Arc.dev, formerly CodementorX, is a freelancing platform for hiring developers for full-time roles. You can do everything from finding expert developers to support your existing employees to building a software development team on this site.
The platform seeks to ease the hiring process by doing most of the vetting work to create a pool of the best freelance developers and engineers. Furthermore, with Codementor.io, you can get real-time mentorship and text chat with software developers to get programming help. Codementor.io allows for screen sharing, making problem-solving your tech troubles a thing of the past.
If that sounds like something you might want, you'll be happy to know that other sites do something similar to Arc. Each has pros and cons, and each specializes in a different niche.
If Arc isn't your answer for hiring, you need to find the alternative that best fits your needs.
Toptal does a fantastic job of screening and vetting their developers. This means you get high-quality employees without the added time and stress.
Only 3% of developers who apply get accepted into their program. Further, their hourly rates are what you would expect for hiring a software developer.
To learn more, you can register with Toptal, read our comparison of Toptal and Arc.dev, or read our full Toptal review.
If you're hiring from a site like Arc, then you're likely looking for someone you can work with over the long term. There are certain items to cross off your checklist before you decide a particular site is ideal for potential hires:
These are some of the most important questions to ask yourself when considering an alternative to Arc. You want to go for a site that gives the right answers to these and other queries relevant to your particular project.
Here is a closer look at our top nine Arc.dev alternatives.
Toptal does the heavy lifting for you, with a rigorous five-step interview process they use to vet developers so that only the best make it through.
They also continuously review developers to ensure they maintain high standards. If the quality of a developer's work drops, they get removed from the system.
One advantage Toptal has over Arc is that Toptal has other kinds of professionals as well. This is helpful if you need web design, project management, or a WordPress software developer.
The biggest con for Toptal is the $500 you need to put down for your first bill. While Toptal calls it a no-risk deposit, the fact is that, if you pick a developer, you will get charged for the hours billed.
The no-risk trial can surprise employers who don't take the time to understand it. That said, it's hard to find platforms that match Toptal's quality in terms of freelancers.
OnlineJobs is a platform for finding virtual assistants and other remote professionals from the Philippines. You can hire everyone here, from designers and SEO specialists to Ruby on Rails developers.
OnlineJobs’ "free tier" does not have a quality control feature, but a paid tier ($500) helps you vet candidates. The OnlineJobs team helps paid-tier clients source for talent by screening for skills and personality traits.
OnlineJobs charges a monthly fee instead of taking a percentage of the payment.
Lemon.io, formerly known as Coding Ninjas, has gained a reputation for being one of the best platforms for employers to find Eastern European developers. Their vetting process is just as rigorous as Arc's, helping you to find only the most talented developers for your project.
To get started, you submit a short description of what you need. The team at Lemon will then find the best developer that matches your needs.
One of the best things about the platform is the no-strings-attached quote. You don't have to hire the developer if you don't think they're the best match for you. They also have excellent customer service and some of the fastest response times in the industry.
Gun.io is a small outfit, but they have potential and are a great alternative to Arc. Just like Arc, this site exclusively hires software engineers and offers fast matching and excellent customer service.
The vetting process at Gun.io is rigorous, with applicants being put through comprehensive tests and interviews to make sure that only the best make it through. If you're looking for software engineers that take their work seriously, this is one of the best places to find them.
Upwork was one of the first-ever platforms for hiring freelancers. They helped popularize remote work and the gig economy, building a trustworthy and transparent platform over time.
Unfortunately, this platform has its fair share of downsides. There is a very high ratio of freelancers to available projects, which leads to a race-to-the-bottom when it comes to bids.
This dynamic causes high-quality freelancers to leave the platform searching for better prospects elsewhere. Many low-quality workers remain on the site.
Upwork is best if you have an urgent project that doesn't require advanced skills. However, if you're looking for a quality, long-term hire, Arc and similar sites would be the better bet.
Triplebyte is relatively new on the scene, but they've already worked up a storm of attention and managed to raise over $50 million in the five years since their launch. What sets Triplebyte apart from the competition is its reliance on an intensive screening process.
Triplebyte also has a vast talent pool with specialists in fields ranging from front-end engineering to DevOps. Due to their rigorous screening process, their devs are comparable to the talent working for large tech firms like Google and Facebook.
Triplebyte charges a fee of $7,000 to find the right developer for you. Because the recruitment cost can often exceed $50,000 for a high-quality developer, this is an incredible bargain for many companies.
That said, it might not be the best fit if you're on a tight budget or have a short-term project. It is better suited to employers looking for long-term hires.
X-Team positions itself as the perfect solution for entrepreneurs looking to add tech specialists to their teams. It has developers specializing in various programming languages and areas of expertise, from Blockchain to functional programming.
The platform does a lot to help its developers meet their career goals, including many training opportunities. They also make sure to get you the best developer to add to your team, based on such things as availability, your time zone preferences, the developer's skills, your budget, and the developer's culture fit.
Generally, this platform is best if you want a developer on a contract for three or more months, as they prefer getting long term hires for their developers.
Andela is a crowdsourcing platform where employers can quickly get programmers from Africa. The platform has gained a favorable reputation for itself and attracted some large investors, including the Chan-Zuckerberg run by Mark and Chan Zuckerberg.
The vetting process at Andela is just as rigorous as the one at Arc, with only the best 2% of applicants getting hired. That said, they have recently been having a hard time maintaining their high standards due to a high attrition rate. The issue may be the low pay they give their developers, leading them to leave for other platforms, such as X-Team and Toptal.
Let’s face it, finding top-talent to write software is neither easy nor cheap.
Gigster does a great job of connecting you with first-class developers that are reliable and complete projects quickly.
What makes Gigster different from other freelancing sites is that it connects you with teams, not individuals. Having a full team eliminates the need to hire external freelancers for the same project. Gigster gives you a complete team for a fixed rate.
The platform has internal software that makes managing the processes easy for both you and your freelancers.
For more sophisticated design projects, Gigster may be the way to go. But it’s not the right platform for most small business owners. You’re better off going with Toptal if you’re looking for affordable, high-quality developers.
These are the top nine Arc alternatives where you can find developers to help you on different projects. One of these sites may provide the best options depending on your budget, needs, and goals.
If you want someone with high-end skills, Toptal and Lemon.io are excellent places to look. There are also platforms if you're looking for developers from specific geographical locations or looking for specialists in a particular system.
Once you find the site that meets your requirements, you can start searching for the right contractor to fit your needs.