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If you have ever tried to hire a freelancer, you know that it's not an easy task. Even though there are many online marketplaces that offer freelance services, finding a person who does his job right is harder than it seems. As a business owner myself, I know firsthand how hiring a good freelancer can help grow your business. On other hand, working with an unqualified professional can cost you time and money, and make your life more difficult.
Over the past few years, ever since I started my own business, I tried several marketplaces for freelancing. Some were good, some were not. And today, I want to talk about one of those marketplaces, called Toptal. In this review, I will explain how Toptal works, talk about its pros, cons, key features, and pricing, so that by the end of this article, you can decide whether Toptal is worth it for hiring freelancers, or it is better to choose a different platform.
Toptal Review
Toptal Review
Toptal is a good network for freelancers and companies who want to hire business, design, and technology professionals. It has a complex screening process hiring only 3% of applicants. It is more expensive than some freelance services marketplaces but you get much better results when hiring from Toptal.
Toptal Overview: Pros And Cons
Toptal Overview: Pros And Cons
Pros
Pros
The multi-step screening process ensures that only the most talented freelancers can join the network
The freelancers you hire are usually very professional and easy to work with
No need to look for a freelancer yourself, the Toptal team will do everything for you, and you will just have to choose from a narrowed-down list of candidates
It can take as little as 24 hours for Toptal to match you with a freelancer
You can interview freelancers yourself via Skype before hiring them
A no-risk trial gives you 2 weeks to decide whether a freelancer meets your need
93% of Toptal clients are satisfied with the first expert they get matched with
No recruiting fees and no termination costs
Reasonable prices
It is possible to hire not only remote but also on-site experts and have them come to your office
Cons
Cons
Higher rates than that of some other freelancing platforms - which is understandable, because you get what you pay for
An initial deposit of $500 is required. However, this will be applied as a credit towards your first payment or refunded if you decide not to move forward after the trial period
Toptal is an excellent platform for companies who need to hire experts in technology, design, or business, but it doesn't have many freelancers in other fields, like writing or photography
What Is Toptal?
What Is Toptal?
Toptal is one of the biggest online networks for freelancers. Companies and individuals hire freelance finance experts, product managers, project manages, and software developers from Toptal to help with their projects. What makes Toptal different from any other freelance marketplace is that they hire only the top 3% of all applicants, which ensures that all freelancers are top experts in their field, many of whom used to work for big-name companies, such as Google, Facebook, Apple, Amazon, Microsoft, Lego, SpaceX, etc.
Toptal was founded in 2010, and today its client list includes more than 6,000 businesses such as innovative startups like Bluedrop, WorkRamp Sidekick, and enterprises like Gucci, Airbnb, Udemy, Hewlett-Packard, and Priceline. With Toptal, it is highly unlikely that you end up with an incompetent freelancer, which often happens on other freelance platforms. And even though Toptal's prices are higher than of some of its competitors, it is well worth it. I hired so many freelancers in the past that I know very well now that high quality comes with a price tag, and if you want to get profits you need to invest in your business first.
Is Toptal Worth It?
Is Toptal Worth It?
Toptal is a good platform for companies who want to hire experienced hand-picked developers in a matter of days or weeks. A 2-week, no-risk trial is an excellent way to ensure that the freelancer is a good fit for the project. Toptal is not cheap, but it is worth it.
How Does Toptal Work?
How Does Toptal Work?
Toptal for companies
Toptal for companies
The process of hiring a freelancer on Toptal is simple and straightforward. You don't have to browse through thousands of resumes to find the perfect match, Toptal will do everything for you. Here is what you need to do:
Sign up with Toptal and tell them what kind of freelance talent you are looking for.
Toptal will find a freelancer that meets your needs and you can interview them to decide whether you want to move forward with a trial period.
The trial time is around 2 weeks. If you are not satisfied with a freelancer, you won't be charged. After that, you can ask Toptal to find you another expert or just look elsewhere. However, usually, the companies are matched with suitable freelancers very fast.
If you are satisfied with a freelancer, you can hire them to join your team.
Toptal for freelancers
Toptal for freelancers
If you are a freelancer and you want to join Toptal, then you will have to pass a screening process. It is hard to get into Toptal because the company only works with the best freelancers. Each month they review thousands of applications and accept only 3% of them. The screening process takes up to 5 weeks to complete. Toptal is not one of those freelance websites where anyone can join and start selling their gigs. The screening process includes various proficiency and skill tests and challenges, portfolio reviews, formal assessments, business cases, and live problem-solving sessions.
Here is how the screening process works:
The first step of the screening process is an English language and communication personality test. Although the experts are located all over the world (mainly in Europe and the Americas) each one has to be fluent in English. 26.4% of applicants pass this step.
The second step is the skill review. Toptal team members will test your problem-solving ability and technical knowledge. You have to get exceptional results during this stage to move to the next one. 7.4% of applicants pass this step.
The third step is a live screening. During this stage, you will be interviewed by Toptal screeners to test your experience, communication skills, problem-solving ability, creativity, etc. 3.6% of applicants pass this step.
The fourth step is a test project. This will take you 1-3 weeks to complete and give you a chance to demonstrate your professionalism and competence. 3.2% of applicants pass this step.
The fifth step also focuses on your project. 3% of applicants pass this step.
Toptal Pricing: How Much Does It Cost To Hire A Freelancer?
Toptal Pricing: How Much Does It Cost To Hire A Freelancer?
Toptal is more expensive than some freelancing platforms like Fiverr, but if your budget allows, it's more than worth it. The company has freelancers in more than a hundred countries all over the world, and thus, has some flexibility when it comes to rates. Toptal will do its best to try to find a price that works for you. You don't have to pay anything to sign up for Toptal, but there will be a fully refundable $500 deposit (more on that later). You get to set up the initial budget and there is a 2-week, no-risk trial when you can test a freelancer before paying. Another good news is that there are no termination and recruiting fees. When Toptal finds you a freelancer, they will give send a price that includes the freelancer's salary and Toptal's fee. There will be ho hidden charges or fees afterward, so you have nothing to worry about. Toptal doesn't charge freelancers any commission, but they do add a service fee on top of their rate.
Okay, now let's take a look at the average Toptal prices. Remember, that the rates may vary depending on your project, location, etc.
Developers, Project and Product Managers, and Designers:
Full-time: 40+ hours per week ($60-$120/hr+)
Part-time: 20+ hours per week ($60-$120/hr+)
Hourly ($70-$150/hr+)
Finance Experts:
Full-time: 40+ hours per week ($100-$200/hr)
Part-time: 20+ hours per week ($100-$200/hr)
Hourly ($125-$200/hr)
What Types Of Freelancers Does Toptal Provide?
What Types Of Freelancers Does Toptal Provide?
On Toptal, you can hire freelancers that fall into six different categories:
Project Managers (technical and digital project managers, scrum masters, etc.)
Product Managers (product consultants, product owners, technical product managers, etc.)
Front-end Developers ( JavaScript, HTML5, CSS3, etc.) and Back-end Developers (Django, Ruby, Python, Java, C++, PHP, iOS, etc.)
Finance Experts (market research, FP&A, financial valuation and modeling, pricing analysis, etc.)
Quality Assurance ( Cucumber, Unit Testing, PHPUnit, JUnit, etc.)
Designers ( Interaction, UI, UX, Visual)
Toptal FAQ
Toptal FAQ
How long does it take to find a freelancer on Toptal?
How long does it take to find a freelancer on Toptal?
It usually takes 0-3 weeks to find a Toptaler. Many clients get a match within 24 hours.
Does Toptal charge an initial deposit?
Does Toptal charge an initial deposit?
Yes, there is an initial deposit of $500. However, it is fully refundable (in case you choose not to move forward after the trial period). And if you decide to hire a freelancer after the trial, then the deposit will be applied as a credit to your first invoice.
How does the trial period work?
How does the trial period work?
Once you are matched with a freelancer, you will have a 2-week trial to see whether you want to hire them. If you are satisfied with the work, then you will be billed for the time, and if you are not satisfied, then you won't get charged anything and will be offered a new expert for another no-risk trial. However, according to Toptal, more than 93% of their clients are satisfied with the first match.
What kinds of projects does Toptal do?
What kinds of projects does Toptal do?
Toptal freelancers offer various services that can benefit your company. Here is a list of some of them:
Android Development
Artificial Intelligence Development
Blockchain Development
Business Consulting
CFO
Cryptocurrency Development
Data Science
eCommerce Website Development
Fintech Consulting
Front End Development
iOS Development
Management Consulting
Mobile App Development
Product Design
Software Quality Assurance
SQL Server
UI Design Services
UX Design Services
Virtual Reality Development
Web Design
Is Toptal a good company to work for?
Is Toptal a good company to work for?
Toptal pays more than other freelancing platforms, and you often get to work on interesting projects for big companies. Obviously, Toptal does take a cut, but freelancers are still getting paid a good rate.
Can I only hire individual experts on Toptal?
Can I only hire individual experts on Toptal?
That depends on your needs. Toptal offers its clients three models to engage with freelancers:
You can hire individual freelancers to deliver work on a project-by-project basis
If you are working on a big project, you can hire multiple freelancers
For even larger projects, there is an option of hiring an entire team of freelancers
What if I don't like a Toptal freelancer?
What if I don't like a Toptal freelancer?
What I like about Toptal is that they allow me to work with several freelancers for each position, and only later decide which one to hire. And if I'm not satisfied with a freelancer's work during the trial period, I won't get charged for the time.
Can I bring Toptal freelancers on-site?
Can I bring Toptal freelancers on-site?
I have never tried this myself, but I know that even though it is rare, it is possible to bring Toptal freelancers to work at your location for a period of time.
Can I hire a full-time expert on Toptal that will work at my company?
Can I hire a full-time expert on Toptal that will work at my company?
Yes, this is also possible.
Is Toptal legit?
Is Toptal legit?
Yes, Toptal is a reputable company that has been on the market for over a decade and has an impressive list of clients.
How much money can you make on Toptal as a freelancer?
How much money can you make on Toptal as a freelancer?
That depends on your level of expertise, but many freelancers are making $80,000 per year on Toptal.
In my opinion, these are two completely different platforms. Fiverr is generally cheaper but the quality of work is not as great as on Toptal. It's a good platform if you are on a tight budget, or need creative work done (writing, voice-over, etc.). Toptal is more expensive but the freelancers are experts in their field. And if you are looking to hire developers for your project, then Toptal is a better choice.
Toptal Review Verdict: Is It Good For Hiring Developers?
Toptal Review Verdict: Is It Good For Hiring Developers?
You can pay hundreds and thousands of dollars to the recruiting companies and still end up not satisfied with the hire. You can spend days, weeks, and even months trying to find freelancers yourselves on cheaper platforms to save some money, but in the end, it will cost you more, because chances are, you will hire someone who claims to be a professional developer but in reality, has no idea what he is doing. Or you can give Toptal a try and let them do everything for you. They will screen freelancers, and find the best one for you. You will have 2 weeks to decide whether the developer is a good addition to your team.
So, in a nutshell, Toptal is worth paying a little extra. Of course, I understand, that it works better for projects that have bigger budgets, but if you can afford it, then I definitely recommend it.
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