Offshore vs. Nearshore. Have you considered these outsourcing options? Outsourcing is the fastest and most cost-effective way to complete your software development. With outsourcing, you get to hire an external resource to handle specific app development functions.

For years, the ability to cut costs by outsourcing to the growing skilled labor pool in developing countries has driven many software development companies towards offshoring. India has been and still remains a major player in offshore software development. However, many offshoring challenges have made multiple software-developing companies consider nearshore operations. We’re here to help you compare offshore vs. nearshore teams.

The big question is: Which of the two suits your outsourcing needs most?

To come up with an informed answer, we’ll compare the two outsourcing models in terms of:

• App development fees
• Availability of experienced app developers
• Ability to scale and manage your team
• Culture compatibility

To get a clearer picture, let’s start from the beginning.

What Is Offshore Software Development?

One widely-known outsourcing option your company has is offshore software development. The model entails hiring a company from a different part of the world — which for the most part, has been India.

The main advantage of offshoring is that it gets you access to a pool of highly skilled and qualified talent at a much lower rate than US and Canadian labor.

What Is Nearshore Software Development?

On the other hand, nearshore software development describes hiring a software development company within the same time zone or a nearby country. For instance, nearshoring for US companies implies hiring talent from countries in North or South America.  

Nearshore software development has several benefits, such as minimal time differences, shorter travel time when you want a face-to-face meeting, and English proficiency. 

Booth nearshoring and offshoring options have similar features and several distinct characteristics. However, the key question is: which model is the best overall?

Let’s find out.

Offshore Vs. Nearshore: Which Model Is More Cost-Effective?

When outsourcing, many companies tend to seek an outsourcing model that will give them the best value for their money. The choice, however, is not straightforward because it depends on various factors.

Offshore development promises a drastic reduction in the cost of labor. The cost of living is high in developed countries. As a result, it might be difficult to find a skilled candidate at a cheaper labor cost. 

Top offshoring countries such as India offer you a vast pool of skilled labor at a lower labor cost. This is possible because these countries have a low cost of living compared to countries in the West, such as the US and the UK. In addition, offshoring can reduce or entirely eliminate the cost of recruitment.

On the flip side, nearshoring involves contracting expertise from countries close to yours. While nearshore countries see high economic growth, youth experience a lack of opportunity in their home countries, making cheaper labor available. The disparity in wages and cost of living in nearshore destinations allows you to save money even if you spend on a developer with a higher quality of life.

While you can save some amount with nearshoring, offshoring can save you more on labor costs. When it comes to cost efficiency, the drastic reduction in labor cost gives offshoring an edge over nearshoring.

Which Outsourcing Method Offers a Wide Range of Skill Sets?

When outsourcing tech projects, relevant software development skill sets and industry knowledge are critical considerations.

Offshoring will offer you access to a wider pool of skilled talent with a broader array of competence. Offshore companies consider a wide range of skill sets in comparison to nearshore companies. The technicians at your disposal work on diverse projects. They are experienced, flexible, and capable of building your app easily from scratch.

On the other hand, nearshore software development will offer you limited tech talent because most workers focus on specialization. If your business is looking for a multifaceted technician, you might have difficulty finding what you need and end up hiring more than one technician to get the talent you require.

Nearshoring primarily targets specific industries. While you can get top-notch software solutions, you might lack an ultra-specific solution with nearshoring.

When it comes to skill-set variety when comparing offshore vs. nearshore employees, offshoring comes out on top. This outsourcing model offers virtually all software development solutions you may need.

Offshore Vs. Nearshore: Which Is Better for Scaling?

Scaling a company can be challenging. Your business requires a significant financial investment when recruiting even one skilled employee. 

If an employee you have recruited decides to leave your development project early, work will overburden your company. Plus, your human resource department would have to put in additional effort to recruit and train someone new.

Offshoring makes scalability much easier, especially if outsourcing to a service provider. Offshore companies avail a pool of skilled labor to suit your scaling need. If one of their developers quits, your business won’t incur any cost. Instead, you’ll have an immediate replacement.

With nearshore software development, your company can access a pool of skilled labor to suit your scaling. However, if your software development needs are ultra-specific, you might face difficulty scaling because of a lack of developers with the skill set you’re after.

Overall, in comparing offshore vs. nearshore strategies, you’ll find offshoring wins over nearshoring when it comes to better scaling opportunities.

Which Strategy has Closer Culture Compatibility?

Cross-culture match is one aspect that influences the success of international collaborations. Work ethic will determine your level of success.

When you have a concerning cultural difference with your partner, you can face problems such as:

• Mismatch in decision-making style
• Different attitudes toward conflicts
• Different approaches to completing tasks

Nearshore countries may have cultural similarities with your home country. The similarities may be in terms of language, business culture, holiday sessions, and even work ethics. These can unite your team for better collaboration. However, offshoring destinations, such as India, have been working with US companies for a long time. Cultural incompatibility is rare.

Offshore vs. Nearshore: Which Outsourcing Strategy is the Best?

Both offshoring and nearshoring have their advantages and disadvantages. Your best option depends on what method fits you best. 

If you want to reduce liabilities, you’re on a tight budget, and looking for ultra-specific talent for a project, offshore is a great option. It gives you access to skills for nearly all your development needs at a bargain.

Nearshoring has its advantages, but you may pay a little more for a developer. Both strategies allow you to leverage superior solutions.

EC Group Can Help Your Business With All Your Software Development Needs

If you have a huge software backlog holding your business back, we have a team of developers to complement your internal team. Since 1999, we’ve been helping businesses solve their software development needs and can help you too. Contact us today to learn more about the solutions we provide.