Are you looking to hire a Kotlin developer to build an app for your company?
Kotlin programming language has rapidly become the preferred language for Android development, officially endorsed by Google in 2017. Its modern syntax, safety features, and growing ecosystem make it the top choice for building robust, scalable Android apps today.
But while choosing Kotlin is an easy decision, finding skilled Kotlin developers is not. The success of your app depends not just on technical expertise but on the developer’s ability to think critically, solve real-world problems, and collaborate effectively within a team. Poor hiring decisions often lead to higher costs, longer timelines, and disappointing results.
Regularly ranked among the top custom software development companies on Clutch, our team at Volpis has spent years providing Kotlin development services to businesses across diverse industries. In this article, we want to walk you through the most important factors before hiring a Kotlin developer for your mobile app development project.
Top things to consider before hiring a Kotlin developer
Let’s make one thing clear: in this article, we’re not talking about trainee developers. We assume that candidates already have a strong foundation — they understand the mobile app lifecycle, working with backend APIs, and basic Kotlin development principles. The points below focus on what truly separates a good Kotlin developer from a great one — the qualities that will make a real difference in your project’s success.
1) General Android development experience and Kotlin-specific expertise
If this is your first developer — it’s crucial to hire a more experienced Kotlin developer who can take ownership, make decisions, and drive the project forward without constant supervision.
If you already have a strong team — you can consider hiring a less experienced developer, who will grow under the mentorship and guidance of senior teammates.
Why it’s important: An inexperienced developer without guidance can significantly increase risks. A senior developer helps avoid critical mistakes early, sets up better architecture, and ensures smoother project progress.
2) Portfolio and relevant past Kotlin development projects
Always review the developer’s portfolio. Many apps share common functionality like login, notifications, and chats — but if your project requires specific expertise (such as AR app development or indoor mapping), it’s much safer to choose a team that already has proven experience in that domain.
Why it’s important: Developers who have built similar solutions before are faster, make fewer mistakes, and often bring valuable insights that save you time and money.
3) Ability to work without supervision
If you have a dedicated product owner, business analyst, and detailed documentation — that’s perfect.
But if your project setup is less formal, you need a developer who can clarify requirements, anticipate potential risks, and proactively ask the right questions.
Why it’s important: Independence and strong communication save you from misunderstandings, delays, and expensive rework. And if you’re struggling with writing specifications, feel free to contact us! Volpis has outstanding business analysts who can help structure clear and effective project requirements.
4) Problem-solving skills
Technical knowledge is important, but real-world development always brings unexpected challenges. A great Kotlin developer doesn’t just follow instructions — they debug issues, optimize performance, and propose better alternatives when obstacles arise.
When you need to hire Kotlin developers, it is important to test both technical skills and problem solving skills needed for building Android apps, ensuring that candidates can solve complex coding challenges effectively.
Why it’s important: Strong problem-solvers keep your project moving even under pressure, ensuring faster delivery and fewer critical issues.
5) You need an Android developer skilled in modern development ecosystem and functional programming
Hiring a Kotlin developer today means hiring someone who is fully aligned with the modern Android ecosystem.
A strong Android developer should be familiar with essential practices and tools such as MVVM or Clean Architecture, Jetpack Compose, Dependency Injection (Dagger, Hilt, or Koin), Navigation Component, and Room Database.
Why it’s important: Android is no longer about just “getting it to work.” It’s about building high-quality, future-proof apps that are easy to maintain, scale with new features, and stay competitive as the Android ecosystem evolves. Developers who master modern Android tools and standards are 10x more efficient in the long term — they build faster, reduce bugs, make collaboration easier, and save you thousands of dollars in future maintenance and refactoring.
6) Testing skills
A professional Kotlin developer should treat testing as a natural part of their development process, not something left entirely to QA. They should be comfortable with unit testing (JUnit, Mockito) and UI testing (Espresso), ensuring their code is stable before it reaches others.
But beyond tools, testing is also about mindset. A responsible developer takes ownership of their work, pays attention to detail, proactively catches issues early, and minimizes unnecessary “ping-pong” between development and QA.
Why it’s important: Developers who prioritize quality help accelerate releases, reduce bug-related delays, and build stronger, more efficient teams.
7) Adaptability and learning attitude
At Volpis, we believe great developers are engineers first.
Programming languages and frameworks are simply tools — and a great engineer can always pick up new ones when needed.
You’re not just hiring for today’s skills — you’re hiring someone who can grow with your product and keep it competitive over time.
Why it’s important: The tech world evolves constantly. Developers who are adaptable and hungry to learn keep your app modern and competitive over time.
8) Cultural and timezone fit
When working with remote or distributed teams, technical skills are only half the equation. The hiring process for Kotlin developers should include an evaluation of both their coding skills and their soft skills, such as communication and teamwork, to ensure a smooth integration into your project. A good cultural fit — shared communication styles, work ethics, and expectations — often determines how smooth and productive collaboration will be.
If you’re considering a remote Kotlin developer, make sure they have a proven track record of working with Android apps and can adapt to different time zones and team structures. A reasonable overlap in working hours is critical for efficient daily interactions, quick feedback loops, and faster decision-making. Remote Kotlin developers should demonstrate a high level of autonomy and communication to successfully integrate with a distributed team and deliver on time.
Why it’s important: Misaligned communication styles, slow responses due to timezone gaps, or differences in work culture can create hidden friction that slows down the entire project. Hiring a developer who fits your team’s rhythm helps build trust, keeps momentum high, and makes collaboration feel effortless.
How our developers use Kotlin to create custom applications with over a million downloads
The Volpis team has been leveraging the power of Kotlin to build robust applications and assist business owners in achieving unparalleled milestones. One recent example is the Holy Quran app.
The Holy Quran is a popular non-profit mobile app for Android and iOS. The app’s main objective is to provide accurate knowledge about Islam and serve as a platform for studying the Quran. A few years ago, the app needed significant updates.
Our team focused on performance optimization, UI/UX improvements, and backend maintenance.
The app has become a trusted resource for the Muslim community and those interested in Islam. Today, the app has a 4.8-star rating, over 11,000 reviews and has surpassed 1 million downloads.
Do you need to hire Kotlin developers for your Android app development project?
Kotlin programming has grown in popularity among businesses due to its concise syntax and functional programming capabilities, making it an ideal choice for Android development. But hiring the right Kotlin developer is about much more than just reviewing technical skills.
It’s about finding someone who brings a combination of experience, adaptability, ownership, and collaboration — someone who will help your product succeed, not just write code.
If you’re looking for a team that understands the bigger picture behind successful product development, we are always here to answer all your questions and give honest advice. Consistently recognized as one of the top custom software development companies on Clutch and acknowledged among the top 10 Kotlin development companies in 2025 by AppDevelopmentCompanies, our team at Volpis has rich experience designing and developing applications with Kotlin.
Read more reviews from our valuable customers on Clutch
We invite you to explore our portfolio for a detailed look at the innovative applications we have developed for our clients.
If you need to hire Kotlin app developers, you can reach out to us via info@volpis.com with any questions or to explore how we can be part of your journey.
Hire experienced and reliable Kotlin developers today
We would be happy to answer all your questions and help make your project a total win!
FAQs
Absolutely. While Kotlin is the preferred language, many enterprise Android apps still include legacy codebases in Java. Skilled Kotlin developers should be able to read, refactor, and extend Java code when necessary — especially when integrating with older modules or libraries not yet ported to Kotlin.
If you want to evaluate Kotlin developers, ask how they set up projects in Android Studio, how they use Android SDK tools for debugging and profiling, and whether they’ve worked on apps that needed to interoperate with Java libraries or third-party APIs. Their answers should reflect both confidence and precision.
When you hire Kotlin developers, ask how they’ve handled platform-specific challenges like background tasks, push notifications, or location updates. A surface-level dev will mention libraries; a deep one will reference SDK classes (like WorkManager, NotificationCompat, or FusedLocationProvider) and explain why they made certain implementation choices. It shows they think with the SDK, not just around it.
Non-technical founders often make the mistake of hiring Kotlin app developers solely based on GitHub activity or language skills, without evaluating essential traits like communication, autonomy, decision-making and problem solving abilities. They may overlook the importance of Android-specific experience, such as familiarity with the Android SDK, UI performance optimization, and handling device fragmentation. Another common pitfall is expecting one developer to take on the roles of business analyst, QA, and delivery lead. Ultimately, hiring a Kotlin developer isn’t just about filling a role — it’s about choosing someone who can reduce product risk and contribute meaningfully to the project’s success.
In most cases, no. The core tools for Android development — including Android Studio and the Android SDK — are free and open-source. Android Studio is the official IDE supported by Google, and it includes everything needed for coding, testing, profiling, and debugging. However, depending on your project, your developer might request access to a paid API or SDK (e.g., maps, analytics, payment gateways), firebase premium features or Google Cloud resources and testing devices or services (like BrowserStack or Firebase Test Lab). At Volpis, we handle all tooling and environment setup internally — so you don’t have to worry about provisioning anything unless we mutually agree it’s required for your project.
If you want to find qualified Kotlin developers, look beyond years of experience. Ask how they’ve handled architecture trade-offs, production bugs, or code handovers. True senior Kotlin developers will talk about why they made certain decisions, how they evaluated risks, and how they mentored others — not just the tools they used.
A good technical test for Kotlin app developers should avoid algorithm puzzles and instead mimic real-world tasks, such as integrating with a sample REST API, adding offline support to a feature, or refactoring a poorly structured module using MVVM and dependency injection. These tasks reveal how a candidate thinks about architecture, handles code hygiene, and reasons through edge cases—offering a much clearer picture of their practical abilities.
Kostya Khuta, the CEO of Volpis, is an expert in crafting custom software solutions for the Fleet Management, Logistics, and Transportation industry. With over 8 years of experience, he leads the way in delivering innovative and tailored solutions to meet industry-specific needs.
