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It’s amazing how Android has built a powerhouse of 3 billion active users and three-quarters of Android-based smartphone users. There is a growing need for digitally-first enterprises to embrace the challenge and opportunity of diving deeper into the Android segment.

The diverse user base and their needs pose an excellent opportunity for mobile app development. You can deliver solutions that make them capable and enhance their efficiencies. However, you cannot ignore the fragmentation of Android, which makes it a challenging space for development.

As businesses aim to leverage the platform for acquisitions and enhanced downloads, they grapple with the demand for the perfect development partner.

Android app developers are the orchestrators of your plan and can help you scale faster. However, the most important consideration is the type of partner you want to fulfill your development dreams.

This article will explore the two most popular models, freelancer and agency, in detail. While the freelance model offers flexibility, it doesn’t have a defined structure.

On the other hand, agencies can prove to be expensive but, they are fit for long-term commitment. We will look at freelance vs agency in depth before determining the best fit for you.

Overview of Freelance Development Model

As per the report by Statista, the number of freelancers in the United States from 2017 to 2028. It is projected that in 2027, 86.5 million people will be freelancing in the United States and will make up 50.9 percent of the total U.S. workforce.

Picture this, you have all the resources and infrastructure in-house. You need an Android app developer to help you code the project and build the logic.

Freelance app developers can help you in this case. You hire an individual with no ties to an agency or company. Sign a contract with them and get them on board. You will be a one-time or repeat client for them.

They will work with your in-house team to code and build the project. You reduce your hiring costs and improve flexibility by using this approach.

Key Features

  • Freelancers are individuals who work independently. They have their specific schedules and work methodologies. This autonomy helps them be more flexible.
  • You are appointing them for the development project. Your team can directly communicate with the person coding the application. They can involve them in the regular meetings and ensure complete transparency.
  • They have specific expertise and experience in the android app development niche. They can use their knowledge and proficiency to manage the project needs.
  • You can engage them for short-duration tasks. At the same time, you can also utilize this resource to meet your changing workload or milestone requirements.
  • It is easy to onboard an individual into the company and work with them. You can get them to work with the team, which allows you to manage the scope and timeline with ease.
  • Freelancers charge less as compared to other models. You pay for the service or project needs you have.
  • Freelancers can work on diverse projects. They can easily manage the different challenges and enhance their problem-solving abilities.

Pros and Cons

Pros Cons
Freelance model extends competitive pricing, which proves to be cost-effective. Freelancers handle multiple projects simultaneously. This can hamper the consistency.
You can flexibly scale your resources to meet your changing demands. You may pose risks to the timeline and project quality by hiring freelancers as they aren’t accountable.
The freelance app programmer has expertise in the niche you are working. Time zone challenges can impact the freelancer collaboration. This can increase your timelines.
It is easier to onboard the freelancers into the team. This can help reduce timelines. You will be dependent on them for the specific skills. If they are unavailable or show slow progress, you are completely stuck.
Direct communication channels enable faster communication and smooth collaborations.
You can employ freelancers for specific tasks or projects.
Read More: Top 10 Android App Development Companies in India to Outsource

Overview of the Agency-Based Development Model

In the agency structure, an entire business collaborates with you to create the logic and develop the Android application. The agency has an in-house team, infrastructure and process that enables end-to-end project development.

Moreover, they have diverse specialists and a wealth of knowledge that can help you in numerous ways. They offer an all-inclusive and robust application for your business.

Key Features

  • In an agency, you will find several professionals with diverse backgrounds and expertise coming together to build a seamless application. They will bring to the table their perspectives and expertise to augment development.
  • Agencies have people from diverse backgrounds with various skills that can help you with ideation to deployment. The team comprises developers, designers, quality assurance specialists and project managers.
  • The Android development agency provides a structured approach to project management. You can work with the project managers assigned to your project. They will enable swift collaboration and complete transparency.
  • As they work with a defined process and methodology, you can expect a high-quality solution.
  • Your agency will commit to a long-term partnership with you. This will ensure continuous support and updates throughout the project’s life. You can also outsource your app’s maintenance and continued improvement to the agency.
  • As agencies have the resources in their team, they can scale to meet your unique needs. In case there is an excess workload, you can effectively manage with the agency.
  • Owing to their track record of completing the projects, they would have the requisite knowledge and expertise. They have a long-standing reputation and credibility that help them deliver solutions.
  • They offer a holistic development approach aligned with your vision and design needs.

Pros and Cons

Pros Cons
They offer diverse and comprehensive skill sets. Their teams comprise designers, developers and quality assurance professionals that enable holistic development. It can be quite expensive to hire an agency for your upcoming project.
They follow a structured process that allows them to stay ahead of timelines. You can expect proper communication and efficient execution. This developer model is not very flexible. You might need to make changes to the process to add a new scope.
Agencies prioritize quality over other things. You can expect highly reliable and quality solutions that match industry standards. Agencies come with overhead. This can increase the overall project cost.
You can scale the resources to meet the new needs of the project. The availability of the agency can also lead to project delays.
They have an established reputation that helps contribute towards overall project success. You may lack control on the day-to-day activities. You may not be aware of the progress of your project.
You can ensure long-term partnerships with agencies for continuous support and maintenance. If you have hired a large agency, you may face communication and collaboration issues.
They are aware of the risks and vulnerabilities. They continuously audit the solutions and implement the best risk mitigation strategies. They may lack the specific expertise or proficiency your freelancer has.

Comparing the Models: Freelancer vs Agency

It is crucial to compare the two developer hiring models against specific factors. Here is an at-a-glance view of the comparison.

freelance vs agency which is the better option for your business infographic

Which to Choose When?

Here are all the ways you can decide on the ideal model. We will illustrate a few examples to help make the right choice.

Freelancer Model

  • You can use this model to create prototypes for your business. You can easily build a specific feature-driven prototype. It will prove to be cost-efficient. You can also use this method for proof-of-concept for an application.
  • If you have a specific task that needs external help, you can use the freelancer model. Hiring an agency will be very expensive for a small task.
  • If you are operating on a limited budget, you should go with the freelancer model. You can develop an application and validate it in the target market. If your users accept it, you can go ahead and build it.

Agency Model

  • The agency is best fit for applications that are highly complex and convoluted. You can use their UX expertise, backend developers and security protocols to build an adaptive and secure solution. They offer an incredible approach and top-notch solutions.
  • You can collaborate with an agency if you are planning a long-term project. They can help with support solutions and ensure regular updates. Moreover, it can also help with managing the infrastructure and offering the requisite support.
  • You can use the agency developer model where you need to build mission-critical applications. They are useful in building a flagship mobile application. Their structured process and risk mitigation strategies will help deliver a robust and reliable app to the market.
  • You can also go with this model when you need ideation to deploy services. They can help you with full-service solutions that help you build a product without impacting core business tasks.

Top 6 Factors to Consider to Choose the Model

You must choose the model that best fits your requirements. Here are a few factors that help you choose the right developer model for your business.

top 6 key factors to consider when choosing the developer model

#1 Project Scope and Complexity

  • Freelancer Model: When you have a small project requirement or need to develop an MVP, you can go with this approach. It is best for small-scope projects with limited skill requirements. Freelancers can manage focused tasks, which increases their efficiency.
  • Agency Model: You can use this approach for full-fledged development. It is suited for complex features and a broad application scope. They have the structure and expertise needed to build an extensive Android application.

#2 Technical Needs

  • Freelancer Model: This is best fit for niche or specific technical needs expressed by your business. They are proficient with specific language or technology.
  • Agency Model: You will get a team with diverse expertise and proficiencies. You can easily adapt the team to manage your complex and multiple technology needs.

#3 Cost Comparison

  • Freelancer Model: If you are planning to outsource a small task or a simple project, you can go with the freelancer model. They charge low hourly rates. As they have less overhead, they are best fit for small projects.
  • Agency Model: If you need a fully functional and comprehensive solution, you need a bigger infrastructure and several specialists. It requires a large budget to manage the solution development.

#4 Urgency

  • Freelancer Model: You can implement this model for projects with tight deadlines. It is equally workable for urgent requirements. You can also use this model for short-term projects.
  • Agency Model: You can use this model when you have a project that requires a longer timeline investment. It is also the best fit for planning projects where you need stability and consistency.

#5 Flexibility and Scalability

  • Freelancer Model: You can use this model for projects that need a fluctuating workload. However, it is not a scalable project.
  • Agency Model: You can use this approach to scale the resources as per the newer needs. It can easily fit your project’s varying demands.

#6 Communication and Collaboration

  • Freelancer Model: You can directly communicate with the freelancers. This allows you to personalize the collaboration and remove the challenges of not communicating.
  • Agency Model: You work with a larger team. The agency appoints a project manager to handle the communication. You may not experience direct communication with the individual member or specialist.

Additional Factors to Consider

When choosing a development approach, you must consider a few more factors. These include researching the right platforms, reviewing their portfolios and signing the contracts.

#1 Researching on Platforms

You must know where to find freelancers who meet your technical and scope requirements. Use top freelancing platforms such as Fiverr and Upwork where freelancers share their portfolio along with the work done.

You will get an insight into their ratings, reviews and other details. You can decide whether or not to work with them. Some agencies also list themselves on such sites. You can use this to find the right partner for your development journey.

While you can access a diverse talent pool and transparency in reviews with this platform, it can be expensive. You must pay a flat fee to go through the freelancer portfolios. You must also depend on the platform’s communication channels to hire the person.

#2 Portfolios and References

This is an equally important consideration when planning your developer hiring model. You must go through their portfolios in detail. You can check if they have done the work that you need. Their past work can give you a glimpse into their ability.

You can check their ratings and reviews on popular sites. This will give you a glimpse into their track record and client relationships.

You can also seek references from people before going ahead with the selection.

#3 Contracts and Legal Agreements

Before signing up the agency or freelancer for your project, make sure you have declared the expectations and discussed the scope. Both parties must be clear on the requirements and the non-negotiable.

You must have everything written on the contract and signed by both parties. This would help ensure complete transparency during the hiring and afterward.

Conclusion

The choice between the freelancer and agency model hinges on several factors including project scope, budget and timelines. The freelancer model is adaptive, flexible and cost-effective. On the other hand, the agency model is more structured and extends long-term association.

Depending on your budget estimates and complexity you can choose the model that works best for you. make sure to assess the company, evaluate their abilities and define the legal agreements before signing them up.

Best Remote Team can help you in the assessment and validation aspects of team hiring. Our fully vetted partners can push your project forward and ensure reliable development. Connect with us if you want to hire dedicated developers or a dedicated Android development company.

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Jatin Savaliya

Content Marketing Specialist

I'm working with Best Remote Team, which is an India-based company that provides dedicated remote developers on an hourly and monthly basis. I'm a tech enthusiast and write content to give readers the lowdown on different technologies and their related trends.

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