Mobile Tech Hiring in 2025: Where to Find Talent & How to Beat the Competition
By Connor Reilly, Senior Recruitment Consultant - Mobile, Gravitas Recruitment Group
Let’s be honest - hiring great Mobile Developers in 2025 isn’t easy. Yes, there are plenty of developers who are “open to work” on platforms like LinkedIn, but how do you find the right fit for your app and business?
Whether you’re building out an iOS squad in London or need a Senior Android Developer to drive your app roadmap forward in Manchester, the reality is the same across the UK: demand is high, the best talent is snapped up fast, and the hiring process has never been more cut-throat.
I speak to Hiring Managers every week who are under pressure to move quickly, offer competitively, and still keep the process personable. Here’s what you need to know to stay ahead - and actually hire who you want to.
Key takeaways
- Slow feedback loops and drawn-out hiring processes are costing businesses their ideal hires. In high-demand areas like London, this is critical - where median salaries hit £80,000, you're not the only one making an offer.
- London has the highest concentration of mobile developer roles, including iOS and Android contractors demanding up to £600/day (contract). But with so many companies fishing in the same pool, you’ll need access to passive talent - the candidates who aren’t applying but are open to the right role through trusted networks.
- Remote roles can offer cost savings. Remote Mobile Developers now command £70,000+ salaries and on average £500/day in contract rates. The flexibility you offer must be matched by a compelling package - and a fast and smooth hiring experience.
Read the latest market insights or skip to the end to download our salary and contract rate benchmarking for Mobile (iOS and Android).
Regional trends: London leads, but others are catching up
London is still the capital when it comes to mobile hiring with around 38% of the candidate market, according to our research on LinkedIn and using our own database of over 10,000 candidates. It offers the highest salaries, the biggest concentration of roles, and the fiercest competition. However, regional hubs like Manchester, Leeds and Glasgow have emerging, less competitive, hot spots and in some cases, are outpacing London in vacancy growth YoY. Professionals looking for work in Manchester grew 5% YoY, with London growing 7%.
And when you consider remote workers, it really opens up the talent market for those working on complex and innovative applications.
The differences in pay, challenges and trends, can come down to many factors, but I’ve simplified things by split my thoughts into the permanent the contractor hiring market.
Salary trends: growth, volatility and location-based surprises
Starting with permanent roles for Mobile Developer’s, salaries are rising, especially outside London. In Q1 2025:
- Mobile Developer (UK-wide median): £60,000
- London median: £85,000
- West Midlands: £71,250 (+60% YoY)
- North West: £70,000 (+27% YoY)
- Remote: £62,500 (-16.67% YoY)
It’s a similar story for platform-specific roles:
- iOS Developers: London median £85,000 (+16% YoY)
- Senior Android Developers: £70,000 median across the UK
The gap between remote and office-based salaries is narrowing, but remote roles are still competitive - particularly for iOS talent, where some developers are earning £70,000+ from home.
Interestingly, there are some SaaS and Fintech companies, based outside of London, offering higher salaries, as they look to try and attract top talent to relocate as they keep their business costs lower being based outside of the capital.
Contract market: steady demand, higher stakes – but you must be quick
The contractor space is still a critical part of the hiring mix, especially for project-driven mobile work.
Key contract rate insights (Q1–Q2 2025):
- Mobile App Developers (all platforms, UK-wide): Median £569/day (+62.5% YoY)
- Remote App Developers: £500/day median
- iOS/Android-specific roles (UK): London tops with an average £600/day
Although rates in London are good, we’ve seen a decrease in rates in the North West and North of England. What we are seeing are more remote opportunities on the contracting side, as Hiring Managers look to broaden the scope of their talent attraction.
According to Contractor UK and APSCo, contract assignments rose 11% month-on-month in March 2025. A report by REC and KPMG also discussed how London hiring was still on the rise, but outside of London, things had dropped. I’m keeping a close eye on the market to help advise my clients on how they can adapt their hiring and still sustain growth for their essential projects.
Hiring headaches: why your process might be failing
If you’ve struggled to hire great developers recently, you’re not alone. Here are the top issues we're seeing:
- No-shows are on the rise.
Candidates are juggling multiple offers. Without a tight process and strong engagement, you’ll lose them - often before they even show up for the interview, or worse, on day one. You need strong communication and a clear, fast, hiring process to keep them engaged. - Slow feedback is killing offers.
Delays cost you. Skilled Mobile Developers are off the market in days, not weeks. Every day of silence from your side increases the chance they’ll accept an offer elsewhere. - Costs are high, especially in London.
Agency fees, advertising, and lost productivity from slow hiring all add up. But the bigger cost? Losing top-tier talent to a competitor with a faster, sharper hiring process. The best approach is to speed up hiring, without compromising on compliance and quality. That’s were specialist recruitment can really enhance your efforts.
The bottom line: act fast, pay smart, communicate better
This year, it’s not enough to have a great brand or a cool product in my opinion - developers have options, and they know their worth. If you're hiring Mobile Developers, whether perm or contract, here’s what matters most:
- Speed beats perfection. Aim to shorten interview cycles and give timely feedback.
- Pay where it counts. Don’t lowball iOS or Android talent - especially in high-demand regions like London.
- Make remote work, work. Flexibility is a top priority for candidates.
- Engage with purpose. Show your value proposition early and often. If using an agency, make sure they understand how to sell your business and project.
At Gravitas, we live and breathe Mobile recruitment. If you’re struggling to navigate this shifting market - or just want to benchmark your current strategy - I’m always up for a conversation.
If you're facing Mobile recruitment challenges, I'd be delighted to discuss your specific situation. Contact me directly here or connect with me on LinkedIn.