Hire a Back-End Developer: Best Platforms & Hiring Guide
To hire back-end developers, you must study various sources, including virtual communities of like-minded people, job boards, or by asking friends. We suggest you observe professional platforms focused on recruiting high-class specialists in this industry, so we gathered a directory of websites with a large talent pool and good reputation.
Having a fantastic and viable idea, all that remains is to hire a back-end developer who will help turn it from a concept into a full-fledged product. However, there are many such system architects on expert hubs, and to make it smoother to choose a worthy candidate, we have scraped together the most valuable tips in our review.
Once you read, you will find out how to hire dedicated back-end developers and get acquainted with the necessary hard skills they should possess. Discover parameters to concentrate on to find professionals that meet all the requirements.
List of sites to hire back-end developers
Founded: 2017
Headquarters: London, United Kingdom
Thinking of how to hire a back-end developer who, in addition to a decade of experience, can adapt to any time zone and adjust to customer requirements? Limeup’s top-notch experts build highly protected architectures with perfectly organized data structures tailored to optimize your business processes, enhance response time, prevent 99% of downtimes and advance revenue by x3.
Solutions from Limeup are always a composition of efficiency, ergonomics and scalability. We are adept at passing domain regulations like FCA, GDPR and many others to produce impeccable programs even when conditions are very demanding. You can expect full support, from discovery, design and development to testing, QA and post-support.
Cooperation models:
Key benefits:
- High proficiency in modern back-end frameworks and methods that help achieve the most progressive goals.
- A collection of completed projects in the back-end field for businesses in various industries.
- An economically sound approach to the formation of project costs and precise compliance with the agreed deadlines and budget.
Why choose us:
We are always ready to help you onboard a seasoned coder to implement projects of any scale in the fintech, real estate, education and eCommerce industries. Limeup aspires to create products that will not only give stunning success at the start but also ensure stable and steady growth year after year, allowing you to bypass competitors at every turn.
Founded: 2017
Headquarters: Berlin, Germany
Anyone who needs to hire a back-end engineer and call for synchronized processes to work as a single mechanism should contact impltech. This team crafts solutions that are precisely configured for further scaling and are not limited to today’s tasks. Therefore, they contribute potential for the extension of clients’ businesses. At the same time, any upshot is always maximally unique and customized to the needs of a specific niche.
A robust set of advanced technologies and an unconventional way of using familiar tools allows them to take on a project of any complexity and solve the problem with brilliant skill and sophistication. The agency’s filigree and tech stack will enable you to select any troubleshooter and get a jackpot in the back-end area.
Key benefits:
- 3% of the entire elite of back-end devs are on the staff of this company and do not stop their professional enhancement for a minute.
- Maximum optimization of applications and sites is achieved without losing quality or convenience for the user.
- The customer and the team work like a Swiss mechanism due to the competent expert support of the project at all stages.
Why choose them:
With their unparalleled flair for novelty, your project is guaranteed to be managed by the finest experts, delivering solutions that fuel growth and shatter your expectations. By choosing impltech, you gain a reliable partner who sees the big picture, creating systems that evolve with your business.
Founded: 2013
Headquarters: San Francisco, CA, USA
Around 18 million users come to this widely accessible portal to publish their services, so it is not difficult to find a back-end developer. The range of categories will amaze you with the diversity of talents and the areas and level of proficiency. Upwork is a real treasure trove of geniuses who can provide a high-class answer to any offbeat task.
Whether you need one-time help or are set for long-term cooperation, you can create a team of any format and go with them on an exciting journey to discover new facets of modern tech. Undoubtedly, the extensive experience of these specialists will blow your mind.
Key benefits:
There are several great perks at Upwork: reputation ratings, messaging, and integrated video communication. Each frees you up to collaborate with all sorts of pros and receive applications immediately with a detailed description of key points.
Why choose them:
You can get contacts from both a highly specialized freelancer and a large team packed with skills. Describe your proposal accurately, and a successful match will happen before you pull your eyes away from your screen!
Founded: 2002
Headquarters: Mountain View, CA, USA
LinkedIn provides a seamless way to connect with a dedicated back-end developer for hire engaging with this network. It offers a massive ocean of opportunities for employers and applicants at various levels and areas.
In the search for the ideal candidate, programmer profiles are a huge helping hand as they contain complete information about education, experience and possession of soft and hard skills. The ability to filter parameters further simplifies matching a task with a performer.
Key benefits:
Over 60 million companies from all over the world are looking for their stakeholders here, and potential employers post nearly 15 million vacancies per year. Such popularity is not surprising because the extremely convenient search with additional filters greatly narrows the circle of candidates, allowing you to hit the bull’s eye with one shot.
Why choose them:
LinkedIn’s appeal lies in its convenient built-in messaging system, making the discussion process quick and easy, and its high popularity among IT talents opens up a significant pool of excellent specialists, especially if you decide to pay for premium access.
Founded: 2010
Headquarters: Tel Aviv, Israel
Fiverr is an easy tool where you can quickly hire an offshore back-end developer for a short project. Here, you can post your ad for hiring a remote employee, leave a request with a project description, and receive applications from qualified performers.
Just a few ordinary but essential features: ease of use and an extensive talent index attract a constant influx of visitors. With just a few clicks, you are already looking at the portfolio of the best specialists with substantial relevant experience.
Key benefits:
Fiverr facilitates transactions across 500+ service categories and handles millions of deals annually, with over 4 million active users expected in the near future.
Why choose them:
This bulletin board has an undeniable advantage because there are no restrictions on the region. In addition, the number of back-end representatives here is growing at the speed of sound, which speaks to the convenience of the service for both job seekers and businesses.
Founded: 2010
Headquarters: Wilmington, DE, USA
Toptal gives you a chance to hire remote back-end developers without hassle. To do this, a business only needs to fill out its profile, indicating basic information regarding the specialization of the required coder, the type of project, the preferred form of cooperation and a few more details.
Since all applicants undergo strict selection and verification, you can be sure that you are choosing from worthy candidates of the highest level. The ability to filter the method of employment and the duration of cooperation greatly simplifies further collaboration.
Key benefits:
Most visitors find the right candidate with Toptal within the first 48 hours. This is mainly due to the well-established system of profile design and a complete understanding of employers’ requests.
Why choose them:
This hiring site guarantees two weeks of free cooperation with the selected employee. Usually, this is enough to not only evaluate all the benefits but also to make sure that your decision is correct.
Founded: 2008
Headquarters: New York, NY, USA
Are you looking to hire back-end engineers and are afraid that all the most talented candidates have already been embraced by prior selections? Believe us, Stack Overflow also has something to surprise you with. After all, almost 20 million coders are available there.
Each portfolio serves as a testament to the expertise of an experienced software creator, which contains everything, from the technologies they work with to their best publications and even ratings on the forum.
Key benefits:
The coder database here is so extensive that even if you set up a search with maximum detail, you will still find someone who checks all your boxes. After that, through a convenient chat or email, you can clarify the nuances with those who initially aroused interest.
Why choose them:
Ever wonder why Stack Overflow differs from most similar ones? When analyzing each applicant, in addition to standard parameters such as experience, stack ownership, and qualifications, the platform’s administration also considers the degree of involvement, readiness for cooperation and adaptability.
Founded: 2007
Headquarters: Guaynabo, Puerto Rico
To hire expert back-end developers, try contacting FlexJobs, which has already collected over 130 thousand vacancies on its pages, for which the best remote workers from all corners of the globe are applying. You can search for a contractor in Europe or America and use a filter by the required skills or qualification level.
The service owners are proud that they strictly monitor the legality of job offers and cut out any fraud or junk. To make it happen, the team grinds away loads of hours a day to verify the accuracy of the information. In addition to direct offers of cooperation, there are also webinars and articles that help to clarify unclear terms.
Key benefits:
A quick transition from an ad to a request allows you to save time and eliminate additional steps. There is also the possibility of connecting premium access, which opens up advanced filters and lets you zero in on the contractor who is one hundred percent suitable for a specific project.
Why choose them:
FlexJobs is a tech firm that is super passionate about the relevance and potential of remote work and, therefore, strives to extend and improve the process of hiring such employees from A to Z, boosting the quality of life of performers and employers.
Founded: 1968
Headquarters: Minneapolis, MN, USA
Hired is attended by those who value taking courses, improving their skills and the opportunity for professional growth. When hiring back-end developers, you should write a request and they will select a possible candidate for you.
However, it should be noted that this resource maximally supports steady buildout and hands over many opportunities for earning money for those who do not yet know how to do it on their own. At the same time, receiving contacts from the most motivated specialist, you can be sure he will give himself entirely to your project.
Key benefits:
At Hired, they believe everyone deserves a prosperous and hopeful future, which depends in large part on good work. That’s why the team helps people prepare better and bring out their best sides. Hitting up the studio’s social media is a solid way to get some support because you can find a lot of advice on forming your base of potential contractors.
Why choose them:
Despite its dissimilarity to traditional networks with a list of performers, this community deserves attention because it is here that you can help light the star that will later illuminate your business horizon and shine among other IT experts.
Founded: 2009
Headquarters: Sydney, Australia
If you need a chill and speedy way of hiring a back-end developer, you’ve come to the right place. After all, Freelancer has one of the optimal algorithms for selecting contractors. You only need a few steps: place a description of the project, announce the budget and indicate the necessary skills. That’s it; it’s in the bag.
As coders reach out to you, you can maintain the dialogue in the built-in messenger without switching between applications. And the order confirmation system does not require any extra bother at all. This ensures a streamlined and satisfying workflow.
Key benefits:
Any customer can immediately understand whether a particular candidate is worthy of their attention. This is facilitated by a rating based on the results of previous projects. Clients evaluate the technical side of the work, the comfort in communication, and compliance with agreements.
Why choose them:
The value of this project is in the ease and convenience of using the tools, as well as in the huge base of technical masters from around the globe, with 78 million tech whizzes worldwide.
What is a back-end engineer?
Security enhancements implementation, API integration, architecture building and management of all processes that happen behind the scenes are responsibilities of back-end developers for hire. Such tech savants can assist only in system-side engineering or be proficient at both front-end and back-end.
Possessing out-of-the-ordinary knowledge of popular programming languages like Java and Python, such system architects optimize business processes, accelerate response time and reduce the number of downtimes, write simple codes that can be easily maintained and design databases to store datasets securely.
Programmers can work individually, publishing their offers on job boards and working as freelancers, or be part of a UK-based software development company that onboards numerous specialists in order to deliver all-encompassing digital solutions according to the unique requirements of businesses of all sizes.
How to choose the right platform to hire a back-end developer?
After a brief overview of the best services, we would still like to make a small summarization regarding the main points that are worth focusing on when singling out a resource for finding specialists. Here is what we would pay attention to:
- Network reputation. Most often, it is formed on the basis of user reviews and gives an idea of the reliability and level of hired specialists, the security of payments and the speed and comfort of communication.
- Hiring speed. As a rule, each business owner has a strictly limited time during which it is desirable to find a contractor. The faster this process ends with successful cooperation, the sooner everyone will receive their incomes. For instance, by partnering with Limeup, you can hire a back-end expert as soon as possible.
- Scalability. If you aim to assemble a full stack development team, check whether you can find all the necessary specialists without delays. The same is related to contracting one employee. Make a decision based on your objectives.
- Support and feedback. The presence of live promotion, quick response to requests and constant assistance are great signs that it is worth staying here. Red flags can be your messages that “hang” without a response for several hours.
- Commission and payments. It is no secret that each resource takes a certain fee for its services. The only question is whether the cost justifies the value. If you need a mid-level employee with standard skills, try to take advantage of free offers. However, it is better to use advanced functionality in case you are looking for a unique code master.
Try to apply these criteria as a roadmap, and it will be easier for you to decide among a dozen similar communities, each with its own advantages.
How to hire dedicated back-end developers for your project?
Today, when the number of programmers already exceeds all expected limits, how to determine which really deserves to become your reliable partner? You can see in everyone’s profiles approximately the same set of knowledge and skills, but there is still something that can tip the scales and influence your decision to extend your team. Follow this simple plan to leave no stones unturned:
Step 1. Write down your objectives
Determine milestones, features, suitable work models and approaches to have a complete picture of your requirements in your hands. From the reviews, you received the information about the specifics of each website’s operations, so you can align them with your vision to decide what will bring more benefits.
Step 2. Pick a website
Proceed to screen sites using the advice we featured in the previous section. Especially, spend some time assessing testimonials and feedback from users to be aware of the advantages and disadvantages of platforms.
Step 3. Conduct interviews with candidates
Find out everything about the specialists you will contact, from their tech knowledge to domain understanding. The times when proficiency in JavaScript, Python, Node.js and C++ was a sufficient condition to be called a good coder are long gone. But what about AI or blockchain? Today, they are a must-have to consider in case you hire remote software developers if you don’t want to be left behind.
Step 4. Discuss terms
Clarify on the shore when you hire back-end developers; are they ready to make transformations as they go? Do they redo work if you don’t find it satisfying? Sometimes, overconfident super-pros can refuse even the slightest changes. For your part, agree on the acceptable number of such modifications and their volume.
Step 5. Start a trial
A short period of cooperation will spotlight their abilities much better than endless conversations. Agreeing on a time-limited project, you will see how they manage to solve digital challenges and communicate with your team. Self-respecting programmers will not waste hours in vain because time is money.
Of course, finding an engineer who meets all of these requirements at the same time is a huge breakthrough. Utilization of the resources we have listed will significantly increase your chances of success.
What are the must-have skills in a back-end developer for hire?
How to decide that an expert’s competencies are enough to optimize your business’s performance and boost efficiency? Such a programmer should be proficient in several frameworks, tools and languages to be able to produce the finest system architecture. We compiled a view of a distinctive expert regarding their talents, encompassing personal traits and practical knowledge. Let’s study them closely:
Technical skills
If you expect to integrate curves above the rest technologies, it is essential to make sure that your digital collaborators have a solid understanding of cutting-edge instruments that pave the way for fascinating results. We recommend you pay attention to the competencies in the following areas:
- Programming languages. To realize your idea fully, you need to hire a back-end developer who has a good grasp of Python, Java, PHP, C# and Ruby. A trailblazing engineer picks a suitable stack to perform their duties in the best possible way.
- Frameworks. A variety of tools simplify and accelerate a software creator’s work, resulting in better resource allocation and optimal deadlines. These toolkits include Django, Flask, Spring Boot, Ruby on Rails, Laravel and many others.
- Regulations. If you operate in strictly regulated industries, such as fintech, edtech or healthcare, the technicians you will partner with must understand the principles of standards like FCA, NHS, GRPR, WGAC.2.1, COPPA and FERPA.
- Databases. They need to be aware of how to manage several databases and know which one to choose among SQL (MySQL, PostgreSQL), NoSQL (Redis, Cassandra) and ORMs (Hibernate).
- Security. Considering the specifics of your venture, hire a dedicated back-end developer who knows the ropes of protection enhancement through multi-factor authentication, role-based authorization, data encryption, backup and recovery. Updates and audits should also be within their strong points.
Even though the list is extensive, it doesn’t fully cover all capabilities of seasoned software architects, especially those who work for a SaaS-based product development company. Now, let’s also take a look at supplement talents that make the difference.
Soft skills
Having discussions with stakeholders, reporting and brainstorming are also parts of system creation, and finding an open, innovative supplier whose culture aligns with yours will help establish a productive working environment in no time. Good project delivery depends on these qualities:
- Flexibility. If the specifics of your undertaking shifted, well-versed specialists would quickly adjust to new conditions without procrastination hours. It applies to cooperation models, too.
- The adeptness at problem-solving. You may request an advanced protection system or ask to build a complex feature, and if your cooperator is eager to embrace any challenge, your idea will be realized as you perceive it.
- Collaboration. Whether you employ a solo programmer as a regular member of your crew or join efforts with an agency, teamwork abilities require your special attention as it is about collective effectiveness.
When all the abovementioned characteristics are met in one professional, you can be sure that you will receive a gold standard solution.
How much does it cost to hire a remote back-end developer?
Sometimes, customers are even more concerned about the budget issue than the experts’ qualifications and agree to some compromise in terms of quality instead of increasing the cost of the project. But is such a risk justified?
If you approach the distribution of financial flows wisely, you can get decent quality and employ an expert at a reasonable price. The main thing is to know some tricks that affect pricing. And we are ready to tell you about them.
- Variability of hourly rates.
By choosing a team from some regions of Asia, you are able to significantly reduce costs. At the same time, if you turn to a beginner freelancer in Europe, you can find affordable services as well. Still, in North America, in the center of technology, the salaries of specialists are the highest.
| Region | Rates |
| Asia | $30 – $50 |
| Western Europe | $40 – $80 |
| Eastern Europe | $80 – $120 |
| North America | $100-$150 |
- Pricing model
If you have a large project, it is more profitable to find back-end developers who agree on a monthly deposit or payment for the campaign at once. Otherwise, counting every hour of work, you can very quickly fly out of business. Find out more about the most adopted payment tactics from the table below.
| Type | Description |
| Subscription / retainer | You pay a fixed sum each month for ongoing services. It allows you to benefit from lower entry rates. |
| Value-based | You are charged according to the deliverables’ impact on your business. |
| Fixed | You cover expenses for the outlay you and a specialist agree upon. |
| Milestone-based | You make payments where each target of your project is met. |
- System architect’s qualification
Your venture’s scale dictates the necessary knowledge level for a technician. If you require minimal involvement, you can employ a middle at average rates and get everything you planned. If your undertaking is complex, you must invite a senior whose hourly payment can reach 150$. The further outline features all the approximate numbers:
| Mastery rank | Ranges | When to assemble |
| Juniors | $20 – $50 | Easy features creation, unit tests, basic knowledge of tools and programming languages. |
| Middles | $50 – $100 | Main functionality engineering, API connection, code inspection. |
| Seniors | $100 – $150 | Strategy formation, monitoring, architecture building. |
- Ratio of needs and requests
In reality, you may need help from a major software company with a sizable staff and impressive capacity that will assemble a team of troubleshooters to accomplish your grandiose project instead of one specialist.
Recent statistics show that the average salary you need to pay when you hire a back-end engineer with about three years of experience is $108,000 per year. Add to these other costs for creating your digital product, and you can roughly calculate your investment depending on the scale and niche.
Hidden costs to watch out for
When you onboard dedicated software engineers, many obstacles may appear on the stage and shake things up. In the table we gathered for you, you will find common potential scenarios when your budget may expand due to particular aspects. You will get acquainted with approximate figures and practical approaches to how to prevent those extensions:
| Factor | Numbers | How to avoid |
| Recruitment | $500 – $1,500 for job posting portals 10% – 25% for a recruiting agency annually | Consider contacting a back-end developer for hire directly, for example, by choosing studios that don’t have extra costs for contacting them. |
| Training | $10,000 – $15,000, taking into account time spent by seniors and the low efficiency of new employees | Seek programmers with industry expertise and experience working with a company like yours. |
| Platform’s fees | 5% – %20 | Select websites without extra expenses that go to platforms. Think about cooperating with agencies or long-term hiring. |
Also, be aware of potential budget overruns, which you can confront if a proposal from a coder is too cheap. It can mean that a candidate lacks enough proficiency or that their assistance may be limited.
What interview questions to ask back-end developers for hire?
A small questionnaire will shed light on the strengths and weaknesses of a potential candidate. First, you will be able to evaluate their tech knowledge and work approach. Second, their answers will leave no stone unturned concerning their development process. Third, you won’t need to guess their communication skills after a well-thought-out interview.
Which back-end frameworks and languages do you work with?
Above, we have already provided a groundbreaking description of needed competencies, so based on engineers’ answers, ensure that a candidate names at least a few listed abilities. Additionally, you can ask about a basic understanding of tools.
Could you tell me how to build a scalable infrastructure?
Asking about the steps of engineering when you hire a remote back-end developer will highlight the specifics of their work tactics. It will show how well a coder can turn complex topics into a good explanation. If they need too much time to put the process into words or have nothing to say, consider it a red flag.
How do you ascertain that your software is protected?
Integrating security mechanisms is one of the main talents of a programmer who works with the server side of an application, so having a consistent discussion about their capabilities, achievements and ideas will save you a lot of time and effort.
Which testing tactics do you follow?
Software developers for hire with a refined methodology would perform multiple inspection tasks at different phases of software creation, before and after launch. End-to-end evaluation, unit testing and API integration checks are only a few possibilities from a long list.
How do you document your code?
With flawlessly composed documentation, such tasks as maintenance and updates, as well as involving new people in your carry-out, won’t be too difficult as experts will quickly read details and leverage fixes without delays. That’s why it’s essential to ensure that a specialist has a knack for accurate code comments.
As you can see, the role of a system architect is a demanding one, and our simple notes will enable you to connect with the most proficient engineer.
Looking to hire a dedicated back-end developer?
It is impossible to remain without a coder if you carefully read our review and try at least some of the tips in practice. The experience of our clients is the best proof of this. It took them no more than a few days to begin beneficial cooperation. And it is worth noting that our professionals create digital masterpieces enthusiastically and at the highest level.
Do you want to dive into the same thrill from the hiring process? Limeup awaits your call, which will change your professional life and outlook on collaboration. Schedule your free consultation with our top-notch crew and shift some worries onto our shoulders.
