April 12, 2022
Finding great engineers has only gotten tougher. With remote work here to stay (US employees now average ~28% of their time working from home, savvy startups are tapping specialised hiring sites instead of general job boards. These platforms focus on tech talent, often vetting candidates and handling payroll or contracts. Many connect U.S. companies with lower-cost global talent, for example, hiring from Latin America can cut software dev costs by ~60%. This is quite the benefit for cash-strapped startups aiming to scale operations from the U.S.
While Toptal has been a major player in remote developer hiring for years, due to its high price tag and focus on enterprise solutions, it’s not the ideal solution for most startups. Hence, we cover the best Toptal alternatives in 2025 below, from rapid LatAm marketplaces to massive freelancer sites and remote job boards. We highlight each service’s strengths, who it’s best for, and key features (with speed, vetting, and pricing in mind).
Who it’s for: Startups needing only the absolute top engineers, with concierge-level service (and a high budget).
Toptal positions itself as the premium network, only the top ~3% of applicants pass its rigorous screening.
Every developer is background-checked and tested, so you get senior, full-stack or specialised devs by default. Toptal handles all contracts, payroll, and provides 24/7 support. They promise to match you to a dev (or a small team) in about 24–48 hours, and nearly 90% of clients hire the first candidate shown. There’s also a generous 2-week trial: pay nothing if you aren’t satisfied after the trial period.
While Toptal is renowned for quality, it’s not without critics. In 2022, Toptal made headlines for a legal scuffle: they reportedly sent a cease-and-desist to CloudDevs - Toptal’s closest competitor, for advertising as a “cheaper alternative” to Toptal. CloudDevs co-founder Al Caan publicly blasted the move as “shady”, accusing Toptal of trying to silence competition.
The confrontation even spilled onto Hacker News, where commenters likened Toptal’s tactic to a SLAPP (strategic lawsuit) and criticised Toptal’s aggressive branding. This episode has made some buyers wary of Toptal’s corporate practices, even as its vetting process remains highly regarded. (In short: Toptal is top-notch, but it’s expensive, and recent events have reminded many that there are many capable Toptal alternatives on the market.)
Who it’s for: Startups needing senior pre-vetted engineers quickly with U.S.-timezone overlap and big cost savings.
CloudDevs is a Delaware-based marketplace of pre-vetted senior developers from Latin America. Their pitch: find a great LatAm engineer in about a day. In fact, CloudDevs guarantees candidate matches within 24 hours. They emphasise quality, only experienced devs (many ex-Fortune companies) and all with fluent English, so you can work in nearly the same hours as in the U.S. Pricing is transparent flat rates (roughly $40–$70/hr), which yields about 60% savings versus Silicon Valley salaries.
In short, CloudDevs is ideal if you want time-zone-aligned LatAm talent fast. Their 24h matching and weekly contracts mean you can quickly scale a team without long commitments. The recent LatHire merger even lets startups hire non-tech roles or get payroll handled, a rare all-in-one deal.
Who it’s for: Projects of any size/budget; startups that want millions of freelancers at all levels.
Upwork is the behemoth of freelancing platforms, think “Indeed for freelancers.” It connects businesses to 18+ million freelancers worldwide, including software developers of every skill. You post a job (fixed-price or hourly) and dozens of freelancers can bid on it within hours. Upwork’s built-in escrow payments protect both sides (you fund a milestone in escrow, and it’s released when work is done). This flexibility means you can hire someone for a tiny one-off task or scale up to a full-time contract.
Bottom line: Upwork’s advantage is sheer volume and flexibility. You get global reach and secure payments, but quality varies widely. It’s a go-to for quick jobs or small tasks, though you must invest time in screening.
Who it’s for: Fast-growing startups or companies that want a mix of automation and curation (often hiring full-time engineers).
Hired is a specialised recruiting platform for tech roles. Companies sign up and describe an open role; Hired’s AI then recommends qualified candidates from its vetted pool. Unlike raw freelance sites, Hired only accepts about 5% of applicants, so most developers on the platform are already screened and active job-seekers. You see each dev’s detailed profile (skills, resume, salary expectations) before contacting them. Hired charges a subscription plus a success fee (roughly 15% of the hired candidate’s first-year salary).
Hired sits between a DIY freelance board and a full recruiter: it’s more structured than Upwork, yet cheaper and more flexible than a traditional search agency. It’s best when you need to hire a full-time engineer fairly quickly with the help of some automation.
Who it’s for: Startups comfortable with fully remote roles, looking for wide visibility.
We Work Remotely (WWR) is one of the oldest and largest remote-only job boards, especially popular with tech startups. It has millions of monthly visitors actively searching for remote dev jobs. Many companies report high success: WWR claims it fills 90% of listings posted, and ~80% of companies return to post again. Every job is also boosted via WWR’s email newsletter and a big Slack community of remote workers. For a posting fee (around $299 per listing), your role is featured to a laser-focused audience.
WWR is ideal if your startup can offer remote work and you want maximum exposure among serious remote developers. It’s less curated (anyone can apply) than Toptal/Hired, but it’s cost-effective and hassle-free for getting many applicants fast.
Who it’s for: Tech companies seeking broad reach for remote or hybrid developer roles.
Remote OK is another popular remote job board. Its unique advantage is syndication: when you post a job, Remote OK automatically distributes it to dozens of partner job sites, instantly widening your audience. (The site advertises placement on ~195 external boards, though exact networks vary.) They also promise a minimum response, if a listing doesn’t receive at least 200 applications, Remote OK will repost it for free. Remote OK’s UI lets you tag skills (e.g. “React”, “Python”) and specify if it’s US-based, specific timezones, or “Worldwide.” Featured listings can stay on top or get social media boosts. It’s straightforward and cheaper (basic posts start around $49), making it a strong option for startups to trial.
For startups, Remote OK is a quick way to cast a wide net without breaking the bank. It’s best for filling remote- or hybrid-friendly roles when you want lots of eyes on your job ASAP.
Who it’s for: Quick turnaround projects or MVPs where you want many proposals and escrow protection.
Freelancer.com is one of the oldest and largest freelancing marketplaces (even older than Upwork). It boasts a huge user base, over 64 million registered freelancers as of 2023, spanning nearly every field. The posting model is bidding-based: you describe a project and freelancers submit competitive bids. Built-in tools (milestone payments, chat, time-tracking) help manage projects safely. Many clients appreciate that projects can get dozens of bids in seconds, in fact, 67% of projects on Freelancer get bids within a minute, and an average listing attracts 41 bids.
Because quality can vary (many bid low to compete), be diligent in vetting portfolios or starting with a small paid test. But if you have a clear project scope and want to see multiple offers quickly, Freelancer.com is a powerful platform to get things moving.
Who it’s for: Startups looking specifically for European tech talent and employer branding in the region.
WeAreDevelopers is a Europe-centric community and hiring platform. It runs Europe’s largest developer events (e.g. a World Congress with 15,000+ dev attendees) and fosters a network of developers (especially in Germany, Austria, Switzerland). For hiring, they provide a tech-focused job board and dedicated recruiter support. Companies get help crafting employer branding and targeted job ads. Developer profiles and job listings cover many European languages and roles. WeAreDevelopers touts a huge number of opportunities, as of mid-2025 they had 368,000+ tech job listings on their platform.
If your startup values in-person developer community and is hiring in Europe, WeAreDevelopers can complement the other platforms. It’s more niche than global boards like Upwork or WWR, but excellent for tapping into a large European developer audience while building your employer brand.
No single platform rules all dev hiring. In 2025, smart startups blend channels. If we had to pick the best platform to hire top developers, CloudDevs is the closest alternative to Toptal, followed closely by LatHire, for vetted Latin American talent at speed and low cost.
To reach a massive freelance crowd quickly, general marketplaces like Upwork and Freelancer.com deliver huge applicant pools and secure payments. For remote roles, job boards We Work Remotely and Remote OK put your listing in front of millions of developers and guarantee high exposure. And if you need only the best and have budget, Toptal (despite its high price and recent controversy) or Hired offer tightly screened engineers and concierge service for a fee.
Each option is a Toptal alternative in its own way: some focus on vetting, others on volume or speed. Often the best strategy is a mix, e.g. post a remote job on WWR or Remote OK and search freelancers on Upwork for the same role, using a curated service as backup. The key is aligning with your priorities (cost, quality, time). With the options above, startups can find skilled developers faster and more cost-effectively than ever, whether nearshore, freelance, or remote, anywhere in the world.
While Toptal offers elite developers and concierge service, its high hourly rates and subscription costs make it impractical for many startups.
CloudDevs matches pre-vetted Latin American developers within 24 hours, offering cost savings and U.S. time-zone alignment.
Upwork and Freelancer.com provide millions of global freelancers, covering all skill levels and contract types.
We Work Remotely and Remote OK specialise in remote job listings with high visibility and applicant guarantees.
Hiring from Latin America or other lower-cost regions via vetted platforms like CloudDevs can cut expenses by up to 60% without sacrificing quality.
