As captured in a Manchester Digital article, the US Bureau of Labor Statistics has highlighted that US-based tech companies will run into a 1.2 million shortfall of developers by 2026.
A Cloud Assembly report showcases that UK tech firms are also facing or anticipating a similar crisis in identifying suitable tech-talent essential for their future growth.
A potential solution is to hire remote developers or freelance developer, but the key is to identify the right source where you will find people with the appropriate skill sets that match your requirement.
Table of Content
Types of Website for Hiring Remote Developers
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- Bidding-style Sites
- Order-based Websites
- Non-bidding/Vetted Talent Sites
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Top 8 Website to Hire Remote Developer
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- UltraGenius
- Flexiple
- Toptal
- Arc.dev
- Hubstaff Talent
- Upwork
- Guru
- Fiverr
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How to Choose the Right Platform for Your Businesses?
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- Short and Fixed Budget Projects
- Long-term Projects
- Excellence is Paramount
Types of Websites for Hiring Remote Developers
There types of websites are:
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- Bidding-style Sites
- Order-based Websites
- Non-bidding/Vetted Talent Sites
Bidding-style Sites
The model works on project-wise price/service bids made by freelancers registered on the web platform. You post the job requirement as a recruiter, and freelance developers will bid for the project accordingly. This gives access to several applicants with varying levels of experience and charges.
However, the biggest pitfall in this model is quality assurance. In the absence of any tangible vetting process, you have to rely on customer reviews and ratings that may not be a reliable source to assess talent.
Upwork, PeoplePerHour, Guru, etc., are examples of bidding websites.
Order-based Websites
These platforms are similar to bidding sites but suitable for small projects. You will find freelancers showcasing their top skills through a gig. With only customer reviews as credentials, you may not be able to assess the true potential of the service provider.
Further, the entire deliverables may not be explicitly mentioned. You may have to dig deeper through on-site private chats to understand the work the freelancer can deliver.
Fiverr is an apt example of an order-based website.
Both models do not necessarily attract the best talent as landing a meaningful deal through these platforms could be complicated; hence, the natural talent may not be active on these sites, or they may bid for only higher-paying projects.
Non-bidding/Vetted Talent Sites
These platforms attract the best talent pool in the industry. The developers are assured of quality work that gives due cognizance to their knowledge and skills.
At the same time, the recruiter can escape the hassle of an elaborate screening process to seek out the right candidate.
Most platforms allow you to hire remote developers on your payroll or route the remuneration through them. You can post your requirements on these sites, and a competent team of professionals will shortlist the ideal candidates and share the coordinates with you. You may also get a replacement warranty if a candidate leaves within a stipulated period.
Such platforms include Toptal, ultraGenius, Gun.io, YouTeam,, etc.
Top 8 Websites to Hire Remote Developer
1. UltraGenius
India has fast emerged as a talent hub for some of the best software developers in the world. UltraGenius taps into this vast talent pool and handpicks the top 1% of the best developers in India.
You can hire a dedicated developer on your payroll or engage a full-timer in lieu of a transparent fee.
Pricing Model:
UltraGenius offers the following two models:
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- Hire Freelancers/Contractors via UltraGenius: There are no recruitment charges.
- For Hiring Full-time Employees on your Payroll: Charge just a one-time flat fee (%) on the annual CTC of the developer after joining.
Pros:
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- There is a wealth of talent in India.
- Dedicated, full-time resource.
- Flexible payment models.
- End-to-end monitoring for legal and payroll compliance laptop procurement, welcome kit setup, and more.
Cons:
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- Ideal for long-time projects only.
2. Flexiple
Flexiple stands out as a premium talent platform exclusively focused on technology professionals, including developers and designers. Our platform is devoted to sourcing the best talent available, who have proven track records in industry giants such as Amazon, Microsoft, Adobe, and many other top tech firms.
We follow a strict method of screening every developer, conducting rigorous tests of their technical proficiency and past projects, as well as their capacity to meet deadlines and their ability to work in a team.
Only after passing this rigorous evaluation are they welcomed into our network. Whether you’re a startup or a well-established multinational corporation, our stringent screening process guarantees that you’ll collaborate exclusively with the most accomplished developers.
Furthermore, Flexiple ensures a seamless hiring process by providing personalized recommendations and flexible, time-based payment models. We remain committed to the success of your project by offering responsive support throughout the duration of your engagement. Regardless of whether you’re in need of contract-based or full-time hires, Flexiple is the ideal choice.
Pricing Model:
Flexiple offers top developers at a reasonable cost of $30-$80 an hour. There aren’t any fees for recruitment to pay, and developers are able to start working on your project in less than one week.
Pros:
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- Standard Rigorous vetting process.
- Highly skilled developers
- Individualized recommendations
- A risk-free trial period
- Rapid onboarding
- Great customer service & support
Cons:
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- Since it is a relatively new network, it is possible that the developers will not always be available in the field of fringe technology. With a highly flexible team, you will be offered the most efficient solution and will be kept up-to-date throughout the day.
3. Toptal
Toptal is a reputable market leader in the premium market for freelance developers. The company has expanded its services beyond engineering to include design, financial consultancy as well as project management and product management.
Toptal’s USP is its thorough screening process and its large community. The multi-stage screening process comprises of portfolio reviews, code reviews as well as real-time testing.
Pricing:
Startup companies may find Toptal costly because of its high fees ($80-$200), which are driven by its high commission rates.
Pros:
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- Highly skilled developers
- Stringent vetting process
- Individualized advice
- Trial period
- Established company
Cons:
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- High hourly rates due to a significant commission structure.
- Not feasible for small-scale projects.
4. Arc.dev
Arc.dev initially started as CodementorX an online mentoring site for programmers. Usually, developers can get help from the community to solve problems and improve their skills or other issues. It remains under the label as a “leading on-demand mentorship platform for developers” but it has also created a solution that helps companies find freelance developers.
Arc.dev has a stringent screening process that uses assessment tools to guarantee the quality of developers or programmers. Arc.dev is focused on allowing companies to employ full-time remote-working developers to work for a long time. Arc additionally handles compliance as well as payroll and other benefits.
Pricing:
The hourly rate for freelance developers starts at $65 and go up to over $200, rendering it less unsuitable for startups or small projects.
Pros:
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- Strong vetting process
- Software developers for hire are accessible with specialized expertise.
Cons:
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- Very expensive
- It has evolved into a mentorship platform, while the tech talent platform is still in its early stages of development.
5. Hubstaff Talent
Hubstaff Talent is fairly new and provides the service completely free to businesses looking to hire independent freelance developers and agencies.
With an emphasis placed on the usage of software that can match freelancers with tasks, there’s no manual screening process to verify the quality of their work.
It’s a frank marketplace that lets clients explore profiles of freelance developers and connect directly with them. Hubstaff Talent functions more like a database of freelancers who sign up to the platform. There are no extra tools to assist you in finding the top talent to meet your requirements.
Pricing:
It’s cost-free for both entrepreneurs (clients) as well as freelancers.
Pros:
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- Use filters to narrow your search, finding developers who are available for freelance.
- Completely Free.
- Ideal for small businesses.
Cons:
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- A limited number of freelance developer
- Unreliable sources of employment
- There is no vetting process
- A huge time investment is required to source top talent.
6. Upwork
An amalgamation between Elance and Odesk, Upwork is among the biggest and most well-known marketplaces for freelancers that has bidding systems.
It’s not a sole developer platform, but it offers services over more than 50 types of jobs, spanning from data entry to graphic design. There is no selection process; therefore, the burden is on you to determine the quality of your employees.
Pricing:
Upwork focuses on affordability and quality, where freelance developers bid to find clients at various costs. Thus, prices can vary between $8/hr and $100 per hour.
Pros:
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- A huge pool of developers who are freelance
- Find talent that is based on your budget
- Employ talent to work on specific project elements rather than the entire project.
Cons:
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- No serious vetting process.
- The time and effort needed to find top talent.
- Low success rate of projects.
7. Guru
Guru was established in 1998 as an eMoonlighter that was designed for highly qualified people who were looking for short-term, one-off contracts.
It has gradually changed to a solely developer platform and has expanded into other areas like accounting, admin, design, and others.
Like Upwork, Guru is now an entirely freelance marketplace. It offers a huge collection of freelancers from around the world and focuses on affordability and volume.
There is also no rigorous screening or vetting process implemented. Instead, the ratings are offered to assist employers in choosing developers.
That means you’ll have to spend a lot of time in interviewing and evaluating freelance developers since ratings aren’t an exact measure of high quality.
Pricing:
Guru is more flexible than Upwork with regards to price and quality and lets you choose between highly skilled and low-cost developers.
Pros:
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- The flexibility to select developers based on price or quality.
- Pay only to process payments (no project-related fees).
Cons:
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- No process of vetting.
- It takes a lot of time and energy required to locate reputable developers.
8. Fiverr
Fiverr is the platform that democratized the concept of ordering freelancers. Services are generally available for one-off, small projects and cover more than 250 categories, including logos, voice-overs, and design to web and app development.
Freelancers are known as Sellers and provide their services to anyone in the between $5 and $995. They may offer their products at three distinct pricing points, according to the complexity of the job.
In order to assist customers in choosing the most suitable freelancer, Fiverr provides a ‘Seller Level’, this status is achieved by freelancers through various factors like ratings, performance, and the quality of their previous work.”
Pros:
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- A vast range of developers working as freelancers.
- Cost-effective and low-cost services.
- Filtering tools that are easy to use for applicants.
Cons:
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- There is no vetting process for applicants.
- It is only suitable for small jobs, not for large projects or engagements.
How to Choose the Right Platform for Your Businesses?
Every website provides its own special purpose. In order to select one that best meets your requirements, it’s crucial that you understand their intricacies and choose one suited to your task’s size, scope, technology requirements, and budget constraints – along with other considerations.
Here are three project categories to assist your decision-making. Therefore, if you are searching for top developers:
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Short and Fixed Budget Projects:
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If you’re looking for a smaller project that is almost categorized as a job rather than an actual project – bidding sites and order-based websites like Upwork, Guru, and Fiverr are the best to look at.
The number of developers who are freelance through these platforms allows you to locate candidates within your budget and who will accept smaller projects.
If you do, be sure you invest enough time looking over the developer before launching the project in the event you plan to hire offshore developers via these platforms.
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Long-term Projects:
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If you’re working on a long-term goal but wish to keep costs down, using a pure marketplace of freelance websites such as Upwork or Guru are the ideal choice. There is a lot of applications, as well as an abundance of freelance talent that ranges from newbies to skilled developers.
But, the quality of service will remain a problem, and you’ll need to perform the tough job of screening the developers on the basis of various aspects. It is because relying only on their reviews won’t give you a whole picture.
To assess developers correctly, it is necessary to look deeper into their resumes and experiences. If you make the time, you’ll be able to identify people who are able to provide acceptable quality at the price that you’re looking for.
There are also low-cost tech talent sites like UltraGenius, which can offer qualified and vetted developers at various costs. These platforms perform the different tasks of reviewing candidates and do a great job of recommending the top ones to meet your needs. Additionally, their 15-day trial period allows you to begin the process without risk.
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Excellence is Paramount:
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In the end, it is the quality that distinguishes the best performers from the others. Small or large, whatever the scale of the job. If your primary goal is a steady growth in value and superiority, you should look no further than top talent platforms.
For Example, On UltraGenius, you’ll only discover the top of the top developers, who undergo a rigorous selection process. As we all know, complex products require top talent, and these top networks are perfect for building their capacity.