How to choose a software development company in Mexico
There are plenty of options in Mexico, and nearly all of them look good on their own website. These are the questions that separate the people who build systems that get used from the ones who deliver mockups, whether you end up hiring us or anyone else.
Why the choice matters more than the price
Custom software lives for years. The lowest quote becomes expensive if the project stalls halfway, if the system never gets used, or if the day you want to switch providers you discover the code is not yours.
So it pays to judge less what the proposal promises and more what the provider can already show.
On proof: what they have already built
- Can I open systems of theirs that are in production today? Not screenshots or mockups: the link to the real system, with people using it.
- Have they built something like what I need? A quoting tool, a portal, a configurator. Ask to see it working.
- Who will actually do the work? Ask by name who designs and who writes the code, and whether it is the person you are talking to.
On ownership: what is yours at the end
- Are the source code and the database in my company's name? Get it in the contract, not just on the call.
- Are the hosting, domain and service accounts mine or the provider's? If they are the provider's, ask how they are transferred.
- What documentation do I receive, and could another team continue the project with it?
If a proposal does not say who owns the code, ask before you sign. It is the clause that prevents the most trouble.
On the way of working
- Is it delivered in stages, and does each stage end in something my team uses? Be wary of a single delivery at the end of many months.
- Do they start by understanding my operation, or with a list of screens? A good provider asks how you sell, quote and collect before proposing technology.
- Can we meet in person if needed? Seeing your plant or your warehouse once changes how well the process is understood.
On what comes after
- What happens after launch: how do I request changes, how are they priced and who makes them? Expect a concrete answer.
Warning signs
- They cannot show you a single system in production, only designs.
- The proposal is one fixed price for everything, with no stages and no scope per stage.
- It is unclear who owns the code or where it lives.
- They sell you technology before asking about your operation.
- The person selling to you has no idea who will write the code.
How we answer this list
So the list is not only theory, this is how we answer it at Gridarco:
- Every project on our site is in production and links to the real system: Kit Machinery, Zebretaro, Geely Guadalajara, MenuFacil and Brosino.
- Iñaki Zamores, the founder, designs and engineers every platform: the person who listens to you is the one who builds.
- On delivery, the code, the database and the accounts are in your company's name.
- We work in stages, and each one goes live with real users.
- We meet in person in Querétaro and the Bajío; with the rest of Mexico we work remotely.
If another company answers these questions better than we do, hire them. If you want to see our answers in detail, write to us.
Frequently asked questions
Should I hire a local company or one from another city?
The city matters less than the proof. A nearby company can visit your operation; if they are elsewhere, make sure they know your kind of business and that you can see their work in production.
Freelancer, agency or studio?
A freelancer is usually cheaper and riskier on continuity; a large agency has more people, but more layers in between. A small studio sits in the middle: the person who designs is the one who writes the code, in exchange for taking on fewer projects at once.
Has your operation outgrown spreadsheets?
Tell us how you sell, quote and serve today. We'll tell you what we would build, and in what order.