The Top 5 Software Products Made in Ukraine
Developers from Ukraine have long gained a reputation as talented and reliable specialists. A high level of technical skills and strong work ethic make them excellent executors when it comes to complex high-tech projects. Many foreign companies, such as Magento, Ericsson, and Crytek, build development centers in Ukraine to hire experienced programmers and, at the same time, save on development costs. Being one of the most popular outsourcing destinations, Ukraine works on world-known software solutions and introduces advanced products in different IT areas.
In this article, we will find out why outsourcing to Ukraine is a global trend and review top Ukrainian software products used worldwide.
Why are developers from Ukraine in high demand?
According to various IT ratings, Ukraine has been in the top charts for several consecutive years. HackerRank recognized Ukrainian developers best in terms of secure software development in 2016. The International Association of Outsourcing Professionals (IAOP) included 18 Ukrainian companies in the TOP 100 best IT-service providers in 2018. According to SkillValue, Ukraine ranked fourth in the top five countries with the best developers in the world in 2019. And now, Good Country Index has ranked Ukraine first in the world for its global contribution to development in Science and Technology.
These rankings demonstrate the high level of expertise of Ukrainian specialists and illustrate the growing export of Ukrainian IT services.
Source: IT Ukraine Association
Besides their technical expertise, Ukrainian specialists have a good command of English. The English Proficiency Index shows 83% of developers demonstrate an intermediate or upper-intermediate level of English and can freely communicate with foreign partners. As for the most usable technologies, JavaScript and Java developers in Ukraine make up the majority of all world IT specialists. C# and Python developers in Ukraine rank third and fourth respectively. Other programming languages in demand are PHP, TypeScript, C++, Swift, Ruby, Kotlin, Go, and others.
Source: Ukrainian IT digest DOU
Given that the level of expertise of Ukrainian programmers is at least as good as that of their Western counterparts, many foreign clients prefer to hire software developers from Ukraine because they get excellent product quality at an affordable price. Clients feel they have joined a winning team.
In the next sections, we will review five Ukrainian products recognizable worldwide.
Grammarly
Grammarly is an online AI-based service that edits and improves texts written in English. The service enhances the quality of written communication by offering grammatical and stylistic recommendations. Using AI algorithms, Grammarly helps an author sound natural, even if they are not a native speaker.
Grammarly evaluates the text using five parameters:
Correctness – improves spelling, grammar, and punctuation
Clarity – makes writing easier to understand
Engagement – makes writing more interesting and effective
Delivery – checks if the text makes the right impression on the reader
Style guide – ensures the text follows the organization’s guidelines.
Grammarly was first launched as a helping tool for students. Later, it has become in demand among a wide range of customers: teachers, journalists, marketers, etc. Now, the service is actively used in business correspondence, media articles, blog posts, promo campaigns, and many other business-related activities.
In October 2019, the company attracted $90 million in investment. It is almost obvious that soon it will change the status of a startup to a unicorn.
Reface
Reface is another Ukrainian app, which has been on hype for over a year. It allows you to change faces in photos, videos, and GIFs. It uses AI and ML algorithms to integrate a photo of your face with another body in just a few seconds. The app is available for download through Google Play and App Store.
In August 2020, Reface took first place in App Store by the number of downloads, leaving TikTok and Instagram behind. In December, it was recognized as one of the best apps on Google Play.
In addition to exciting content and excellent usability, Reface developers also addressed security issues. They claim their app reads only basic facial features, encodes and transfers them to a video, GIF, or photo, while the original photo is removed from the Google Cloud platform within 24 hours.
Ajax Systems
Ajax is an innovative security company that develops advanced hardware and software to protect residential and non-residential spaces. It offers security sets of varying difficulty levels that protect against burglars, fires, and floods. Ajax was founded in 2011. Today it has over 1 million users in 120 countries.
The company runs a full-cycle development: it assembles printed circuit boards (PCBs) and devices, makes firmware, and packs the final product. To test the products, it uses testing stands and proprietary software.
One of the main features of the Ajax system is the self-developed radio protocol, Jeweller. It transmits data over a distance of up to 2000 meters and maintains the minimum required level of output capacity to save battery power. As a result, Ajax sensors can work for up to seven years without changing the batteries.
In addition, Ajax developed the bilateral protocol, Wings, to transmit graphic data. It works even in unstable signal conditions and has a transmission range of up to 1700 meters. The first snapshot is delivered to users and the security company within 9 seconds.
Maxpay
Maxpay is an international payment service provider founded in Ukraine. It provides a payment gateway for businesses to accept payments online. Maxpay is used by eCommerce sites, dating services, gaming apps, service providers, banks, etc. It has been in the market for over six years and has opened offices in several cities in Ukraine and abroad.
Maxpay specializes in building comprehensive acquiring solutions for its customers and provides tools to prevent fraud and run in-depth online business analyses. In 2016, it developed its own anti-fraud platform, Covery. It is fully packed with security and anti-risk tools, so customers don’t need to look elsewhere for extra protection.
Maxpay works with major banks in Europe, the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and Asia. It is an official partner of Qualis and Ethoca, leaders in information security and anti-fraud and has a level 1 PCI DSS certificate – the highest level according to the number of processed transactions.
Petcube
Petcube is a Ukrainian company that produces gadgets for pet owners. The startup was founded in 2013. A year later, it was recognized as the best European hardware startup according to The Europas and the most promising Ukrainian startup according to Ain.
The main Petcube products include Petcube Cam, Petcube Bites, and Petcube Play.
Petcube Cam is the simplest device version that allows you to see and communicate with your pet from a smartphone. Additionally, you can contact a vet directly from the Petcube app.
Petcube Bites repeats the features of its predecessor and also adds an extra function of a smart feeder.
Petcube Play allows you to remotely play with your pet using a laser pointer controlled via the app.
On top of that, Petcube users can post photos of their pet, follow the updates of other animal owners and add them to friends, share photos on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter.
Conclusion
Ukraine is a promising software development region with a large pool of talent. Today software architects in Ukraine cooperate with foreign partners worldwide and actively develop their own high-tech products. The fact that Ukraine regularly takes leading positions in various IT ratings proves its good reputation and ability to keep up with the latest innovations.
If you want to delegate software development to a proven and reliable provider, it’s time to consider Ukraine. To find developers in Ukraine, look at the company’s portfolio as well as client feedback, then book a consultation with the manager and decide if the agency is right for you.
