Umbraco Agency or Dedicated Developers? The Real Cost of Outsourced Teams

The Team Illusion in Agencies

Agencies love headline-winning statements:

• We’ll assign you 5 people full‑time.

• With PMs, QAs, DevOps, and designers.

But here’s the reality:

• Developer pay gets eaten by margin

• Overhead roles fuel their bottom line

• You end up with low-satisfaction employees, not motivation

This is the same inflated model that fueled FTE illusions - read more in The Great Outsourcing Crack: Why the "Bill-by-the-Head" Model Is Breaking Down 

Employee Satisfaction = Sustainability

Juniors and mids in agency settings often feel:

• Disempowered

• Micromanaged

• Undervalued

That leads to high turnover, rushed features, and more hidden cost for you.

Dedicated developers, on the other hand, thrive when they:

• Own the project

• Deliver fast and clean

• Are valued and trusted

Think: talented developers who stay instead of bouncing around.

Your Budget vs Their Margin

Outsourcing agencies typically markup:

• Developer salary ×2–×3

• HR, office, tools, events + hidden layers

Let’s break it down (2025 perspective):

You pay more when you hire via agency - but the developer gets paid the same.

Your value disappears in between.

Agency vs Dedicated Developers in Action

Here’s how the models compare:

Link to Umbracare’s Philosophy

In Umbraco Freelancer or Agency? How to Choose the Best Option, we explained the hybrid route - the best of both - but warned about scale.

Now we go further:

• Agencies = process-heavy, profit-driven

• Dedicated devs = outcome-focus, agile thinkers

In short: dedicated teams kill overhead, boost morale, and deliver real results, not reports.

Common Objections & Answers

Objection 1: “What if we need QA or DevOps?”

Use part-time specialists only for spikes, avoid full-time hires unless justified.

Objection 2: “Won’t the dedicated developer leave?”

Not as likely, they stay when they’re trusted, valued and challenged.

Objection 3: “We need governance and structure”

Structure doesn’t need layers - it needs clear deliverables, agile, and weekly demos.

Real Failure, Real Gains

We tackled this in our post on Reasons Why Your Umbraco Project Fail and Lose Money:

• Poor team structure kills projects faster than anything.
• Dedicated devs who own the stack stop failures early, cut costs, and increase ROI dramatically.

Final Recommendation

If you want…

• Developers who care and own

• Clear budgets and direct ROI

• Fast delivery with no fluff

…skip the agency markup.

Hire dedicated Umbraco developers, supported by minimal specialist roles when truly needed.

Want Proof?

👉 Book a free strategy call

We’ll outline team fit, timelines, and ROI - no slides, no buzzwords, just clarity.

Or check our related reads:

• Umbraco Developer Key Skills

• Why 1 Expert vs 3 Devs?

• The Great Outsourcing Crack