Toptal
Vetted freelance network that matches companies with developers, designers and consultants, with a no-risk trial period.
From $79/mo
Bottom line
Toptal is a vetted freelance network for companies that want senior contract talent fast. It costs a $79 monthly platform fee plus quoted talent rates. It fits teams that value speed and a trial period over the lowest hourly price.
Stands out for: Every engagement starts with a trial of up to two weeks, and you pay nothing if you are not satisfied; clients can trial up to three people per position. Toptal reports a 98% trial-to-hire rate and says 90% of clients hire the first candidate introduced.
Watch out for: Talent rates are not published, so you only learn the real cost after a call with a matcher. Toptal does not offer screening or testing for candidates outside its own network.
Overview
Toptal is a freelance talent network covering developers, designers, marketers, product and project managers and finance consultants.
Fewer than 3% of the 200,000+ yearly applicants are accepted after a multi-step screening process.
Clients pay a flat $79 monthly platform subscription plus talent rates quoted per engagement.
Each engagement begins with a trial of up to two weeks, billed only if the client is satisfied.
Talent is in over 100 countries, mostly the Americas and Europe, and nearly all work remotely.
Who it's for
Best for
- Startups needing senior contractors quickly
- Teams that want a trial before paying
- Short projects or crunch-time capacity
- Hiring beyond engineering, such as finance or design
Not ideal for
- Budget-first buyers wanting published rates
- Companies screening their own applicants
- Teams needing on-site staff
Key features
Top 3% vetting. Applicants go through English and personality interviews, domain tests, live problem solving and a test project, and fewer than 3% are accepted.
Matches in about 24 hours. Toptal says most clients are introduced to candidates within 24 hours and can typically hire in about 48 hours.
No-risk two-week trial. Each engagement starts with a trial of up to two weeks, and clients are not billed if they are not satisfied.
Hourly to full-time engagements. Talent can be booked hourly, part-time or full-time and scaled up or down within weeks.
Domain-expert matchers. Candidates are hand-selected by matchers who work in the same field rather than general recruiters or HR staff.
Pricing
Toptal charges a flat $79 monthly platform subscription once you move ahead with talent matching, and you can cancel at any time. Talent rates are not published; they depend on skills, seniority, location and whether the engagement is hourly, part-time or full-time. Invoices go out about twice a month on Net 10 terms. Confirm current terms on the vendor site.
Checked 4 Nov 2026. Vendors change prices without notice.
Is Toptal expensive?
Toptal starts at $79/mo. We list 181 sourcing tools in total. 43 have a free tier, and those with a public price typically start around $99 a month.
- 46 quote-based
- 43 free tier
- 104 public price
Worked out automatically from every sourcing listing, so it updates as the directory changes.
Pros and cons
Pros
- No-risk trial before you pay for talent
- Fast introductions, often within 24 hours
- Client owns all work product
Cons
- Talent rates not published
- Monthly platform fee on top of rates
- No screening service for outside candidates
What's new at Toptal
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How Toptal compares
See all Toptal alternatives, with what each one does differently and a head to head for every pairing.
| Tool | Free tier | From | MCP | API | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| | – | $79/mo | – | – | |
| | – | Sales-quoted | – | – | Compare |
| | – | 15% fee | – | – | Compare |
| | – | $15/hr | – | – | Compare |
Sales-quoted
Andela focuses on AI-trained engineers and managed teams for enterprises, while Toptal also covers design, finance and marketing freelancers.
15% fee
Braintrust publishes a 15% client fee instead of a monthly subscription plus quoted rates.
$15/hr
Arc.dev places remote developers on contract or full time, with a lighter self-serve process than Toptal.
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