Arnia Software is a Romania-based software development outsourcing company founded in 2006. Known for its nearshore and offshore development models, Arnia provides custom software development, staff augmentation, and end-to-end project delivery. In this review, we’ll explore what Arnia offers, examine its strengths and limitations, and compare it against top alternatives for hiring developers.

What is Arnia Software?

Founded in 2006, Arnia is a global software outsourcing provider that specializes in providing dedicated Romanian developers and outsourcing solutions for complex software projects. The company serves clients across multiple countries and industries, including finance, telecom, healthcare, retail, and automotive. 

Key Features of Arnia

• Nearshore and Offshore Outsourcing: Development centers in Romania serving Europe and global clients.
• Staff Augmentation: Ability to scale client teams with experienced software engineers.
• Full Software Development Lifecycle: From design and architecture to QA and ongoing maintenance.
• Technology Expertise: Their developers are skilled in .NET, Java, PHP, React, mobile development, cloud, and database management systems.

Arnia’s Developer Vetting Process

Arnia doesn’t state how it vets developers on its website, but we could gather some insights into their process from Glassdoor reviews:

1. Initial Application & HR Discussion: Candidates apply for the role, which leads to a preliminary conversation with an HR representative.
2. Technical Interview: A senior developer assesses the candidate’s knowledge of essential frontend and backend technologies. 
3. Programming Test: Candidates must complete a coding test to demonstrate their practical coding abilities.
4. The most impressive candidates are selected for client projects.

How to hire developers from Arnia

1. Use the contact form on Arnia’s website to submit an official inquiry. 
2. A sales rep will reach out to you to discuss your needs further, including things like hiring engagement.
3. Based on the discussion, Arnia recruiters will present a list of developers that match your specs. This usually takes up to 4 days.
4. Interview the shortlisted candidates to see who is the best fit for your team. 
5. After making your choice, sign the contracts and Arnia handles the developer’s onboarding process into your team. 

Arnia Pricing

While Arnia doesn’t have an official pricing list, its blog suggests their developers charge between $55 and $95 per hour. It’s unclear if these figures already include Arnia’s service fees. If you want accurate estimates, you must contact Arnia directly for a custom quote.

Arnia Client Reviews

Public client reviews for Arnia are limited. They have no presence on G2 or Trustpilot, making it hard to know its quality from 3rd party sources. Their case studies suggest a track record of delivering enterprise-level solutions, though detailed feedback is not widely available.

Arnia Pros

• Flexibility in engagement models (outsourcing, staff augmentation, nearshore hiring).
• Strong presence in Europe with cultural and time zone alignment for EU-based companies.
• Arnia has broad technology expertise across modern stacks.

Arnia Cons

• Lack of transparency in pricing.
• Its vetting process isn’t so rigorous and comprehensive, making the quality of talent uncertain. 
• May be better suited for larger enterprises than startups with smaller budgets.

Alternatives to Arnia Software

#1 ReactSquad

We are a vetted network of React developers specializing in providing startups and SMBs with high-quality React.js talent. 

ReactSquad features

• Curated pool of React experts: Each dev comes with 5+ years of experience and was rigorously vetted through 3 interview rounds and a live coding test. Our CTO, Jan Hesters, handpicks the most qualified candidates to join our talent pool.
• Trial period: Enjoy a risk-free trial of 14 days. If you’re unhappy the bill is on us.
• Fast process: Get matched within 48 hours and your dev onboarded under a week.
• Flexible hiring for short or long-term projects.
• No equity required: Work with top developers without having to sacrifice equity

‍Pricing: Only pay $75 per hour. No hidden fees. 

ReactSquad vs Arnia Compared

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#2 Toptal

Toptal is a global talent marketplace that connects companies with top freelance developers around the globe. Toptal recruits highly skilled developers and are known for their strict vetting process. Unsurprisingly, this leads to their freelance developer charging premium rates, making Toptal a better fit for enterprise and midsized companies seeking elite talent on-demand.

Toptal’s features:

• Skilled talent: Get access to rigorously vetted and senior developers.
• Flexible hiring: Hire developers on a part-time or full-time basis.
• Global talent pool: Hire from over 1 million tech specialists from multiple regions.
• Diverse tech stack: You can find specialists in every kind of technology. 

‍Pricing: Developers charge between $100 and $200 per hour depending on seniority, tech stack and project size. Additionally Toptal charges a flat monthly subscription fee of $79 for using its talent search platform. Multiple sources say you must pay a refundable $500 initial deposit to start the trial period.

Toptal vs Arnia Compared

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#3 Upsilon

Upsilon is a product development outsourcing company focused on providing scale-ups with dedicated development teams to scale their product faster and more effectively.

Upsilon features

• Staff augmentation services are available only to scale-ups ($1m+).
• Also supplying companies with dedicated dev teams.
• Nearshore outsourcing for European and North American clients.

Pricing: Upsilon developer rates start at $45/hour, but you’re required to hire at least two developers. Upsilon automatically supplements your developers with a team of specialists, consisting of QAs, designers and project managers. The rates of all these roles are embedded in your monthly cost.

Upsilon vs Arnia Compared

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#4 Proxify

Proxify is a talent network that connects businesses with remote developers. It operates on a subscription-based model where you can hire vetted developers for a fixed monthly fee Proxify serves startups and SMBs looking for vetted talent at competitive rates. You can find developers for a wide range of IT services including web development, mobile app development, and more.

Proxify features

• Access to AI-vetted developer profiles.
• You can onboard your developer within a week.
• Enjoy a risk-free trial for 7 days at no cost.
• Clients are assigned a Client Manager for support and managing Proxify devs.
• Personal dashboard to manage your project and your team.
• Requires a minimum commitment of 40 hours a month. 

Pricing: Proxify’s dev rates start at $55/hr but most senior talent are available for around $90-100 per hour. 

Proxify vs Arnia Compared

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#5 LatHire

As the name suggests, LatHire allows you to hire developers from Latin America. The platform connects startups and scaleups with vetted engineers across different tech stacks, while also taking care of payroll, contracts, and compliance so you can focus on building your product.

LatHire features

• Access to a large pool of developers and tech talent from Latin America.
• Get matches within 72 hours. 
• LatHire takes care of HR, international payroll, and legal compliance.
• Time-zone sync with US companies
• Uses AI in vetting developers

Pricing: Average rates are between $42-$70 per hour, depending on developer seniority and duration of the project. 

LatHire vs Arnia Compared

Quick Comparison of Arnia & Alternatives

Which Arnia Alternative to Choose

Here are the best alternatives for different use cases and scenarios. 

Conclusion

Arnia is a solid choice for enterprises and mid-sized companies seeking a large outsourcing partner with diverse technical expertise. However, if you’re a startup or SMB, where speed and flexibility in hiring are high on your priority list, and you want React specialists to work with, then ReactSquad is your best option. 

Our developers are highly experienced in the React tech stack and can work with technologies in the React ecosystem - JavaScript, Redux, Node.js, Remix - you name it. Our clients range from bootstrapped startups to VC-backed scaleups, helping them get dedicated experts in their team without the costs of overheads or over-the-top salaries. 

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