How to choose the right technology stack for a startup and save budget: my advice

So, you are finally building something? I hope you didn't forget the importance of the discovery phase wink - wink, which I covered in my previous post wink - wink. But we are here to discuss the technology stacks and, most importantly, how to make this process cheaper.

I'm sure you have already googled some of them and probably even picked up something for your project. So we'll not pay too much attention to it. By the way, I'm carrying an idea to write about the biggest product companies and the tech stack they use. Something like Forbes 100 and their choice of tech stack. So if you find this idea interesting or helpful, write in the comments, so I know what to write about. Let's get started!

I understand that startups are frequently on a limited budget. That's why, in this post, we'll discuss what factors influence a tech stack's price and find some recommendations on how to save money.

So what are the factors that affect the cost of a tech stack?

• Popularity and maturity

The maturity and popularity of specific technologies greatly influence the price of the technology stack. The old and popular technologies are proven, reliable, and have many specialists to choose from. You can always find developers specializing in Java but finding Clojure developers will be incredibly difficult. Thus, the fewer specialists who know the new or "unpopular" technology, the more expensive their price tag is. Conclusion: old school is good, fresh is also good, but costly.

• Licensing

Certain technologies can be very expensive because licensed solutions often have subscriptions, including fees for traffic, CPU, and usage in general.

• Cost of maintenance

Most companies that employ software systems spend a considerable part of their money on the system's maintenance since the work with the product doesn't end when it's released. When choosing a tech stack and hiring developers with the corresponding expertise, mind such expenditures. Product maintenance often includes spending on the solution's optimization, functionality expansion, bug identification, fixing, etc. Hence, consider opting for cheaper open-source technologies that can be updated and changed without limitations.

Knowing these, you can already come up with a few ideas. And if you did, share your thoughts in the comment. I think there are 3 main ways to save budget.

1. You can use ready-made solutions. It could be the perfect recommendation for startups with limitations in terms of budget and for businesses who want to check their idea with MVP.

2. Cross-platform tools for mobile development are an option for you if you want to create a competitive mobile app, but budget restrictions put lots of pressure. You can always save money by employing cross-platform tools instead of native technologies.

3. And the last option would be finding an experienced and proven software vendor. This could be the most costly option, but it has many benefits. The software vendor will understand your needs, provide proactive solutions to support your vision, and be a trustworthy partner. The professional software company will also assist you in lowering the charges of your tech stack. They are experts in their field and will undoubtedly advise you on cost-cutting measures. If you think this is the option for you, google something like outsourcing/offshoring/nearshoring or check this resource; it might help.

So, share your thoughts in the comment. What technology stack do you use for your project? Need some more info on this topic? Here.