How to avoid common traps when choosing an app development partner

At GoodRequest, in over 11 years, we've met several clients who opted for the “bargain” offer and in the end, it cost them not only more money, but also energy and time. That's why we're bringing you an overview of the most common traps when choosing a technology partner and specific tips on how to avoid them.

🚩1. Cheap on paper, expensive in reality

You get a bid that is significantly undercut by other suppliers. For example, the estimated budget for an app is around €200,000, but someone sends you a bid for €80,000. Sounds tempting, right? Right?!

Some agencies will deliberately set an unrealistically low price just to win the contract. They know the real price of the project, but their goal is to “ tie you down” as a client. Once the project gets underway, “unexpected” adjustments, change requests and other fees start to appear. At that point, switching contractors is costly and time consuming and they know this all too well.

From experience:

A project came across our desk: the client received a bid significantly cheaper than average. How did it turn out? The app is out... But more than a year later than planned, and by our estimates, the client ended up paying about four times the original price due to the length of development.

One common mistake on the client's part is expecting an infallible cost breakdown before the actual project launch. The reality is that this is an estimate, and an estimate is always a guideline or the best possible calculation based on the information available. Therefore, it is important that you and your partner clarify expectations down to the last detail.

How to avoid it:

✅ Ask for a detailed breakdown of items and activities in the bid.

✅ Talk openly about potential risks and their financial implications.

✅ Check the references and experience of the contractor, focus on fairness and transparency.

🚩 2. The myth of the perfect assignment

Even the most precise assignment has its gaps. Incomplete or unclear requirements leave room for self interpretation and some agencies can “cleverly” exploit this. They price the project according to the simplest version of your requirements. What can this mean for you? All the details you took for granted are later charged extra.

From experience:

When we consult with clients on their assignments, we almost always run into parts that can be understood in different ways. That's why we emphasize thorough preparation and facilitate workshops where we fine-tune the assignment together and avoid unpleasant surprises during development.

How to avoid it:

✅ Go through the assignment together with the contractor in as much depth as possible before signing the contract.

✅ Ask about potential risk zones that may change the scope of work.

✅ If you are unsure, engage an external consultant to help you fine-tune the specification.

We understand that the client does not come with a detailed specification at the first meeting. Often it's more of a vision, an idea or a specific goal you want to achieve. That's why we have an initial discovery phase in the process where we go through your needs in detail together, ask questions and get clear on what the project really requires. It's like a mini project before the actual project, but it saves time, money and misunderstandings.

It will help you prepare so that you have as many questions answered as possible at the beginning of the collaboration.

🚩 3. Quick offer is like instant coffee

If a contractor sends you a bid almost instantly, chances are it's just a very rough estimate without proper analysis. Quality bids require time to prepare, consultation with experts, and a thorough understanding of your needs.

Our estimates are never created on the fly. Experts from multiple disciplines - product managers, analysts, technical leads and designers - are involved in the creation process. Each brings their perspective to the process, allowing us to develop a realistic proposal that reflects the technical and business requirements of your project.

From experience:

We met with a client who had a proposal on the table ready in less than 24 hours. A great start indeed in terms of customer experience, but in reality it was just a ballpark figure that increased by tens of percent during the project.

How to avoid it:

✅ Ask the contractor how or who prepared the bid.

✅ Ask for a transparent overview of activities broken down by project phases and, for larger projects, milestones.

✅ Look for contractors who know that a quality bid is not born in a few hours and are not afraid to talk openly about it with you.

🚩 4. Cheapest tuition? Experience of others

One of the common mistakes is the idea that you have to manage everything yourself. Many clients underestimate the value of the experience of their industry peers or network of contacts. However, these are the ones that can give you a real insight into what to expect from a potential supplier before you commit.

Ask friends, reach out to professionals in your network, or tap into the LinkedIn community. Browse independent reviews on platforms like Clutch. And importantly, don't just stick to the references that the supplier themselves provide. If possible, try to get in touch directly with their customers whose testimonials they use in their presentations.

These conversations will often reveal not only the quality of the deliverables, but also how the contractor communicates, how they handle unexpected situations, and whether they are a partner you can rely on throughout the duration of the project.

From experience:

Keby klient, ktorého sme spomínali vyššie, skôr oslovil niekoho z fachu, dozvedel by sa, že "budgetový" dodávateľ má povesť toho, kto síce na začiatku nasadí nízku cenu, no po podpise zmluvy neustále navyšuje rozpočet.

How to avoid it:

✅ Talk to colleagues in the company and industry who have implemented similar projects.

✅ Seek public reviews and recommendations.

✅ Don't be afraid to ask for honest feedback in your network of contacts.

The community experience can save you a lot of time, money and inconvenience.

🧩 Bonus: Checklist for selecting a contractor

Go through this short list before you decide:

• Do I have a transparent and itemized budget?
• Do I know the risks and how the contractor plans to address them?
• Have I checked at least 2-3 references?
• Do I understand exactly what is included in the price and what is not?
• Has the contractor taken enough time to understand my project?

Keep it handy when choosing your next development partner.

Choose a partner, not just a contractor

Your supplier isn't just an external company - it's your partner who helps you turn your vision into reality. So choose one that values transparency and will approach your project as you would your own.

Remember... A cheap deal today can easily turn into an expensive deal tomorrow.