Investing in a mobile app? Here is what you need to ask yourself

Are you considering buying or investing in a mobile app? Doing your due diligence is key to reducing risks and ensuring the best possible outcome. In this post, we’ve put together a list of 21 key questions to consider as part of your decision-making process.

Governance and legal framework questions

• Has the app ever been penalized by any of the app stores for violations of their terms?
• Are there any restrictions preventing users from downloading and installing the app, based on geographic location, age or other similar factors?
• Has the company ever purchased forced, fake or incentivized downloads?
• Does the app send push notifications to its users? If yes:
• -What kind of notifications?
• -How many notifications?
• -What’s the response rate for these notifications?
• Was the app developed by a third-party developer or development company? If yes:
• -Who owns the source code?
• -Is the company in complete control of all rights and IPs?
• -Are there any restrictions that prohibit or hinder the app being transferred, either in-house or to another developer?
• -How easy is it to switch to another developer?
• -Is the development of the app well documented (and how)?
• -Is the developer charging any ongoing fees for hosting the app etc.?
• -Is the developer in charge of backup?
• -Is there a contract in place that covers updates to the app as operating systems get updated and the app would need to be modified accordingly?
• -How important a client is the company for the developer?
• -How many other clients does the developer have?
• -How is the relationship with the developer?
• -In case of disagreements and disputes, would the developer be able take the app offline?
• What steps have been taken to make the app GDPR compliant?

If you need more inspiration for relevant questions to ask before going ahead with your investment plans, we recommend downloading the 85 questions to ask before investing in a mobile app white paper.