Guide for Offshore development companies vs freelancers

by The Scalers Offshore Development Teams In India

When developing software overseas, an organisation can work with an offshore development company or freelancers hired by a third party. But how to figure out which is better for your business?

First of all, weigh the pros and cons of each. Considering all aspects before deciding; can be tricky. But don’t worry; we’ve got you! Below are six things you should do first.

1. Choose a partner you can count on

You want a team that will stay with you from start to finish. Freelancers commit to your project until completion. However, they might not address your needs once the project is finished. On the other hand, an offshore development company will support and maintain your software for some time after deployment, leaving your in-house team intact.

2. Build a long-term relationship

Before taking action, think about the possibility of forming a long-term relationship. Freelancers will work consistently with your organisation, but don't expect to have strong bonds with them. Freelancers engage with customers directly on a project-by-project basis to maximise revenues, making long-term goals more challenging. Offshore partners, on the other hand, form stronger connections with their clients because they have dedicated teams for better collaboration and understanding of the client's business processes.

3. Leverage software development expertise

Don’t forget about the fierce battle for top talent. If a freelancer is in a talent scarce region; it may not be cost-effective to hire them. While offshore development centres recruit software engineers from massive talent pools. They have experience with a wide range of technologies, and even niche skills aren’t hard to obtain.

4. Protect intellectual property and data

What about data protection? Hiring freelancers threatens confidentiality as they lack the infrastructure to protect data privacy and security. An offshore development partner adheres to NDAs, legally protecting your IP ownership. Trusted offshore development companies also use advanced security measures and conduct regular safety checks.

5. Ensure quality control

Before picking your partner, make sure to check their quality assurance procedures. Freelancers focus on the end product rather than the process, so that quality may be a low priority. As they operate independently, it's hard to evaluate their coding standards. An offshore development partner provides project supervision and consulting services whenever the project demands additional care for its clients and products.

6. Scale your business on demand

Employing freelancers implies hiring one individual at a time, but if the project requires considerable expertise, hiring multiple freelancers across different stages of development becomes difficult, time-consuming, and expensive. Businesses looking to work with an offshore development company should consider an expert on the ground in a talent-rich location. This makes it possible to scale on demand since you can access a large pool of highly-skilled software developers.

Offshore development company vs freelancers: summary

Freelancers can be beneficial hires for small, simple, and low-budget projects. In comparison, software development companies are better for larger, long-term projects. They ensure that the teams have expertise across the entire required technology stack.

A good offshore development partner like The Scalers can hire and build the perfect team for you and your needs. So, if you’re looking for an offshore engineering team with great quality service tailored to your business needs, feel free to contact us!

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