Freelancer or agency: which should you hire?

For most small-business projects the choice is not about quality. Good freelancers and good agencies both do excellent work. The difference is in how the work is organised, and what that costs you.

When a freelancer is the better choice

• The job needs one main skill, such as a website, a logo, a set of accounts or a batch of videos.
• You want to speak directly to the person doing the work.
• Budget matters more than having a team on call.

When an agency is the better choice

• The project needs several skills at once, such as design, development, copy and SEO.
• You need cover if someone is ill or on holiday.
• You want a project manager to coordinate everything for you.

What it means for price

Agencies usually cost more for the same output because you are also paying for management, premises and spare capacity. That is worth it when you need those things, and wasted when you do not.

How to decide

• List the skills the project needs. One or two points to a freelancer; four or more points to an agency.
• Ask what happens if the main person is unavailable for two weeks.
• Get a quote from each and compare what is included line by line, not just the total.

On VouchQuote both can quote for the same brief, so you can see the difference for your own project rather than guessing.