Novia-Lab

Local or Offshore Development — The Real Differences

Offshore promises savings but hides invisible costs: time zone gaps, language barriers, turnover, and constant revisions. Here's why local often costs less in the end.

Novia-Lab vs Offshore Development — the criteria that matter.

CriteriaNovia-LabOffshore Development
AvailabilityGuaranteed — dedicated teamVariable depending on the person
SkillsFull-stack: web, mobile, API, designLimited to Offshore Development
Time to startWithin daysWeeks to months
Predictable priceClear estimate guaranteedVariable / uncertain
Project continuityGuaranteed by the teamRisk if the person leaves
  • Same time zone (ET/CT)
  • Communication in English and French
  • No cultural gap
  • Same-day responsiveness, not 24h later

Offshore is 3× cheaper — why go local?

The hourly rate is lower, but hidden costs add up: revisions, miscommunication, response delays, and code that often needs to be redone. Total cost is often higher.

How do you handle client communication?

Weekly calls, Slack or Teams, live sprint demos. You always have direct access to your project lead, not an intermediary.

Is code quality different?

We deliver clean, documented, tested code. We never subcontract — every team member working on your project is at Novia-Lab.