DaaSy vs Agency vs Freelancer: Complete 2025 Development Cost Comparison
$2,000/month unlimited development vs thousands per project with agencies vs hourly freelancers. A realistic cost comparison guide for startups and SMBs.
"Should I hire a developer, go with an agency, or use a freelancer?"
This is the most common question startups and SMBs ask.
The short answer: There's no one-size-fits-all solution. But there is an optimal choice for your situation.
In this guide, we compare DaaSy, agencies, freelancers, and full-time hires with real data and cost breakdowns.
Cost Comparison at a Glance
| Option | Monthly Cost | Annual Cost | Key Feature |
|---|---|---|---|
| DaaSy | $2,000 | $24,000 | Unlimited requests, 48hr avg turnaround |
| DaaSy Beta | $999 | $11,988 | 6-month locked pricing |
| Agency | Per project | $3,000-$50,000+ | One-time projects |
| Freelancer | $30-$150/hr | Per project | Variable availability |
| Full-time hire | $8,000-$15,000+ | $96,000-$180,000+ | Including benefits & overhead |
Detailed Comparison by Option
1. Development Agencies
Cost Structure
Average agency costs for web development projects in 2025:
| Project Type | Average Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Simple website | $3,000-$10,000 | Under 5 pages |
| Business website | $10,000-$25,000 | Responsive, CMS included |
| E-commerce | $25,000-$75,000 | Payment, inventory management |
| Custom web app | $50,000-$250,000+ | Varies by complexity |
Pros
- Full team (designer, developer, PM)
- Structured project management
- Complete handoff after delivery
Cons
- High upfront cost: Thousands to hundreds of thousands at once
- Long timelines: Average 2-6 months
- Additional requests = additional costs: Maintenance contracts separate
- Communication delays: Going through PM slows things down
Hidden Costs
- Maintenance: $1,000-$3,000/month
- Feature additions: Re-quoted per request
- Urgent fixes: 30-50% premium
2. Freelancers
Cost Structure
2025 freelance developer hourly rates:
| Level | Hourly Rate (Platform) | Hourly Rate (Direct) |
|---|---|---|
| Junior | $15-$30 | $30-$50 |
| Mid-level | $30-$60 | $50-$80 |
| Senior | $60-$100 | $80-$150 |
| Specialist (AI/ML) | $100-$150 | $150-$200+ |
Upwork median: $30/hour Direct contracts: 20-30% higher than platform rates
Pros
- Flexible contracts
- Relatively affordable
- Direct communication
Cons
- Uncertain availability: Juggling multiple projects
- Quality variance: Portfolio ≠ actual delivery
- Risk management: Ghosting, missed deadlines
- Limited tech stack: Rarely true full-stack
Real Scenario
"I hired a freelancer for a landing page. Quote: $2,000, 2-week timeline. Reality? 4 weeks, extra charges per revision. Total: $3,500."
3. Full-Time Hire
Cost Structure
2025 software developer salaries:
| Level | Annual Salary | True Cost (2.7x) |
|---|---|---|
| Junior (1-3 yrs) | $60,000-$80,000 | $162,000-$216,000 |
| Mid-level (3-5 yrs) | $80,000-$120,000 | $216,000-$324,000 |
| Senior (5+ yrs) | $120,000-$180,000+ | $324,000-$486,000+ |
Why 2.7x? Salary + taxes + benefits + equipment + office space + training
Pros
- Full control
- Deep company understanding
- Long-term capability building
- Immediate availability
Cons
- Massive fixed cost: $8,000+/month minimum
- Hiring risk: 3-month probation might reveal mismatch
- Management overhead: Managers, HR, performance systems
- Turnover risk: Handover + re-hiring costs
Hidden Costs
- Recruiting: 20-30% of salary (headhunters)
- Onboarding: 1-3 months reduced productivity
- Turnover: Re-hiring + knowledge transfer
4. DaaSy (Subscription Development Service)
Cost Structure
| Plan | Monthly Cost | Annual Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Regular | $2,000 | $24,000 |
| Beta (6-month lock) | $999 | $11,988 |
What's Included
- Unlimited requests: No ticket limits
- 48-hour average completion: Simple tasks in 4-8 hours
- SLA guarantee: Max 5 business days, 2-day credit per day over
- Full tech stack: Next.js, React, TypeScript, PostgreSQL
- 7-day full refund: 100% back if not satisfied
- 30-day 50% refund: Half back if canceled in first month
- Unlimited revisions: No extra charge for changes
Pros
- Predictable cost: Fixed monthly, no surprises
- Fast turnaround: 48-hour average
- Flexible scaling: Upgrade/downgrade anytime
- Minimized risk: 7-day refund guarantee
- Unlimited revisions: Changes included in subscription
Cons
- Limited for massive team needs
- Not suitable if you need 100% on-site developer
- Extremely complex projects might suit agencies better
Scenario-Based Cost Comparison
Scenario 1: Landing Page + Blog
Requirements: 5-page responsive landing page + blog system
| Option | Cost | Timeline | Future Changes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Agency | $10,000-$20,000 | 4-8 weeks | Additional cost |
| Freelancer | $3,000-$6,000 | 2-4 weeks | Additional cost |
| DaaSy | $999-$2,000/mo | 1-2 weeks | Included |
DaaSy advantage: Launch in month one, unlimited improvements thereafter
Scenario 2: SaaS MVP Development
Requirements: User auth + dashboard + payment integration
| Option | Cost | Timeline | Future Changes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Agency | $50,000-$100,000 | 3-6 months | Additional cost |
| Full-time hire | $8,000+/mo | Ongoing | Included |
| DaaSy | $2,000/mo | 2-3 months | Included |
DaaSy 3-month cost: $6,000 Savings vs agency: 70%+
Scenario 3: Website Redesign + Maintenance
Requirements: Full redesign + 10-20 monthly updates
| Option | Initial Cost | Monthly Maintenance | Annual Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Agency | $15,000 | $2,000 | $39,000 |
| Freelancer | $6,000 | Per request | $15,000+ |
| DaaSy | Included | $2,000 | $24,000 |
Just redesign? Agency might be cheaper. Ongoing changes? DaaSy wins.
Decision Framework
DaaSy is Optimal When:
- You have 10+ development requests per month
- Fast iteration is critical (startups)
- Full-time hire is too expensive (SMBs)
- You want agency quality without agency pricing
- Continuous improvement/updates are needed
Agency is Optimal When:
- Clearly defined one-time project
- Large-scale, complex system build
- You want to delegate project management
- Minimal post-launch maintenance
Freelancer is Optimal When:
- Very limited budget
- Simple, small project
- You already have a trusted freelancer
- You can manage the project yourself
Full-Time Hire is Optimal When:
- Long-term product vision
- Development is core competency
- Sufficient budget and management structure
- High security/confidentiality requirements
Annual Cost Simulation
Assumptions: 15-20 development requests/month, 1-year operation
| Option | Annual Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| DaaSy | $24,000 | Unlimited requests |
| Freelancer | $36,000-$72,000 | $3,000-$6,000/mo estimated |
| Agency | $30,000-$75,000+ | Initial + maintenance |
| Full-time | $150,000-$250,000 | Total employment cost |
Expected Results with DaaSy
Average metrics from DaaSy customers:
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Average ticket completion time | 48 hours |
| On-time delivery rate | 99.2% |
| Tickets processed | 487+ |
| Active projects | 4+ |
Cost Savings Example:
- vs Full-time: 62-73% savings
- vs Agency: 40-70% savings (for ongoing work)
Conclusion
The key question for development costs is "How often and how long will you need development?"
| Situation | Best Choice |
|---|---|
| One-time project | Agency or Freelancer |
| Ongoing development | DaaSy or Full-time |
| Limited budget + ongoing needs | DaaSy |
| Strong budget + core competency | Full-time hire |
DaaSy combines the stability of a full-time hire with the expertise of an agency—at a fraction of the cost.
Start at $2,000/month (Beta: $999/month). If you're not satisfied within 7 days, get a full refund.
References
Solve Development Headaches with a Subscription
No agency fees. No hiring risks. Build your web service for $2K/mo flat.
No credit card required · Cancel anytime
Related Posts
Hiring Developers vs Subscription Development: The 2025 Startup Decision
Full-time developer costs $130K+, hiring takes 51 days. Subscription development saves 63%. Which path is right for your startup in 2025?
How Much Does Web Development Really Cost in 2025? Complete Guide
Website for $3K? Web app for $200K? Real pricing data for 2025 web development costs, including hidden expenses most quotes don't mention.
No-Code vs Custom Development: When to Use What
Should you start with Bubble or Webflow? Here's the real data on no-code limitations and when custom development makes sense.