There is no single "best" app developer, only the best one for your situation. For a founder with an idea and no technical team, that's the person who owns the whole thing: plan, build, launch, operate and hand over the code. Check any vendor against these five criteria.
The 5 criteria
- Plans and operates what they build. They don't just write code; they own the architecture and keep the app running.
- Fixed price on a written scope. No open hourly budget: price and date are set before the start.
- Real, shipped apps. Provable products in the store, not just concepts and mockups.
- Code in your repository. The code sits in your repository from day one; with each paid milestone, the rights to everything delivered up to that point pass to you. Accounts and documentation sit with you too, so there is no vendor lock-in.
- Cover after launch. Bug-fixing and optional operation, not "unreachable after delivery".
Where I sit on this list
- 20+ years of experience; I plan, build and operate myself.
- Entry prices (App Check $2,000, First Version (MVP) from $27,800, market-ready app from $83,300), then a fixed price per step on a written scope.
- Several apps are live in the App Store (see them).
- The code sits in your repository from day one; with each paid milestone, the rights to everything delivered up to that point pass to you.
- 90 days of free bug-fixing after launch on top of the 12-month warranty, then optional operation.
More about the person behind the work: about me.