In today’s world, a website has become the face of every company, small or big. Hiring a web developer on a full-time basis or as a freelancer is a very debatable topic, but it apparently depends on what the company’s end goals are. Either way, hiring the best web developer is always a struggle.
Statistics of the job market are changing, and people are gradually ditching full-time jobs to become freelancers as it broadens their horizon and lets them work on the different project. Also, they get paid well after the initial struggle to find gigs and work according to their comfort.
If you are confused and can’t decide whether a full-time or a freelance web developer fits best for your company’s interests, here are some differences that will help you:
1.Skills
Full-time web developer
It is evident that a full-time web developer will have some hands-on coding experience. And if the person is a fresher, he will have the support of senior developers at the office, which can help whenever needed. If you have an IT company, hiring a full-time web developer is the best decision since you will need the developer all the time and not just for specific projects.
Freelance web developer
When you post the requirement of a freelance web developer on any site, many freelancers will boast about having individual skills, which he might not. There is no way you can judge their work because they can lie. However, you can start asking your friends who are freelance web developers to design your website. If your company isn’t an IT firm and doesn’t require a web developer for anything other than a site, hire a freelancer.
Job portals, today, have made the task easy by testing the freelancers before they upload their profile on their site. It makes the work easy for you and lowers the risk of you getting cheated.
2. Dedication
Full-time web developer
A full-time web developer is undoubtedly more dedicated to the given task than a freelancer because he works only one project at a time. As an employer, you’d know his strengths and give him a job that he does well.
Freelance web developer
Freelancers have many different projects in hand and might not dedicate their whole time to your project. Usually, a freelancer works on multiple projects from various clients at the same time, while a full-time web developer can work on the dedicated plans based on your priority.
A Freelancer can outsource the work to other freelancers and might not guarantee the same quality. Many experienced freelancers hire freshers and get the job done at lower costs.
3. Communication
Full-time web developer
There are no communication problems when working with a full-time web developer. But you do need to take efforts and discuss every progress in their department regularly. Communication becomes all the more important when the web developer has recently joined your office.
Freelance web developer
Communication works both ways. If you feel that you have no issues in communicating with someone who works remotely, a freelancer is an excellent choice as it also cuts costs. You have to pay a full-timer every month despite the amount of work done, while you pay a freelancer on the project basis.
4. Security
Full-time web developer
An in-house web developer provides maximum security. It becomes a significant concern if you have an e-commerce website. Projects done inside a company get added security of top-notch technologies used by the companies.
Freelance web developer
With a freelance web developer, you don’t have much control over the security they can provide. Also, the person can block your website if you haven’t paid them on time and might even steal information in extreme situations. Finding a trustworthy freelancer is the key to resolve this issue.
5. Support
Full-time web developer
A full-time web developer works based on your needs. He can fix any issue that occurs in production immediately. If the problem arises during non-working hours, he can manage his timings and take care of them accordingly.
Freelance web developer
You can never predict when a web developer works. Freelancers don’t provide you with a warranty period, but they are most definitely responsible for fixing bugs on the website on the priority basis when you demand. If there is a bug, which you don’t find during the test run, but later, a freelancer has to do that.
You often get extra hours of support from a freelancer. The support can get extended when the freelancer works in a different country and the time difference is huge. When you need him, during your off-working hours, the probability of his availability can be questionable.
6. Meeting deadlines
Both, a full-time or a freelance web developer don’t have issues with meeting deadlines. A full-time web developer has daily tasks that he needs to give in, whereas a freelancer is given deadlines within which they have to show the complete work.
Both of them are undoubtedly focused on work. However, one disadvantage of hiring a freelancer is that if he falls sick, there is no one to take over. In case a full-time web developer falls ill, his co-developer can take over for that small amount of time.
Conclusion
Choosing a full-time web developer is also more advantageous than hiring a freelancer. However, if you have a start-up and your budget is meagre, you can start by hiring a freelancer and get work done on a project basis as it is very cost-effective. As your company grows, you can switch to a small team of full-time web developers.