Freelancer, agency
or studio: how to choose.
Who builds your project decides the price, the timeline and who answers afterward. Compare the Studio with each alternative, point by point, no fluff.
Who builds the project decides price, timeline and who answers afterward. Compare point by point.
Studio vs Freelancer
A one-off task or a whole system live, with a date and support.
Studio vs Agency
Brand and campaigns, or a system with design and code together.
Studio vs Software house
Lots of devs for years, or a product live at a fixed price.
Studio vs No-code
Validate the idea in days, or build the version that scales.
How to choose
Four criteria
before you hire.
- 01
Size of the job
A screen or a tweak fits a freelancer. A whole system needs design, code and someone who answers afterward.
A screen fits a freelancer. A whole system needs design, code and support.
- 02
Price
Hourly billing changes when the scope changes. A fixed price set after discovery, before you sign, doesn't.
Hourly changes with scope. A fixed price set at discovery doesn't.
- 03
Timelines
If the date matters to the business, it needs to be written into the contract, not just a schedule.
If the date matters, it's written into the contract, not just the schedule.
- 04
After launch
Ask who keeps the product live and whose name the code, files and access are in.
Who keeps the product live and whose name the code and access are in.
FAQ
Common questions
How do freelancers, agencies, software houses and studios differ?
A freelancer is one person and handles a one-off task well. An agency takes care of brand, campaigns and communication. A software house staffs lots of developers, usually by the hour or by the team. A product studio like the Studio puts design, code and AI on the same team to launch the product, with a fixed price and a date in the contract.
Freelancer: one-off task. Agency: brand and campaigns. Software house: lots of devs. Studio: design, code and AI on one team.
Is a freelancer cheaper?
For a one-off, well-defined task, usually yes. On a whole system, the cost shows up later: in scope that changes, in a timeline that depends on one person's schedule, and in who answers when something breaks.
For a one-off task, yes. On a whole system, the cost shows up in changing scope and in support afterward.
When is no-code worth it?
To validate an idea in days or build a simple internal tool. When the product needs to grow, integrate with other systems or have the code in your name, it's worth building in code.
To validate the idea in days. To grow and own the code, it's worth building in code.
How are price and timeline set?
After discovery and before the contract: you know what it costs and when it will be ready before you sign, and the date is written into the contract. Code, files and access stay in your name.
After discovery, before the contract. The date is written into it and the code stays in your name.