With countless online platforms available to hire freelance developers from, Toptal is one of the first choices for a majority of those who are on the lookout for talented software developers
The following is a quick Toptal review which will dive into just how up to par the quality of talent that Toptal has to offer is, and how it compares to the pricing that comes with it.
Pros
Some of the best reasons that Toptal has for earning its reputation are as follows.
Thorough vetting process
When hiring developers through Toptal, you’re guaranteed to be working with the best developers out there. Toptal thoroughly vets all freelancers before they are brought on board and matched with clients. There is a 5 step process that Toptal uses in order to ensure that both their technical skills, as well as personalities meet the expectations that clients have for them:
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Language & Personality
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In-depth Skill Review
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Live Screening
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Test Projects
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Continued Excellence
No frills hiring process
The hiring process can be lengthy and tedious, but when working with Toptal, they cover everything for you. The selection, screening, and invoicing processes are all managed by Toptal, and all you need to do is give them your requirements, and after Toptal has chosen a developer, you choose whether or not you want to work with them on a project.
Personalized matching
Toptal’s search system incorporates AI software and takes into account your specific project based requirements in order to offer a personalized match, or even a match that is exclusive to the project for which you are seeking Toptal’s services.
Two-week free trial
One of the highlights of Toptal is that they offer a two-week free trial to make sure that you are satisfied with the developer they have paired you with. It comes with a money back guarantee if you are not satisfied, and the offer extends to each new developer that you hire through Toptal.
This way, even if you are happy with a developer for one project, you are given the same risk free trial should you choose to work with another developer, without the assumption that once satisfied means always satisfied.
Cons
The most notable downsides to Toptal are all in relation to the costs and pricing that are incurred when you use their services.
Lack of available information
Very little information regarding the talent pool Toptal provides or their pricing is made available unless you make an account and input your project requirements. You can’t get an idea for what to expect from the site itself, and most will go in blind.
More professionals, more expensive
Toptal only allows you to hire top-level developers—hence the name Toptal for top talent. However, these developers are much more expensive, and if you are using their services then you should expect to pay significantly more than what other platforms require.
In addition to this, you must deposit $500 to get started given the higher-end that Toptal caters to. While the deposit is either refunded in full if you are not satisfied with the two-week trial, or put towards your first payment should you choose to move forward, it is still a considerable amount to have to pay upfront, which many may not find feasible.
Average Toptal pricing
As mentioned, Toptal rates are not made clear initially, and vary based on the different specialities that you are looking for and the scope of your project.
However, the following are some of the global averages for Toptal’s more popular developer categories to give you a better idea regarding their pricing.
| Developer category | Price per hour |
| Full-stack developer | $60-$150 |
| Front-end developer | $60-$100 |
| Back-end developer | $60-$150 |
These are average rates set by freelancers, excluding Toptal’s service fee as Toptal doesn’t take any commission from freelancers. So keep in mind that Toptal’s service fee is added on top of these fees, which they charge as a single collective price,
