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Summary: If you want to take advantage of the capabilities of Shopify to the fullest just like other companies, it is best to hire app development services. But an important question comes: Is it better to use an internal Shopify development team? Or should you hire top Shopify app development companies?
In-house and outsourced Shopify development teams have their advantages and disadvantages. The in-house development offers both control and integration, but there are chances that it might put the resources under strain or bring in risks in the form of delays in scheduling or skills gaps. In contrast, an outsourced development agency with experience in Shopify has special knowledge that can help make the product a success. Additionally, an agency can deliver time-efficient processes that ultimately quicken development times.
If you want to opt for top Shopify app development services, you must run a comparison between in-house and outsourcing models to get the app development project completed successfully. In this blog, we will have a comparative study of the pros and cons and make the right selection between them.
Outsourcing vs. In-house Development: The Statistics
The statistics given below reveal that over time in-house development has become costly and challenging. It is especially not feasible for agencies and businesses that are not solely dedicated to Shopify app development and lack access to desired talent, infrastructure, and resources. Alongside, there are some of the most eye-opening Shopify statistics to get you started:
- Shopify launched its App Store in 2009. Since then, it has hosted thousands of apps.
- Currently, there are over 10,000 apps in the Shopify App Store.
- The App Store is an important aspect of the Shopify business model. The apps constitute a great deal of features ranging from store design and management to conversion, optimization and marketing.
- Around 59% of Shopify apps come free-to-use.
- The Shopify users have installed more than 25 million apps from the App Store.
- The total spent by merchants in the App Store is more than 100 million dollars.
- In 2019, the outsourcing market across the globe was 92.5 billion US dollars. Whereas, global spending on outsourcing is estimated to hit 731 billion USD in 2023.
- 60% of organizations choose to outsource for app development. Traditional app development is marked by various challenges and this makes outsourcing the most chosen option for such businesses.
- Revenue in the application outsourcing market is projected to reach 118.70 billion US dollars in 2023. The average spend per employee is projected to reach 34.06 US dollars.
Outsourcing Top Shopify Developers vs. Opting for In-house: A Detailed Comparison
Initial set up
Outsourced Shopify development can incur higher initial setup costs than internal company projects. This occurs because outsourcing often comes with the additional cost of hiring outside specialists, which raises expenses through commissions, wages for external providers, and other charges associated with remote service delivery.
On the contrary, internal development tends to be less expensive at first because establishments use their human strengths at the same time they are managing production funds. Nonetheless, it is worth noting this alternative requires an investment concerning recruiting and training developers together with software and hardware acquisition efforts. Eventually, all these costs are cumulative thus leading to bigger amounts spent.
Ongoing costs
For an outsourced development team, monthly retainers, fees, and other expenses incurred while providing ongoing support, updates, and maintenance of the Shopify site. Conversely, other costs like these will apply to an in-house Shopify development team.
Furthermore, businesses can also reduce their additional management-related costs by outsourcing Shopify development.
Total ownership costs
Shopify development outsourcing may incur higher startup expenses, however, businesses benefit from an efficient development procedure, a larger pool of specialists as well as reduced administrative cost and management expenses. Consequently, this might lead to long-term savings and hence a lower total cost of ownership for outsourced than for in-house development.
However, in-house building gives firms more control and flexibility as they can modify their teams to suit their needs and monitor them closely during the project.
The total ownership cost (TCO) could vary significantly when conducting in-house or outsourced projects according to both company requirements and financial resources. Hence, companies need to weigh all relevant factors before choosing between these options.
Skill set
Having a Shopify store developed by outsourced teams will give you the option of working with highly skilled people who can do whatever you want with it. To ensure that Shopify stores are developed in time, you will have to plan meetings regularly. On the other hand, while this may appear to be a more convenient option as on-site developers are always at hand; it is important to note that their availability does not necessarily make them good choices because identifying competent ones might prove daunting due to lengthy durations involved in searching for them.
Turnover
Outsourcing Shopify store development will save you from the absorption of turnover risks. The development process will be streamlined by such companies and individuals, and you won’t have to think about employee development or turnover. On the contrary, hiring in-house developers means dealing with all these issues.
Post-launch support
The life of an app does not end at its launch on the Shopify App Store. Typically, a Shopify custom app development company provides post-launch support services which include maintenance of apps, adding features, updates for new releases of Shopify API, optimizing the performance, improving search ranking of the apps, and fixing bugs.
They are eager to see your app succeed over its entire lifespan, not just at the beginning when it is made.
Among the advantages of hiring a Shopify app development agency are specialized skills, advanced technology, fast speed in terms of development, as well as continued support. An agency is frequently the best option for a successful custom application instead of hiring an in-house team.
The agency’s experience and resources will help in launching your application into the market. Thus, a success story is created in the App Store.
Finding the Balance: Outsourcing or In-house?
Concerning the project’s complexity: When requirements are well defined, outsourcing is a viable option for smaller projects. On the other hand, complex undertakings that require a lot of customization might be better off being handled by a custom Shopify app developer’s in-house team since they can provide hands-on attention and immediate feedback.
Evaluate Long-term Goals: Businesses must consider their long-term vision and goals. If the development of Shopify is expected to be part of the company’s long-term growth strategy, an in-house team can provide better control and continuity.
Flexibility and collaboration: There is a crew of Shopify developers within the company who are trained and are usually reported to have a fairly close relationship with the other employees. Such an arrangement makes communication easier among them, enabling them to make decisions faster and coordinate their work better. Also, on-site teams provide more flexibility and adaptability which helps businesses address various changes quickly. The team can be approached directly; modifications, updates, or improvements can be done immediately.
Hybrid Approach: This is a combination of both in-house and outsourced teams that businesses can use. For example, for specific needs or overflow work some companies may have an internal team dealing with core tasks while collaborating with the best Shopify app development agency for anything else.
Conclusion
Choosing between in-house and outsourced app development depends on your specific needs, budget, and long-term goals. In-house development is ideal for continuous projects with ample resources while outsourcing suits those focusing on rapid growth with limited investment.
However, after going through this thorough comparison, it can be well said that businesses simply should not think about ignoring the latest buzzword – Outsourcing. When used properly, outsourcing is a great practice that will immensely benefit your Shopify app development initiative in many ways and it will not just help in saving costs but will also bolster the bottom line of your online business. Working with a Shopify app development outsourcing company on your dream app is an exciting process.
At CartCoders, we offer a mix of experience, knowledge, and resources to execute your Shopify app development projects seamlessly. We can certainly help get you moving in the right direction. So choose us as your outsourcing partner. Our expertise and experience will surely make your dream Shopify app come true.