Software development is difficult even in the best of circumstances, which is why you need the best people on your side to ensure your software project is a success. You must choose whether to hire software developers from specialized software development platforms or freelance developers before you hire remote developers.
Freelancer
Freelance software developers charge by the hour and work on short- and medium-term contracts for one or more companies. This indicates that they work on certain tasks and projects that the freelancer has committed to, but they are not employees of the organization.
Freelance developers are people who run their own businesses and work on their own terms.
For instance, a freelancer might be an expert in data analytics, UI/UX design, or front-end development. Freelancers frequently work for numerous clients at once and aren’t typically long-term employees of a single firm. They typically stay away from offices and work from homes, coffee shops, or well-known downshifting locations.
Software Development Team
A dedicated development team is a collaborative model that consists of an outsourced team in which the client and the developers’ team collaborate on a long-term basis. When you employ them, you receive a committed team of specialists who were specifically chosen for your business objectives.
This team functions similarly to in-house personnel, and they are technically your employees.
But in contrast to staff, you may concentrate on the business without worrying about concerns with taxes, wages, or social benefits. Instead, you can concentrate on more crucial business matters while leaving the rest to your development partners.
In conclusion, a dedicated team model provides a carefully chosen team that is concentrated on a single project. All associated administrative costs are also paid for you.
A well-established group of professionals, software development agencies are a team. The teams often include project managers, business analysts, quality assurance engineers, developers, and designers.
The majority of organisations offer full-cycle software development services, from initial consultancy to product delivery.
Advantages of hiring freelancers
1- Experts in a specific area
Former employees of significant corporations frequently work as Freelance developers. They have a strong background and a great deal of experience. These people can complete autonomous technical jobs since they have excellent freelancing abilities in a certain field.
2- Reduced costs
In terms of pay, freelancers frequently ask for far less money for their services than in-house developers. Additionally, since the freelancers aren’t considered employees, their employers are not responsible for paying for their taxes, health insurance, or work supplies, or worrying about how they will get along with the rest of their coworkers, etc.
3- More flexible
Is there a problem that needs to be fixed immediately, or are there issues that need to be fixed after hours? They are more concerned with completing the task as soon as possible, thus they can work at any time of day or night.
4- a wide range of options
Find a needed specialist on one of the many general freelancing platforms, such as Upwork, Freelancer, Guru, or Hubstaff Talent. Finding the right individual, settling on the project’s terms and conditions, drafting the contract, and submitting the milestone are the only things left to accomplish.
You have the right to terminate the employment contract if there will be communication delays, misunderstandings, or just a lack of common ground. You can request a refund, and if the justifications are compelling (managers can quickly verify all of that in the private conversations), they’ll approve it.
5- No legal confusion
There is no legal ambiguity, which is another advantage that freelance software companies lack. Any legal requirements only apply to you temporarily as a working contract. You simply need to pay for the work that has been done. Your labour relations are over after that. And there will be no compelling reasons for the contractor to file a claim or petition to the court.
Disadvantages of hiring freelancers
1- Confidentiality concerns
Unless you and freelancers have non-disclosure agreements (NDAs). Lemon.io strongly advises signing NDAs before dealing with any new freelancer if privacy is a concern for you. Otherwise, be aware that there are some hazards associated with data leaks. Particularly for businesses that deal with highly secret or confidential material.
2- might just disappear
The project will begin once all requirements, terms, and payments have been established.
Then, one day, the developer might have stopped talking and become a phantom. Working with unreliable freelance platforms or independent contractors that have no clear way to ensure delivery can result in exactly what sounds like a nightmare story.
So, bear it in mind and have a backup plan ready. As an alternative, identify a few additional individuals in advance to serve as reserves.
3- Quality of work
Additionally, not all hired contractors are concerned with the quality of the work produced. Generic platforms like Upwork or PeoplePerHour don’t spend money on background checks for the freelancers who are posted on their websites.
So it’s like you run across someone who is trying to quickly finish the assignment and gain some quick money. For such freelancers, reputational risks are not of the biggest importance because it is always possible to create a new account or work anonymously.
4- Organizational problems
Freelance developers frequently make mistakes like forgetting about deadlines, requesting more work hours, or misinterpreting the original objectives. It will undoubtedly result in errors being made when creating the product. Because of this, your freelancer probably has a number of clients.
As a result, setting deadlines earlier rather than later is preferable.
5- No Maintenance & Support department
When a website, mobile application, or set of tools is finished being developed, the remote developer usually wraps up their work and stops doing any additional upkeep. As a result, if you just hired someone to complete the project from the ground up and they later disappear from your sight, you will need to hire additional freelancers from time to time to patch faults and do maintenance.
And if the initial employee you recruited did a decent job and produced comprehensible code, you’ll be lucky. Otherwise, you would have terrible heritage code that nobody could support or maintain. What do you do after that?
Begin the project from start and hope for the best this time.
Pros and Cons of hiring a development Team
It would appear that hiring development companies would allow you to free up your schedule and rely on expert guidance. They appear trustworthy and responsible, as though they would be willing to follow rules and regulations and provide security.
Nearly all professions are represented in a successful outsourcing company, including testers, product managers, content creators, designers, analysts, and website/mobile app developers.
The operation process is broken up into manageable steps (sprints/iterations), along which necessary customization, analysis, and monitoring are carried out.
A development agency can often be compensated in one of two ways: on a “time and material” or “set price” basis. It is also very important to remember that the client gives the executor rights to the entire product as well as the source code.
Advantages of hiring a software development Team
1- Expertise
The development company has a lot of experience working on a variety of websites, from little visiting card websites to massive Internet resources.
Here, errors committed by newcomers or by the sole individual are best minimized. The diversity of the team developers, designers, managers, QAs, etc., allows them to swiftly dive into the subject at hand, confer with one another, and come up with workable solutions as a group.
2- Maintenance & support
Building enduring relationships with consumers and, of course, upselling more services are priorities for qualified businesses. As a result, they are always the first to offer their services for maintaining the developed or existing products, eliminating problems, and, if necessary, recommending any changes to functionality or other improvements.
2- Full services
They provide a full range of services, including consultation, idea estimation, business analysis, and strategy structuring. For startups or self-starting business owners who have capital but lack the necessary knowledge and abilities, it would be a huge plus.
3- Reputation & customer care
Great outsourcing companies succeed because they produce excellent work. Everything in this situation is straightforward: the agencies produce a project or product; they receive a lot of positive comments; their reputation improves; and the number of new clients increases.
A satisfied customer brings two new business, whereas a dissatisfied one steals ten.
4- Clear deadline
Weekly (daily/monthly, depending on the terms set out) progress reports are provided to you.
You can keep an eye on the reports, get in touch with the project manager, and request the required adjustments throughout the development process.
Good software development businesses are very responsive to achieve any deadlines set since they care about their reputation.
You get stability and the absence of dangers when you get into a contract with the software development business. Laws and transparent financial records provide assurance that the work will be completed and delivered on schedule. You only need to read, double-check, and sign a drafted contract; you are not required to negotiate the terms.
Disadvantages of hiring a software development Team
1- Not flexible
In contrast to freelancers, outsourcing companies for software development have set office hours. You will likely have to wait until the morning if you need to address a bug in the middle of the night. Due to time zone differences, you might have to wait a few hours for the problem to be resolved or pay extra for the extra time. You can be left with an online store or web service that is unavailable during key business hours.
When working with software businesses, you must be ready for any potential complications. Remember that using an outsourcing business will cost you more money, but you will receive a guarantee that your job will be completed within the timeframes you specify.
2- higher cost
Of course, the software development company charges more than the available freelancers. It makes sense because they profit from the margin they add to the hourly rates of their professionals.
3- Poor management
The problem is the same for all agencies: if the person handling the job input points lacks professionalism, the entire project is doomed from the start.
The biggest piece of advice we can provide you is to make sure the account manager is competent before you sign a contract and begin working with any development shop or agency. The prerequisites are as follows:
Nice and straightforward communication, an open process, decent English, and prompt responses.
If they are unable to provide you with an answer, they will pair you up with someone who can.
4- Tough legal teams
You may have a number of restrictions while working with a development outsourcing company. First, there are greater conditions for large businesses since they have much better legal help. If you are dissatisfied with the results they provide, or if they fail to meet the deadline, their lawyers will likely turn the case, and you will not be the winner.
5- Development speed
Companies that specialize in custom software development do not offer quick development services. The entire process could be stifled by internal communications and protocols. Although such a corporation can produce superior results, the development process may take longer.
6- Problem of choice
Thousands of businesses that offer the same services are included in directories for IT services. Making the best decision might be challenging, particularly if you lack specialized knowledge in software development.
Looking at the projects the company you’re considering has already completed and reading the client reviews are the only ways to get around the problem. Your idea’s similarity to anything already developed by a software outsourcing business is a good sign that the development process will go easily.
Software Development Team vs Freelancer
| Software Development Team | Freelancer |
| Rates are high | Rates are low |
| Expertise in different fields | Expertise in a specific area |
| Won’t disappear | Can disappear |
| Each member in a team is responsible for his part of the job | Handling multiple jobs |
| Plans to Upsell Maintenance | Will upsell maintenance |
| A dedicated team of developers | Switching between projects |
| Long-term contract | Temporary or Long-term contract |
| Perfect for bigger projects | Suited for smaller projects |
| NDAs usually included in the contract | You’ll need to sign NDAs if privacy is a concern |
| Time limits or extra payments | Flexible hours |
| Strict Confidentiality Guidelines | Concerns regarding Confidentiality |
| Wide Expertise | Niche experience |
| Precise development estimation | Unpredictable expenses |
Why Should You Hire a Dedicated Development Team Over Freelancers?
The organization puts forth a lot of work and makes use of enterprise-grade level technology and tools in order to streamline the task and provide a high-end product. Hiring a dedicated development team has numerous advantages for any type of organization.
Let’s have a look at some of the most crucial ones:
1- Security
In company, security is of utmost importance. You can’t just hire any developer to finish the task since sharing critical information with someone you don’t trust can be disastrous.
The secrecy of the project and you may both be compromised. A recruitment procedure should be used to find a dedicated developer, and a contract should be signed. Businesses and employees sign a confidentiality agreement upon hiring and are expected to follow it under all circumstances.
2- Expertise
No matter what business you are in, competency is essential. It is crucial to take into account developers’ talents before hiring them. Pick applicants with relevant experience who have completed projects similar to yours.
The knowledge of the developers will come in handy in every circumstance, from working under time constraints to building a top-notch product. Dedicated developers have more knowledge than freelancers because they work with different team members in a company and learn as they go.
In contrast to freelancers, who serve as the team’s extensions, dedicated developers operate as a team and gather crucial expertise and industry knowledge only feasible within the workflow of an organisation or an enterprise.
3- Availability
You’ll expect the developer being available at all times when you’re working on a project so you can get them to work whenever you need them. They will be accommodating and ready to speak with you at any time. One of the biggest benefits of hiring development teams is this.
4- Resources and Development Team
When you employ dedicated developers for development from third-party companies, they guarantee to give support from their end to help you finish your project.
For businesses, ensuring the needs of their clients comes first. They will make sure that all necessary tools and other requirements are available to their developers in order for them to construct the desired product.
If you need to hire dedicated development teams, hiring companies will also offer one. The benefit of hiring the top developers through them is that you may provide your staff multiple tasks at once without worrying about meeting deadlines or delivering on time.
5- Reliability and Quality
You can count on good quality work when you hire a developer to work on your project since they go through a selection process through your company to make sure they have the qualifications needed for the position. Since they anticipate a long-term relationship with your business, dedicated software teams are more reliable than freelancers.
On the other hand, if you engage a freelancer, you can’t be certain of their dedication because they work on numerous projects at once. They might have many priorities, which would cause them to concentrate too much on a different project that might be more interesting to them.
6- Communication
Communication is one of a company’s most important components. No matter how skilled your developers are, if you can’t communicate with them, it doesn’t matter.
Dedicated developers will be more easily reachable by phone, email, or any other method of communication, enabling you to inform them as soon as possible of any changes or requirements.
Freelancers won’t be as readily available as dedicated developers because they will be working on multiple projects at once and will need considerably more flexibility.
7- Pricing
Hiring a dedicated development team is the most cost-effective choice when you examine the costs of freelancers and employees. Freelancers often charge by the hour or by the project, but a dedicated developer will be on your payroll, receiving a monthly income from you.
The top developers can be found in many locations throughout the world. You can select a recruitment agency or an AI-based recruitment platform, among other options.
