Don't Do It Yourself

The Best Freelance Websites for Hiring Developers (in 2024)

Best Freelance Websites for Developers

Web development isn’t something I personally can do, so outsourcing those tasks is a non-negotiable for me. It’s safe to say I‘ve hired a fair amount of freelance web developers over the years.

I've had to hire a full-stack developer, a dedicated development team, and a few agencies for one-off projects.

Here are my favorite freelance websites to find a web developer.

Best for Hiring Freelancers

Toptal Logo

Toptal

  • Top Talent: Get access to elite, pre-screened candidates (only accepts top 3%)
  • Flexibility: Ideal for long-term or shorter-term specialty projects
  • 14-Day Risk-Free Trial: Only get billed if your satisfied

Get Started

Best for Hiring Employees

ZipRecruiter Logo

ZipRecruiter

  • AI matching saves time by finding the right candidates for you
  • Integrate with existing HR systems and workflow to streamline hiring process
  • Access to a network of 12 million candidates

Find Talent

Need to find work as a developer? Check out our list of the best places to find work.

Advertising Disclosure

Hiring a freelance web developer can be intimidating if you don't know where to look. There are general freelance marketplaces, job boards, and specialized services that can help you connect with top technical talent.

Here are our top picks for the best websites for freelance developers.

Platform Name

Best For

Star Rating

Feature

ToptalElite, pre-screened candidates
4.8
Rigorous screening, top 3% talent
TuringBusinesses of all sizes
4.7
AI-backed talent matching
Lemon.ioStartups on a time crunch
4.7
Customized fast matching
UpStackWell-vetted talent
4.6
8 point hiring process
Arc.devAccess to global freelance jobs
4.6
Web-wide job scouring
UpworkLargest pool of freelancers
4.5
Profile and rate viewing
Gun.ioTechnical assessments and screenings
4.5
Automatic pairing with freelancers
FlexipleTop freelance developers
4.4
Comprehensive vetting
FiverrSmall projects and gigs
4.3
Streamlined process
HiredQuick hiring of IT professionals
4.3
Skills and experiences upfront
PeoplePerHourQuick freelance work
4.2
Contests for projects
DiceIT and tech professionals
4.1
Over 3 million registered professionals
GuruVariety of programming and development work
4
Job listings in many categories

Read our guide on the best freelance websites for hiring talent to grow your business.

Best Freelance Web Developer Websites

1. Toptal

The best freelance website for hiring vetted developers – 4.8/5 Rating

Toptal Logo

5 of 5 Stars

For those looking for the best developers and programmers that the web has to offer, Toptal is likely the place to find them. The site proclaims to house the “top 3%” of developer talent, hence their name.

They’re known for their rigorous screening process when selecting developers for their hiring staff, with various skill reviews and test screenings dwindling their candidates to the top 3% of all qualified developers. This means if you choose to go with Toptal, you’ll be getting the best of the best.

Toptal works with each client personally and connects them with the right candidate or team of candidates based on specific needs. These could include the time frame for a project and the cost of the overall project.

Toptal also has a robust job board that lets you search and contact candidates based on their expertise. Whether you want a flexible freelance developer, AI prompt engineer, a mobile app specialist, an ETL developer, a Blockchain developer, or a JavaScript developer, Toptal has you covered with the best candidates available.

Learn More


2. Turing

Best for businesses of all sizes – 4.7/5 Rating

Turing Logo Main

4.5 of 5 Stars

An AI-backed Intelligent Talent Cloud makes Turing a top pick for businesses of all sizes looking for freelance web development talent.

Turing’s unique talent-matching process enables companies to match with talented developers and engineers in a fraction of the time that it would take companies to hunt down a freelancer on a larger site. The AI used has saved engineering teams as much as over 50 hours on the hiring process.

Aside from being able to hire a freelance web developer within just five days, the site has an impressively large and talented pool of talent. Over two million developers from over 150 countries have already joined Turing. They also vet their talent, so no matter which developer you get matched with, you can rest assured that they’re highly skilled.

How can a programmer debug their code?  Check out our fun, video chat, rubber duck debugger.

Learn More


3. Lemon.io

Best for startups – 4.7/5 Rating

Lemon io Logo Main

4.5 of 5 Stars

What’s really great about the freelance developer site Lemon.io is that they do the legwork for you. And they do it fast.

How it works is you simply hop on a chat feature on their site and tell them what you’re looking for in a developer. An account manager then looks through their secret log of top-level developers and selects one that is a good fit for your company, your development needs, and your budget. Then you will get your developer’s information and work with them to fill the gaps.

The best part about this process is that it takes less than 24 hours. This makes the customized system great for startups that are working on a time crunch and need a great developer yesterday.

Learn More


4. UpStack

Best for hiring well-vetted talent – 4.6/5 Rating

Upstack Logo Main

4.5 of 5 Stars

UpStack aims to elevate remote tech teams worldwide through dedicated freelance talent. They look for the best freelance talent by sourcing their developers from all over the world.

They deploy an 8-point hiring process to ensure their site users have access to the best candidates with top-notch developing skills, communication, and personalities. They offer talent in a diverse set of fields including Java, Python, iOS, and PHP.

They’ve worked for big-name brands like Microsoft and Lego. However, UpStack has a diverse talent pool that’s highly scalable depending on the size and scope of your business.

Learn More


5. Arc.dev

Best for access to global freelancers – 4.6/5 Rating

Arcdev Logo Main

4.5 of 5 Stars

The best thing about arc.dev is that this site scours the web for every freelance developer job available on the internet. Instead of freelancers having to search through multiple different sites to find gigs, they are able to get connected with opportunities from all over the web, all conveniently in one place.

From a hiring standpoint, you can trust the quality of the freelancers you will find on the site. They have an intense vetting process that allows only the top 2.3% to be featured on their platform. This process requires a background review of each applicant, a video introduction analysis to assess for English proficiency and soft skills, and a technical interview to test out the level of the freelancer’s skills.

The site is trusted by some big names; Spotify, Chegg, hims, and more all have found senior developers through arc.dev’s services.

Learn More


6. Upwork

Largest pool of freelance developers for hire – 4.5/5 Rating

Upwork Logo Main

4.5 of 5 Stars

Upwork, formerly known as Odesk, is one of the most popular freelancing sites for web developers and programmers.

Upwork lets you view each candidate’s profile and overall rate, which makes checking each freelancers’ qualifications much more efficient. You have the power to reach out to a freelancer of your choice, and communicating over the browser and mobile app is very intuitive.

You start by posting a job with all of your desired specifications in the description. Upwork then analyzes your needs and sorts through their thousands of freelancers to select the right fit. You’ll then receive a shortlist of Upwork’s best candidates for you to choose from.

Freelancers can either be paid by the hour or per project. Developers typically use the site for short-term jobs, recurring work with a specific client, or even full-time contract work. This means you’ll be able to find developers for a variety of different projects at varying tenures.

Learn More


7. Gun.io

Best for technical assessments – 4.5/5 Rating

Gun.io Logo Main

4.5 of 5 Stars

Gun.io is a rapidly growing platform for freelance developers that select their available freelancers based on technical assessments, endorsements from previous colleagues, and comprehensive screenings to make sure users are getting the best candidate pool possible.

Users can be automatically paired with potential freelancers once they post their job listing, and can either communicate with each candidate directly or get a free trial of their abilities to see if they’re the right fit. Gun.io also offers detailed analytics once you’ve settled on a freelance developer to keep track of their work and progress.

You can select from either a full-time developer or a freelance contractor. Whether it’s iOS app development or API programming, Gun.io will provide you with properly vetted tech professionals to suit your needs.

Learn More


8. Flexiple

Best for top freelance developers – 4.4/5 Rating

Flexiple Logo Main

4.5 of 5 Stars

Flexiple is a network of those who they claim to be the top freelance developers. The site prides itself on its comprehensive vetting process for its freelancers and puts their prospects through several rounds of interviews and tests to make sure they’re right for the Flexiple brand.

They have a dedicated team of in-house Solutions Experts to spend time with each user and get a full scope of what their organization is looking for. Clients will be given a list of the top candidates based on their preferences and can reach out to their favorite pick to see if a developer is the right fit.

Each freelancer works at an hourly rate, and their services are highly scalable. This means an early-stage startup can enjoy Flexiple’s services just as much as a well-established firm. They also provide excellent customer service along with their freelance matching service.

Learn More


9. Fiverr

Best for small projects and gigs – 4.3/5 Rating

Fiverr Logo Main

4 of 5 Stars

As one of the largest freelancing job boards on the web, Fiverr is a proven platform for connecting with prospective freelancers. The site aims to streamline the process of connecting developers with clients in a way that’s efficient for both sides.

You can contact a developer by selecting their profile if you think you’ve found a good fit. Once the terms for a project has been finalized, clients pay the developer upfront. You have about three days to read over the finished product and decide whether to accept a project submission or reject it to get a refund.

Clients look through the site’s list of freelance developers by using its robust filter tools to find the right fit. You can filter developers based on their price range, body of work, and much more.

Fiverr is great for finding developers with a specific niche, as the site has categories for practically any type of development service. For example, if you click on the mobile application development link, it’ll let you sift through candidates based on even more specific guidelines, such as custom app development or web-to-app conversions.

Learn More


10. Hired

Best for quick hiring of IT professionals – 4.3/5 Rating

Hired Logo Main

4.5 of 5 Stars

Hired streamlines the candidate hiring process for professionals in the development and programming industry. Instead of focusing on traditional resumes, they present each candidate’s skills and experiences up front to improve the overall search process among clients.

Because freelancers can more easily present their experiences and payment options, selecting the right candidate and negotiating terms is much simpler on Hired than on other job boards. They claim to save over 45 hours of sourcing time per hire.

As such, Hired is a great platform for finding freelance developers and IT professionals in a quick time frame.

Learn More


11. PeoplePerHour

Best for quick freelance work – 4.2/5 Rating

People Per Hour Logo Main

4 of 5 Stars

 

PeoplePerHour is a freelance job board that allows users to hold contests for specific projects akin to that of a job listing. It also provides a comprehensive list of qualified candidates experienced in a wide range of programming and development expertise.

Freelancers can also hold offers on PeoplePerHour, which users can engage with for lower prices to see if a developer is right for them based on what’s essentially a sample of their abilities. Communication is made simple on the site, as users can track progress and provide feedback on any given project.

With an easy-to-use interface and an intuitive payment system, People Per Hour is a great choice for users looking to source some quick freelance developer or programming work.

Learn More


12. Dice

Best for IT and tech professionals – 4.1/5 Rating

Dice Logo Main

4 of 5 Stars

Dice is a well-established IT and tech job board with over 3 million registered professionals. They boast over 2.4 million tech-related resumes, with over 20,000 submitted each month. Dice has been used by big-name brands such as AT&T, Adobe, and Dell.

While a single job post on the site costs $395, they offer more discounts for ordering in higher volumes. Your job will be shared among 3,000 partner sites for up to 30 days, meaning Dice’s 1.5 million monthly users will be able to see your posting.

Users can also leverage Dice’s various features to find the perfect developer for their businesses. Dice takes care of identifying pre-screened tech professionals for your needs. Whether you need experienced web developers or mobile app programmers, Dice makes it easy to find the right candidates.

Learn More


13. Guru

Best for a variety of programming and development work – 4.0/5 Rating

Guru Logo Main

4 of 5 Stars

Guru is a freelancing site that houses job listings for anything from programming and development work to administrative and secretarial duties. They have over 500,000 current freelancers able to provide development or programming duties that can either be paid for contract work or even for long-term positions.

Clients can browse through Guru’s freelancer list and select “Programming and Development” as their main category. Here, you’ll see either agencies or individual developers. There are dozens of subcategories to choose from, allowing users to focus their search based on specific development needs.

If you find a freelancer you like, you can simply contact them and start ironing out the details. Alternatively, you can post a job on Guru’s job board and wait for developers to reach out to you.

Guru provides jobs for a variety of clients around the world, with no shortage of work on their site at any time. Once you’re paired with a freelancer, Guru provides dedicated “WorkRooms” that you can use to collaborate with your developer or programmer.

Learn More


How to Find a Web Developer

How to Find a Web Developer

The first step in hiring a freelance web developer is to think about what your needs are. Do you need a quick web page redesign? Or do you need your web developer to create a database to store visitor information?

Next, decide how much you can carve out of your budget to spend on one, keeping the magnitude of your request in mind.

Once you have that number in mind, begin your search. If you need to find someone who can work with your tight budget or only want to hire someone for a short-term project like a quick web page redesign, look to a site like Upwork or Fiverr.

If you have a larger budget and want a senior-level web developer to create a mobile app from scratch, try Toptal or UpStack.

Once you find the right web developer for the job, use the platform you found them on to draw up terms and rates that you can agree on.

Make sure to meet with your developer and communicate what your needs and expectations are.

Types of Developers

Types of Web Developers

Did you know that there are over 700 programming languages to choose from? If you don't know what you're looking for, you can quickly fall into “paralysis by analysis”.

Use the below lists to familiarize yourself with the different types of programming languages, stacks, content management systems, technology, and software that developers use today.

Programming Languages
Top Programming Languages
Frontend Frameworks
Top Frontend Frameworks
Backend Frameworks
Top Backend Frameworks
Content Management Systems
Content Management Systems
Miscellaneous
Miscellaneous
  • Unity
  • Salesforce
  • iOS / Android

Best Freelance Websites by Category

Looking for more of the best freelance websites but need to browse by category? Check out our below freelance website reviews to either expand your portfolio or hire a freelancer for your next project.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does a freelance developer charge per hour?

Freelance developer rates vary based on experience, location, and skills. On average, most freelancer developers charge between $35-$65 per hour.

Where can I freelance as a programmer?

There are a number of great websites that programmers can use to build their freelancing business. Freelancing websites like Upwork and Fiverr are two of the larger marketplaces and are great for beginners. There are also platforms like Toptal and Upstack. These websites only accept the top programmers. This makes it more difficult to get accepted, but once you do, you are more likely to find more enticing opportunities and earn more.

How do I find a good freelance developer?

Finding a good freelance developer takes time, patience, and a little bit of luck! Knowing where to look is important, but not all freelancing websites are created equal. Having a thorough vetting process is important to ensure that the programmer is skilled and right for your project. Good freelance developers are often hard to come by. When you find one, pay them well, make sure they are motivated to work on your projects, and hold onto them for as long as you can!

Ready to Find Your Next Freelance Developer?

While this list is not exhaustive of all the platforms for finding qualified freelance developers, it’s representative of some of the best that we were able to find.

Understand your budget and specific needs, then leverage the sites mentioned above to track down the right candidate for your business today.