Nearshore vs offshore is often presented as a choice between two opposite models. In practice, the right partner can support both, depending on the project and the company. Indeed, at SMAU Milano 2026, two days of meetings with Italian companies made this concrete for us. They looked at Albania as a partner that is close, available in the same working day and easy to reach. As a result, those conversations ended with 11 follow-up meetings and a clear view of the opportunity Albania offers.

SMAU Milano 2026: a European view of nearshore software development

SMAU has been Italy’s meeting point for innovation for decades. Through the Italia RestartsUp programme, organised with ICE Agenzia, foreign delegations meet Italian companies in one-to-one sessions. On 3 and 4 November 2026, Square took part as a member of the Albanian delegation. The delegation was selected by the ICE office in Tirana, and our role was clear: technology partner and software supplier.

We met Italian companies from Rome, Milan and Padua, mainly from the ICT and tourism sectors. We also met representatives from universities, where the skills behind tomorrow’s software are formed. Above all, each meeting started from concrete needs rather than general interest. In practice, the same concerns came up again and again.

What does a company need to know before choosing a software partner in another country?

What buyers ask nearshore software development companies

The two questions we heard most often were asked in Italy. However, they matter to any company that works with an external team, nearby or far away. In fact, neither question is about technology. Both are about trust, and both deserve a direct answer.

Will we understand each other? Communication with a nearshore team

Clear communication is the foundation of any external collaboration. Indeed, it decides how quickly requirements become working software. At Square, our engineers work fluently in English and Italian, alongside native Albanian. As a result, clients discuss requirements and priorities directly with the people who write the code. For European clients, Tirana is in the CET time zone, so meetings and demos happen within the same working day.

How much will it cost? Nearshore pricing without surprises

The cost of a software project depends on scope, platforms and complexity. For this reason, a serious partner does not quote a figure before understanding the project. Accordingly, at Square, every enquiry starts with a short call. A free written estimate of scope, timeline and budget follows, before any commitment. For every well-defined scope the price is fixed. Moreover, during the work, progress, hours and budget are reported transparently.

For a first orientation, our app development cost calculator gives an order of magnitude based on scope, platform and complexity. It is a starting point for the conversation, not a quote.

Nearshore vs offshore: what’s the difference?

Nearshore means working with a partner in a nearby country, in the same or a similar time zone. Offshore means working with a partner further away, often in a different part of the day. Both models work well, and each has its own strengths. For this reason, the better question is which model fits a specific project.

The first difference is time. A nearshore team shares the same or similar hours, with a full working day of overlap. By contrast, an offshore team works a different day, from a few hours to half a day apart.

The second difference is the way of working. Nearshore favours real-time collaboration, with meetings, demos and quick decisions in the same day. Offshore, on the other hand, relies on structured handoffs that keep work moving across time zones.

Travel and project type complete the picture. With nearshore, short flights make in-person workshops easy, so it suits projects that change often. With offshore, trips are longer and planned around milestones, so it suits well-specified projects and long-running development.

Albania fits both models. In particular, for European companies, it offers the CET time zone, short flights, Italian and English. For companies outside Europe, it offers English-speaking teams with a shared window of working hours.

Many companies combine the two models over time. A project may start with close, nearshore collaboration during discovery and design. Later, development can continue with a more distributed rhythm. In practice, flexibility often matters more than the label.

Why Albania is a flexible choice for nearshore software development

For European companies, Albania is a natural nearshore option. Tirana shares the CET time zone with Rome, Milan, Paris and Berlin. Furthermore, a short flight separates it from most of Italy and Central Europe. As a result, working days overlap and in-person meetings are easy to arrange.

Language strengthens this proximity. Thanks to decades of cultural and economic ties, Italian is widely spoken in Albania. Functional English is also strong among younger professionals in Tirana. In practice, this keeps requirements and priorities clear from the first meeting.

At the same time, Albania can serve companies outside Europe. Its working hours still leave a shared window with several other time zones. For this reason, teams in Tirana can also work as an offshore partner, with daily time for live discussion.

The regulatory framework supports both models. Albania is an EU candidate country actively negotiating accession. In addition, its 2024 data protection law, in force since 2025, is harmonised with the GDPR. For companies that share data with a partner, this alignment is an important reassurance.

Admittedly, the talent pool is smaller than in Western Europe. However, the seniority that modern web and mobile projects need is readily available. Equally important, SMAU Milano 2026 showed that this opportunity is real. Italian companies from ICT and tourism came with concrete needs, and the conversations continue in 11 follow-up meetings. Our page on software development in Albania explains how this works in practice. For a deeper comparison, see nearshore Albania vs Western Europe.

Nearshore software development in practice: SunEasy

At SMAU, our conversations with tourism companies turned to a concrete example. SunEasy is the beach booking platform we built and run on the Albanian Riviera. It is the clearest answer to a simple question: what can a team in Albania deliver?

Visitors choose a beach, check its facilities and reserve a sunbed before they leave home. They can book on Android, on iPhone or in any browser. Behind this simple experience, the system handles real-time availability and cashless payments under real seasonal load. At the same time, beach operators receive reservations in one system instead of a stream of phone calls. In addition, safety flags arrive automatically from marine and weather feeds. The interface works in English, Italian and Albanian, for local guests and visitors from abroad.

The platform runs on React Native, Node.js, PostgreSQL, Stripe and Google Maps. Today it serves more than 20,000 users across more than 25 beaches, with a rating of 4.8 out of 5.

However, SunEasy is the proof of our work, not its boundary. The same team designs, builds and runs custom software, web and mobile apps and integrations. Every project is built around the client’s real processes, in any sector.

How to hire developers in Albania: first steps

Hiring developers in Albania does not require opening an office or managing a foreign payroll. With the right partner, nearshore or offshore, the process takes four clear steps. First, define what you need: a complete project with a clear scope, or engineers who join your team. Second, a short call covers goals, processes and priorities. Third, a free written estimate of scope, timeline and budget lets you decide with full information. Finally, you choose the model: a fixed-price project, a dedicated team or staff augmentation. Our guide to staff augmentation vs a dedicated team explains the difference.

During development, deliveries are iterative and come with regular demos. As a result, you see the product grow and can step in at every stage. Code, data and credentials belong 100% to you and sit in your accounts from day one.

Nearshore vs offshore: frequently asked questions

What’s the difference between nearshoring and offshoring?

Nearshoring means outsourcing to a partner in a nearby country with a similar time zone. For instance, a European company working with a team in Albania is a typical case. In contrast, offshoring means outsourcing to a more distant country, often with several hours of time difference. Nearshoring favours real-time collaboration, while offshoring relies more on structured handoffs.

What are the differences between onshoring, offshoring and nearshoring?

Onshoring keeps the work in your own country, with no time difference. Nearshoring moves it to a nearby country, keeping working hours aligned. Offshoring moves it to a more distant country, often with access to wider talent pools and different cost structures.

Is Albania a good location for nearshore and offshore software development?

For European companies, Albania is a nearshore location with the CET time zone and short flights. Likewise, for companies further away, it works as an offshore location with a shared window of working hours. In both cases, teams work in English, Italian is widely spoken and data protection law is harmonised with the GDPR. In addition, the seniority modern web and mobile projects need is readily available.

After SMAU Milano 2026: next steps for nearshore and offshore partnerships

SMAU Milano 2026 closed an event and opened a phase of work. Therefore, the 11 follow-up meetings now on the agenda are the next step. Their goal is simple: to turn conversations in Milan into concrete projects. We thank ICE Agenzia, its Tirana office and SMAU for the invitation and for organising the delegation. An account of our participation is on the event page.

In the end, some projects need a nearshore model, others an offshore one. Our page on software development in Albania shows how we work with both. The first step is a conversation with the people who will write the code.

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Nearshore vs Offshore: What SMAU Milano 2026 Taught Us