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Updated September 2026
Brazil has become one of the main nearshore software development hubs for companies in the United States and Europe. According to the study Brazilian Software Market: Overview and Trends 2025, by ABES in partnership with IDC, investment in the Brazilian software sector grew from US$ 49.8 billion in 2023 to US$ 58.6 billion in 2024. With so many providers, choosing the right partner is harder than ever.
This guide covers 8 Brazilian software development companies with very different profiles, from multinationals with tens of thousands of professionals to mid-sized firms focused on custom projects. For each one, you’ll find headquarters, years in business, specialties and the kind of project it usually fits best. At the end, there’s a checklist to help you choose the right partner.
How the companies were selected
We included companies that:
- Were founded in Brazil or have significant operations there.
- Build custom software for other businesses, through projects, dedicated squads or staff augmentation.
- Have a verifiable public track record: years in business, clients, presence and specialties.
- Represent different profiles (large enterprises, industry specialists and mid-sized firms), so companies of different sizes can find suitable options.
Information was gathered from public sources (official websites, press and reports) in September 2026. We did not evaluate pricing, since it depends on scope, engagement model and negotiation. This guide was produced by NextAge, which is also a software development company, so we chose not to rank the other companies.
Quick comparison
| Company | Headquarters | Founded | Size | Usually the best fit for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NextAge | Curitiba (PR) | 19+ years ago | Mid-sized | Custom projects with dedicated squads, discovery and ongoing support |
| BRQ Digital Solutions | São Paulo (SP) | 1993 | Large | Banks, insurers and large modernization programs |
| CI&T | Campinas (SP) | 1995 | Large | Digital products and global-scale digital transformation |
| DB1 Group | Maringá (PR) | 2000 | Mid-to-large | Development and solutions for e-commerce and finance |
| NTT DATA Brazil | São Paulo (SP) | In Brazil since 2001 (as everis) | Large | Large enterprises with complex consulting and integration projects |
| South System | Porto Alegre (RS) | Not disclosed | Mid-sized | Financial services, retail, insurance and healthcare |
| Stefanini | São Paulo (SP) | 1987 | Very large | Global IT operations with high service volume |
| Zup Innovation | Uberlândia (MG) | 2011 | Large | Systems integration and digital transformation, especially in financial services |
About NextAge, the author of this guide
With more than 19 years in business, over 600 clients served and presence in 10 countries, NextAge is a mid-sized software development company headquartered in Curitiba, Brazil. We work with:
- Deep Discovery: mapping scope, risks and integrations before a single line of code is written
- Dedicated squads with SLAs, made up of in-house professionals vetted internally
- AI-validated quality, with dedicated QA in every delivery
- Application Management Services (AMS), to maintain and evolve systems after go-live
- Outsourcing 2.0, for companies that already have a team and need to scale it
Strengths: end-to-end delivery with a single partner, direct access to technical leaders and flexible contracts.
Best for: mid-sized and large companies that need custom software with predictable timelines and costs.
7 other software development companies in Brazil (in alphabetical order)
BRQ Digital Solutions
Founded in 1993 and headquartered in São Paulo, BRQ has more than three decades of experience and a strong presence in financial services: banks, insurers and payment companies. According to the company, it has more than 2,000 professionals and offers mainframe modernization, cloud migration, generative AI and digital business services.
Strengths: experience in regulated environments and high-availability, mission-critical systems.
Best for: financial institutions and large legacy modernization programs.
CI&T
Founded in 1995 in Campinas, São Paulo, CI&T is one of the best-known Brazilian tech companies abroad. It has been listed on the NYSE since 2021 and has offices in several countries. It works with digital product development, strategy, design and AI, and has expanded its capabilities through acquisitions of agencies and consultancies.
Strengths: global scale, strong digital product and customer experience capabilities.
Best for: large enterprises running digital transformation initiatives across multiple markets.
DB1 Group
Founded in Maringá, Paraná, in 2000, DB1 Group brings together DB1 Global Software and a portfolio of product companies such as Anymarket and Koncili. According to the group, it has more than 800 employees and clients in 19 countries.
Strengths: a combination of custom development and proprietary products, especially in e-commerce and finance.
Best for: companies looking for a partner from southern Brazil with digital retail experience.
NTT DATA Brazil
NTT DATA arrived in Brazil in 2001 under the everis name. everis became part of the Japanese NTT DATA group in 2014 and adopted the NTT DATA brand in 2021. Today it is part of one of the world’s largest IT services groups, with operations in São Paulo and other Brazilian cities.
Strengths: global scale, strategic consulting and complex systems integration.
Best for: large enterprises with projects spanning multiple business areas and technologies.
South System
Headquartered at Tecnopuc in Porto Alegre, with an office in Florianópolis, South System offers outsourcing, managed projects, design, data and AI, software architecture and security. It mainly serves financial services, retail, insurance and healthcare. Its published clients include companies such as Sicredi, Unicred and Renner.
Strengths: established presence in southern Brazil and in financial cooperatives.
Best for: financial services and retail companies looking for a regional partner.
Stefanini
Founded in 1987 by Marco Stefanini in São Paulo, Stefanini is one of the largest Brazilian tech multinationals, with tens of thousands of professionals and operations across the Americas, Europe and Asia. It offers a broad portfolio: development, service desk, infrastructure, cloud, AI and consulting.
Strengths: scale, a complete portfolio and international presence.
Best for: large enterprises looking to consolidate multiple IT services with a single vendor.
Zup Innovation
Founded in 2011 in Uberlândia, Minas Gerais, Zup was acquired by Itaú Unibanco in 2019. It works with systems integration, digital transformation, cloud and development, with a strong presence in financial services, telecom, logistics and retail.
Strengths: scale, engineering culture and experience with large platforms.
Best for: large enterprises with platform integration and modernization projects.
Which software development company fits your profile
| Your scenario | Best-fit provider profile |
|---|---|
| Large enterprise with dozens of systems and vendors | Large integrators (Stefanini, NTT DATA, CI&T) |
| Bank, insurer or fintech with mission-critical systems | Financial services specialists (BRQ, Zup, South System) |
| Mid-sized or large company with a custom software project | Mid-sized software factories with dedicated squads (NextAge, DB1) |
| You already have an in-house team and need to scale it | Providers offering staff augmentation or outsourcing |
| Legacy system that needs modernization | Companies with proven migration and support experience |
A practical rule: the smaller your project is relative to the vendor’s size, the less attention it tends to get. Mid-sized firms usually offer more direct access to technical leaders and faster decisions. Large integrators offer scale and a broader range of services.
Why hire a software development company in Brazil?
For companies in North America and Europe, Brazil offers some clear advantages as a nearshore destination:
- Time zone overlap: Brazil is 1 to 4 hours ahead of the U.S. East Coast most of the year, which allows real-time collaboration throughout the workday.
- Large tech talent pool: Brazil has one of the largest developer communities in the world.
- Cost-effectiveness compared with hiring locally in the U.S. or Western Europe.
- Cultural proximity and English proficiency in senior teams that work with international clients.
How to choose a software development company: 8 criteria
- Proven experience: ask for case studies with similar complexity, ideally in your industry.
- Methodology: is there a discovery phase before development? How are delivery and reporting structured?
- Team: are the professionals in-house or subcontracted? What is the seniority of the people who will work on your project?
- Quality: is there dedicated QA, automated testing and code review?
- Use of AI: how is AI used in development, and with what security and review controls? See Is AI-generated code secure?
- Contract: do you own the code and the intellectual property? Is there an SLA? Can scope be adjusted without friction?
- Cost transparency: is the pricing model clear from the start (fixed price, dedicated squad or time and materials)?
- English and communication: will the team work fluently in English and overlap with your business hours?
To understand how the model works, the engagement types and what drives cost, read the guide Software Factory: What It Is, How It Works and When to Hire One.
Brazil’s main software hubs
Most Brazilian software companies serve clients across the country and abroad in remote or hybrid models, so headquarters location matters less than experience and process. Still, some hubs stand out:
- São Paulo: home to large companies such as Stefanini, BRQ and NTT DATA, and to most of Brazil’s corporate clients.
- Campinas: a technology hub and the birthplace of CI&T.
- Southern Brazil: Curitiba, Maringá, Porto Alegre and Florianópolis form one of the strongest software ecosystems in the country. See the 10 best software factories in Paraná.
- Minas Gerais: Uberlândia and Belo Horizonte are home to leading tech companies such as Zup.
Frequently asked questions
What are the largest software development companies in Brazil?
Among the largest Brazilian software development service providers are Stefanini, CI&T and BRQ, along with multinational operations such as NTT DATA. Size, however, doesn’t mean best fit: the right choice depends on the size and type of your project.
Is Brazil a good nearshore destination for software development?
Yes. Brazil combines a large tech talent pool, time zone overlap with the United States and cost-effectiveness compared with hiring locally in the U.S. or Europe.
Should I hire a large or a mid-sized software development company?
Large companies offer scale and a broad portfolio. Mid-sized companies usually offer more proximity, faster decisions and direct access to technical leaders. For mid-sized custom projects, that is often the deciding factor.
Do Brazilian software companies work in English?
Companies that serve international clients usually have teams that work in English, especially at senior and leadership levels. Confirm the English proficiency of the specific team assigned to your project.
How much does it cost to hire a software development company in Brazil?
It depends on scope, integrations, platforms, team seniority and engagement model. The safest way to get a reliable estimate is to start with a discovery phase.
Looking for a software development partner in Brazil? Learn more about NextAge’s Software Factory and talk to a specialist.
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