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How to hire freelance iOS developers in 2024

Updated on March 16, 2024
Platforms to find talented iOS developers
Toptal

What we liked the most:

  • 98% Hiring Success
  • Fast Matching within 48 hours
  • Risk-Free Trial for up to 5 Days
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Authentic Jobs

What we liked the most:

  • Various pricing packages
  • Mostly US based developers
  • Different job exposure boosts
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Upwork

What we liked the most:

  • Secure payments
  • Fixed-price protection
  • Expert-Vetted program
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Kelly Wilson
Written by Kelly Wilson

Strategist and entrepreneur, with experience in hiring developers across various industries. Kelly has established herself as a trusted expert in identifying and recruiting top tech talent. She shares advanced tips on how to identify the right talent, create hiring strategies, develop your tech teams and much more.

Expertise: IT Recruiting, Tech, Marketing

Want to create stunning and user-friendly iOS applications? Our comprehensive hiring guide is your companion on the journey to finding skilled iOS developers. Discover expert insights, practical tips, and a step-by-step approach to evaluate candidates and build a high-performing iOS development team. With insights into assessing technical proficiency, reviewing app portfolios, and exploring top talent platforms, our guide empowers you to hire the best iOS talent and deliver exceptional mobile experiences.

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Here are the top 5 sites to hire freelance iOS developers:

Based on facts publicly available as of 01.01.2024

1. Toptal

Toptal is a professional talent matching service, initially created with tech talent in mind. Although it has expanded its pool of talent to include designers and finance experts, the company's bread and butter is its developer vertical. If you want to be sure that an iOS developer is up to the job, hiring an iOS app developer from Toptal is likely your best option.

Why? Toptal’s system for vetting talent allows for only the best to become a part of their developer community. According to Toptal, only 3% of applicants make it through their battery of technical tests and their extensive vetting process. Toptal also offers Android app developers if you need your mobile app to extend to different platforms. They will have skilled experts in Objective-C, Swift, Javascript, and other programming languages to make your mobile app successful.

Key points:

  • Source talent with difficult-to-find specialties using Toptal’s global developer network.
  • Toptal’s no-risk trial allows you to find and hire the right developers.
  • Hire developers quickly for short- or long-term projects.

2. Authentic Jobs

Authentic Jobs is one of the leading job boards for creative and mobile app talent and has been steadily rising in popularity since its inception. As iOS development often involves both creative and technical aspects, Authentic Jobs is a great place to begin your search. Their job board is populated with listings of iOS, web, and mobile developer positions.

Authentic Jobs also allows for posting developer positions remote or local, so you won't be restricted to remote employees or freelancers.

Key points:

  • Select pricing packages and optional extras for optimal exposure.
  • Around 65% of the developers on this site are in the U.S.
  • Your job posts are active for 30 days.

3. Upwork

If recruiting services and job boards are not your first choice, you might want to consider a freelance marketplace like Upwork.

Upwork has potentially one of the largest marketplaces of registered freelancers. Here you can hire contractors for a few simple coding tasks or begin a long-term relationship with a series of complex iOS projects.

If you like the idea of finding, interviewing, and managing freelancers, Upwork's marketplace will likely meet your needs.

Key points:

  • Upwork’s free Talent Specialists program identifies developers with comparable completed jobs.
  • Find the top 1% of iOS developers with Expert-Vetted badges.
  • Spot developers with consistently positive feedback through their talent badges.

4. People Per Hour

PeoplePerHour is a curated freelance marketplace that prides itself on actively screening its users. Just like most marketplaces, you can post your project at an hourly or fixed-rate. Interestingly, freelancers post jobs, called hourlies, to attract work. They have a wide selection of iOS app developers to hire for your next project.

Key points:

  • An AI-based talent matching tool identifies the best developers for your project.
  • You can browse developer profiles and request custom project proposals.
  • Pay in full when you are completely satisfied.

5. Dice

Dice is one of the leading databases for technology professionals, managing over millions of profiles in the United States. The platform helps technology professionals manage their careers and employers connect with highly skilled tech talent.

Dice provides insights, data, and career opportunities for technology professionals while putting industry resources in the hands of recruiters and employers seeking tech talent.

Key points:

  • AI talent matching identifies developers possessing the required skills.
  • Dice’s sister company hosts developers with U.S. government security clearances.
  • Dice tools can enhance your job posts and narrow candidate lists.

Guide to hiring great freelance iOS developers

Mobile app development is as competitive as it gets with a market share for iOS15.5 of 66.74%. Dinding the best sites to hire iOS developers is no easy endeavor. Unless you're an experienced recruiter, you will not necessarily know how to navigate the complexities of hiring an iOS developer. That's completely okay—there's plenty of sites and services to help you with iOS development.

How To Hire the Best iOS Developers Easily

iOS developers are among the most in-demand technical experts for businesses of all sizes. If you are a hiring manager or executive looking to hire iOS developers, there are a number of factors to think about before extending a job offer. Here are things to consider, including critical iOS skills, salaries, and responsibilities.

What Does an iOS Developer Do?

An iOS developer is an individual with extensive knowledge of the iOS ecosystem and how it works with Apple products such as the iPad, Apple Watch, Apple TV, and iPhone. Some programmers specialize in a certain area such as UX or native app development, while others are generalists with a wide knowledge of building and customizing iOS apps.

In terms of demand, an app economy forecast report predicts that consumers will soon spend more than $157 billion in the app stores, representing a 90% growth since 2017. Because of an increase in demand for apps from consumers, more businesses are looking to hire iOS developers. While many job applicants have iOS experience, finding candidates with the right mix of expertise and education is not always easy.

How Can You Hire iOS Developers?

Companies have three options when it comes to hiring iOS developers: full-time, part-time, or hourly. Larger companies likely have enough work to keep several full-time developers busy, while small businesses may only need workers on an intermittent basis.

Many hiring managers choose to hire remote employees on a freelance basis because of the flexibility. The main benefit of hiring freelancers is cost savings. Along with salaries, companies usually must provide full-time employees with benefits including health insurance, paid time off, and retirement options. Furthermore, freelancers might not require a dedicated workspace because they can work remotely, eliminating unnecessary overhead.

Freelancers are more affordable to hire and maintain, while still providing access to a large pool of talented application developers.

What Skills Should You Look For When Hiring?

It is important to understand the roles and responsibilities when looking to hire iOS developers. Responsibilities vary by a worker’s level of education and experience. Developers are often put into the following categories:

  • Junior coders: These workers complete basic iOS coding and testing tasks, typically under the direction of a manager. Junior coders do not manage other employees or regularly interface with other teams on projects. Most junior coders have a bachelor’s degree in computer science or on-the-job coding experience.

  • Mid-level programmers: These workers perform the same coding and testing tasks as junior coders, but they also interface with the DevOps and testing teams. These workers ensure the project is executed properly from inception to close out. Most mid-level programmers have a bachelor’s degree and 5-10 years of iOS development experience.

  • Senior iOS software engineers: Senior engineers do not deal with basic testing or coding tasks. Instead, they oversee junior coders and provide feedback on UX design, architectural decision-making, and test case preparation. Most senior engineers have more than 10 years of experience.

Hiring managers should hire iOS developers with a mix of experience levels in programming languages and frameworks.

How Much Do iOS Developers Make?

Location, experience, and education all factor into how much an iOS developer earns. While employers have the final say in what they pay workers, competitive compensation is needed to attract and retain top talent.

According to employment statistics, the average iOS developer makes $99,400 per year. You can pay a junior coder considerably less than the national average, but a senior programmer may demand substantially more. Consider your company’s budget when starting to hire iOS developers so you ensure you have the funds to hire the talent you need to execute projects.

Choosing the Right Site To Hire iOS Developers for Your Project

There are many factors to consider when you want to hire iOS developers. Selecting the best candidates requires research, tenacity, and patience. Here is how you can choose the right iOS developers.

Matching services like Toptal, and to a lesser extent, Gun.io, are great solutions for employers searching for tech talent, and for those who are looking to place their trust in experienced tech professionals for great app development. For those short on time with high-quality developers as a priority, Toptal, Gun.io, and Hired are superb choices.

On the other end of the spectrum, there are freelance marketplaces like Upwork, People Per Hour, and Freelancer that allow you to cast a much wider net for iOS developers. This could be a good option for finding part-time iOS developers, or those with a flexible schedule.

To accomplish your app idea fast, freelance marketplaces like Upwork, Freelancer, and Guru allow you to instantly connect with developers, but you'll have to care for the hiring details yourself.

If you have ample time to devote to screening candidates and are confident in your ability to interview iOS developers, they are a great choice for mobile application development. Otherwise, you should steer clear from marketplaces and job boards alike and focus on app development companies or other specialized development services.

Job boards, marketplaces, and matching services all have their uses. Which site will best serve you will depend on your specific needs for iOS app development.

Why Hire iOS Developers?

Hiring an experienced iOS developer can create new opportunities for your business. By coding full-scale applications, a developer can help your business:

  • Increase revenue

  • Obtain customers in your ecosystem

  • Attract new customers

  • Gather information on customer behavior

Hiring an iOS developer is a big decision for any company. Lou Fanco helps us understand how important a good app is:

“Pick up your phone right now, and start your favorite app: not necessarily the most useful one, but the one that gives you the best feeling when you use it. What do you notice? Professional iPhone apps have a polished look and professional graphic design and imagery, and they make extensive use of animations.”

The right developer will have the knowledge to develop successful full-scale applications that offer an exemplary user experience.

Where Can I Find an iOS developer?

There are many websites where companies can find, interview, and screen full-time, part-time, and freelance mobile developers. Some websites specialize in freelance talent, while others connect experienced developers with large companies.

When choosing a website to find an iOS developer, consider the cost and specialty of the service. Is the service free or are you charged to view candidate profiles? Can you see job applicants from all over the world or is it limited to a specific region? Consider the needs of the project and use a site that can help you meet those goals.

Things To Consider Before Hiring

Here are factors you should take into account before and during the hiring process:

  • Quality of Candidates: Once you choose a website, carefully study the qualifications of job applicants. Do they have the experience you need for your project? If you discover that most candidates do not have the right knowledge, try looking on different hiring sites.

  • Quantity of Candidates: How many people responded to your job posting? Some sites have thousands of qualified job seekers, while newer sites generally have much smaller applicant pools. You want enough applications to find the right candidate, but you don’t want so many that you are overwhelmed.

  • Timeline: How soon do you need to hire iOS developers? Do you have an immediate need, or can you wait a few months for the right candidate? Consider how long you can invest in the hiring process before beginning. If you have an urgent hiring need, you cannot spend as much time sifting through job applications.

  • Budget: Do you have enough money to hire a senior-level manager, or do you want to invest your resources in a more inexperienced programmer? Disperse your budget over multiple candidates if necessary, and do not offer a candidate more than you can pay.

Finding the right iOS developer for your project can be challenging. Review this guide so you can hire the best iOS developers in the industry.

How to find the best iOS developers available for hire

Ultimately, which sites you employ depends on a multitude of factors, such as:

  • How quickly you need to hire an iOS developer (i.e. your timeline)
  • How quickly you need iOS applications in the app store
  • How much experience you have hiring iOS developers
  • The availability of project management resources to manage the development process
  • Whether or not you're equipped to test technical skills
  • The size of the development team you need
  • What level of experience those iOS developers need
  • Whether or not you're open to remote workers, freelancers, or other flexible work options
  • What your budget constraints are
  • How important quality is to your project(s)

Work With an Expert

Are you looking for iOS developers for hire? We offer a free listing of freelance marketplaces and resources for hiring top talent. Find and hire iOS developers for your project. Grow your business today by investing in the iOS ecosystem.

Hiring iOS developers - FAQ

What is the role of iOS developer?

In addition to the technical skills needed, the role of an iOS developer will include designing and building the applications to the specifications needed; checking and guaranteeing performance results, collaborating with other team members on the design and engineering, and maintaining the organization and quality of the code base. Hire an iOS developer

How much do iOS app developers get paid?
iOS developers get paid based on their seniority and level of expertise. But expect to pay at least $60 an hour for an accomplished iOS developer.
What are the skills required for iOS developer?

iOS developers build apps for the Apple iOS operating system, which powers iPhones and iPads. iOS developers will be skilled in Objective-C and Swift, which are the two main essential programming languages for iOS. An iOS developer will be responsible for developing and maintaining apps associated with iOS devices and will need to integrate the apps with back-end services. Thy should know other frameworks such as Core Data and Core Animation, know C-based libraries, be familiar with RESTful APIs and have a good understanding of code version tools, like Git.

Are iOS app developers in demand?

Yes! According to Statistia, the app market has grown from a $97 billion industry in 2013 to approximately $460 billion in 2019. It is only expected to grow, creating more demand for iOS app developers.

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