Don’t Hire Developers Until You Read This: A Founder’s Guide to Fall Planning

Fall is upon us, and it’s the perfect time to plan your Q4 projects.

If you’re preparing to launch your first software development project, there’s a good chance you’re asking yourself: Should I hire an in-house team or outsource to an agency? How do I choose a reliable development partner? What should I take care of myself, and what can I delegate to the team?

Maybe you're also wondering: Do I need to provide a detailed feature list? Should I pick the third-party tools like payment or map integrations on my own? What questions should I ask before signing a contract?

We get it – building an app or platform is a major investment, especially as you allocate your Q4 budget. And, naturally, you want to make sure your time and money are used wisely to deliver a functional, investor-ready product.

At Perpetio, we’ve developed 100+ mobile apps and web platforms for both early-stage startups and established companies across industries. We know the common worries founders face before launching a collaboration and which questions they usually ask a tech partner. And we’re here to guide you through every step.

In this guide, we’ll share what to expect when working with a dev team, what you can confidently delegate, and how to set yourself up for a smooth, result-driven Q4.

Question 1: When to Partnser With a Dev Team Instead of Hiring In-house?

The first big question to answer is: Should you build an in-house team or partner with a tech company for development? What’s easier, more cost-effective, and better in the long run?

As with many things, the answer is – it depends.

You might expect us, an outsourcing team, to say, “Just hand over the project to us and forget all your worries.” But that’s not the full story.

If you’re building a large, long-term product that will need continuous updates, iterations, and scaling, an in-house team might be the better choice. You’ll want people who are fully integrated into your company, immersed in your culture, and ready to work side by side with other departments.

But if you’re creating a product to get it out there, present it, and improve it occasionally, outsourcing will likely save you time, money, and a lot of organizational effort.

Let’s break it down.

Hiring in-house means you need to recruit each person individually. That includes searching, interviewing, and onboarding everyone: developers, designers, QA specialists, and potentially a project manager. You also need to know enough about tech to recognize the right people. Once hired, the project setup is also on you, from picking a project management tool to tracking progress and setting up development processes.

It’s doable, but it’s a commitment.

That’s where partnering with a tech company using the dedicated team model comes in.

With this model, a vendor provides you with a team tailored to your needs. You pay for the hours each team member works, just like you would with your own employees except the vendor handles recruitment, setup, and coordination.

A typical dedicated team includes:

• Project manager
• UI/UX designer
• Developer (iOS, Android, Flutter for cross-platform, or web)
• QA specialist
• Optionally, a business development manager or product manager

This cross-functional team covers the full development cycle. Everyone has their area of expertise, but they work together as one unit — constantly syncing, planning, and improving. Most dedicated teams follow Agile methodology, so your product is delivered in iterations, tested regularly, and always evolving.

You can stay as involved as you want, while the day-to-day process stays in good hands.

Question 2: What You Can (and Should) Delegate to Your Technical Partner?

If this is your first time working with an outsourced development team, it’s not always obvious which parts of the project you’re responsible for and which ones you can hand off.

The truth is, a good tech partner won’t just wait for instructions. They’ll be ready to guide you through the process and take over the tasks they know best.

Here are just a few things you can safely delegate to your tech team:

• Product research
  You don’t have to come in with a 20-page product plan. At Perpetio, our product managers and designers dive into competitor apps, analyze reviews to spot user pain points, and explore monetization strategies. We also help conduct user interviews to validate the app’s concept in real-world use cases.
• MVP feature set
  You don’t need to define every feature yourself. Based on research, interviews, and your input, your tech partner can suggest a feature list that solves real user problems, fits your timeline and budget, and aligns with your business goals.

• Tech stack and third-party integrations
  Native or cross-platform? Firebase or custom backend? Your team will pick the best tools for the job depending on your app’s functionality, user base, and future scaling plans while keeping hosting, maintenance, and integration costs in mind.
  
  We recommend the best approach, native or cross-platform, based on your app’s specifics and our experience. We also suggest third-party tools like maps, payments, or analytics. Because there are many options available, we help you pick the ones that fit your app’s load, budget, and features.
• App store submission
  Publishing to the App Store or Google Play isn’t just about uploading the build. Your developers can take care of the technical requirements, prepare visuals, write descriptions, and make sure your app gets through the review process smoothly.

• Marketing assets
  If you don’t have a designer or marketing expert on board, your team can help with visuals, messaging, or even landing pages so your app makes a great first impression and users know what it’s all about.

Remember that you can always ask your potential tech partner if they are covering certain tasks and if it comes at an additional cost.

Question 3: How to Spot a Team That Thinks Like Co-founders, Not Just Coders?

Naturally, you'd want your tech team to be engaged in your product – not just write lines of code. You’re looking for someone who’s eager to share their expertise, who’s worked on similar products, and who can recommend the best plan of action, tech stack, or even monetization model.

But how do you spot such a team?

The best way is to book a call and ask questions, and just as importantly, pay attention to the questions they ask you. If no one asks about your users, scaling plans, or integrations, it’s a red flag. It might mean they’re only interested in executing the task, not in the product’s success.

Even if your project involves only development based on a finished design, a good engineering team should still ask about user load, geography, and any third-party integrations to build a truly scalable and maintainable solution.

At Perpetio, we aim to go beyond development tasks and act as partners. When working on the eargym app, our job was to implement the ready UI design using Flutter. Still, we suggested improvements based on our previous experience. One significant change was rethinking the monetization model.

Together with eargym’s in-house researchers, we analyzed how long it typically takes for users to form a habit – around 14 to 21 days. We proposed a 14-day free trial to help users get into the routine of using the app daily. The result? A more meaningful onboarding experience, better retention, and a 40% increase in active users after A/B testing.

We also improved the Unity integration flow, added Smartlook and A/B testing analytics, and introduced a more flexible workflow for research-driven feature planning, all while staying within the scope of our development responsibilities.

That’s the mindset of a team that thinks beyond the task list.

Question 4: What Should I Even Ask the Team Signing a Contract?

Even after reading case studies and reviews, the only way to really know if a team fits is to talk to them.

This isn’t just about evaluating their experience – it’s about avoiding surprises down the road.

Here are some essential questions to ask your potential dev partner:

• What similar projects have you completed?
  Don’t rely only on public portfolios; many projects are under NDA. Ask for relevant experience in your domain.
• What was your most successful or proudest project?
  Their answer tells you what they value: user impact, innovation, business results?
• How do you estimate the time and scope?
  A good team should explain their estimation approach clearly, not just give you a number.
• Do you offer tech or business consulting?
  If you’re not a tech expert, you shouldn’t have to be. A great team guides you on tech stack, monetization, launch strategy, and more.
• Will you support the app post-launch?
  Maintenance, updates, and store uploads all matter after the code is done.
• Should I go native or cross-platform?
  The answer should be tailored to your product goals, not what’s easier for the team.
• What monetization models do you suggest?
  Smart monetization = sustainable business. You want insights backed by user behavior and market data.
• Which collaboration models and payment systems are available? Dedicated team, time and materials, fixed cost – each has pros and cons. Ask what’s best for your case.
• How do we communicate and track progress?
  Clear updates, a shared Slack channel, regular reports, all essential for staying in sync.
• What kind of contract and NDA will we sign?
  This protects both sides. Make sure the expectations and rights are clearly stated.
• Can I meet the actual team?
  Request CVs and arrange a quick call to see who’s building your product.

At Perpetio, we walk through all of these during intro calls because setting things up right is how you avoid misunderstandings and extra work later.

The Main Question: How to Avoid Wasting Your Q4 Budget and Still Have a Demo Ready for Investors?

Planning is everything, especially when it comes to your Q4 budget and product launch. The end of summer is the right time to set things in motion. If you start working with a software development team now, your MVP can be ready to demo before the year wraps up.

To make that happen, begin with clear expectations. Your team should know what you want to achieve and when. The earlier you share your timeline and budget, the easier it is to suggest the right scope and process.

At Perpetio, we usually start with a free consultation to figure out the best approach, whether that’s a fixed-price MVP or a flexible setup with a dedicated team.

And if you’re still shaping the product idea, we can help prioritize the features that show your concept in action. Investors want to see how it works, not just hear about it.

Reach out now, while there’s still time to plan and build something meaningful before the year ends.