Choosing A Software Contractor: Companies vs. Freelancers

Who would you choose as a contractor for your software project: a company or a freelancer? Let's say that both variants offer you skilled professionals, who value reputation and know their job. You'll most probably say that the final choice hugely depends on the project: it can be design, development, can be testing services or support; but more often it's everything in one, and then people usually turn to companies. There can be a common opinion that companies are more expensive, better for handling bigger, complex projects, whilst freelancers are better and cheaper for smaller tasks; or smaller apps. That is right - to an extent. Everything might be just vice versa - each software project is a unique set of tasks and requirements. Here are several questions you should ask yourself, in order to see who you should really turn to.


Do I have the vision of the product?
The vision is more than just an idea; it's the concept of how the app will look like, what purpose it will have, who will use it, and how it will gather revenues. Each of these notions must be reviewed in detail, supplemented by specifications and other technical documentation, in order to start the project. If you don't have these, you should find someone able to create them - someone experienced in this area, someone with a good portfolio of software products.


Companies usually have larger portfolios with a variety of apps made. A freelancer with a significantly smaller portfolio may be good, if he/she worked in the sphere your project is connected with. If a freelancer is well-experienced in what you need (for example, a freelance designer), you may try. If there are no freelancers with works in the portfolio, similar to your project, it's better to find a company, which can provide you with corresponding experts.


Is my software project complex?
A project usually consists of standard stages: analysis and planning, design, development, quality assurance, deployment and support. Naturally, it's easier for companies to tread the elaborate path, having specialists for each of these stages; meanwhile it's much harder for a freelancer. You can't be an expert in everything. That's why hiring specialized freelancers for a separate task (for example, design or testing only, or development with a ready design) often works, and is a natural decision.


Am I ready to spend a serious budget?
When it comes to price of software development, it's far better to find a reliable contractor with moderate prices, than accepting the cheapest offer. A cheap offer very often means a cheap product; that's no good, that's the real waste of money. An original quality product will always be more expensive, and is usually worth its price and spent efforts. Companies are ready to provide you with all necessary services, from design to deployment (and sometimes promotion).


If you have a limited budget, it works out with companies as good as with freelancers. A company may plan the budget and spend it with maximum efficiency, so anyway you receive a working software product. A freelancer would rather be a specialist in one area of services, as was mentioned above. If there's an entire app to create, simpler ones can be given to freelancers, while complex apps should be given to a company (which can advise you on planning the limited budget as well).


Do I have the skills of project management to run the process?
Some say that direct communication with a freelance developer is better than having to work with the staff of a company: a sales manager, a project manager, and designers/developers, in case of need. It seems simpler, seemingly takes less time, and of course, it's cheaper. But remember, that communicating with one person will not reduce the time you'll spend on controlling the project. On the other hand, companies offer a dedicated project manager, who guides the work of the team and provides you with reports on what's been done. Working with a freelancer requires your deeper involvement.


Do I have the technical skills to know that my product is properly tested and ready for deployment? Do I know how to submit the app to the store and how to manage the further support?
It depends on your experience within the IT industry. If you are familiar with technical side, have resources and skills to do a part of the whole job yourself, you may give the other part to a freelancer. If not, it's better to have a company to perform each needed stage of product development. Companies have more resources than freelancers; as well less chance to fail the deadlines. Just one person won't make everything faster than a team. In a team, there's less chance that mistakes remains unseen, and it'll take significantly less time to correct them. Companies are fully responsible to create a working and tested mobile app, and submit it to the application store.


You can't say that companies are a better choice and freelancers are worse, or vice versa. Professional freelancers should be hired to handle the tasks they are specialized in; more sophisticated mobile solutions are most likely to require teamwork to make it perfect. Freelancers seem to be more flexible; but in fact, small, agile development companies are no less flexible and fast-responding to changes in requirements. That's why everything depends on the project, your own technical skills, and on how much money, time and efforts you are ready to contribute. Answer these questions, and these tips may help you come up with the right decision.

- See more at: Choosing A Software Contractor: Companies vs. Freelancers - MobiDev