It is not uncommon to hear positive words about WordPress, and this might encourage you to use it as a CMS when building your website. You will need to look for a WordPress developer who will work within your budget and time frame. This is the most important stage of the development process, as it can impact the success or failure of your project.
You will find that people who are in the same situation as you have two main options. You can hire a WordPress developer or a freelancer.
Which is better? We can’t tell you which is better, but we can say that each has its strengths and weaknesses. Many factors can influence your final decision.
We have created this blog post to discuss the various aspects of the WordPress Agency Vs Freelancer debate. This comparison and contrast should help you better understand what is best for you.
A WordPress Development Company vs Freelancer: What You Should Know Before Making the Choice
The Advantages of Freelancers
Cost Effective
Start with the obvious. Freelancers charge less. This is due to several factors.
Freelancers do not have to incur additional expenses in comparison to WordPress companies. No salaries are paid to accountants, HR managers, or other staff. No office space, no employee benefits, etc.
Along with the many opportunities the Internet has opened up for independent professionals, it also brought fierce competition. High-priced products have little chance of staying afloat.
More Flexible
Flexibility is another point in favor of freelancers when it comes to the WordPress agency vs. freelancer debate. They adapt quickly to the needs of their clients and do their best to satisfy them.
A WordPress agency, for example, has set up its hours. If a client in another country or continent needs to talk urgently to the development team over the weekend, they will have to wait until Monday morning.
Freelancers, on the other hand, are more likely to answer a client’s call or perform certain tasks at their request no matter what day of the week it is.
Concentrate on one area of expertise
This can be viewed as an advantage or a disadvantage, depending on your project’s complexity and scope. Freelancers usually have a specific area of expertise.
They may be great front-end developers but have little knowledge of the back end. If you need someone to do a specific task, and they are only experts in that area, then hiring a freelancer may be worth it.
Direct Communication and Trust
Communication is another important aspect of the WordPress Vs Freelancer debate. A project manager is an intermediary that you will have with a WordPress agency.
This indirect exchange of information and control can slow down development and create bottlenecks if the PM responsible for your project is untrained or inefficient. There is a direct communication channel between you and your freelancer.
This allows you to monitor their work and ensure that they meet deadlines and do the job as you wish. It will establish trust between you, the WordPress developer, and your company. However, it will take more time from your day to run your business.
Weak points for Freelancers
Limitation of Skills
A freelancer may be very good in one area, but not all. They may say they are but, as the saying says, “Jacks of all Trades, masters of none.”
If you are working on a project that is complex and requires expertise in both the front-end, back-end, search engine optimization, and server configuration, then we recommend you choose a WordPress company that has a diverse range of talent under one roof.
No or poor project management skills
Another point against freelancers in our WordPress agency vs freelancer comparison-and-contrast is the lack of proper project management. To maximize revenue, a freelancer may take on multiple projects at once.
The quality of the final product will be affected if a freelancer cannot “juggle” the projects correctly, giving them the appropriate amount of attention and time.
There is no guarantee that your project will be completed
You can never be sure that a freelancer will finish the job they agreed to. This is one of the biggest challenges when working with them. You may find that they disappear one day, leaving you with nothing.
Clients have no right to force freelancers to complete the task or project they have undertaken.
Imagine that the freelancer you hired suddenly leaves. What would you do? You need to get the job done, correct? You begin searching for an alternative, which is time-consuming and labor-intensive.
Even if the WordPress freelancer you hire is an adequate replacement, he or she will still need to spend time familiarizing themselves with the work of the previous WordPress freelancer. This wastes time and money.
Uncertainty
It’s a fact that many freelancers excel in their fields. You can also find many newbies and inexperienced freelancing professionals who do not have a good grasp of industry standards or practices.
You may receive a nasty surprise once the work has been delivered. This is one of the most important reasons to hire a WordPress company, and we’ll discuss it next.
The Strengths of a WordPress Development Company
Unified Attention and Task-Handling Efficiency
You can ensure that your project will be given the attention it deserves by working with a WordPress Agency as opposed to a freelancer.
After you place an order, a manager will be assigned to oversee your project. This person acts as a liaison between you and the team of developers, keeping you informed about the progress of the project and fulfilling your requests.
PMs are usually experienced project managers who have completed many projects and follow best management practices and workflows. Few freelancers can match the level of coordination offered by project managers in WordPress development companies.
What is the result? You will receive a high-quality end product that is made to your exact specifications and delivered on schedule.
Reliability is at its Best
Here’s another convincing argument for why you should hire WordPress development companies.
We have already said that you cannot always rely on freelancers for your project or task. You may find that they suddenly leave you after only finishing a portion of the job, forcing you to search for someone else to complete it.
WordPress companies that are well-established and have a good reputation, however, tend to have a larger talent pool. They also possess the necessary skills for complex projects. When you outsource WordPress, a team of experts will work on your project. When a developer can no longer work on a particular project due to illness, leaving the company, etc., another professional can fill in for them. The management team can fill the vacancy immediately with another equally qualified professional.
This means that the project will be completed on time.
Legal Guarantees
Data is valuable in business. You don’t want your sensitive information leaked to others. There is no way to guarantee that the details of your job will never fall into the hands of cybercriminals or a competitor. If they do, there may be no legal way to hold them liable.
You sign a legally-binding contract with a WordPress developer, as well as a non-disclosure clause. These two documents will protect you from mid-project goodbyes and data breaches. You will own all code delivered by white-label WordPress developers, and the company won’t be mentioned.
Diversely skilled talent in one location
This benefit is already discussed in our WordPress agency discussion vs. freelancers, but let’s go into more detail.
The company has professionals from different fields that are used to working together. It is convenient because businesses usually need complex solutions. The front end of a website and the back end are two separate components. It must be unique, easy to use, and bug-free.
Web development companies have all the necessary WordPress expertise at their disposal, so you can get a turn-key solution that is visually appealing and tested. You don’t need to spend weeks searching the Internet to find a UX designer and then a front-end developer and then back end developer.
Weak Points of a WordPress Development Company
A Hefty Ticket
It’s true: A WordPress development company costs more than a freelancing developer. There are also business maintenance expenses, such as salaries, benefits for employees, software licenses, and other mandatory spending.
The agencies also prefer to hire staff who have years of experience. These professionals are paid higher rates per hour than those who have just started their WordPress careers.
Longer Response Times
Poor customer service is a common complaint among some agencies. Some agencies may have only one channel of communication with clients. This slows the exchange of information, causing frustration and misunderstandings.
We are different. We provide a variety of project management tools and communication channels, starting with the ones you prefer, such as Jira and Trello.
During our working hours, you can contact your dedicated project manager directly via your preferred channel for any updates on your project, questions, or requests.
This post is a great resource for you to learn why you should use a WordPress company, or when you can hire a freelancer.
Contact us if you have questions or if you are ready to hire a senior team of WordPress developers who have thousands of projects under their belt.
