When your product team needs to scale fast, you face a clear choice: work with engineering staffing agencies, hire a software house, or partner with a vendor like ELEKS. Which route gives you experienced software engineers, solid QA and testing, and reliable application development without blowing your timeline or budget? This article helps you learn about ELEKS competitors and alternatives for software engineering, comparing software development firms, engineering staffing agencies, offshore and nearshore teams, staff augmentation options, product development shops, and other technology partners so you can pick the right software partner.
To make that decision easier, Founders Arm offers virtual marketing assistants who research vendors, map strengths in custom software development and enterprise solutions, and deliver clear competitor comparisons so you spend less time hunting and more time deciding.
Table of Contents
13 ELEKS Competitors & Alternatives for Software Engineering
Try Out an Engineer or Assistant for Two Weeks for Free - Book a Call to Learn More
What is Eleks, How Does It Work, and Who Does It Serve
Eleks is a software engineering and consultancy firm with more than 1,400 professionals working from delivery centers in Eastern Europe and sales offices across Europe, the US, and Canada.
They work with Fortune 500 companies, large enterprises, and mid-market firms across:
Finance
Healthcare
Manufacturing
Retail
Logistics
The company positions itself as a technology partner that moves beyond basic outsourcing to provide product engineering, R&D, and strategic technology consulting.
What Services Eleks Offers: A Practical Map Of Capabilities
Custom software development
Product development
Dedicated teams
R&D and innovation consulting
UX and product design
Business analysis
Quality assurance and testing
Security services
They cover:
Cloud engineering
Enterprise integration
Legacy modernization
Microservices
AI and machine learning
IoT
Blockchain programs
Services include:
Staff augmentation
Managed product teams
Outcome-oriented engagements for digital transformation and enterprise software projects.
How Eleks Works With Clients: Engagement Models And Delivery Practices
Clients choose from dedicated teams, project-based delivery, or staff augmentation. ELEKS embeds product managers, technical architects, and delivery managers into client organizations and runs Agile sprints with Scrum and Kanban practices.
They combine DevOps, CI/CD pipelines, code reviews, automated testing, and release automation to move features from prototype to production. Contracts range from time and materials to fixed scope or milestone-based outcomes, and governance uses:
Regular sprint reviews
Retrospectives
KPIs for velocity and quality
Product Design And Ux: The Product Design Lab Approach
A 30-person product design group supports:
Research
Prototyping
Interaction design
Visual design
Usability testing
Designers work with engineers from day one to:
Align product vision
User experience
Conversion goals
Prototypes and user testing feed straight into engineering backlogs, so design decisions drive measurable product metrics and reduce rework.
Business Analysis And Product Management: Turning Ideas Into Roadmaps
Business analysts and product strategists map business processes, capture requirements, and build product roadmaps. They run workshops, create user stories, define acceptance criteria, and prioritize MVP features to accelerate time to market.
Stakeholders keep a single backlog and a shared definition of done to avoid scope drift and keep delivery predictable.
R&D And Advanced Engineering: From Proof Of Concept To Production
ELEKS runs R D projects that test the feasibility of new technologies such as ML models, computer vision, predictive analytics, and embedded IoT systems. They scope proofs of concept, benchmark architectures, and then move working prototypes into scalable cloud deployments when the business case holds.
Labs often pair domain experts with data scientists and software engineers to validate technical options quickly.
Quality Assurance And Security: Integrated Testing And Protection
QA teams provide:
Test automation
Performance testing
Security testing
Continuous QA embedded in the CI/CD pipeline
Security services include:
Threat modeling
Penetration testing
Secure code reviews
Incident response planning
Test automation frameworks and continuous monitoring run alongside deployments to catch regressions early.
How Teams Are Staffed And How Talent Is Managed
ELEKS recruits engineers across:
Full-stack development
Cloud
Data
QA
Security
Design
They emphasize language skills, domain experience, and long-term team stability so product knowledge stays inside the team. Continuous training, internal tech communities, and certification programs keep skills current for enterprise technologies and modern toolchains.
How Eleks Compares With Other Software Engineering Firms And Competitors
Compared with software development companies and IT outsourcing vendors, ELEKS emphasizes product engineering and R&D as differentiators.
Competing firms include:
GlobalLogic
EPAM
DataArt
SoftServe
N i X
Ciklum
Boutique software houses
Large systems integrators focus on global scale and platform integration, while smaller firms may specialize by industry or technology niche.
When you evaluate partners, compare governance model, engineering depth, UX capability, and how they run staff augmentation versus long-term product teams. What matters most for your program:
Speed to market
Cost efficiency
Deep domain knowledge
Control over the roadmap
Which engagement model fits your project, and what technology risks do you want the partner to own?
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13 ELEKS Competitors & Alternatives for Software Engineering
1. Founders Arm: Rapid Offshore Teams That Move At Startup Speed
Founders Arm assembles pre-vetted offshore engineers, product builders, and exec assistants and onboards them in under two weeks. They focus on speed, cost efficiency, and hands-on execution for startups and growth-stage companies.
Their model reduces payroll and administrative overhead and emphasizes fast iteration for MVPs and feature sprints.
How They Differ From Eleks
Eleks is known for full-cycle product engineering, enterprise-level delivery, and long-term engagements with strong governance. Founders Arm competes by offering quicker staff augmentation, lower hourly costs through offshore talent, and a tight focus on rapid go-to-market work rather than long program management.
Need a fast MVP or a burst of engineering capacity for fundraising? Founders Arm fits that use case.
Talent
Full-stack engineers familiar with rapid iteration tools, Supabase experience, research engineers from top schools, ex-Microsoft, and ex-Ramp engineers for short builds.
Typical Tech
Engagement models include:
Offshore dedicated teams
Fractional roles
Project-based execution
2. Itcraft: Polish Mobile And Web Teams With Product Polish
itCraft delivers cross-platform mobile and web apps with a decade of product experience and over 350 projects completed. They deploy in-house designers, UX specialists, QA engineers, and Scrum teams to build polished consumer and enterprise apps for startups and global brands.
How They Differ From Eleks
Both deliver custom software development and product engineering, but itCraft emphasizes boutique product design and mobile experience with a tighter in-house creative process. Eleks scales into larger enterprise transformations; itCraft often serves product teams that need strong UX and mobile focus.
Clients
InterCars
Deloitte Digital
DHL
Strengths
Agile Scrum delivery, strong UX design, mobile-first builds, and full-cycle product development for early-stage to growth companies.
3. Tatvasoft: Large Scale Outsourcing With Microsoft Pedigree
TatvaSoft has a global footprint with offices across five countries and a large team skilled in Microsoft .NET, Java, Node, PHP, Angular, React, and mobile. They hold Microsoft Gold partner status and CMMi accreditation, serving enterprise clients with long-running custom software development and integration projects.
How They Differ From Eleks
TatvaSoft competes on scale and process maturity for enterprise outsourcing. Eleks offers deep domain consulting and European-based engineering hubs; TatvaSoft offers global delivery centers with emphasis on Microsoft stack projects and cost-effective long-term outsourcing relationships.
Engagements
E-commerce
Enterprise portals
ISV partnerships
System integration
Legacy modernization
Industries
They support large enterprise account workflows with robust QA and delivery governance.
4. Qburst: Full Service Offshore Teams With Analytics And Ux Chops
QBurst brings a 2400 person team that covers mobile and web engineering, CRM, big data and analytics, UX design, and testing. They serve startups and global enterprises with economical offshore delivery and flexible engagement models.
How They Differ From Eleks
QBurst competes through breadth of services and scale at cost-effective rates. Eleks often positions itself for regulated industries and enterprise advisory. QBurst adds strength in data analytics, learning platforms, and multi-disciplinary delivery for product teams.
Notable Clients
United Nations
NYU
Rosetta Stone
Use Cases
Staff augmentation
Full-cycle product delivery
Analytics-driven solutions are typical engagement
5. Droids On Roids: Small Team, Predictable Delivery, High Automation
Droids On Roids is a focused software outsourcing studio with about 85 specialists.
They emphasize:
Predictable delivery cycles
QA automation
Targeted expertise in mobile and web apps
They aim for rapid, high-quality releases backed by tooling and continuous integration.
How They Differ From Eleks
Droids On Roids competes by offering a compact, craft-oriented team for mobile-first products. Eleks scales into larger enterprise projects; Droids On Roids is better suited for teams that want hands-on engineers and a faster release cadence without heavy program overhead.
Recognition
Multiple growth awards and a strong reputation for mobile app engineering and test automation.
Approach
Expect dedicated engineering pods, iterative sprints, and close product collaboration.
6. Sloboda Studio: Rails And Backend Craftsmanship For Product Teams
Sloboda Studio focuses on full-cycle software development, with a history in:
Rails
Ruby
Python
Django
Node.js
They work across real estate, fintech, healthcare, and media with a client-centric, outcome-focused approach.
How They Differ From Eleks
Sloboda Studio positions itself as a partner for startups and scale-ups that need technical ownership and long-term engineering teams.
They offer bespoke engineering with a strong backend and product sensibility, while Eleks often scales into enterprise-grade system integration and advisory.
Clients And Workflow
Long-term partnerships with teams like Huggies and Cambridge Brain Sciences, business requirements analysis, architecture design, and sustained product engineering.
7. Espeo Software: Nordic Agile Meets Polish Engineering For Fintech
Espeo blends Finnish agile methods with Polish engineering talent, specializing in fintech and digital transformation.
They are a Hyperledger Fabric certified service provider and focus on secure, compliant systems and blockchain use cases where required.
How They Differ From Eleks
Both firms handle enterprise-grade projects, but Espeo brings strong fintech domain expertise and a Scandinavian design and process influence. Eleks provides broader enterprise consulting across more regulated verticals and a larger global footprint.
Services And Strengths
Consulting, secure backend engineering, blockchain integrations, and advisory for digital transformation projects in the Nordic region and beyond.
8. Cleveroad: Mid-Sized Product Engineering With Diverse Industry Exposure
Cleveroad builds custom mobile and web solutions with a team of 120 plus professionals. They serve industries from travel to telecom and deliver on time and budget while keeping product quality high.
How They Differ From Eleks
Cleveroad competes on reliable product delivery and mid-market client attention. Eleks targets larger enterprise transformations and complex integration. Cleveroad is a good fit for companies seeking experienced product teams with predictable delivery and moderate scale.
Notable Clients And Capabilities
Virgin Atlantic, among others, offers:
Cross-platform mobile
Bespoke web apps
Steady product engineering cycles
9. Moravio: AI-Infused Web Platforms And Flexible Engagement Models
Moravio specializes in AI, web platforms, and mobile applications, delivering tailored products for finance, healthcare, and ecommerce.
They offer flexible models from staff augmentation to full cycle delivery and leverage common stacks like:
React
Angular
Node.js
Python with AWS
Azure
GCP
How They Differ From Eleks
Moravio competes by pairing AI capabilities with flexible team models for mid-market firms. Eleks provides larger enterprise consulting and deep industry compliance expertise. Choose Moravio for focused AI work or agile product builds when you need specialist ML resources.
Engagement Options And Strengths
Rapid prototyping
AI model integration
Cloud deployment
Flexible team scaling
10. Intelegencia: Global Technology Services With Compliance Focus
Intelegencia operates as a global technology services firm delivering software development, cloud infrastructure, data analytics, and mobile apps.
With certifications like ISO 27001, ISO 9001, and PCI DSS, they emphasize security and compliance for regulated clients.
How They Differ From Eleks
Both provide enterprise solutions and cloud engineering, but Intelegencia highlights formal compliance frameworks and a significant global headcount. Eleks competes in European-based engineering and deep domain consulting.
If security certifications and strict compliance matter, Intelegencia is a strong alternative.
Delivery And Scale
Scalable offshore engineering centers
Enterprise software projects
Infrastructure modernization
11. Itransition: Enterprise Grade Engineering At Scale
Itransition brings a large bench of over 3,000 experts and a portfolio of more than 1,600 projects across healthcare, finance, retail, telecom, and automotive.
They deliver:
Software engineering
System integration
Cloud transformation
DevOps
Cybersecurity
Data analytics
How They Differ From Eleks
Both excel at enterprise programs, but Itransition competes on sheer scale and a global presence capable of multi-country rollouts. Eleks often emphasizes tailored advisory and regional engineering hubs. Itransition is suitable for multinational corporations that need large cross-functional delivery teams.
Partners And Deployments
Microsoft, AWS, Salesforce, and Atlassian partnerships and deployments for clients like The Economist.
12. Techmagic: Startup Focused Product Engineering With AI and DevOps Depth
TechMagic targets startups and SMBs in fintech, ecommerce, and healthcare, delivering discovery, UX, engineering, and scaling.
Their team of 300-plus specialists covers:
AI
DevOps
Data engineering
Cybersecurity services
How They Differ From Eleks
TechMagic focuses on early-stage product market fit, discovery workshops, and rapid MVP development for startups. Eleks serves both startups and enterprises but has a stronger focus on large-scale, regulated transformations. Choose TechMagic for tight product cycles and rapid growth stage engineering.
Typical Work
Product discovery
Prototype builds
Scaling engineering teams
Operationalizing ML and data pipelines
13. Notch: Enterprise Modernization And Quality Engineering Specialists
Notch offers custom software outsourcing with 160-plus engineers, specializing in:
Legacy modernization
Mobile apps
Quality engineering
They tackle enterprise modernization projects that require careful refactoring and system upgrades.
How They Differ From Eleks
Notch focuses on modernization and QA for enterprise systems and can be a learner for targeted modernization projects. Eleks competes with broader advisory, large program governance, and a wider set of industry vertical services. Notch fits when you need focused legacy modernization and test engineering expertise.
Capabilities And Engagements
Modernization sprints
Microservices rewrites
QA automation
Integration work for:
Telecom
Finance
Ecommerce clients
Questions For You
Which size of engagement do you prefer, enterprise transformation or startup speed, and which tech stacks matter most for your next project?
How to Choose the Right Eleks Alternative
How To Pick The Right Eleks Alternative For Software Engineering
Outsourcing in IT is expected to continue from 2025 to 2030, with a compound annual growth rate of 6.51%. This shows that outsourcing software development is now a requirement for businesses of all sizes.
Now, selecting the right outsourcing company is essential for success. The right partner will align with your business goals and provide reliable software development outsourcing. Reliability is nice, but the quality also matters a lot.
Define The Outcome You Need Before You Talk To Vendors.
Are you hiring for a product team, an end-to-end digital transformation, cloud migration, a short-term feature burst, or ongoing platform support? Ask for examples that match that exact use case. Which teams delivered similar work in mobile apps, backend services, AI and machine learning, or enterprise integration will matter more than generalist claims.
Request a shortlist of previous projects with tech stacks and contactable references. Look for companies that offer staff augmentation, dedicated teams, or full product teams and can switch between those engagement models without long delays. What will success look like at three months and one year for your project?
Evaluate Technical Expertise Like A Seasoned Engineering Leader
Match the vendor team to the technology you use. Ask for detailed case studies that list languages, frameworks, and cloud platforms such as:
Java Spring
.NET
Node JS
React
Angular
Kubernetes
AWS
Azure
GCP
Insist on architecture diagrams, code samples, and metrics for code quality, test coverage, and deployment frequency.
Run A Tech Assessment
A small paid pilot, a design review by your in-house architect, or a paired coding session. Verify their QA and DevOps practices, including:
CI/CD pipelines
Automated testing
Security scanning
Check for domain experience in fintech, health care, SaaS, or education when those areas matter to your product.
Assess Communication And Culture Fit Like You Are Hiring A Co-Located Team
Set expectations for daily overlap hours, reporting cadence, and decision workflows up front. Confirm the primary contact language, the level of English for engineers and project managers, and the tools the vendor uses for project tracking and documentation.
Ask about team stability and retention, holidays, and time zone policies. Run a sprint zero or a two-week trial to:
Test responsiveness
Clarity of updates
How the vendor handles scope changes and blockers
Do you feel confident opening a Slack channel and relying on their status updates?
Consider Long-Term Partnership Potential, Not Just One Project Delivery
Choose a partner that can scale from a single engineer to a whole product team without losing institutional knowledge.
Look for:
Onboarding and offboarding processes
Knowledge transfer plans
Source code escrow or IP guarantees
Clearly defined SLAs for bug fixes and production support
Evaluate engagement models and pricing clarity, whether time and materials, fixed price, or FTEs. Check if the vendor offers product management, UX, CTO as a service, or help with recruiting and payroll compliance for long-term growth. Will they help you build a repeatable delivery process and continuous integration pipeline that fits your release rhythm?
Red Flags And Quick Checks Before You Sign
Watch for vague case studies, anonymous references, or an inability to show code or architecture diagrams. Be wary of teams that avoid a small paid pilot or push only fixed price deals for uncertain scope.
Confirm legal protections:
NDA
IP assignment
Data processing agreements
Relevant compliance when required, such as:
ISO
SOC
Ask for a simple metrics report after the pilot:
Cycle time
Velocity
Defect rate
Deployment lead time
Use that data to compare offers and to project ramp-up time for hiring additional engineers.
Why Pre-Vetted Offshore Talent Outperforms Traditional Hiring
Looking to build your dream team without the hiring headaches? Founders Arm connects you with pre-vetted top-tier offshore talent, including virtual marketing assistants, at 60 percent less cost than traditional hiring and offers a two-week free trial to try an engineer or virtual marketing assistant completely free.
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Benefits of Outsourcing Software Engineering
Access The Global Talent Pool: Hire The Best Engineers Anywhere
Outsourcing opens doors to top software engineering companies and Eleks' competitors in regions with deep talent pools. You do not have to limit hiring to local full-stack developers or local software houses; you can pick a product engineering team with proven experience in:
Mobile app development
Cloud migration
DevOps
QA testing
Enterprise software
Check portfolios, client reviews, and case studies from software development firms and outsourcing providers to compare skills and delivery models. Which mix of technical skills and timezone alignment would move your project fastest?
Keep Your Focus On The Core Business: Let Partners Run Engineering
When software is not your core product, building an in-house R&D center drains time and attention. A software development agency or technology partner handles:
Hiring
Infrastructure
Sprint planning
Code reviews so your leadership can focus on:
Sales
Operations
Customer acquisition
You stay involved in priorities and acceptance criteria while the vendor manages daily execution and resource allocation. What business activities would you scale up if engineering stopped consuming leadership bandwidth?
Cut Costs Without Cutting Quality: Predictable Spend And Flexible Pricing
Outsourcing reduces overhead that comes with salaries, benefits, recruitment, and equipment for in-house teams. Development vendors offer flexible commercial models:
Time and materials
Fixed price
Dedicated team paid monthly
According to Deloitte’s 2024 Global Outsourcing Survey, companies save up to 30 percent on development costs by using external software development firms. That makes budget planning easier while you tap vendors that compete with Eleks' competitors on price and capability.
Ship Faster: Accelerate Time To Market With Experienced Teams
Established software outsourcing companies run repeatable delivery practices. They bring templates for architecture, CI/CD pipelines, automated testing, and deployment that shorten development cycles.
A development partner that offers product engineering, QA testing, and DevOps services can push features into production faster than a newly hired internal team. Where would faster delivery create the most value for your product roadmap?
Stop Micromanaging, Start Managing Outcomes: Single Point Of Accountability
A reliable outsourcing provider assigns a project manager who owns delivery, blockers, and team performance. You review sprint demos and accept work rather than chasing daily status updates.
That changes your role from task manager to outcomes owner and frees internal managers for strategy. What metrics would you use to hold a vendor accountable for quality and speed?
Scale Teams Up And Down Quickly: Elastic Capacity For Projects
The project needs to change. A software vendor can add backend engineers, QA, or UX specialists within days. You avoid long recruitment cycles and reduce the risk of idle staff after launch.
Outsourcing providers and nearshore or offshore partners also let you test new technical approaches before committing to permanent hires. Which parts of your product would benefit from temporary expert support?
Tap The Latest Technology And Practices: Access Specialist Tools And Domains
Top software development firms and software consultancies focus on continuous learning. They maintain expertise in cloud platforms, machine learning, API design, embedded systems, and security practices that many in-house teams struggle to keep up with.
By working with a competitive vendor, you get access to modern architectures and development tools without owning the training burden. What emerging technology would change your product if you had the right engineers on call?
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Try Out an Engineer or Assistant for Two Weeks for Free - Book a Call to Learn More
Founders Arm connects startups with pre-vetted, top-tier offshore engineers, marketers, and executive assistants at about 60 percent less cost than traditional hiring. We cut the long recruiting cycle and get skilled people onboarded in under two weeks while handling payroll and compliance. You get professionals who start contributing from day one.
Cut Cost Without Cutting Quality: How the 60 Percent Claim Works
Offshore development and staff augmentation reduce salary and overhead expenses compared with in-house hiring and many large vendors. By sourcing talent from lower cost regions, standardizing technical assessments, and centralizing payroll and HR, Founders Arm delivers a cost-effective hiring model.
That lowers burn and stretches the runway for:
Product development
Growth marketing
QA testing
Cloud migration work
Speed to Delivery: From Request to Active Contributor in Under Two Weeks
Traditional agency search and full-time hires can take months. We compress screening, technical interview, and legal setup into a short timeline so you can start sprint work fast.
Engineers join a sprint, integrate into your Agile process, and complete concrete tasks within the first two weeks while you keep the roadmap pace.
Pre-Vetted Talent: How We Screen and Maintain Quality
Every candidate passes:
Technical coding tests
Live interviews
Pair programming sessions
Reference checks
We test for experience in:
Java
.NET
Python
C++
React
Node
Mobile iOS and Android
Cloud platforms like:
AWS
Azure
DevOps practices
We run code reviews and short paid trials to verify delivery and software quality.
What You Can Hire: Engineering, Marketing, and Executive Support
Hire:
Full-stack developers
Back-end engineers
Data engineers
ML and AI specialists
QA engineers
DevOps
Product managers
Growth marketers
Executive assistants
Use talent for:
Product development
Enterprise software features
Influencer marketing scale-up
Back-end operations
Customer success support
How We Compare to Eleks' Competitors in Software Engineering
Compare us to firms like:
EPAM
SoftServe
Sigma Software
DataArt
Ciklum
Globant
Luxoft
N i X
Intellias
Andersen
Other Eleks competitors
Many of those vendors focus on enterprise engagements and long-term contracts. Founders Arm focuses on startup speed, flexible staffing, and lower cost through offshore talent pools, plus a risk-free two-week free trial. You can get the technical skills large vendors provide with a partner tuned to founder timelines and early-stage product needs.
Real Use Cases: What We Helped Clients Achieve
Cal AI scaled influencer marketing to reach millions by adding growth marketers and engineers to automate attribution. Pam built backend operations to support rapid user and order growth by placing backend engineers and DevOps specialists.
Turbolearn AI amplified reach in the education market with a cross-functional team of front-end, back-end, and growth professionals who implemented product integrations and API work.
Try Before You Hire: How the Two-Week Free Trial Works
Pick an engineer or an assistant, and we will place them on your project for two weeks free. You get working code, completed tasks, or administrative support during that window.
Measure velocity, code quality, communication, and cultural fit before you decide to continue every month or convert to a more extended engagement.
Compliance and Admin: Payroll, Legal, and Security Covered
We handle local payroll, taxes, benefits, and contractor compliance so you avoid contractor misclassification and payroll headaches.
We sign NDAs, assign IP, and enforce security controls and GDPR friendly practices as required by your product. You keep ownership of the code and product integrations.
Matching Process: How We Pair Talent to Your Technical Needs
We gather your tech stack, roadmap priorities, and preferred workflow, then match candidates based on hands-on skills and soft skills. We run technical interviews and trial tasks, then place the best fit as a dedicated team member or a team extension.
If the candidate needs ramp-up, we support onboarding and pair programming to get them productive quickly.
Metrics That Matter: How You Measure Success During the Trial
Track:
Sprint completion
Pull request quality
Bug rates
Communication frequency
Deployment cadence
For marketing hires, track:
Reach
Conversion
Cost per acquisition
Campaign ROI
For executive assistants, track task throughput and calendar management accuracy. Those metrics help you decide whether to scale the team.
