A Quick Guide To Changing App Developers Mid-Project

Over the past eight years, Upstack Studio has received hundreds of enquiries seeking developers who can take over an app or SaaS project mid-development.

Of those, we’ve taken on X, and we’re proud to say they’ve been successful projects.

However, we had to turn down the majority of requests as there was just too big a gap between the project’s actual state and client expectations, a situation no responsible developer wants to step into.

If you’re looking to salvage your app, here’s how to avoid falling into the second group.

Below are six steps to effectively change software developers mid-project  

1. Reflect on Potential Hiring Mistakes

Many non-tech founders and business owners make these mistakes when hiring developers:

• Prioritizing cost above all
• No due diligence on track record
• Not considering time zone differences (if hiring offshore developers)

There are other mistakes, but these three are the major ones.

Of course, it’s possible to do everything right and still end up with a crappy developer, but chances of a poor hire go up tremendously when these mistakes are made.

We’re not saying you made them, but if you did, make sure you don’t do it this time 🙂

2. Document Issues with Current Developers

Here are common developer red flags we appreciate being told as early as possible:

• They say “yes” to all requests then never fully deliver
• App interfaces don’t match approved designs
• Fixing one bug creates new ones
• App and website data don’t sync properly
• Website or app performs terribly for no reason
• They outsource work without permission
• They constantly miss deadlines
• They make changes without informing you

Usually, an underperforming developer will be guilty of one of these, and in one of the projects we ended up taking over, they were guilty of ALL of them!

The goal is to give your rescue team a full picture of what they agree to walk into.

This way, we can assess if we are not up to the task from the start.

3. Ask how New Developers will Help  

Don’t just settle for “We can fix your app.” 

Ask new developers how they plan to address each issue caused by your current one! 

Here are our answers to the client who faced so many issues with their developer.

Problems with Current Developer	Not with Upstack Studio
They say “yes” to all requests then never fully deliver	We push back when needed, using our experience to guide better decisions and sprints begin with priorities agreed with the client
App interfaces don’t match approved designs	We follow approved Figma designs and include client reviews at the end of every 2-week sprint
Fixing one bug creates new ones	Our agile process includes QA testing within every sprint and peer code reviews
App and website data don’t sync properly	We plan and document backend integrations upfront, with shared documentation
Website or app performs terribly for no reason	We conduct regular performance testing and code audits
They outsource work without permission	All work is done in-house by our team, whose roles and responsibilities are shared with clients.
They constantly miss deadlines	We work in 2-week sprints with clear deliverables and progress updates
They make changes without informing you	All changes are documented in shared tools, and nothing is deployed without client approval

A serious development team always has a proven workflow that lets everyone see progress.

So when we say we can fix your app, we can fix your app 😀

4. Approach Multiple Developers

Avoid hiring the first team that sounds promising, unless your situation is dire.

Truth is there are thousands of amazing developers all over the world, so speak with a few, ask each to assess your app, and compare how they approach the problem.

You’ll likely end up with a shortlist of potential providers, at which point go with the one offering the best combination of:

• Timezone overlap
• Pricing
• Track record
• Development methodology
• Good vibes (yes, they matter)

Or just skip all that and speak to Upstack Studio–in that case you just can’t go wrong.

5. Adjust your expectations

Almost every takeover project we’ve handled started with founders who were overly optimistic. 

Even those who knew their previous developers had issues still overestimated how much of the existing work could be salvaged.

In some cases, that number was zero.

That’s also why most leads don’t proceed after we review their codebase: We tell them it’s so poorly built that the only real option is to start over. 

Perhaps the idea of lost months and sunk costs is too much, or they think we’re lying.  

And that’s fair, but remember sometimes starting development from scratch is faster and cheaper than trying to fix someone else’s mess.

6. Rethink your pricing model

If your previous developers billed purely by the hour, explore other models like: 

• milestone payments
• fixed-fee deliverables
• monthly retainers

Some pricing models definitely favor developers or clients more, so a hybrid model can fairly distribute risk in such a way that clients have clear visibility into where their money goes, and developers are incentivized to deliver the best damn software product possible. 

Bonus: Working with Developers as a Non-Tech

There’s a chance your developer is technically brilliant but sucks at working with non-tech folks!

If that’s the case, learning a bit about the software development lifecycle will go a long way with managing them.

Most modern teams follow Agile development which relies on continuous iteration instead of everything planned from the start, which can feel counter-intuitive, but almost all world-class software is built this way.

So check out our guide to Agile for non-tech founders for a deep dive.

Of course, the beauty of a solid software development agency is that they manage themselves, so you might still want to switch developers!

If you have a custom software project that needs rescuing, get in touch and we’d be happy to help! Also, consider joining our mailing list for a one-stop resource on everything from SaaS validation to execution and promotion. Get a nifty list of questions to ask app developers when you sign up!