If you’re a startup founder in 2025, you’ve probably asked yourself:
“Should I hire locally and burn half my runway, or go offshore and risk getting burned?”
That’s the dilemma. Offshore software development can be the fastest way to ship, but it’s also a minefield.
Some offshore software development companies wow you with glossy decks and enterprise case studies, then deliver juniors who barely push code. Others over-promise on cost savings but under-deliver on quality.
So, what’s the play?
This guide breaks down real pricing benchmarks, the companies worth short-listing in 2025, and most importantly: what actual clients say about them. You’ll also get a due diligence checklist that founders like you can use to sniff out red flags before you sign anything.
2025 Offshore Software Dev Pricing Benchmarks
Let’s set the record straight on what you should expect to pay (per senior-blended hour):
- Eastern Europe: ~$44/hr average, ~$60/hr for senior talent
- Latin America: ~$40/hr average, seniors often $65–100/hr depending on market
- Asia (Pakistan/Philippines): ~$35/hr average, ~$50/hr for senior devs
Top Offshore Software Development Companies: A Quick Overview
| Company | Region | Published Rates/Estimate | Client Feedback |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pavago | LatAm, Pakistan, Africa | $500/year membership fee + $329/month per candidate | Not an agency – you retain IP and velocity |
| Globant | LatAm/Global | Pod model ~$25–50/hr | “AI Pod model matches our dev speed.” |
| EPAM Systems | Eastern Europe/Global | Mid-range, not publicly listed | Ranked #3 in culture among peers |
| ThoughtWorks | Global | Premium, consultative pricing | Coveted Agile-first engineering brand |
| CI&T | Brazil/LatAm | Likely mid-range ($45–55/hr) | 4.8/5 on Gartner for custom dev |
| Wipro | India/Global | Lower-cost band (~$35–50/hr) | 4.4/5 on Gartner custom dev market |
| DataArt | EU/Colombia | ~$40–55/hr | Recognized in enterprise development lists |
| SoftServe | Ukraine/EU | ~$50–65/hr | 4.7/5 on Gartner digital engineering |
| Infosys | India/Global | Lower-cost; large enterprise scale | Institutional reliability (legacy powerhouse) |
| Endava | Eastern Europe | Mid-premium | Featured in 2025 enterprise partner listings |
Getting Into the Details
1. Pavago
We’re not your typical software development outsourcing vendors. We offer full-service international hiring that focuses on building your permanent team, not renting temporary resources.
Pavago can help you hire standalone offshore software developers, as well as a complete offshore development team that includes:
Rates: $500/year membership fee + $329/month per candidate (other than the candidate’s salary). Overall, you can save ~40–60% as compared to hiring U.S. locals.
What clients say: “The team has been amazing to work with. Super responsive, really able to find us the right talent that we’re looking for, the right culture fit for the company. We’ll definitely use Pavago again for any other placement needs that we have.”
Ready to build your own international team with A-players who work exclusively for you and grow with your company?
2. Globant (LatAm/Global)
If you’re building with AI, need creative, design-driven engineering, or simply a nearshore software development team, Globant is worth a look. However, they’re big and public, so sometimes startups get lost behind enterprise clients.
Rates: $25–50/hr equivalent, though technically billed via subscription “pods.”
What clients say: “Globant have provided excellent service through, they are very focused on what’s best for their customer which gives the customer an excellent service.”
3. EPAM Systems (Eastern Europe/Global)
EPAM Systems has enterprise-grade engineering maturity, which means it’s a great choice if you’re scaling fast or need reliability at volume.
Rates: Not public, but expect ~$50–65/hr for senior teams.
What clients say: “EPAM Systems developed a trading app to make money. They supplied two developers. They delivered good work at a fixed price point and I appreciated their sense of responsibility.”
4. ThoughtWorks (Global)
ThoughtWorks is one of the leading offshore software development companies, and the perfect choice for you if you’re a design-obsessed founder who values craft. They offer custom offshore software development services using AI. However, if budget is your main concern, they’re probably not the ones.
Rates: Premium, consultative model. Think agency pricing, not bargain hunting.
What clients say: “Both myself and our entire team have found it a pleasure working with Thoughtworks and the working relationship with Thoughtworks has exceeded our expectations.”
5. CI&T (Brazil/LatAm)
CI&T is excellent at digital transformation and enterprise-scale product development with strong process discipline. However, since they specialize in large enterprise projects, do confirm if they can adapt their processes for startup speed and budget constraints.
Rates: $45–55/hr range.
What clients say: “Exceptional customer management throughout the entire process. Very personable and relationship-based organization. CI&T has felt like part of our extended team, as opposed to a typical service provider. They have been a pleasure to work with.”
6. Wipro (India/Global)
If you’re building at scale and need cost-efficient, globally distributed teams, Wipro is a solid choice. However, their heavy processes can feel slow for fast-moving startups.
Rates: $35–50/hr range.
What clients say: “What I like best about Wipro is that they are time‑saving and have affordable prices. Project handling skills were up to the mark. They are the best outsourcing firms in top technology fields.”
7. DataArt (EU/Columbia)
DataArt is a strong fit for those building fintech products and want an offshore dedicated team that understands the domain. However, they’re less of a household name than the big consultancies, so do a little extra diligence.
Rates: $40–55/hr depending on role.
What clients say: “DataArt plays a significant role in helping the company roll out the business to other European countries through a suitable and scalable system solution. Communicating with the team is hassle‑free which is great.”
8. SoftServe (Ukraine/EU)
SoftServe is one of the trusted offshore software development companies, especially if you’re building with AI or tackling complex digital engineering. However, you’ll pay more than you would in Asia or LATAM.
Rates: $50–65/hr for senior roles
What clients say: “SoftServe offers competitive pricing with excellent value, evidenced by successful project completions within budget and time. They provide scalable solutions without the need for extensive hiring processes.”
9. Infosys (Global)
Infosys is one of the largest offshore software development companies in USA with a massive global delivery network, proven stability, and decades of cross-industry experience. However, heavy corporate processes and bureaucracy can slow down early-stage startups that need speed and rapid iteration.
Rates: Enterprise-scale pricing, competitive for large projects.
What clients say: We couldn’t find any public client reviews of Infosys. However, in Gartner Peer Insights, the overall rating across 525 reviews for Infosys services averages 4.3/5.
10. Endava (Eastern Europe)
Endava blends business strategy with offshore application development capacity, offering both strategic guidance and execution. However, costs can balloon if the project scope isn’t tightly controlled.
Rates: Mid-premium pricing, varies by project scope.
What clients say: “Really good communication, great technical skills, and passion to succeed. The team is open to suggestions and eager to recommend solutions. Extremely satisfied!!”
Offshore Software Development: Due Diligence Checklist
Before you sign with any offshore software outsourcing company, verify these essentials:
1. Own Your Infrastructure
Make sure code repositories, cloud accounts, and deployment pipelines are set up under your company accounts, not theirs. You should have full administrative access from day one.
2. Verify Their DevOps Capabilities
Ask for a live demo of their CI/CD pipeline and rollback process. If they can’t show you working automation, they likely don’t have it.
3. Ensure Quality Assurance is Built-In
With the best offshore development companies, automated testing and QA gates are standard, not add-ons. Without proper QA processes, you’ll spend months post-launch fixing preventable bugs.
4. Look for Real Agile Practices
Beyond buzzwords, they should provide weekly demos, retrospectives, and Architecture Decision Records (ADRs). Ask to see examples from recent projects.
5. Know Your Actual Team Members
Demand specific resumes with percentage allocations and clear replacement SLAs. Never accept vague promises like “we’ll staff the project later.”
6. Get Transparent Pricing
Understand whether it’s time-and-materials, fixed-price, or dedicated team pricing. Get the complete rate card and change-order policy documented in writing.
7. Plan for Team Continuity
Ask what happens if key engineers leave mid-project. Test their replacement timeline and knowledge transfer process before you need it.
8. Ensure Adequate Timezone Overlap
Require a minimum 4-hour daily overlap with your core hours. Less than this makes real-time collaboration nearly impossible.
Get it all built in!
When you hire offshore software developers through Pavago, you automatically get:
✔️ Your own dedicated team members who work exclusively for you
✔️ All code, repositories, and infrastructure stay in your accounts
✔️ Pricing is transparent and fixed with no surprises
✔️ Your team works in your timezone, and you get our forever replacement guarantee.
Frequently Asked Questions
Wrapping It Up
The offshore world in 2025 is crowded. You’ll see polished vendors like Globant, process-driven giants like EPAM, and enterprise-level offshore software development companies like Wipro. They all have their place.
But here’s the real question: do you want to rent someone else’s team, or own your own pod of A-players?
That’s where Pavago flips the script. You don’t get a vendor — you get your team. And that team sticks with you, compounds knowledge, and builds your product as if it were their own.
Ready to stop renting and start owning?
Book a call with Pavago and we’ll show you how to build your offshore development team the right way.
