Finding a Shopify app development agency that's aligned with your goals can seem like an overwhelming task. There are so many agencies to choose from, each with its own unique process and rate of success. How do you decide which one is right for your project? Not to worry — we're going to walk through the outsourcing process so you can choose the best Shopify app development agency for your project.

App development can be a daunting task for many businesses, especially those with limited resources. Actually building the app and integrating it into your company's existing infrastructure is not an easy process. That's why outsourcing this task to a professional iOS or Android app development agency is such a good idea. An app developer knows the business objectives and needs of each project, handles all development activities, and assists until the project is completed.

Why Outsource Your Shopify App Development?

Economical: Professional Shopify developers are well-versed in the platform's workings. A wide range of functionality, from simple ones like real-time data sync and interactive maps to more advanced ones like a bespoke product design tool, are all possible. The benefit of outsourcing is that you get an expert team right off the bat. This means you won't be wasting time with trial and error or trying to figure out what works and what doesn't. You'll start off with a well-trained team of experts who have created apps in the past and are ready to begin working on yours immediately.

Prioritize resources: As a small business owner, you have to wear many hats. But we all know that nobody can do everything well. Most of us have to prioritize, simply because we don't have the time or skills to do it all. Outsourcing allows you to focus on the thing you're best at, which is running your business. If you're trying to build an app, developing it in-house takes your focus away from what makes your business great, because your company and its employees will have no choice but to spend time on building features that aren't core to the business.

Access to a talented pool of people: You get access to a highly experienced team with combined experience of years in software development. This means you can be sure you're getting high-quality applications built by experienced developers. To get the most out of outsourcing, you'll be able to tap into a pool of highly skilled Shopify developers and teams that can also serve as advisors because of their extensive expertise and knowledge of the platform.

The chances are also high that a Shopify developer will be able to assist you throughout the whole development process if you choose to work with them. It is not uncommon for Shopify developers to offer guidance on which app features will be most useful to your users. They know the platform, they know their customers, and they know what works and what doesn't work.

Scalability: The best outsourcing partners understand that they need to grow as their clients grow. As such, they are able to scale up or down depending on your needs at any given time. This enables you to stay focused on managing your core business while working with an extended team that provides technical expertise on demand.

Basically, by outsourcing your app development, you pay less and gain more than setting up an app development team in your organization from scratch. Plus, by engaging a team whose sole purpose is app development, you leverage their high productivity to achieve faster time to market.

What to Avoid

When hiring developers to build a Shopify app, you want to ensure they actually have experience developing apps. But there are dozens of technical and non-technical factors that can make or break an app development project. Here are a few tips to follow:

Outsourcing outside the country. If you want a potential customer to download or pay for your app, you need to create an app that's fantastic and helps them in some form. Quality, speed to market, language hurdles, and time zone issues are all compromises if you end up outsourcing outside of the US. So what appears to be a cheaper app development contract may end up costing you more.

Cutting corners. As mentioned above, quality is key when it comes to hiring developers for your Shopify store. If the code is not written correctly it will cause bugs and cost you more in the long run as opposed to investing in quality from the start.

Developers who offer no support from the start. Support is a key part of any business relationship. It's important that you pick a developer who can support your needs and not just your app's functionality. You should be able to get your questions answered quickly and have access to a developer who can address your concerns in a timely fashion.

Not being specific about your needs. Not being specific with what you need is a grave mistake when hiring developers. You know your business best and should know what results you want to get out of an app. Make sure that the end goal is specific, measurable,  achievable, and relevant to your business otherwise, you would be wasting each other's time

Not having a clear vision of your company’s growth as well as your apps will also cause trouble in the future. If you do not know where your app is going in the future, how can you expect your developer to? It is important that you have a clear idea of where you want to take your app. This will help both you and the developer stay on the same page.

Not understanding how the development process works. Every business owner is presumably clear about their business goals and objectives, but they have no idea how the app development process works. So, it is recommended to learn about the various phases involved in app development so that you can better explain your requirements and make things easier for everyone involved in the project.

What to look for

For your Shopify app development, you are looking at hiring someone who knows the ins and outs of an API that they will be working with. You want them to know the documented limitations, strengths, and pitfalls.

You want to look for Shopify app developers who have actual experience and results to back them up. Check their portfolio and see if the apps they developed have been successful or not.

The developer should also be able to teach you a few things about Shopify app development. If you are going to be working with them for quite some time, it is better that you know how things work and what you can do with the app.

Lastly, hire someone who is passionate about their job as a Shopify app developer. If a developer is passionate about his job, then he will most likely give his best in developing your Shopify app.

Here are some of the aspects you need to look out for when vetting developers for your Shopify app development:

1. Do they have a portfolio?

This is one of the first things you should ask as it should give an idea of the kind of apps they have built and their level of expertise. You are looking for someone with relevant experience – so if you are looking for enterprise-level apps or specific functionality, make sure they have worked on similar projects before. If they don’t have any work samples or case studies to show, look elsewhere.

2. Do they experience specifically with Shopify?

Are the developers you’re looking to hire experienced with Shopify app development? We recommend choosing developers that work exclusively with Shopify because this shows a complete commitment to the platform. They will understand how to build an app that works well with other Shopify apps and how to connect it directly with the more advanced eCommerce features through API calls.

3. How are their communication skills?

You’ll be working with these people for a long time so the ability to communicate is crucial, especially if there is any kind of problem during the development process. It's important for all parties involved that someone has good communication skills so everyone understands what's going on without having any misunderstandings due to lack thereof.

4. How available are they?

Before looking into hiring Shopify app developers, evaluate if you need someone to work on your project full-time or part-time. Another factor to keep in mind while looking for Shopify app developers is their availability; some developers may not have much time available due to other obligations, but others may be able to work additional hours or even full-time if needed. The answer will depend on your needs and finances — some businesses may just want part-time assistance when starting out, whilst others may require more hours as they get larger over time.

Preparing for app development

Hiring a developer to create an app for your Shopify store can be daunting. We’ve been developing for years now and we’ve seen it all. From developers who do an amazing job to developers who never deliver and leave you high and dry. We’ve seen projects that are way over their budget, and projects that come in on time and on budget.

Developing an app for Shopify is not cheap. The cost of getting an app built can vary from $1000 to $100,000+ (for a complex app). Your aim should be to get the best value for money. How do you do that? By choosing the right developer and being prepared before you start your project.

You might want to consider asking you and your team the following questions for discussion:

• What are the app's commercial objectives?
• Will the app be of any use to your customers?
• Is it going to deliver a tool or service that your customers desire to use?
• Will the app help you in customer acquisition or increase sales?
• Will the app help to promote or improve your brand?
• Will you be able to make money using the app?

If you believe your app will benefit your business, it's time to create a strategy and a budget. Check with your team to see what your app needs are before making your plan. Do you require iOS and Android support? Will the app be a one-time effort or will it need to be updated and supported on a regular basis? When do you want the app to be ready for release? What is the total scope and budget for the app?

After you’ve identified your specific requirements, you can start shortlisting developers who will help you make your idea a reality. 

You can tell a lot about a developer by the way they present themselves on their website. Are they professional and thorough? Do they have examples of their work? What do previous clients say about their services? Asking these questions will help you determine whether or not they're a good fit for your project.

Why Choose Webinopoly?

When you engage with Webinopoly, you receive more than just the app you requested; you get a team that is entirely committed to assisting you in achieving your goals and more. Our team of designers and developers works hard to guarantee that you get the best outcome possible. Your app will be:

• Fully customized to your specific needs
• Mobile responsive
• SEO optimized
• Professionally designed and coded

Whether it's adding new features or functionality to your website, our developers are eager to help.

Webinopoly’s team are:

Award-winning experts

We're experts at building apps for startups, having helped many clients launch their ideas. Our team has created solutions for all kinds of problems, from food ordering to customer service chatbots. We love working with interesting companies and helping them bring their ideas to life.

Backed by data

Our work is driven by data and user experience research that benefits you and your customers. Our experts use data to create the best experience for you and your customers. A good app development team will be able to advise you on the best approach to your project and can build a customized solution that works for your business. By having a team of experts that can handle everything from set-up, design, and development, we are able to seamlessly deliver high-quality, efficient, and cost-effective custom app design.

Experienced

We have years of experience in web and app development and design. Our team has helped build websites for over 200 clients. Thanks to the collaborative effort of our team of designers, copywriters, and developers, we stay updated on the latest industry trends and practices and use this to our client’s advantage.

What You’ll Get:

Webinopoly consists of a team of business and website experts that helps us offer a wide variety of services. We are most especially skilled at producing beautiful, professional, custom websites thanks to our talented designers and developers. Because of our team, we are able to bring out the best in your brand and help you reach your goals cost-effectively.

• A dedicated project manager and team
• A fully customized, responsive website
• Handcrafted and custom-designed mockups
• UNLIMITED design changes for free
• Training you or staff on configurations
• Installation of required plugins
• 30-day support after going live

Each app we build is coded with the highest standards and our designers and developers are always motivated to deliver the best output. We believe in producing consistently high-quality work so we are always able to satisfy our clients. If you have any specific requirements or preferences, our team is happy to enforce them into your project.

Let’s start building your Shopify app today.

Talk to our Webinopoly experts and discuss what you need to get a free consultation, price quotation and estimated project timeline.