How to Build a Mobile Team: The Complete Guide

Team Composition Strategy

Strategy Decision: Native vs. Cross-Platform

Native Approach:

• Separate iOS and Android engineers
• Platform-specific expertise
• Best performance and platform features
• Higher cost (need both platforms)
• Slower feature parity

Cross-Platform Approach:

• React Native, Flutter, or similar
• One codebase for both platforms
• Faster development and feature parity
• Lower cost (fewer engineers)
• May have platform limitations

Hybrid Approach:

• Cross-platform for most features
• Native for platform-specific features
• Balances cost and capabilities

The Foundation: Your First Mobile Hire

Mobile Engineer (First Hire)

• Can build for one platform (iOS or Android)
• Or cross-platform if using React Native/Flutter
• Sets up mobile development practices
• Creates foundation for mobile app

Why Mobile Engineer First:

• Mobile development requires specialized skills
• Early architectural decisions affect everything
• One strong mobile engineer can build MVP
• Platform choice affects future hiring

Scaling to 3-5 Person Team

Option A: Native (iOS + Android)

1. iOS Engineer (builds iOS app)
2. Android Engineer (builds Android app)
3. Additional iOS Engineer (as iOS grows)
4. Additional Android Engineer (as Android grows)

Option B: Cross-Platform

1. React Native/Flutter Engineer (builds both platforms)
2. Additional Cross-Platform Engineer (as app grows)
3. Native Engineer (for platform-specific features)
4. Mobile DevOps Engineer (for distribution and CI/CD)

Option C: Hybrid

1. Cross-Platform Engineer (most features)
2. iOS Engineer (iOS-specific features)
3. Android Engineer (Android-specific features)
4. Mobile DevOps Engineer (distribution)

When to Add Specialists

Add Platform-Specific Engineers when:

• You need native performance
• Platform-specific features are critical
• Cross-platform limitations become blockers

Add Mobile DevOps Engineer when:

• App distribution becomes complex
• You need dedicated CI/CD for mobile
• App store management needs focus

Add QA Engineer when:

• Testing becomes bottlenecked
• You need dedicated mobile testing
• Device fragmentation is a concern

Hiring Order Matters

Phase 1: First Mobile Engineer (Weeks 1-10)

Why First:

• Builds your first mobile app
• Sets up mobile development practices
• Makes platform decisions
• Creates foundation for team

What to Look For:

• 3-5+ years mobile development experience
• Strong in chosen platform (iOS, Android, or cross-platform)
• Can work independently
• Good UI/UX sense
• Experience shipping apps to app stores

Phase 2: Second Platform or Additional Engineer (Weeks 6-14)

For Native:

• Add Android engineer if you started with iOS (or vice versa)
• Enables both platforms

For Cross-Platform:

• Add another cross-platform engineer
• Increases velocity

What to Look For:

• 2-4 years experience
• Strong in chosen platform
• Can work with first engineer
• Good collaboration skills

Phase 3: Specialists (Months 3-6)

Add based on needs:

• Platform-specific engineers for native features
• Mobile DevOps for distribution
• QA Engineer for testing

Skills to Look For

iOS Engineer Skills

Must-Have:

• Swift (or Objective-C)
• iOS frameworks (UIKit, SwiftUI)
• Xcode and iOS development tools
• App Store submission process
• iOS design guidelines

Nice-to-Have:

• SwiftUI
• Combine framework
• Core Data
• Push notifications
• In-app purchases

Android Engineer Skills

Must-Have:

• Kotlin (or Java)
• Android SDK and frameworks
• Android Studio
• Google Play submission process
• Material Design guidelines

Nice-to-Have:

• Jetpack Compose
• Kotlin Coroutines
• Room database
• Firebase
• In-app purchases

Cross-Platform Engineer Skills

Must-Have:

• React Native or Flutter
• JavaScript/TypeScript (React Native) or Dart (Flutter)
• Native module integration
• App store submission for both platforms

Nice-to-Have:

• Native iOS or Android experience
• Platform-specific optimizations
• Performance optimization

Budget Planning

Salary Costs (US, 2026)

3-Person Team: $435K-650K annually
5-Person Team: $650K-950K annually

Other Costs

• Mobile Tools: $1-3K/month (CI/CD, testing tools, analytics)
• App Store Fees: $99/year (Apple), $25 one-time (Google)
• Device Testing: $5-10K for device lab
• Recruiting: 20-25% of salary if using agencies
• Equipment: $3-5K per person (MacBooks for iOS, devices)

Common Mistakes

1. Not Deciding on Native vs. Cross-Platform

Problem: Hiring iOS engineer, then Android engineer, then realizing cross-platform would be better.

Better approach: Decide on strategy first. Native for best performance, cross-platform for speed and cost.

2. Ignoring Platform Guidelines

Problem: Building apps that don't follow iOS or Android design guidelines, leading to poor UX.

Better approach: Hire engineers who understand platform guidelines and design patterns.

3. Not Planning for App Store Management

Problem: No process for app updates, reviews, or compliance.

Better approach: Establish app store processes early. Consider mobile DevOps engineer.

4. Underestimating Testing Needs

Problem: Mobile apps need testing on many devices and OS versions.

Better approach: Plan for device testing. Consider QA engineer or device lab.

5. Hiring Without UI/UX Sense

Problem: Mobile engineers who can code but can't build good UX.

Better approach: Look for engineers with UI/UX sense or work closely with designers.

Mobile Team Culture

What Great Mobile Teams Have

1. Platform Expertise

• Deep knowledge of iOS or Android
• Understanding of platform guidelines
• Ability to use platform features effectively

2. Performance Focus

• App performance optimization
• Battery and memory efficiency
• Smooth animations and interactions

3. User Experience Focus

• Attention to UI/UX details
• Responsive to user feedback
• Iterative improvement

4. Cross-Platform Coordination

• Shared design systems
• Consistent user experience
• Coordinated releases

How to Establish Culture

Start with Platform Expertise: First mobile engineer sets standards.

Focus on UX: Work closely with designers. Prioritize user experience.

Test Thoroughly: Establish testing practices early.

Iterate Quickly: Mobile allows fast iteration. Use it.

Interview Strategy

What to Assess

Technical Skills:

• Platform-specific knowledge (iOS, Android, or cross-platform)
• UI/UX implementation
• App architecture
• Performance optimization
• App store processes

Problem-Solving:

• Can they design mobile app architecture?
• Do they think about performance?
• Can they handle platform limitations?
• Do they consider user experience?

Communication:

• Can they work with designers?
• Do they explain technical decisions?
• Can they work with backend teams?

Red Flags

• Can't explain mobile app architecture
• No experience shipping apps to app stores
• Doesn't understand platform guidelines
• Poor UI/UX sense
• No performance optimization experience

Timeline Expectations

Realistic Hiring Timeline

Total: 3-5 months to build a 3-person team

Factors Affecting Timeline

• Mobile talent is competitive — Plan for longer timelines
• Platform choice matters — iOS engineers may be easier/harder to find
• Remote expands pool — Consider remote-first
• Portfolio matters — Strong portfolio apps attract faster

Recruiter's Cheat Sheet

Key Insights

• Decide on native vs. cross-platform first — Affects all hiring
• Platform expertise matters — Mobile requires specialized skills
• UI/UX sense is important — Mobile is user-facing
• App store experience helps — Shipping apps is different from building
• Performance matters — Mobile apps need to be fast and efficient

Common Questions from Founders

"Should I build native or cross-platform?"
Native for best performance and platform features. Cross-platform for speed and cost. Many companies start cross-platform, add native for specific features.

"Do I need separate iOS and Android engineers?"
Yes for native approach. No for cross-platform (React Native/Flutter). Hybrid approach uses both.

"When should I hire mobile engineers?"
As soon as you decide to build a mobile app. Don't wait until web is done—mobile requires different skills.

"How much does mobile development cost?"
$500K-900K annually for 3-5 person team. Cross-platform is typically cheaper than native (fewer engineers needed).