What you get when you hire a Figura iOS designer

IPhone and iPad users aren’t going anywhere. And neither are iOS designers.

Well-designed iOS apps will increase your brand exposure, distribution and loyalty. As a startup founder, you need to design new products from zero - crafting an iOS app design experience from the ground up using proven processes, tools and methodologies.

In this article, we’ll explain everything you need to know about hiring an iOS product designer, including the skills they need, the interview process, and how to assess their portfolio.

By the end, you’ll have a solid understanding of what it takes to find and hire the hottest iOS product designers around.

Hire your iOS Designer in 1 click

$45/h.

Priyank S.

Priyank’s build products for leading education platforms and is extremely passionate about solving user problems - seamlessly.

iOS, App, UX

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$95/h.

Louis M.

Louis is focused on building simple and thoughtful experiences and is a huge believer in a user-centered approach to interface design.

iOS, App, UX

Talk to sales

First thing to know - iOS app design is not web design

Mobile apps are designed to be used on mobile devices (DUH). You’ll have a more limited functionality than a website, so focus on a single clear purpose. There are two types of iOS apps - native and hybrid.

Web apps are available online and you can use them cross-platform, they run in a web browser (obviously) and offer more features than an iOS app. The main difference is that for a web app you just need an internet connection and you can access the app.

You can access your iOS apps by installing them on your device, which makes it easier to access offline (if you don’t have internet).

So how to design well for both? It’s a slippery slope - but that’s where our iOS app designers expertise comes in - they can make sure you are designing specifically for the platform you need.

Things a good iOS designer can do for you for you

Work with you to understand your goals for the app

Research, wireframing, testing and validation

Design a user interface that is both visually appealing and easy to use

Create any necessary icons or images

Help you choose the right colors for your app

Provide guidance on how to market your app and make it successful

How do I know if my designer knows iOS apps and not Android?

There are several design aspects to consider that vary across iOS and Android. Check their knowledge on the following:

• Navigation (primary, secondary, back, and top of the screen)
• Buttons (flat, floating, with or without shadows)
• Typography (default fonts)
• Icon size and mobile screen resolution
• Control design (CTA buttons, tabs, search icon, selection controls)
• Use of cards (shadow or no shadow, width, corner type)
• Alert methods (placement, style, case type)

In general, iOS uses Human Interface Guidelines; Android adheres to Material Design principles.

The iOS operating system uses the San Francisco (SF) font, whereas Android uses Roboto. With iOS, the CTA is usually found in the upper-right corner; with Android, it’s often located at the bottom-right as a floating action button (FAB).

And don’t forget - iOS apps are created in pt (points); Android uses dp (density-independent pixels).

These are just a few highlighted differences - there’s many more.

In-house or agency?

As a startup founder, at some point you’ve gotta make a tough choice.

In-house

Internalize the app-design process by hiring someone full-time and paying them a salary.

Initial rates are usually lower than freelancers, plus they’re fully behind your company mission and able to collaborate with your whole team. They’re there whenever you need them.

Standard can vary, so if you don’t get the results you want then re-hiring is costly and takes time. In the long run rates are more costly because you need to cover overheads, tax, benefits and insurance.

Agency

Outsource all your design tasks to a team of qualified specialists.

Quality is high, you should be able to get industry-specific knowledge, good communication, good experience and help structuring your goals.

Costs are high, feedback loops are often long, so don’t expect a quick turnaround, or to be able to section off smaller projects. It’s tricky and expensive to change course mid-project.

That’s it?! Surely there’s something better suited to the way a startup works…

Luckily, yes. Yes there is.

Meet our ready-to-work, pre-grilled freelance designers

With a freelance product designer you’ll get one single contractor to take on your product design needs.

Traditionally, the pros and cons of working with a designer look like this…

Freelancer

Scale up or scale down as needed, ask for help with any size project, agree a fixed cost or hourly rate up front, get direct communication and often a very fast turnaround.

Scheduling depends on the time management skills of the designer, teamwork may be an issue because you need to coordinate the designer with the rest of your team.

But with Figura, it’s different.

Each Figura Designer has soared through four grueling stages to rise to the ranks where they’re ready to meet you. We make a point of hiring only the most skilled and creative designers so you won't waste your time with anything less than the best.

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