If you’re building a product using Ruby on Rails, sooner or later you’ll need to make a choice:
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Should You Hire Someone Locally Or Look For Talent Offshore?
This decision isn’t just about cost. It’s also about team fit, speed, reliability, and long-term success. So let’s break it down simply and thoroughly, so you know exactly what you’re getting into.
Understanding The Basics
What Does “Local” Mean?
Hiring locally means bringing on a developer who lives and works in your home country. If you’re in the US or UK, that could mean someone who shares your time zone, speaks your native language fluently, and can potentially meet in person if needed.
Local hiring feels familiar. It’s easy to sync up, jump on spontaneous calls, and build relationships. However, that comfort often comes at a higher cost and with longer hiring timelines.
What Does “Offshore” Mean?
Offshore hiring refers to bringing on a developer who’s based in a different country. These developers often reside in regions with a lower cost of living. Countries like India, Ukraine, Brazil, or the Philippines are common sources of offshore tech talent.
They typically work remotely and may be a few hours ahead or behind your schedule. With the right setup, this can be a non-issue or even an advantage. We’ll get into that shortly.
Talent Pool: Who’s Available & When?
Hiring Locally Can Be Competitive
In tech hubs like New York, San Francisco, or London, the job market is saturated. Companies are competing for a limited number of skilled developers. And let’s face it, Ruby on Rails isn’t as “trendy” as newer frameworks, which means even fewer developers specialize in it.
This often results in longer hiring cycles, more effort spent recruiting, and sometimes having to settle for someone who’s “okay” rather than exceptional.
Offshore Hiring Opens More Doors
Offshoring gives you access to a much larger pool of Ruby on Rails developers. Many of them are just as experienced, if not more, and have worked with international startups.
They’re used to remote work, flexible schedules, and delivering results across time zones. In other words, you don’t have to compromise on quality as long as you know where to look.
Cost Comparison: What Will It Really Cost You?
Hiring Locally Can Stretch Your Budget
In countries like the US, hiring a full-time senior Ruby on Rails developer can easily cost between $120,000 to $180,000 per year. That’s excluding benefits, taxes, or bonuses. It’s a serious investment, especially for an early-stage startup.
If you’re hiring through an agency or recruiter, there’s typically another 15 to 25 percent added on top.
Offshore Developers Are More Budget-Friendly
Offshore developers from regions like India or Latin America can cost between $25 to $60 per hour, depending on their experience. That’s roughly $40,000 to $80,000 per year for high-quality talent.
This pricing isn’t about cheap labor. Instead, it reflects global talent rates based on cost of living. It allows startups to extend their runway while still building great products.
Hiring Speed: How Long Until They Start?
Local Hiring Can Take Months
Recruiting a local developer means job posts, interviews, references, negotiation, and notice periods. It’s common for the entire process to take six to ten weeks.
Time lost in hiring often means delayed product development, missed deadlines, or even stalled fundraising efforts.
Offshore Developers Can Start In Days
Many offshore developers are immediately available or can start within a week. Talent networks, vetted freelancer platforms, and hiring partners often have candidates who are ready to go.
If you need to move fast, offshore hiring gives you the ability to do so without sacrificing quality.
Quality & Productivity: Is Offshore Work Reliable?
The Myth: Offshore Equals Lower Quality
A lot of founders worry that offshore talent won’t “get it” or might deliver messy code. This can happen, but the truth is that it’s just as likely with someone local if you don’t screen them properly.
The Reality: Vetting Is Everything
Great Rails developers exist everywhere. The key is to look beyond the résumé.
Ask for real project examples.
Run a short paid trial.
Focus on communication skills and problem-solving.
Plenty of offshore developers have worked on SaaS products, scaled backend systems, or contributed to open-source libraries. It’s not about where they live. What matters is how they work.
Time Zones & Communication: Will It Slow Things Down?
Different Time Zones Can Be Managed
If your developer is eight to ten hours ahead of you, that might sound tricky at first. However, it often turns into a workflow benefit. They can work while you sleep. By the time you start your day, new code is ready for review. That’s a productivity win.
The key is having a few overlapping hours for syncs. You can use async-friendly tools for everything else such as Notion for documentation, Loom for walkthroughs, and Slack for updates.
Offshore Teams Can Be Surprisingly Proactive
Many offshore developers have strong communication habits. They write detailed updates, ask the right questions, and flag issues early. With a little structure, this setup can run smoothly and efficiently.
Legal & IP Protection: Is Offshoring Risky?
It’s Safe If You Set Things Up Right
Founders often worry about questions like:
“Will they leak my code?”
“Will I still own the IP?”
These are valid concerns. Thankfully, they are easily addressed with contracts and NDAs. Many offshore developers are used to these practices and happy to sign standard agreements.
For extra peace of mind, consider working with an Employer of Record or a hiring partner who handles local legalities, tax compliance, and IP protections on your behalf.
Culture & Team Fit: Can Offshore Devs Truly Integrate?
Yes If You Build Inclusion Into Your Workflow
Good developers want to understand your product. They don’t just want to complete tickets. They want to contribute meaningfully and not just deliver.
If you include them in planning meetings, daily standups, and casual chats, they will become an integral part of your team regardless of location.
Culture fit isn’t about physical presence. It’s about communication, curiosity, and shared goals.
When Should You Choose Local Over Offshore
Go Local If:
You need in-person collaboration.
You’re building something extremely time-sensitive or confidential.
You want someone to eventually become part of your core team or leadership.
Go Offshore If:
You’re working on a tight budget.
You want to scale fast without long recruitment cycles.
You’re comfortable managing remote teams and async work.
The Hybrid Approach
Many fast-growing startups blend the two approaches. They hire a local lead developer or CTO who manages a small, offshore team. This gives them strategic oversight as well as fast execution.
It’s not necessarily about offshore versus local. Often, it’s about building the right mix for your product and your stage.
Wrapping Up
Hiring offshore Ruby on Rails developers isn’t about settling. It’s about being strategic.
If you vet carefully, communicate clearly, and build trust, offshore developers can help you move faster, spend smarter, and stay focused on what really matters: shipping great products.
In the end, it’s not where your developers sit that matters most. It’s what they bring to the table.
