12 Mar 2025 
Contents
Outsourcing Software Development in Croatia has become an attractive option for businesses seeking top-tier tech talent at competitive rates. With a growing pool of skilled professionals, Croatia’s ICT sector has seen steady development. The country offers a skilled, English-speaking workforce. Additionally, its software development companies are known for delivering high-quality services. This combination of technical expertise and affordability makes Croatia an ideal destination for outsourcing software development projects. Especially for businesses seeking a reliable and cost-effective solution to meet their tech needs.
Croatia as an Economy
After communism’s fall in 1990, Croatia transitioned from socialist self-management to market capitalism by privatizing state enterprises, creating markets, and stabilizing the economy. Progress was hindered by war, which deterred foreign investment, damaged infrastructure, and spurred a black market and informal economy, slowing structural changes seen elsewhere in Eastern Europe.
The service sector dominates Croatia’s economy, employing over half the workforce and contributing most of the GDP. Retail, traditionally led by small shops, has seen growth in shopping malls since 2000. Tourism, centered on Croatia’s coastline and islands, is a key revenue source but required major investment to recover from the 1990s war.
The economy of Croatia at a glance
 |
Gross Domestic Product | |
| Annual GDP | USD 84.4 Billion (2023) | |
| GDP Per Capita | USD 21,865 (2023) | |
| Income Category | High Income (2025) | |
 |
People | |
| Population | 3.9 Million (2024) | |
| Literacy Rate | 99% (2021) | |
| EF English Proficiency Index | Very High Proficiency (2024) | |
 |
IT Sector | |
| IT Services Market Size | USD 845 Million (2025) | |
| IT Outsourcing Market Size | USD 334 Million (2025) | |
| Registered Software Companies | 8,500+ (2025) | |
 |
Business Environment | |
| Ease of Doing Business | Score: 74 | Rank: 51 (2020) | |
| Political Stability Indicator | Percentile Rank: 68 (2023) | |
| Corruption Perceptions Index | Score: 50/100 | Rank: 57/180 (2023) | |
The Software Development and IT Landscape in Croatia
Outsourcing software development in Croatia has become appealing thanks to its growing tech talent pool. In 2016, the country had approximately 50,000 ICT professionals. By May 2022, this number surpassed 60,000, reflecting significant growth in its skilled tech workforce.1
Outsourcing to Croatia offers access to a diverse talent pool with expertise spanning technical and managerial roles. According to LinkedIn, Croatia hosts 13,000+ software developers, with 25% at the Senior level. They have diverse expertise, enabling them to tackle complex tech challenges and meet demanding business needs.2
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Discover CompaniesTop Software Development and IT Employers in Croatia
The Croatian IT industry has grown significantly since Croatia joined the EU in 2013, driven by EU funding, government modernization, and a strong export focus. Known for its skilled, English-speaking workforce and innovative mindset, Croatia’s IT companies specialize in software development and digital services. Despite challenges like high taxes and bureaucracy, the sector offers excellent ROI and value for money since outsourcing software development in Croatia provides high-quality services at competitive prices compared to Western Europe and North America. Leading firms include Infinum, Infobip, and Q agency.
Croatian Independent Software Exporters
Hrvatski nezavisni izvoznici softvera | CISEx is a Croatian association dedicated to advancing the IT sector by fostering software production, export, entrepreneurship, and global market positioning. Open to companies and individuals, it promotes collaboration, knowledge sharing, and a positive IT culture. Members, who pay an annual fee (€150 for companies, €50 for individuals), benefit from shared experiences, access to investors, youth employment programs, and government cooperation. CISEx also engages with media and state bodies to position IT as a strategic economic activity.3
Reputed Institutions in Croatia Known to be the Top Sources of IT Graduates
Croatia offers ample opportunities for ICT specialists to enhance their tech skills. Leading institutions such as the University of Zagreb, Algebra University College, the University of Dubrovnik, and the University of Split provide computer science courses, including software engineering and multimedia computing, in both Croatian and English. Over 7,000 students pursue ICT degrees annually, with around 2,000 graduating each year.4
We have sorted the list in terms of the number of alumni in IT and engineering roles. Please note that the alumni in engineering roles may include other engineering domains other than computer science or software engineering since we have taken the filtered count from their LinkedIn pages.
Conclusion
Croatian IT companies are still in the early stages of building their reputation in the global market. However, outsourcing software development in Croatia is increasingly becoming a preference for businesses seeking a skilled, cost-effective, and innovative IT workforce. Croatian IT firms have the potential to break through and position the country as a significant regional IT hub.
If you’re looking to outsource in Croatia and tap into its thriving IT sector, let us help you connect with the best companies through Enosis Outsourcing. Contact us today to learn more and explore the opportunities Croatia has to offer!
References
[1] Emerging Europe Future of IT Report ↩
[2] Software developers and companies in Croatia – N-iX ↩
