How to Choose a Software House in Pakistan
By the AlimcoSoft team, Islamabad
Pakistan has a very large number of software houses, from two-person teams to companies with hundreds of staff. Most have a good-looking website, so the website tells you little. What separates them is the work they have shipped, how they run a project, and what happens after launch.
We are a software house in Islamabad, so read this with that in mind. These are the checks we would make if we were hiring one ourselves.
Start with work you can open and use
Ask for live links, not screenshots. Open the website, install the app, and try the main flow as a real user would. A portfolio image proves that someone designed a screen. A working product proves that someone finished the job.
Then ask which part of each project the company actually did. Some projects are full builds. Others are a single module or a redesign. Both are honest, but they tell you different things about what the team can take on.
Find out who will build your project
The people on the sales call are often not the people who write the code. Ask who will work on your project, what they have built before, and whether they are employees or subcontractors.
Ask to speak with the lead developer before you sign. A short technical call shows you quickly whether they understand your product or are only agreeing with you.
Check the company is real
Look for a registered company, a physical office you can visit and a landline or a named person you can reach. In Pakistan you can search company names on the SECP website. Its Business Profile on Google, including reviews and how long it has existed, is another quick check.
Read reviews for detail. A review that names the project and the problem solved is worth more than ten that just say the team was great.
Get the ownership terms in writing
This is where many projects go wrong. Before work starts, agree in writing that you will own:
- The source code, in a repository you control
- The domain name, in your own name
- The hosting and cloud accounts
- The Google Play and Apple developer accounts for your app
- All design files
Ask how the work is planned and paid for
A serious company will want to understand your requirements before quoting. A firm price given in the first five minutes usually means the price will change later, or the scope will quietly shrink.
Pay by milestone, with each payment tied to something you can see working. Agree what counts as finished, how changes are priced, and how often you will get updates.
Judge the communication early
How a company behaves before you pay is the best it will ever behave. If replies are slow during the sales stage, or questions get vague answers, expect the same during the project.
If you are overseas, ask which hours overlap with yours and who your daily contact will be.
Ask what happens after launch
Software needs fixes, updates and security patches after it goes live. Ask how long bug fixes are covered, what ongoing support costs, and how you could move the project to another team if you ever need to. A confident company will answer that last question without hesitating.