Planning to change a dev agency? It’s a decision that often raises concerns—especially when the project is already underway and the platform or application is running in a production environment. Nevertheless, many companies face this choice: both at an early stage and later, when the product needs further development and cooperation with the current team starts to break down.
If you’re considering switching your software provider, this guide will help you navigate the process. You’ll learn best practices for handing over an IT project, as well as the realistic costs you should be prepared for.
When Do Companies Usually Decide to Change a Dev Agency?
From our experience, clients almost always have specific, recurring reasons for changing their technology partner:
- Technical issues and bugs. The most common reason is persistent bugs that make it difficult or impossible to use new features or release updates (e.g., due to code conflicts, lack of testing, or poor architecture). In some cases, these issues lead to negative app reviews.
- Communication problems. For example, the vendor may fail to inform the client about time estimates or scope changes and instead deliver parts of the software without prior discussion. When “ready” results appear unexpectedly, the vendor expects payment—despite the lack of agreement. In such cases, the vendor made business decisions outside their authority.
- Lack of progress visibility. Clients are excluded from the process and don’t know what stage the work is at. Updates are rare or only provided upon request.
- Team changes on the vendor’s side that halt development. For example, when a lead developer (the “pillar” of the project) leaves, and the agency fails to provide an adequate replacement or ensure proper knowledge transfer.
These types of client experiences not only trigger the decision to switch providers but also raise expectations for better communication, transparency, and technical competence from the next partner — and that’s what we always prioritize.
Thinking about changing your dev agency? We’ve successfully taken over many IT projects and we’ll be happy to help.
Let’s talkWhy Might You Hesitate to Change Your IT Contractor?
- Not realizing things could be better.
You might not know what a truly good collaboration with a tech partner looks like. Without a point of reference, it’s easy to accept poor code quality, weak communication, or delays as the “industry norm.” - Fear of high switching costs.
You may assume that handing the project over to a new team will be very expensive and time-consuming — before actually verifying it. That’s a natural concern, but often not supported by the facts. - Worries about time and lack of documentation.
If the existing documentation is weak or missing, you might think: “A new team won’t figure this out anyway.” In reality, the lack of documentation is often a strong reason to change — experienced dev houses know how to handle it (e.g., through code audits and rebuilding documentation from scratch). - Uncertainty about how to start.
You might not know what steps to take to make the transition safe and effective. Without technical knowledge or a clear process, decision-making paralysis is common. - Attachment to the current team or relationship.
Sometimes it’s hard to make the decision for emotional reasons — loyalty to the current partner, a reluctance to confront the issue, or hope that “things will improve.”
Where to Find a Reliable Development Partner to Take Over Your Project
If you’re looking for a reliable partner to take over an existing IT project, the best place to start is by asking for recommendations from trusted companies or checking industry-specific platforms like Clutch, where you can quickly verify the experience and reputation of different dev agencies.
What’s crucial, however, is that the partner you choose specializes in the exact technologies and programming languages used in your current application. Only then will they be able to properly assess its current state, identify potential risks, and lead the project in a way that enables smooth and long-term collaboration.
Before You Change a Dev Agency, Ask Them These Questions:
- Have you taken over existing projects before? In which technologies?
- What does your audit and onboarding process look like?
- How do you test applications before release?
- What does your communication process with clients look like?
- How do you handle billing and reporting?
- Do you work in Agile? How do you plan your sprints?
- How do you document the project and ensure knowledge continuity?
- Do you offer long-term support (e.g., maintenance or SLA)? Under what terms?
How to Change a Dev Agency: A Step-by-Step Guide
If you’ve decided to change your software provider, here’s a breakdown of the key steps involved:
Step 1: Assess Project Status and Secure Access
Before changing vendors, make sure you have full control over your project. Collect all technical documentation (architecture, APIs, database structure) and functional documentation (e.g., user stories). Check where the code is hosted — typically in a Git repository (GitHub, GitLab, or Bitbucket).
Secure administrative access to all tools, including:
- Servers (e.g., AWS, OVH)
- CI/CD environments (e.g., Jenkins, GitHub Actions)
- Communication and project management tools (e.g., Slack, Jira)
- Databases, Google/Firebase accounts, and analytics dashboards
Ensure your company — not just the previous vendor — has administrator-level access to all accounts and services. Back up the code, configuration files, and documentation.
Step 2: Project & Code Audit
The new partner needs a clear picture of the current state of your app before they can take responsibility for it.
Provide them with:
- Access to the source code repository (after signing an NDA)
- Technical and functional documentation
- Infrastructure details (DNS, SSL certificates, DevOps setup, staging/production environments)
- Contacts for key stakeholders (business, tech, previous team)
The audit can vary in depth. Usually, it starts with a general review to determine whether the project is suitable for further development.
A more detailed audit may include code quality, system architecture, test coverage, security, and potential technical risks.
Based on this, you’ll receive a report with recommendations: what to fix, what can stay as-is, and what may require a rebuild.
Stop guessing what’s wrong. An audit is the first step to regaining control and preparing your project to grow — and mobitouch can help.
Contact usStep 3: Wrap Up with the Current Vendor
- Review your contract for termination clauses, IP rights, and the transfer of code and documentation
- End the collaboration according to the agreed terms
- Set a timeline for transferring code, credentials, accounts, and ownership (e.g., Firebase, App Store)
- Finalize all financial settlements
Step 4: Legally Change a Dev Agency by Signing aContract with the New Partner
Sign an agreement that clearly defines:
- Scope and goals of the work
- Roles and responsibilities of both teams
- Payment model (e.g., Time & Materials, fixed price)
- SLA, communication, and reporting rules
- Transfer of intellectual property rights
Step 5: Knowledge Transfer and Kickoff
- Organize a handover workshop — ideally with both teams present
- Transfer the code, documentation, credentials, and technical instructions
- Assign a single decision-maker on your side to serve as the main point of contact for the new project manager
- Set up the collaboration process: status updates, sprint planning, standups, and reporting rhythm
What to Watch Out For
- Don’t accept vague promises like “Sure, we’ll take over the development” unless the new vendor has already reviewed the code, documentation, and project details
- A trustworthy team will insist on conducting their own audit before giving any estimates or deadlines — lack of initiative here is a red flag
- Be cautious of anyone offering to “fix the project starting tomorrow” — it’s unrealistic for complex handovers
- Avoid rushed “quick takeovers” without an NDA or without clear agreements on code ownership and IP transfer
- Don’t hand over access to production environments until all formalities, documentation transfer, and settlements with the previous vendor are complete
- Clearly define the scope of the audit and the knowledge transfer process — preferably in writing
How Much Does It Cost To Change a Dev Agency?
The cost of switching development teams varies depending on the scale and complexity of your project:
| Cost Component | Estimated Cost Range |
| Audit of current code and documentation | €1,000–€2,000* *Some vendors may offer a free preliminary audit to assess code quality. Final cost depends on app complexity. |
| Workshops and knowledge transfer | €350–€550 |
| Migration and reconfiguration | €700–€1000** **Only applies if hosting needs to change. No cost if you control cloud accounts or infrastructure. |
Total estimated cost for a full project handover typically ranges from €1,350–€3,500, excluding further development work.
What Happens If You Don’t Change Vendors Despite Issues?
Choosing to stick with an ineffective or unavailable team is often driven by fear of change. But ask yourself: what’s the risk of doing nothing?
- Rising maintenance costs
Outdated or messy code gets harder and more expensive to maintain. Every change takes longer, and new features may break existing ones. - Dependency on a single person or company
If only a few people can understand your system (relying only on memory due to poor documentation), you become hostage to their availability, skills, and goodwill. - Blocked product development
Lack of documentation, technical debt, or architectural issues can completely stall progress. - Risk of data loss or losing control over your app
If you don’t have access to the code repository, servers, or cloud accounts, your business continuity is at serious risk.
In many cases, not switching vendors is riskier than making the change.
Does Every App Problem Mean You Should Change Your Vendor?
No. Even the best dev teams won’t build a bug-free app. Minor issues and technical imperfections are a normal part of software development. What really matters is how problems are handled — how quickly they’re identified, communicated, and resolved.
What’s Normal and Acceptable?
- Bugs discovered during testing that are fixed efficiently before production.
- A task estimated at 8 hours ends up taking 16 — because of unexpected code complexity or dependencies — but the team communicates this in advance and helps make the decision on how to proceed.
- Regular refactoring to improve code readability or performance.
- Evolving requirements that affect the scope and require flexibility from both sides.
A good software team doesn’t avoid problems — they communicate, document, and solve them in a predictable way.
Guarantees – What Can You Expect When Switching Vendors?
It’s perfectly understandable to seek guarantees after a negative experience with your previous developer. However, a new vendor will typically not guarantee the flawless performance of a system they didn’t build — because they’re not responsible for the existing code quality.
What they can offer is:
- A guarantee of response time and support when issues arise.
- Warranty on new or updated components they build under the new agreement.
Summary
Changing your IT project vendor is a difficult — but often necessary — decision. It should be seen as an investment in your project’s future, not just a fix for current frustrations.
With a clear plan, transparent communication, and the help of an experienced partner, you can regain control over your app, reduce long-term risk, and unlock the potential for future development.
