SaaS
Getting a SaaS built: agency, freelancer or developer flat rate?
Agency, freelancer, in-house team or developer flat rate – anyone building a SaaS needs to answer one question first: who takes care of the product once it's live?
Reading time approx. 9 minutes · Last updated 04 Sep 2026
TL;DR
Quick answer: how should you get a SaaS built?
A SaaS should rarely be treated as a one-off project, because after launch there is a constant stream of new features, user feedback, bug fixes, security work, scaling and optimisation. An agency can make sense when concept, budget and scope are clearly defined. Freelancers can help flexibly but often depend on a single person. A developer flat rate or software development as a subscription can be a good fit when a SaaS should be built step by step and developed continuously. For large, long-term SaaS products, an in-house development team can later become important as well.
Many SaaS ideas start with the same question: who builds this? Agency, freelancer, in-house team or an ongoing subscription model?
The right answer doesn't depend on gut feeling, but on the product's stage, budget, risk, technical depth and long-term goal. A SaaS in the validation phase needs something different from a SaaS with thousands of paying customers.
This article maps out the four common paths: what they deliver, where their limits are and how to decide which path fits your SaaS project.
At the end you'll find a comparison table and a breakdown by product stage – from the first idea to enterprise requirements.
What is a SaaS?
SaaS stands for Software as a Service: software that isn't installed but used continuously via a browser or an app. Unlike classic software that's bought once and run locally, a SaaS lives on permanently with the provider.
- 01Software as a Service instead of local installation
- 02Usable via browser or app
- 03Recurring use instead of a one-off deployment
- 04Login systems for individual users or teams
- 05Data management centralised with the provider
- 06User roles with different permissions
- 07Billing possible, usually as a subscription model
- 08Ongoing development as a permanent part of the product
Why SaaS isn't a normal website
A website displays content. A SaaS manages users, data and processes – that's a different technical foundation.
- 01User logic: registration, login, password reset, sessions
- 02Data models: how are users, accounts, objects and content connected?
- 03Roles and permissions: who can see, change or delete what?
- 04Security: access protection, encryption, abuse prevention
- 05Availability: the product must run even with many simultaneous users
- 06Scaling: more users and more data must not slow the system down
- 07Support: questions, bugs and outages need a reliable point of contact
- 08Product development: new features emerge from real user needs
- 09Feedback cycles: users report problems and requests that need to be sorted and prioritised
Building SaaS with an agency
An agency brings several skills under one roof: concept, design, development, often project management too. For a clearly scoped SaaS project with a defined scope, that can be a good fit.
+
Better
- Structured project with clear phases
- Several skill sets from a single source
- Concept, design and development work together
- Plannable project phases with defined milestones
–
Common mistake
- High upfront investment possible
- Changes after project start can get expensive
- Ongoing product development after launch must be clarified beforehand
- Project logic doesn't always match SaaS product logic
Building SaaS with a freelancer
Freelancers are flexible and often ready to start faster than an agency. For individual parts of a SaaS – a specific feature or an integration – this can work well.
+
Better
- Flexible to deploy
- Often a faster start than with an agency
- Direct communication with fewer intermediary steps
- Well suited to clearly scoped sub-areas
–
Common mistake
- Dependence on a single person
- Risk of unavailability due to illness, holidays or turnover
- Limited breadth of skills for complex architecture
- More difficult for scaling, security and long-term operation
Building SaaS with a developer flat rate or subscription-based development
A developer flat rate or software development as a subscription relies on ongoing delivery instead of a rigid one-off project. That matches the nature of a SaaS, which keeps growing after launch.
- 01Ongoing delivery instead of a fixed project end
- 02A prioritised roadmap for features and bug fixes
- 03MVP development to get real feedback early
- 04Continuous improvement after launch
- 05Plannable monthly costs instead of fluctuating project invoices
- 06Well suited to early and growing product phases
When is it worth it?
- 01Complex architecture needs solid planning upfront
- 02Not everything can happen at once
- 03Requirements must be prioritised
- 04Very large SaaS products will eventually need stronger internal structures
Building SaaS with an in-house team
An in-house development team gives the product maximum proximity and control. For scaling SaaS products with high complexity, this eventually becomes relevant.
+
Better
- High day-to-day product proximity
- Long-term control over architecture and roadmap
- Internal ownership of quality and security
- Well suited to strongly scaling products
–
Common mistake
- Recruiting takes time and isn't always plannable
- Costs for salaries, tools and infrastructure
- Leading a team requires its own competence
- Building a team takes time
- Time until a new team reaches full productivity
Comparison table: agency, freelancer, developer flat rate and in-house team
The table below compares all five delivery paths against the criteria that matter most.
| Model | Advantages | Disadvantages | Suited for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Agency | Several skill sets, structured approach | High upfront investment, expensive changes later | Clearly scoped project with a defined scope |
| Freelancer | Flexible, fast start, direct communication | Dependence on one person, risk of unavailability | Clearly scoped sub-areas |
| Developer flat rate | Ongoing delivery, plannable costs, prioritised roadmap | Requires prioritisation, not everything at once | Early and growing SaaS phases |
| Subscription-based software development | MVP development, continuous improvement | Complex architecture needs upfront planning | Step-by-step product build-up |
| In-house team | High product proximity, long-term control | Recruiting, cost, time to productivity | Scaling products with high complexity |
Which solution fits which stage?
A SaaS goes through several phases – and the right delivery model changes with each one.
What's often underestimated in SaaS projects
Many SaaS ventures don't fail at launch, but in what follows afterwards:
- 01Collecting and evaluating user feedback in a structured way
- 02Organising support for questions, problems and outages
- 03Keeping security permanently up to date
- 04Implementing data protection cleanly, technically and organisationally
- 05Not letting technical debt pile up
- 06Maintaining roles and permissions cleanly as the product grows
- 07Mapping billing correctly and transparently
- 08Continuously improving onboarding for new users
- 09Maintaining performance even with more users and data
- 10Making ongoing product decisions instead of just reacting
Cost logic
5
Delivery paths
Agency, freelancer, developer flat rate, subscription-based development and in-house team are all options.
6
Product stages
From idea to enterprise requirements, the right delivery model changes.
1
Decisive question
Who keeps developing the product once it grows after launch?
Why ongoing development is decisive
A SaaS isn't finished after launch. User feedback, new requirements, bugs, market changes and technical improvements make ongoing development necessary. Planning for this from the start means you're less likely to end up laboriously reviving a supposedly finished project later on.
How it works
- 1
Determine the stage
Idea, MVP, first customers or growth – needs change with every phase.
- 2
Prioritise core features
What must work at launch, what can come later?
- 3
Choose the delivery model
Pick agency, freelancer, developer flat rate or in-house team to match the stage.
- 4
Build a roadmap
Gather requirements, prioritise them and have them delivered step by step.
- 5
Keep developing
Continuously assess and act on feedback, bugs and new requirements.
How LootSquad views SaaS development
LootSquad sees SaaS development as an ongoing process made up of technical delivery, prioritisation, feedback, quality assurance and continuous improvement. Early SaaS or web-app ideas in particular benefit from not being treated as a rigid one-off project.
Conclusion
Anyone who wants to get a SaaS built shouldn't just look for the cheapest provider, but choose the right delivery model. Agencies, freelancers, developer flat rates and in-house teams all have their place. What matters is whether the project is built once or developed continuously as a product.
Frequently asked questions about getting a SaaS built
How can you get a SaaS built?
Options include an agency, a freelancer, an in-house team or a developer flat rate with ongoing delivery. Which path fits depends on the product's stage, budget and long-term goal.
Is an agency or a freelancer better for SaaS?
An agency tends to fit better for clearly scoped projects requiring several skill sets. A freelancer suits well-defined sub-areas but carries a risk of unavailability.
Can a developer flat rate build a SaaS?
Yes. A developer flat rate is particularly well suited to step-by-step build-up, MVP development and ongoing development after launch – with plannable monthly costs.
Why isn't SaaS finished after launch?
Because user feedback, new requirements, bugs and market changes keep emerging. A SaaS lives on continuous development, not a one-off project completion.
When does a SaaS need an in-house development team?
Usually when the product scales strongly or must meet enterprise requirements such as security and compliance. Until then, external paths like a developer flat rate can carry the product well.
Keep reading
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