Agency, partner, or independent developer?
Looking for an Umbraco development company?
You've probably landed here searching for an Umbraco agency, partner, or development company. Worth being upfront: I'm not any of those. Here's what those terms actually mean, and an honest case for the alternative.
What "Umbraco Partner" actually means
A company credential, not a personal one
Umbraco Partner, Bronze through Platinum, is a status Umbraco HQ awards to agencies, not individuals. It's based on things like revenue delivered through the Umbraco platform, how many certified developers the company keeps on staff, and its project delivery track record. It's a real, meaningful signal about an agency, and it isn't something a single freelance developer can hold, no matter how experienced.
I'm not an Umbraco Partner and don't claim to be. Most of my agency-side work is subcontracted through companies who are, brought in as extra senior capacity for a specific project. See the clients page for how that works in practice.
What "Certified Partner" actually means
Two different programmes, easily confused
"Umbraco certified partner" gets searched by people conflating two separate things: Umbraco's individual certification programme (Certified Professional, Expert, and Master, all exam-based, held by a person) and the separate company-level Partner programme described above. I hold Umbraco Certified Master, the top individual tier. There's a full, honest explanation of what that credential actually tests, and what it doesn't, on the blog: What Is an Umbraco Certified Master?
Agency vs. independent developer, honestly
Agencies exist for a reason. If you need five people working in parallel on a hard deadline, or want an account management layer handling communication for you, a development company is the right call, and I'll tell you so if that's what your project needs.
For a lot of Umbraco work, though, a single senior specialist is a better fit: a build, a migration, a performance audit, or ongoing support, where the value is depth on one platform rather than headcount. There's more on that trade-off on the homepage.
Where I'm not the right fit
If you specifically need an Umbraco Partner agency, for procurement reasons, for parallel workstreams, or because the badge itself matters to your organisation, the honest move is to look for one directly through Umbraco's own partner directory rather than a subcontractor working under one.
Questions
Partner, agency and company FAQ
Is Umbraco Freelancer an Umbraco Partner agency?
No. Umbraco Partner (Bronze through Platinum) is a company-level status Umbraco HQ grants to agencies, based on things like revenue through Umbraco, certified staff headcount, and delivery track record. It isn't something an individual developer can hold. I'm not an Umbraco Partner and don't claim to be. Most of my agency work is subcontracted through agencies who are.
What's the difference between an Umbraco Certified Master and an Umbraco Certified Partner?
Certified Master is an individual, exam-based credential awarded to a developer. Partner status is awarded to a company. People sometimes search for "Umbraco certified partner" meaning either, but they're separate programmes with separate requirements. I hold the individual certification, not the company one.
Should I hire an Umbraco agency or an independent developer?
It depends on the shape of the project. An agency makes more sense if you need several developers working in parallel on a tight deadline, or want an account management layer between you and the work. An independent developer makes more sense for a single senior specialist doing a build, migration, or ongoing support, without paying for a bench you're not using.
Do you work with Umbraco Partner agencies?
Yes, regularly, as subcontracted overflow capacity for agencies holding Umbraco's Platinum partner tier. See the clients page for how that arrangement works.
Not sure which fits your project?
Tell me what you're working with. I'll give you a straight read, including telling you if an agency really is the better call.