7 best software development countries to hire top talent
So, you’ve decided to build or extend your tech team in another region. Wise choice, given the abundance of specialised engineers you can find in prominent tech hubs like Bangalore, India.
In this article, we’ve dug into the data to identify the world’s seven most talent-rich software development countries today, which are listed and broken down below.
To make it as updated and relevant as possible, we’ve drawn on our experience building over 80 tech teams for organisations in the past 10+ years.
Top software development countries: a quick overview
Here’s a 2-minute analysis of the countries with the highest concentration of elite software development talent:
1. India
Developer population: 5.8 million professionals.
Major tech hubs: Bangalore, Hyderabad, and Chennai.
India has the second largest developer population in the world, just behind China. The country is known for being home to highly specialised tech talent with extensive experience collaborating with Western companies.
2. China
Developer population: 7 million professionals.
Major tech hubs: Beijing, Shanghai, and Shenzhen.
China’s race to become the most dominant economic superpower is (mainly) driven by its tech industry. The nation excels in areas like AI and 5G, with its engineers leading the way.
3. The Philippines
Developer population: 190,000 professionals.
Major tech hubs: Manila and Cebu City.
Despite its small size — compared to India and China — the Philippines produces a decent number of skilled engineers yearly with high English proficiency.
4. Poland
Developer population: 300,000 professionals.
Major tech hubs: Warsaw, Krakow, and Wroclaw.
Poland is one of Europe’s booming engineering powerhouses. Polish developers are among the most talented and respected professionals in the industry.
5. Romania
Developer population: 200,000 professionals.
Major tech hubs: Bucharest and Cluj-Napoca.
Romania has become a popular location for hiring engineering talent, especially for European companies looking for nearshore solutions.
6. Colombia
Developer population: 150,000 professionals.
Major tech hubs: Bogota and Medellin.
Colombia has a thriving startup ecosystem. The innovative vibe in its main cities is a sign of young and driven software developers.
7. Argentina
Developer population: 115,000 professionals.
Major tech hubs: Buenos Aires and Cordoba.
Argentina’s challenging socioeconomic situation in the last decades hasn’t affected the growing number of tech talent flourishing. Most developers work in outsourcing projects for US or European organisations.
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LEARN MOREThe 7 best software development countries: in-depth analysis
Now, let’s dive deeper into the best countries to find top-notch software developers with updated data, key insights, and infographics.
India
Western companies that can’t find the right professionals to set up or extend their dev teams have found a talent gold mine in India.
Indeed, many CTOs and business leaders are hiring offshore developers in the Asian country to support their organisations’ long-term growth.
India generates 1.5 million engineers yearly from top universities. Their unique problem-solving approach, niche programming skills, and high English proficiency make them stand out from counterparts in other regions.
Tech giants like Google, Meta, and Microsoft have Research and Development Centres (R&D Centres) in Bangalore — known as ‘The Silicon Valley of Asia’ — to harness this exceptional talent.
A major factor in India’s rise as a leader in software development is the investment the Indian government is making to drive innovation in new technologies. Recently, they announced a $1.2 billion investment in AI projects.
With this push comes a new wave of engineers equipped with the skills to help Western businesses thrive in this uncertain (yet exciting) technological era.
China
With a market size of $2 trillion, China’s software development industry is booming and contributing to the nation’s overall growth. Thanks to public and private investment, the country is slowly taking over the US as a global tech leader.
But what do engineering talent have to do with this? China has one of the world’s largest software development talent pools, with professionals who have contributed to building flagship products for renowned brands like Huawei, Lenovo, and Tencent.
These engineers graduate from prestigious institutions like Tsinghua University, ranked the 11th-best university in the world for studying engineering & technology per the 2024 QS World University Rankings.
Despite China’s advancements in AI and Machine Learning — with its AI market projected to reach $380 billion by 2026 — the nation’s lack of transparency and challenging internal policies make it difficult for companies to build tech teams in the country.
The Philippines
Filipino software developers are known for having some of Asia’s most competitive hourly rates, attracting organisations like Amazon and Apple to tap into the country’s talent pool.
With a tech industry that can’t compete with those of India and China, the Philippines has its cost-effective workforce as its most precious asset. Engineers in Manila and Cebu City have a good affinity with Western culture — due to the nation’s historical ties with Spain and the US — and possess a very high proficiency in English.
In fact, the country ranks 20th in English proficiency globally as per the latest EF English Proficiency Index report.
Businesses that hire Filipino software developers often praise their excellent communication skills, professional etiquette, and strong commitment. However, they also note challenges in finding talent with niche skills.
The country’s relatively smaller engineering community compared to other Asian nations restricts the availability of highly specialised engineers.
Poland
Poland is (arguably) the most prominent IT and software development hub in Central and Eastern Europe. Recent figures reveal that around 1,425 custom software development firms provide outsourcing and staff augmentation services in the country.
The growth of Poland’s software industry — driving the country to emerge as Europe’s next tech superpower — goes hand in hand with in-house product innovation. The country has its own PayPal and Amazon-like services: Blik, Allegro, and InPost.
FinTech brand Blik recently announced outstanding quarterly results, with over half a billion transactions and 16.3 million active users in Q1 2024.
The design and development of these products would be impossible without the contributions of a vast pool of elite engineering talent. And Poland is often among the first countries mentioned when discussing where the world’s most talented developers are.
The drawback of hiring Polish tech talent is their high hourly rates. What was once an affordable solution for US and UK companies seeking top engineers is now less appealing, as Polish professionals’ salaries have become comparable to those in Western countries.
Romania
Romania is an emerging tech hotspot in Europe. While its IT ecosystem and infrastructure aren’t as developed as Poland’s, the Balkan country is attracting organisations who want to hire top-notch software developers at a fraction of what they’d pay at home.
Tech corporations like IBM, HP, and Oracle have established R&D centres in the country, employing some of the most talented engineers in Bucharest and Cluj-Napoja.
Romania is making notable progress as programming shifts towards no-code, low-code, and automation.
While the country excels in innovation and production, it lags slightly in technology adoption. Despite this, Romania is producing leading AI applications like DRUID AI, positioning itself to capitalise on future industry trends.
Colombia
Colombia’s flourishing tech industry can’t be explained without considering the contribution of its 1,276 startups in cities like Medellin and Bogota. Notable companies include Rappi, Bold, and Platzi.
The focus on innovation and investment in sectors like banking and finance has cultivated a dynamic and highly specialised software development talent pool in Colombia. Thus, the country has become a popular nearshore destination for US companies seeking engineers with experience in FinTech.
Entrepreneurship and networking events like Gofest and Capital Summit point to a promising future for the Colombian startup ecosystem and its talented developers.
Argentina
Argentinian software developers have a strong US outsourcing track record. Like Colombia, the geographical proximity and time zone of Buenos Aires and Cordoba are advantages for North American firms.
Local engineers benefit from solid educational backgrounds and decent English proficiency. The University of Buenos Aires, ranked as the 8th best engineering university in Latin America, contributes to this well-educated talent pool.
Despite political and financial disruptions, Argentina’s tech industry is set for expansion. The country’s IT market is projected to grow by $7.71 billion, with a CAGR of 8.81% from 2023 to 2028.
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DOWNLOAD CASE STUDYWhere should I build or extend my development team?
The answer to this question depends on whether you’re looking to outsource, nearshore, or offshore software development.
For instance, if you want to hire developers for a short-term assignment, you can consider outsourcing to the Philippines or Poland. You’ll find excellent project-based engineers in these locations.
However, if you need dedicated developers who are fully focused and committed to your business long-term, offshoring to India might be your best option.
Among all the tech hubs where you can build your team, Bangalore stands out as a top choice. Why? The city boasts over a million engineers, and its talent pool is continually refreshed, with 90,000 new graduates from local universities each year.
Industry leaders have leveraged Bangalore’s tech talent to build and expand their tech teams. For example:
- Johnson Health Tech, a Taiwanese fitness manufacturing company, has built an 11-engineer team in Bangalore to handle multiple products and ensure round-the-clock operations.
- Nexpoint, a legal US firm, found the Ruby on Rails engineers they had long sought.
- Preqin, a UK FinTech, has scaled to a 450+ person R&D Centre in the city.
And all while enjoying hands-off operations.
Do you want to know how we can help you find the right talent and build and scale your tech team in Bangalore? Contact us by filling out this form, and one of our senior executives will answer you promptly.
In summary
Whether you need outsourcing solutions or top-tier talent through offshoring, the software development countries on our list offer what you’re looking for.
We hope this guide has served as a starting point for finding the right location and building a successful development team for your organisation.
If you’ve found this article interesting, we invite you to read our related blog posts on building tech reams. You can find them below!
