Should you hire a freelance developer or a software company?
Either can build good software, so the better question is what the job needs. A freelance developer often suits a small, clearly described job where you want to deal with the person writing the code. A software company often suits a longer job, or software you will rely on every day, because other people can step in. Whichever you choose, ask who will understand the work after it ships and what the handover looks like.
The two routes side by side
| Freelance developer | Software company | |
|---|---|---|
| Who does the work | Usually one person, who plans, builds and tests | Usually several people, each taking a part |
| If someone is ill, on vacation or leaves | The work may stop unless they have a backup they trust | Someone else can often step in, though they may need time to learn the project |
| Who runs the project | Often the developer, alongside the coding | Often a project manager or lead, so you may talk to them rather than to the person coding |
| Who knows the work once it ships | Often one person, so written notes matter a great deal | Often more than one person, if the company keeps good records |
| Skills on hand | Often strong in some areas; may bring others in for design or testing | Often design, testing and security checks under one roof |
How to decide
Yes to the first two questions and no to the third often points toward a freelancer. The reverse often points toward a company. Mixed answers are common, and a clear scope matters more than the label on either route.
- Is the job small enough for one person to hold in their head?
- Could your business wait a couple of weeks if that person were unavailable?
- Will you rely on the software every day for years?
- Does it need several skills, such as design, testing and security, or mostly programming?
- Do you prefer one person to talk to, or a team with someone coordinating?
Questions to ask either one
Put the same questions to both. The related answer on who owns software built for your business covers the agreement, the related answer on what it takes to keep custom software running covers the care that follows launch, and the related answer on checking a developer's work covers approving it in stages.
- Who else could read and change this work if you were unavailable for a few weeks?
- Who tests it before I see it, and how will I see progress?
- At the end, what do I receive: the code, a written description of how the pieces connect and how to set it up again, and a list of the services it relies on?
- Whose name will the hosting, code storage and any app store accounts be in?
- Who looks after it once it is live, and is that written down?
Starting with one, moving to the other
Some owners hire a freelancer for a first version and ask a second developer, or a company, to review it or take it over later. That is usually easier when the first developer keeps clear notes and the accounts are in your name from the start, so say so before work begins.
Ascent Vision is a company that builds custom software, so the same questions apply to it.
Related answers
- Who owns software that was built for your business?
- What does it take to keep custom software running after launch?
- How do you check a developer's work before paying for more?
Custom software and apps
Off-the-shelf tools get you most of the way. When the last stretch is where the time goes, we build the part that fits: the dashboard, the portal, the internal tool or the app.