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Toptal alternatives

The Toptal alternative for engineers who stay.

Silver.dev charges once, when you hire: 25% of first-year salary.[1] Toptal bills for time while a freelancer works with you.

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Engineers at Ramp, Scale AI, and SpaceXAI

4.9 on Clutch[4]Verified reviews

The short answer

Choose Silver.dev if

The engineer should stay, own a codebase, and grow into a lead.

Choose Toptal if

You need a specialist for a defined project, and expect it to end.

See all 11 sources

Engineers placed at

Side by side

Five things that change what you pay, and who you end up with.

  • How you pay

    Toptal

    Billed for time, twice a month[5]

    Silver.dev

    Once, after you hire[1]

  • Vetting

    Toptal

    Test project; live sessions "as appropriate"[6]

    Silver.dev

    Live assessment by a vetted engineer[3]

  • Published pricing

    Toptal

    $79 a month for the platform[8]

    Silver.dev

    The fee, in a public calculator[1]

  • If it doesn't work out

    Toptal

    Trial of up to two weeks[9]

    Silver.dev

    90-day replacement guarantee[2]

  • Who they work for

    Toptal

    A contractor billed through Toptal[10]

    Silver.dev

    You, directly[11]

Get a quoteSee engineers we've placed

“Their speed, coupled with consistently elite quality, makes Silver.dev feel like an extension of our startup DNA.”

Co-Founder & CTO, CoperniqRated 5/5 · Verified review on Clutch

How you're billed

Count the invoices in your first year.

Silver.dev sends one invoice when you hire, for 25% of first-year salary[1]. Toptal invoices twice a month for the hours a freelancer works, for as long as the engagement runs.[5]

  • Toptal

    Twice a month, Net 10, while it runs[5]

    24+[5]billing events

  • Silver.dev

    Once, at the hire[1]

    1[1]billing event

  • Toptal invoice for hours worked[5]
  • Silver.dev invoice
  • No invoice
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Our guarantees

What protects your hire, at every step.

  1. 01 · Kickoff call

    You pay nothing.

    No retainer, no platform fee[1]

  2. 02 · Candidates screened

    Screened live by an engineer.

    Recruiter screen, then live technical assessment[3]

  3. 03 · Offer signed

    One fee, published.

    25% of first-year salary, once[1]

  4. 04 · After the start

    Covered for 90 days.

    If they leave before, we replace them[2]

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Which fits you

Sometimes Toptal is the right call. Here's when.

When Toptal is the right call

  • You need a specialist for a defined project with an end date
  • Paying for time worked fits how the work is scoped
  • You want a no-risk start: a trial of up to two weeks, unbilled if you aren't satisfied[9]

When Silver.dev fits better

  • The engineer should stay, own a codebase, or grow into a lead
  • You'd rather pay once than for as long as the work lasts[1]
  • You want them on your team, on terms you set, with a replacement guarantee[2]

The alternatives divide by model, not by brand.

  • Marketplace

    Toptal and similar

    Vetting on the way in, billing for time while the work lasts.

  • Staffing

    Staff augmentation

    The vendor employs the engineer and adds a margin, for as long as they work with you.

  • Contingency · Silver.dev

    Recruiter, pay on hire

    Finds and vets candidates. Charges once, when you hire.

  • Direct

    Hire it yourself

    No fee, but sourcing and technical screening come out of your team's time.

The hires

World-class companies that hired world-class engineers.

See more placements

How Silver.dev works

Meet the engineer who sets the bar.

Gabriel, founder and Staff engineer, explains in a two-minute video how Silver.dev screens engineers.

Gabriel Benmergui

Founder · previously at Robinhood and OpenSea

  • Staff engineer
Book a call with Gabriel

  1. Startup experts

    Screened by an engineer who has worked at US startups and knows the bar you hire for.

  2. Evaluations built for your role

    A live technical assessment: system design, live coding, AI fluency. Not a take-home.[3]

  3. Live technical screening

    A recruiter screen, then a live assessment by a vetted software engineer.[3]

Read the transcript
  1. 0:00If you want to know how we got a 38% pass rate at a company like Scale AI,
  2. 0:04one of the most demanding companies in the market, please continue watching this video.
  3. 0:09I'm Gabriel, and I'm a Staff engineer with experience at companies like Robinhood and OpenSea,
  4. 0:14and I founded Silver.dev to help startups like yours find interview-ready talent in Latin America.
  5. 0:19We work with venture-backed startups, and nearly half of our portfolio are YC companies.
  6. 0:25We understand what it is to work with the most demanding companies in the world.
  7. 0:30One of our success stories is with Scale AI, a company where we recently placed three candidates.
  8. 0:34Their internal pass rate was under 1%, meaning they had to screen over 100 candidates just to make a hire.
  9. 0:42But with us, we only presented eight candidates, and three were placements.
  10. 0:47How did we do it? First of all, we are experts in startups.
  11. 0:52I worked in the US at multiple companies. I understand the language,
  12. 0:56I understand the culture, I understand the drive and the technical quality that a candidate needs to succeed at a company.
  13. 1:02Second, we help companies raise the bar by helping them design, iterate and implement better technical evaluations
  14. 1:10and cultural evaluations for candidates. Each process is tailored specifically to the company's needs.
  15. 1:15Third, we focus on quality. We are a high-quality, low-volume agency,
  16. 1:21meaning that we do not waste your time. The candidates we send your way are properly vetted, and you're going to like them.
  17. 1:28We are the only agency that really effectively targets top-of-market talent, and we send it your way.
  18. 1:34Scale is only one of our successes. You can see many other client testimonials on Clutch, where we have a 4.9 average rating.
  19. 1:41Keep reading to know more about the company or services, and book a call with me if you want to have a chat.

Verified reviews

What hiring managers say.

4.9

8 verified reviews on Clutch[4]Read them on Clutch
“The candidates were always well-vetted, and communications were clear and timely.”
Director, HomeVision · 5.0 on Clutch
  • “We’re incredibly happy with the services provided by Silver.dev.”

    Profasee

    CEO

    Verified review · Clutch

  • “Working with an engineer directly involved in the recruiting process was refreshing.”

    E-Commerce Co

    Sr. Engineering Manager

    Verified review · Clutch

  • “They sometimes felt more like internal recruiters.”

    B2B SaaS Co

    VP of Engineering

    Verified review · Clutch

  • “The quality of the candidates they provided is impressive.”

    Blockchain Company

    Head of Product Engineering

    Verified review · Clutch

  • “Overall, it’s been a smooth collaboration that aligns with our hiring needs.”

    Lending Services Co

    People Operations Lead

    Verified review · Clutch

Our clients are backed by

FAQ

Questions buyers ask us.

What is the best Toptal alternative for a full-time engineer?

Skip another marketplace. With Silver.dev you hire the engineer directly.[11] Silver.dev charges a one-time placement fee of 25% of the hire's first-year salary.[1]

How much does Toptal cost?

Toptal charges a flat $79 monthly platform subscription once you proceed with talent matching.[8] Toptal bills for time worked, typically invoicing twice a month on Net 10 terms, for as long as the engagement runs.[5] Silver.dev's fee is 25% of first-year salary, paid once, when you hire.[1]

Can I hire a Toptal freelancer full-time?

Toptal says hiring one of its freelancers full-time is possible.[10] Ask for the conversion fee in writing before the engagement starts. Silver.dev's core model is the direct hire: you employ the engineer.[11] The fee is 25% of first-year salary, once.[1]

Does Toptal offer a trial?

Silver.dev's fee is paid after a successful hire, with a 90-day replacement guarantee.[2] Toptal starts with a trial of up to two weeks, and does not bill it if you are not satisfied.[9]

Get a quote with one email.

Tell us the role. You pay only if you hire, and the hire is covered for 90 days.[2]

Some of the engineers Silver.dev has placed.