Alma vs building an in-house team
Both options are valid. Here is the honest read on when each one wins, based on projects we have seen at LATAM companies of 30 to 500 employees.
5–15 days from kickoff
4–6 months (search + onboarding)
You pay only the agreed scope
Salaries + benefits + tooling + recruiting
Per project or monthly retainer
Open-ended contracts, risk if they leave
Team across 6 disciplines ready day one
Limited to the profiles you could hire
We pick what fits each case
Locked into what your seniors master
100% yours at handover, no weird licenses
100% internal
Support retainer + 30-day warranty
Depends on your team not rotating
Team stays, documentation is mandatory
If a senior quits, months are lost
If the problem is clear and you want results in 30–90 days, an agency like Alma is faster and cheaper. If you plan to build a permanent capability with 3+ full-time people, going in-house makes sense — and we can help you hire and train them.
You need concrete deliverables in weeks, cannot wait 4–6 months for search and onboarding, want to avoid heavy fixed costs, or your AI/software load is project-by-project rather than continuous.
Your core product depends on proprietary software and IP must stay in-house, you will iterate that system 12+ months straight, or you already have a CTO and only need to add hands.