Arc.dev vs Toptal

Scores are each listing's published aggregate on the date shown, quoted as Trustpilot publishes them. A listing can mix reviews from clients, freelancers and candidates; we do not audit or adjust the numbers, and they can change the day after we check.

• Andela Vetted talent network Andela is a global talent marketplace that connects companies with vetted remote software engineers and other technologists. It launched in Lagos in 2014 and says it now sources from 135+ countries. Latin America United States Europe & UK Global 6 of 16 rows sourced Alternatives
• CloudDevs Vetted talent network CloudDevs is a talent marketplace that connects companies with pre-vetted, timezone-aligned Latin American developers and designers, claiming matches within 24 hours. Latin America United States Pricing CloudDevs advertises rates of $45 to $75 per hour on its own homepage. Checked 7 August 2026. 2 of 16 rows sourced Alternatives
• Gun.io Vetted talent network Gun.io is a talent network that vets senior software engineers and matches them with companies for freelance, contract, and full-time roles while handling sourcing and talent management. 2 of 16 rows sourced Alternatives
• Lemon.io Vetted talent network Lemon.io is a marketplace that connects startups with vetted freelance developers primarily from Europe and Latin America, promising matches within about 24-48 hours. Latin America United States Europe & UK Pricing Lemon.io does not publish hourly rates. Its pricing page states there are no upfront fees, that clients pay only for work delivered, and that there is no minimum engagement: "engage for a single sprint or for the long haul". Checked 7 August 2026. 9 of 16 rows sourced Alternatives
• Proxify Vetted talent network Proxify is a network that connects businesses with remote developers and tech specialists, handling contracts, compliance and payroll on behalf of clients. Pricing Proxify's pricing page quotes €5,100 to €8,000 per month, "Equivalent to €32-€50/hour", described as "All expenses included. No hidden costs." The page adds that additional recruitment cost is "Included" and the notice period for contract termination is 2 weeks. Rates shown are the default state of Proxify's on-page calculator, which varies by role, seniority, number of developers, commitment, buyer location and currency (checked 11 August 2026). 9 of 16 rows sourced Alternatives

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The comparison ends here; this is our own data. Most articles comparing Arc.dev and Toptal quote prices that go stale. These numbers come from Flexiple's talent graph: real pool sizes and median salaries for remote engineers in India, refreshed with every site update.

From teams that hired through Flexiple

1. [1]Arc.dev · arc.dev homepage: "Hire the Top 2% of Talent" and "Meet ready to interview candidates who are fully vetted for domain expertise and English fluency." The page sets out no screening stages. · Arc says its network covers 450,000 talent in 190 countries and markets them as the top 2% of talent, fully vetted. Company-stated figures. · Arc.dev's site footer lists Codementor under a BRANDS heading alongside Arc, presenting the mentorship marketplace and the hiring platform as products of the same company.arc.devchecked 12 Aug 2026
2. [2]Toptal · toptal.com/faq, "How is Toptal different?": "Of the more than 200,000 people who apply to join the Toptal network each year, we accept fewer than 3%." And "How does your screening process ensure quality candidates that meet our requirements?": "We screen for communication skills, personality, domain-specific knowledge, and a high level of professionalism. Approximately 3% of applicants pass the screening process. ... We match all candidates with senior Toptal domain experts for each and every interview, and all applicants complete a test project to demonstrate live proficiency with a project similar to what they would work on in a typical engagement." · toptal.com/faq, "Are there any subscription costs?": "We have a flat monthly subscription fee of $79 that is charged if you decide to proceed with talent matching through Toptal. Your subscription gives you access to Toptal's platform and is activated according to Platform Subscription Terms. You may cancel at any time, and, if Toptal can't provide you with talent, you can request a refund on cancellation." The page states no per-engagement rate card. · Toptal FAQ, "Who owns the legal rights to the work created by a Toptal expert?": "The client. Toptal's only business is connecting world-class experts to the clients who want to work with them - not intellectual property. Our contracts provide that all work created by a Toptal expert is the property of the client, not Toptal." And "How do we ensure that our IP is protected?": "Toptal enters into talent agreements with every member of the talent network. Through these agreements, Toptal obtains exclusive ownership of the work created by the Toptal talent that works with you. We then provide you with the intellectual property for the work that the Toptal talent creates for you under our client agreement. ... However, if you would like the expert to enter into a direct agreement with you to effect the direct transfer of IP property, we can work with you to ensure that your needs are met." · toptal.com/faq, "How often will I be charged? How are payments and invoices handled?": "We typically invoice our clients twice a month, though there is some flexibility here. Invoices are generated with Net 10 terms, so our clients have an opportunity to review the charges prior to processing." · toptal.com/faq, "How is the trial period no-risk?": "We make sure to start each engagement with a trial period of up to two weeks. This means that you have time to help ensure the engagement will be successful. If you're completely satisfied with the results, we'll bill you for the time and continue the engagement for as long as you'd like. If you're not completely satisfied, you won't be billed. From there, we can either part ways, or we can provide you with another expert who may be a better fit and with whom we will begin a second, no-risk trial." · toptal.com/faq, "What happens if I'm not satisfied with a Toptal professional?": "We allow our clients to begin a trial period with up to three individuals from our network per position. While we rigorously screen all applicants to provide you with top-tier talent, we understand that not every person will be a perfect fit for every company." And "What happens if a Toptal expert is unavailable for the days or times they are scheduled to work with me?": "in the extremely unlikely circumstance that such a situation arises, Toptal will credit back the time billed to the client." · Toptal's FAQ states that of the more than 200,000 people who apply to join the network each year it accepts fewer than 3%. The same FAQ separately states that approximately 3% of applicants pass the screening process. Both figures are Toptal's own claims and neither is independently verified. · Toptal charges a flat $79 monthly subscription once talent matching begins, and starts each engagement with a trial period of up to two weeks in which unsatisfied clients are not billed.toptal.comchecked 12 Aug 2026
3. [3]Arc.dev · arc.dev/pricing lists two plans: freelance hires at "$15 - $110+" per hour, and full-time hires at "20% of the annual salary", with ATS integration and access to a worldwide candidate pool on the full-time plan. · arc.dev/pricing: "Freelance hires" at "$15 - $110+" per hour and "Full-time hires" at "20% of the annual salary". The page carries no effective date. · arc.dev/pricing, "Freelance hires" plan, under the heading "Risk-free guarantee": "We offer a risk-free trial period of up to two weeks." The "Full-time hires" plan, priced at "20% of the annual salary", lists no trial. The page carries no effective date. · Charges $15 to $110+ per hour for freelance hires, with a risk-free trial of up to two weeks on that plan, and 20% of annual salary for full-time placements, per its own pricing page.arc.devchecked 12 Aug 2026
4. [4]Toptal · toptal.com homepage, "Hire Quickly": "Hire in under 48 hours. Scale up or down, no strings attached. We offer flexible engagements from hourly to full-time." · toptal.com homepage, "Hiring Made Easy" step 2 ("Work With Hand-Selected Talent"): "Within days, we'll introduce you to the right talent for your project. Average time to match is under 24 hours." The same page also states "Hire in under 48 hours."toptal.comchecked 12 Aug 2026
5. [5]Toptal · toptal.com/about milestone timeline, 2010: "Toptal.com domain name is officially registered and becomes Toptal LLC in November." · toptal.com/about milestone timeline, 2020: "Toptal becomes the world's largest fully remote company." The About page carries an executive roster, a stats table and a milestone timeline and states no headquarters or office location anywhere on it. Toptal does not itself claim to have no headquarters; the absence is a property of the page, checked 12 August 2026. · Toptal's own timeline records the Toptal.com domain being registered and Toptal LLC formed in November 2010, and states that in 2020 "Toptal becomes the world's largest fully remote company". It documents no headquarters. · Toptal has expanded beyond engineering by acquisition, including Skillbridge (2016, finance experts and management consultants), Growth Collective (2024, marketing) and, in 2026, Graphite, No Single Individual, QO Collective and Adeva.toptal.comchecked 12 Aug 2026
6. [6]Arc.dev · Arc describes itself as a distributed team spanning 12 countries.arc.devchecked 12 Aug 2026