Why do companies decide to look for mobile app development offshore? This type of development is a popular option for organizations that need fast delivery and access to skilled experts. Offshore mobile app development also ensures a lower cost of production compared to local teams in countries such as the USA or UK. This article is an overview of offshore mobile app development based on Neontri’s expertise.
Key takeaways:
- Offshore mobile app development can significantly cut development costs and offer many benefits, such as global access to IT talents and faster time to market.
- The scope of offshore mobile development is very wide and can be a great option for companies that don’t have their in-house development teams.
- The most popular destinations for offshore development are Europe (Poland), India, and Latin America (Argentina).
- Offshore mobile app development involves risks and challenges, which can be addressed by following best practices and finding the right partner.
What is offshore mobile app development?
Offshore mobile app development is an outsourcing option to get app design, development, maintenance, or upgrades delivered by a team of IT experts located in another country. As per Deloitte’s survey, 70% of businesses outsource mobile app development to cut costs.
Offshore development helps companies scale faster, optimize app development budgets, and speed up the time-to-market of a product, which is a huge advantage in today’s competitive landscape. What are the main benefits of offshore mobile app development?
- Cost efficiency: offshore teams often offer services at a fraction of the local cost.
- Access to the global market of talents in IT: shortages of tech specialists are one of the main reasons for using offshore teams.
- Fast time-to-market: thanks to the focus on a specific project, offshore development delivers products quickly.
- Scalability and flexibility: depending on the project’s needs, mobile app development companies can scale the offshore team up or down.
- High-quality solutions: thanks to access to global talents, the organization can take advantage of advanced technologies.
By combining these advantages, companies get affordable, high-quality services that are adjusted to their needs.
Scope of offshore app development
Mobile app development offers lots of possibilities for developing products. Whether businesses need a specific application built from scratch or upgrades, third-party integrations, or other valuable features, offshore development can help quickly and effectively. The scope of offshore mobile application development includes:
| Development scope | Description |
| Quick mobile app development | Using ready-made web solutions to deliver an app for basic needs quickly by implementing a WebView component that displays web content built using web technologies. |
| Cross-platform app development | Integrating applications across different platforms and operating systems, like iOS and Android, using frameworks such as Flutter, Kotlin Multiplatform, or ReactNative. |
| Enterprise mobile app development (e.g., e-commerce, banking) | Development of complex (and often custom), scalable enterprise apps, such as internal enterprise applications, to seamlessly integrate with the existing company architecture. |
| Mobile app maintenance and support | App maintenance and support through regular updates and bug fixes are necessary for the application to perform well for the target audience. |
| API integration and development | Building custom APIs or integrating an existing third-party solution to improve app functionality and communication between software components. |
| Cloud integration | Integrating cloud services for scalability and accessibility of the app. Cloud migration or integration helps improve data management and existing software solutions. |
| Adding AI-powered features | With AI, the apps can offer personalized user experiences, like product recommendations in e-commerce or an intelligent chatbot for customers. |
When to choose offshore mobile app development
Is offshore development the right choice for your organization? If the company doesn’t have an in-house development team or wants the developers to focus on other tasks, consider outsourcing to an offshore team. Moreover, if the priority is the cost-effectiveness of the software or the business simply has a limited budget, it’s a good idea to outsource app development.
In some cases, the issue is that a local development team has limited expertise, and companies need specialized skills. Offshore teams can cover tech shortages and provide specialized skills required for your project. Outsourced teams don’t need onboarding and can work on the software for the company immediately, which allows them to deliver the project quickly and efficiently.
Offshore mobile development is also a great option if companies need specific functionality for their software. This includes third-party integrations, custom solutions, dedicated app features, and many more.
Top regions for offshore mobile app development
The use of offshore development is often a strategic choice for businesses that want to get access to global talent and opt for affordable services. There are a few regions that are very popular sources of offshore mobile app development outsourcing.
Europe
It’s one of the most popular outsourcing destinations for development services, especially in Central and Eastern European countries. The region offers a highly skilled workforce, excellent English skills of developers, and strong STEM education and is culturally similar to Western businesses. The most popular countries include:
- Poland is a top IT hub in Europe and a member of the EU with one of the best rankings in developer skills globally. Polish developers are highly educated and skilled, can easily communicate in English, and are up to date with European regulations, such as GDPR.
- Romania offers budget services and is known for skilled developers and a growing tech ecosystem.
Asia
It’s one of the largest offshore software development hubs in the world, offering a huge talent pool and cost-efficiency. Asian countries have well-established IT industries, but the time and cultural differences may be a serious issue for potential customers. The most popular countries include:
- India is one of the global leaders in outsourcing IT specialists as it offers skilled developers at low rates.
- Vietnam is one of the fastest-growing outsourcing markets that offers affordable, high-quality development services.
Latin America
It’s a key region for offshore development, especially for North America. This region offers advanced technical expertise and competitive pricing. What’s also important is that it aligns with the US time zone.
- Argentina is known for strong software engineering education and provides a specialized workforce in modern app frameworks.
- Brazil has a big IT talent pool specializing in mobile development and AI, which makes it an attractive outsourcing hub.
Currently, organizations can choose from many IT development hubs that offer many benefits. The final choice really depends on the specific needs of the client.
Challenges and risks in offshore mobile app development
Offshore outsourcing for mobile app development has many advantages but may also involve some challenges:
- Communication barrier: it may happen that the difference between languages and the level of English of the outsourced team may not be sufficient and lead to miscommunication.
- Time zone: huge differences between time zones may impact the meeting scheduling and speed of effectiveness of communication.
- No direct control of the process: the outsourced team works independently under a project manager and product owner, so companies don’t have a detailed overview of the mobile app development process.
- Cultural differences: these may include working practices, communication styles, problem-solving approaches, and non-working national holidays, which limit communication.
- Technology gap and requirements: some regions specialize in specific technologies and may not understand all technical specifications for a given solution.
Apart from the challenges, the company may also face some risks connected to using an outsourced team.
The challenges and risks of outsourcing mobile application development need to be carefully evaluated before choosing the team to avoid as many of them as possible.
Best practices in offshore mobile app development
How to make sure offshore developers succeed in mobile application development outsourcing? Based on our experience, there are a few elements companies need to pay attention to:
- Clear documentation
Thanks to well-written and updated documentation, teams have all the information organized in one place, which helps reduce misunderstandings and ensures continuity of development. The documentation should include functional and non-functional project requirements, features, security, compliance, and other expectations. Technical documentation is a valuable guide for offshore mobile app developers.
- Clear development plan and expectations
A proper development plan with clear expectations helps align the app idea and development process with milestones and deliverables. It should include a roadmap with time analysis for all major features and deadlines. Expectations involve user stories and acceptance criteria for every functionality.
- Agile methodology
This methodology guarantees flexibility, constant feedback, and quick changes in development with the use of remote project management practices. Short sprints help keep the development and communication about the project scope on the right track, and project management tools such as Jira help organize work. Agile includes daily meetings to discuss progress and problems and to address them adequately.
- Iterative development
Thanks to iterations, the code can be refined based on feedback and changes in requirements, which increases control over the product in the development stage. Iterative development helps deliver a Minimal Viable Product (MVP) and then expand it gradually. It also enables regular testing and QA and facilitates Continuous Integration and Deployment (CI/CD).
When the outsourcing team uses these best practices, the development process is easier to control and adjust. That’s why it’s so important to find the right partner for offshore outsourcing.
How to find a reliable offshore mobile app development partner
There is no one good way to check if the partner is a good choice. There are many elements that need to be considered when companies look for a reliable provider of offshore mobile app development services. Here are a few tips based on Neontri’s experience:
Tip #1 Have clear requirements
Before approaching any provider, it’s best to have a plan of what exactly the company needs and a well-defined project scope of development. This way, companies can tick off what the partner offers or not and eliminate those who do not fill in the requirements. It’s best to consult the business app plan with an expert, like a business development manager or business analyst, who will make sure the roadmap doesn’t have any missing elements that may significantly influence the cost of the development. At Neontri, our experts know how to deliver a mobile app successfully and can help in your development journey.
Tip #2 Do proper research
How to find the right partner? Your business needs a reliable partner with at least 10 years of experience in the market, who offers a wide range of tech specialists, and who cooperates with trusted technology partners. At Neontri, we have a portfolio of over 40,000 specialists in many key industries who have worked on many complex mobile app development projects for industry leaders.
Tip #3 Check portfolio
The next step is to go over the partner’s portfolio. Have a look at the case studies and projects they delivered. Do they align with business requirements? Or do they specialize in a completely different field of expertise? Neontri offers custom software solutions in the fintech, banking, and e-commerce sectors. We also offer Total Talent Management with access to thousands of specialists with experience in other industries. We can assemble a team that can deliver any customized solution you need, like an AI assistant or personalized experiences.
Tip #4 Verify technical and industry experience
Making sure the partner has proper industry knowledge is a must for a successful collaboration. How to check technical experience? First, companies need to verify technical proficiency in the programming languages and frameworks for your project. Then, it’s a great idea to check if they understand the specifics of the industry, such as compliance and security. You can also ask about relevant certifications to make sure the offered tech stack aligns with the company’s requirements.
Tip #5 Check references and testimonials
What’s more reliable than the opinions of other clients? Check for relevant testimonials of former clients, current partners, and awards. Testimonials would include the strengths of the cooperation, while technology partners would prove the solutions the partner offers are compliant with industry standards. At Neontri, we’ve cooperated with the biggest Polish bank to create a dedicated mobile app for the banking industry leader and we were awarded for the best mobile app. Our partners include Visa and DataStax, and our developers are Google-certified.
Why Neontri?
If you’re looking for a partner who fills in all the above requirements, here’s a summary of our accomplishments as an offshore software development provider:
- Proven track record of custom software solutions;
- Over 10 years of industry experience;
- Access to a wide talent pool of 40,000 professionals;
- Portfolio with successful projects for industry leaders;
- Partnerships with technology companies;
- Awards for innovative solutions.
Moreover, our Total Talent Management provides expert teams that are available within a few days at an affordable price. Our developers can deliver your product to market in a few weeks using their broad experience. Contact our team to get a dedicated team of experienced talent for your project.
Final thoughts
There’s no doubt using an offshore team for mobile application development can offer many benefits. The problem is to find a reliable partner who will make sure the busines’s project fills in all requirements. However, if you follow our advice and look for a partner who works with best practices and has already worked on specific projects, like Neontri, you’re more likely to be sure the choice is right.
FAQ
How does offshore mobile app development impact time-to-market?
Offshore development of mobile apps, as opposed to onshore development or other cooperation models, can speed up the time-to-market for mobile projects with agile methodologies. Thanks to using the expertise of offshore teams, the development process can go smoothly and result in a quicker release. Moreover, when companies use an offshore development team, they save time on recruitment and onboarding of new employees. These programmers also have great experience in releasing applications for app stores as they know the store’s requirements.
What are the latest trends in offshore mobile app development?
The latest trends in offshore mobile app development include the adoption of progressive web app development, which has faster load times and needs less device storage than native apps. Another trend is a strong emphasis on security and compliance, so offshore app developers must be up to date with standards like GDPR and HIPAA. Also, machine learning (ML) and artificial intelligence (AI) are among the latest trends. Cross-platform development, including iOS and Android app development, is also an important trend.
What are the typical cost savings associated with offshore mobile app development?
Offshore development helps cut costs by 30-50% by using offshore mobile developers and app programmers from regions with lower salary expectations. Outsourcing development also reduces the cost of the recruitment process, training, onboarding, and benefits for employees. Also, through outsourcing, companies can easily scale up or down the team for optimal efficiency. Contact us to get a quote and find out how offshore outsourcing can help cut development costs.
How do companies like Google and Amazon benefit from offshore app development?
Large tech companies, like Google and Amazon, don’t reveal their employee locations, but it’s possible that similar companies use offshore app development services to gain access to global tech talent. Moreover, using offshore outsourcing can reduce the costs of employment and development. Also, having a team in a different time zone is an advantage because the development process can go on 24/7.
What are the common challenges faced during offshore mobile app development for banks?
The banking industry faces stringent legal requirements for its services. Banking applications must fulfill regulatory requirements and financial regulations. In the case of banking software, security is also paramount and offshore teams must know how to handle sensitive information, financial and personal data. Their role is to apply technology that prevents breaches and unauthorized access.
How does TATEEDA ensure security and compliance in offshore fintech app development?
TATEEDA focuses on security and compliance in fintech app development by following regulations like CCPA and HIPAA to cover data protection risks. The company also uses strict NDAs to safeguard the client’s intellectual property. TATEEDA also requires that engineering in-house teams are up to date with industry-specific standards for compliance.
What are the typical challenges faced in offshore mobile app development for fintech?
The fintech industry has to face specific challenges in offshore mobile application development. These include regulatory compliance, which needs to be carefully addressed by the offshore team. Another challenge is the data security of sensitive information to secure against cyber threats by adding reliable security measures. In fintech, companies often rely on legacy systems and one of the challenges is to integrate new software with the existing infrastructure.
Sources
https://www.techtarget.com/searchmobilecomputing/definition/cross-platform-mobile-development
https://www.armia.com/blog/10-best-countries-to-outsource-software-development-projects/
https://www.cleveroad.com/blog/offshore-mobile-app-development/
https://www.n-ix.com/offshore-mobile-app-development/
