As a startup founder or a freelance developer, you’ve seen that there are a lot of options to choose from when getting a developer or searching for a gig.

For startup founders, it can be confusing because building a startup is not a one-time project, which is why choosing an elite team is a crucial task that requires the right selection being made from the beginning.

You’ve probably heard about these two popular platforms for developer sourcing, so this article will be focused on Toptal vs Gigster to enable you to make the right decision for your startup.

Stick around to the end and you get a bonus option that isn’t talked about a lot in the world of quality technical recruitment.

The Case for Gigster: On-Demand Solution Platform

The platform was founded in 2014 and it offers startups with an elite talent pool of over 50,000 strictly vetted developers, designers and project managers.

You might also be impressed when you realize that they use AI-powered solutions to match employers with the needed talent, but is it worth it?

In the case of Toptal vs Gigster, what sets Gigster apart from Toptal?

The Vetting Process: What Sets Gigster Apart?

Toptal vs gigster

Gigster talents go through a serious vetting process that allows them to get the best out of the millions of talents out there. The vetting focuses on different aspects like technical proficiency, portfolio review and soft skills.

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Technical interviews

A crucial aspect to consider in the debate of Toptal vs Gigster. Gigster ensures that the expertise of each candidate is screened by conducting in-depth assessments that are tailored to their specific area of expertise.

Areas like software development, coding efficiency, problem-solving skills and challenges that require problem-solving skills are always touched on when the talents are being interviewed in this section.

Portfolio Assessment

Portfolio review is a crucial part of their vetting process as past projects and experiences help them properly assess the projects the talent/developer has been put in charge of and whether their experiences align with the demand of the client at hand.

AI Talent Match

This is a unique vetting process that is being used by various firms, which is important to settle the dispute between Toptal vs Gigster.

Gigster utilizes the use of its AI-powered platform to match freelancers to different projects based on skill sets, project requirements and personality traits and ensure that each client is paired with the perfect talent for their project be it short or long-term.

Gigster ensures that they test their talent for the necessary soft skills such as communication, teamwork and other important skills as well as a continuous evaluation based on the client’s feedback.

The Pricing Model: What it Might Cost You

Gigster doesn’t publicly release their costs before reaching out to them and the price depends on the extent of each project, which means you’re getting a custom price as well.

After a bit of research and excess digging, we discovered that the lowest cost per project starts at $52,000. Note that prices differ and you would have to speak directly to a Gigster representative to know how much.

Since they provide fully managed services and they conduct project-based pricing, compared to other agencies, they aren’t affordable and there’s no way of testing the waters before making financial commitments.

The Case for Toptal: AI-Driven and Cost-Efficient

In the case of Toptal vs Gigster, Toptal seems to have made a name for themselves among freelancers, startups and well-known organizations for offering the top 3% of freelancers across various industries worldwide.

These industries include project management, finance, design and software development. What exactly sets them apart from Gigster and how does their pricing model work?

Toptal’s Vetting Process: Is It Any Different?

gigster vs toptal

For Toptal to get 3% of talent to be on board the platform, it requires a certain amount of highly selective vetting processes.

Unlike Gigster, Toptal focuses on its human-driven vetting process and uses its technology and data-driven systems to ensure that clients are matched to the right talent and the operations are streamlined effectively.

They ensure that the applicants are screened in different aspects, from personality tests to continuous evaluation and technical screenings.

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Personality and Language Screening

Considering that a lot of their clients are in English-speaking countries, Toptal ensures that their candidates can effectively communicate in English and they are tested in both verbal and written English.

Just like Gigster, Toptal evaluates their talent for soft skills and personality traits that are in line with what is required. Talents must showcase that they are communication experts, and team collaboration and can handle feedback.

If you’ve gotten to this part of the article, have you made a decision already in the Toptal vs Gigster debate? Let’s finish up with the case of Toptal to find out.

Technical Assessments

This is an important aspect when it comes to assessing talents, so it is no surprise that this is part of Toptal’s vetting process.

Candidates undergo an extensive technical skills review and they are only tested according to their area of expertise. This step would include hands-on problem-solving tasks and the application of their skills using real-world scenarios.

Live Screening

Candidates who make it past the technical skills review, get to take part in live problem-solving sessions with Toptal experts. For example, designers might be given the task of creating or evaluating designs under tight time frames to get the best.

They are also given challenges to think critically and communicate their thought process in simple terms while solving problems on the spot.

Just like Gigster, Toptal talents are continually evaluated based on their ongoing performance reviews and client feedback. They also focus on the delivery time of freelancers as well as quality and only those who meet deadlines are selected.

Now that we’ve dissected the vetting processes of both platforms, you might be wondering; “So Toptal vs Gigster, which is more affordable for me?”

Pricing: More Affordable, But At What Cost?

Compared to Gigster, Toptal is more affordable, but just like Gigster, the cost is also based on the role and level of expertise required.

You can get hourly rates ranging from $60 to $200+ depending on experience level and freelancer skills. You can also pay based on long-term contracts.

When Toptal is compared to other platforms like Upwork, they are higher in pricing but cheaper than Gigster and provide elite talents for their premium prices.

The Bonus Option: RocketDevs - The Best of Both Worlds

Toptal vs Gigster

Remember that bonus option that was mentioned at the beginning of the Toptal vs Gigster debate? Say hello to RocketDevs, the best value for developers on the web, that solely focuses on connecting businesses to talented developers from Africa.

You don’t have to worry about the language proficiency of the developers as they’ve all been tested and certified to communicate effectively in English.

You might be wondering; “What makes it a better alternative?” - Let’s find out.

What Sets RocketDevs Apart?

When it comes to the talent pool in the debate of Toptal vs Gigster, it’s no news that they have a global talent pool, but RocketDevs is different in that regard.

RocketDevs focuses on a specific region that is often overlooked - Africa. Being home to thousands of highly skilled developers who can provide quality services at lower rates as well as have strong working ethics.

Based on RocketDevs’ vetting process, every developer goes through a rigorous vetting process of 6-8 hours.

From resume filtering to coding assessment, project assessment and communication interview. This results in RocketDevs being successful in getting the top 5% of developers across various technical fields (Full Stack, Back-End, Front-End Mobile)

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What’s The Cost Advantage?

If you thought Toptal was gonna win the medal of affordability, try RocketDevs out for size.

With RocketDevs, you get to pay $6 to $8 per hour for developers with amazing technical and soft skills that make your job as a startup founder or business owner easier.

Let’s not forget the fact that you don’t have to be technically proficient to use RocketDevs and can fully trust the team to let you witness the hiring process without being involved. Neat isn’t it?

More Than Just Algorithms?

The customer service of RocketDevs has a touch of personalization. From consultation to developer choosing, RocketDevs expertly combines its AI technology with human expertise to get the best results.

Although Gigster likewise uses AI technology, they heavily rely on it with less human-driven approaches.

You don’t just get the right technical fit, but cultural and value-aligned talents as well. When it comes to the case of Toptal vs Gigster, you could say RocketDevs is a perfect blend of both of them with the best affordable rate.

Toptal vs Gigster vs RocketDevs: The Final Verdict

Feature	Gigster	Toptal	Rocketdevs
Talent Quality	They have an elite talent pool that is vetted rigorously and utilize AI for talent-project matching.	Top 3% of global talent after a thorough vetting process which includes technical tests, soft skill assessments and real world evaluations.	Talent quality is high with pre-vetted developers that go through a rigorous vetting process of 6-8 hours. The tests include technical assessments, communication interviews, project and coding assessments.
Pricing structure	Pricing is project based which varies depending on the complexity of the project and is relatively higher than most staffing platforms.	Cheaper than Gigster with a starting price of $60 to $200 depending on the role and expertise of the talent. Pricing is more flexible than Gigster - hourly, part time or full time engagements.	It has a pricing model of $6 to $8 dollars per hour.
Strengths	Gigster was designed with larger projects in mind with in-depth project management and aims to reduce client workload.	You get access to a global pool of top freelancers across multiple industries (tech, finance and design).	Rocketdevs is startup, small businesses and non-tech friendly with a more streamlined talent pool (technical experts). Allows for efficient scaling and team growth.
Weaknesses	Very expensive and not startup or small business friendly and there is limited client-developer interaction which doesn’t give the clients full control.	Premium pricing may not suit smaller budgets and requires clients to manage talents.	Have a smaller talent pool and focus more on technical experts.

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Strengths And Weaknesses: Toptal Vs Gigster, Which Is Better?

Let’s dive deeper into the strengths and weaknesses to put an end to the Toptal vs Gigster debate.

Strengths of Gigster

Global and Elite Talent Pool: Gigster offers clients access to a vetted network of professionals and helps provide quality outcomes for complex projects.
Fully Managed Service: For companies that don’t wish to put together teams before a project is completed, Gigster fully provides project management and assigns a project manager to coordinate the teams chosen for the project.
AI Team Matching: Gigster utilizes AI to match the right developers and teams for the project that needs their services.

Weaknesses of Gigster

Limited Direct Client-Developer Communication: Gigster ensures that there is a limited interaction between clients and developers which doesn’t give the companies full control.
High Pricing: Compared to other platforms, Gigster is very expensive, making it less accessible to small businesses or startups with limited budgets.

Strengths of Toptal

Global Talent Pool: Toptal connects businesses with a global pool filled with various types of freelancers regardless of location.
Flexible Payment Model: Toptal’s unique payment option allows businesses to choose how long they want to have a talent for, be it hourly, part-time or full-time.
Top 3% Talent Pool: Due to Toptal’s rigorous vetting system, they can get 3% of talent, ranging from design, finance, development and project management.

Weaknesses of Toptal

Cost: Toptal’s starting prices are at a premium price which may hinder startups or companies with a limited budget.
Slow Onboarding Process: Their human-vetting process allows for thoroughness but slows down the hiring process, which isn’t ideal for businesses looking to make a quick hire.

Strengths of RocketDevs

Personalized Support: Unlike the approach of Gigster, RocketDevs provides a hands-on experience by working closely with businesses to match them to the right developers.
Rigorous Vetting Process: Just like Toptal, RocketDevs takes pride in its vetting process. From resume filtering with resumatic, down to communication interviews, the process aims to produce 5% of top technical experts.
Cost-effective: RocketDevs has successfully tapped into the African talent market as a non-profit, thereby making it cost-effective for startups with lean budgets or who are looking to hire more for a lower price.

Weaknesses of RocketDevs

Smaller Talent Pool: RocketDevs only have African developers in their talent pool, but the quality is balanced with the number of talents provided.

If you’re still trying to figure out what works for you in the Toptal vs Gigster debate, why not go for a solution that serves the best combination of both?

See Also: Hire Pre Vetted Developers | Silicon Valley Standard

Why RocketDevs is the Game-Changer and Future of Hiring

RocketDevs is an emerging solution for businesses that desire affordable pricing but premium quality as well. We’re the sweetheart choice for startups and entrepreneurs

The tech industry is broad and in demand for expert developers and Africa’s talent pool is becoming more significant by the day.

RocketDevs has successfully focused on a growing market and killed two birds with one stone - providing startups with affordable and premium quality and providing opportunities to African developers.

When it comes to the case of Toptal vs Gigster, their cases are bull-strong, especially for businesses that require project management or a wide range of talent.

For startups that want world-class developers without having to worry about the premium price tag, RocketDevs is the future.

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