What Are the Top Software Developers in the Pittsburgh Area?

The software development community in the city of Pittsburgh is a lot stronger than you may think. There are a lot of different, well respected companies that operate out of the city. After some research and considering multiple sources, we have compiled a list of the top 9 most highly regarded software developers in the area. So if you work for another company and need to hire a software developer in Pittsburgh or if you are just looking to get into the software developing industry, this list should help you begin the decision making process between which developer to go with.

Aiken House works with a lot of “indy” software developers, and we are more than happy to link you up with one - just contact us here.

Also, do not read this list as a ranking system, it can be hard to look at multiple sources and decide who is considered the best in the city. We simply made our own list using the information we found by comparing each source’s opinion.

#1. OpenArc

Technically this software company is located in Wexford right next to North Park, but it is still in Allegheny County and is close enough to the city to appear on this list. Plus, Expertise, UpCity, and Clutch all consider this company to be the best in the area at what they do. That’s some high praise. OpenArc has been providing Pittsburgh business’ with software development services for over 10 years. They are well equipped in multiple programming languages and have an abundance of software tools and products to choose from.

The company can also provide clients with “mobile and virtual reality app development.” OpenArc is also a “Certified Women’s Business Enterprise (WBE) and Diversity Recruiter,” constantly being considered a ClearlyRated Award Winner and receives nods for Best Places to Work. An Innovation Lead at Helix Innovation Center said this in a review of the company, “I have no hesitation to go back to OpenArc as our first choice,” giving the company a five star score on Clutch.

#2. American Web Devs

Located at the heart of Pittsburgh, right next to Steel Plaza, American Web Devs is a highly respected software developer in the area. According to Expertise, the company specializes “in helping Pittsburgh’s start-ups and small businesses grow.” The developer’s employees are knowledgeable in several coding languages including PHP, Python, and Java. American Web Devs also does a great job working with company stakeholders to be more “cost efficient, improve visibility, and increase ROI (return on investment).”

According to Clutch, the company’s two main focuses are custom software development and web development. In a review of the company, the founder of Inspired Learning stated, “Their willingness to create exactly what you wanted was impressive,” and proceeded to give the developer a five star score on Clutch.

#3. Drift2 Solutions

Located in the South Side, Drift2 Solutions is a “leading full-service software development, web design, and graphic design provider to clients in the greater Pittsburgh metro area,” according to Enterprise. The developer does a great job getting its client exactly what they want while also combining “strategic thinking and emerging technologies to create innovative software solutions.” Drift2 Solutions understands that the industry is constantly evolving and they know how to help your business keep up with the times. UpCity rates the company as the number five best software developer in the area, but after comparing this ranking to other sources, putting the developer at the number three spot felt more fitting.

#4. Roket

Out of the three sources being used to support this list, only Clutch included Roket on its list, but they put the developer at number three. Located right around the corner from Chatham University, the company’s main focuses include custom software development, UX/UI design, and product design. According to Roket’s website, its approach is people focused, design led, data driven, and collaborative. They want to work alongside their clients to make sure they are doing the best job they possibly can.

The developer has nine reviews so far on Clutch that equates to a 4.9 star rating. A former director of marketing at Thread International stated, “Their balance of expertise across a small but flexible team was phenomenal,” and gave Roket a five star review. Even the sole reviewer that did not give the company a five star review, Founder and CEO of Back’d Inc., said, “The team delivered a crisp and clean user experience and demonstrated excellent project management along the way.”

#5. Bluestone Apps

Located in Downtown Pittsburgh, Bluestone Apps is only mentioned by UpCity out of the three sources. However, UpCity thinks highly of the company as they ranked it at number two, right under OpenArc. So of course that caught our eye. The developer is prominent in four major fields-- mobile application development, software development, web design, and web development. Since 2011, Bluestone has been building and designing Native and Hybrid mobile apps for all sorts of companies.

The developer’s goal is to make your company stand out from the rest and they do so by catering “to each and every need of the client and make a mark with its unique execution.” In 2019, a client of Bluestone needed the company’s mobile application development expertise. After the project was completed, the client stated, “With my 3rd app team in place, Bluestone was the best of them all. I finally received what I have attempted with other companies, and was only able to have the app completed when Bluestone stepped in. Thanks Bluestone!”

#6. Blue Archer

Located by Highland Park, Blue Archer was founded in 1999 and handles everything from website design to development to custom software for its clients. According to UpCity, the company has “worked to achieve compelling digital representation of over 500 clients through [their] unique discovery process which enables us to develop a clear understanding of your objectives and goals.” The members and outreach director at International Society for Bipolar Disorders wrote a review of the company saying, “They made a good impression from the start because they were willing to listen and respond directly to our needs,” then proceeded to give Blue Archer a five star score on Clutch.

#7. Fivestar

As mentioned on Enterprise, UpCity, and Clutch’s websites, Fivestar is a software developer that has assisted “Pittsburgh’s higher education institutes, nonprofits, and Fortune 1000 companies for more than 23 years.” Located in North Shore, the developer works with clients to come up with systems to better optimize processes, centralize workflows, and provide them more efficient ways to make decisions.

According to Clutch, 50 percent of Fivestar’s focus is on custom software development. The rest of the developer’s services is broken up equally between application management and support, business consulting, digital strategy, and UX/UI design-- with five percent of the company each dedicated to big data and CRM (customer relationship management) consulting.

#8. Truefit

Located in Downtown Pittsburgh, Truefit has been developing software products for businesses in the area since 1997. The developer works closely with clients to figure out creative yet effective ways to solve complicated issues. One of Truefit’s accomplishments “includes helping RealX Ventures Inc. build an online exchange that facilitates the transfer of property rights.” In a review posted on Clutch, the product owner of CyberSN stated, “Each step of the process we came away more impressed,” referring to the developer and proceeded to leave a five star score. That project required custom software development for a cyber security platform, and clearly, the client walked away happy with Truefit’s work.

#9. Sierra Experts

This software developer is a little further out from the rest, located by Pittsburgh International Airport, but they have been in the business for over 14 years. Sierra Experts create applications that are able to “address process and workflow deficiencies, providing intelligent analysis, notifications, and reporting.” According to Clutch, the company’s main two focuses are on custom software development and IT managed services. A network administrator from the Heinz History Center contacted Sierra Experts for IT managed services. The administrator was pleased with the developer’s work stating, “They’re a top notch team,” and left a five star score on Clutch.

That’s All She Wrote

Again, this list is based on a combination of the three sources used throughout the list and comparing where each software developer ranked according to them. Anyway, all of these companies are viable options if you or your company is in need of a software developer. Think about what you need and weigh the options.

Some of these developers are extraordinary in certain parts of the field that may be what you are looking for, while others have more expertise in other areas of software development. Also, if you are looking to find a software developer to work for, same goes for you. Weigh your strengths and weaknesses and look for the company that you think fits your expertise best. Or, apply to them all and hope for the best-- either way.