When to hire Freelancers and when to choose SDaaS

If you need extra capacity for software development, there are roughly two options: hire freelancers or choose SDaaS. So do you go for temporary freelancers who plug the gaps, or for a model like SDaaS that offers continuity, strategic insight, and structural growth?

What are the advantages of freelancers in software development?

Freelancers are independent developers you hire temporarily for a project or specific task. The advantage is clear: you can onboard someone quickly and only pay for the hours worked, or the freelancer charges per project.

Good freelancers, however, are often fully booked, so you can’t always count on direct availability. A freelancer also brings a limited skillset, which means you may need to hire multiple people for different areas of expertise. Once the project is completed, much of the knowledge often leaves with the freelancer, which can cause issues. On top of that, coordination is fully your responsibility: you must handle project management and make sure the different freelancers work together as one. This makes freelancers a good solution until you need to scale.

Why is SDaaS better?

As soon as you need structural development, continuity, and multiple skill sets, the risks and coordination costs with freelancers increase quickly. That’s where a model like SDaaS makes the difference: a complete team with all the required expertise, one fixed point of contact, and predictable costs. Instead of juggling individual contractors, you gain an integrated partnership that delivers tangible value each sprint and scales with your organization.

SDaaS stands for Software Development as a Service. You get access to committed developers and a dedicated contact person for a fixed monthly fee. Instead of depending on freelancers, you work with a stable partner that continuously develops and takes responsibility.

Key features of SDaaS:

• Flexible scaling up or down when needed.
• Continuous results through sprints and monthly deliverables.
• Strategic advice and operational insights included.
• No worries about absence or managing multiple contractors.

SDaaS vs. Freelancers: the comparison

What’s the best choice?

Not every company has the same needs. Freelancers can be useful for small, one-off, or highly specialized tasks. But in many cases, SDaaS delivers more value.

Example: A scale-up wants to launch a new platform within three months. Finding and managing freelancers takes time and leads to fragmentation. With SDaaS, you can start immediately and receive new features every month.

When to choose freelancers:

• If you have a one-time, small, or highly specialized task.
• If you have the time and knowledge to manage freelancers yourself.
• If you are not dependent on continuity.

When to choose SDaaS:

• If you want predictable costs and structural capacity.
• If you don’t want to coordinate or manage developers yourself.
• If you need strategic advice and long-term support.
• If you want continuous development without stagnation after delivery.

SDaaS or freelancers: which is best?

Freelancers are great for short jobs or temporary gaps in your team. But if software development is truly strategic for your business, SDaaS offers more certainty, continuity, and real value. You gain not just development capacity, but also strategic leadership, predictable costs, and continuous results.

Ready to scale without the hassle? Choose SDaaS and experience tangible results every month.