Comparison
Freelance Web Developer vs Agency: Which Should You Hire?
Here is something most people don't know: many digital agencies don't have in-house developers for every project. They hand the build to an experienced freelance developer and add their margin. 2nd Code works exactly this way for many agencies — and directly for businesses too. So which should you hire?
Side-by-side
| Experienced freelancer | Agency | |
|---|---|---|
| Who you talk to | The developer writing your code | An account manager |
| Cost | No agency overheads | Office, sales and management costs included |
| Speed of changes | Same-day decisions | Goes through layers |
| Range of services | Focused (e.g. development only) | Design, ads, content, development |
| Risk | Depends on the person's track record | Depends on the team assigned |
Hire an agency when…
- You need marketing, ads, branding and content handled together.
- You want one vendor for everything and budget is less important.
Hire an experienced freelancer when…
- Your main need is a website, app or custom software.
- You want to talk directly to the person building it.
- You want agency-quality work without agency pricing.
How to check a freelancer properly
- Live work: ask for links to websites that are live and used by real customers.
- Years in business: someone working since 2019 has seen many problems already.
- Support after launch: ask who fixes things in six months.
- Agency references: if agencies trust them with their clients, that says a lot.
You can check our live portfolio and case studies, or read how we work with businesses. Agencies can see our white-label development model.
Frequently asked questions
Is a freelance developer cheaper than an agency?
Usually yes, because there are no agency overheads such as sales teams, account managers and offices built into the price.
Do you work with agencies?
Yes. 2nd Code works white-label for many agencies on a contract or per-project basis.