Outsourcing software development to Madagascar: benefits and best practices
French-speaking, close to European time zones, cost-effective: why Madagascar is a serious option for your web and mobile projects, and how to do it right.
More and more French and European companies and agencies outsource all or part of their development to teams in Madagascar. Done well, it combines quality with a controlled budget. Done badly, it brings delays and frustration. Here is what you need to know.
The benefits
- Language: French is a common working language, and English is widely used in tech, so communication and documentation need no intermediary.
- Time zone: UTC+3, one to two hours from Paris depending on the season. Working days overlap almost entirely.
- Cost: for comparable experience, a significantly lower budget than a team in Europe.
- Work culture: many developers have worked on European projects and know what is expected.
Best practices
- Written specifications and approved mockups before development.
- Regular demos (every one to two weeks) rather than a “black box”.
- Permanent access to the source code and a staging environment.
- Clear commitments on code ownership and confidentiality.
- A single point of contact who understands both the business and the technology.
How we work
Hardware Solution is based in Antananarivo and has worked with clients in Madagascar, France and Europe for over ten years. Every project gets an online client area: progress, quotes to sign, invoices, documents and support in one place.
Have a project, or need extra hands for your team? Describe it in a few lines and we will get back to you within 2 business days.
Have a project in mind?
Describe your project: we reply within 2 business days with a first estimate.