Outsourced software development has become immensely popular among businesses all over the world and even the biggest industry giants hire outsourced teams to tackle their projects.

However, some companies prefer to do things the old way and have an in-house development team that is fully aware of what’s going on in the company and does not need to double-check on the company’s values and visions.

So which approach should you choose and which one will bring you more benefit? Let’s see the pros and cons of each.

In-house software development

An in-house development team is the one that works in your company as regular employees. Because the developers are located in the same office as other team members, it contributes to excellent communication and eliminates the need to repeatedly explaining the project requirements and business goals.

Once you assemble an in-house development team, you’ll be in full control of the development process. One of the biggest benefits of such a team is that they understand the company’s culture and value and you can contact the team any time. And this might be critical when you need to resolve a tech issue ASAP, as an example.

However, in-house software development brings some serious disadvantages too.

First, you need to invest lots of time, money, and knowledge in assembling your team. An in-house development team requires proper training, management, and professional hiring process. Do you have all the resources necessary for that?

Second, the cost of having an in-house development team is usually higher than hiring an outsourced one. In addition, you need to have a variety of specialists so that they manage all aspects of the projects. And this may cost you quite a lot.  The in-house software development is a good choice for companies with long-term projects who 100% need a development team at their disposal.

Outsourced software development

Outsourced software development implies hiring a development company for a specific project. And while some people still hesitate to do it, numerous successful projects proved that developers from Europe have an impressive quality of skills that caused the biggest names of the business world to use their services.

The best part of outsourced development is its flexibility and quality. Because you hire a team for a specific project, you can assemble a dream team of specialists who 100% know how to work on your issue. You may not have a Python develop in your in-house team but you might find an awesome professional on Clutch, for example. In addition, outsourced development usually turns out much cheaper than in-house.

As for the flaws of outsourced development, there are some issues to consider.

The biggest one is: you never know. You have never met this team or it may be located in another country. So there is no 100% guarantee it will satisfy you.

As well, you might be having delays in communication and cannot fully control what’s going on with the project (unless you negotiate so).  Outsourced development is perfect for both short- and long-time projects. When you look for an outsourced team, you will have a great variety of specialists at your disposal and they will most probably provide great quality of work.

Hiring an outsourced development agency: things to look for

Say, you are convinced that you need an outsourced agency – so how do you find a good one?

The most important thing to look for is customers’ reviews. A company is known for its skills and projects so it’s essential you check the portfolio and reviews. Clutch is a good place to start: it shows the overall company rating and displays detailed reviews on the pros and cons of working with a specific team.

As well, pay attention to the developers from Eastern Europe and Belarus, specifically. The software engineers from this country tend to have a great educational background and are known for a high level of accuracy, experience, and attention to detail.

And of course, arrange a meeting (via Skype or any other preferred way) and talk to the team. Make sure you’ll be comfortable working with them and negotiate on means of communication and frequency of the updates.

To sum up, outsourced software development is great indeed – but you will have to do some work before finding a real gem that will turn your idea into a revenue-generating project.