Finding great developers can be a daunting task for any startup, but there are several platforms that can make your search more efficient. In this article, we'll explore some of the best places to hire developers in 2026 and what sets them apart.

LATAM Talent Marketplaces

For startups looking to tap into Latin American talent, two nearshore sites stand out as the best places to hire developers: CloudDevs and LatHire. These platforms feature a huge pool of vetted engineers who work U.S. hours and cost a fraction of US rates.

CloudDevs - Pre-Vetted LATAM Developers

CloudDevs is a U.S.-based marketplace that matches you with senior Latin American developers in about 24 hours. Their network is huge, with over 500,000 vetted devs, all of whom speak English. In practice, you get a full-stack or specialist engineer who's already screened for skills and communication.

Pricing is flat and transparent, ranging from $45 to $75 per hour for senior devs, and they guarantee up to 60% cost savings over hiring locally. We love that there's a 7-day trial period: if the fit isn't right, you simply swap devs or get a refund. And since contracts roll on a weekly basis, you can cancel anytime.

Key features include:

  • 24h Matching: You'll be talking to vetted LatAm devs within a day.
  • Vetted Talent Pool: Over 500,000 senior developers pre-screened for skills and English.
  • Transparent Pricing: Flat-rate $45–$75/hr (no hidden fees).
  • Risk-Free Trial: 1-week free trial; if a hire fails, they'll replace or refund immediately.
  • Flexible Terms: Pay-as-you-go weekly contracts; cancel with 7 days' notice.

LatHire - Full-Service LATAM Talent

LatHire is a similar concept to CloudDevs but with a full-service twist. It uses AI to vet and match engineers from Latin America, with an advertised network of around 800,000 candidates. Like CloudDevs, they promise matches in ~24h.

The big difference is administrative: LatHire handles payroll, benefits, and legal compliance for you. In other words, you hire the engineer as a contractor but LatHire takes care of all the headaches (they even offer optional group health insurance).

Key features include:

  • AI-Powered Vetting: AI/human screening yields a shortlist in ~24h.
  • Full Hiring Service: Covers payroll, taxes, benefits, and compliance at no extra cost.
  • Time-Zone & Language Fit: Candidates live in U.S./LatAm time zones and all have strong English.
  • Large Candidate Pool: 800K+ Latin American pros (avg. 4+ years experience).
  • Big Savings: Developers' salaries ~60–80% below U.S. levels.

Global Freelance Marketplaces

For sheer scale and flexibility, the big freelancing platforms are hard to beat. They're less curated (you have to vet talent yourself) but cover every skill and budget.

Upwork - The Gig Giant

Upwork is huge, reporting about 18 million freelancers and 5 million clients worldwide. It's basically "Indeed for freelancers." You post a job or project, and dozens (even hundreds) of developers from all over will bid or pitch. Upwork has built-in escrow and work-tracking, so you can hire hourly or fixed-price and pay securely.

Because of its size, you can find a dev for almost any niche tech stack. But quality varies widely; plan to do your own vetting (reviews, tests, interviews). The upside: if you need someone right now, Upwork's bidding process gets replies in minutes. It's especially handy for MVPs or small tasks on a tight budget.

Key features include:

  • Massive Talent Pool: Millions of freelancers worldwide; 18M freelancers, 34% of all jobs are software/IT.
  • Flexible Hiring: Post hourly or fixed-price jobs, use milestones/escrow to protect payment.
  • Wide Range: Everyone from hobbyists to experts, pretty much any language or tool.
  • Do-It-Yourself Vetting: Check profiles, reviews, and give small test tasks to find the right fit.
  • Quick Start: Get bids in minutes; great for fast or short-term projects.

Freelancer.com - Old-School Crowdsourcing

Freelancer.com is another veteran platform in the same vein as Upwork. It has tens of millions of users (25M+ registered by 2017, with over 12M projects posted by then). You post a project or even a contest, and freelancers bid or compete.

Like Upwork, it covers everything (dev, design, writing, etc.). Many big companies use it for ad-hoc engineering tasks. Payment is via milestones/escrow. If you want a huge pool and low bids, this is it. But keep in mind, quality is hit-or-miss; you'll need to sort the bids and vet carefully.

Key features include:

  • Huge Marketplace: 25+ million users (as of a few years ago) and 12+ million projects completed.
  • Competitive Bidding: Developers bid on your project or contest; you choose the best skill/price combo.
  • Built-In Tools: Milestone payments and time-tracking are provided.
  • Fast Response: Post a job and get proposals within minutes.
  • Quality Varies: Very large pool means some low-quality bids; vet candidates thoroughly.

PeoplePerHour - European Freelancers

PeoplePerHour is a UK-based freelance site (with ~1.4 million users globally) that's popular in Europe but open worldwide. It's geared to both fixed-price and hourly work. On PPH, freelancers can either bid on jobs or offer "Hourlies," fixed-price packages like "build a WordPress site for $300." One nice thing is their transparent pricing system, which includes a 15% commission fee.

Key features include:

  • Huge Candidate Pool: Over 1.4 million users globally.
  • Competitive Bidding: Freelancers bid on jobs or offer Hourlies; you choose the best skill/price combo.
  • Flexible Hiring: Post hourly or fixed-price jobs and get proposals within minutes.
  • Transparent Pricing: Flat-rate pricing with a 15% commission fee.

In conclusion, finding great developers is crucial for any startup. By exploring these platforms, you can tap into a vast pool of skilled talent from around the world. Whether you're looking for nearshore solutions or global freelance networks, there's an app startup idea out there that can help your business thrive.