How to Hire an iPhone App Developers in 2025

How to Hire an iOS App Developer: A Complete Guide

Your endless search for “how to hire an iOS app developer” is what brought you here, isn’t it? Despite all the competition and rumors, the iPhone is still the most popular mobile platform because of its unmatched privacy and security features. A recent report in 2025 highlighted that the Apple app store has 2 million apps available for download. Industries like healthcare, retail, and gaming are switching to develop their own iOS application to maintain superior security, streamlined development processes, and exemplary user experience.

By looking at the 2024 trends, it’s pretty clear that iOS will remain a global leader with more than 650 million weekly active users.  However here are some stats that you must look at to understand the significance of iOS applications in the mobile app industry.

• Approximately 783,729 app publishers have released apps on the App Store.
• On average, developers add more than 30,000 new apps every month.
• A total of 1,808,280 apps are available for free in the store, and other 87,872 apps require a purchase.
• The majority of paid apps cost less than $1.

Interestingly, the app store is projected to host a significant chunk of global app downloads. It is expected that users will download around 38 billion apps from the store by the year 2026, a 15% increase from the previous years. 

All these above stats might be fascinating, but let’s face the reality- building an iOS app without the involvement of iOS app developers can be challenging. But how do you really identify the ideal team of developers? Or what are the parameters you consider before partnering with an app development company? 

When the talk is about hiring iOS app developers, there are various considerations that you must make because partnering with the wrong team can result in the bad quality of your iOS app and will significantly increase the development charges.

So here we are, with a comprehensive guide to help you create a checklist on “how to hire an iOS app developer.” We will briefly discuss everything, including considerations to make, the cost to hire an iOS app developer and various other details that you as a business user must be aware of. 

Why Hire an iOS App Developer?

There is tough competition going out there when it comes to iOS applications, and to stay ahead in this competition, hiring an iOS app developer is a must. Without a highly functional, seamless, and intuitive application, achieving digital success is next to impossible. 

In addition to this, marking your significant presence on iOS brings a lot of difference for any business.

“How to hire an iOS app developer” remains a constant question for new businesses in their iOS app development process. 

Key Points to Consider When Hiring an iOS App Developer

The roles and responsibilities of an iOS app developer go beyond designing, building, and testing applications for iOS platforms. There are many other things that you must consider when looking to hire a dedicated team of iOS app developers for your project.

• Well-Planned Collaboration with Stakeholders: The team of iOS app developers you are considering hiring must have the skills to efficiently collaborate with the clients, team members, and business owners throughout the whole development cycle. This helps in the creation of a market-ready application. 

• Scope of Software: It’s crucial to identify the deliverables and define the requirements of your iOS app before the development begins. Following this approach, you ensure clarity and alignment with the project goals. 

• Application Designing: Make sure your search for “how to hire an iPhone app developer” ends with a team with the ability to develop and conceptualize a clean, efficient, and user-friendly interface that is visually appealing and compliant with Apple’s Human Interface Guidelines.

• Able to write Clean Code: One of the core responsibilities of an iOS app developer is to write clean codes by using programming languages like Swift or Objective-C. The team of developers must ensure that these codes are reusable, and easy-to-debug for building app functionalities. 

• Software Testing: One of the major roles of an app programmer is to ensure unparalleled testing to find errors before deployment. During the testing process, the QA team must ensure to precisely review the code and reduce the chances of mistakes that might affect the app after deployment.

• Debugging Errors: It’s important for the developers to troubleshoot and fix errors while proceeding with the app development process for Apple devices. The developer must ensure to fix any errors identified during the debugging process.

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What are the Steps to Hire iOS Developers?

As of now we have discussed the basic considerations that businesses must make at the initial steps of the hiring process or as soon as they decide to develop an iOS application for their business. 

Moving ahead, we will discuss the needful Steps to Hire iOS Developers for your dream project.

1. Clearly Define Your Business Goals

If talking about the steps for, “how to hire an iOS app developer,” the first step you must take is to clearly discuss your needs and requirements. 

An in-detail explanation is required, including:

• Why do you need an app for Apple devices
• What are your business goals
• What features do you want to incorporate in your app
• Requirement of Integrations 

With a clear intent behind the development of the application, you will be able to align the right team of iOS developers with the same expertise. This approach will ultimately help you to achieve an application similar to your business purpose. 

Adding to this with a clear concept and intent you can easily communicate to the development team explaining your needs more accurately.

2. Select the Most Suitable Hiring Model 

Since the demand for app developers has been consistently increasing and with this, the hiring options have multiple variations. Earlier, it was required to develop an in-house team to develop an app for the business, but now with the trends switching, you can even opt to outsource your project to a mobile app development company.

However different hiring models have different pros and cons, but it totally varies depending on the specific needs and requirements. Here are some of the most popular hiring models that businesses select according to their project requirements. 

3. Key Technical Skills Required for iOS App Development

The decision to hire an iOS app developer without the needful skillset will do nothing but increase challenges for you in your iOS app development process. Without the expertise and skills, these developers may bring in extra development charges. So businesses need to understand that the results are a reflection of the talent pool you boarded. 

Here are some of the major skills that you might look for while hiring a development team for your iOS applications. Developers verifying these skills can be an asset for your business.

a. Expertise in Swift and Objective-C

While partnering with an iPhone app development company, it’s more than important to look for skilled developers having experience in Swift, as it is Apple’s primary programming language for building apps, offering modern features, speed, and security. 

Swift is preferred as the go-to choice for most iOS development projects. However, on the other hand, Objective-C remains relevant for maintaining older codebase. 

b. Better Understanding of Apple’s Xcode IDE 

Since you are on the verge of getting your iOS app developed and deployed, so you must know that Xcode is Apple’s official development environment for creating iOS applications. When the talk is about, “how to hire an iOS app developer” checking the proficiency in Xcode is very crucial. iOS developers holding proficiency in Xcode can seamlessly build, test, and launch applications.  

c. Extensive Knowledge of iOS Frameworks 

iOS-friendly frameworks like UIKit (for user interfaces) and Core Data (for data management) are important for iOS development. So if you are wondering about, “how to hire an iPhone app developer,” then opt for the one familiar with advanced frameworks like ARKit for augmented reality experiences.

iOS app developers having a better understanding of these frameworks can help you streamline app development while ensuring robust functionality. 

d. Understanding of Apple’s Human Interface Guidelines

iOS-friendly applications are more intuitive than Android, in terms of design and consistent user experience, guided by the Human Interface guidelines. The ideal iOS app developer has the understanding of these principles for creating apps that seamlessly integrate into the Apple ecosystem and provide an excellent user experience. 

e. Strong Knowledge of JSON and Core Data

The developer you consider partnering with must have strong knowledge and expertise across JASON. It is one of the most important technologies that is required to develop an iOS app allowing developers to send and receive data over networks. Beyond this, the developers must know the core data to help users store their progress on Apple devices. 

So, these were some of the major and quick skill sets that you must look for in an iOS app developer. By leveraging these skill sets, the developer can deliver an app with high-functionality, intuitive interface and similar features aligned to your business requirements. 

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4. Essential Soft Skills to Seek Out 

Surely technical skills lay the basic requirements, but there are certain sets of soft skills as well that businesses must try to identify in the developers they have shortlisted.

• Communication Skills– Without communicating, it will be the most daunting task to develop an application that turns out to be the exact fit for your business purpose. So in the list of soft skills requirements, keeping communication skills as the top priority is mandatory.
• Time Management- When selecting an iOS app developer, ensure they utilize agile methodologies for effective time management, task prioritization, and productivity tools. This approach enhances productivity, guarantees the timely delivery of high-quality applications, and keeps you updated on project status.
• Problem Solving Skills– Every iOS app development process is associated with several challenges, so it will be nothing new. However, with smart and innovative app developers, you can solve these challenges in no time. With problem-solving skills, you will be able to identify and solve issues quickly.
• Teamwork- The iOS app development process requires multiple back-and-forth checks, creating a requirement for teamwork. It’s important for you to understand that maintaining teamwork between freelancers can be a challenging task requiring a lot of your time and effort. However, on the other side, if you opt to outsource the project you will be able to leverage the capabilities of iOS developers working under the same roof.

5. Consider the Experience 

What could be better than finding an ideal developer with the required expertise for building an iOS app? There are three levels of expertise when hiring an iOS engineer i.e. junior, middle, and senior.

If you are still on the lookout and wondering, “How to hire an iOS app developer” you can try considering the below table to understand how hiring engineers from which level can be ideal according to your project requirements. 

Role	Experience	Skills and Knowledge	Suitable Projects
Junior iOS Developer	Entry-level knowledge; often 1-2 years of experience with basic apps	Swift, Objective-C, basic UI/UX design, code writing and debugging	Small projects or as part of a permanent in-house team under senior guidance
Mid-level iOS Developer	3-4 years of experience, proficient in iOS technologies	Strong expertise in Swift, Objective-C, Core Data, SQLite, UI/UX design, app deployment and debugging	Medium complexity projects; may lead small teams or handle testing/debugging tasks
Senior iOS Developer	Extensive experience managing multiple projects and app deployments	Advanced software architecture design, security testing, code review, debugging, and familiarity with frameworks	Complex app development requiring leadership and problem-solving skills

6. Review Ratings, Feedback, and Portfolio

It’s very important to check their diverse portfolio to understand their expertise and skillsets and check if they align with your business purpose or not. You can also allocate time to check the social media handles and website of the company to check for reviews and feedback from past clients.

By checking the review and portfolio you will get a clear idea whether to shortlist the iOS developer or not.

7. Screening Candidates 

Some of the app development companies out there allow businesses to proceed with screening tests for finalizing candidates. The project owners can inquire and understand their expertise in developing an iOS application. During the screening, you can assess their problem-solving skills and creativity, which are very crucial for the app development process. 

You can analyze their expertise in a similar app creation process by asking them relevant questions about the technology and tools used, and the communication pattern they followed during the whole app development process. This approach will give you a clear idea of what to expect from that specific candidate on the team. 

8. Conduct Interview Rounds 

Interviewing candidates helps you understand their details and expertise making it easier to shortlist candidates or teams on your journey of how to hire an iOS app developer. Throw up questions that are related to their skills and experience. Ask them to elaborate on their experience of creating similar iOS applications, the problem they faced, and the solution they implemented. 

Try to analyze how skilled they are in terms of using the latest technologies and tools. You can also schedule coding challenges or a technical written test to check their ability. 

Hiring Models to Consider for iOS App Development Process

The three types of hiring models businesses can consider for the iOS app development process include outsourcing the project, hiring in-house developers, or opting for freelancers. Each of these models has its own pros and cons, allowing business owners to make the most suitable choice for their projects.

1. Outsourcing Project to a Company 

Majorly large enterprises opt to hire an iOS app developer from a software outsourcing agency. By outsourcing projects to an agency businesses get a chance to leverage the capabilities of the experts who are aligned to work on their project. This approach helps to cut costs across tech stacks with the right skills to develop the application.

With an outsourcing agency, businesses can leverage a pool of talented designers, developers, architects, project managers, QA teams, and security testers. A one-time investment can help businesses acquire multiple talents at the same time to achieve the desired result.

Following this option you really don’t have to worry about the project management or tech stacks to be used. There are 3 types of outsourcing companies, namely- onshore, offshore and nearshore.

A report highlighted that the global revenue in the “Application Outsourcing” segment of the IT services market was forecasted to witness a continuous increase between the years 2024 and 2029 by a total of 5.9 billion U.S. dollars. 

• Onshore Development- While opting for an onshore development model you are on the lookout for an iOS app developer who works remotely to build your app from within the same country. Although businesses do find this option pretty convenient, they might face certain limitations in technical skills that hamper the iOS project development process.

• Offshore Development– Another hiring option available in the outsourcing model is offshore development. It’s somewhat similar to onshore app development, but the only difference here is you hire iOS app developers from a country far from yours. Amongst all the pros of offshore development, cost-efficiency is what businesses are easily attracted to. However, in this work model, you might have to work with a team of developers working in different time zones, work cultures, and languages. This may hamper the collaboration resulting in unexpected results.

• Nearshore Development-  Majorly the suggestion you will receive on “how to hire an iOS app developer” is to opt for a Nearshore development model, as it is one of the best and most suitable models. In the nearshore development model,you hire developers from a nearby country instead of those from a far one. Unlike the offshore development company, you get to work with a team of developers with similar work cultures and within the same time zone. So here it becomes easier to communicate and stay connected with the development team to take daily updates on the project.

2. Hire a Freelancer

If not willing to outsource, you can also hire a freelance iOS developer to develop your app. There are multiple platforms available in the market that allow you to find someone who can build an iOS app for your business, and that too at a much cheaper rate. 

However these cheaper services often bring in unexpected development costs, and because of this, it is not considered an ideal answer for, “how to hire an iPhone app developer”, particularly when you require a scalable application to fulfill your business requirements.

Moreover, developing an app isn’t a one-person job. So if you hire a freelance developer, you have to take multiple rounds of interviews for hiring experts like quality assurance, software architects, and designers to work separately on the same project. 

This approach majorly lacks coordination and accountability due to different working hours, as it is challenging to keep everyone on the same page.

3. Hiring an In-House Developer

If you prefer working closely with the developer, then nothing can be better than hiring in-house developers. Additionally, the developer will be also able to understand your business model and requirements which will help them develop the most suited solution for your business. 

The ideology of hiring an in-house team is suitable for long-term projects that require multiple changes and upgrades, creating a full-time role for the developer. But for shorter projects that require less time and a limited time from the developers, a full-time developer isn’t the right choice and you will be caught in the hiring-and-firing situation.

In addition to this working with a dedicated full-time developer would require you to provide a proper workspace equipped with all the latest and needful technologies and tools. So you see a lot of expense is associated with developing an in-house team of developers and it keeps on adding up the cost making it challenging for the business to comply with.

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Understanding the Cost to Hire an iOS App Developer

When the talk is about developing an iOS application, a major concern for business owners is the cost to hire an iPhone app developer. It’s an undeniable fact that without the estimated cost bracket, businesses can never initiate the iOS app development process. 

As a business owner, if you try to find the exact cost estimation to develop an iOS application, then let us tell you there is none. However, an estimate of the cost to hire an iOS app developer may start from $5,000 and can exceed $50,000+.

The cost to develop an iOS application varies depending on several factors:

• Complexity of the iOS Application 
• Features of the Application 
• Third-party or API Integration 
• Development Team’s location 

Let’s discuss all the above-mentioned parameters in detail to help you estimate the approximate cost bracket you would require to develop an iOS application for your business. 

1. Developer Expertise and Geographic Location

In the steps to Hire an iOS developer cost factor is majorly affected by the expertise and the geographic location of the developer or development team. 

If you will make a comparison then surely a junior iOS developer might seem a cost-effective choice, but remember with less experience they may not be able to deliver the top-tier iOS application that you require. 

On the other side, the geographic location of the iOS developer can significantly bring down the cost. All the iOS developers from North America have comparatively higher rates, followed by Eastern Europe and Asia. If you are tight on budget and want to develop an iOS application without breaking the bank, then considering hire iOS app developers.

Here’s a quick table with the hourly charges to hire an iOS app developer from different regions:

Region	Hourly Rate (USD)
United States	$55 –  $300
North America	$75 – $150
Western Europe	$60 – $200
Eastern Europe	$35 – $150
Australia	$30 – $140
Middle East	$40 – $80
Africa	$40- $60
India	$10 – $65

2. Complexity of the Project 

To break down the steps for, “how to hire an iOS app developer” or find the right cost estimation, you are first required to understand the complexity of your iOS involving the desired features and integrations. Apps with less complexity require comparatively less cost than apps with higher complexity. 

But,  this doesn’t mean that you should compromise with the functionality and features. You are simply required to create the right strategy with experts to receive the desired application in a cost-effective manner.

Take a look at the below table to estimate the hourly charges based on the complexity of your project:

Type of iOS Developer	Description	Average Hourly Rate
Basic iOS Developer	Fundamentals of iOS development	$16+
Intermediate-Advanced iOS Developer	Skilled in frameworks and APIs	$35+
iOS Developer and UI/UX Designer	Combines iOS development with design skills	$50+

3. Hiring Model 

The cost to hire an iOS app developer depends on your choice of hiring model as well. All the options entailing freelancers, full-time employees or outsourcing have different charges. 

If you consider hiring a freelancing team then you would surely save cost, but only at the initial stage. Whereas outsourcing the project may sound costly to you but it can be an ideal choice to save you from post-development charges that you may have to face with freelancers. So don’t fall for cheaper things; analyze your app and then finalize the most suitable hiring model. 

To assist you with the charge structure for the hiring model, here’s a table with the estimated cost of different hiring models. 

Hiring Model	Description	Average Hourly Rate (US)
Outsourcing Project	Development by external teams or agencies is often cost-effective	$20 – $55
In-House Development	Development by a dedicated internal team, offering more control but a higher cost	$80 – $200
Freelancing	For individual developers hired for specific tasks or projects, rates vary by skill and location	$10 – $100+

Benefits of hiring an iOS app developer

There are significant benefits to hiring an iOS app developer, and the list below entails some of them. So to understand the importance of hiring an iOS app developer, you can read the points jotted here:

1. Leveraging Expertise and Quality

One of the major benefits that you get by hiring an iOS app developer is the chance to leverage industry experts for your project. These skilled developers have years of experience and understanding of all the workings of the iOS systems, policies, and strict quality.

2. Delivery of Customized Solutions 

Every business has its own unique needs and demands, creating a requirement for a customized solution. Hire mobile app developers to get your solution customized to make it a perfect fit to your business requirements and end your search for, “how to hire an iOS app developer.”

3. Latest Technologies 

As a business owner, you may not know the latest technologies in the iOS industry, but an iOS app developer will surely have. While proceeding with the hiring process for an iOS app developer you ensure that they have significant expertise to help you stay ahead of the competition.

4. Seamless Integration

To make your iOS application more intuitive and engaging, work on integrating other Apple services. If you hire iOS designers and developers you can leverage their expertise and knowledge of the Apple environment to help you proceed with seamless integrations.

5. Time and Cost Efficiency

To develop an iOS application for your business, you would require a lot of time and money since you lack expertise. However, you can save a lot of time and money by following the steps for how to hire an iOS developer for your project.

Risks or Challenges of Hiring iOS App Developers

There are some risks associated with every process, and iOS app development is no exception. However, it becomes crucial to be aware of potential risks or challenges and take steps to mitigate them for a successful project.

1. Lack of Experience and Expertise

Working with unskilled developers leads to difficulties. So while moving ahead with the steps for how to hire an iOS app developer, it is your core responsibility to thoroughly assess the developer’s portfolio, client testimonials and conduct technical interviews to ensure adequate experience.

2. Geographical Barriers

If you follow the offshore hiring model then you can face several challenges in terms of time zone, language barriers, and different cultures resulting in poor communication and updates during the whole development cycle. 

3. Challenges with Quality Assurance and Code Standards

If you are considering hiring an iOS app developer make sure to cross-check if they are adhering to the coding standards or not by conducting thorough testing. Follow the clear quality assurance processes, code review practices, and testing.

4. Intellectual Property and Confidentiality

During the development of your iOS application, it is important to protect and maintain your intellectual property. Ensure to sign a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) with the hired iOS developer.

5. Project Delays or Missed Deadlines

If the project strategy is not discussed properly then there are high chances of project delays or missed deadlines. You can mitigate this risk by setting realistic deadlines, breaking the project into milestones, and conducting regular progress reviews to ensure timely delivery.

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How Xicom Can Help With iOS App Development Services?

Innovative iOS app developers at Xicom Technologies are globally recognized for providing unparalleled iOS application development services. We boast a pool of skilled and highly experienced developers who use the latest and best tools to build scalable and customized solutions that can run smoothly on all iOS devices, including smartphones, TVs, Tablets, and smartwatches. Our dedicated developers have created 1000+ iOS applications for different industries. 

Our specialty is what makes us your ideal choice for iOS App Developers:

• 20+ of Experience
• Maintaining Transparency during the development cycle
• Flexible Engagement Models 
• 95% On-Time Delivery of the Project 
• Adhered to NDA Policy 
• 24/7 support, even post-deployment

Conclusion 

With this comprehensive blog, you will now understand the facts and steps to Hire an iOS developer for how to hire an iOS developer. To achieve success and deliver high-quality and seamlessly functioning iOS applications, you must make several considerations before hiring and aligning a developer to your project. Don’t compromise with any consideration because one wrong decision can result in the poor quality of your iOS application. 

At Xicom Technologies, we have built more than thousands of customized iOS applications aligning with the unique needs of the business. Our team of iOS developers follows an agile development methodology to consistently maintain project transparency and ensure 90% on-time delivery, and this is what has made us the leading iOS app development company.

FAQ’s

If you’re in the lookout to hire an iOS app developer then here are some additional details that you can consider.