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An honest comparison — including the option you're probably already trying (handing it to an existing developer on your team).
Short answer: For one scoped internal tool, a freelance developer is cheaper and faster than hiring full-time, and more reliable than handing it to an already-busy existing dev. Full-time only makes sense once internal tooling is an ongoing need across several teams.
You have a specific, scoped problem (reporting, intake, automation) and want it solved well without adding headcount. Best fit for most agencies under 60 people.
Internal tooling is a constant, growing need across many teams and you have budget for a dedicated platform/ops role, not just one tool.
You already have spare engineering capacity and the tool is simple enough that it won't compete with their main work for months at a time. Rare in practice.
For a single tool, a freelancer is cheaper: you pay for the build, not a salary, benefits, and management overhead for someone who may only have work some weeks. Full-time only pays off once internal tooling is a constant, growing need across multiple teams.
In theory, yes — in practice it usually stalls. Internal tools compete with an existing dev's main work and get deprioritized for months. It works only if you genuinely have spare capacity and the tool is simple.
A freelancer who built the original tool can usually make changes faster than onboarding someone new to the codebase. Most freelance arrangements include an optional retainer for exactly this.
Describe the tool over WhatsApp or email — I'll tell you honestly whether freelance is the right call and what it would cost.