Software development is a thriving industry, with businesses continuously seeking to enhance their digital capabilities. If you're a freelancer or considering a career in freelance software development, numerous opportunities are available for you to leverage your skills and expertise.

While coding and problem-solving are your core strengths, creating compelling proposals and scopes of work is another crucial skill for freelance success.

Before you set out to secure your next software development project, here's how to define your services, determine your pricing, and craft a compelling proposal and scope of work.

What is Software Development?

Software development involves conceiving, specifying, designing, coding, testing, and maintaining computer programs, applications, and systems. It encompasses a wide range of activities, from creating simple mobile apps to developing complex enterprise software solutions. Software developers use various programming languages, frameworks, and tools to build software that meets specific user needs or solves particular problems.

How to Become a Freelance Software Developer

Freelance software developers work with clients independently, offering their expertise to various companies that need custom software solutions or improvements to existing systems.

As an independent software developer, you're responsible for understanding client requirements, proposing solutions, implementing the software, and ensuring it meets quality standards. To succeed as a freelancer in this field, consider the following steps:

Enhance your skills 

If you’re reading this, you’re either a software developer or want to be. Whether you work full-time or freelance, you must ensure your development skills are sharp. 

Continuous learning is essential in the ever-evolving worlds of freelancing and software development. Stay updated with the latest programming languages, frameworks, and best practices. The most common programming languages include JavaScript, Python, Java, C#, and Ruby. Additionally, knowledge of software development frameworks and tools like .NET, React, Angular, and Django is essential.

Choose your specialty

While being a jack-of-all-trades can be beneficial, specializing in a particular area of software development can help you stand out. You might focus on a specific type of software development, such as web development, mobile app development, desktop applications, SaaS solutions, specialized fields like AI and machine learning, or particular industries like fintech or healthcare.

Alternatively, you could be a versatile developer capable of handling multiple projects, offering potential clients a broader range of services.

Build a strong portfolio

Similar to how a resume is what you use to land a full-time job, your portfolio is your most powerful marketing tool to land freelance work. Your freelance portfolio should showcase your best projects, highlighting the problems you solved and the technologies you used. Include a mix of personal projects, open-source contributions, and client work (with permission) to demonstrate your versatility and expertise.

Keep your portfolio current by adding recent projects, especially those that demonstrate your expertise and the projects you prefer.

Once you've honed your skills, defined your specialty, and assembled an impressive portfolio, it's time to learn how to create effective proposals and scopes of work. Let's explore how to do this for software development projects.

How to Create a Software Development Scope of Work

Ready to create a proposal for your next software development project? Follow these steps to build a software development scope of work that can help you secure bigger projects, communicate your value to clients, set clear expectations for the development process, and get paid faster. 

Determine the timeline 

If you already have a few software development projects under your sleeve, utilize your experience to estimate how long each project phase will take. Factor in your personal timeline when creating your scope of work. Your timeline should be based on how many hours the full development takes you and the project’s ideal timeline. 

Ensure your client’s expected software development timeline aligns with your own. If it doesn’t, let them know your standard timeline to set expectations. Sometimes, if clients haven’t worked with freelancers before, they may need to be informed about what’s realistic and what’s not, and it’s your job to advise them. 

Outline your services 

Based on your understanding of the client's needs, clearly define what is included in the project and what isn't. Break down the project into phases or modules, such as:

• Requirements gathering and analysis

• System architecture design

• User interface design

• Backend development

• Frontend development

• Integration with third-party services

• Testing and quality assurance

• Deployment and launch

• Post-launch support and maintenance

For each phase, provide a brief description of the activities involved and the deliverables. This detailed breakdown ensures you cover all aspects of the project and helps the client understand the full extent of your work.

Check out our Small Web Application Scope of Work template to see how other developer freelancers outline their services. 

Figure out your pricing 

Figuring out your rate is one of the most challenging aspects of freelancing, regardless of your service area. When you’re just getting started as a freelancer, it’s easy to base your freelance rate on what you were making at your previous job or by using an hourly rate. While that’s a good starting point, you’ll quickly realize that there are more factors that factor into freelance pricing than the hours you spend on a project.

The best way to price your freelance services as a software developer is by using value-based pricing. Value-based pricing takes the price tag off of your time and takes into account your expertise, the client’s industry and goals, and the full scope of work beyond the completed app. 

You might offer different pricing options based on the scope of work. For example:

1. Basic package: Core features only

2. Standard package: Core features plus some advanced functionality

3. Premium package: Full feature set with additional support and maintenance

Be sure to clearly state what's included in each package and how additional work will be billed.

Not sure how much you should charge? Check out our CSR Application Scope of Work template to see how other freelancers price their development services.

Include terms and conditions

Protect yourself and set clear expectations by including important terms and conditions in your proposal. This might cover:

• Payment terms (e.g., deposit required, milestone payments)

• Intellectual property rights

• Confidentiality agreements

• Change request procedures

• Warranty and support terms

To streamline this process and ensure comprehensive coverage, take advantage of our proposal builder's contract terms templates. These templates are specifically designed for freelance projects and cover essential aspects of the agreement.

For even more customization, utilize our contract terms AI generator. This powerful tool can help you create tailored terms and conditions that address the unique aspects of your project, reducing the risk of overlooking important contractual details.

By leveraging these features, you can save time while creating a robust terms and conditions section that protects your interests and provides clarity to your client. Remember to review and adjust the generated terms as needed to ensure they accurately reflect your specific project requirements and business practices.

As businesses increasingly rely on software solutions, the demand for skilled freelance software developers will continue to grow. Preparing comprehensive and well-structured proposals will help you stand out and position you for long-term success in the competitive software development landscape. Our template library, which includes over 60 proposal scope of work templates for developers, such as the AI Chatbot iOS App Proposal Template, is designed for ease of use, ensuring you can get started quickly and focus on your development work.