A bad hire costs more than just time and money. It can derail your entire product roadmap. If you're a founder or CTO looking for elite remote developers, you need a partner that delivers top talent, rigorous vetting, and a frictionless process. But between Lemon.io and Proxify, which platform will meet your needs better? We compared them head-to-head on pricing, vetting process, hiring process, and best use cases. No fluff. Just the key insights you need to make a smart decision for your team.

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About Lemon.io

Lemon.io is a Ukrainian tech talent marketplace that connects early-stage startups with vetted freelance developers from Eastern Europe. The company was founded in 2015, solely focusing on developers in Ukraine and Romania. Recently, they’ve expanded their talent pool to include engineers based in Latin America.

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About Proxify

Proxify is a Swedish company that connects US and UK businesses with vetted remote developers and tech specialists. It was founded in 2018 and provides access to talent across 35 countries. Proxify also handles contract, compliance & payroll on behalf of its customers.

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How to Hire a Developer at Lemon.io

1. Fill out a request form on their website with details about your project. 
2. Lemon.io matches you with developers from their database who fit your requirements. 
3. You can interview the developers to assess for cultural fit with your team. 
4. Once you’re ready, you must make a security deposit and commit to at least 160 work hours to get your project started. 

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How to Hire a Developer at Proxify

1. Fill out a form on Proxify’s website about what you need in a dev. 
2. A Proxify rep will get in touch to learn more about your project.
3. You’ll get a shortlist of developers who match your requirements.
4. You have the option to interview the shortlisted candidates.
5. Choose the developer that’s the best fit and start working with them right away. 

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Lemon.io’s Vetting Process

Lemon.io’s quick vetting process allows them to screen many candidates. However, this might raise concerns about the quality of their talent pool. Here’s how it works:

1. Lemon’s recruiting team reviews resumes and LinkedIn profiles. Applicants with at least five years of experience in the required tech stack are accepted. 
2. Candidates are screened for English proficiency and communication skills.
3. Senior developers from Lemon’s community interview candidates with a live coding test to vet their technical know-how.
4. The best-performing candidates are added to Lemon.io’s talent pool.

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Proxify’s Vetting Process

Here’s Proxify’s step-by-step vetting process:

1. Proxify’s recruiters review each applicant’s background, skills, and experience.
2. Candidates complete tests on technical, problem-solving, and communication skills.
3. Proxify’s senior engineers conduct live coding and real-world problem assessments.
4. The best performers are invited to join Proxify’s network.

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Lemon.io’s Pricing

According to its website, Lemon.io developers typically charge between $55 to $100 per hour, depending on seniority and the project’s complexity. However, you must agree to commit to a minimum of 160 work hours to start any project. 

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Proxify’s Pricing

Proxify has an online calculator you can use to estimate their developers' rates. The figures range from $5,500 to $10,000 monthly, depending on the skills you need, the seniority of the developer, and the number of hours per month. However, Proxify requires a minimum commitment of 40 hours per month. 

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Lemon.io Pros & Cons

Pros

• Generally affordable hourly rates.
• The hiring process can take just about a week. 
• You get access to pre-vetted developers.

Cons

• Requires a minimum commitment of 160 work hours before a project can start.
• A security deposit is required for any project to start. This deposit is equal to a week’s or a month’s fee of the project, depending on your billing cycle. 

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Proxify Pros & Cons

Pros

• Rates are generally affordable. 
• Proxify handles contract, compliance & payroll on behalf of clients
• You get access to pre-vetted developers.

Cons

• The hiring process can take up to 2 weeks. 
• Each contract requires a minimum commitment of 40 work hours per month. 
• Some users complained about the professionalism of the developers and company staff.

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Lemon.io vs Proxify Compared: Key Differences

We compared these two platforms side by side against each other on several factors.

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Which should you choose?

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What is the Best Alternative to Lemon.io and Proxify?

Both Lemon and Proxify offer good IT talent at competitive pricing, but the required minimum commitments can be a turn-off, especially when they claim to offer free trials. 

ReactSquad is the best alternative, and we don’t require minimum commitments to work with us. Our fees are transparent, but more importantly, we provide value for money. As a marketplace of React developers, we vet each dev through 3 interview rounds plus 4 weeks of a paid test project. This makes us confident that you’ll only work with specialists in the React tech stack. 

Start a 7-day, no-risk, free trial when you schedule a call with us today!