US Companies are becoming more comfortable outsourcing to Uruguay.

For US-based companies, software outsourcing partners in Uruguay have distinct benefits that outperform other outsourcing destinations around the globe.

Uruguay is the third-largest software exporter per-capita in the world.

Uruguay?

Uruguay is a small country (with a population of 3.5 million people) that is easy to discount. However, that would not be the best idea.

The good news is that Uruguay is great at much more than simply playing soccer. One of the things it excels at is Software!

Some facts:

  • Bordered by Argentina and Brazil, Uruguay ranks frequently as
    one of the most advanced and affluent Latin American countries.
  • The workforce in Uruguay is highly-qualified and well-educated.
  • Uruguayan engineers are fluent in English.
  • The Uruguayan government is committed to growing and promoting its
    strong IT outsourcing industry.

Benefits

I would say there are three main aspects to mention when talking about the benefits of outsourcing to Uruguay:

1. Talent

Talented woman playing violin passionate musician
Photo by Michel Catalisano on Unsplash

IT professionals are highly qualified and very talented. This is due to Uruguay’s strong IT Programs, the exceptionally high standards of its engineering degrees, a growing tech community, and a large number of events/meetups focused on particular technologies.

The workforce in Uruguay is highly-qualified and well-educated.
Uruguay is serious about being a tech leader. Engineers demonstrate world-class experience with web and mobile application technologies.

2. Nearshore, not offshore

Sand clock time
Photo by Aron Visuals on Unsplash

Uruguay’s full workday overlaps with the US, facilitating real-time collaboration. Similar time zones (+1 hours from EST) make the country an ideal location. Considering this fact is essential to avoid delays, idle hours and communication issues.

Close travel proximity is also a perk, allowing face-to-face visits with your software development team. Although a remote team can work perfectly, there are some stages or situations (roadmappings, kick-offs, etc) in which it may be helpful to travel and work on-site.

Lastly, Uruguayan engineers are fluent in the English language and familiar with the business culture and mindset of the US.

3. Costs

I’m sorry to disappoint you, but if you are looking for the cheapest hourly rate, Uruguay is probably not the best option. Rather, if you’re looking for affordable development teams that seek technical excellence, have US-level quality and accountability standards, and are result oriented, then Uruguay would be a great bet.

In the chart below, you can compare pricing on each continent (taken from Accelerance)

Comparison table prices of a FTE software in Latin America, United States, Eastern Europe and Asia.

Conclusion

To sum up, it might be interesting to consider Uruguay and other Latam countries if you are looking for outsourcing services.

The advantages described above make the continent the perfect combination of talent, proximity, and pricing.