Checklist: choosing an app agency
For: Management, product owners and procurement
Updated: 2026-11
When choosing an app agency, glossy references matter less than verifiable answers: which form factor does it recommend and why? Who owns the code? Where is the data? How are requirements, changes and acceptance handled? And who operates the app after launch?
Quotes for the same app can differ several times over, because each agency understands something different by it. Without a common basis you compare apples with oranges.
The checklist helps make quotes comparable and ask the questions that prevent trouble later.
The checklist
- 01
Clarify requirements first
Record users, core features and first scope in writing before requesting quotes.
Done when: All agencies approached receive the same written description.
- 02
Ask for the form factor reasoning
Ask whether the agency recommends a PWA, web app or store app and why.
Done when: Each agency has justified its form factor recommendation in writing.
- 03
Check comparable references
Look at references of similar complexity and, if possible, speak to a reference customer.
Done when: At least one reference has been contacted or verified directly.
- 04
Regulate code ownership
Clarify who owns source code, access and store accounts, and how handover works.
Done when: The draft contract explicitly regulates ownership, handover and access.
- 05
Clarify data protection and hosting
Ask about data location, data processing agreement and services used.
Done when: Storage location and sub-processors are named in writing.
- 06
Define changes and acceptance
How change requests are handled and against what acceptance is measured.
Done when: A change procedure and acceptance criteria are agreed.
- 07
Operations after launch
Who handles updates, security fixes and adaptation to new operating systems, and on what terms.
Done when: Operation and maintenance are described with services and response times.
Common mistakes
- —The cheapest quote contains less, which only becomes visible during the project.
- —Store accounts are created in the agency’s name and are hard to transfer later.
- —Operations after launch are not agreed, and the app becomes outdated with the next operating system.
What this checklist does not cover
- —The checklist does not replace a legal review of the contract.
- —Public tenders are subject to additional procedural rules.
Parent service: App Development
Matching offers
App concept and scoping
Before an app is built, a concept answers the questions that decide budget and success: who uses it, for what, on which devices? Is a PWA enough or is a store app needed? Which data, which interfaces, which first scope? The result is a basis for binding quotes, from us or anyone else.
Project leadership for store apps
If your project really needs a native store app, we take on the parts where such projects most often fail: an IREB requirements catalogue, selection of the development partner, control of budget and scope, acceptance and publication in the stores. We do not offer native development ourselves, which keeps our steering independent.
FAQ
Is an agency with its own product an advantage?
Often yes, because it knows operations and maintenance from experience. Check, however, whether its recommendation is shaped by its own interests.
Should we create a concept before choosing an agency?
For larger projects, yes. An independent concept makes quotes comparable and reduces the risk of change requests.
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