Hiring the right developer is hard, especially when time, budget, and quality are on the line. Lemon.io and Turing are two well-known platforms that promise pre-vetted engineering talent.
However, they serve very different needs when it comes to pricing, process, and flexibility. This article breaks down how each platform works, what it costs, and who it’s best for so you can decide which one fits your project. Plus, we’ll share a third alternative worth considering.
About Lemon
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 to include engineers based in Latin America in their talent pool.
About Turing
Turing.com is an intelligent talent platform that uses AI to match U.S. and Canadian companies with pre-vetted, remote software engineers from around the world. Beyond just sourcing candidates, Turing provides built-in collaboration tools to simplify managing distributed teams across time zones.
How to Hire a Developer at Lemon
- Fill out a request form on their website with details about your project.
- Lemon.io matches you with developers from their database who fit your requirements.
- You can interview the developers to assess their cultural fit with your team.
- Once you’ve chosen, you can get started after committing to at least 160 work hours and making a security deposit.
How to Hire a Developer at Turing
Turing’s hiring process takes about 2 weeks from start to finish. Here’s the step-by-step process:
- Select the programming language you want to hire for. E.g., Python, PHP, etc.
- Turing’s AI matching engine will send you a list of candidates to review.
- Schedule interviews with the shortlisted developers to see who is the best fit.
- Start working with your chosen developer in a 2-week free trial.
Lemon'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:
- Lemon’s recruiters review all resumes and LinkedIn profiles received. Developers with at least five years of experience in the required tech stack are accepted.
- Candidates are screened for English fluency and communication skills.
- Senior developers from Lemon’s community interview candidates with a live coding test to vet their technical skills.
- The best candidates are added to Lemon.io’s talent pool.
Turing’s Vetting Process
Here’s Turing’s step-by-step vetting process:
- Turing uses an Intelligent AI system to assess developers' profiles.
- Developers are tested on technical skills. Tests cover programming languages, algorithms, data structures, system design, frameworks, and specializations.
- Developers complete a 57-question survey covering five areas: project impact, engineering excellence, communication, collaboration, and leadership direction.
- Only the highest-performing developers pass and join the Turing network.
Lemon's Pricing
Lemon.io engineers' hourly rates are between $55 and $100 per hour, depending on seniority and the project’s complexity. Lemon requires a minimum commitment of 160 work hours per project, so you need at least $8,800 to start.
Turing’s Pricing
Turing’s developers charge very premium fees. Rates normally start from $100 an hour, but some experienced developers are known to charge as much as $220 per hour.
Lemon.io Pros & Cons
Pros
- Hourly rates are affordable
- You get access to pre-vetted developers.
- The hiring process takes about a week.
Cons
- 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.
- Requires a minimum commitment of 160 work hours before a project can start.
- They are unclear about the length of their free trial.
Turing Pros & Cons
Pros
- Access to large talent pool of diverse skills
- Developers are pre-vetted.
- No upfront recruiting costs
- 2-week free trial available
Cons
- Developers charge expensive rates.
- Using AI in vetting dev quality may lead to inaccuracies as AI doesn’t understand interpersonal dynamics.
- Service is restricted to only US and Canadian companies.
- The hiring process can take up to 2 weeks.
Lemon vs Turing Compared: Key Differences
Here is how Lemon compares with Turing.com.
|
Lemon.io |
Turing |
| Average hourly rate |
$55 - $95 |
$100 - $200 |
| Extra fees/Upfront costs? |
The equivalent of a week’s fee for the project.
|
❌ |
| Average time-to-hire |
Within a week |
Up to 2 weeks
|
| Free trial |
Unclear |
2 weeks |
| Minimum time commitment |
160 hours per project
|
❌ |
| Can you request a tech interview, live coding, or test task? |
✅ |
✅ |
Which should you choose?
| Use Case |
Choice |
| You want devs for a short-term project |
Lemon |
| You want to hire quickly |
Lemon
|
| You want devs for a long-term project |
Turing |
| You want options from many locations |
Turing |
| You’re working with a tight budget |
Lemon
|
What is the Best Alternative to Lemon and Turing?
Turing.com is a great option for US companies looking for good engineers. But aside from being pricey, it doesn’t serve companies outside the US or Canada. Lemon is also a good budget-friendly company, but the advance deposit and minimum hours requirement may not make it suitable for most startups on a budget.
You may want to consider a 3rd alternative. In that case, ReactSquad is the one for you. We’re a marketplace of vetted React developers. If your project requires the React.js tech stack, we have the specialists for the job. Here’s why you should choose us:
- Rigorously vetted devs: 3 interviews and 4 weeks of a paid test project.
- Fast matching: Get a developer within 48 hours.
- Experienced devs: Each engineer has 6+ years of experience.
- Simple, affordable, and transparent pricing of $75/hour. No hidden charges
Start your 7-day, no-risk free trial today by scheduling a call with us.
