24/08/2026
Every custom software quote you'll get this year lands on the same spectrum:
an onshore team at AU$150–330/hr, or an offshore team for 40–70% less.
Most businesses stop the comparison right there.
Here's what actually happens after you sign:
→ A requirement that's slightly misunderstood costs 5 minutes to fix in
person. Across a 10-hour timezone gap, it costs a full day-night cycle.
→ Six rounds of feedback on a project = 6 lost days minimum, before any
other delay happens.
→ If your software touches health, financial, or personal data, someone
needs to own your Privacy Act 1988 and Essential Eight obligations
"we're compliant" isn't an answer, it's a claim.
None of this means offshore is the wrong call. For a tightly scoped
project with no regulatory complexity, it can be exactly right.
The mistake is picking a model based on the number at the top of the
quote, without pricing in what happens after you sign.
We wrote up the full comparison including a 4-question framework for
making the call on your next build. Link in comments.
https://jaarvis.com.au/software-development/onshore-vs-offshore-software-development-what-actually-changes-for-australian-businesses/