The global companies need exceptionally skilled and qualified professionals who are adept at implementing advanced technologies. But, finding local talent is challenging which leads to increasing demand for offshore developers. It is predicted that the IT outsourcing market will reach $397.6 billion by 2025.
Therefore, it has become crucial for every business to look at the best countries to hire offshore developers in Europe. This blog will reveal the best CEE and Western European countries for hiring offshore developers.
The Role of Europe in the IT Outsourcing Industry
Europe plays a significant role in the global IT outsourcing industry. This has become a hub for companies looking to use external expertise at lower cost. Therefore, the revenue generated from the European outsourcing market is estimated to touch $240.60 billion by 2028. Businesses choose European countries to hire offshore developers for several reasons:
- Skilled Workforce: European countries both CEE and Western provide highly skilled IT professionals. So, this makes it one of the best destinations for outsourcing projects.
- Cultural Compatibility: The best part of Europe is that it shares a similar cultural working environment with Western clients. It ensures better and much smoother collaboration and communication.
- Cost Effectiveness: Unlike other developed countries like the USA, European countries offer much better and affordable developers’ hourly rates. This helps the companies save money.
- Language Proficiency: Europe has strong language proficiency, especially in English. So, this improves communication in the outsourcing partnership.
- Technological Infrastructure: The European countries have a powerful technological infrastructure with strong internet connectivity. This is very important for smooth project execution in the IT sector.
- Data Protection Laws: Europe has data protection regulations such as GDPR. This ensures the privacy and security of business data, which is crucial in IT sourcing.
Considerable European Countries to Hire Offshore Developers
If you want to survive in these ever-evolving times, you must have a powerful workforce. In this case, outsourcing software developers can be an effective option. This can help you access top-tier talents at a competitive cost.
So, here are the best 12 countries to hire offshore developers.
CEE or Central and Eastern Europe
The CEE offshore market has become prominent in current years with over 1.3 million highly skilled and trained IT developers. So, you can get several advantages if you choose a CEE agency for your project. Some of the best countries in Europe that are worth your attention are listed below.
Estonia
Estonia has a thriving IT outsourcing market with a growing infrastructure. The competitive rates ranging from $25 to $50 per hour make it one of the preferable destinations for businesses. The e-governance initiatives and digital infrastructure give Estonia international recognition.
In Estonia, the programming languages mainly used by the developers are C++, Python, JavasScript, Java, etc. showcasing its concentration on both software engineering and web development. Tallinn is a prominent software hub that has several tech companies. Its great tech community fosters better collaboration among developers.
Romania
Romania has much to offer when it comes to offshore software development. With a market size of over 674 million, this is one of the best countries in Europe to hire offshore developers. Western businesses mostly prefer the offshoring environment of Romania. They charge $43 to $63 on average, depending on your project’s complexities and requirements.
The most used programming languages here in Romania are Javascript, Python, and Java. The major benefit of choosing Romania as your outsourcing country is that it has several IT companies, mostly in Bucharest and Cluj-Napoca. They provide opportunities for networking and collaboration among developers.
Poland
Poland has the biggest outsourcing market in Europe with a huge number of available programmers. The average IT market size of Poland was $7.5 billion in the previous year, whereas outsourcing occupied $2.7 billion. The hourly rate of the highly skilled developers in Poland is $35 to $55, based on the project requirements.
The biggest software development hubs in Poland are Krakow, Katowice, Warsaw, Poznan, and Wroclaw. Developers from Poland commonly use Python, JavaScript, C#, Java, etc.
Hungary
The quick economic growth and strategic location of Hungary make it one of the most preferable countries to hire offshore developers in Europe. This country has a growing IT market with over 80k skilled and experienced IT programmers and a strong tie to Western markets.
The hourly rate of Hungarian developers is $57 per hour. For developing web and software, they commonly use JavaScript, Python, HTML/CSS, SQL, PHP, and React. Miscolc and Debrecen are significant IT hubs in Hungary that you can consider for outsourcing your project.
Ukraine
Now, the IT sector in Ukraine is at its peak with a vast market expanding over $5 billion. With experienced and trained programmers available, this country has become a top choice for businesses looking for offshore developers in Europe.
The rich talent pool in Ukraine is the combination of high-quality work and affordable rates with a range from $25 to $35 per hour. They mostly use JavaScript, Java, C++, C#, Python, and PHP as development technologies. Some popular best-known IT hubs in Ukraine are Odese, Kyiv, Kharkiv, Lviv, and Dnipro.
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic is another popular offshoring location in Europe with a $1.3 billion total market size. Also, the best part is that the offshoring environment here is business-friendly with only 19% income tax. Therefore, it has become the 4th largest technology talent pool in Eastern Europe.
The developer rate here is $14 to $50 per hour, depending on the project requirements. The programming languages that Czech Republic developers mostly use are C#, PHP, JavaScript, and Java. The best IT hubs in the Czech Republic are Prague, Ostrava, Brno, etc.
Bulgaria
The IT development market in Bulgaria is huge with specialized IT professionals. It has a favorable business environment with competitive hourly rates for developers ranging from $20 to $50. The strategic location of this country makes it one of the best destinations for offshore development services.
The Bulgarian developers use different programming languages like C#, Python, JavaScript, and Java, showcasing their concentration on advanced technologies. The top IT locations in this country are Varna, Burgas, Bulgaria, and Plovdiv.
Western Europe
The countries of Western Europe are also gaining popularity as the best countries to hire offshore developers in Europe. The high-quality IT developers, convenient time zones, and great communication ease are what attract businesses to this region. Here are some of the best countries in Western Europe for hiring offshore developers.
UK
When it comes to Western Europe, one country that comes on the list first is the United Kingdom or the UK. It has skilled professionals with the right expertise and experience. The diverse economy and business-friendly environment make it one of the best countries to hire offshore developers.
The average hourly rate in the UK is $27 per hour, making it the best destination for small to medium-sized businesses. The developers in this country use programming languages like C#, Python, JavaScript, and Java. Here, London serves as the major IT hub with other significant IT locations like Edinburgh, Manchester, Bristol, etc.
Switzerland
Switzerland is known for its stable business environment and thriving IT sector. But, the average hourly rate of the developers here is a bit expensive which is $55 on average. However, it may go higher depending on expertise and project complexities.
Highly skilled developers and web designers use JavaScript, Python, Java, and C++ programming languages for software and web development. Zurich is the primary hub of tech companies with other hubs including Basel, Geneva, Lausanne, etc.
Netherlands
One of the best benefits of choosing the Netherlands for outsourcing projects is its prime location and exceptional IT services. The outsourcing industry is growing continuously with technology innovations and a highly trained IT workforce. But, the developers charge a little higher which is $69 compared to other countries.
The commonly used programming languages in the Netherlands are Python, TypeScript, and JavaScript. The capital city, Amsterdam is a significant IT hub in the Netherlands. Some other noteworthy locations are Utrecht, Rotterdam, and Eindhoven.
Germany
You can also select Germany as your outsourcing country in Western Europe. The favorable time zone and competitive developers’ rate have made this country the best option for outsourcing. The developers here charge on average $25 to $50. Though, the rate may change depending on several factors.
The programmers in Germany use Java, Ruby, Python, PHP, JavaScript, Clojure, Swift, Go, etc. This shows their developers’ expertise in different advanced languages. The major tech hubs in Germany are Berlin, Munich, Frankfurt, Hamburg, etc.
Belgium
Belgium has a growing IT market with strong and supportive IT experts. The developers here are well-skilled and experienced with $25 to $60 average hourly rates. The main advantage of Belgium is its best location with favorable time zones.
The popular programming languages in Belgium are .NET, PHP, Perl, Go, and Python to turn ideas into reality. Brussels is the major IT hub in Belgium, attracting several businesses over the years. Other hubs are Ghent, Antwerp, and Leuven.
Bonus Read – Best cities to hire remote developers in India
Conclusion
All these countries in both Western and Central and Eastern Europe come up with a unique blend of reasonable developer rates, high-quality services, and vast market size. They all have thriving markets with business-friendly working environments. So, choose any one of them as per your project concerns and business objectives.
Frequently Asked Questions
If you hire offshore developers from European countries, you will get benefits like diverse talented professionals and experts with rich experience, suitable time zones with consistent working, cost efficiency compared to local developers, and cultural differences enabling developers to create pioneering solutions.
The top European countries offering the most competitive offshore development rates are Ukraine, Romania, and Poland. You can also take cost-effective offshore development services from Hungary, Bulgaria, and the Czech Republic.
While working with European offshore developers, you must be proficient in English to lead smooth and consistent communication. Other than their local language, English is the only language they are fluent in. Hence, you must know English to remove the language barrier or hire someone who knows your preferred language.
If you hire offshore developers from European countries, you need to ensure settlement with data protection regulations such as general data protection regulations. Also, you need to assess tax implications and hiring laws of offshoring and analyze contractual agreements like NDA to protect project data.
On average, the cost to hire offshore developers from European countries starts from $25 to $75 per hour. Further, the cost varies based on the chosen country, project complexity, and experience of developers.
