Toptal

Hire the Top 3% of the World’s Talent™ toptal.com

Fractional Leaders & Talent
★★★★★ 4.7
2010 Founded
1001-5000 Employees
25,000+ Customers
Remote-first, incorporated in Delaware; primary mailing address San Francisco, CA, USA([toptal.com](https://www.toptal.com/contact?utm_source=openai)) Headquarters
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Quick Facts

✓ Free Trial
Website
toptal.com →
Starting Price
unknown
Pricing Model
usage-based
Free Trial
14 days
Company Type
private
Social
LinkedIn Twitter/X

About Toptal

Toptal is a global freelance employment marketplace and professional services provider that connects organizations with a highly vetted network of remote experts in software development, design, finance, product, project management, marketing, and sales. Founded on the promise of only accepting the top 3% of applicants, Toptal has built a reputation as a premium source of hard‑to‑find expertise for mission‑critical projects and fractional leadership roles. en.wikipedia.org

Operating as a fully remote company, Toptal maintains a distributed core team and a network of more than 20,000 vetted professionals across 100+ countries. Its model goes beyond a typical freelance marketplace: dedicated client advisors and talent matchers understand each client’s goals and quickly match them with specific freelancers, curated teams, or managed project-delivery squads. Toptal emphasizes speed (often matching within 24–48 hours), flexible engagement models (hourly, part‑time, full‑time), and a no‑risk trial in which clients pay only if satisfied. toptal.com

Over time, Toptal has expanded from a developer-focused network into a broad portfolio of offerings that includes Technology Services (custom software, AI, cloud, security, apps and integrations), a Marketing Agency, and Management Consulting practices. Recent initiatives include HireGlobal, a global hiring, payroll, and compliance solution, and TechResume, a career service for technology professionals. The company supports thousands of complex initiatives across industries such as technology, financial services, consumer products, healthcare, and automotive. toptal.com

Founded in 2010 by Taso Du Val and Breanden Beneschott, Toptal raised a $1.4M seed round led by Andreessen Horowitz and has since scaled profitably without significant additional funding, reaching roughly $200M in annual revenue and serving more than 25,000 clients worldwide. This positions Toptal at the high end of the on‑demand talent market, competing with both open freelance platforms and consulting or staff‑augmentation providers, and making it a leading option for organizations that prioritize quality and speed over lowest cost. en.wikipedia.org

Key Features

Elite vetted network - Access a curated network representing the top ~3% of freelance talent across engineering, design, finance, product, project management, marketing, and sales.

Rigorous multi-stage screening - Five-step evaluation including language and communication checks, deep technical/functional assessments, live interviews, and test projects to ensure quality and professionalism.

On-demand talent matching - Dedicated client advisors quickly match you with individual experts or full teams, typically within 24-48 hours for most roles.

Flexible engagement models - Hire talent on an hourly, part-time, or full-time basis, and scale resources up or down as project needs change, without long-term hiring commitments.

No-risk trial period - Start each engagement with a trial of up to two weeks and pay only if satisfied, reducing hiring risk for critical initiatives.

Global, fully remote workforce - Tap into a worldwide network of professionals spanning 100+ countries and time zones, covering a wide range of technologies and business domains.

Managed project delivery - Use Toptal's Managed Services and Technology Services for end-to-end solution delivery with project management, SLAs, and accountable outcomes.

Specialized practices - Engage dedicated practices for areas like AI and data, cloud services, cybersecurity, apps and integrations, custom software development, marketing, and management consulting.

Enterprise-grade compliance & contracting - Toptal handles contracts, invoicing, NDAs, and IP protections and can align to enterprise procurement and security requirements.

HireGlobal payroll & compliance - Optional platform to hire and pay global workers directly using Toptal's global payment infrastructure and compliance expertise.

Apps and integration expertise - Access specialists who can modernize applications and integrate systems such as CRM, ERP, marketing automation, and collaboration platforms.

Fractional leadership & advisory - Engage interim and fractional CTOs, CMOs, CROs, CFOs, and senior consultants for strategy, transformation programs, and go-to-market initiatives.

Talent Navigator & skill-based search - Discover talent by skills, industry, or time zone and combine self-service search with human matchers who curate shortlists.

Community & thought leadership - Benefit from playbooks, case studies, and content on topics like remote work, Agile, AI, and marketing produced by Toptal and its network experts.

Pros & Cons

👍 Pros

  • Very high talent quality - clients consistently praise the caliber of developers, designers, and experts thanks to Toptal's rigorous vetting process.
  • Efficient matching - buyers report fast turnaround from initial brief to shortlists, often seeing strong candidates within 24-48 hours.
  • Flexible engagement structure - ability to work hourly, part-time, or full-time and to scale teams up or down as needs change.
  • Risk-mitigating trial - the two-week, pay-only-if-satisfied trial gives organizations confidence before committing to longer engagements.
  • Strong fit for complex work - case studies and reviews highlight success with demanding, mission-critical projects rather than just simple tasks.

👎 Cons

  • Premium pricing - many reviewers note that Toptal is significantly more expensive than open freelance marketplaces and may exceed small-business budgets.
  • Occasional mismatches - some clients report receiving candidates who did not fully meet expectations despite the vetting and matching process.
  • Support and transparency concerns - a minority of reviews mention slow or unhelpful customer support and limited upfront transparency around exact rates and fees.

User Reviews

G2
4.7
★★★★★
Capterra
unknown
☆☆☆☆☆
TrustRadius
unknown
☆☆☆☆☆

Integrations

Salesforce HubSpot Marketo Shopify Magento WooCommerce Slack Microsoft Teams ServiceNow Jira AWS Microsoft Azure Google Cloud Platform MuleSoft Anypoint Platform GitHub Trello SAP CRM and ERP platforms Social media and advertising platforms

Best For

Company Size

smb mid-market enterprise

Industries

Technology & SaaS Financial Services Ecommerce & Retail Healthcare & Life Sciences Consumer Products & Services Media & Entertainment

Use Cases

Fractional executive leadership and strategic advisory Scaling engineering, product, or marketing teams for rapid growth Delivering complex software, AI, and data projects with external experts Digital transformation, modernization, and systems integration initiatives Interim coverage for critical roles during hiring gaps or restructurings Standing up new capabilities (e.g., revenue operations, data platforms) without permanent headcount

FAQ

What is Toptal?

+

Toptal is a global talent marketplace and professional services firm that connects organizations with a rigorously vetted network of freelance experts in software engineering, design, finance, product, project management, marketing, and sales. It focuses on the top tier of talent through a multi-stage screening process and provides both individual experts and managed teams for mission-critical projects.

How much does Toptal cost?

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Toptal does not publish standard rate cards on its website. Pricing is usage-based: clients are billed for the hours or weekly commitment of the freelancers they engage, and rates vary by role, seniority, and geography. New engagements typically involve a refundable deposit and begin with a two-week, pay-only-if-satisfied trial, after which ongoing billing follows the agreed hourly or weekly rates.

What are the main features of Toptal?

+

Key features of Toptal include a highly selective network of experts across engineering, design, finance, product, marketing, and sales; fast, advisor-led matching; flexible hourly, part-time, and full-time engagements; a two-week no-risk trial; optional managed project delivery with SLAs; and specialized practices for areas like AI, cloud, security, and apps and integrations. It also offers newer services such as HireGlobal for global payroll and compliance.

Who are Toptal's main competitors?

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Toptal's main alternatives include open freelance marketplaces and curated talent platforms such as Upwork, Fiverr, Turing, Braintrust, and MarketerHire. Traditional staffing agencies, consulting firms, and specialist boutiques in areas like software engineering or marketing can also compete with Toptal for some use cases, especially when clients prefer on-site or full-time employees.

Is Toptal good for small businesses?

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Toptal can be a strong option for small businesses that have mission-critical projects or need access to top-tier experts they could not easily hire directly, such as senior engineers, fractional CMOs, or seasoned product leaders. However, its premium pricing and white-glove model may be more than very early-stage or budget-constrained businesses need; those organizations often prefer lower-cost, self-service marketplaces for simpler or lower-risk tasks.

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