Toptal has the brand. But real operators know: speed, value, and execution matter more than vetting claims.

If you’re hiring developers, marketers, or salespeople—especially in growth-stage startups—you don’t want a platform that drags the process out or locks you into bloated pricing.

These are the best alternatives to Toptal, ranked for business owners who need outcomes.

1. Scale Army — The Best Alternative to Toptal for U.S. Companies

Visit Scale Army ?

Toptal vets freelancers. Scale Army builds teams.

If you’re running a U.S. business and need full-time offshore or nearshore talent in marketing, sales, or engineering—this is the fastest, cleanest hiring pipeline available.

You don’t browse profiles or post job ads. You get handpicked, pre-vetted candidates matched in <14 days. Scale Army handles compliance, payroll, and onboarding support.

Roles covered:

• Digital Marketers (SEO, paid, content, CRO)
• Sales Talent like SDRs and account executives
• Developers & Engineers (front-end, back-end, full-stack)

All with U.S. time zone overlap, C1+ English, and 2+ years of remote startup experience.

Business impact:

• Cut hiring cycles by 80%
• Reduce payroll costs by 50–70%
• Increase retention (98% of hires stay past 6 months)

Toptal is for project freelancers. Scale Army is for operators who need scalable execution.

2. CloudDevs — Fastest Developer Match in Latin America

CloudDevs is a solid choice if you only need developers, and want someone online by tomorrow.

They pre-vet tech talent across Latin America and match you with candidates in under 24 hours. Unlike Toptal, there’s no upfront contract negotiation or sourcing lag.

But it’s devs only—no marketers, designers, or ops roles.

Pros:

• Time zone aligned (LATAM only)
• Rapid sourcing and placement
• Developers typically 30–60% cheaper than U.S. market

Cons:

• Minimal involvement after placement
• You manage everything post-hire
• No back-office or GTM functions offered

CloudDevs is one of the better Toptal alternatives if you’re hiring for build velocity, not a full remote team structure.

3. LatHire — Self-Serve LATAM Hiring Across Roles

LatHire gives you broader role coverage than CloudDevs—spanning marketing, support, finance, and tech—but with a self-serve slant.

You still get pre-vetted talent from Latin America, but the process is more hands-on than Scale Army. You’ll be writing job specs, reviewing CVs, and running interviews yourself.

Who it’s for:

• Startups with internal hiring capacity
• Companies testing Latin America as a hiring market
• Teams looking for high-skill hires at mid-market cost

It’s one of the better platforms like Toptal for companies with budget constraints who still want vetted hires.

4. Gigster — Fully Managed Dev Teams, Enterprise Grade

Gigster isn’t a freelancer marketplace. It’s a product delivery firm disguised as a tech platform.

You give them a spec. They assemble a full-stack team—PM, devs, QA, and designers—and ship the build.

Ideal for MVPs, SaaS apps, or large digital transformation projects.

What makes it different from Toptal:

• Entire project is scoped, staffed, and delivered
• You don’t manage freelancers—you get outcomes
• Pricing is fixed, not hourly

Not ideal for:

• Businesses looking for long-term individual contributors
• Marketing, sales, or GTM hiring

Gigster is a strong alternative to Toptal when you don’t want to build the team—just the product.

5. Unicorn.Dev — Flat-Rate Hiring Across Regions

Unicorn.Dev is one of the more structured platforms like Toptal, offering flat-rate pricing tiers based on geography—Latin America, Eastern Europe, or Asia.

Their angle: speed + price predictability + good enough vetting.

Use it if:

• You want consistent billing for global hires
• You have internal capacity to manage remote teams
• You don’t need white-glove service or compliance help

Don’t use it if:

• You need full-stack support for onboarding, retention, or long-term team scaling
• You’re hiring outside of dev/design/tech roles

Unicorn.Dev sits between Upwork and Scale Army—less chaos, less control.

6. Codementor — 1:1 Developer Support and Rapid Debugging

Codementor is an on-demand engineering help desk.

You hop in, describe your bug or blocker, and get paired with an expert in minutes. Ideal for startups without senior engineering leadership or solo founders dealing with high-leverage tech issues.

Business use cases:

• Urgent bug fixes in production
• Code reviews before shipping
• Mentorship for junior devs

Limitations:

• Not built for hiring full-time or project-based developers
• Expensive for extended work (hourly rate + platform fee)

If you’re hiring long-term developers, it’s not better than Toptal. But if you need live support from senior developers, Codementor is unmatched.

7. Gun.io — Toptal Alternative for U.S.-Based Tech Hiring

Gun.io filters developers through a multi-step technical and behavioral vetting funnel. Their focus? High-trust U.S.-based businesses that want reliable contractors without wading through junk profiles.

You’ll get:

• Direct access to senior devs with 5+ years experience
• Full transparency on pricing and process
• Talent mostly based in the U.S., with some offshore flexibility

Why it’s better than Toptal for U.S. companies:

• More hands-on sourcing support
• Simpler pricing model
• Direct access to the freelancer—no PM layer or friction

Use Gun.io if your hiring focus is software engineering and you want fewer steps between posting a need and seeing resumes.

8. PeoplePerHour — For Transactional Freelance Projects

PeoplePerHour is a legacy freelancer marketplace—more structured than Fiverr, but still open-access.

Good for quick tasks: landing page edits, blog writing, outreach, etc. Less ideal for complex, ongoing engagements.

Why businesses use it:

• Transparent reviews and ratings
• Niche services like translation, transcription, and virtual assistance
• Pay-per-project model with clear scoping

Where it falls short:

• Inconsistent quality
• You do all the vetting
• No compliance, no support, no guarantees

It’s a Toptal alternative in the broadest sense—if you’re piecing together freelance labor, not building a team.

9. Freelancer.com — Massive Volume, Minimal Filtering

Freelancer.com gives you access to millions of freelancers worldwide.

The good? Volume. The bad? Chaos. It’s one of the hardest platforms to source quality from if you don’t have deep hiring experience.

Good for:

• One-off tasks with clear instructions
• Price-sensitive businesses outsourcing admin or design work

Not for:

• Strategic hires
• Long-term, embedded roles

Toptal at least claims vetting. Freelancer.com offers volume and variance.

You’re on your own.

10. Fiverr — Low-Cost Microtask Marketplace

Fiverr is where you go when you need a podcast intro, social caption batch, or quick mockup. It’s the opposite of Scale Army.

Toptal says “elite.” Fiverr says “accessible.”

You browse gigs, pick a seller, and pay upfront. It works, but only if:

• You know exactly what you want
• You can absorb hit-or-miss outcomes
• You’re fine with zero post-hire support

Not a replacement for vetted hiring. Not built for scaling companies.

11. Andela — Global Engineers with African Roots

Andela started with African developers and now covers talent in Eastern Europe and LATAM. They place vetted engineers for long-term, embedded roles rather than short gigs.

Good for:

• Companies needing full-time developers with remote experience
• Businesses seeking predictable, long-term contributors

Not for:

• Marketing or sales roles
• Transactional freelance projects

12. Lemon.io — Curated Startup-Friendly Developers

Lemon.io matches startups with pre-vetted Eastern European engineers, usually within days. Their network is smaller but heavily filtered for quality.

Good for:

• Founders needing affordable developers fast
• Early-stage teams without internal recruiters

Not for:

• Large-scale enterprise builds
• Hiring outside of dev/tech roles

13. Flexiple — Freelance Tech and Design Specialists

Flexiple screens developers and designers across global markets and offers flexible contracts for project or retainer work.

Good for:

• Short-term sprints or design-heavy projects
• Teams looking for vetted freelancers without overhead

Not for:

• Companies needing full-time embedded hires
• Broader GTM or marketing roles

14. Arc.dev — Remote Developer Marketplace with Vetting

Arc.dev connects you with remote developers worldwide, with a focus on long-term placements and consistent vetting standards.

Good for:

• Companies hiring developers on multi-month contracts
• Businesses wanting a balance between cost and quality

Not for:

• Marketing, sales, or non-technical hires
• One-off gigs

15. Revelo — Latin America’s Developer Talent Pool

Revelo provides U.S.-time-zone developers from across Latin America. They also handle payroll, benefits, and compliance as part of the package.

Good for:

• U.S. businesses needing nearshore engineering talent
• Teams scaling quickly with back-office support included

Not for:

• Non-technical roles
• Companies unwilling to pay for managed services

How to Choose the Right Toptal Alternative for Your Business

Many CEOs and hiring managers start with Toptal for hiring developers but leave frustrated by cost, rigid contracts, or slow placements. Exploring Toptal alternatives only makes sense if you can address those pain points directly.

Clarify your Hiring Process

Are you building a full-time remote team or plugging short-term skill gaps?

The best Toptal alternatives to help you scale fast will differ from platforms aimed at one-off projects. If you need predictable output, look for agencies that own the entire hiring process—from job spec to onboarding.

Understand the Vetting Process

Toptal markets itself as the top Toptal option because of strict testing. But in practice, many businesses struggle to get the best matches for their exact needs.

A compelling alternative to Toptal will combine technical tests with portfolio reviews, soft-skill screening, and cultural alignment. Ask for transparency in the screening process.

Evaluate Project Management Support

Most platforms hand you a pool of developers and expect you to handle management. That adds friction. Some alternatives offer project management as part of the package, ensuring accountability beyond day one. This is a perfect Toptal alternative if you don’t want to micromanage freelancers.

Check Cost Versus Retention

High hourly rates don’t guarantee results. Businesses often discover that a perfect Toptal alternative isn’t the cheapest option, but the one with stronger retention rates and proven onboarding support. Losing a dev mid-project is more expensive than paying a premium for stability.

Match Geography to Business Needs

Nearshore platforms in Latin America or Eastern Europe often deliver overlapping hours, cultural fit, and lower cost. The best Toptal alternatives to help U.S. businesses usually combine speed with those practical advantages.

Look Beyond Dev-Only Platforms

If your growth also depends on marketing, sales, or customer success roles, pure dev marketplaces fall short. A true alternative should expand beyond a pool of developers into cross-functional teams.

In short: choosing the right platform means cutting through promises and identifying who can deliver the best matches with speed, accountability, and retention. The perfect Toptal alternative is the one that fits your hiring process, not just their vetting process.

You Don’t Need a Freelancer. You Need a Team That Delivers.

The freelance platform market has exploded—Toptal, CloudDevs, Gun.io, and a dozen others all promise “vetted” talent.

But vetted is not the same as embedded. If you’re building a business, hiring should feel like momentum—not micromanagement.

That’s what separates Scale Army from every Toptal competitor in this list. It’s not a marketplace. It’s a recruitment engine built for:

• U.S. companies hiring offshore or nearshore
• Startup teams needing plug-and-play talent
• Founders who don’t want to waste 90 days hiring one marketer

With Scale Army, you get global talent, U.S. alignment, and zero fluff—all wrapped in a system that runs without you.

? Ready to stop sifting and start scaling?

? Book a free strategy call with Scale Army and build your remote team in 14 days or less.

Frequently Asked Questions About Toptal Alternatives

What is similar to Toptal?

Platforms similar to Toptal include Scale Army, Arc.dev, Gun.io, and Andela. These services also focus on pre-vetted developers and remote professionals. The main difference is in scope: some alternatives offer broader talent pools covering marketing, sales, or design, while others specialize in software engineering with faster placement and more flexible pricing.

Is Toptal still worth it in 2025?

Toptal remains a credible option in 2025 for companies seeking elite developers or designers, but cost and speed are major drawbacks. Many U.S. businesses prefer exploring Toptal alternatives that reduce hiring cycles, cut payroll costs, and provide Employer of Record support. These alternatives offer a compelling balance of quality, cultural alignment, and affordability.

Which is better, Upwork or Toptal?

Upwork provides access to a massive freelance marketplace, while Toptal offers a smaller, pre-vetted pool of developers and designers. Businesses needing quick, low-cost tasks may find Upwork more practical. Companies looking for embedded, long-term contributors often see Toptal or the best Toptal alternatives as better suited, since they include stricter screening and stronger retention.

Is Toptal legit or fake?

Toptal is a legitimate company that has built a reputation for vetting high-level freelancers in tech and design. However, many executives find the hiring process expensive and slower than expected. Exploring Toptal alternatives can provide the same legitimacy with added benefits such as faster matches, compliance support, and a wider selection of roles beyond developers.

What are the disadvantages of Toptal?

The main disadvantages of Toptal are high costs, limited role diversity, and longer hiring timelines compared to newer platforms. Businesses often report that the vetting process, while strict, doesn’t always guarantee the best matches for specific needs. A perfect Toptal alternative may include faster onboarding, broader talent coverage, and cost savings of 30–70%.

What is the best Toptal alternative for startups?

For startups, Scale Army is often the best Toptal alternative because it balances cost, speed, and reliability. Unlike marketplaces where you sift through a pool of developers, Scale Army delivers pre-vetted candidates in under 14 days, with payroll and compliance handled. This reduces early-stage hiring friction while keeping budgets under control.

How do Toptal alternatives compare on pricing?

Most Toptal alternatives charge 30–70% less than Toptal, especially nearshore platforms in Latin America and Eastern Europe. While Toptal positions itself at the premium end, alternatives offer more flexible contracts, predictable billing, and better long-term cost efficiency without compromising the vetting process.

Can I hire roles beyond developers through Toptal alternatives?

Many platforms now go beyond software engineering. Alternatives offer marketers, sales reps, customer success talent, and even finance roles. Scale Army, for example, specializes in building cross-functional teams for U.S. companies, making it a more versatile solution than Toptal for hiring developers only.

Do Toptal alternatives provide compliance and payroll support?

Some of the best Toptal alternatives now include Employer of Record (EOR) services. This means contracts, payroll, and benefits are handled on your behalf, reducing compliance risks. For U.S. businesses scaling remote teams, this support is critical to avoid legal issues when hiring across borders.