Compare/Head to head

Arc.dev vs Upwork

Same facts, side by side: starting price, free tier, MCP, API and what each one is actually built for.

Starting price

Arc.dev

$15/hr

Arc.dev is a vetted talent marketplace for remote developers and other tech roles. Freelancers cost $15 to $110+ per hour, and full-time placements cost 20% of annual salary, paid only on hire. It fits US startups and tech companies that want pre-screened remote engineers without running the whole search.

Where Arc.dev fits

  • Startups hiring remote software engineers
  • Teams needing freelance developers fast
  • Companies hiring in LATAM or APAC
  • Hiring managers without a recruiting team

Upwork

5% fee

Upwork is the biggest freelance marketplace, free to join with a 5% client fee on Basic. It now has an official MCP server, so recruiters can search talent, post jobs and review proposals from Claude or ChatGPT without opening the site.

Where Upwork fits

  • Recruiters and agencies hiring contract specialists fast
  • Teams that want to hire from Claude or ChatGPT
  • Small companies without an agency budget
  • Short projects and overflow work

At a glance

DetailArc.devUpwork
Starting price$15/hr5% fee
Free tier–No–No
MCP server–No✓Yes
Public API–No✓Yes
Listed underSourcing, Job boardsSourcing, Job boards

Where they pull apart

Arc.dev

Stands out: Arc publishes its fees, which is rare among vetted developer networks: a clear hourly range for freelancers and a flat 20% of salary for full-time hires. HireAI screens applicants and auto-sources matching candidates, and every plan comes with a dedicated recruiter. Arc says full-time roles fill in about 14 days on average.

Watch out: A 20% of salary fee adds up quickly on senior engineering salaries. The freelance trial is described as risk-free, but the exact terms are not spelled out on the pricing page, so confirm them before you start. ATS integration is listed for full-time hires, but no ATS names are published.

Not the right fit for

  • Budget-conscious teams posting many roles
  • Onsite or local-only hiring
  • Employers who want to run their own job ads

Upwork

Stands out: Upwork is one of the first large hiring marketplaces with its own hosted MCP server. It covers the full client workflow (talent search, job posts, invites, proposals, milestones, messages) and drafts every write for you to confirm, while money only moves on upwork.com.

Watch out: Talent quality varies widely because anyone can join, so screening falls on you. Fees stack: the client marketplace fee, a contract initiation fee, and the freelancer service fee priced into rates. The MCP grants the full set of scopes when you connect.

Not the right fit for

  • Full-time permanent hiring
  • Teams that only want pre-vetted talent
  • Roles that need local on-site staff

Pros and cons

Arc.dev

  • Published hourly rates and placement fee
  • HireAI screening and auto sourcing included
  • Free replacement within the first three months
  • 20% of salary is costly for senior hires
  • Freelance trial terms are not detailed
  • No named ATS integrations

Upwork

  • Free to join, fee only when you pay talent
  • Official hosted MCP server, free
  • Huge talent pool across every skill
  • Variable talent quality needs screening
  • Fees stack on both sides
  • MCP grants full account scopes

What each one costs

Arc.dev

$15/hr

Arc.dev publishes two pricing models. Freelance hires are billed hourly at $15 to $110+ per hour depending on the talent, with a risk-free trial period of up to two weeks. Full-time hires cost a fee of 20% of the candidate's annual salary, paid only when you decide to hire, and Arc will match a replacement free of charge within the first three months if you are not satisfied. Confirm current terms on the vendor site.

Checked 26 Sep 2026

Upwork

5% fee

Upwork is free to join with no subscription. On the Basic plan, clients pay a 5% marketplace fee on payments to freelancers, or 3% for eligible US clients paying by bank account, plus a small contract initiation fee on new contracts. Business Plus raises the fee to 8% (bank) or 10% and adds premium support, reporting and pre-vetted talent. Enterprise is custom priced. Freelancers pay a separate service fee and buy Connects to submit proposals. The MCP server itself is free. Confirm current terms on the vendor site.

Checked 20 Oct 2026

Common questions

Is Arc.dev cheaper than Upwork?
Upwork starts lower, at 5% fee against $15/hr for Arc.dev. That is the entry plan on each side, so the real number depends on seats and the tier you land on.
Can you try Arc.dev or Upwork for free?
Neither carries a free tier on our listing.
Does Arc.dev or Upwork have an MCP server?
Upwork ships a first party MCP server, so an AI assistant can work the product directly.

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Editorial listings, never paid rankings. Prices checked 26 Sep 2026. Confirm current terms on the vendor site. Spot an error?