Senior developers.
Without the $100/hr price tag.
Gun.io charges $100–200/hr for senior freelance developers — and a 20% placement fee on top if you want to hire them full-time. That's $24,000 on a $120k developer. RocketDevs gives you equally vetted, senior engineers from $9.99/hr. Zero placement fees.
Is RocketDevs a good Gun.io alternative?
RocketDevs is a good Gun.io alternative when you need a full-time engineer rather than a senior freelancer on a project. Both are vetted networks, not open marketplaces. RocketDevs assesses every developer for 6 to 8 hours, rejects over 98%, and admits the top 2 to 5% (1.95% in 2025). Rates are published at $9.99/hr, $21.99/hr, and $30.99/hr, with a 14-day money-back guarantee honoured 100% of the time.
Wildly different outcomes.
7 decisions you'll make hiring a remote engineer, and where each platform lands. Hover any row to see it in detail.
| Decision | RocketDevsRecommended FROM $9.99/HR · 24H MATCHING | Gun.io Marketplace · Competitor |
|---|---|---|
Rate Total cost | Rate — Total cost ✓ From $9.99/hr, transparent No senior-tax, no marketplace markup. | Rate — Total cost ✗ $100–200/hr typical US-rate freelancers, full overhead included. |
Placement fee Conversion | Placement fee — Conversion ✓ $0 — no full-time placement fee Hire your developer outright at any time. | Placement fee — Conversion ✗ 20% of first-year salary $24,000 on a $120k hire — paid before they start. |
Speed Time to match | Speed — Time to match ✓ 3 matches in 6–8 hours Same-day shortlist, interview tomorrow. | Speed — Time to match ! 3–5 day shortlist 2-week typical placement timeline. |
Vetting Pass rate | Vetting — Pass rate ✓ 6-hour multi-stage, 3–5% pass Score transparency on every profile. | Vetting — Pass rate ! 3-stage process, US-centric Less score visibility, narrower geography. |
Global pool Scope | Global pool — Scope ✓ Global, Africa-first talent Time-zone overlap with US + EU teams. | Global pool — Scope ! Predominantly US-based Higher cost band, narrower pool. |
Contract Lock-in | Contract — Lock-in ✓ Month-to-month, no exit fees Pause or end anytime. | Contract — Lock-in ! Freelance + full-time options Placement fees gate full-time conversion. |
Guarantee Risk | Guarantee — Risk ✓ 14-day money-back guarantee Real refund — not a credit. | Guarantee — Risk ! 2-week risk-free trial Trial only, no explicit MBG after. |
Hire The Right Way.
Not an endless search.
Gun.io gives you a search bar. We give you a recruiter and a shortlist that already fits.
- 01Dedicated hiring expert & recruiter reviews your brief. 25 minutes from you, then we go to work.
- 02Shortlist of 2+ screened candidates within 24 hours, each with test scores, work samples, and availability. Ready to interview. We set this all up for you.
- 03Trial period before commitment. We find the perfect developer for you and the work begins on day 1, with a 14 day trial period.
- 04Replacement guarantee if the match isn't right. Free, no friction.
We reject more engineers
than we accept.
Every developer on the platform passes a 6 to 8 hour vetting process. Gun.io has none. Full stop.
From engineering leaders,
founders who switched.
“Icannotbehappierwiththeresultsofthissite”
William
"I cannot be happier with the results of this site"
Faith
"RocketDevs went above and beyond to help me every single day"
Dustin
"It's so hard to find truly independent devs. Aly is one of the rare ones I can just say: You own this, go deal with it."
Connor
"It's been simple and I appreciate that alot"
Irakli
Sets a high bar technically and was still impressed.
Joe
"On par with developers earning $90,000 a year"
Kayleigh
"Perfect for my agency"
Sophia
Loves the initiative from her RocketDev.
RocketDevs vs Gun.io: common questions
- Is RocketDevs a good Gun.io alternative?
- Yes, if your need is ongoing rather than project-shaped. Gun.io is a vetted freelance network built around senior engineers taking on defined work. RocketDevs is built around full-time placement: one developer, one client, embedded in your team, at $9.99/hr to $30.99/hr depending on level.
- How much does RocketDevs cost compared to Gun.io?
- RocketDevs publishes three rates: $9.99/hr Associate, $21.99/hr Mid-senior, $30.99/hr Senior. That puts a full-time Associate at about $1,598 a month. Gun.io freelancers set their own rates within the network, so cost varies by engineer and engagement. We do not quote their numbers; check with them directly.
- Can I hire a developer full-time rather than for a short project?
- Yes, that is the standard RocketDevs engagement. Developers work full-time for one client at a time, join your standups, and stay on your codebase. More than 500 client companies hire this way rather than cycling through short contracts.
- How rigorous is RocketDevs vetting?
- Every applicant gets 6 to 8 hours of assessment across live coding, architecture, and communication, and over 98% are rejected. In 2025 we assessed 11,422 applicants and placed 223, a 1.95% acceptance rate. Our normal band is the top 2 to 5%.
- How do I know the hours I am billed for were worked?
- Time is tracked with screenshots every 3 minutes, so you can see the work behind each invoiced hour. If the fit is wrong anyway, the 14-day money-back guarantee applies and we have honoured it 100% of the time.
Skip Gun.io.Book a call today.
Vetted developer matches. Under 24 hours. Starting from $9.99/hr. 14-day risk free trial period.
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