Hiring guide
Most teams choose between hiring in-house, finding a freelancer on a marketplace, going through a staffing or outsourcing agency, or a platform like Dev-Hire. Each one fits a different situation. This guide puts them side by side, with the costs people tend to miss.
The short answer
Hire in-house when the role is core to your company for years. Use a freelancer for a short, well-defined task. Use an agency when you want to hand over a whole project. Use Dev-Hire when you want vetted engineers working in your team within a week, at one all-inclusive monthly price, without a long contract.
| Question | Hire in-house | Freelance marketplace | Staffing or outsourcing agency | Dev-Hire |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly cost, senior engineer | Hire in-house: About $15,700 with benefits, taxes and equipment | Freelance marketplace: Set by each freelancer, usually paid by the hour; varies widely | Staffing or outsourcing agency: A rate quoted per engineer or per project, often not broken down | Dev-Hire: $3,500 to $4,900, all-inclusive |
| Upfront fees | Hire in-house: A recruiter fee, typically 15% to 25% of first-year salary, if you use one | Freelance marketplace: Platform or service fees on some marketplaces | Staffing or outsourcing agency: Sometimes a setup fee or deposit | Dev-Hire: None |
| Time to start | Hire in-house: Often 1 to 3 months to hire, plus notice period | Freelance marketplace: Days, once you find the right person | Staffing or outsourcing agency: Usually 2 to 6 weeks | Dev-Hire: Shortlist in 48 hours, start within a week |
| Commitment | Hire in-house: Employment contract, notice and severance | Freelance marketplace: Per task or per week | Staffing or outsourcing agency: Often a minimum term or a fixed project | Dev-Hire: Month to month (or a 3-month first term with two risk-free weeks) |
| Who checks their skills | Hire in-house: You | Freelance marketplace: You, with reviews and ratings | Staffing or outsourcing agency: The agency, usually not visible to you | Dev-Hire: Senior engineers, in four stages, before anyone reaches a shortlist |
| Payroll, benefits, equipment | Hire in-house: You | Freelance marketplace: The freelancer | Staffing or outsourcing agency: The agency | Dev-Hire: Included in the monthly price |
| If it does not work out | Hire in-house: Notice period, then hire again | Freelance marketplace: Find someone new yourself | Staffing or outsourcing agency: Depends on the contract | Dev-Hire: We replace the engineer at no extra cost, or start with two risk-free weeks |
| Best for | Hire in-house: Core, long-term roles | Freelance marketplace: Short, well-defined tasks | Staffing or outsourcing agency: Handing over a whole project | Dev-Hire: Adding vetted engineers to your team, fast and flexibly |
01
How it works. You write the job post, screen candidates, run interviews, make an offer and wait out their notice period. They become your employee.
Good when the role sits at the core of your product for years, you can wait one to three months, and you have the people to interview well.
Watch out for the cost beyond salary. Benefits, taxes and equipment add about 30%. A recruiter fee is typically 15% to 25% of first-year salary. A wrong hire costs months.
02
How it works. You post a task or browse profiles, talk to freelancers and agree a rate, usually paid by the hour. You manage the work directly.
Good when the task is short and clearly defined, such as a landing page, a bug fix or a one-off integration, and you are comfortable judging skills yourself.
Watch out for uneven quality, availability that changes week to week, and freelancers juggling several clients. The vetting is mostly yours, through reviews and your own interviews.
03
How it works. The agency supplies engineers, or delivers a whole project, under its own contract. It usually picks the people and manages them.
Good when you want to hand over a defined project and are happy for the agency to run it.
Watch out for prices that bundle a markup you cannot see, minimum terms, and less say over who works on your product. Ask who the engineers are, and whether you can interview them, before you sign.
04
How it works. Describe the role, or search vetted engineers yourself and see their monthly prices. You get a shortlist of 3 to 4 within 48 hours, interview the ones you like, and your engineer starts within a week. They join your standups and work in your tools.
Good when you want engineers in your team quickly, with a price you can see upfront and the freedom to scale or pause each month.
Watch out for fit, as with any hire. Interview your shortlist, and we replace the engineer at no extra cost if it does not work out. Want extra safety? Choose two risk-free weeks, with a three-month first term if you continue.
The in-house figure uses a typical salary for a senior web engineer. Use the pricing calculator to compare your own stack and seniority.
Open the pricing calculatorSee engineers and their prices now.
Describe who you need. Matching engineers show up straight away, and a shortlist of 3 to 4 follows within 48 hours.
