Freelance iOS developer in Swift
As a freelance iOS developer I help companies and agencies that need an experienced developer on an iPhone app without hiring. It might be a new app, an existing app whose developer has left, or extra hands in a team that has said yes to more than it can deliver. I write Swift and SwiftUI and work in your own repository.
- I usually reply the same day
- Written estimate before work starts
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Three situations where I get hired
The first is a new app where you have the idea and the budget but no iOS developer in-house. Here I take it all the way from scoping to the App Store and make sure you hold the code and the account afterwards.
The second is an app that has stalled. The original developer has moved on, the app no longer builds in the latest Xcode, or Apple has rejected the latest update. Here I start with a review and get the app building again before we talk about new features.
The third is capacity. Agencies and product teams hire a freelance iOS developer when there is more work than hands. I then sit inside your workflow, work in your branches and open pull requests your own people can review.
What I work with
- Swift and SwiftUI for the interface, and UIKit where an older app or a particular component calls for it.
- Swift Concurrency and URLSession for talking to REST APIs, with data decoded robustly so one odd field does not bring down a whole screen.
- Local storage on the phone, so the app also works without a connection and syncs afterwards.
- Maps and location with MapKit and Core Location, push notifications, deep links and Sign in with Apple.
- TestFlight and App Store Connect for test builds, releases and responses to Apple's review.
How I work in your team
I adapt to the way you work: your repository, your branches, your ticket system and your code style. The work arrives as pull requests in chunks small enough for someone to read through.
What I build is documented in the repository, so knowledge stays with you and does not disappear when the job is done. If your own developers are taking over, they get a walkthrough of the code.
When does a freelance iOS developer make sense?
A permanent iOS developer makes sense when the app is the core of the business and there is enough work for a full position for years. For many companies that is not the case. The app matters, but the work comes in waves: a launch, a big update, a few fixes after a new iOS version.
Here a freelancer is the flexible choice. You pay for the work there is, not for the months when the app just runs. In return you get a developer who has seen many codebases and knows where problems tend to hide.
There are also situations where freelance is the wrong answer. If a large app has to be built and run by several developers on iOS and Android at once over several years, a permanent team is right. I say so when that is the case.
Taking over an existing iOS app
A common iOS enquiry is not a new app, but an existing one that has stalled. The developer or agency has moved on, nobody quite knows how the code fits together, and now an update has to ship.
I start by getting the project to build in the latest Xcode and updating the packages the app depends on. Then I review the code and write an assessment: what works, what is fragile, and what should be rewritten. Only then do we agree on new work.
Often the code turns out to be better than feared. Other times the cheapest route is to rebuild parts of the app in SwiftUI. Both answers happen, and I have no interest in one over the other.
Freelance iOS developer for agencies
Many web and design agencies get questions about apps from clients they already have. Instead of saying no or hiring, they can bring in a freelance iOS developer for the job and keep the client relationship.
I am happy to work inside your processes alongside your designer and project manager. Because web development is my main work, I can also build the part of the backend the app needs while your own team looks after the website.
What you get
Concrete deliverables, not a report of recommendations someone else has to find time for.
- Reviewable pull requests
The work in your own repository, in pieces small enough for your team to read through.
- An app that builds
The project updated to the latest Xcode and iOS version, so you can ship updates to the App Store again.
- A written estimate
With a scope of what is included, what is not, and when it will be ready.
- Documentation in the repository
So what I built does not live only in my head. The next person to open the project should be able to find their way.
How it works
Four steps. You know what happens when, and you can stop after any of them.
- 01 / 04
We scope the first version
A 20-30 minute call about who the app is for and what it has to do on day one. I ask about data, login and existing systems, and tell you honestly if an app is not the answer to your problem.
- 02 / 04
Screen flow before code
I sketch the screens and the path between them, so we agree on the first version before any code is written. If a design already exists in Figma, I build from that.
- 03 / 04
Building with TestFlight
The app is built in pieces, and each piece lands on your iPhone through TestFlight. You test on real phones along the way, so changes get made while they are still cheap.
- 04 / 04
Release and upkeep
I prepare the App Store page, submit the app for Apple's review and fix whatever Apple may ask for. After launch I keep the app updated for new iOS versions, if you want me to.
Brands I've worked with
Frequently asked questions
- What does a freelance iOS developer cost?
- It depends on the job. For scoped tasks you get a fixed price after a short clarification. For ongoing work we agree scope and price up front, so there are no surprises.
- Can you work in our existing codebase?
- Yes. I work in your repository, follow your code style and deliver through pull requests your team can review. If the app is written in UIKit, I continue in UIKit or move screens to SwiftUI where it makes sense.
- How quickly can you start?
- You get a reply the same day, and we can have the first call within a few days. When the work itself can begin depends on what I have on, and you will hear that straight away.
- Do you work remotely or on site?
- Mostly remotely with video and screen sharing. If you are in the Copenhagen area, I am happy to come by for kick-offs and key meetings.
- Can you help if Apple has rejected our app?
- Yes. The rejection comes with a reference to the guidelines the app does not meet. I read it, fix the app or the App Store details, and help with the reply to Apple.
- Do you build the backend for the app too?
- Yes. Web development is my main work, so I can build the API, the database and a web admin. If you already have a backend, I connect the app to it.
- What is the difference between an iOS developer and an app developer?
- An iOS developer specialises in Apple's platforms and typically writes Swift. An app developer may work on iOS, Android or across both. I am an iOS developer and build natively for iPhone and iPad.
- How do we get started?
- Write or call and tell me what the job is and where the app stands today. You get a reply the same day, and then we have a short call where I ask about the codebase, access and deadline.