What to look for when hiring a software agency in 2026: AI has completely change

By Josepharubin · October 27, 2026 · Curated by George's Blog

What to look for when hiring a software agency in 2026:

AI has completely changed the software industry.

If you need to build a website or an app for your business, here’s what to look for today.

1.) Pay for results, not time.

With AI coding tools, the amount that a developer can get done in 30 minutes today vs. 30 minutes a year ago is orders of magnitude different.

You should be wary if their pricing revolves around hundreds of development hours, because they’ve likely failed to adapt to a more modern workflow.

Instead of paying for hours in 2026, you should be paying a fixed price for the product or tools you need.

2.) Access to the code.

Now, more than ever, your business needs to be nimble enough to switch vendors or make small tweaks and updates yourself.

You need to have access to your codebase.

Your Claude and ChatGPT sessions are smart enough to make updates for you, so don’t pay for a product where your team’s access is restricted.

3.) Beware of headcount.

Today, a single developer can output more code than 10+ developers in years past.

A bloated software agency means that your bills will be bloated as well.

Be wary if they’re still bringing 5 people to every single call, as that means they haven’t fully adapted to the new paradigm.