Top software development companies in Canada: 2024 comparison

The “Michelin” guide of software development companies in Canada

Our ‘Michelin’ list includes the top software development companies in Canada as we’ve compiled them based on dozens of hours of research on Clutch, their websites, their LinkedIn, and their past client’s feedback. 

This table is a quick comparison based on cost and quality. To learn more about their service offer, focused industries, working style, and client’s highlight, read on for detailed review.  

Synodus

With a team of 250 well-versed developers, this global IT company has been serving clients from startups to Fortune 500 companies such as KPMG, Unilever, and BOC Aviation.  

Unlike other companies on this list, they prioritize an industry-focused mindset and an Agile -Waterfall model to bring the highest quality on time and on budget. Their team does business analytics extensively and strives to make the solution align with current goals and future growth.  

This has helped Synodus locked an 88% client satisfaction and enduring partnership with clients from BFSI to Public sector for 2 to 3 years. 

Other notes about this top software development company in Canada:  

• Services: Custom software development, Web/ Mobile app design & development, Blockchain, Low-code development, Startups services, Data analytics, Cloud and IoT.  
• Industries: BFSI, Healthcare, Public sector, Logistic, Aviation, eCommerce, Retail, Manufacturing, etc.  
• Tech stack: Java, JavaScript, TypeScript, Angular, Python, React, .NET, SQL, Laravel, Ethereum, Binance, PHP, etc. 
• What clients love:  
  • Synodus rate is 2x to 3x effective than other peers. Many praised their transparency in pricing, thanks to the fixed cost model that limits the risk of overrun. 
  • Fast onboarding under 2 weeks and scalability than can reach 20+ team members for a single project.  
  • How they combine Agile with Waterfall, instead of relying on one, for flexibility, control on quality, and no risk of delays. This hybrid approach solves many downsides of traditional ODC. 
• What clients wish they can do better: With development center in Vietnam, time zone differences and language barrier can be quite a challenge. You should ask for around-the-sun support.  
• Case study: A Fintech startup who struggled to deliver their product in 2 years was able to finish it in 4 months with Synodus. Time-to-market is speed up 3x times and development cost was saved.  

247 Labs

Founded in 2013, 247 Labs have delivered over 1,500 projects with a staggering 98% customer satisfaction so far. This software development company in Ontario identified themselves as a trusted digital partner for SMEs and enterprises in mobile and web development. 

As their motto is to create impactful solutions, the team relies on a 7-step Agile process that enables them to build engaging apps and guarantee project success.  

• Services: Web and mobile app development, AI/ML development, Digital transformation for enterprise, POC development for startups, Cybersecurity, DevOps and Staff Augmentation.  
• Industries: Education, Insurance, Healthcare, Finance. 
• Tech stack: PHP, MySQL, .NET, SQL, HTML5, Angular, Laravel, Zend, Swift, Python, Flutter, Shopify, WooCommerce, WPEngine. 
• What clients love: Thanks to their unique 7-step process, 247 Labs has strong project management skills and great flexibility. Besides, they offer 24/7 customer support, which is not often offered among other providers.     
• What clients wish they can do better: The unclear pricing model, or cost changing in the middle of development, is mentioned by some clients. 
• Case study: Working with Steel Plus Network, 247 Labs develop a B2B solution to improve event management and rebate tracking. This app improved member participation by 30%, cut the time spent on rebate tracking by 25%, and increased engagement for online events. 

Simform

On this list, Simform is the largest software development company in Toronto with over 1000 employees. They not only have office in Canada but also the US, UK, India, and Dubai.   

What makes Simform stand out is the effective use of co-engineering delivery model, where they focus on setting up a strong solution architecture. This experience engineering mindset has allowed them to work with many high-growth ISVs and technology-focused SME and enterprises. The team is also well-versed at Cloud and AI development. 

• Services: Product and Platform engineering, Cloud Engineering, DevOps engineering, Data engineering, AI and ML engineering, Digital and Experience Engineering. 
• Industries: Finance, Healthcare, Retail, Logistics, eCommerce. 
• Tech stack: Reac­t, Reac­t Nave, An­gular, Vue.js, Node.js, .NET, Flu­tter, Swift, AWS, Azure, Goo­gle Cloud, MySQL, PostgreSQL, No SQL    
• What clients love: Beside strong expertise in software engineering, many clients also praise Simform for their UX-led and design thinking approach. This ensures high creativity and user-centricity.  
• What clients wish they can do better: Some projects might be transferred to their Asian delivery center, which has been feedbacked to meet certain communication challenges and staff not meeting expertise requirements.  
• Case study: Simform build a Transportation Management System (TMS) with real-time data analytics and tracking features using NodeJS, React, and AWS. Thanks to this, the client was able to cut down on delivery delays by 40% and operating costs by 25%. 

Synergo Group

With more than 20 years of experience in custom software development, Synergo has completed 120 projects for startups and SMEs.  

With offices spanning Canada, the USA and Europe, Synergo Group regard themselves as collaborative problem-solvers driven by a mission to reshape the digital landscape. They are recognized as a top software development company in Canada for delivering human centered digital solutions powered by emerging technologies of AI Cloud, and Data. 

• Services: Web & Mobile app development, AI/ML, IoT development, RPA, Big Data, DevOps, Chatbot development, Custom API & Integrations.  
• Focused industries: Education, BFSI, Healthcare, Construction, IT Services, Real estate, Non-profit sector. 
• Tech stack: NodeJS, Java, Swift, Kotlin, PostgreSQL, MongoDB, PHP, Python, ASP.NET, React Native.  
• What clients love: Synergo supports clients with quick app deployment using Agile methodology, ensuring close collaboration and a dedicated full-stack team. This company also offers a unique support policy for NGOs and social enterprises. 
• What clients wish they can do better: Some suggest Synergo to be more proactive in communication and offer more accurate project estimation. 
• Case study: Synergo transformed a client’s outdated on-prem infrastructure by migrating it to a modern, scalable cloud solution with AWS, Docker, Kubernetes, and Jenkins. This shift has boosted scalability, decreased costs, enhanced security, and increased processing speed. 

Net Solutions

Unlike other software development companies in Canada, Net Solution stand out an in-depth adoption of Design Thinking and Agile methodologies. They position themselves as a leader in technology-agnostic development for complex and enterprise-grade applications.  Over 24 years, the team has completed 3000 projects and been recognized in the top 65 Digital Experience Service Providers in 2017 by Forrester.  

• Services: Software development (Web, Mobile app, Custom), Digital experience platform, MVP development, Experience design, Product development, App modernization, Software consulting, Dedicated development team. 
• Industries: Healthcare, Retail, Arts, Entertainment & Music, Automotive, Consumer Products, Education, Finance, IT. 
• What clients love: Net Solutions are complimented on their clear and truthful communication, the idea of clean code, and the constant focus on the quality of UI/UX design.  
• What clients wish they can do better: Having an extensive tech stack can lead to Net Solution use of outdated ones such as Flash or .NET in certain projects. 
• Case study: Net Solutions revamped the B2B booking platform for a leading airline. Their main task is to modernize UI/UX, making it more friendly and intuitive to navigate and later on increase the conversion and engagement rate. 

Datarockets

Founded in 2014, this Toronto-based software development company mainly serve clients from Canada, the United States and Europe. Since Datarockets work as “founders” and “doers” in a single team, their experience with start-ups is extensive, boasting a 5.0 rating on Clutch. Using many open-source platforms and agile methodologies, they are flexible, iterative, and adaptive.  

• Services: Products development, Mobile development, Ruby on Rails development. 
• Industries: Finance, Information technology, Medical, Real estate, FMCG, Education, Energy, Hospitality.  
• Tech stack: Rails Ruby, NodeJS, JavaScript, ReactJS, VueJS, React Native, Swift, Kotlin, GraphQL, PostgreSQL, Elasticsearch, Docker. 
• What clients love: Datarockets also offers consultation for startup clients during development. They always keep a transparent communication and effective project management.  
• What clients wish they can do better: Datarockets team is compacted with around 30 engineers, which some clients state to find challenging for scaling.  
• Case study: Datarockets assisted Bunz, which is an online bartering community from Canada, to create an application that could make bartering an even more engaging process for all users. They adopted mobile with React Native and the web with React, optimizing the flow improved running expenses by 70% and the app was now 50% leaner.  

Osedea

As the leading AI and software development company in Canada, Osedea has been providing innovative solutions since 2011. Their teamwork relations facilitate professionalism with creativity, flexibility, and proactiveness to accommodate clients’ requirements while driving growth.  

What also makes Osedea special is their focus on lesser-known industries such as mining, manufacturing, and energy besides finances and healthcare.  

• Services: AI development, Software development, UI/UX design, Robotic solutions. 
• Tech stack: NodeJS, React, React Native, Java, JavaScript, Kotlin, Objective C, etc. 
• What clients love: Osedea excels in UX/UI design and has a proven track record of delivering projects within the set budget and time frame, ensuring efficient and visually appealing solutions. 
• What clients wish they can do better: They should provide more detailed project descriptions and comprehensive test plans, which will enhance transparency and client satisfaction. 
• Case study: Osedea also helped KonnectAI improve its digital platform by creating a functional mobile application with React Native. They optimized the onboarding process and boosted users’ interest via applications of machine learning algorithms. 

IQlance

This award-winning software development company in Canada is known for their mobile-first and design-led focus in app development. Since 2014, they have focused on building more than 250 attractive and unique apps specifically for enterprises.  

With only 95 dedicated team members, iQlance has worked with top clients from US and Canada, from providing staffing options to a project-based engagement. Additionally, they provide digital marketing services if needed.  

• Services: Web and mobile app development, Custom enterprise solution, Game development, AI development, eCommerce development.  
• Industries: Healthcare, Real estate, Logistics, Wellness, eCommerce, Education, F&B.  
• Tech stack: Swift, Kotlin, Java, Angular, React, Node.js, PHP, .NET, Python, AWS, Azure, MySQL, MongoDB and PostgreSQL.   
• What clients love: iQlance offers flexible engagement models including dedicated team, time & materials, and fixed cost. Combine this with a free one-week trial, these are their most praised thing.  
• What clients wish they can do better: Some clients point out language barriers with developers at the development center in India. 

NetSet

Serving startups and small businesses in AI and Web 3.0 development, NetSet is a trusted provider based in India, the US and Canada. The team follows a customed 5D process that emphasizes Agile and Scrum adoption, adapting their software offerings for each client. However, they can expand to waterfall methodologies, fixed cost model, and kanban when needed.  

• Services: Blockchain, AI, Software development, Web & Mobile app, Digital marketing. 
• Industries: Finance, Automotive, Business services, Comsumer products & services, etc. 
• Tech stack: Ethereum & Hyperledger, JavaScript, Python, Java, SQL, MongoDB, etc.  
• What clients love: NetSet Software ‘s strength lies in its technical expertise in AI, blockchain, and software development, combined with a client-centric approach that ensures tailored solutions and seamless collaboration.  
• What clients wish they can do better: Some clients reported their onboarding process is too slow.  
• Case study: NetSet built a blockchain-based betting platform that helps Betfolio improve transparency and security issues in online gaming. The platform allowed secure transactions and real-time data updates while utilizing Ethereum for smart contracts. This resulted in a 75% reduction in transaction errors. 

Spiria

Targeting SME and enterprise, this software development company in Montreal and Toronto is also one of the top IT solution and legacy modernization providers. With a commitment to quality and security, Spiria are certified as SOC 2 Type 2 compliant, ensuring high standards in their services and collaborative working style. 

• Services: App modernization, Custom software development, UX/UI design, IT strategy consulting, Quality assurance. 
• Industries: Manufacturing; GPS, Navigation & GIS; Medical; Finance, Public sector. 
• Tech stack: NodeJS, Angular, React, Ruby on Rails, C++, Java, JavaScript, Python, Amazon Application Development Framework, Azure Platform, Linux server 
• What clients love: Spiria’s proper application of Agile methodologies, improved data acquisition, and adaptability to converting technical know-how and flexibility enables them to respond fully to their client’s needs while offering valuable solutions in the least time possible. 
• What clients wish they can do better: The pricing of Spiria may be viewed as somewhat high compared to industry standards. 
• Case study: Spiria assisted Shutterstock in optimizing image processing workflows, with Python and cloud services. The team improved data processing to deal with large volumes of images. This has helped Shutterstock onboard new customers, load faster and cleaner user experience. 

Practical tips on choosing the right partner for your projects

To learn if a software development company in Canada can deliver your project, here a few criteria to note: 

• Ability to deliver: Can they handle your project? 
• Exposure to your industry and market: Do they understand your market dynamic and user expectations? 
• Approach to cooperation: Are they looking for a win-win partnership? 

Here’s the details. 

1. Ability to deliver

Technical expertise: Their proficiency in tailoring your solution, knowing what technology to use, and minizing development risks. Some vendors are experts on certain technologies, offering an in-depth adoption that can be vital to your projects. But vendors with an extensive tech stack can consult you on what to use for the best result. 

Team size: Do they have enough resources to scale or downsize the team when needed? Also check for the numbers of mid-level to senior developers, as this proves their capability to handle complex tasks. A big team with many freshers will not perform as well as a compacted team with a balance between freshers and seniors.  

Time to deliver: What development methodologies do they use to control the quality and meet the deadlines? Agile, Scrum, or Waterfall all have their best and cons. Sometimes, relying on only one can accidentally limit your project potential. By mixing different models together, like how Synodus uses Agile for creative tasks and Waterfall for structured ones, you can leverage the best of both worlds.  

2. Exposure to your industry and market

Industry focus: It’s a plus if your vendor has worked with clients from your industry or your types of software. They can understand your unique needs and user expectations better.  

Years of experience: Having a long standing sure proves their reliability, but a younger company doesn’t equal less experienced. Sometimes they can be more flexible in adjusting a development process that fits your projects or have a more proactive approach to problem-solving. 

Development center close to/ in Canada: They can provide more instant support and timely communication, leading to faster iteration. They can easily navigate Canadian regulatory landscape and align with your work culture.  

However, hiring from Canada, the USA, Mexico, or Europe is higher than hiring from Asia, so this is something you have to trade. Many Canadian software development companies have business office in Canada and not their development center. 

3. Approach to cooperation

A balance between cost and quality: How can they deliver with your budget? Do they have a refund policy or any agreement in case the project is not delivered as expected? For example, while Time & Materials can lead to cost overrun due to lack of control, Synodus used a fixed approach to predict cost and manage quality.  

Ability to consult: A good partner doesn’t stop at coding as required but also guides you on what to use, how to build, and how to innovate. They must be willing to discuss suggestions and add specific skills your team lacks. While some vendors are open to this idea, like Synodus, many others aren’t, as reviewed from above.  

An equal partnership approach: Whether you are working with a dedicated team or hiring staff for specific roles, a partnership should always be fair, clear, and supportive of your business goals to drive success. At Synodus, while the idea of using Agile and Waterfall together accordance with Fixed cost is new, but it remains a shared risk-taking mindset that traditional ODC might fall behind.  

FAQ on software development companies in Canada

Wrapping up

Whether you’re a startup looking for scalable solutions or an established enterprise seeking digital transformation, partnering with a software development company in Canada offers a combination of quality, affordability, and a highly skilled workforce. As you evaluate your options, consider the unique strengths of each firm to find the best fit for your project’s needs and long-term goals.