Hiring a Website Development Agency vs Freelance Developer
If you are a small business owner, one of the most important decisions you’ll have to make is whether or not to hire a website development agency vs freelance developer.
There are many reasons why hiring an agency is beneficial for your business. For example, agencies will often have an extensive portfolio and can provide references from previous clients.
However, if money isn’t an issue for you and all that matters is time-saving, then it may be worth considering hiring a freelancer instead of going through the hassle of finding and vetting an agency.
In this article, we’ll go over the pros and cons of making either decision.
Agency vs Freelance Developers, Agencies Tend to Have More Resources and Staff
Agencies have more staff and resources at their disposal. For example, if you’re looking for a specific skill-set that none of your current employees possess (such as search engine optimization), an agency can provide access to this type of expertise.
On the other hand, hiring a freelancer may be cheaper but it’ll likely take longer to do so because you’ll need to find someone with the right qualifications first before reaching out.
Developers are Usually More Affordable
Websites that are built by freelancers or small agencies tend to cost less than larger businesses that hire large teams.
However, this is not always the case and it’s possible for a freelance developer to charge more than an agency would if they have extensive experience and expertise in their field.
Agencies Are Easier to Vet and Hire
Small businesses that hire freelancers often have a difficult time vetting and hiring the right developer.
On the other hand, agencies will usually provide you with references from previous clients and can also send over portfolios of their work to help give you an idea of what type of company they are.
Developers Are More Versatile
Freelancers can be more versatile than agencies because they usually have a wide range of skills.
Agencies, on the other hand, may not always possess certain skills that your business needs and would need to hire another team member with those abilities instead.
This will increase costs for you in terms of time and money.
You’d also lose out on any productivity or expertise that one person could provide alone if he/she were an agency employee rather than having them split their attention between multiple clients at once (which is what happens when someone works as a freelancer).
Hiring an Agency is Usually Less Risky
A small business that hires a freelancer would have to vet the developer themselves. This can be risky because you may not always get references from former clients and their skills might not match up with what your business needs.
On the other hand, hiring an agency is usually less risky if they are reputable or well-known in their field of expertise since they’ll provide client testimonials on request and will often send over portfolios to help showcase their work.
Have You Made a Decision? Agency vs Freelance
There are advantages to making either choice for your business. If you’re ready to build a new website for your brand, contact us today to learn more about how we can help.
