Dedicated Resources vs Freelancers

If you have development needs, where do you fulfill it? Do you hire the services of a freelancer or a dedicated resource? Hiring a dedicated resource is becoming more popular these days even though the gig economy is rising. Statistics say that by the next 5 years, more than 52% of the U.S. adult workforce will be working as a freelancer. But the only beef with hiring a freelancer is that it is pretty difficult to get a good one. 

When you don’t have an in-house development team, it is unavoidable but you have to hire the services of a freelancer or a dedicated resource. Hiring a dedicated mobile app developer comes with its own advantages when compared to working with a freelance app developer. 

Here are 8 reasons why it is beneficial to hire a dedicated resource over a freelancer:

#1 Expertise:

While we don’t claim that freelancers don’t have the requisite expertise, our point is that finding a good one is like searching for a needle in a haystack. It is tough. While working with an agency that helps you hire dedicated resources, they have already gone through a list of interviews and checks to ensure that they have the best in the business. A dedicated mobile app developer who you hire from an agency would have the necessary experience in working with teams, can work under strict timelines which will be helpful for you under pressure situations.

#2 Security:

All businesses work on trust. Sometimes, trust is a risk that might backfire on you big time. Working with a freelancer can be a tricky lane to cross. When there is advance payment, and the freelancer is remote, there is not much you can do if they drop the project midway and go MIA. But when working with an agency where you hire dedicated web app resources, there is a lot of screening that happens including the signing of indemnity bonds, NDAs and whatnot. 

#3 Confidentiality:

It isn’t advisable to share your project idea with a random freelancer that you hire through a marketplace. The only time when the credentials and professionalism of a freelancer can be assumed safely is when the connection comes through a close associate’s referral. Otherwise, there are a lot of grey areas. With an agency that helps you hire dedicated web developers, confidentiality is never a problem and you can anyway create a water-tight agreement to ensure that there are no lapses. 

#4 Commitment:

When it comes to working with freelancers, you can’t get on ad hoc calls with them nor can you ask them to work on something faster. Why? Because they are only obligated to finish their work for you and they would like to do it on their own time. But with a dedicated mobile app developer working for you, they will be working only for you. Dedicated web app developers that you hire will spend 100% of their working hours in delivering your project. It is impossible to expect the same from freelancers. That’s because freelancers work with multiple clients, it is also unfair to expect them to be available for you at a moment’s notice. 

#5 Quality of the project:

Dedicated web developers will spend ample time working on a project while freelancers will not have the necessary time to give their best on all projects. Not only that, a dedicated developer that you hire will have access to a lot of other resources like quality testers, assurance teams, and so on. They will ensure that the project is built with maximum efficiency, with checks and balances to create a superior application. 

#6 Communication:

It is one of the biggest reasons why we would always advise businesses to hire dedicated mobile app developers over a freelancer. If you are working on a one-off project, it is certainly all right to work with a freelancer. Or if it is the kind of work that doesn’t require a lot of communication or interaction. But developing a website or an application is an entirely different ball game. It requires constant communication. Client requirements change. Hiring a freelancer for such a communication-intensive work can be a wrong step.

#7 Cost factor

Freelancers are generally considered cheaper. But it is not so. Since freelancers do not have access to benefits, insurance policies and so on, they add to the cost in your billing. Hiring a freelancer who is mediocre can get you one at a cheap rate. Otherwise, it is going to be on the heavier side for you. Unless you are comfortable with shelling out a lot of money, freelancing shouldn’t be your go-to option. Hiring a dedicated resource for your mobile application development can be cost-effective for you.

#8 Support & Maintenance:

Another aspect of mobile app development is that once the application is done, the work isn’t over. Support and maintenance should be available. Does your freelancer provide support for the application on a retainer-basis? How reliable is the support unless they have a team of people working? If it is a one-person entity, you are at the mercy of his/her exigencies. 

But if you hire a dedicated development team, you can be safely assured that you will get full support as there is a huge team dedicated to providing you with the services that you contracted for. In fact, it will be mentioned prominently on the contract that you sign. 

If you lose contact with your freelancer after the application is made, you will not be able to work on a lot of things as it will lead to uncertainty. 

Conclusion:

When you outsource your work to dedicated developers, you can be assured that there is a suite of other resources that add to the charm. It means that your communication, support, maintenance, quality testing, etc, will be a breeze. Why? There is a team. It isn’t the case when working with freelancers. 

Freelancers are best when hiring for short-term projects, less critical tasks and when the task is not time-bound. Hiring the services of a dedicated web app developer is a must if you are building something significant and it holds a lot of value for you. Working with a dedicated web developer is also good for your brand. Being associated with quality brands looks good on you. 

Hiring dedicated resource is more bang for your buck. If you hire a resource that isn’t up to your expectations, then you can immediately replace them as the agency will support such changes. If it is not working out with a freelancer, you will have to start the whole hiring process from scratch. Much headache. Less wow.