Hiring an app developer is a strategic decision that can determine the success of your mobile product. Their role goes beyond development. From writing clean code to integrating APIs and maintaining performance across all devices, they are a key part of the long-term evolution of your product. Whether you're creating an app from scratch or expanding an existing one, understanding how much it costs to hire an app developer is essential for drawing up a realistic and efficient budget.
In this blog, we break down the main factors that influence app development costs. You'll get a clear overview of salary ranges in Latin America, an increasingly popular choice for U.S. companies due to its combination of technical expertise, time zone compatibility, and cost-effectiveness. If you're looking to optimize your investment without sacrificing quality, this guide is for you.
What Does an App Developer Do?
An app developer is the person who designs, builds, and maintains mobile applications. Their job involves everything from coding the software to testing it and ensuring it runs smoothly on different devices and platforms.
There are different types of app developers, but all share a core understanding of programming languages, frameworks, and software development processes. Developers often specialize in a specific platform—Android, iOS, or cross-platform development—or in particular programming languages like Swift or Kotlin.
Some of the key tasks an app developer performs include:
- Writing and testing the code that runs the app.
- Integrating APIs and external services into the app.
- Troubleshooting and debugging to fix any issues.
- Updating and maintaining the app over time.
The cost of hiring an app developer is influenced by the following factors:
Hiring a mobile app developer involves more than just looking at their hourly rate. Several non-salary factors can significantly impact your overall investment:
- Experience and seniority: A mid-level developer might be more affordable, but a senior developer often delivers faster and cleaner code, reducing long-term costs. Their ability to anticipate problems can save hours (and budget) down the line.
- Country and local market: Developers in LATAM offer a strong balance between quality and cost. Hiring from countries with lower living costs often means more competitive rates without sacrificing skill—especially when compared to developers from the U.S.
- Support beyond coding: Some developers only deliver code, while others also assist with testing, deployment, and maintenance. A more complete developer may charge more upfront but reduce the need for extra hires later.
When it comes to how you hire, going solo means you’ll need to handle sourcing, vetting, contracts, payments, and even local tax or labor regulations on your own. In contrast, hiring through a trusted company in Latin America simplifies everything. You get pre-vetted talent, streamlined onboarding, and ongoing support—without sacrificing cost-efficiency or time zone compatibility. And if you’re wondering how much it costs to hire an app developer this way, the answer often includes better value and fewer hidden costs compared to managing everything yourself.
Learn more about the top ten cities for outsourcing in Latin America.
Cost by Level of Experience
The experience level of the developer you hire will heavily influence the cost. Junior developers may cost less, but they might require more supervision and time to complete tasks. Senior developers, on the other hand, come with a higher price tag but can deliver high-quality work faster and more efficiently.
Our thoughts on the pricing structure of Toptal
While it's not possible for us to find details about how much of what a client pays ultimately goes to a candidate, we believe clients looking for transparent and straightforward pricing may want to look at other alternatives.
Our opinion is that if they are charging a client more than $12,000 monthly for a developer, they should at the very least be giving $9,600 to the candidate, but it's likely that it's even less than that.
What Hiring Managers Should Ask Before Choosing a Talent Partner
Before partnering with any talent provider — whether Toptal, Teilur, or others — hiring managers should consider asking the following key questions:
- What percentage of the fee actually goes to the talent?
- Are replacement or satisfaction guarantees included in the contract?
- How are regional salary benchmarks determined?
- Is there full transparency in how rates are broken down?
- What is the long-term cost difference between hiring directly and through a platform?
These questions can help businesses make informed decisions and ensure that pricing aligns with both market realities and ethical compensation practices.
Cost of Hiring an App Developer in LATAM vs. the U.S.
Hiring an app developer in Latin America is a smart way to reduce costs without sacrificing quality. Brazil, Mexico, and Argentina, for example, have strong pools of developers proficient in modern frameworks and tools. Depending on experience and location, monthly salaries for app developers in Latin America typically range from $4,650 to $6,800. If you need help calculating the cost for your specific needs, feel free to contact us.
In contrast, hiring in the U.S. can be significantly more expensive, with monthly costs ranging from $7,500 to $13,000. Although U.S. developers offer a high level of expertise, hiring in Latin America can be up to 50% more affordable. For companies looking to build high-quality apps on a budget, Latin America offers a compelling combination of cost-efficiency, time zone alignment, and skilled talent.
If you're used to thinking in hourly rates, here’s a rough estimate: in Latin America, a monthly cost of $4,650 to $6,800 translates to approximately $27 to $40 per hour, assuming a full-time schedule of 40 hours per week. In comparison, hiring an app developer in the U.S. at a monthly rate of $7,500 to $13,000 comes out to roughly $45 to $80 per hour. While we work with full-time monthly contracts, these hourly conversions can help you benchmark costs more easily and evaluate what best fits your budget.
How to Reduce the Cost of Hiring an App Developer
While it’s important not to compromise on quality, there are strategies you can use to reduce the cost of hiring an app developer.
Why outsourcing can save you money
Outsourcing app development can help you save significantly on costs. Instead of hiring an in-house team, outsourcing allows you to tap into a global talent pool where developers charge lower rates.
Here are some tips to help you find high-quality developers without breaking the bank:
- Be Clear About Your Requirements: The more specific you are about your app’s features and functionality, the less time developers will spend on revisions and changes. This can help keep costs down.
- Consider Cross-Platform Development: Instead of building separate apps for iOS and Android, consider using cross-platform frameworks like Flutter or React Native. This can cut development time and costs.
- Outsource to the Right Region: Outsourcing to countries like Latin America can offer significant savings without sacrificing quality. The region combines skilled talent, time zone alignment, and competitive rates, making it an ideal option for companies looking to optimize their development budget.
Learn more about the top five advantages of outsourcing to Latin America.
Price transparency with Teilur Talent
Hiring app developers in Latin America can be an excellent decision for US companies, as long as it is done transparently and with solid processes. At Teilur Talent, we believe that clarity from the outset is key to avoiding unnecessary turnover, misunderstandings, and hidden costs. That's why we work with a fixed commission of 20% and 100% transparent pricing, so you know exactly how much you're paying and why.
We focus on finding developers who are not only technically sound—thanks to our technical and English tests—but who also share your company's mission, values, and work style. In addition, we select talent who live in the same time zone, which facilitates communication and collaboration and avoids the frustrations typical of poorly managed remote work.
Our model is designed for long-term relationships. Thanks to this approach, we have achieved a 90% retention rate, because when everything fits—skills, culture, and clear conditions—developers stay. If you are looking for reliable app developers who are aligned with your vision, Teilur Talent is your best option.
Learn more about how Teilur Talent is disrupting the recruiting industry with transparent pricing.
