Update: We originally wrote this post in late 2013. Much has changed in the mobile app development world, since then. We even went ahead and published two editions of the ‘Mobile App Developer Report’ that answers many questions that confound most of you, that are looking to find app developers to build high quality apps. (Download Report)
Did you know? The difference between the cost of mobile app development in the US vs Indonesia (a truly mobile first country) is 30x!
Finding a good 3rd party mobile application developer can indeed be tricky. There are a lot of parameters to judge if a development company is really credible, if they’d deliver their promises on time, if their pricing is justifiable and so on. Of course nothing is untraceable. But all these data are spread all over the place and you really need to do your homework (might take days if not week!) before picking that “one good agency”.
ContractIQ’s curated home page, with listings of elite mobile agencies should fix it for you!
A quora search on good 3rd party custom application development companies threw some results. So here’s what we did – We reached out to most of the app development companies we found on Quora. We got to interview most of them. With some, we began a working relationship. Over the last 3.5 years, we’ve observed a few hundred app development companies from very close quarters. Here’s our trusted list (spans across countries, in no particular order and we pruned it to less than 50). We’ve made sure that the representation is across price spectrum.
Mokriya – A software design and development company based in the valley with several marquee projects
View Mokriya’s apps . Contact Mokriya
SmallPlanet – They are as good as it can get when it comes to big brands – 40 apps pushed to the App Store for clients like General Motors, Paramount, Disney, Design Observer, Hearst Magazines, Time, Inc., Discovery Communications, R/GA and others.
View Small Planet’s apps . Contact Small Planet
Y Media Labs specialize in designing and developing applications on iPhone, Android and Blackberry platforms. Some of the clients include Safeway, Genentech, Rave Motion Pictures, Budlight etc. Y Media Labs have launched apps which have been featured on Apple commercial.
View Ustwo’s apps . Contact Ustwo
Razorfish was born digital — it’s in their DNA. Today, they use that lifeblood to transform business at the convergence of creativity, technology and media.
View Razor Fish’s apps . Contact Razor Fish
Related : Tips to write a kickass requirement document!
Agens.no – Trusted by Microsoft and Cisco, no less! Coolest of Norwegian mobile development shops!
View Agens’ apps . Contact Agens
Makingwaves – 285 people and they produce apps that are works of art. They do make waves!
View Making Waves’ apps . Contact Making Waves
Shortcut – We just did not get their language, but Quorans seem to love Shortcut! We’re waiting for the English version to report their awesomeness!
View Shortcut’s apps . Contact Shortcut
Also Read : How to get the best out of your outsourced product development team
ThinSlices – The makers of The Happy App – Sure they are happy, with clients across 10+ countries!
View Thin Slices’ apps . Contact Thin Slices
Fueled – They are not here to work on just any apps or for any client. They come to work in the morning to build the best apps for the best clients. It’s what makes them tick.
View Fueled’s apps . Contact Fueled
Viget – Loved by big brands, Higher Ad, Consumer product firms (Oh, well! Seems like loved by everyone they work with!)
View Viget’s apps . Contact Viget
Burn Side Digital – They have the chops, from what we see in their website. Quorans have showered some love too. Check them out!
View Burn Side Digital’s apps . Contact Burn Side Digital
Egg Haus – An independent, creative-driven social design firm that creates and deploys engaging branded experiences on every consumer platform. In 2009, EGG HAUS developed product strategies and brand experiences for Condé Nast, Macy’s, Cisco, eBay and other Fortune 500 brands. In addition, they work closely with Polaris Venture Partners to shape their portfolio companies.
Lunar Logic is a locally owned software development firm based in Eugene, Oregon.
View Lunar Logic’s apps . Contact Lunar Logic
Monterail is an offshore web development agency. But don’t let that modest description bore you out.
View Monterail’s apps . Contact Monterail
Bread and Pepper is a small webstudio based in Leiden, The Netherlands.
View Bread and Pepper’s apps . Contact Bread and Pepper
Touch Wonder was established a few days after the iPad was announced in the beginning of 2010. They produce work which is as classy as the device itself!
View Touch Wonder’s apps . Contact Touch Wonder
Media Bunker – Sennheiser and Playboy. They have an app for every mood, you bet!
View Media Bunker’s apps . Contact Media Bunker
Innovatio – Their secret sauce: Groundbreaking technology, striking interface design & creative brains.
View Innovatio’s apps . Contact Innovatio
Ice Mobile – The mobile food p0rn must have something to do with Ice Mobile. They created some of the most jaw dropping mobile apps for food retailers!
View Ice Mobile’s apps . Contact Ice Mobile
Appstrakt – Do you Spotify? They had a role in it. Super cool site and people.
View Appstrakt’s apps . Contact Appstrakt
Backelite is a major player on the mobile services development market in Europe. They create, adapt, develop and publish multimedia services for smartphones, tablets and connected TVs.
View Backelite’s app . Contact Backelite
Pure Agency – More than 80 experts help the most famous brands in Europe to implement profitable and measurable mobile solutions.
View Pure Agency’s apps . Contact Pure Agency
You might also be interested: How do you measure the track record of an outsourcing vendor?
Monitise Create – Since January 2010 they have put world-class digital experiences into the hands of millions of consumers. From banking on-the-move to mobile shopping, they partner with the world’s leading businesses to help them make money from mobile.
View Monitise’s apps . Contact Monetise
Mubaloo is an award winning team of mobile consultants and app development experts, delivering end-to-end enterprise and consumer solutions.
View Mubaloo’s apps . Contact Mubaloo
Pocket App is a multi-platform application company designing apps for mobile devices and tablets. Work starts at concept and design stage, through to technical development and marketing.
View Pocket App’s works . Contact Pocket App
Ribot is an award-winning digital studio. Innovating consistently at the highest level, they strategise, design and develop digital products across mobile, television, in-store and beyond.
View Ribot’s apps . Contact Ribot
DS Media Labs is a Global leader in mobile strategy, design and development. Their headquarters are based in Ocala, Florida, which offers plenty of sunshine filled days. DS has been showcased since the launch of the Apple App Store as a visionary leader in mobile application design and development.
View DS Media Labs’ apps . Contact DS Media Labs
AKQA is an ideas and innovation company. They collaborate with forward-thinking companies to create the future.
View AKQA’s apps . Contact AKQA
Allerin – An international software solutions and integration services provider which designs, develops, integrates and maintains business applications to enable enterprise solve complex, mission-critical business problems.
View Allerin’s apps . Contact Allerin
Noodlewerk creates and develops apps for iPhone, iPad and other mobile platforms. They love to help you extend your existing products and services to mobile devices, so they can be used in the car, on the bike, in the waiting line, wherever or whenever relevant.
View Noodlewerk’s apps . Contact Noodlewerk
Moblio is specialized in creating and realizing innovative mobile websites, campaigns and applications. The professionalism and hands-on approach have made us a leading agency in the rapidly growing mobile market.
View Mobile’s apps . Contact Mobilo
Tapptic offer its clients a full-service approach to mobile marketing – strategic consultancy, creative and concept development, graphical and interaction design, project management, technical development, testing and production.
View Tapptic’s apps . Contact Tapptic
Clicmobile – Clicmobile is a mobile digital agency that understands the evolving digital world and masters shifting technological landscapes.
View Clicmobile’s apps . Contact Clicmobile
ContractIQ is an online showcase for the works of mobile solution providers. App development companies from more than 20 countries use ContractIQ to display works they did and endorsements they received from their customers and get noticed by the app publishers.
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