The 15 best sites to hire Offshore iOS Developers in 2024

Apple offers almost 2 million apps that perform a wide variety of functions for its users. Just getting yours noticed in the app market is challenging; getting consumers to use your app regularly requires it to be desirable and appealing, fulfill a relevant need or desire, and function nearly perfectly.

A competent developer will produce high-quality products. To be successful, you need to find and hire the best mobile app development team that will go the extra mile. Whether you want to launch cross-platform apps or need iOS native developers, you must decide if you will search locally or turn to offshore software developers.

Using an offshore development team to design, build, and test your mobile applications has multiple benefits:

• Cost savings without sacrificing quality

• Flexibility through easy team scaling up and down

• A broader talent pool that can include niche skill sets that are challenging to find locally

• Faster time to market, allowing you to release your app before your competition does

Unfortunately, your competitors know that, too, meaning you must understand how to hire offshore iOS developers and ways to attract top professionals to want to work for you rather than other companies.

Technology is advancing at an astonishing rate. New capabilities mean more opportunity to create improved mobile apps to harness them. iOS is one of the most-used mobile platforms worldwide, so the demand for skilled developers familiar with its requirements continues to grow.

Use this guide as a resource to learn more about the benefits of hiring offshore iOS developers, role-related skills and capabilities, annual and hourly rates, and how to draft a compelling job description.

Hiring a Freelance Offshore iOS Developer

Whether you hire offshore software development companies or individuals, you need to decide if you will use them on a part-time, full-time, or freelance basis. You can reap several benefits when you hire a freelance offshore iOS developer:

• No payroll taxes, benefits, or overhead costs

• Faster sourcing and hiring

• Easy access to hard-to-find skill sets

• Flexible team scaling

In addition, freelance offshore iOS developers typically charge less for their services.

What Does an Offshore iOS Developer Do?

Developed by Apple, iOS is a mobile operating system used solely for iPhones, iPads, and iPod Touch devices (Apple discontinued the latter in 2022). An offshore iOS developer uses specialized skills and knowledge to design and create native software applications exclusively for these devices.

Some companies prefer to develop cross-platform apps that adapt to different operating systems. Even if that is your preference, your software development team needs to have in-depth knowledge of how iOS works, industry standards and the market conditions.

To increase user satisfaction, companies offer mobile applications for their clients across a range of industries:

• Healthcare and financial

• Industrial and logistics

• Shopping, gaming, and entertainment

• Fitness

• Restaurants, lodgings, and travel

The possibilities are endless. Your specific needs may vary, depending on your industry and goals. Think of ways that an app can improve user experience with your company, increase your brand awareness, promote sales, and become an indispensable part of people’s lives.

You may want your iOS app to offer:

• Secure online bill payments, purchases, or funds transfers

• Multi-user capabilities for gaming

• Automated marketing implementations for your online or brick-and-mortar store

• Downloadable content and sharing, fillable forms, or two-factor authentication

• In-app image or voice searching and recording

If the technology exists to power it, offshore iOS developers for hire can create it. They can also revamp existing apps to take advantage of new technologies and include additional features and improve the user interface.

Your iOS offshore development team may need to possess various skills to accomplish your needs. We offer other hiring guides on this site with more information about various skills. When you use Toptal, you can simply explain your project’s goals and the site’s talent-matching experts will find suitable developers for your consideration.

Why hire offshore iOS developers? Your competitors may already have iOS apps. If you do not join them — and upgrade your apps regularly — you may miss out on lucrative opportunities. When you hire dedicated offshore iOS developers, they allow you to keep pace and surpass your competition at a reasonable expense.

Years ago, people were afraid that using offshore resources meant sacrificing quality. The world lacked effective collaboration tools, making the prospect of remote workers challenging. Today, your offshore developers can effortlessly work with your in-house team or on their own to accomplish your business goals.

What an Offshore iOS Developer Can Do For Your Business

Leveraging an offshore iOS developer allows your company to bring iOS applications to market. It is a cost-effective way to expand your technical capabilities for custom app development, maintenance, and support.

Localization and Internationalization Expertise

Offshore developers are perfectly suited to add features so your iOS apps appeal to an international audience. They can adjust the date and time, number, and currency functions to function optimally in the end users’ locations. These processes also ensure text and language formats are adaptable and culturally relevant.

Cost-Effective Custom Feature Development

Hiring offshore iOS developers is a cost-effective solution compared to bringing on an in-house developer. It also reduces the need for managing a developer team.

Scalability and Performance Optimization

If you need to quickly scale a developer team, hiring freelance offshore iOS developers is a great option. You can build a team without the hassle of the traditional hiring process. It also gives you access to a wide talent pool, increasing the chances of finding a developer who fits well within your company culture.

Cross-Platform Integration

Hiring an offshore iOS developer who can maximize cross-platform integration allows your company to quickly develop highly customized apps to expand your reach. It also greatly improves UX by allowing users to seamlessly switch between devices and platforms.

Knowledge of Emerging Markets and Trends

A developer with experience in emerging markets provides an edge for the development of apps. It allows you to identify growth opportunities and take advantage of early market share. This type of knowledge also helps improve UX and your brand image in these new markets and enhances adaptability.

Proficiency in Niche Technologies and Frameworks

Niche frameworks improve customization options and adaptability. An offshore iOS developer with proficiency using one allows you to take advantage of those benefits. Using freelance talent is a great way to fill this need for special projects.

Our goal in creating this hiring guide is to show you the effectiveness your organization can experience by utilizing skilled developers from around the globe. Your offshore iOS development team can create powerful, robust mobile apps, typically faster and for a significantly lower cost than other options.

How To Hire Offshore iOS Developers

Onboarding offshore iOS developers for your project takes research, planning, and a well-thought-out strategy. To begin, you need to clearly define your project, determining:

• Project nature, scope, goals, and budget

• Hiring and kickoff target dates and project duration

• The number of app developers needed and their required skill sets or areas of expertise

• Sourcing and hiring methods

• Role-specific job description and responsibilities

Once you have these details in place, you can start looking for qualified candidates to fill your open positions. We suggest using the top sites listed in this guide for sourcing your offshore team. Our top pick, Toptal, provides you with a curated shortlist of pre-vetted developers whose qualifications meet your needs.

Many companies prefer the Agile approach to mobile app development because they receive regular updates, make real-time contributions, and can expect the completion of specific tasks within a designated timeframe.

Depending on the kind of app you plan to update or develop, you might want to look for:

• Developers who have completed similar projects successfully

• Candidates who are familiar with your industry

• Applicants with consistently favorable client feedback, ratings, and reviews

• Professionals who have more than one vital skill, particularly for smaller and complex projects

Offshore iOS developers have various experience levels. Junior-level developers may have most of the same skills as those at senior levels; they just do not have as much professional experience using them.

Is one level better than the others? How can you choose? Your budget may be a factor in your decision-making process. Senior-level developers typically cost more to hire than those with less experience. They might, however, have the project management skills you need.

Many companies hire a mix of developers with varying levels of experience to staff their teams. Some sourcing sites allow you to hire complete teams without needing to gauge exactly the skill levels each person should have.

What Skills To Look for When Hiring Offshore iOS Developers

Your offshore iOS developers need a good blend of technical and soft skills. Desired and required technical skills include:

• Proficiency with the Swift coding language, the Xcode Integrated Development Environment, and Grand Central Dispatch

• Memory management

• Source control and unit testing

• Experience in tailoring mobile apps to improve user experience and meet their needs

• The knowledge of how to use aesthetic elements in apps effectively

Look for candidates with knowledge of and experience using the tech stacks your project requires. Full-stack developers might be the best fit because they can build both front- and back-end app components. Talent-matching sites like Toptal consider your needs and a candidate’s specialized skills when suggesting candidates for your consideration.

Developers must continually stay abreast of emerging technologies and how to best use them to meet your project requirements and goals. They should also possess vital soft skills to be an effective member of your team.

Desired soft skills include:

• Spatial reasoning, critical thinking, and creative problem-solving skills

• Active listening and fluent communication skills, both verbal and written, in your preferred language

• Self-motivation, time management, and a strong work ethic

• The ability to work well under pressure

• Cultural fit and team mentality

While technical skills are necessary to complete development projects, a good balance of soft skills sets the top offshore iOS developers apart from others. It is sometimes challenging to know which candidates to bring onto your team. Toptal and other sites offer risk-free trial periods that allow you to assess each developer’s competence, contributions, and fit with your team’s dynamic.

How Much Does It Cost To Hire Offshore iOS Developers?

In the U.S., expect to pay iOS app developers an annual salary of $123,994 or $60 per hour. Yearly amounts range from $21,500 to $179,000, depending on location, skill sets, and experience. When you hire offshore iOS developers, you can often realize significant cost savings.

Tips for Writing an Offshore iOS Developer Job Description

With so many companies vying for top talent, you need to write an informative and intriguing job description. Highlight your company’s achievements, culture, goals, and brand. Also include project and role details, such as:

• A full description of your project that includes duration

• Hiring method and speed

• Desired and required skills

• Responsibilities and expectations

You can require each interested candidate to take the same skill assessment tests as part of your application process. Comparing results gives you a better idea of the applicant’s strengths and weaknesses; it is also a method of achieving unbiased hiring.

Common Interview Questions To Ask When You Are Looking To Hire an Offshore iOS Developer

Candidates typically land an interview because of their technical proficiencies, but an interview gives you an opportunity to gauge vital soft skills that you cannot find in a resume. When you ask questions about various technical skills, pay attention to how the candidate arrives at and explains their answers.

Common offshore iOS developer interview questions include:

• What is the iOS DispatchQueue? Part of the GCD framework, it executes tasks simultaneously in various threads.

• What is a storyboard? A vital tool for the application development process, a storyboard is a single-file visual user interface representation utilized to design app layout and navigation.

You need to consider diversity and inclusiveness in your hiring. Be sure to ask every candidate the same questions and use a consistent scoring model to prevent bias.

Soft skills are intangible and somewhat difficult to evaluate. Consider asking a situational question that lacks pertinent information. The interviewee should ask for clarification before formulating a proper response.

This technique lets you assess:

• Listening and communication skills

• Confidence and comfort levels

• Attention to detail

• Problem-solving skills

• Topic-based expertise

After interviewing all candidates, you may still be unsure which offshore iOS developers to hire. Toptal gives you a two-week trial to be sure you are comfortable with your selections.

How To Find Freelance Offshore iOS Developers for Hire

Choosing the right method to source and hire offshore iOS developers is vital to your project’s success. Professional networking, freelance marketplaces, job boards, and talent-matching services have varying benefits.

Compare each method, considering factors such as:

• iOS developer and site pricing structures and payment methods

• The levels of effort and commitment you must make

• The availability of required skill sets

• Hiring and team scaling speeds

• The caliber of talent you can find

Among the sites listed in this guide, Toptal stands out as the best overall.

For the best project outcome, you need to hire the right offshore iOS developers. Use this guide to develop an effective hiring strategy, and then welcome the successes your team will bring.