By Mo Hussein
5 min read
To choose a software development company in London, build a shortlist of three or four from different sources, check each one is a real registered business with live work you can see, and meet before you commit. Being in London helps but isn't a requirement. This is the practical checklist; for the questions to ask once you're talking, see our guide to ten questions to ask a software agency.
Where do you find a software development company in London?
Use more than one source, because each has a blind spot.
- Referrals from other business owners. Someone who has actually paid a firm and lived with the result is worth more than any ranking. Ask what went wrong as well as what went well.
- Google. A search for "software development company London" shows who has invested in their website. That tells you they can market themselves, not that they build well. Read past the first page.
- Directories and review sites. Useful for building a long list quickly. Treat the star ratings as a starting point and read the actual write-ups.
- Your own suppliers. Your accountant, bookkeeper or IT support often know who has built things for their other clients.
Aim for three or four names. Fewer and you've no comparison. More and you'll spend a month on calls.
How do you check a software company is real?
It doesn't take long, and it weeds out more than you'd expect.
- Look the company up on Companies House. It's free, and shows the registered address, the date it was incorporated, the current and resigned officers, and any insolvency information. Check the name on the proposal matches the name on the register.
- Ask to see something live. A project they built that you can open, click through and, if possible, talk to the owner about. Screenshots and case-study PDFs are easy to produce.
- Look at what people say elsewhere, not only the testimonials on their own site. Reviews on third-party sites and a phone call to a past client are harder to curate.
- Check the people are findable. Named individuals, with a real track record you can look up, are better than a "team" page of stock photos.
None of this proves a firm is good. It does tell you whether it's what it says it is.
Does it have to be a local firm?
No. Honestly, no. Plenty of excellent software is built by people you never meet in person. A London address isn't a quality signal on its own.
Here's the trade-off, as plainly as I can put it.
- Local, London-based. Easy to meet face to face, same working hours and holidays, same legal system and contracts. Often costs more than remote or offshore, because London rents and salaries are what they are.
- Remote within the UK. Most of the same benefits for contracts and time zones, a wider pool, and often better value. Meetings are on video.
- Offshore. Can be cheaper per day. Time zones, communication and handover need more of your attention, and you'll want a contract that's enforceable and clear about who owns the code.
For a small business building something that runs the day-to-day work, being able to sit in a room with the person who builds it, at least at the start, has real value. For a well-defined, smaller job, it matters less. Decide which one yours is.
Should you meet in person?
Yes, at least once, even if the work will be mostly remote. An hour at a table, or a video call if travel is awkward, shows you how they explain things, whether they listen, and whether they'll say no to an idea that won't work. That last one is a good sign. Bring the actual problem, with your spreadsheets or screenshots, and watch what they ask about. Our guide on what to prepare before a discovery call covers what to bring.
What can you realistically budget?
Be wary of anyone who quotes without asking questions, and equally of anyone who won't discuss money until the end. Prices vary a lot with scope, so a number from a blog is no use to you. What you can do is compare like for like: ask each firm what's included, what's left out, and what it costs to run after launch. Our guides on what custom software costs and what a good proposal includes show how to read the quotes you get back.
If you need a rough number first, our project estimate gives one.
What are the red flags?
- Pressure to sign this week.
- A fixed price quoted before anyone has asked what you actually do.
- No live work to show, or work they can't explain their own part in.
- Vague answers on who owns the code. This should be in writing before any work starts.
- The person selling won't say who'll build it.
- Nobody can tell you how you'll see progress, other than a status report.
- A company name on the proposal that doesn't match the register.
One red flag isn't automatically fatal. Two or three, walk away.
Common questions
How do I find the best custom software development company in London?
There isn't a single best, only a best fit for your job. Pick the firm whose live work looks like what you need, whose answers are specific, and who you'd be comfortable telling bad news. Firms offering custom software development in London vary a lot in size and focus, so shortlist on fit, not on ranking.
Is bespoke software development in London more expensive than elsewhere?
Often, yes, because the cost of running a studio in the capital is higher. But a cheaper rate doesn't help if the job takes longer or comes back unfinished, so compare what's included, not only the day rate.
How many companies should I speak to?
Three or four. Ask each the same questions and write the answers down straight afterwards, so you can compare them fairly.
Where Vectisflow fits
We're a small London studio. We build internal tools and CRMs, booking and quoting, client portals, dashboards and automations, and websites, which you can see on our services page. How a project runs from first call to launch is on how we work. If you want to see whether we're a fit, book a free discovery call. We're a registered company, so check us on Companies House first if you like.
