25 MIN READ

How to hire freelance Coders in 2024

Updated on October 03, 2024
Platforms to find talented Coders
Toptal

What we liked the most:

  • 98% Hiring Success
  • Fast Matching within 48 hours
  • Risk-Free Trial for up to 5 Days
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Upwork

What we liked the most:

  • Secure payments
  • Fixed-price protection
  • Expert-Vetted program
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Hired

What we liked the most:

  • Vetted developers
  • Short- & Long-term engagements
  • Different payment options
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Kelly Wilson
Written by Kelly Wilson

Strategist and entrepreneur, with experience in hiring developers across various industries. Kelly has established herself as a trusted expert in identifying and recruiting top tech talent. She shares advanced tips on how to identify the right talent, create hiring strategies, develop your tech teams and much more.

Expertise: IT Recruiting, Tech, Marketing

Looking to hire talented coders for your software development projects? Our comprehensive hiring guide provides you with insights, tips, and a step-by-step approach to find skilled coders who can bring your ideas to life. Explore top talent platforms, learn how to assess coding proficiency, and evaluate candidates' project experience. With our guide, you'll be equipped to build a high-performing team of coders who can deliver exceptional software solutions.

Find the best site to hire the right Coders in under 60 seconds.

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Here are the top 5 sites to hire freelance Coders:

Based on facts publicly available as of 01.01.2024

1. Toptal

Toptal is a global freelancing platform with a prestigious network of world-class talent. Its rigorous screening process accepts less than 3% of applicants, who often come with niche specialized skill sets. Toptal offers fast, risk-free and scalable services. Clients can choose coders expertly matched to their projects' requirements.

Key points:

  • Enjoy a risk-free trial for up to 5 days.
  • Completed over 60,000 projects for 25K+ satisfied clients.
  • Trustpilot rating of 4.8 out of 5.

2. Upwork

Upwork is one of the largest platforms for finding remote coders. Through its global marketplace, clients can advertise their jobs or projects. Upwork's algorithms suggest candidates that meet their needs. Users can browse freelance programmer portfolios plus feedback from past clients or use one of Upwork's Talent Scout recruiters.

Key points:

  • Although Upwork vets a few developers, most vetting is your responsibility.
  • Look for talent badges that identify Upwork’s top performers.
  • Several powerful tools are available at no charge.

3. Hired

Hired is a freelancer marketplace that uses a matching approach to pair qualified programmers with tech companies that need them. The company uses a screening method to pre-vet applicants based on strict criteria. Sophisticated algorithms shortlist candidates based on each company's needs. Companies can also choose candidates based on customized skill assessments.

Key points:

  • Glean invaluable insights from exceptionally detailed developer profiles.
  • Choosing an annual unlimited subscription unlocks advantages, including a dedicated account manager.
  • Use Hired to source freelancers for short- or long-term projects.

4. Fiverr

Fiverr is an online marketplace that lets freelancers advertise their services. Companies looking to hire a freelance coder can contact and negotiate with candidates directly. It also offers Fiverr Business, a service that connects clients with pre-screened talent. Clients can manage projects and remote coders on the platform.

Key points:

  • Developers create gigs with pre-determined services, but you can negotiate modifications.
  • Client reviews and star ratings help you identify promising candidates.
  • You can post jobs on Fiverr, but you must vet applicants.

5. Gigster

Gigster brands itself as a "talent management and delivery platform." Its primary focus is helping clients build teams of remote freelance developers for their projects. Gigster pre-screens talent and selects professionals with the necessary skills and experience. Each Gigster team includes a dedicated project manager ensuring delivery on time and to client specs.

Key points:

  • Exhaustive vetting accepts less than 1% of Gigster applicants.
  • After a consultation, you can evaluate your no-obligation, free technical proposal.
  • Hire one developer or a scalable, fully managed team.

Guide to hiring great freelance Coders

When you are looking to hire coders, you must find professionals whose skills match your requirements. Understanding your needs and available options is key to picking a freelancing platform that best meets your needs.

What Are Coders?

Our digital world consists of three basic components: hardware, software and computer networks. Without coders to design and make software, hardware is useless and networks cannot function. Coders build the digital structures we rely on now. These professionals create and maintain everything from websites and office productivity software to the operating system that runs your smartphone.

Coders use programming languages such as Python, Java, Kotlin, C#, PHP, HTML and CSS. The code they write contains instructions that tell a computer to execute specific tasks. These may include displaying text and graphics, playing sound or animations, communicating with other devices or querying databases. Programming code can also allow users to interact with data or digital objects. People may use the terms "coders" and "programmers" interchangeably.

As hiring through traditional channels becomes more challenging, organizations are now seeking more remote coders. Freelancing platforms, especially those with talent matching services, help clients find tech talent much faster — sometimes within days. Some sites to hire coders even build full freelance development teams. With reduced ramp-up times, these professionals can begin working on their clients' projects right away.

How To Hire Coders?

Some organizations directly recruit computer programmers as employees. Others work with consulting or staffing firms that place contract workers with clients for short- or long-term projects. Ultimately, you have three basic options for hiring coders:

  • Full-time: Employers typically see full-time employees as long-term investments. Consistent productivity is a notable benefit. Employees also contribute to a company's culture through loyalty and positive working relationships. In turn, employers provide salaries plus benefits, insurance and paid time off.
  • Part-time: Companies that use part-time programmers benefit from cost savings and flexibility. Expenses from paying benefits and time off are significantly lower. Part-time work attracts those not seeking traditional employment, like students and stay-at-home parents.
  • Freelance: Working with freelance talent affords you flexibility. As the client, you benefit from the effort and output created by a remote coder. Meanwhile, you only pay the coder for the duration of the project. Your expenses are significantly less than hiring and onboarding a part- or full-time employee.

What Skills Should a Coder Have?

Every project is unique, requiring a distinctive skill set. Project complexities dictate the coding experience that programmers should have. Their skills should match the development specs and environment. For instance, web developers code with HTML, CSS Javascript and PHP. Simpler applications may call for junior developers. Advanced projects need the skills and expertise of senior programmers.

Qualified coders have other skills beyond merely writing code. They must know how to work with data. Secure coding practices are also key, such as simple coding design, data sanitization and quality assurance. Coders will also need several soft skills and behavioral qualities to succeed:

  • Excellent communication and soft skills
  • Sound analytical thinking and technical skills
  • Proficient problem-solving
  • Ability to work independently
  • Flexibility and willingness to adapt
  • Curiosity and a strong desire to learn

How Much does it Cost to Hire Coders?

The Bureau of Labor Statistics reveals that programmers' median yearly salary was $93,000 in 2021. That said, the cost of hiring freelance coders depends on the requirements and complexity of every project. A few statistics on U.S. programmer salaries can help you put this into perspective:

While most coders receive a yearly salary, how they earn it varies. Organizations sometimes pay programmers by project. Alternatively, coders for hire may charge hourly rates for their services. Companies procuring freelance talent may charge monthly, per contract or on a per-hire basis.

Why Should You Hire Remote Coders?

You can gain many benefits from working with remote freelance coders. These professionals are on-demand talent, offering you both flexibility and cost efficiency. You can augment your internal teams with outside developers, which could aid in productivity and speed. Through their combined efforts, they can complete projects ahead of schedule and for less money.

Choosing coders for hire gains you another advantage: You can select talent based on your short-term needs. Your current project may call for programmers with HTML, CSS and Javascript proficiency. For the next project, you could require app developers or full-stack developers for example. You may hire the same freelancers for multiple projects or select a different type of programmers.

“For several decades, organizations have had two alternatives when they needed new information systems. They could build a new system using their own developers, or they could buy a new system from an external vendor.”

by Chris Johannessen, Director of Digital Transformation at Axis Group

Choose the Right Site to Find Coders for Your Project

With so many available sites to hire coders, you may not know where to start looking. The following points can give you guidelines during your search.

Where to Find Top Coders for Your Project?

As more tech professionals switch to full-time remote work, online recruiting has become more popular. Freelancing platforms are attractive options. They allow clients to choose and work with skilled talent. Some use a talent matching model to find qualified candidates for their clients. Meanwhile, others allow employers to directly negotiate with remote tech professionals.

While picking the best service requires some effort, it is not as difficult as you may think. As you review sites to hire coders, you should think about your project's timeframe, scope and cost. How quickly do you need to find talent? How many programmers do you need? What skill sets must they possess? What does your budget look like? These are all useful questions to consider. You must look at three important factors when evaluating each site:

  • Available talent pool: Does the platform offer freelancers with your required skills and experience?
  • Speed of hire: How quickly can you hire quality talent?
  • Cost of services: Does the platform's pricing fit within your budget?

What Should You Do Before Hiring a Coder?

Working with a freelancing platform can save you time, money and effort. Before making your final selection, you should review each candidate on your own. Even if you're completely relying on a vendor to recruit talent, you want to know who you will be hiring. A few suggestions can help you get acquainted with your candidates:
  • Evaluate each coder's portfolio and past projects. You can look at a candidate's previous work to gauge skills, experience and abilities.
  • Contact the freelancer. A phone or video call can help you get a read on a candidate's personality. From there, you can decide if the individual is an ideal fit for your company culture.
  • Talk about your project. Your phone or video call is a great opportunity to explain your project's specifics. Share key details such as its goals, function and purpose. The candidate you choose will have a better understanding before the project starts.
  • Consider offering a trial period. This works best if you choose a freelancing platform that offers a risk-free trial. During this time, you can evaluate the candidate and confirm if the placement is a good fit.
  • Take care of your contracts. If you're working with a site to hire coders, you may need to complete paperwork with your provider. You can also request the candidate to sign a confidentiality agreement. This is especially crucial for protecting any intellectual property.

Today's global workforce includes a wide pool of tech talent. By using this list plus the included helpful advice, you can find the best website to hire coders for your organization.

Hiring Coders - FAQs

Why Should You Hire Coders?

The world continues building its reliance on digital technology, which consists of hardware, software, and networks. Coders are responsible for designing and creating the software that allows hardware and networks to function. Sometimes called programmers, coders develop and maintain:

  • Applications, software programs, and frameworks

  • Databases and querying functions

  • Operating systems

  • Websites

Coders write instructions, called code, using various programming languages that tell computers to execute a specific task or facilitate user interactions.

Whether your organization needs to develop a mobile app, website, or financial program or you’re experiencing problems with your existing system, hiring a qualified coder can help accomplish your goals.

Where can I find freelance Coders developers?
Some of the best platforms to hire are:
  • Toptal
  • Hired
  • Gigster
  • Fiverr
  • Upwork

See the complete list of sites to hire Coders developers.

Are Coders in Demand?

As people continue to expect more technological advances, the demand for competent coders keeps rising. Job projections for this industry reflect a much faster-than-average 25% growth by 2031.

How Do I Hire Coders?

Coders may specialize in various skill sets, programming languages, and types of projects. Hire a coder whose specialties match your needs. All coders should use secure coding practices and know how to manage data. To begin, you should:

  • Determine the nature, scope, and goals of your project

  • Decide if you’ll hire one or more part-time, full-time, or freelance coders

  • Set a budget and timeframe

  • Research the type of coder you need and the skillsets they should have

Post a detailed job description or search for qualified candidates using top sites. Review portfolios and consider a trial period to gauge a coder’s performance.

How Much Does It Cost To Hire a Coder?

U.S. coders earn an average annual salary of $75,302 or $36 per hour, although salaries range from $43,500 to $123,500. A coder’s specialty, years of experience, skill level, and location affects their compensation. Hiring a freelance coder can cost less for similar quality performance.

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