For years, Microsoft .NET has been a leader alongside Java and c++- based software development technologies for enterprise-ready solution development. .NET provides the power, complexity, security, tooling, and scalability required to build solutions for today’s complex business problems.
That said, talented and experienced developers who understand .NET or its equivalents are not readily available. The few who are available don’t come cheap and are usually more inclined to work for high-value clients and organizations in finance, government, military, and tech.
In recent years, offshore .NET development companies have joined the industry to fill the gap allowing smaller players to access ready and competent .NET development talent from across the world.
This post will discuss offshore .NET software development companies in detail to inform businesses looking into this new and exciting industry. It will help you discover the specific services they offer, their benefits or advantages over onshore development companies, and what to expect on fees, contracts, service level agreements, ongoing support, etc.
What Is an Offshore .Net Development Company?
An offshore .NET development company is a software development company located in a different world region that offers tailor-made or bespoke .NET development and related services to international clients. In essence, offshore development companies are outsourcing entities based in countries with sufficient software development talent to serve the needs of a global market.
Offshore software development has existed for many years, but its popularity has increased recently as demand for cutting-edge software and IT expertise continues to expand. Global IT outsourcing is estimated to be worth over 92 billion dollars today, with software and IT services taking up about 50% of that revenue.
A recent report by Business Wire- a Berkshire Hathaway think tank- shows that demand for commonly outsourced services will grow by 70% in 2023. Of more interest in the context, it’s estimated by the same report that companies will outsource at least 36% of software development in the same period.
The above industry stats show demand for software development services worldwide, which will not likely wane in coming years. More importantly, as we dig deeper into the stats, there is talent in the sector to match this demand. You can observe this by the number of offshore and nearshore software development companies in developing and emerging markets. 8 Ways an Offshore .NET Development Company Can Help
There are several ways an offshore .NET Software development company can help you as a business. Here are some of them:
1. .NET Software Development
Moving your software development business offshore or working with an offshore development company can save you money in terms of development costs, employment taxes, development resources, and other things.
Cost is the most significant factor in software development as it determines the length and feasibility of a project. Most offshore .NET development companies are more affordable and likely to offer more flexible rates than their onshore counterparts
2. Fast-tracked Delivery on All Project Types
Move your software development efforts offshore if you are on a tight schedule and can’t assemble a team big enough to complete it on time. There is plenty of .NET development talent in countries with high unemployment but good IT infrastructure, such as India and Eastern Europe. You’ll be able to find established .NET development companies that can complete both simple and complex development projects with very tight timelines and budgets.
3. Find Experts for Specific .NET projects
You may be in the market for particular .NET software development talent that is either too expensive or scarce in your region that you can only find offshore. Many experienced .NET developers in Western markets like the United States command premium rates and are in high demand. You can find very specialized .NET experts offshore much more quickly and at a more affordable cost.
4. Develop for an International Audience
You can use one or more .NET software development companies if you are targeting an international audience or market for your software. For instance, most large software development houses outsource software localization services to offshore development companies in the regions they want to sell to. Localization is, perhaps, one of the biggest reasons to explore offshore options.
5. Take Advantage of Public-Private Partnerships in Emerging Markets
Working with a local .NET software development company can help you win lucrative private-public partnership contracts in emerging markets where software is needed. Many governments in these markets use .NET and other Microsoft products and are investing heavily in new IT infrastructure, whether in the cloud or locally. However, most of them require international vendors to engage in some form of skills transfer by working with local software development companies and other businesses.
6. Leverage on Flexible Round-the-Clock Team Structures
One opportunity you might get working with geographically dispersed .NET teams is the ability to set up highly efficient round-the-clock teams that operate with flexible schedules because of time differences. For example, it’s not uncommon to find a company with an onshore software development core team and a complementary offshore software testing team working on an alternate schedule.
Flexible round-the-clock team structures can allow you to fast-track projects or introduce a level of efficiency that is impossible with an onshore team. Because of time differences and differing working hours from region to region, you will have experts working on your projects at all times of the day and night.
7. Get dedicated Services from Offshore Companies
Another way offshore .NET companies can help you is by dedicating their entire resources and people to your project until it is completed or goals are met. Most offshore .NET companies are small and flexible enough to meet your needs as a client. You can also create a dedicated offshore .NET software development team from scratch using local talent and resources.
8. Save money on .NET Software Development Support Services
One of the most common ways to benefit from offshore software companies is by assigning them labor-intensive and time-consuming support services like QA testing and documentation. Doing this will free up your onshore team to deal with the critical aspects of your .NET project like coding, deployment, and ongoing maintenance.
The most common services offered by offshore .NET software development companies include:
- Mobile application development using .NET and Xamarin
- Web application development using ASP.NET, Blazor and Razor pages
- Desktop application development- developing business solutions using .NET Core with C# and other technologies
- Game development with .NET and supported game engines
- Microservice development with .NET
- IoT firmware development
- Cloud software development and maintenance
- UI/UX for .NET projects
- .NET software testing
- .NET software upgrades and porting- for older .NET framework projects
- Software documentation for .NET projects
- .NET Software documentation services
- .NET Software localization and translation services
- Installation, integration of already deployed .NET software
Why Outsource .NET Development?
.NET Is popular for Enterprise-Level Development
Many of the software development contracts signed with offshore and nearshore companies are B2B. It is businesses, more specifically, mid to large enterprises, leveraging offshore talent to develop business software solutions. .NET is one of the most preferred and outsourced software development technologies because it was built to be enterprise-ready.
While easy-to-learn languages and frameworks like Node.js and Angular have gained popularity in recent years, Microsoft’s .NET and other traditional languages and frameworks are favored for large-scale enterprise-level development. .NET has a more robust, well-engineered, and a vast array of libraries, tools, and technologies geared towards business application development.
Enterprise-ready means software development technologies or platforms built to support software development in a busy business environment. Such technology should be able to help large and geographically spread development teams and resources. At the same time, they should come with enough components to support the development of serious business software.
.NET development is associated with the following benefits or qualities in the context of enterprise offshore software development:
Building scalable solutions– Being an enterprise-ready software development platform, .NET supports the development of highly scalable business solutions. For instance, microservice development is one of the main application models in.NET, with Docker deployment, supported natively.
Cross-Platform development– For some years, .NET has been a cross-platform software development platform, making it great for offshore and remote teams using multiple systems. The new platform is also built on the principle of build once, deploy everywhere, which means applications developed can be deployed across OS and hardware architectures with minimal modification or porting.
Secure Applications for enterprises- .NET uses C#, F#, and Visual Basis, all strongly typed languages. It’s also a managed development platform that is great for application security. Businesses have less to worry about the safety of solutions developed by offshore or geographically spread remote teams.
Multiple Application development models- You can build anything and everything with .NET, making it a good, easy-to-manage development platform for remote or offshore teams. You can use it to build desktop applications, cloud-based applications, games, mobile applications, microservices, IoT firmware, Ai & ML algorithms, data analysis tools, critical systems, and web applications. Since .NET is widely used in the business world and has been around for years, it has one of the industry’s most comprehensive toolset and dependency ecosystems.
.NET Attracts Top-Tier Developers and Experts
Developers using .NET exclusively or adept at developing complex solutions with any of its technology stacks are likely experienced and highly educated because it has such a steep learning curve. Onshore, .NET developers command the highest rates in the industry, with average base salaries starting at $130,000 per year.
Businesses looking for .NET development services can tap into the rapidly growing offshore software development market to save on costs and development times. Since most offshore development companies are based in emerging markets, rates for highly skilled and experienced .NET developers are significantly lower. For instance, the average annual base salary for a .NET developer in Romania is $4,800, which is way below US and Western Europe salaries.
.NET Supports Remote Development Natively
.NET has inbuilt support for remote software development and collaboration. All you need to set up and manage remote offshore software development teams is the Visual Studio IDE with Live share. Live share enables remote teams to do live code editing, group debugging, sharing terminals, sharing servers, setting up chats, and so much more.
How Do I Find A Good Offshore .NET Developer?
There are a few things you should consider when selecting an offshore .NET software development company or team. Here are some of them:
Location – where is the offshore company based? Location comes into play more than once when shopping for offshore services
Level of expertise– what kind of talent and experience does the company have?
Project type and duration– What .NET project type are you working on? Does the company have the capacity to deliver? Is it listed on their service page?
Language– What language will be used to communicate with the development team? Do you need localization or translation services?
Technological factors cut across all offshore markets and should be included during due diligence or company evaluation.
Best Places to Find Good Offshore .NET Developers By Region
The following are the best places to find top .NET software developers and offshore software development companies according to aggregated developer surveys from the past five years:
.NET Developers in Eastern Europe
Eastern Europe has recently become a software development powerhouse, with top technology companies setting up bases in countries like Ukraine and Romania. You’ll find plenty of .NET development talent in this region, as Microsoft is the most used platform. Eastern European software development companies and freelancers typically target offshore clients because there aren’t enough jobs or businesses locally.
The best countries in Eastern Europe for .NET software development outsourcing include:
- Romania
- Belarus
- Poland
- Ukraine
- Latvia
- Estonia
- Slovakia
- Bulgaria
Most of these countries have high literacy levels and produce thousands of software development graduates every academic year. However, most have economic growth challenges, which directly affects job opportunities, especially for top-tier experts like software engineers.
Some of the countries in Eastern Europe are also members of the European Union or Schengen area, which means there is a good proportion of experts with foreign degrees and experience working with external clients. EU countries like Poland and Bulgaria also follow EU standards regarding software development, data security, and employee welfare.
While most software development outfits in this region prefer the higher rates offered by external clients, you’ll find that they still charge a lot less than any onshore equivalent. The average hourly rate for a .NET developer in Eastern Europe ranges between $25 to $50, depending on their location and experience.
Typical per-project rates for established .NET development companies can be three to four times less than their onshore counterparts. For example, a software development company in Romania typically charges between 560 to 300 Euros to develop a simple business web application. Compare that to rates across the United States, ranging between $15,000 to $30,000.
Another advantage of Eastern European offshore development companies is the time zone. Most of them are in the UTC +2 time zone, roughly 7 to 12 hours ahead of most US states. This time difference is ideal for offshore development communication as there is an overlap between working hours.
Most Eastern European companies are also open for international business, mainly in the EU free trade area or are Schengen members. You’ll find it easy to do business with established regional firms or set up shop. Most of the top financial institutions have operations in Eastern Europe or nearby financial hubs like Switzerland.
Currency exchange rates are also in your favor as most countries in this region have weak currencies. This means you will be spending less to pay for software development, assuming you will be converting dollars or Euros into local currencies.
Last but not least, most developers in Eastern Europe speak English because it’s their official language or they learned it in school. Also, most Schengen area developers read and write fluent Italian, German, and French as they are taught at all levels of education.
.NET Developers in Asia
With its large workforce and open-door culture, Asia has been a source of affordable technology talent. Countries like India and Pakistan have millions of highly-skilled software engineers and related experts who are unemployed or underemployed. The offshore outsourcing industry in most countries in Asia has been in existence for decades and continues to grow.
To attract foreign business, most countries in Asia have adopted a relaxed trade policy and invested a lot in the core outsourcing infrastructure like high-speed internet and technology hubs. Some of the hottest places to find top .NET development talent in Asia include:
- India
- Sri-Lanka
- Philippines
- Malaysia
- Singapore
- Vietnam
- Thailand
- Nepal
Working with a software development company in Asia has several advantages. Average hourly rates for developers in Asia range between $18 to $40 depending on the level of education, experience, and country of origin. On average, an offshore .NET development company in Asia will charge between $500 to $5000 for a project.
Other advantages of the Asian market include ease of doing business, friendly exchange rates, and the number of developers. However, you may experience challenges with language as most countries in Asia do not use English as an instruction language at all levels of education.
.NET Developers in Africa
Africa has, in recent times, emerged as a source for business process outsourcing and software development services, especially in regional business hubs like Kenya and Nigeria. You’ll find plenty of .NET development talent across Africa because Microsoft Windows is the dominant platform. Also, development costs are significantly lower in most African countries compared to other regions.
Some of the best locations to find good .NET software development companies in Africa include:
- South Africa
- Ghana
- Kenya
- Nigeria
- Morocco
- Egypt
- Malawi
- Algeria
- Rwanda
Most African countries use English, or any of the main world languages, for instruction at all levels and in business. At the same time, experts who rise to the level of business software development or related professions are usually university educated and among the best talent in their respective countries. That said, you may experience challenges with doing business, especially if you are setting up shop locally.
.NET Developers in Latin America
Latin America is yet another rapidly expanding market for offshore software development services. Due to challenges with economic growth and high unemployment rates in this region, you will find plenty of affordable software engineering talent.
Some of the best places to find .NET development services in Latin America include:
- Brazil
- Mexico
- Argentina
- Colombia
- Peru
- Panama
Some challenges you might experience while outsourcing to Latin America include language barriers, ease of doing business, and time differences.
Why Hire Offshore .NET Developers? 3 Reasons
Here are some of the reasons to hire or outsource .NET development to an offshore software company or developer:
It’s Cost Effective
Cost saving is one of the top reasons for hiring offshore .NET developers in the markets covered in this guide Here is why:
Developer salaries and other labor-related costs take a big chunk of most software development projects (it is estimated that at least 60% of your budget will go toward labor). More often than not, recurring costs related to remuneration can be prohibitive for small startups or SMEs in developed economies.
The cost of living in most software development outsourcing destinations like Western Europe and India is significantly low which means developers in these countries generally demand lower rates than their Western. Of course, this should not be misconstrued to mean that offshore developers are cheap, quite the opposite.
As an example, Payscale.com approximates the average base salary for a software developer in Romania at slightly above $4000 with the highest-paid devs earning about $10,000 per year. Compare that to the base salary of a software developer in the United States which ranges between $60k to $100k per year.
In addition to labor-related costs, most offshore software development hubs tend to have friendly tax environments and other incentives for overseas companies employing local talent. Some even go out of their way to reduce the cost of setting up shop and processing payments to local companies.
Another cost-saving factor to consider while engaging offshore developers is the IT infrastructure needed to develop your solutions. You’ll find that many outsourcing destinations have ready infrastructure like fast internet, co-working hubs and affordable office spaces, support services, etc. These are things you would normally have to budget for were you to hire locally.
Another often overlooked cost-saving effect of using an offshore developer is taxes. Assuming you are in the United States, you will be required to acquire a federal EIN to employ developers and pay all payroll taxes such as social security, Medicare, etc. In contrast, you can get tax deductions because contract-based offshore development costs are expenses on your balance sheet (you will not be responsible for payroll taxes for offshore developers).
The total cost savings as a result of outsourcing software development offshore ranges between 40% to 60% depending on the type of project, preferred offshore developer market, and contingent factors. To make sure you are getting the best out of this approach, it’s best to do a bit of research about the offshore destination you want to hire from and work with an outsourcing consultant.
Reduce Development Time
There are two ways you can reduce software development project durations using offshore developers.
The first option has to do with different time zones and how they affect active working hours. Some offshore software developers’ working hours are inverted with their clients because they are in different time zone. To reduce project duration, you can have a 24-hour setup where developers on the other side of the world keep on working when you go to sleep.
A common approach is to have offshore development teams work on a project during their active working hours (9 to 5) and have an onshore team do the testing and code review. This way, there is a smooth feedback flow and handover from one phase of the software project to the next.
The second option is to take advantage of numbers in offshore labor markets to have more people working on your projects. Many offshore software development labor markets typically have high numbers of unemployed or under-employed experts. Most companies use this to this advantage by hiring several developers and splitting the project into small chunks for fast turnaround times.
Software localization
Are you developing software solutions for an international audience? If so, then you might find it easier and more convenient to work with a geographically dispersed localization team in offshore markets. For instance, you can hire .NET developers in Africa to work on specific components of your solution that are only relevant to your clients in Africa.
How Can You Benefit from Offshore .Net Development?
Here are some of the ways you will benefit from offshore .NET Development
Get Access to More Specialized Experts
You may have access to good .NET developers in your country but you’ll have to spend a lot of time and money recruiting to find the right mix of skills and personalities. To fill the gaps, you can source for .NET developers offshore who possess niche expertise or personalities to drive your projects forward. For instance, many offshore developers can handle bulk tasks like software testing or backend .NET development.
Faster Project Completion
Offshore .NET development companies have access to a larger pool of talent at various levels who can help develop your solutions within a limited timeframe and budget. This is one of the reasons why offshore development makes sense to small and medium-sized companies in developed countries.
Focus on Your Core Business
Hiring an offshore software development company is the same as outsourcing business processes that are not the core of your business. For instance, if you are a green energy startup in a developed country, you can choose to have an offshore company develop your ERPs and other .NET software tools as you focus on sustainable energy innovations.
You’ll Be Using More Efficient Tools
In many internal software development teams, there is often a subconscious preference for physical meetings and other inefficient methods for getting work done. Working with geographically dispersed offshore .NET development teams forces you to adopt more efficient and automated collaboration and remote working tools.
Benefit from Simplified Interpersonal Relationships
Working with offshore remote development teams means you don’t have to worry about interpersonal relationships, workplace-related tensions, and other issues common with physical teams. The remote .NET development company has to deliver the project within agreed timelines and you don’t have to worry about their work setup or HR issues.
Which Are the Best Offshore .Net Development Companies
There are several highly-rated offshore software development companies in the regions identified in this guide. Here are the top five that can handle .NET projects from select regions and countries:
Top 5 .NET Development companies in Romania
- Tremend Software Consulting -Bucharest (mid-size with 300+employees)
- Pentalog- Brasov (large with 100+ employees)
- Tagdiv- Alba Lulia, Romania (small with less than 50 employees)
- Assist Software- Suceava- Romania (mid sizes with 500+ employees)
- Existek- Vinnitsa, Romania (Mid-sized with 100+ employees)
Top 5 .NET Development companies in India
- Mastek Limited, Mumbai
- Rheal Software Mumbai
- Sapphire Software Solutions
- Fulcrum Digital
- TavtaSoft
Top 5 .NET Development Companies in Peru
- Glajumeida SAC -Lima, Peru – small with 10 to 50 employees
- Peru Apps – Lima, Peru- small with 10 to 50 employees
- Avantica- San Isidro, Peru- mid-sized with 500+ employees
- Seguro Innovative Tech Solutions- Trujillo, Peru- small with 10 to 50 employees
- Arkano Software- Lima, Peru, mid-sized with 50 to 300 employees
Top 5 .NET Development companies in Malaysia
- Openwave Solutions –Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
- Nettsys- Selangor, Malaysia
- InvoZone- Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
- Arbisoft- KualaLumpur, Malaysia
- Kadam Technologies, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Where Do You Find an Offshore .Net Developers?
The easiest way to have your software developed offshore is to hire a .NET software development company. However, you can also choose to work with remote offshore and nearshore developers who work on a freelance basis. Freelance offshore .NET developers can be found in the following portals:
Turing.com- Turing is an online job board and remote work portal for software and IT professionals. It should be your first choice if you are looking for .NET developers who have experience working remotely.
- com
- GitHub Jobs
- com
- com
- JobSpresso
- com
- The Muse
- Toptal
- Authentic Jobs
Tips for Hiring Offshore .NET Developers
Use the Right Channels
Many companies prefer to hire offshore software development companies because they specialize in working for remote clients and have a business reputation to guard. Should you choose to hire freelance developers, make sure you use the right channels where you can find vetted developers who understand remote work.
Ask for a Portfolio
If you cannot find an offshore developer’s work online, you should ask them to show their portfolio and their roles in the projects. Be sure to ask them a specific question about their work with .NET to judge if they have a deep understanding of the technology and can deliver if hired. Some offshore developers use .NET projects in their portfolio that they had no role in developing.
Be clear With Communication
You should first ensure that the developer you are hiring can communicate effectively and clearly in the language you intend to use while working with them. More often than not, a breakdown in communication with offshore developers can have significant effects on the end product.
While communicating, also ensure that the developer is aware of your expectations on things like quality, timelines, confidentiality, and reporting. For instance, it is advisable to sign a non-disclosure agreement with offshore developers before you reveal the details of your project to them.
Sign A Contract with the Developer
It’s important to sign a formal contract with any offshore developer you hire to avoid problems later. Contracts should state in no uncertain terms that you are the owner of the .NET solution being developed and you are hiring the offshore developer on a contract basis. It should have details regarding pay, timelines, and quality.
What Makes Your Offshore .Net Development Company Unique Compared to Others?
One thing you need to consider when choosing an offshore .NET development company is its uniqueness and track record. In your search, you will likely find several companies offering more or less the same services and with the same promises. However, the following things can make an offshore .NET development company unique:
They specialize in .NET development- Some offshore companies only deal with .NET projects and have experienced .NET developers in their core team. These are usually the best.
They have their own .NET solutions in the market – Offshore .NET development companies that also double up as software vendors are usually the best. You can easily tell if their quality meets your needs by downloading and trying their existing solutions.
Companies that work with offshore clients- Every country in our list above has .NET development companies that have a local clientele and others that specifically source for offshore contracts. Companies that state on their website that they work for offshore clients are the best because they have the experience and infrastructure to handle remote jobs.
Criteria for selecting Offshore .NET Development Companies
Are they a registered company?
Make sure the company you select to develop your .NET solutions is registered as a legal business in their country. This will protect you when from legal action and fraud, especially in countries with high cybercrime numbers. Nearly every country we mentioned in this guide has an online business search portal you can use to find out if the one you selected is registered.
Does the Company have a Client List/Portfolio?
To ensure you are working with a reliable .NET development company, be sure to check their client list or portfolio and verify it with other means. Check the projects they have worked on in the recent past to see if they meet your quality standards.
Where Is the Company Located?
It’s best to search for offshore .NET development companies in countries with a good software development outsourcing industry. In most cases, you’ll find that these countries have invested a lot in providing the infrastructure needed to support remote work like internet connections, office space, and public transport.
Does the Company have a good reputation?
A company’s reputation is always an indicator of its quality standards and reliability. Search for the company on review websites like Google My Business, Yelp, and Glassdoor to see how other people view it and what their employees think about the management.
Why You Need to Register an Offshore .Net Development Company
Another option you have if you considering taking your development offshore is registering your own company in your preferred location. Doing this will give you more control because the developers work directly for you. Most of the companies mentioned in this guide have a friendly business environment for foreign business owners.
There is a lot on the table for companies and individual entrepreneurs looking at the offshore .NET developer market for their projects. Aside from the potential cost savings, there are many more untapped opportunities and plenty of talent to tap into. Get started today!
