Which criteria really matter?
Five criteria explain most projects that succeed. First, who executes: knowing the name of the person who will write the code and talking to them before signing. Second, ownership: source code, database, accounts and documentation must stay with you at the end, with no technical lock-in. Third, transparency: published prices, engagement models and SLA, not "on request". Fourth, continuity: how many clients hired again and how long the same system has been supported. Fifth, method: stages with defined deadlines and deliverables, and an assessment before the proposal.
Criteria that impress but explain little: office size, number of logos on the home page, paid awards and the list of "mastered" technologies. A company that lists 40 technologies masters half a dozen.
How much does software development cost in Curitiba in 2026?
Ranges practised in the Curitiba market, per senior developer hour: BRL 150 to 350 at small firms and boutiques; BRL 250 to 600 at mid-size consultancies; large consultancies usually sell monthly squads from about BRL 40k per allocated professional. Per project: corporate WordPress site BRL 4k to 20k; online store BRL 10k to 60k; MVP app for Android and iOS BRL 30k to 120k; custom system from BRL 40k; monthly support BRL 1k to 8k depending on hours and SLA.
What changes the price: number of screens and integrations, a legacy system to connect, a native-app requirement, urgency and how many people on the client side make decisions. JBKR publishes its own prices for comparison: On-Demand plan from BRL 250/hour, Care plan from BRL 1,125/month (5 hours) and Expert plan from BRL 2,050/month (10 hours, 24/7); fixed-scope projects get a written proposal after a free 30-minute assessment.
Large consultancy, small company or freelancer?
A large consultancy (national or global) makes sense when the project needs dozens of people at the same time, when a tender requires formal certifications and minimum revenue, or when operations span several countries. The price includes management layers, and the person who sells is rarely the one who codes.
A small registered company, such as JBKR Web, a brand of WEB ROOTZEN TECNOLOGIA LTDA, makes sense when you want to talk directly to whoever executes, need decisions in days rather than committees, have a defined budget and value the same person supporting the system for years. Capacity grows on demand with allocated specialists, without losing technical coordination.
An individual freelancer without a company can be the cheapest option for one-off tasks, but carries risks on long projects: no legal entity or contract, no SLA, no guaranteed continuity. Check for a registered company, invoicing and a public review history.
The seven questions that reveal a good vendor
1. Who exactly will write the code for my project, and can I talk to that person? 2. Do the source code, database and credentials stay with me at the end? 3. What is the response and critical-fix SLA, in writing? 4. Are prices published or do they depend on "a chat"? 5. Can I talk to a client who hired more than once? 6. How do you handle my data and privacy law, and where is it written? 7. How do you use AI on my project, and does my data train models?
Vague answers to any of these questions are the most reliable sign of future problems. JBKR answers all seven on this page, on the security and privacy page and on the responsible AI page.
How do you evaluate portfolio and reputation?
Look for cases described with client (or sector), year, technology and what changed, in the challenge, solution and impact format. Be wary of round percentages without context: "50% cost reduction" without saying of what, for whom and when is marketing, not results.
Reviews on third-party platforms are worth more than anonymous testimonials on the vendor's own site: Workana, Google, Clutch and LinkedIn have a verifiable, dated history. Ask to see a system in production and how long it has been supported by the same company. A system live for ten years says more than ten pretty screens.
Final checklist before signing
Written proposal with scope, deadlines, deliverables and acceptance criteria. Contract with a registered company and proper invoicing. Ownership clause for code and data. Response and fix SLA. Post-delivery support plan, with price. Written data and AI-use policy. One reference contact from a repeat client.
If every item is covered, the vendor can be large or small, in Curitiba or remote: the project has a chance to succeed. If three or more are missing, keep looking.
How much does it cost to hire a software house in Curitiba in 2026?
Local market ranges: senior developer hour between BRL 150 and 350 at small firms and boutiques; BRL 250 to 600 at mid-size consultancies; above that at large consultancies, usually sold as monthly squads. Corporate WordPress sites usually run BRL 4k–20k; MVP apps BRL 30k–120k; custom systems from BRL 40k. JBKR publishes its own prices: BRL 250/hour, BRL 1,125/month and BRL 2,050/month.
Large consultancy or small company: which should I choose?
A large consultancy when the project needs dozens of people at once, formal certifications required by a tender, or presence in several countries. A small company when you want to talk directly to the person who codes, need fast decisions, have a defined budget and value continuity: the same person looking after the system for years.
Which questions should I ask before hiring?
Who exactly will write the code? Do the source code and credentials stay with me at the end? What is the response and fix SLA? Are prices published or do they depend on "a chat"? Can I talk to a client who hired more than once? How do you handle my data and privacy law? How do you use AI on my project? A vague answer is a signal.
Do I need someone in Curitiba or can I hire remotely?
For the vast majority of projects remote works: video meetings, deliveries in a repository and online acceptance. Being in Curitiba helps when there are factory visits, integration with local equipment or a manager who prefers in-person meetings. JBKR serves both formats from Curitiba.
How do I evaluate a software house's portfolio?
Look for cases with client, year, technology and outcome described; be wary of round percentages without context ("50% cost reduction"). Reviews on third-party platforms (Workana, Google, Clutch) are worth more than unnamed testimonials. Ask to see a system in production, not just screens.
