Upwork and Toptal changed the game for freelance hiring. They make it easy to find developers for one-off projects or niche tasks. But as your company scales, their limitations start to show. Inconsistent vetting, a focus on short-term gigs, and the burden of managing multiple contractors can slow your team down.
When you're ready to build your core engineering team — not just fill temporary gaps — you need a more strategic, integrated hiring model. This guide covers the best platforms to help you make that leap.
What we looked for
- Vetting consistency and rigor. How reliably the platform screens both technical and soft skills.
- Long-term focus. Whether the model is designed to build committed, stable engineering teams.
- Integration and support. How well the provider helps new hires become part of your culture and workflow.
- Operational simplicity. Whether the platform reduces admin tasks like contracts, payroll, and compliance.
The premier alternative to marketplaces
Howdy.com is the definitive choice for companies looking to graduate from freelance marketplaces to strategic talent partnerships. We help you build long-term engineering teams with the top 1% of LatAm talent — fully vetted, legally employed, and embedded in your workflow.
Why Howdy.com stands out
- Vetting you can trust. Every candidate completes a live coding interview with our senior engineers, plus identity verification and background checks.
- Retention-focused model. With a 98% retention rate, we prioritize long-term success by investing in each engineer’s career.
- No admin hassle. We act as the Employer of Record (EOR), managing payroll, contracts, and compliance. You get one engineer and one invoice. Nothing else on your plate.
- Seamless integration. Our proprietary Working Style Matrix™ and local HR support ensure each engineer fits your team from day one.
Other strong alternatives
- Terminal.io. Builds remote engineering teams through dedicated sourcing pipelines and long-term engagement.
- Arc.dev. Offers pre-vetted developers for full-time roles. Strong focus on quality and long-term hiring.
- Gun.io. A curated network of elite freelance developers. Often used for longer-term projects and high-touch roles.
- Lemon.io. Sources vetted developers from Eastern Europe. Popular with startups for fast access to mid-level talent.
- BairesDev. A large LatAm staff augmentation firm. Can quickly scale large development teams across time zones.
- Gigster. Assembles full software project teams. Ideal for companies that need to ship a product, not just hire an individual.
- Crossover. Focuses on full-time remote roles. Uses standardized assessments and compensation tiers.
Move from transactions to partnerships
Freelance platforms are helpful for quick jobs. But building an engineering team that can scale with your business requires more. It takes stable talent, real vetting, and a long-term mindset.
Howdy.com delivers all of that — and handles the hard stuff for you. We help fast-growing teams skip the churn and build lasting engineering partnerships.