TL;DR 

• Terminal uses custom pricing, so you’ll need to reach out to them for a quote.
• The Terminal.io hiring process can take up to a month.
• They offer detailed candidate profiles and HR/administrative support.
• Consider ReactSquad, Andela, or Toptal if you're looking for alternatives.
• ReactSquad is a marketplace of vetted React developers for SaaS startups.

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Top-notch engineers are the backbone of any successful product, but hiring them can be time-consuming and expensive.

That’s where Terminal.io claims to make a difference. They connect you with skilled and affordable devs, reducing the time and cost of building your dev team. 

But does Terminal.io live up to the promise?

This article will dig deep into Terminal.io’s pricing, vetting process, pros and cons, and real user reviews. Plus, we’ll explore some popular alternatives. You’ll have a clear idea of whether Terminal.io is the right choice for hiring software developers in 2024.

About Terminal.io

Terminal.io helps companies hire quality software engineers globally. Founded in 2016 by Dylan Serota and Jack Abraham, Terminal has raised over $30 million in funding and is present in 20+ countries. 

Their headquarters is in San Francisco, USA. Terminal allows startups to build their software teams with affordable, skilled remote devs.

How do you hire software developers on Terminal.io?

There are two ways to hire developers on Terminal.io:

1. Hire + Employ: Terminal handles administrative aspects like legal employment, benefits, and salary. In other words, they become the Employer of Record (EOR).
2. Direct Hiring: You’ll manage employment through your company or preferred Employer of Record.

On Terminal's Talent Hub, you’ll find detailed info about each talent’s profile, like portfolio, experience level, skills, and interview videos.

You can browse and hire devs based on specific skills (like Drupal, Python, React, etc.) or roles (backend developers, iOS engineers, data engineers, etc).

The Talent Hub lets you review candidates, schedule interviews, and share your feedback with Terminal’s team. The hiring process takes about 30 days for contract hires and around 45 days for full-time hires.

How does Terminal.io vet developers?

1. Terminal’s talent recruiters review the candidate's experience and background. 
2. They interview each candidate to assess their technical skills, English proficiency, and cultural fit. 
3. Recruiters discuss the candidate's salary expectations and how they compare to the top 10% of their peers. 
4. The top 7% of applicants make it through. 

What is Terminal.io’s pricing?

Terminal.io isn’t transparent with their pricing. You need to contact them for a custom estimate.

But here’s the gist of how their pricing works:

• Hire Direct: Pay an undisclosed flat fee for each developer you hire.
• Hire + Employ: Just like with Hire Direct, there’s an unknown flat fee per hire plus a monthly fee if you want Terminal.io to take care of HR, payroll, and other employment tasks.
• Contract Pricing: Terminal.io charged a monthly fee based on the developer’s rate. Their pricing isn’t transparent so this fee is also undisclosed.

Is Terminal.io legit? 

Wondering if Terminal is worth it? We’ll cover the pros, cons, and real user reviews so you can judge for yourself.

Pros

• Terminal.io can provide Employer Of Record services at a fee. The amount is unknown as Terminal isn’t transparent with their fees. 
• Pre-vetted candidates to ensure skilled talent.
• Developers are from Latin America, Canada, and Europe, giving you a wide talent pool to choose from.
• Detailed candidate profiles make it easier and quicker for clients to choose the right developers.

Cons

• Hiring a contract dev can take up to a month and up to 45 days for a full-time engineer.
• Lack of transparent pricing.

Ratings and client reviews

Terminal has a 4.5 star rating on Capterra and 4.7 on G2, proving that most clients are happy with their services. Most positive reviews were about Terminal’s smooth onboarding, payroll, and administrative services.

One client wasn’t too pleased with Terminal limiting their geographical range.

Best Terminal.io alternatives

ReactSquad

We’re a marketplace of vetted React developers for SaaS startups. Our devs are rigorously vetted, undergoing 3 interviews plus 4 weeks of a paid test project. They’re also handpicked by a Silicon Valley senior engineer. Like Terminal, we act as the Employer of Record so you can focus on growing your business.

Pros

• Startup-friendly rates (starting from $75/hr). No hidden fees or initial deposits. 
• Senior developers have 5+ years of experience.
• 7-day no-risk free trial.
• Our matching and hiring process is fast. Hire a dev within 48 hours.

Cons

• We’re hyper-focused on React.Js projects and may not be ideal if you need a different technology.

Hire senior React developers at affordable rates

• Qualified, senior developers with 5+ years of experience
• Affordable and transparent pricing at $75/hour
• Get matched with a developer in 48 hours

Let’s talk about your project

Andela

Andela connects startups with skilled software engineers from Africa and Latin America. They help companies find good talent while using an AI matching engine.

Pros

• Dedicated account managers for each client.
• You can hire a whole team based on your needs.

Cons

• They can be expensive, with monthly costs of up to $15,000 per developer.
• Not ideal for short term projects as all contracts are signed for 12 months. 
• The AI engine often leads to mismatches as it lacks the human touch to understand interpersonal dynamics. 

Toptal

Toptal is a popular website where businesses hire freelance software engineers globally. They’re known for having a strict vetting process that allows clients to access skilled developers who can do the job. 

Toptal developers charge an hourly rate of $100 to $200+. You have to pay this in addition to a $500 initial deposit before starting your free trial. There’s also a $79 monthly subscription fee for using the talent search platform. If Toptal can't provide a dev, you can cancel and request a refund.

Pros

• Strong vetting process guarantees quality developers.
• You get a 2-week free trial to assess the developer before committing.

Cons

• More expensive compared to other platforms.
• The hiring process can take up to 3 weeks.
• You must pay a monthly subscription to use their talent-matching services.
• Initial deposit is needed before working with a developer.

Terminal.io vs alternatives compared

Review summary

Here’s the summary of our Terminal.io review. 

Terminal.io’s HR / EOR services make them an attractive option. If you’d prefer not to handle the hiring technicalities, Terminal.io could be an excellent choice for your startup. However, their lack of transparency with pricing means you need to have a flexible budget so that certain costs don’t catch you by surprise. 

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ReactSquad is another hassle-free option. We are a marketplace of vetted React developers for SaaS startups. For $75 per hour, you’ll get strongly vetted React specialists with at least 5 years of experience in 48 hours.

We also take care of the entire hiring process for you—all you need to do is choose the developer you want.

Book a call today and get matched within 48 hours!

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