How to choose the best outsourcing software development company in Poland?

You wouldn’t hire a CFO just because their LinkedIn profile looks good — so why choose a software development company in Poland without researching the market, shortlisting candidates, and checking their backgrounds?

We don’t want to sound pompous, but Poland is now really one of the most sought-after IT outsourcing destinations in the world — top companies (like Google, Microsoft, IBM) have grounded R&D hubs here. Another proof: As of 2024, 106,300+ companies with foreign capital are registered in Poland.

All the mentioned evidence shows that Poland’s IT outsourcing services are outliers in their value. Yet, there is another challenge — how to choose an outsourcing provider in Poland.

Some companies have a knack for building fintech products, and others know the ropes of AI development. You don’t want missed deadlines, budget overruns, and security risks. On the other hand, you’d prefer scalability, innovation, and long-term success.

That’s why you should read this guide. We’ll break down how to choose a software development partner in Poland, list selection criteria, and tip you off common pitfalls.

Why outsourcing to Poland software development

Without long-winded intros — here’s why choosing Poland IT outsourcing market could become your wisest decision:

• Robust talent pool: Over 520,000 tech pros welcome new ambitious clients. Regardless of the niche, chances are you’ll find exactly your team with relevant tech expertise and soft skills. ​
• Cost-effective quality: Allocate about 40% of your usual tech outsourcing budget to hire Polish software developers, then compare the software quality. You will be surprised. Pleasantly. ​
• Time zone compatibility: Ideal choice for European clients. And a not bad option for US customers since there is a significant overlap with their business hours.
• Advanced technological expertise: Blockchain, IoT, Cloud engineering services, AI — cutting-edge technologies are nested here.
• Cultural and linguistic alignment: Ranked 15th globally for English proficiency, Polish professionals ensure clear communication. Western business practices and mindset add up to it.

7 steps before picking a software development company in Poland

Obviously, the number of “deciding factors” depends on your niche, budget, goals, and other conditions. But commonly it comes down to 7 steps.

1. List your project requirements

We’d call it even a zero-step. The homework: Before searching for a vendor, clarify your project’s objectives.

• Business goals: A new product, further sophisticating an existing one, optimizing costs, leveraging specific expertise, etc.
• Technology stack: Here, you should understand the core frameworks and languages you need (e.g., JavaScript with React for frontend, Node.js for backend, or Python for AI/ML).
• Engagement model: To your liking:

Staff augmentation services – Supplement your in-house team with external developers.

Dedicated development teams – A long-term contract where a full team works exclusively on your project.

Project-based software development outsourcing – A fixed-scope contract where the vendor delivers a completed project.

2. Look up technical expertise and industry experience

A top-tier outsourcing partner should have:

• Domain experience: Whether you’re a FinTech or healthcare company, it’s always better to check their track record with similar projects. Pay attention to regulatory compliance expertise (e.g., HIPAA for healthcare, PCI DSS for payment solutions).
• Case studies: Go to the blog/success stories section to find out how they solved complex problems. Look for specifics — cost reduction, improvement of system performance, automation implementation, etc.
• Tech stack proficiency:

  • Cloud computing: AWS, Azure, Google Cloud.
  • Microservices architecture: Kubernetes, Docker, Spring Boot.
  • AI/ML: TensorFlow, PyTorch, OpenAI API integrations.
  • DevOps: CI/CD pipelines, Terraform, Ansible.

3. Check client reviews and reputation

Reputation matters. Here is what to assess:

• Review platforms: Clutch, GoodFirms, and Glassdoor, consider also cross-reference with GitHub repositories and developer forums if you want to double-check.
• Client references: Direct feedback from their long-term clients can highlight the strengths and weaknesses. Also, pay attention to uncommon collaboration with partners and clients. For example, podcasts about software development — if they recorded a series with clients or partners, it may say much more about their dedication, trustfulness, and even vibe.
• Employee retention rate (ideally): Not always available. But if so, a high churn rate may signal management issues or poor project continuity.

4. Assess communication and project management skills

Technical prowess is excellent, but without smooth organizational processes, your idea of offshore software outsourcing to Poland will likely fall flat.

Ensure your partner follows Scrum, Kanban, or SAFe Agile for iterative development. If you’re in the US, look for teams that offer at least 4 hours of shared work hours.

Assess the English proficiency of their team (basically, you will see the general level even at the first meeting). Finally, understand their communication infrastructure: tools they use, flows and principles they follow, etc.

5. Review security, compliance, and legal parts

There are a few more factors for choosing software developers in Poland. Hire those who adhere to:

• GDPR & ISO 27001 compliance: Main data protection and security regulatory documents.
• NDAs and IP ownership: Clarify who owns the source code and whether the contract includes full intellectual property transfer.
• Liability clauses: Ensure contract terms protect against project delays, security breaches, or code quality issues.

6. Compare pricing models and hidden costs

• Fixed-price vs. time and material models: Fixed pricing is suitable for well-defined projects. Agile and evolving requirements work better with time and material contracts. If you are on the fence, check our detailed guide on how to outsource to leverage Poland’s IT outsourcing services.
• Potential hidden costs:

  • Infrastructure and cloud hosting expenses.
  • Change request fees — some providers charge extra for modifications outside the original scope.
  • Project management overhead.
  • Total cost of ownership (TCO): Consider not just development costs, but maintenance, support, and future scalability expenses.

7. Pilot first

Before committing to a long-term contract:

• Start small: Develop a PoC or an MVP to assess quality and speed.
• Evaluate responsiveness: How quickly does the team adapt to feedback and changing requirements?
• Monitor collaboration efficiency: Assess whether their development culture aligns with yours.

Four common mistakes when outsourcing to Poland

Poland’s software outsourcing offers tangible value. But still, there are some common yet avoidable mistakes we’re often watching:

1. Choosing based only on the price

Following all etiquette rules, we’d say that software outsourcing in Poland offers competitive rates. Yet, there are two moments:

1. Competitive ≠ for free

2. Competitive doesn’t mean every provider delivers what you actually expect

Banal truth: The dev charging $25/hour with poor coding practices can cost more in rework than one at $45/hour who ships stable code.

A corny and workable tip: Prioritize engineering excellence and communication over hunting the discount.

2. Overlooking legal compliance

Assume nothing. Always verify GDPR alignment, NDA usage, and clear IP ownership clauses in the contract. Failing to do so can lead to legal vulnerabilities or data breaches. And if you operate in healthcare or FinTech, it may cost a fortune, both reputationally and financially.

3. Ignoring time zone and communication dynamics

When it comes to software development, offshoring to Poland is very convenient but still requires some coordination. Don’t assume every team offers overlapping hours, structured standups, or fluent English.

Tip: Check if they have collaboration protocols. Documentation and policies reflect their mindset and business maturity.

4. Skipping a pilot

Jumping straight into a full-scale build is risky. A pilot or MVP sprint lets you validate technical quality, responsiveness, and team chemistry. No long-term contracts before you know what’s what.

Why Devico is your choice for outsourcing in Poland

• Technical expertise: JavaScript, Python, Angular, Next, React — you will hire frontend developers with the required skills, frameworks, and languages.
• Proven track record in 12 niches: We have a diverse software development cases portfolio, but our tech teams have a specific focus. We don’t involve “healthcare devs” in FinTech projects.
• Client and partner satisfaction: 5.0 on Clutch, excellent reviews on GoodFirms, and regularly published podcasts with our partners — we’d not achieve this without being good guys.
• Compliance: We obtained ISTQB and ISO [ISO 9001, IDT, ISO 20000, ISO 27001] certifications, as well as cloud ones. We also adhere to GDPR and sign airtight NDAs.
• Seamless communication: Every client gets a dedicated delivery manager, structured sprints, and real-time communication channels (Slack, Jira, Confluence, or any other tool to their liking — yet we typically suggest the safest ones).

Conclusion

Now, the most responsible part. You’ve read up this material on how to choose a software development company in Poland, and have two choices.

1. Still sitting on the fence, reading new blogs, new guides, listening to new outsourcing gurus.

2. Right here decide to outsource software development to Poland with a partner that will go with you the extra mile.

Whoever your potential partner would be, just know — Devico is always a stone’s throw. To be more precise — one click away.