Softwire vs Made Tech: full comparison for 2026
Quick verdict
Softwire (4.3/5) edges ahead of Made Tech (4.1/5) overall. Softwire is the better choice for UK media and charities, bespoke builds, onshore teams. 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.
Softwire vs Made Tech: head-to-head summary
| Criterion | Softwire | Made Tech |
|---|---|---|
| Founded | 2000 | 2008 |
| HQ | London, United Kingdom | London, United Kingdom |
| Team size | 250–500 | 400–500 |
| Rating | 4.3 / 5 | 4.1 / 5 |
| Primary differentiator | Long-standing onshore bespoke development that trains its own graduate engineers | Public-sector-only focus with a growing contracted backlog |
| Pricing model | Time and materials, fixed price | Framework call-offs, time and materials, fixed price |
| Min. engagement | Not published | Not published |
| Primary tech stack | C#, .NET, Java | Ruby, Python, Java |
| Industries served | Media, Charities, Public sector, Education, Retail | Public sector, Local government, Healthcare |
Softwire vs Made Tech: overview
Softwire
Softwire has been writing bespoke software out of London since 2000; the legal entity was incorporated in 1999. Directory estimates put its headcount anywhere between 240 and 500, with offices in London, Manchester and Bristol. Clients have included the BBC and Channel 5, and the firm also runs a developer training programme. Nearly all of its delivery happens in the UK, so it competes on quality and communication rather than price.
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: Softwire vs Made Tech
| Capability | Softwire | 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: Softwire vs Made Tech
| Framework / platform | Softwire | Made Tech |
|---|---|---|
| .NET | ✓ | N/A |
| Java | ✓ | ✓ |
| Python | N/A | ✓ |
| React | ✓ | N/A |
| AWS | ✓ | ✓ |
| Azure | ✓ | ✓ |
| Kubernetes | N/A | N/A |
| Embedded | N/A | N/A |
Pricing comparison: Softwire vs Made Tech
| Criterion | Softwire | 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: Softwire vs Made Tech
| Dimension | Softwire | Made Tech |
|---|---|---|
| Best company size | Startup to mid-market | Startup to mid-market |
| Best industries | Media, Charities, Public sector | Public sector, Local government, Healthcare |
| Best use cases | A broadcaster needs a new content management or scheduling tool., A charity wants a donor platform built by a UK team it can visit. | 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 |
Softwire vs Made Tech: pros and cons
| Softwire | |
|---|---|
| + | Twenty-five years of bespoke UK delivery with recognisable media clients |
| + | Onshore teams make workshops and on-site sessions easy |
| + | Willing to take on fixed-price work for well-scoped projects |
| - | UK-based delivery means higher rates than nearshore vendors |
| - | Headcount and office figures vary widely between directories, so ask for current numbers |
| 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 Softwire?
A typical fit: a broadcaster needs a new content management or scheduling tool.
Long-standing onshore bespoke development that trains its own graduate engineers. Minimum engagement is not publicly disclosed. Works best with clients in Media, Charities, Public sector, Education, Retail.
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: Softwire vs Made Tech
| Your situation | Recommended choice |
|---|---|
| You need full-ownership delivery on a defined project scope | Softwire |
| You need a large dedicated team for an ongoing programme | Check each company's engagement model |
| Your budget is at the lower end | Compare: Softwire (Not published) vs Made Tech (Not published) |
| You need specialist depth in a specific vertical | Softwire |
| 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: Softwire vs Made Tech
| Use case | Softwire fit | Made Tech fit | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| A broadcaster needs a new content management or scheduling tool. | Strong | Limited | Softwire |
| A charity wants a donor platform built by a UK team it can visit. | Strong | Limited | Softwire |
| 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: Softwire vs Made Tech
Softwire (4.3/5) is the stronger overall choice for most Software Development Outsourcing projects. Long-standing onshore bespoke development that trains its own graduate engineers.
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
Softwire vs Made Tech FAQ
Is Softwire better than Made Tech?
Softwire (4.3/5) scores higher overall, but "better" depends on your use case. Softwire's strongest advantage: twenty-five years of bespoke UK delivery with recognisable media clients. Made Tech's strongest advantage: deep familiarity with GDS service standards and government frameworks.
How do Softwire and Made Tech differ in pricing?
Softwire uses time and materials, fixed price 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: Softwire 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 Softwire and Made Tech?
Softwire's primary differentiator is: long-standing onshore bespoke development that trains its own graduate engineers. Made Tech's primary differentiator is: public-sector-only focus with a growing contracted backlog. They also differ in team size (250–500 vs 400–500), minimum engagement (Not published vs Not published), and primary industries served (Media, Charities vs Public sector, Local government).
Verify all details directly with each company before making a decision.