Best Software Development Outsourcing UK

Endava vs SoftServe: full comparison for 2026

Quick verdict

Endava (4.5/5) edges ahead of SoftServe (4.0/5) overall. Endava is the better choice for large UK programmes, payments and banking, nearshore at volume. SoftServe is the stronger option for big cloud and data programmes, Ukrainian rates at volume. The right choice depends on your project size, budget, and required tech stack.

Endava vs SoftServe: head-to-head summary

Criterion Endava SoftServe
Founded 2000 1993
HQ London, United Kingdom Austin, United States and Lviv, Ukraine (London offices)
Team size 10,000+ 10,000+
Rating 4.5 / 5 4.0 / 5
Primary differentiator UK headquarters and governance with more than 10,000 engineers in lower-cost nearshore locations Scale and cloud partner status combined with Eastern European rates
Pricing model Time and materials, managed service, outcome-based contracts Dedicated team, time and materials, managed service
Min. engagement Not published Not published
Primary tech stack Java, .NET, AWS AWS, Google Cloud, Azure
Industries served Financial services, Payments, Retail, Media and telecoms, Healthcare Healthcare, Retail, Financial services, Manufacturing, Media

Endava vs SoftServe: overview

Endava

Endava is the largest UK-headquartered company on this list built around nearshore delivery. It reported 11,479 staff at the end of June 2025, and the UK supplied 33% of revenue in the final quarter of that fiscal year. Delivery centres in Romania, Moldova, North Macedonia, Serbia, Bulgaria, Argentina and elsewhere let it staff large programmes at below-London cost. Headcount fell from 12,085 a year earlier, which reflects softer demand across the IT services market.

SoftServe

SoftServe was founded in Lviv in 1993 and is now co-headquartered in Austin, Texas. Revelio Labs estimated about 13,100 employees in 2025, down roughly 3% on the year. It opened its London office around 2014 as part of a Western European expansion and trades in the UK as SoftServe Systems Ltd. Most delivery happens in Ukraine, Poland, Bulgaria and Latin America.

Services and capabilities: Endava vs SoftServe

Capability Endava SoftServe
Custom software development ✓ ✓
Mobile app development ✗ ✗
Cloud & DevOps ✓ ✓
Data & AI ✓ ✓
Legacy modernisation ✓ ✗
Embedded & IoT ✗ ✓
Dedicated team model ✓ ✓
Fixed-price projects ✗ ✗

Tech stack comparison: Endava vs SoftServe

Framework / platform Endava SoftServe
.NET ✓ ✓
Java ✓ ✓
Python ✓ ✓
React N/A N/A
AWS ✓ ✓
Azure ✓ ✓
Kubernetes ✓ ✓
Embedded N/A N/A

Pricing comparison: Endava vs SoftServe

Criterion Endava SoftServe
Minimum engagement Not published Not published
Engagement models Dedicated team, Managed service, Time and materials Dedicated team, Managed service, Time and materials
Rate transparency Not public Not public
Price tier Mid-market Mid-market

Target audience comparison: Endava vs SoftServe

Dimension Endava SoftServe
Best company size Enterprise Enterprise
Best industries Financial services, Payments, Retail Healthcare, Retail, Financial services
Best use cases A UK bank needs 50+ engineers for a multi-year core platform programme., A payments company wants a managed service covering development, testing and support. A retailer needs a large cloud migration team., A healthcare firm wants a data platform with machine learning features.
Typical project type Dedicated team Dedicated team

Endava vs SoftServe: pros and cons

Endava
+ Public-company reporting gives buyers audited figures on headcount, revenue and client concentration
+ A UK board and London HQ simplify contracting and data-protection discussions for UK buyers
+ Delivery from several countries spreads risk if one location is disrupted
+ Long payments and banking track record with UK and European institutions
- Headcount dropped about 5% in the year to June 2025 as demand softened
- Smaller projects can get less senior attention than flagship accounts
- Day rates are higher than those of smaller Central European vendors
SoftServe
+ Very large talent pool for fast ramp-up
+ Strong cloud and data engineering practices
+ Lower rates than UK-headquartered vendors of similar size
- UK office is mostly a commercial presence; delivery is overseas
- Smaller UK accounts may struggle to get senior attention
- Headcount has edged down since 2024

Who should choose Endava?

A typical fit: a UK bank needs 50+ engineers for a multi-year core platform programme.

UK headquarters and governance with more than 10,000 engineers in lower-cost nearshore locations. Minimum engagement is not publicly disclosed. Works best with clients in Financial services, Payments, Retail, Media and telecoms, Healthcare.

Who should choose SoftServe?

A typical fit: a retailer needs a large cloud migration team.

Scale and cloud partner status combined with Eastern European rates. Minimum engagement is not publicly disclosed. Works best with clients in Healthcare, Retail, Financial services, Manufacturing, Media.

Decision matrix: Endava vs SoftServe

Your situation Recommended choice
You need full-ownership delivery on a defined project scope Both offer fixed-price models
You need a large dedicated team for an ongoing programme Endava
Your budget is at the lower end Compare: Endava (Not published) vs SoftServe (Not published)
You need specialist depth in a specific vertical Endava
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 SoftServe

Use case fit: Endava vs SoftServe

Use case Endava fit SoftServe fit Winner
A UK bank needs 50+ engineers for a multi-year core platform programme. Strong Limited Endava
A payments company wants a managed service covering development, testing and support. Strong Limited Endava
A retailer needs a large cloud migration team. Limited Strong SoftServe
A healthcare firm wants a data platform with machine learning features. Limited Strong SoftServe
You need hardware, firmware or IoT work in the same contract Limited Strong SoftServe
You want a fixed-price first phase before a longer engagement Limited Limited Both equally

Verdict: Endava vs SoftServe

Endava (4.5/5) is the stronger overall choice for most Software Development Outsourcing projects. UK headquarters and governance with more than 10,000 engineers in lower-cost nearshore locations.

SoftServe (4.0/5) is worth a look in a scenario like this: a healthcare firm wants a data platform with machine learning features. If your situation matches that, SoftServe is a competitive option.

Related comparisons

Endava vs SoftServe FAQ

Is Endava better than SoftServe?

Endava (4.5/5) scores higher overall, but "better" depends on your use case. Endava's strongest advantage: public-company reporting gives buyers audited figures on headcount, revenue and client concentration. SoftServe's strongest advantage: very large talent pool for fast ramp-up.

How do Endava and SoftServe differ in pricing?

Endava uses time and materials, managed service, outcome-based contracts pricing. SoftServe uses dedicated team, time and materials, managed service pricing. Neither firm publishes a full rate card; a discovery call is required for project-specific quotes.

Which is better for enterprise: Endava or SoftServe?

Endava 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 Endava and SoftServe?

Endava's primary differentiator is: UK headquarters and governance with more than 10,000 engineers in lower-cost nearshore locations. SoftServe's primary differentiator is: scale and cloud partner status combined with Eastern European rates. They also differ in team size (10,000+ vs 10,000+), minimum engagement (Not published vs Not published), and primary industries served (Financial services, Payments vs Healthcare, Retail).

Verify all details directly with each company before making a decision.