Do you have an excellent product idea that you can’t wait to make a reality? It’s not always an easy choice to decide on who will help bring your plan to life. Each project is different, so there’s no one-size fits all answer as to whether freelancers or software development companies are the “better” choice.
Often there’s a lack of understanding about the pros and cons of each option, so here we look at the pros and cons of hiring both a freelancer or a software development company to help you make a more informed choice and hire the people you really need for your project.
Project Cost
Freelancer
The biggest pro of hiring a freelance software developer is that freelancers generally have lower rates. Even if a professional freelancer’s hourly rates seem high, you can typically expect to save between 20 and 30% off the cost of a development company. Keep in mind that when you hire a freelancer, you aren’t paying for things like health insurance, office space, or office supplies.
Software Company
The biggest con to hiring a software development team is that it will almost always come at a higher cost. Find a software development company in a different region may seem like an attractive option to keep costs doen. For instance, companies based in India are well-known for low-cost development services while companies from Western Europe and the US can cost more. Keep in mind that you get what you pay for, and cultural differences and language barriers can be near-on impossible to overcome. So, it’s never a good idea to choose a developer based only on cost.
The Scope of the Project
Freelancer
One pro to hiring a freelancer is that they’re typically very skilled in one specific area. Since freelancers run their own businesses, they usually try to become an expert in one niche. So for a smaller project or a particular task, it can be more beneficial to hire a freelancer.
Software Company
If you’re looking for help with a more complex project or you’re a new entrepreneur, then there are many pros to hiring a software company. Professional software companies will provide full life-cycle services including professional consulting, project management, business analysis, monetisation strategies, and more. If you’re trying to build a startup then hiring a professional team that can help with all the parts of product development could result in a more significant return on investment.
Experience
Freelancer
Another pro to hiring a freelancer is that they are often more custom-tailored professionals who fit a very particular idea of the ideal candidate. For example, if you need a developer who’s also a photographer to help build a photography portfolio app, then it can be easier to find an individual freelancer with this type of experience.
Software Company
Software development companies have tons of experience with complex projects and often have finely-tuned workflow procedures. Furthermore, software companies are constantly evolving and keeping up to date on current software trends and new programming languages, which can translate into better, more modern solutions for your project.
If you prefer a more professional approach, then hiring a software development company will be a big pro for you since all you have to do is get in touch with project managers, approve completed work, and wait for the next part of your project to be developed.
Accountability
Freelancer
Most freelancers strive to do an excellent job because they rely on word of mouth to gain clients. However, it is much harder to hold a freelancer accountable than a software development company. Sometimes freelancers get too busy with other projects and become unavailable to work on your schedule, and not every freelancer will care about the quality of your product.
What’s more, most freelancers work on a project until it is completed and then move on. This means that if you find any bugs or issues with the product after it has been finished, you might not get any support or maintenance from your original hire.
Software Company
One of the biggest pros of hiring an agency for your software development needs is that they provide project oversight between the client and the developers to guarantee that everything is running smoothly. They can keep track of the hours worked, quality, and feedback from the client, so everything runs smoothly.
It’s much easier to go through one project manager overseeing the whole team of developers than it is to check in with several different freelancers individually.
What’s more, a good, reputable agency will have an easier time replacing personnel if something goes wrong and an agency is often better equipped to deal with emergencies. This added level of security is one of the biggest pros when hiring a software company over a freelancer.
Conclusion
As you can see, there are pros and cons to both freelancers and software development companies. If your project is small enough that one person can handle it and you don’t think you’ll need a growing team, or you’re looking for a niche specialist, then hiring a freelancer is the way to go.
But if your project is complex and requires an efficient team, or you’re a new entrepreneur with no previous experience managing freelancers, then you’re better off hiring a software development company.
For instance, when you partner with CodeFirst, you get the benefit of leveraging 20 years of experience in the software industry. Our team of talented developers will consult with you and explain how to take your project to the next level.
So don’t hesitate to get in touch with us for a free chat in person or over the phone to find out how we can work for you.