The eCommerce industry is highly competitive these days. Businesses cannot survive the competition unless they adopt the latest technological innovations and offer their customers a seamless experience. Mobile apps are inevitable if you want to attract more customers. When they plan to develop a mobile app for their businesses, most business owners face a common dilemma: ‘Should I go for in-house mobile development or outsource development’. This question cannot be answered in a single word. The pros and cons have to be discussed. In-house may be better for a few and outsourcing may be better for a few. Companies should find which will suit them and make the final decision.
In-House mobile app development
In-House mobile app development involves the development of company-specific mobile applications using business resources. As the name suggests, it involves the delegation of mobile app development projects to professional developers. What are its pros and cons?
Pros
- Better fit and better understanding
Developers in the company have a better idea about the needs and culture of the company. They know the purpose of the app and the expectations of the company. The team works together in synergy. This helps in getting better results and in developing better apps.
- Better communication
The team and the management have face-to-face communication. The whole team is comfortable as the risk of misunderstanding is very low. Direct communication accelerates the process. This saves time and money.
- Quick approvals
The team need not wait for hours together to get approval from the management. The faster the approval the faster will be the execution of the project. Just a small chat over a short tea break is enough to give and get approval.
- Flexibility in revisions
Mobile app development involves many revisions. When you develop the app in-house the team will be ready to spend countless hours on revision. When you outsource it, the number of revisions will be limited depending on the price of the project. Flexibility in revisions ensures a better quality of the end product.
- Better support
When an app is being developed and launched, a few problems and flaws will rise in every phase. An in-house team will fix them instantly. There will be no delays. In the case of outsourcing, they will not be able to look into the problem if they are busy with another project.
- Better agility
Technology keeps on changing very rapidly. It is very important that you update your app regularly. You should add more features if you want to survive in the competitive business world. An in-house team will be able to keep a constant check on the performance of the app and make changes and additions whenever necessary.
Cons
- Lack of expertise skills
Mobile development will have a team of skilled experts who have specialized knowledge in a variety of fields. The in-house team members may not have the required skills. It is not possible to hire lots of skilled developers with specialized knowledge for each and every field. For example, the skills and knowledge needed for android mobile app development are different from that for iOS mobile app development. If you want to build apps for both platforms you need two different skill sets.
- Building a team can be daunting
You need several skilled professionals to build an app. Besides app developers, you need many more professionals that include UIUX designers, UX writers, UX architects, quality specialists, testers, project managers, etc. You have to recruit them. You have to provide the appropriate tools, the space, and the infrastructure that they need. This can be really daunting.
- Expensive
Recruiting, training, buying infrastructure, paying rent, paying salary, and providing other tools can prove to be very expensive. Skilled professionals are in high demand and you have to give very high pay if you want to retain the team.
- Updating the skills of the team
The team should stay updated on the new technologies. It is your responsibility to train the team and make sure they keep up with the changes.
Outsourcing mobile app development
As the name suggests, it involves the delegation of mobile app development projects to professional developers. What are its pros and cons?
Pros
- A large pool of skilled professionals
You don’t have to worry about a lack of professionals with expert knowledge. The Best mobile web development companies will have a large pool of skilled professionals who are experts in their own fields. You can get the services of experts and enjoy the benefits of the knowledge of the full team without going through the long process of interviewing, hiring, and training.
- Cheaper option
Are you living in a country where the payrolls of skilled professionals are very high? If so, outsourcing app development is a good option because you can get the same level of expertise and knowledge for a much lower salary in many other countries. There is no need to spend to provide tools, infrastructure, and office space.
- Experience
An experienced company will be able to develop the best app to meet your expectations and your goal. They know what features will help to attract customers and provide them with a seamless experience. They will make sure that the app is in line with your target audience and your mission. Moreover, they will have a piece of updated knowledge of recent technology. This will help them to build the best apps and meet challenges with confidence.
- Prompt delivery
When you hire an app development company you sign an agreement specifying the date of delivery along with other details like the price. Any company would like to deliver the project promptly to make sure that its reputation is not spoiled. You can go ahead with your plans without any delays.
- Time-saving
There are a few basic features that are basic to all apps. An experienced web development company will have them all. So, they need not start everything from scratch. This saves a lot of time. The sooner the better is the best mantra in today’s competitive business.
- `Quality assured
With the pool of the best-skilled experts, you are assured of getting the best quality product delivered. The increasing competition in the outsourcing market ensures that web development companies are focused on giving the best experience and products to their customers.
Cons
- Differences in time zones
If you outsource your mobile app development to other countries, there will be differences in time zones. So, there will be problems in communicating. The lag in communication can cause delays in the project.
- Lack of confidentiality
Do you have a unique idea for your app? The risk of your idea getting leaked is high when you outsource it. You should be careful to make sure the company maintains secrecy, security, and confidentiality and that your confidential data are not leaked.
- Lack of knowledge about your business
An in-house team is sure to have a clear picture of the goals of the business and the purpose of the app. When you outsource the app, the team involved will not know anything about the business objectives and goals. This may be a disadvantage in building an app that will meet your requirements.
- Risk of miscommunication
There is no face-to-face contact. This may result in miscommunication and misunderstanding. This can affect the overall quality of the product.
In-source mobile app development – Who will it suit
- If you are a large-scale eCommerce company you will need an in-house team
- If mobile application development is the core of your business
- If mobile app development is a long-term project for your business
- If the nature of the app needs frequent updates and the addition of features
- If you don’t have a budget constraint
- If you need to be in full control of the project
Outsourcing mobile app development – Who should go for it
- When you can’t find the right talents
- When skilled experts are very expensive
- When budget is a restraint
- When you have to launch the app within a short deadline
- When your business is small and new
- When mobile app development is a small-term project
- When the app does not need frequent addition of features and updates
The final verdict
Both in-house and outsourced mobile app development have their own pluses and minuses. Outsourcing may be the best option for one company whereas in-house development may be the best for another. Analyze the pros and cons and decide which will suit your needs and business goals.