as other developers do on a project.
b. There’s no assurance of their loyalty towards your organization or project on which they work, as they can disappear any time they want.
c. Not every freelancer will keep up with the given deadlines and that is why most of them fail to submit the given task on time.
d. Language and cultural barriers can also create a problem for you while working with freelance developers.
e. There is no guarantee that the hired freelancer is just working for you or not. They might take on other projects and work on them simultaneously. Freelancers usually keep changing their projects and switch to others if he/she gets bored or gets stuck on a problem.
In case you want to fully get satisfied with whether the freelance developer would be able to match your expectation, you can always go through the portfolio of that particular iOS developer or ask for expertise directly.
When to an in-house IOS app development team?
Have you thought of hiring an in-house development team? It is one of the balanced solutions in terms of getting an app created. Instead of hiring freelancers or outsourcing staff, a plethora of companies have started thinking about forming an in-house team together.
Start hiring dedicated iOS developers along with other tech staff to work in-house. Look at the pros and cons of in-house development teams.
PROS
a. No communication restrictions between developers and other departments
b. Get 24/7 assistance from your onboard team
c. Developers get proper in-depth knowledge of your product
d. Hiring in-house tech staff is more reasonable for some middle-sized companies and enterprises which build specific products with complex business logic
CONS
a. In-house team needs to be paid by the hiring company even if they don’t have any projects to assign the developers to.
b. Hiring the right talents is a daunting task
c. In-house development team members can leave your company anytime, so you have to be prepared again with the hiring process to find new ones.
d. Company has to pay for the in-house team additional expenses like taxes, office space rent, hardware, software, and other related stuff.
e. Other factors for which the company is liable to pay the staff are vacations, sick leaves, and other benefits enjoyed by them.
When to hire an outsourcing IOS app development company?
Software outsourcing companies are the best in terms of cost-efficiency and quick ways to hire iOS developers. Such companies offer two cooperation models such as,
a. In this model, companies outsource individuals which are paid according to the per-hour rate of that company. The hired developer can work both as a part of your already existing team and on new projects.
b. The second model is a bit complex, as the hired iOS developers have to build an app from scratch. From design to the launch of an app lay on the shoulders of the company.
Resources like Clutch, Good firms, etc. help you to outsource staff. On these platforms, you can go through detailed information like reviews of the firms from their customers, etc. Search flexibly by countries, industries, hourly rates, and more.
3. Crucial factors to consider before hiring an iOS developer
After selecting the best hiring option for your company, you need to pay attention to some of the crucial factors before hiring iOS developers. All 4 of them are mentioned below!
Total working experience in the same industry
How do you hire an employee for any of your projects? Of Course, you look for their total years of experience, right? That is why ‘experience’ is one of the deciding factors before hiring an iOS app developer. As already mentioned above, choose an ideal iOS developer for your company on the basis of their work experience in the tech industry. The maximum experience in years for all three categories of developers is as follows:
1. Junior iOS developer- up to 2 years
2. Middle iOS developer- from 2 to 5 years
3. Senior iOS developer- over 5 years.
However, the number of years doesn’t prove that the iOS developer is proficient in what they do, so pay keen attention to the number of projects they have handled and delivered successfully. Don’t put yourself at a risk by hiring an amateur who has spent an entire career on one particular app. There are some more factors that are important while hiring a developer as follows-
Expertise
The next factor in this list is ‘expertise’. Check if the app developer has ever dealt with a variety of apps or worked on projects focused on a specific industry. Expertise in this field of app development is of utmost importance. This can be learned again by going through the developer’s portfolio in case you’re considering hiring a freelancer, but if you are planning to outsource a company then go through their website.
Portfolio
A portfolio is one of the deciding factors in the process of an app developer hiring. It consists of the total number of experience held by the candidate, how many projects he/she has handled in the past, how successful those projects were, and more. In short, you can judge the candidate on the basis of both experience and expertise, which is so great for you and your company. Portfolio also helps the hiring company evaluate the overall proficiency as well as the attention to detail of the applicant.
Communication
Communication is the key to success in every business. It should be your responsibility as a marketer to maintain healthy communication with your team member. Well, it is easy to communicate if your hired iOS developer works in-house, but it gets really difficult if they work remotely (from another country or continent). That is why you need to work more on establishing a stable and effective communication channel.
4. How to set up your iOS developer requirements
The entire process of hiring iOS developers depends on how well and efficiently you set up your business. For that, you need to gain an understanding of your projects from beginning to end and also inside and out. Then only you’ll be able to make the right decision, so have a look at some of the tips that’ll help you approach this process. Let’s get started!
Pen down the entire idea of the project
Sit down with a pen and paper and write down all the general ideas going through your mind, but do not get lost in your thoughts. Focus mainly on the things like how your app will be used or how it will solve the problems etc.
Decide the main objectives of your app
No business can run without having some sort of objectives or goals which the business owner wants to achieve. The same is the case with mobile apps. Write down your business goals i.e short-term and long-term both. For instance, how to get a thousand downloads, how to find investors, how to hit the top of app stores, and so on. Once you evaluate your goals, you can be able to set the direction for further development in your app.
Explain the app in terms of functionality
Quickly make a list of features you want to implement in your iOS application so that your hired iOS developer could easily get what you actually are looking for.
Prioritize your app’s features
End with listing down the features your want on the top of your app’s priority list. Your app developers should know what they should focus their attention on first.
5. iOS developer salary rates
We have already stated at the beginning of this article that the salary of an iOS developer can vary on the basis of so many factors. These factors could be the duration of the project, the size of the project, requirements, your budget, etc. Also, the geographic area can also be a big deciding factor when it comes to paying the developers. The rates vary depending on the hiring option (such as in-house team, freelancer, or outsourcing staff) you choose.
Average iOS developer salary
The average salary of a full-time iOS developer has to be competitive. Then only they will be interested to work with you. For example, the average iOS app developer salary based on and working in the US is about $108K which is extremely high. And not every company can pay an iOS app developer this much salary.
Average iOS software engineer salary
As per the research held by Glassdoor, the average software engineer at Apple makes $133,750 per year which is definitely a good deal. It is higher than the “average” tech professional salary, which is around $93,244.
Freelance iOS developer salary
The average yearly salary for freelancers is approximately $104,000 with a range of between $79,000 to $130,000 per year. On the other hand, the average iOS developer’s hourly rate ranges between approximately $80-100. But remember that you can find specialists who will have rates above or below average as mentioned.
Cost to Hire an outsourced iOS developer
The cost to build a mobile app may range from approximately $25.000 to $100.000 depending on the location. While in terms of complexity and scope, the prices can range between $20.000 to $50.000 for a simple app. On the other side, the prices to build a complex app with multiple features are approximately $100.000 to $200.000 to outsource.
Here are some examples of the common types of apps and the average cost to develop them
a. Real Estate Applications- $12,000 to $15,000
b. Messaging app like Whatsapp– $50.000 to $130.000
c. Dating apps like Tinder– $80.000 to $200.000
d. City guide app- $25.000 to $50.000
e. Networking (social) app- $25.000+above
f. Banking/payment app- $40.000 to $70.000
g. Taxi booking apps like Uber– $25.000 to $100.000
If you’ll compare the cost of hiring iOS developers from country to country. Then you’ll get to know that the salaries of tech workers in North America, Australia, and most countries of Western Europe are quite high. But speaking of the cheap iOS developers in terms of salary, Asia is a pretty great option. But here, the company can experience quite a few barriers like language, cultural gaps, working culture barriers, etc. We suggest you consider Eastern Europe and Ukraine in particular. These two regions will give you the exact services which you must be seeking for the value of money.
Why Choose VerveLogic?
VerveLogic LLC specializes in offering mobile app development services that are tailored to your business needs, industry challenges, and budget. At VerveLogic, be it conceptualizing or executing, we take care of all your digital marketing needs. Our iOS developers have successfully released so many apps. Be it real estate, the education sector, taxi, matrimonial and more. We have worked with a variety of technologies and industries.
Our experts ensure to get familiar with your business requirements. Also, identify the trends, strengths, competitors, and opportunities to develop customized and unique strategies for assured results. At VerveLogic, we help you establish a strong software foundation and new-age mobile application to reach your target audience anytime and anywhere.
Also, if you are looking for branding solutions or online marketing for your brand then you should check out VerveBranding and Verve Online Marketing today and make your brand stand out.
Hopefully, this article will help you overcome the challenges you are facing to hire dedicated and talented iOS app developers.
