Hiring UI/UX Specialists: Freelancers vs UI/UX Design Agency

UX/UI has seen tremendous growth as we move further into the era of the internet, with the WEF (World Economic Forum) ranking UX and design among the top 20 skills for future employment. 

Considering we now have many gadgets, including smartphones, smartwatches, tablets, and more, this results in UI/UX growth for a simple reason: every single one uses a separate interface to interact with the user.

How do these devices work, and how are they mostly used? Through apps and internet browsing. At this point, you may have your website set to be shown on a plethora of devices with different requirements, and your site must offer a unified user experience in terms of quality.

Some people may frown at such statements of UI/UX being an essential part of a design team even today, thinking their app or service doesn’t need it. But even the most inconspicuous features you may commonly see today have resulted from UX boosting product features, such as the Flexbox inspector of browsers’ “inspect” tools.

The demand for design

CompTIA’s State of the Tech Workforce 2024 has predicted that in the next 10 years, the number of job openings for web and UI/UX designers is expected to grow by 134%. 

Apart from the growth of UI/UX as a department and investments in the area, understanding the business impact is essential for many business owners. The good news is that much research has been conducted to establish the causation of good UI/UX, which leads to better business outcomes. 

A report from Baymard showcases how redesigning the UI/UX of a checkout page for large e-commerce sites can increase conversion rates by up to 35%.

Building your UI/UX team and project

Now that you understand the potential impact of UI/UX in your business, the question remains: How do you even build a UI/UX team or project that will deliver the expected results? Do you go for an in-house team, outsource the work to an agency, or hunt for freelancers and contractors who can lead your project to completion?

Let’s examine a company in a situation that may be quite similar to yours. 

UI/UX Design for a B2B SaaS Scaleup

Let’s assume that a B2B Tech Scaleup has seen its numbers decline for the past two months. Its users visit many website pages but rarely end up on the intended transactional page. Their time on the page also seems below average, and even when they do end up on conversion-heavy pages, the conversion rates are less than favorable. 

After careful examination, the team has concluded that 2 things are the main drivers for such underwhelming results. 

• ‍#1: users don’t know how to reach the pages they desire, leading to spending more time on the website but with less quality since, at least 30% of the time, their questions and issues are not answered. ‍
• #2: the users get somewhat confused with their checkout process, as it’s not standard to what they are used to since the company wanted to express more individuality with their design. 

The solution seems clear: a design overhaul of the page with user experience in mind, and for this, they need to hire a UI/UX designer. However, the company does not have the money to burn until an in-house designer(s) get(s) onboarded with the team, nor do they have the time to go through the many rounds of interviewing and vetting. 

‍

They land on two options: hiring a UI/UX freelancer or contracting a UI/UX design agency. 

How to choose between UI/UX freelancers and a design agency

There are 3 main aspects to consider when choosing between a UI/UX freelancer and a design agency:

1. Business costs: you need to understand how much it’ll cost you in time, money, and effort to realize the project. Find your equilibrium point - and the choice becomes clear. You should also look into how much you’re potentially losing by not tackling the UI/UX problem.
2. Time to deliver: when do you need that project to go live? Is the timeline negotiable or flexible? 

Project scope: Here’s the biggest pitfall: misunderstanding the scope of the project. Nowadays, prompt engineering with AI helps determine the scope of a project, or you can consult an independent expert. You can even find some advice from experts for free on places such as ADPList or similar websites.

Based on these 3 aspects, you can quickly determine the most appropriate choice for your UI/UX project.

1. IF you have a short time window to deliver, THEN a design agency is preferable.
2. IF you have too many budget constraints, THEN freelancers are your top choice.
3. IF your project requires many interdisciplinary areas working in conjunction, THEN design agencies are more eligible.

Although not perfect, this will give you a starting point. Remember that you also have other options, such as design as subscription models like Awesomic, which lets you access award-winning talent in as few as 24 hours for a monthly flat rate. 

But for now, let’s break the framework down further by aligning it with Pros and Cons, from design agencies to freelancers. 

Pros and Cons of UI/UX Freelancers

Pros:

• Cost-effectiveness: Freelancers often have lower overhead costs compared to agencies, allowing them to offer more competitive pricing on the surface. This can be advantageous for startups or small businesses with limited budgets. 
• Specialized expertise: Many freelancers possess deep expertise in specific UI/UX design areas, enabling them to deliver high-quality work tailored to a particular project.
• Flexibility and Availability: Freelancers can offer flexible working hours and may be more accommodating to changing timelines, providing quicker turnarounds.

Cons:

• Limited capacity and overall expertise: Freelancers will often struggle to handle large-scale projects or those requiring a multidisciplinary approach, limiting their scope of work.
• Potential for unpredictable availability: Freelancers juggle multiple clients, which can lead to scheduling conflicts or delays if not appropriately managed. 
• Variable quality and reliability: The quality of work and professionalism of freelancers can vary significantly, making it crucial to vet candidates thoroughly.

Pros and Cons UI/UX Design Agencies

Pros:

• Comprehensive services: Agencies typically offer a wide range of services, including research, design, development, and testing, providing a one-stop solution for complex projects. 
• Diverse skill sets: With teams comprising various specialists, agencies can tackle projects that require interdisciplinary expertise, ensuring a holistic approach to design.
• Established processes and resources: Agencies often have well-defined workflows, access to advanced tools, and a track record of delivering projects on time.

Cons:

• Possible long-term higher costs: Due to their larger teams and operational expenses, agencies generally charge higher fees. There may be edits, surcharges on meetings, hours, and even additional deliverables, which may be a consideration for budget-conscious projects. 
• Longer onboarding processes: Engaging an agency can involve more formalities and longer initiation periods if you’re also trying to be cost-effective, which may impact project timelines, especially for urgent needs.
• Many promises, not enough results: While this is not true for most agencies, considering their focus on many clients, some may sell you a package in which only senior talent is working on your project, and it’s being handed off to junior talent instead.

UI/UX Freelancers vs UI/UX Design Agencies

Choosing between a UI/UX freelancer and a design agency depends on project complexity, budget constraints, required expertise, and desired timelines, as mentioned before. 

A skilled freelancer may suffice for smaller projects with limited budgets and deadlines that are not tight. And for projects that require a more subtle and holistic approach, a design agency could be the more suitable choice.

Where to find freelancers

You can use the many freelancing platforms for content-focused professionals worldwide to find high-quality freelancers. Some of the most popular ones are Fivver, Upwork, and 99jobs, which will require much screening and vetting.

Another good way to approach this is to go through portfolio repositories such as Behance or look into winners from awards such as the Red Dot or others on a smaller scale. This way, you get to see their work firsthand. But you’ll have to rely on outreach and generate interest for them to work with you.

In any way you cut it, finding freelancers will require time. Although some say you can hire a freelancer in 1 to 3 days, the 2024 Employ’s Recruiter Nation Report shows the average time to fill full-time positions is around 41 days. And you want your freelancers to be as deeply vetted as your full-time team members. 

Also, you need a straightforward onboarding process that is crucial to getting them working on the project as quickly as possible. 

How to Choose a Freelancer:

• Define project requirements: Clearly outline your project’s scope, objectives, and budget. This clarity will help identify freelancers whose skills align with your needs.
• Review portfolios: Examine the freelancer’s previous work to assess their style, quality, and relevance to your project. Look at how they were involved, and don’t be roped in by simply a beautifully crafted portfolio. You can use platforms like Behance and Dribble. 
• Check references and reviews: Look for testimonials or contact previous clients to gauge the freelancer’s reliability, communication, and professionalism.
• Assess communication skills: Ensure the freelancer is responsive and understands your vision. Effective communication is crucial for your project’s success.

Vetting a Freelancer:

• Conduct interviews: Discuss the project in detail to evaluate the freelancer’s expertise and approach.
• Request a small test project: Assign a minor task to assess the quality and timeliness of their work. You need to consider paying for the task since high-quality, middle to senior-level freelancers will rarely consider doing a task for free. ‍
• Verify credentials: Confirm any qualifications or certifications pertinent to your project.

Where to find design agencies

Now, finding design agencies may be more of a challenge than freelancers. Some of the main ways are Google and review aggregators for businesses such as Clutch.co. Another overlooked tactic is to simply look for use cases that you enjoy, reach out to the people in the company on LinkedIn, and get the contact information for the agency that worked on the project.

Similar to what we did to find freelancers, awards are a good way to look for design agencies that fit your needs. However, it’s important to remember that while awards are outstanding, delivering business results can’t come at a cost to getting them. So, also look for cases of business success for UI/UX design agencies.

How to Choose a Design Agency:

• Assess their experience: Look for agencies with a proven track record in projects similar to yours or in the same industry to save time in onboarding.
• Review case studies: Examine detailed examples of their previous work to understand their capabilities and the results they achieved.
• Evaluate team expertise: Ensure the agency has a diverse team with the necessary skills for all aspects of your project.
• Check client testimonials: Seek feedback from past clients to assess satisfaction and agency reliability.

Vetting a Design Agency:

• Request proposals: Ask for a detailed proposal outlining their approach, timeline, and costs.
• Conduct meetings: Meet with the team to evaluate their understanding of your project and assess cultural fit.‍
• Review contracts: Carefully examine terms and conditions, including deliverables, timelines, and payment schedules, and check for hidden costs in revisions, etc.

Freelance vs Design Agency: Avoiding common pitfalls

Now let’s look at some other essential aspects to consider when pitting UI/UX freelancers vs design agencies, as well as some of the most common pitfalls to avoid. 

Portfolio and Vetting

Freelancers:

• Overlooking portfolios: It’s essential to verify that the work presented in a freelancer’s portfolio is theirs and that their role in the project is significant. This can be done by cross-referencing with client testimonials or contacting previous clients directly.
• Neglecting skill assessment: Not thoroughly evaluating a freelancer’s technical skills can lead to subpar outcomes. Consider conducting skill tests or assigning a small trial project to assess their capabilities. 

Design Agencies:

• Assuming expertise: Don’t rely solely on an agency’s reputation. Review case studies and speak with past clients to ensure they have relevant experience to your project’s needs and aren’t undergoing negative internal changes since their positive reviews.
• Overlooking team composition: Understand who will work on your project and their roles. The team members should have a good mix of senior, mid-level, and junior talent assigned to have the necessary expertise, experience, and innovation.

Scale and Scope

Freelancers:

• Underestimating capacity limitations: A single freelancer may struggle with large-scale projects or tight deadlines. Your scope has to align with the freelancer’s availability.
• Lack of diverse skill sets: Freelancers may specialize in specific areas, which can be a limitation if your project requires a broad range of skills. 

Design Agencies:

• Misjudging flexibility: Agencies may have established processes that are less adaptable to changes in project scope. Clearly define your project requirements and ensure the agency can accommodate potential adjustments and for how much. 
• Overlooking costs: Larger agencies may propose solutions that exceed your project’s needs, leading to unnecessary expenses. Ensure the agency’s proposed scope aligns with your budget and objectives.

Post-Project Delivery

Freelancers:

• Inconsistent availability for support: Freelancers may not be available for ongoing support or future updates, which can be problematic for long-term projects. 
• Lack of formal maintenance plans: Unlike agencies, freelancers may not offer structured maintenance services. Ensure you have a plan for ongoing support if needed. You’ll need it for UI/UX. 

Design Agencies:

• Assuming support is included: Not all agencies include post-project support in their contracts. Clarify the extent of post-delivery services and any associated costs.
• Potential for bureaucratic delays: Larger agencies might have slower response times for post-project issues due to hierarchical structures. Establish clear communication channels for post-delivery support.

Decision checklist

By using the tips and tricks in this guide and with this general 7-step checklist, you can choose the best fit for your project needs.

1. Define your project’s goals and scope
2. Verify costs and compare options
3. Shortlist candidates (agencies and freelancers)
4. Vet portfolios and references/reviews
5. Establish communication and time to market
6. Monitor deliverables and edits required 
7. Evaluate long-term potential and scalability

Some trends will help you establish multi-channel communication for your projects. You should also be on the lookout for these specialized trends so you can scale your design initiatives beyond the UI/UX of your app:

• AI-powered expertise
• 3D & Motion
• Video
• Web and No-code implementation

Why choose Awesomic instead

Now that we have explored in depth how design agencies vs freelancers fare. But how about another alternative that is more cost-effective, transparent, and still offers the high-quality delivery your brand deserves?

Awesomic has unlocked the power of design on demand for startups, scaleups, and enterprises through our app, which matches top-tier designers to companies based on industry expertise and design acumen in as few as 24 hours.  

Some of our designers were awarded the Red Dot, and only 0.6% of applicants ever get to work with our clients. Our app also has forms and features that allow designers to hit the ground running as soon as they are matched to your project. 

But nothing says more than our customers’ experience and the deliverables Awesomic has created, such as the UI/UX revamp for Playhouse, Entirebody, and Denario (recently acquired by PandaDocs). 

The cost: one single subscription that can start at $699, depending on your needs. No hidden cost. You get matched to a designer. You receive significant updates at least once every 24 hours, and you get unlimited revisions and even rematches if you require another designer to work on your project. 

We’ll let you do the math when comparing Awesomic to other methods, such as finding freelancers or hiring in-house creative talent. In terms of time, cost, transparency, and efficiency, we’re sure to come out on top for your business. 

Book a 30-minute demo with the Awesomic team, and we’ll walk you through our best options based on your needs. Take the next step and join the 4,000+ companies that have completed over 14,000 tasks with Awesomic.