Adapter Labs vs In-House Teams
Skip the lengthy recruiting process, hiring delays, and management overhead. Get senior developers building intelligent web products working on your project today with immediate availability and proven expertise.
Resource Efficiency Comparison
In-House Team Challenges
Time to Hire3-6 months
Ramp-up Period2-4 months
Management Overhead20-30% of time
Skill FlexibilityHired skill set only
Turnover RiskAverage 2-year tenure
Total Time Investment
6-12 months to productive team
Adapter Labs Advantages
Time to StartImmediate
Ramp-up PeriodNone needed
Management OverheadSelf-managed team
Skill FlexibilityFull stack ready
Turnover RiskTeam continuity
Immediate Productivity
Start building on day one
Detailed Comparison
| Factor | Adapter Labs | In-House Teams |
|---|---|---|
| Time to Start | Start immediately | 3-6 months hiring process |
| Delivery Speed | Ship in weeks, not months | Slower with ramp-up time |
| Management Overhead | Self-managing expert team | Requires active management |
| Skill Flexibility | Access to modern development expertise | Limited to hired skills |
| Scaling | Scale up/down instantly | Slow, expensive to adjust |
| Management Required | Self-managed team | Requires active management |
| Risk | Low risk, project-based | High risk, long-term commitment |
| Knowledge Retention | Documentation included | Risk when employees leave |
Time to Start
Adapter Labs
Start immediately
In-House Teams
3-6 months hiring process
Delivery Speed
Adapter Labs
Ship in weeks, not months
In-House Teams
Slower with ramp-up time
Management Overhead
Adapter Labs
Self-managing expert team
In-House Teams
Requires active management
Skill Flexibility
Adapter Labs
Access to modern development expertise
In-House Teams
Limited to hired skills
Scaling
Adapter Labs
Scale up/down instantly
In-House Teams
Slow, expensive to adjust
Management Required
Adapter Labs
Self-managed team
In-House Teams
Requires active management
Risk
Adapter Labs
Low risk, project-based
In-House Teams
High risk, long-term commitment
Knowledge Retention
Adapter Labs
Documentation included
In-House Teams
Risk when employees leave
The Reality of Hiring Developers
74
Days average to fill a tech position
High
Competition for skilled developers
45%
Hiring mismatches in first year
6-12
Months to full productivity
Opportunity Cost
Every day spent hiring is a day not building. 3-6 months of recruiting means competitors get ahead while you're reading resumes.
Training Investment
New hires need 3-6 months to understand your business, tech stack, and processes. That's significant time investment for partial productivity.
Turnover Risk
Average developer tenure is 2 years. When they leave, you lose knowledge, momentum, and have to start the hiring process again.
When Each Option Makes Sense
Choose Adapter Labs When:
- You need to move fast and launch quickly
- You have specific projects with clear scope
- You want to minimize overhead and risk
- You need diverse expertise for different projects
- You're a startup or growing company
- You want predictable timelines
Consider In-House When:
- Your core product is software
- You need 24/7 dedicated resources
- You have proprietary technology requiring deep knowledge
- You're a large enterprise with established processes
- You have capacity for long-term investment
- Company culture is a key differentiator