Kainos vs Made Tech: full comparison for 2026
Quick verdict
Kainos (4.2/5) edges ahead of Made Tech (4.1/5) overall. Kainos is the better choice for UK government digital services, Workday programmes. Made Tech is the stronger option for UK central and local government buyers. The right choice depends on your project size, budget, and required tech stack.
Kainos vs Made Tech: head-to-head summary
| Criterion | Kainos | Made Tech |
|---|---|---|
| Founded | 1986 | 2008 |
| HQ | Belfast, United Kingdom | London, United Kingdom |
| Team size | 3,000+ | 400–500 |
| Rating | 4.2 / 5 | 4.1 / 5 |
| Primary differentiator | Combined government digital delivery and Workday partnership, listed on the LSE | Public-sector-only focus with a growing contracted backlog |
| Pricing model | Time and materials, fixed price, framework call-offs | Framework call-offs, time and materials, fixed price |
| Min. engagement | Not published | Not published |
| Primary tech stack | Java, .NET, AWS | Ruby, Python, Java |
| Industries served | Public sector, Healthcare, Financial services, Commercial enterprises | Public sector, Local government, Healthcare |
Kainos vs Made Tech: overview
Kainos
Kainos was founded in Belfast in 1986 and is listed on the London Stock Exchange. In the year to March 2026 it reported revenue of £431.1m, up 17%, and a workforce of 3,216 after adding 420 people, a rebound from a 2024/25 restructuring that cut staff by 7%. It runs three divisions: Digital Services, Workday Services and Workday Products. Its government work spans departments such as the Home Office and NHS bodies, delivered from the UK and Ireland.
Made Tech
Made Tech was founded in London in 2008 and listed on AIM in 2021. FY25 revenue (to May 2025) rose 20% to £46.4m with a contracted backlog of £92.2m, and the company reported around 430 employees after a period of hiring. Almost all of its work is for UK central and local government, health and other regulated bodies. Contractor use rose to 19% of the workforce in FY25, and management has said it plans to bring that back toward 10%.
Services and capabilities: Kainos vs Made Tech
| Capability | Kainos | Made Tech |
|---|---|---|
| Custom software development | ✓ | ✓ |
| Mobile app development | ✗ | ✗ |
| Cloud & DevOps | ✓ | ✓ |
| Data & AI | ✓ | ✓ |
| Legacy modernisation | ✓ | ✓ |
| Embedded & IoT | ✗ | ✗ |
| Dedicated team model | ✗ | ✗ |
| Fixed-price projects | ✓ | ✓ |
Tech stack comparison: Kainos vs Made Tech
| Framework / platform | Kainos | Made Tech |
|---|---|---|
| .NET | ✓ | N/A |
| Java | ✓ | ✓ |
| Python | ✓ | ✓ |
| React | N/A | N/A |
| AWS | ✓ | ✓ |
| Azure | ✓ | ✓ |
| Kubernetes | ✓ | N/A |
| Embedded | N/A | N/A |
Pricing comparison: Kainos vs Made Tech
| Criterion | Kainos | Made Tech |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum engagement | Not published | Not published |
| Engagement models | Fixed project, Time and materials | Fixed project, Time and materials |
| Rate transparency | Not public | Not public |
| Price tier | Mid-market | Mid-market |
Target audience comparison: Kainos vs Made Tech
| Dimension | Kainos | Made Tech |
|---|---|---|
| Best company size | Startup to mid-market | Startup to mid-market |
| Best industries | Public sector, Healthcare, Financial services | Public sector, Local government, Healthcare |
| Best use cases | A government department needs a GOV.UK service built and run., An NHS body wants a digital patient service delivered onshore. | A council wants legacy case-management systems replaced., A government department needs a discovery and alpha phase for a new service. |
| Typical project type | Fixed project | Fixed project |
Kainos vs Made Tech: pros and cons
| Kainos | |
|---|---|
| + | Belfast-based delivery costs less than London while staying UK-based |
| + | Public reporting gives buyers verified financials and headcount |
| + | Very familiar with UK public-sector procurement frameworks |
| - | Little offshore capacity, so rates do not compete with nearshore vendors |
| - | Workday business takes a growing share of leadership focus |
| - | The 2024/25 restructuring shows exposure to swings in public-sector spending |
| Made Tech | |
|---|---|
| + | Deep familiarity with GDS service standards and government frameworks |
| + | Public reporting makes financial health easy to check |
| + | A growing backlog points to sustained repeat business from government |
| - | Little private-sector experience, so commercial buyers have better options |
| - | No offshore delivery, so rates are UK onshore rates |
| - | Contractor reliance roughly doubled in FY25 |
Who should choose Kainos?
A typical fit: a government department needs a GOV.UK service built and run.
Combined government digital delivery and Workday partnership, listed on the LSE. Minimum engagement is not publicly disclosed. Works best with clients in Public sector, Healthcare, Financial services, Commercial enterprises.
Who should choose Made Tech?
A typical fit: a council wants legacy case-management systems replaced.
Public-sector-only focus with a growing contracted backlog. Minimum engagement is not publicly disclosed. Works best with clients in Public sector, Local government, Healthcare.
Decision matrix: Kainos vs Made Tech
| Your situation | Recommended choice |
|---|---|
| You need full-ownership delivery on a defined project scope | Kainos |
| You need a large dedicated team for an ongoing programme | Check each company's engagement model |
| Your budget is at the lower end | Compare: Kainos (Not published) vs Made Tech (Not published) |
| You need specialist depth in a specific vertical | Kainos |
| You want engineers added to your own in-house team | Neither lists team extension; ask about dedicated teams |
| Your product includes hardware, firmware or connected devices | Neither; consider an embedded specialist |
Use case fit: Kainos vs Made Tech
| Use case | Kainos fit | Made Tech fit | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| A government department needs a GOV.UK service built and run. | Strong | Limited | Kainos |
| An NHS body wants a digital patient service delivered onshore. | Strong | Limited | Kainos |
| A council wants legacy case-management systems replaced. | Limited | Strong | Made Tech |
| A government department needs a discovery and alpha phase for a new service. | Limited | Strong | Made Tech |
| You need hardware, firmware or IoT work in the same contract | Limited | Limited | Both equally |
| You want a fixed-price first phase before a longer engagement | Strong | Strong | Both equally |
Verdict: Kainos vs Made Tech
Kainos (4.2/5) is the stronger overall choice for most Software Development Outsourcing projects. Combined government digital delivery and Workday partnership, listed on the LSE.
Made Tech (4.1/5) is worth a look in a scenario like this: a government department needs a discovery and alpha phase for a new service. If your situation matches that, Made Tech is a competitive option.
Related comparisons
Kainos vs Made Tech FAQ
Is Kainos better than Made Tech?
Kainos (4.2/5) scores higher overall, but "better" depends on your use case. Kainos's strongest advantage: belfast-based delivery costs less than London while staying UK-based. Made Tech's strongest advantage: deep familiarity with GDS service standards and government frameworks.
How do Kainos and Made Tech differ in pricing?
Kainos uses time and materials, fixed price, framework call-offs pricing. Made Tech uses framework call-offs, time and materials, fixed price pricing. Neither firm publishes a full rate card; a discovery call is required for project-specific quotes.
Which is better for enterprise: Kainos or Made Tech?
Made Tech is the larger team and typically the better enterprise-scale choice. For very large programmes, verify team size and compliance coverage directly with each company before shortlisting.
What are the main differences between Kainos and Made Tech?
Kainos's primary differentiator is: combined government digital delivery and Workday partnership, listed on the LSE. Made Tech's primary differentiator is: public-sector-only focus with a growing contracted backlog. They also differ in team size (3,000+ vs 400–500), minimum engagement (Not published vs Not published), and primary industries served (Public sector, Healthcare vs Public sector, Local government).
Verify all details directly with each company before making a decision.