None of the small company benefits with all the large enterprise drawbacks. - Developer Novacoast Employee Review

2.0
Sep 6, 2013
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Friendly, fun, sociable coworkers. Laid-back work environment. Potential for flexible hours and locations. New projects every few months. Great place to get exposure to various technologies and business practices. Santa Barbara has wonderful weather. They have a pool table.

Cons

IT culture only adds frustration and inefficiency to development, resulting in a goldmine of software engineering antipatterns. Hesitant on using anything remotely cutting edge, instead opting for legacy or vender solutions. If it isn’t obviously and catastrophically broken, don’t fix it. Skimps on resources needed to get job done. Company nonessential employees are treated as disposable and paid as such. Seniority is far more important than correctness. Huge talent vacuum in mid-senior positions; it’s very rare to have a mentor or team lead, even rarer for them to actually mentor or lead. Completely reliant on senior management to get work. Usually only paid when there is project billing, but management expects extra unpaid hours put in building the business. Don't get fooled by the 'Developer' title – you’re still mostly doing enterprise IT or vender work.

Explore other reviews about Novacoast

5.0
Jan 28, 2026
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Unlimited room for growth, unlimited help from peers, remote work offered, flexible work hours if needed, no micro-managing, and overall just a good work life culture.

Cons

Some managers have a lot on their plates, making it hard to be available at all times.

1.0
Apr 6, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Supportive coworkers at the peer level Opportunity to learn complex systems early on Exposure to large-scale billing processes

Cons

Contradictory performance feedback followed by termination without completing the 90-day evaluation period No defined performance metrics, goals, or written feedback provided Inconsistent and unclear expectations around availability and work hours Unequal enforcement of standards across team members Lack of managerial oversight and limited access to direct support Unrealistic expectations for new hires to take ownership of complex systems without proper training Unprofessional and inappropriate comments tolerated within leadership Approved, legally required absence later cited as a performance issue Poor communication regarding benefits and onboarding support Termination decisions appeared subjective and not based on documented performance

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