Hire an Offshore Developer: Best Platforms & Hiring Guide (2025)
Enterprises that scale quickly and easily overcome business storms. To redirect finances to further extension, you can hire offshore developers who will become reliable assistants and save your resources.
As an offshore software development company in the UK, we help clients build dedicated teams and deliver high-quality solutions that align with their goals. Our guide, which contains tips on working with overseas recruiting grounds, will help you find quickly adaptable specialists.
Our review is worth your attention because knowing what competencies to rely on to hire dedicated offshore developers and how much their services are valued will help you navigate hundreds of thousands of applicants and choose someone you can safely entrust the fate of your project to.
If you are looking for employees to solve digital problems, we will tell you how to pick the most suitable marketplace and what steps to take to hire an offshore developer who best suits your needs. After reading all the sections, you will no longer have any questions about hiring, which will allow your idea to take off quickly and efficiently.
List of websites to hire offshore developers
Founded: 2017
Headquarters: London, United Kingdom
If you need the best offshore developers, Limeup is a dependable choice for you. We don’t just provide individual coders — we build dedicated remote teams tailored to your project goals and company culture. For over 10 years, we’ve helped clients in FinTech, HealthTech, eCommerce, and SaaS tackle complex tasks: from optimizing payment systems and developing HIPAA-compliant portals to scaling platforms for millions of users.
Our developers work with modern stacks like React, Node.js, Python, .NET, AWS, GCP, and Azure. Unlike many vendors, we carefully select specialists who integrate into your workflows, adapt fast, and bring industry best practices to the table. With 200+ completed projects and glowing reviews, we’re ready to deliver solutions that keep you ahead of the competition.
Cooperation models:
Key benefits:
- One of our top priorities is meeting deadlines and financial obligations, so you can be sure that we will stay within the framework of the initial agreements.
- Our teams consist of 75+ technically savvy Middle and Senior level professionals.
- Thanks to our professionalism, the total income growth of clients from 40+ countries of the world amounted to $36M.
Why choose us:
With the help of code engineers from our teams, you will be able to implement ideas in a variety of fields, thanks to their ability to optimize strategies and cultivate unconventional approaches even to complex tasks. We form teams only from those specialists who will be optimally suited to a specific task, so that you do not have to look for additional resources.
Founded: 2017
Headquarters: Berlin, Germany
This platform perfectly solves the problem of hiring offshore developers due to the availability of performers with different backgrounds, both in terms of technology and areas of knowledge application. Here you can find a contractor for any format and scale of the concept, from a one-time task to a full-fledged creation of a digital product from scratch.
Based on successful reviews from previous partners, you can conclude about the high class of employees, a smoothly organized recruiting plan and consistency at all stages of operations. This allowed them to finalize 100+ projects for more than 80 international customers.
Key benefits:
- The interests of the consumer are at the first stage, and therefore all actions from the selection of candidates to determining the format of their contracting are based on the wishes of the customer.
- The comprehensive understanding of specialists allows them to take on tasks of any complexity and apply the most trendy approaches for maximum efficiency.
- Continuous enhancement and improvement of skills is a distinctive characteristic of operators.
Why choose them:
This resource is perfect if you don’t want to experience unnecessary difficulties on the way to finding employees, because all that is required of you is to bring a detailed description of the task. Then all the concerns about the selection of personnel will be taken over by a team of professionals, who will ultimately contribute to you with a selection of the most relevant applicants and help with the further registration of your labor relations.
Founded: 2002
Headquarters: Mountain View, CA, USA
If you have long wanted to find offshore developers that best match your values, then using LinkedIn will make it much easier. This is due to the ability to get acquainted not only with the accomplished abilities of applicants, but also with their life position, vision and approach to execution, which is easily tracked by the microblog available in each account.
A convenient addition to the standard set of functions is the built-in messenger and the ability to build your own network of connections for further cooperation.
Key benefits:
The biggest advantage of this network is the huge pool of candidates, where you can definitely find the perfect match even with the most narrow requests. And the ability to create a vocational page allows you to present your company in a professional environment, thereby attracting outstanding talent for future big ideas.
Why choose them:
Even in the free version you will find many convenient functions and excellent opportunities for selectivity, and with premium access your chances of finding a super pro will increase tenfold.
Founded: 2014
Headquarters: San Francisco, CA, USA
Due to the constant updating of the functionality, which is becoming more and more convenient for users, Upwork helps to find freelance offshore developers faster. One of the most successful options is the joint use of the mobile application and the site, which significantly increases the chance of meeting exactly the specialist who will implement your idea in the most successful way.
Key benefits:
You can avoid being distracted by third-party resources, since the entire process of discussing details takes place in the built-in messenger, and using a time tracker will make interaction with performers transparent, honest and eliminate unnecessary misunderstandings.
Why choose them:
This resource is chosen because of its simple registration mechanism, 24/7 support and quick- resolved disputes. And the ability to describe the task in detail, as a rule, speeds up the search for the right technician without wasting time on screening out irrelevant candidates.
Founded: 2010
Headquarters: Wilmington, DE, USA
To hire offshore dedicated developers exclusively from the A-list, it is worth paying attention to Toptal, which conducts such a strict initial selection that only 3% of applicants can actually register after completing the testing. But you will have the opportunity to immediately set a high bar of requirements and be sure that you will select exclusively from the cream of the programming community.
Key benefits:
Trust the selection path to a Talent Matcher and you will be able to focus on other, more global tasks while the built-in assistant conducts a detailed analysis of your requirements and selects a candidate who 100% matches your expectations. According to successful statistics, such a process takes on average less than a week.
Why choose them:
To give employers confidence in their choice, this resource removes payment for personnel recruitment only 2 weeks after the start in case the joint activity does not bring the expected results and you want to change the employee. This approach definitely builds more trusting relationships.
Founded: 2019
Headquarters: Palo Alto, CA, USA
If you are wondering how to hire offshore developers with a truly high level of training, Arc.dev has solved this problem for you. The system for registering performers includes an entrance test of several stages, which allows only 2% of the total number of applicants to submit their candidacy for consideration. Thus, you get access only to the elite, many of whom are ready to create in a format convenient for you.
Key benefits:
The main value of the resource can be called a wide choice, since there are 450,000 users, each of whom is ready to share their capabilities. In addition to this, you can use the HireAI assistant, to find those who are best suited to complete the described task.
Why choose them:
The fast sourcing tactic distinguishes this ecosystem from many similar ones, and the quality will not suffer from speed and the result will meet expectations. If any questions arise, you will be helped by 24/7 support, which equally well copes with technical issues and settles disputes between performers and employers.
Founded: 2009
Headquarters: Sydney, Australia
Want to hire remote offshore developers without spending too much? You will definitely like Freelancer, because here the fee for assistance is charged only in case of complete satisfaction with the concluded deal. No advance payments are required and the free version has enough functionality to describe the vacancy and your expectations. And the response of candidates is so fast that the search will definitely not drag on for weeks.
Key benefits:
Modern realities require constant access to amenities and this is easily accomplished with the Freelancer mobile application, which acts synchronously with the site and allows you to not stop searching for a minute, which potentially speeds up the implementation of your deployment. Such a tandem allows you to pick out thoughtfully and not lose a single pro.
Why choose them:
A great find and help is the library of articles with useful technical tips and tricks, which you can use if you do not fully understand what strengths you need in a potential employee or what to pay attention to during an interview. In addition, it is worth noting the secure payment system, which is also important these days.
Founded: 2009
Headquarters: Sydney, Australia
It is an entirely free tool for those who hire developers offshore, without any markups or commissions. You can view profiles of participants, get acquainted with their qualifications, experience, rates and availability and make a decision based on combinations of this data. There is an option to contact the specialist of interest directly, which simplifies communication.
Key benefits:
In addition to free access, users are attracted to this resource by its high visibility, because in the profile you can evaluate both the resume and the portfolio, which allows you to create a complete portrait of the applicant. Direct coverage shortens the path to the contract, since it excludes the bidding system or space for making intermediary contacts.
Why choose them:
This community successfully uses the reputation and infrastructure of Hubstaff, which has proven itself in time tracking and management. As a result, you get seamless access to craftspersons, transparent communication and quite a large variability in the choice of partnership formats.
What is an offshore developer?
The issue of saving money when employing a team or a freelance tech crafter is often very acute. That is why any offshore application development company is so popular today, as it can reduce the financial burden a little with a high level of acumen.
Such a practice is one of the forms of outsourcing, in which possible synergy sometimes even takes place in another time zone, which does not prevent the formulation from being deployed with the same efficiency as having your own unit in your office. Thanks to the expansion of technology, it is no longer a problem to organize a meeting or join forces on an undertaking, being thousands of kilometers apart.
The fact that large corporations such as Microsoft, Google, CISCO and IBM conduct part of their operations outside their countries, transferring some of their responsibilities to remote suppliers, speaks to the prospects of such implementations. The most popular countries to hire an offshore developer in this regard are the Philippines, India and China.
Authorities of this type can solve a fairly wide range of tasks, including the following:
- writing and maintaining code,
- construction and implementation of software solutions,
- testing and debugging applications,
- cooperation with the main crew,
- participation in testing,
- provision of technical support.
Thus, they are able to cover almost all stages of the building life cycle, and therefore there are practically no reasons to refuse such services.
Why do companies choose overseas experts?
According to research data, the offshore software development market was estimated at $122 billion in 2024 and is projected to reach $283 billion by 2031. This means that more and more businesses are hiring an overseas developer for startups. In addition to cost savings, this is due to greater access to human resources with specialized knowledge, which can be problematic at the local level.
And there are no problems with the flexibility of team formation here — you can vary the number of employees and their technical level at your discretion, depending on the stage of implementation.
However, you can only supplement or strengthen the existing hub with such aficionados, if necessary. Or, after the errand is fully deployed, you can use distributed strategists from app development companies in the UK to provide further support and ensure smooth operation.
Most often, businesses seek the particular allowances in the following situations:
- It’s hard to recruit local applicants.
- Programming costs increase excessively.
- The current team needs urgent scaling.
- A need for continuous processes is emerging.
- A new market with unique requirements needs to be entered.
In essence, external stack handlers expand their access to gifted personnel, not limited to local capabilities.
How to choose a platform to hire dedicated offshore developers?
The most popular and widely used method of enrolling specialists is to turn to specialized resources which have similar basic functionality and custom characteristics.
A good option that helps you choose the best tool for hiring and not waste time are reviews like ours. They reveal the important nuances of each platform, allowing you to see what is most valuable to you.
Therefore, we suggest evaluating each job board according to the following criteria.
- Sorting parameters. Some grounds allow everyone to register without any entrance tests, which does not guarantee that the registered offshore developer for hire really has the level of training and mastery that they claim. Therefore, if it is important for you to prefer only the best, pay attention to the sites where there is a strict selection.
- Convenience of the interface. Most recruiting spaces are built on a similar principle, but for some the path from registration to contact with the candidate you like is logical and transparent, while for others you have to wander around the pages a little. And if you don’t want to waste effort searching for the right section or button, opt for intuitive interfaces.
- Contact form. After you analyze the applications and make a shortlist, it’s a point to contact a freelance offshore developer. And if the resource does not deliver a built-in messenger, you will start switching to third-party services, which wastes precious time and is fraught with the loss of contacts.
- Commission size. As a rule, you have to pay for personnel selection packages. However, the difference lies in the amount of this payment, the period when it is withdrawn and the guarantees that are produced in exchange. Having analyzed all the components, you will see where the most acceptable conditions will be for you.
Not always in the arena you are interested in, all the listed options will coincide perfectly, however if most of them meet your requirements — you can safely contact them in search of employees. Well, combining several offerings to designate one of the best software development agencies is also a great option.
What are the steps to hire offshore programmers?
So, it’s safe to say that you’re already halfway to signing a contract with the perfect coder and starting your project. Once you’ve decided on a suitable resource to search for a contractor, you need to think about how to designate from among the many applicants the one who will become the driving force behind future positive changes.
We suggest using our step-by-step guide, which has proven itself in practice and has helped many business owners intensify their workforce with worthy technology implementers.
Step 1. Outline the goals and objectives of the mission. This should include both a technical description of the future product and wishes for the technologies used, since this will make it easier for you to hire a remote offshore developer.
Step 2. Select candidates with the required proficiencies and skillset in your niche, so as not to beat around the bush with additional explanations and delving into specifics.
Step 3. Analyze the portfolios, evaluating their previous cases to understand the degree to which your vision and ways of organizing the workflow coincide.
Step 4. Conduct interviews with those who have passed your preliminary selection. Assess not only technical savvy, but also soft skills, which we will discuss a little later.
Step 5. Set up communication for further dealings, agree on convenient channels for communication, frequency of meetings, provision of reports and the possibility of making emergency edits.
Step 6. Discuss guarantees and protect your intellectual property. Before hiring an offshore developer, sign a non-disclosure agreement and include all the points to satisfy both parties and avoid misunderstandings in the future.
Perhaps you will want to conduct a trial period first to make sure that you are really a great squad, then talk through all the details and discuss the nuances. Otherwise, if all the steps are completed successfully, you will most likely get a reliable assistant and your master plan will sparkle with new facets, allowing you to enter the market with a bright and relevant offer.
Which skills are essential to check to hire overseas developers?
Outsourcing top-notch contributors is not just about finding the right people. It is about carefully selecting the perfect matches, and on different levels, to ensure the most comfortable alliance with a quick, high-level result. That is why analyzing the strengths of future employees is one of the most important stages of selection.
Without a doubt, in today’s technologically advanced world, it is impossible to do without a powerful base consisting of knowledge of languages, frameworks, and trendy tools. But this is not the only thing that distinguishes a guru who is capable of creating high-quality and competitive upshots.
That is why to help you hire overseas programmers we have divided all the necessary talents into two key groups and want to tell you about each of them in more detail.
Technical skills
As we have already said, the basis of everything is technical savvy, and that is where we will start. When checking how suitable a candidate is for you, evaluate their proficiency in the following areas of knowledge:
- Java knowledge. Look for those dedicated teams for software development which understand object-oriented programming, JVM internals, Spring Framework, and performance tuning.
- Python proficiency. Explore grasp with Django or Flask, the ability to process data using Pandas, and familiarity with asynchronous programming, for example, in Asyncio.
- Front-end and back-end. It would be good to check how well the candidate handles React, Angular, Vue, as well as Node.js and Express.
- Version control. If you find an offshore developer with insight into Git, then branching, pull requests, and conflict resolution will be well configured.
- Testing and debugging. Competence in writing unit tests like JUnit or PyTest will prevent you from bringing additional personnel on board.
- DevOps and CI/CD. Familiarity with Docker, Jenkins, GitHub Actions, and cloud platforms AWS, Azure, and GCP will be a bonus.
During the interview, you can conduct technical testing to determine how clean and methodically correct the code fragments are.
Soft skills
A common situation for recruiters or businessmen selecting new division members is to focus exclusively on the technical proficiencies of applicants. Having said that, it is almost impossible to build efficient activity if the candidate does not have sufficient know-how related to social interaction and self-organization.
A solid foundation of soft skills will help you fully reveal both the potential of digital artisans and the capabilities of your digital product. We will help you make a list of qualities that are important for a comfortable atmosphere. Partnering with a custom software development company ensures that your offshore team is aligned not only technically but also culturally, enabling smooth communication and efficient delivery.
- Effective communication. We can say that for solution makers this is a real must-have, because the exchange of ideas, solving technical difficulties and even ordinary small talks allow the coder not to turn into an isolated unit writing code separated from the general idea.
- Adaptability to time zones. The option to hire overseas developers with the ability to perform asynchronously is one of the priorities, since even in partially overlapping longitudinal divisions, part of the work has to be done outside the main task force. Using tools like Slack, Notion or Loom can make this task much easier.
- Collaboration capabilities. Collaborating on Jira, Trello or GitHub Projects often brings together efforts and enables a quick breakthrough in a short time. But this is only possible if all participants of a top-rated full stack development company know how to coordinate together.
- Time management. One of the most important competences that allows you to stay on schedule, while at the same point not getting stressed and not conducting tests or launches under extreme stressful rush conditions.
- Cultural compatibility. Since nearshore engineering involves a variety of cultures and traditions, it is better if you hire an overseas developer who is familiar with both international standards and local peculiarities.
Our advice regarding ability assessment is as follows: try to use a combination of technical tests, analysis of previous tasks, personal interviews and collaboration tasks. This is how you will get to know those who are applying for the role of your digital assistant in a comprehensive manner.
How much do offshore developers for hire cost?
Due to the difference in salaries, which is based on the lower cost of living in some countries, outsourced construction can save quite a lot of money. However, your choice of provider will primarily depend on your long-term goals.
Of course, the final budget is largely determined by the hourly rates of various specialists. For example, if the remuneration of full-cycle SaaS engineering teams will differ from the rates of .Net coders. But also, the size of the payment largely depends on the location of the contractor, in connection with which we offer you an estimated evaluation by countries where software developers are most often sought.
An approximate breakdown of rates by countries:
| Region | Countries | Rates per hour | Rate level* |
| North America | USA, Canada | $50 – $300 | High |
| Western Europe | UK, Germany, France, Belgium, Norway, Netherlands, Ireland | $50 – $300 | High |
| Eastern Europe | Ukraine, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Belarus | $25 – $199 | Mid |
| Southern Europe | Portugal, Greece, Spain | $25 – $150 | Mid |
| Latin America | Mexico, Panama, Brazil, Argentina | $25 – $99 | Mid |
| Central Asia | Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan | $25 – $49 | Low |
| East and South Asia | China, Japan, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Vietnam | $25 – $99 | Low |
| Africa | Nigeria, Kenya, Egypt, South Africa | $20 – $79 | Low |
| Middle East | UAE, Israel, Jordan | $40 – $100 | Mid |
*Rate level is a conditional category of the cost of hiring developers. This is a rough reckoning of the price range, which helps to orient oneself in the advisability of engagement in a particular country.
High — the most expensive market with high standards.
Mid — balancing tariffs and value for flexible budget projects.
Mid-high — prices tend to be premium, but vary depending on the industry.
Low — budget territories that allow for significant savings.
Per a respective publication, the Asia-Pacific region will hold the largest market share in the coming years due to the large volume of outsourcing carried out in this locality. As for China, it will provide better opportunities in the future, as it is more cost-effective compared to India.
However, for now, an analysis of the most popular cases allows us to conclude that the high standard of living makes the US and Western Europe the most expensive zones to engage in. Despite that, when choosing the best countries to hire offshore developers, it is worth remembering that the expenditure for designing will also increase as the complexity, depth of the technology stack and the required level of competence increase.
Therefore, to determine the final budget, you will have to take into account all of the listed factors, including the willingness to contract a separate executor or hire software developers as freelancers.
Looking to hire an offshore programmer?
In general, the technique of finding and outsourcing remote logic technicians can be either simple and easy or complicated and lengthy. It will depend only on how clearly you imagine your future partner and what requirements you have for him. Our comprehensive review will help you hire an overseas programmer with the most convenient and functional portal, which will become a matchmaker for choosing the best of the best.
If you need qualified advice on the intricacies of enlisting tech crafters in a certain area or acting in a highly specialized niche, book a call with Limeup, and our consultants will help you establish contact with those you need in a specific situation.
