Outsource Ruby on Rails Development: A Practical Guide for 2025

Thinking of outsourcing your Ruby on Rails development, but not sure where to start? You are not alone. 

The real challenge is not just finding Rails developers. It’s finding a team that gets your product, can move fast without breaking things, and delivers clean, scalable code from day one.

To make things easier, we have created this expert-led guide that walks you through the right strategy to reduce the noise and find a dependable Ruby on Rails development company more quickly.

You will learn to pick the right partner, avoid common pitfalls, understand cost structures, and know what to expect at every stage.

Let’s start by looking at some good reasons why outsourcing Ruby on Rails development should be a go-to choice for startups and scaling businesses.

Why Outsource Ruby on Rails Development?

Outsourcing Ruby on Rails (RoR) development gives you faster access to skilled developers, reduces overhead, and helps you deliver products faster without building an in-house team. Here’s why businesses choose to outsource RoR development:

1. Cost-effective 

Hiring and retaining senior RoR developers in-house is expensive—especially in North America. Outsourcing gives you access to senior engineers without adding full-time salary, benefits, recruiting time, or management overhead. You get a high-caliber team with predictable monthly costs and no long-term HR liabilities.

2. Faster development 

With expertise in delivering Ruby on Rails solutions following standard development practices, outsourcing companies can build and deliver quality applications faster. These companies often follow continuous integration and deployment cycles (CI/CD) that speed up the development process by automating stable releases.

3. Access to specialists

When you outsource your RoR development requirements, your project is handled by experts specializing in their respective fields, which is difficult to achieve with in-house teams. These specialists bring expertise in security testing, back-end development, front-end development, UI/UX designing, AI development and integration, database management, and more. 

4. Quicker time-to-market 

Outsourcing companies backed by their years of experience delivering successful projects can develop your projects with guaranteed quality faster than it might take for in-house teams. These companies have well-defined development cycles and RoR libraries of pre-built components that accelerate the development process, leading to quick deployment. 

5. Better security and compliance 

Outsourcing firms provide expert security and quality analysts who follow cybersecurity best practices and ensure compliance with industry regulations. Outsourcing firms use secure infrastructure and conduct frequent security audits throughout the development lifecycle to ensure data confidentiality and unbreachable security.  

6. Reduced risk 

When you build in-house, you own all delivery risk delays, bugs, turnover, and hiring gaps. When you outsource, your partner is contractually responsible for velocity, quality, and timeline. You define scope; they deliver outcomes.

7. Prioritize core operations

If web development, particularly RoR development, is not a primary operation of your business, outsourcing it to a reliable partner is a strategic decision. This enables you to prioritize your core operations, improves work efficiency, and ensures that specialists handle your essential technical requirements. 

These were the 7 key benefits of outsourcing Ruby on Rails development. Now let’s discuss the right process to hire a reliable Ruby on Rails development agency.

When Should You Consider Ruby on Rails Outsourcing?

Outsourcing Ruby on Rails is a viable option in many business scenarios where it can be both time-efficient and economical. Here are some common conditions where Ruby on Rails outsourcing can be an ideal solution:

1. Address in-house skill gaps

This is a common challenge with in-house teams lacking expertise in specific technologies. For instance, if your in-house team lacks expertise in RoR development, outsourcing your project to experts can guarantee quality and speedier development.

2. Budget constraints 

Outsourcing can be an economically viable option if you don’t have an in-house team and are facing budget constraints. It can save overhead costs related to hiring, training, and remuneration while saving substantial time.

3. Focus on core business operations

When RoR development is not central to your business strategy, outsourcing frees internal resources, enabling them to focus more on core revenue-generating operations. This practice improves your team’s operational efficiency while ensuring that experts handle your technical requirements. 

4. Tight deadlines

If your in-house teams are running behind schedule or are short-staffed, outsourcing certain parts of your RoR project to a reliable agency can help you keep up with the pace and deliver the project on time. It reduces pressure on internal teams and allows both parties to sync for timely project delivery.  

5. Specialized expertise requirements

Occasionally, projects demand niche skills—like API development integrations, advanced technology integrations, or migration to advanced frameworks. In these scenarios, outsourcing to a reliable RoR agency with a broad coverage of niche services can be highly advantageous. These agencies bring domain expertise, access to the latest tools, and a team of specialists that can accurately handle complex requirements. 

Outsourcing your RoR project to a trusted partner in these scenarios ensures quality and brings expertise and strategic insights. This partnership can help optimize your web solutions for better user experience, responsiveness, and maximum return on investment. 

Step-by-Step Guide to Outsourcing Ruby on Rails

If you have decided to outsource RoR development, there are certain aspects you must keep in mind. Let’s check them out:

How to Choose the Right Ruby on Rails Development Agency

Choosing the right Ruby on Rails development agency is crucial when outsourcing to ensure that your chosen service provider delivers high-quality and secure web solutions on time. Here is the right process to follow when looking for a dependable ROR development outsourcing partner. 

1. Outline clear project requirements 

Before starting your screening process, you should have a well-defined list of your project requirements, including project scope, technical needs, feature specifications, UI/UX design preferences, required deliverables, and budget. This information is a roadmap for development agencies, helping them learn about your requirements faster. 

2. Choose your outsourcing location

Once you have precise project requirements, choose your preferred outsourcing model based on the service provider’s location—on-shore, off-shore, or near-shore. Opt for on-shore outsourcing for complex, long-term, highly confidential, and high-budget projects. If your project involves basic to medium-sized project requirements requiring quality assistance on a limited budget, opting for off-shore and near-shore outsourcing can be a good choice. 

3. Research reliable companies 

Visit reliable B2B research and review platforms like Clutch, GoodFirms, and DesignRush to find top RoR development companies with good performance records and client reviews. Filter companies based on your preferred outsourcing location. You can also collect references from good RoR development agencies on Linked In.

4. Screen shortlisted companies

When evaluating RoR development agencies, assessing the company’s credibility and reliability across various aspects is crucial. Here’s the process to follow:

• Evaluate domain expertise 
  Once you have the list of reliable RoR development agencies, review their portfolios and analyze the quality of their delivered projects and client feedback. Assess their domain expertise by checking if they have ample experience in providing solutions that align with your project requirements and industry. Shortlist companies with a proven track record of delivering similar web solutions with good client feedback. 
• Conduct technical interviews 
  Arrange a formal interview to assess the development team’s technical skills and evaluate their technical expertise in front-end and back-end technologies and their fluency in Rails, database management systems, security testing tools, etc. Additionally, discuss their development and cybersecurity practices to determine if they follow industry guidelines and develop solutions in compliance with the set standards. 
• Discuss hiring models and team structure
  After assessing their technical prowess, discuss the hiring models they offer—dedicated team, fixed-price, or time and materials. Choose the hiring model that best fits your project needs. Also, review the team structure (number of developers, designers, quality analysts, and other people) that the RoR development agency will provide based on your preferred model.
• Analyze maintenance and support 
  When screening the shortlisted companies, always prioritize discussing post-launch maintenance and the support they provide. Discussing this before making outsourcing decisions is crucial to ensure that your chosen company offers adequate support for regular maintenance and security updates once the project goes live. This helps avert downtime risks and ensures smooth operations. 
• Discuss NDA 
  To ensure data confidentiality and complete ownership of your project, it is crucial to discuss whether the company you are reviewing signs non-disclosure agreements and is open to discussing modifications in terms based on your requirements. 

5. Make the final choice

After thoroughly analyzing the shortlisted agencies, we will finalize a Ruby on Rails development company for outsourcing with a strong market reputation, excellent client reviews, an exceptional portfolio, and sufficient post-launch support. When making the final decision, consider the hiring models, team structure, and flexibility in signing NDAs.

Following this process, you can find reliable and top Ruby on Rails development agencies capable of delivering quality web solutions. Let’s quickly discuss the cost of outsourcing Ruby on Rails development services.

How Much Does It Cost to Outsource Ruby on Rails Development?

The overall cost of outsourcing Ruby on Rails development depends on various factors, such as project complexity, outsourcing location, and engagement models. Here’s a breakdown of the costs based on these three key considerations: 

1. Based on the agency’s location 

Outsourcing costs largely depend on the location of your outsourcing company. Hourly rates vary across countries, directly impacting the overall development cost. Take a look:

Location	Costs
North America (USA, Canada)	$100 to $200 per hour
Latin America (Brazil, Argentina, Mexico)	$30 to $60 per hour
Western Europe (UK, Germany, France)	$80 to $150 per hour
Eastern Europe (Poland, Ukraine, Romania)	$40 to $80 per hour
Asia (India, Vietnam, Philippines)	$25 to $50 per hour

From the table above, you can see how hourly outsourcing costs vary by location. For instance, outsourcing to North America is typically more expensive than outsourcing to Eastern European countries like Ukraine and Poland. 

2. Based on project complexity

The Ruby on Rails outsourcing costs significantly vary based on the complexity of your project. Check the table below for details:

Project Complexity	Example	Development Costs
Simple Projects	MVP development, simple web pages	$5,000 to $30,000
Medium-complexity projects	E-commerce platforms, Custom APIs	$30,000 to $80,000
High-complexity projects	Enterprise-level applications, complex integrations	$80,000+

3. Based on engagement models

The type of engagement model you choose when outsourcing your Ruby on Rails project significantly impacts the development cost. Refer to the table for more details:

Engagement Model	Costs (for a typical RoR web application)
Fixed-price model	$10,000 to $70,000+
Time & materials model	$60,000 to $120,000+
Dedicated team model	$60,000 to $150,000+

The development cost of your project varies based on the engagement model you choose. For instance, fixed-price models are ideal for simple and short-term projects with well-defined requirements and typically cost less than the dedicated team model, which is better suited for long-term projects with complex and changing requirements. 

Now, let’s discuss the 3 common challenges clients often face when outsourcing Ruby on Rails development projects and how to mitigate them.

3 Common Challenges in Outsourcing Ruby on Rails Development and Solutions

Although outsourcing RoR development offers numerous benefits, it often poses significant challenges that require deliberate efforts to overcome. Let’s look at some of the most common challenges and how to overcome them.

1. Quality assurance issues

Lack of direct oversight often leads to limited quality control for businesses, especially when outsourcing Ruby on Rails development to offshore companies. Varying coding standards sometimes lead to code inconsistency, making the codebase challenging to maintain. Moreover, some outsourcing companies may provide limited quality and security testing coverage, leading to unstable and insecure applications.

Solution: 

• When selecting outsourcing companies, discuss their development best practices and coding standards to ensure they adhere to industry standards. 
• Ensure the company follows top software development methodologies such as Agile, which promotes frequent communication and sprint reviews to ensure you have ample project oversight. 
• Choose companies that offer complete testing packages and incorporate stringent security and authentication methods, such as OAuth, to minimize security vulnerabilities.

2. Communication barrier 

Communication gaps are a common yet critical challenge clients face when working with outsourcing companies. Language barriers, time-zone differences in offshore models, and the absence of real-time collaboration frequently lead to project delays or final solutions that fail to meet expectations and yield ROI. This often occurs when there is a lack of synchronization between the in-house and outsourced development teams. 

Solution: 

• Adopt agile development methodologies that involve regular sprints and project reviews to ensure transparency and keep the project on track. 
• Utilize effective communication tools like Slack and collaboration tools like Jira, Asana, and Basecamp to enhance work synchronization between in-house and outsourced teams.
• Encourage overlapping working hours to promote regular and real-time collaboration for faster issue resolution and quicker development.

3. Hidden costs and budget overruns 

Inadequate planning, imprecise project scope evaluation, and insufficient communication often contribute to unplanned hidden costs, leading to budget overruns. For instance, once a project begins, you may realize that your web solution isn’t yielding the expected outcomes, leading to project overrun and delays. Additionally, it may require feature enhancements and extra integrations, further increasing costs.

Improper communication and poorly conveyed project requirements also deviate projects from their intended goals, consequently needing major reworks that add to extra hours and costs.

Solutions: 

• Conduct thorough project planning and adequate research to define project requirements and scope, and create detailed requirement documentation for better project understanding for all the stakeholders.
• Incorporate project management tools and communication tools for continuous project monitoring. 
• Maintain extra capital to accommodate unexpected costs.

These were the three most common challenges that Ruby on Rails developers often face, and some effective solutions. 

Suggested Reading: A Complete Guide to Outsource Web Development

Build Innovative Ruby on Rails Solutions with Space-O Technologies 

Ruby on Rails is a powerful framework for building highly responsive and resilient web solutions. By outsourcing your Ruby on Rails development requirements to a reliable agency, you can utilize its capabilities to their fullest potential. Outsourcing enables clients to collaborate with seasoned professionals and RoR specialists to develop unique web solutions that meet their needs and maximize ROI. 

Looking for a reliable RoR development outsourcing partner who can deliver innovative solutions? Partner with Space-O Technologies. We are ISO 9001 and ISO 27001 certified companies with 7+ years of experience providing innovative and high latency RoR solutions to 100+ clients worldwide. 

We serve multiple industries, from e-commerce, healthcare, and fitness to real estate and finance. To leverage our expertise and develop ground-breaking solutions, book a free 30-minute consultation today.