Top Software Development Companies in Ukraine 🇺🇦

The Information Technology sector has been booming more than ever worldwide, which shouldn’t be very surprising. Considering humanity’s dependency on technology and various devices and apps, the industry is sure to see even more growth in the years to come. 

IT industry hubs are centers for development where thousands of IT professionals and software developers converge and collaborate to create programs that take business operations to another level. One such location is Ukraine, considered by many as the best IT destination in Eastern Europe.

According to a survey, one in five Fortune 500 companies rely on Ukraine for their software needs. Despite the conflict in the country, its IT professionals have seen a surge in business like never before. 

In fact, in 2021, the IT industry in Ukraine saw an exponential growth of 36%: its exports went from $5 billion to a whopping $6.8 billion. The number of IT professionals in Ukraine grew from 244,000 to 285,000, and the overall industry has expanded by more than 50% in the past three years.

In contrast, the dearth of tech professionals in the United States has become quite dire. In 2019, US-based companies reported around 1 million unfilled IT jobs because of unqualified candidates. This is why outsourcing projects is more necessary —and a more practical and cost-efficient choice—than ever. 

Ukraine is undoubtedly at the top of the list as an outsourcing location. Needless to say, some of the best software development companies in Ukraine have partnered with and provided services to prestigious multinational companies like Google, Amazon, and Microsoft, to name a few. 

Top Software Development Hubs in Ukraine 

Ukraine has emerged as the IT capital of Eastern Europe and has many software development hubs in different cities. They each have tremendous talent and advanced technology to deliver much-needed innovation. 

Here are the top software development hubs in Ukraine: 

Kyiv

Ukraine’s capital has an impressive pool of talent and, therefore, has a critical position in the industry. With tech universities churning out thousands of IT professionals and hundreds of R&D centers cate­ring to global giants, Kyiv is what you would call a productivity machine. 

According to a survey by DOU, 36% of professional IT specialists in Ukraine live in Kyiv. The city has many coworking spaces and a flourishing startup community, making it a spot for the top software development companies in Ukraine. 

Lviv

With around 460 IT companies based in the city, many tech giants are outsourcing software services here. It has been estimated that the Lviv IT industry exceede­d $1 billion in 2019 in terms of economic impact with a count of 26,500 tech professionals—it even surpassed Kyiv's tech talents by a staggering 45% growth rate.

The same survey by DOU showed that 18% of IT professionals work in Lviv.

Dnipro

Considered the fourth-large­st IT destination in the country, Dnipro has around 13,200 IT professionals and R&D centers. By 2025, these numbers are expected to double. About 6% of the country’s IT professionals live here.

Odesa

Odesa is on the rise and is steadily becoming a hub for Ukrainian startups. With an impressive 150 IT companies across various industries, the city thrives in the tech, automotive­, and cybersecurity niches. About 4% of the country’s IT professionals reside in Odesa. 

Kharkiv

Kharkiv, the se­cond-largest city in Ukraine, has over 450 IT companies, 25,000 spe­cialists, and more than 3,000 IT graduates. 

The recent DOU survey showed that the city has about 3% of all IT professionals in the country, with tremendous scope for growth, along with the rest of the country. 

About 10% of the DOU survey respondents have temporarily moved abroad to countries like Poland, Spain, Germany, and Portugal—all up-and-coming IT hubs. But the number is now down to 3%, which means citizens are slowly moving back and providing their talents to the best software development companies in Ukraine. 

Ukraine's Current Market 

Ukraine and its people have shown tremendous resilience despite the continued turmoil in the country. And the IT sector is proof of that—it is continuing to grow in leaps and bounds, with developers and corporations growing and thriving.

A study showed that IT outsourcing is at an all-time high worldwide, with an average spend of $460.10 billion in 2023. And a massive chunk of this is making its way to Ukraine. 

Ukraine saw a growth of about $400 million from 2021 during the war in 2022, and IT service exports reached a record $7.34 billion. Moreover, Ukrainian tech companies have retained about 96% of their contracts and keep the projects going.

Knowing which types of services to outsource here would be helpful if you want to hire talent or partner with some of the best software development companies in Ukraine. 

Some of the software development trends in Ukraine include: 

Front- and Back-End Development

Front-end and back-e­nd development need skilled deve­lopers who can create good-looking and user-friendly designs while de­livering excellent user experiences. This type of service calls for aesthetically pleasing and streamlined inte­rfaces and optimized technicalities for seamless functions. 

The combination of technical prowess, attention to detail, and experience in the field are critical for success, and Ukrainian developers more than capably deliver refined products and services.

Artificial Intelligence (AI)

AI is taking over the world, and IT spe­cialists in Ukraine are leveraging this technology and enhancing software performance through predictive analytics. The expe­rtise needed to transform AI-driven concepts into reality is something Ukrainian professionals have been doing for years. 

Additionally, Machine Learning (ML) is on the rise in the industry. The abundant talent in the top software development companies in Ukraine will help you bring your vision to life.

Internet of Things (IoT)

The development and widespread implementation of IoT (Internet of Things) has been on the rise globally in the last few years. And specialists in Ukraine have been developing and designing high-end hardware and software for many smart devices and platforms. 

Ukrainian developers also have big projects centered on home and industrial automation and applications.

Fintech and Healthcare Software

The IT hubs in Ukraine consist of a healthy mix of startups and established enterprises, so many experts and top software development companies in Ukraine have adapted to specialize in secure and compliant financial tech solutions. They work hard to ensure all software meets regulatory requirements and delive­rs efficient services. 

Similarly, Ukrainian developers have extensive experience in the healthcare niche, with projects centering on software, electronic health record systems, telemedicine platforms, medical devices, and many more. All products and services center on data security and comply with industry regulations such as HIPAA.

Simply put, workers in Ukraine are highly skille­d in creating tailor-made solutions for various industries. Web apps, mobile­ apps, software­—they can help with just about anything you need. With extensive knowledge of various programming languages, they can help you create highly customized solutions to take your business to the next level.

Ukraine’s Expertise 

Developers in Ukraine have proven to have top-notch skills. Getting to the top is not an easy feat; therefore, knowing up-to-date innovations in the industry is paramount. 

Software developers in Ukraine are highly reliable whether you’re looking for Java-based apps, Python programs, or others. They have accumulated top-level knowledge and experience in many programming languages and frameworks, including: 

•  JavaScript
• C++
• C#
• Java
• Python
• PHP
• UX Design
• Ruby
• Python
• NodeJS
• Big data analytics
• Web development
• Mobile app development 

They are also adept at Typescript, Swift, Ruby, and Kotlin. It should be noted that more than 50% of software development professionals work on back-end development, 20% in the front-end, and about 8% in mobile development. 

At the moment, banking and fintech are some of Ukraine's biggest clients; experts are also dabbling in healthcare and entertainment.

Notable Projects In Ukraine 

Owing to their extensive experience in software development, Ukrainian professionals and companies have been a part of some of the biggest projects in the world, including: 

• Grammarly 
• DeepDao
• GitLab
• Squibler
• Ajax Systems 
• Burgerizzr 

Education and Talent in Ukraine 

Of the 281 universities in Ukraine, 213 offer courses in IT. According to DOU, about 86% of software engineers hold Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in STEM. They study software engineering, information systems and information technology, cybersecurity, computing engineering, computer science, and system analysis.

If you’re looking to outsource software projects to Ukraine, knowing about their education can help you gauge professionals’ quality of work. Those in the best software development companies in Ukraine likely studied at one of these top five universities and specialties:

• Ukrainian Catholic University - computer science and system analysis
• Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv - data, math and computer science, software engineering, system analysis, cybersecurity, computer engineering, physics and nanomaterials, information systems and information technology, telecommunication and radio electronics, electronic engineering
• Lviv Polytechnic National University - software engineering, computer and data science, system analysis, computer engineering, information systems and information technology, automation and computer-integrated technology, cybersecurity, telecommunication, radio electronics, electronic engineering
• National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy - data science, computer science, software engineering
• Ivan Franko National University of Lviv - data science, system analysis, computer science, math, applied physics and nanomaterials, software engineering, information systems and information technology, cybersecurity

As established, Ukraine is one of the top countries for software development. According to a survey, Ukraine ranks 37th in technological expertise worldwide. This rank is likely to improve come 2025 and beyond. 

In 2020, Daxx – an outsourcing company – accounted for 200,000 developers in Ukraine. In 2021, this number increased to 285,000. Add to this the 25,000 graduates in IT courses every year. 

Undoubtedly, the Ukrainian IT market is growing exponentially, so it is an excellent choice if you wish to outsource your projects to developers who are eager to learn and work. Ukraine is expected to see an annual revenue of 11.89%, with a market volume of $5.49 billion by 2028. 

If these numbers are anything to go by, it would appear that many top software development companies in Ukraine are expected to expand to keep meeting the needs of the services outsourced by enterprises all over the world.

Salaries and Compensation in Ukraine

Programmers from Ukraine have high qualifications. About 17% of developers have five to 10 years of experience, and about 42% work in mid-level positions, with 26% at the senior level. Approximately 30% have over three years of experience, and only about 1% of developers have a year or less of experience. 

With this kind of expertise, IT companies can trust Ukraine with their projects. But there’s also another benefit: cost-efficiency.

Salaries of Ukrainian IT professionals are around 2 to 3 times lower than those in the United States and Western Europe. For example, the salaries of software engineers (full-time or remote working) start at $30,000 per year and can go up to $54,000 or higher for senior programmers.

These numbers are even more competitive than talent in Poland, who fetch rates around $52 to $99 per hour. 

Some of the top software development companies in Ukraine may have higher pay scales depending on the field of expertise. 

An estimate of the annual pay scale (junior and senior level) is outlined below in US dollars:

• JavaScript Developer - 11,000 to 57,000
• Java developer - 12,000 to 60,000
• Python developer - 12,000 to 62,000
• PHP developer - 12,000 to 54,000
• Golang developer - 12,000 to 73,000
• C++ developer - 12,000 to 54,000
• Ruby developer - 12,000 to 66,000 
• TypeScript developer - 11,000 to 60,000 
• QA engineer - 10,000 to 40,000 
• DevOps - 19,000 to 72,000 
• ML engineer - 18,000 to 68,000 

Cost of Living in Ukraine 

According to Numbeo, the average estimated expenses for a family of four in Ukraine is about $1,648 per month (not including rent). Meanwhile, a single person bears expenses of around $475 (not including rent).

Of course, the exact amount varies depending on many elements, such as individual preferences, age, and location. In metropolitan cities like Kyiv, a family of four spends around $1,800 each month, while a single person spends around $520. Both estimates do not include rent.

Individuals working in some of the best software development companies in Ukraine have more comfortable lifestyles than those in other industries. This means companies outsourcing their businesses and services to Ukraine will be paying competitive prices. 

Why Choose Ukraine for Software Development?

Education

Ukraine has the expertise international companies need to develop cutting-edge projects. From Java-based applications to Python, C#, and C++, professionals are proficient in all coding languages. 

With about 213 universities, including the Ukrainian Catholic University, Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, and Lviv Polytechnic National University, offering specialized education in IT, the county is churning highly qualified professionals in the sector at an astounding rate every year, enabling companies to outsource more of their services here. 

Moreover, most Ukrainian IT professionals have one or more specialized higher education diplomas, some with international education or experience. About 85% in the IT sector continue learning through courses, professional reading, professional material, competitions, and conferences. 

Quality Output 

Ukrainian software developers are known to be efficient individuals who produce high-quality code. In 2019, Kearney Global Services revealed that Ukraine had better financial attractiveness compared to Poland, Canada, and the Czech Republic. 

IT in Ukraine is a low-cost offshoring destination that produces value-added deliverables. 

Communication

Unsurprisingly, English is a mandatory subject in Ukraine, so almost everyone understands the language and can communicate fluently. In fact, 80% of developers have an intermediate or higher command of English. 

So, when you hire a team member or outsource your services to some of the best software development companies in Ukraine, you can rest assured that you will not have to worry about communicating your ideas clearly.

Cultural Similarities

Individuals in Ukraine have similar or shared values with global workers, such as the ability to work in a team or independently when needed, time management, integrity, and effort exerted in a professional setting. 

The top software development companies in Ukraine will meet your requirements not just for projects but also for communication and the productive exchange of ideas. 

Conclusion

Ukraine is one of the most efficient and dependable hubs when it comes to software development. Its low cost of living, high-quality labor, and technical expertise are unmatched in Eastern Europe. The country has maintained this level of superiority despite the ongoing conflicts—in certain fields, it has even improved. 

With more than 200 universities developing top talent, looking for professionals is easy. Individuals are skilled in multiple coding languages, making them an asset to the top software development companies in Ukraine. This extensive knowledge also helps them cater to a variety of needs, like front- and back-end development, AI, IoT, fintech, healthcare, and many other tech niches.

Ukraine is currently ranked at #37 in terms of technological expertise worldwide, and experts only expect this to improve in the following years. The IT professionals in this country are eager to share their knowledge and deliver high-end services at competitive prices. They are undoubtedly some of the best possible partners you will find for your business.