Web design and web development are important investments for corporations, and there is no doubt that managers and business owners should strive to get the best out of their investments. However, we all know that the correlation between quality and investment are often on par with each other, in other words typically, the tendency regarding the investment is the cheaper it is the lower the quality. In the infographic below, we have highlighted the comparison between Web Development Company and Freelancers and what you should expect from each type when you’re working with them:
Infographic by GO Globe
Contents
Flexibility
One of the foremost advantages of a Web Development Company is that, as a full agency, they tend to have ample resources to handle larger and more complex web projects, and each part of your project will most likely be assigned to a specific specialist.
On the other hand, freelancers often lack the all-around expertise required to handle all aspects of a project cycle equally well.
Reliability
As an established company, Web Development Companies are highly reliable regarding project completion, launch, and implementation.
Freelancers may disappear halfway through the project as they’re working part-time.
Ongoing Customer Support
Full agencies undoubtedly offer better customer support through their dedicated customer support team and provide security updates as well as technical guidance even after the website is launched.
It is difficult for freelancers to allocate time and resources to offer you ongoing support simply due to lack of time.
Professionalism & Technology
Web agencies have a dedicated team of designers and programmers who know what it takes to design and develop a professional website. The main tools of trade for web development companies are their ability to quickly adopt with the latest technology and trends in order to ensure that you stay ahead of your competitors.
Freelancers are often working alone on multiple projects, and the work is generally done during their free time for part-time money. They often lack the skills and resources to adopt new technologies and tools.
Experience & Expertise
Web agencies usually have a vast client base and a better experience while designing and developing websites from all kind of niches. They often have dedicated experts for each speciality.
Freelancers often have a limited client base, and their clients often have similar requirements, making it difficult to innovate and work with clients from different sectors. They usually specialize in only 1 or 2 areas.
Quality & Meeting Deadlines
Web agencies follow industry standards to ensure the business website is effective. Having a dedicated team of experts, they can allocate additional resources whenever required to launch the project on time.
The quality of freelancers is strictly in line with their skills, and no set of standards is followed. Their ability to get the project moving forward are also entirely dependent on their availability, as they’re working on multiple projects simultaneously.
Single Point of Contact
Web agencies often dedicate a single account manager to the whole project, allowing you to manage the project easily. With freelancers, you may occasionally need to hire multiple freelancers for different aspects of a project and manage them all individually.
Security & Proper Documentation
Making payments to a properly registered web company with a genuine presence is far safer and more reliable. As a company, they can follow proper documentation that protects you from legal risks or copyright infringement lawsuits in the future.
Paying freelancers can be risky as the payment is sent to an email address, making it nearly impossible to check if it is genuine or not, and they do not offer protection from potential legal risks regarding copyright infringement.
Quality Standard & Assurance
Companies strictly adhere to International Web Development Standards and industry-recognized web development practices. They also provide stringent quality checks and testing before the website is fully launched to avoid surprises that can damage your brand reputation.
Freelancers' design and development processes vary, leaving you with a messy source code, and they lack the resources and skills to test websites professionally.
FAQs
1. What are the advantages of hiring a company?
Companies provide an all-in-one scope of services, organized processes, and team-based knowledge.
2. How do I decide which is better for my project?
From a perspective of the project's complexity, budget, and need for ongoing support, evaluate which one fits your needs.
3. Can freelancers handle large projects?
Well, freelancers can manage large projects; compared to having a company with a full team, it might not be that effective.
4. What are the benefits of working with a freelancer?
Freelancers offer direct service, flexibility, and lower cost.
5. How does project management differ?
Companies typically run organized project management with managers to handle projects; freelancers require much more direct, personal contact.
