Every time you hire someone for a big project, there’s a chance things won’t go as planned. Building an app is no different.
Common pitfalls include:
Having your idea stolen
Overpaying
Being ghosted
Poor quality
Security risks
Going over budget or time
Legal problems
Lack of support
In this article, we will show you what to watch for so you can protect your investment and minimize risk.
Let’s break down the different ways you can get an app made.
This is often the most expensive choice. But, it comes with less risk. A local software company in Calgary can give you expert advice. They are also fully accountable and they won’t steal your idea. If your app handles personal information, they will help you follow privacy laws. The downside? Most won’t take on projects under $80,000.
Some business owners think hiring a company in another country will be cheaper. Sadly, this often leads to big problems. We’ve heard many stories of people losing money and getting nothing in return. Some even had their business idea stolen. Taking legal action is very costly and usually doesn’t work. Even if all goes well, and you were provided with a copy of your code, you likely have to rebuild the app later for maintenance and updates because different countries use different coding languages.
These options can be cheap, even free. They might help you build a “Minimum Viable Product Prototype.” Think of this as a basic demo, not a real working app. You can click buttons and see pages, but it’s not live. It can’t save real information or offer a real service. These programs also won’t guide you on how to make your app ready for future growth. If the program ends before your app is done, you’re out of luck. They also don’t handle security or make sure your app follows important rules.
Many new business owners think hiring a CTO is the best path. You give them a part of your business in exchange for their tech skills. But, these relationships often fail. This can lead to more legal costs and expenses to buy them out. If you’re not tech-savvy yourself, it’s hard to know if they truly have the skills they claim. We’ve heard stories of CTOs who, after many months, delivered nothing useful.
This is very risky. You rely completely on one person. Every developer has their own way of building things. If they leave or something happens to them, finding someone else to understand their code and finish the job is very hard and expensive. Many new entrepreneurs make the mistake of not getting access to their code from day one. We’ve also heard of developers simply disappearing, leaving the project unfinished and the entrepreneur high and dry.
This option can seem very appealing. You might think, “I can learn this, and AI will do most of the work!” But this can lead to a lot of frustration. Even our developers, with over 27 years of experience, struggle with AI daily. Why? Because AI can make mistakes, invent things, and forget what it was working on. Trying to build it yourself might cost you more in the long run. You’ll likely have to rebuild it later. This option also leaves your app open to security risks and potential lawsuits.
By now, you might be asking yourself, “What’s the best way to get my app built?”
That’s where New Idea Machine comes in. We heard far too many horror stories from entrepreneurs being overcharged, misled, or even having their great ideas stolen. So, we decided to do something about it and became a dedicated mobile app development agency in Calgary.
We partner with small and medium businesses across North America. Our approach helps you build your app for less. We match your project with the ideal developer and manage the entire process. Your idea is completely safe, fully protected by our Non-Disclosure Agreement. With us overseeing your app’s creation, you’ll have total peace of mind, knowing you’re getting exactly what you paid for.
We’re committed to earning your trust and offer real-time budget tracking for complete transparency. You’ll also get full access to your app’s code from day one, and we provide flexible payment options and ongoing support.
We provide free resources to help you learn what to watch out for in the app development process. Even if you don’t work with us, we want you to have all the information you need to protect your investment and idea.
If you’re looking for app development in Calgary or a reliable software company, we offer a free 30-minute chat. This helps us see if we’re a good fit for each other.