Finding and hiring qualified software developers is one of the biggest challenges for growing startups. You want someone you trust, who can integrate quickly into your team, and who delivers. Trio.dev is one of the newer platforms trying to simplify that. They promise pre-vetted, senior engineers, fast matching, and remote/nearshore staffing. This review explores how Trio works, its pros and cons, how it stacks up against alternatives, and when it might (or might not) be the best choice for your team.

What is Trio.dev?

Trio.dev is a talent platform and engineering staffing service that helps companies hire remote South American developers. Trio positions itself between a pure freelancer marketplace and a managed services firm. It delivers developers who are integrated into client teams, either via staff augmentation, dedicated teams, or fixed-price projects.

Trio.dev features

• They focus on nearshore Latin America engineers so the time zone gap with the U.S. or Canada is relatively small.
• They support both front-end, back-end, full stack, and niche areas like fintech development.
• They claim they can deliver senior candidates or fill roles in a week (onboarding aside) if the matching works well.
• They attach engineering managers to developers (at no extra cost to clients) to help oversee performance, communication, and alignment.
  

How to hire developers from Trio.dev

Here’s the typical engagement flow when you hire via Trio:

1. Reach out to Trio and tell them about your project via a form.

2. Trio will schedule a call with you and discuss the specifics of your project. E.g., the kind of developer you need, preferred time zones, etc.
   
   
3. Trio sources candidates from their vetted talent pool and screens them against your requirements. You’ll receive developer profiles to review.
   
   
4. Once you approve a candidate, Trio helps facilitate the onboarding into your team (tools, access, integration). The developer starts work under your direction

In some cases, you can engage via staff augmentation (pay hourly for the developer’s time) or via fixed-price project contracts. Trio’s complete hiring process takes 7-21 days. 

Trio.dev’s vetting process

While not all of Trio’s internal vetting steps are publicly documented, here’s what we deduced from client/freelancer reviews and Trio’s materials:

1. Trio screens developers for technical ability, domain experience, and code quality. They aim for engineers who can immediately contribute.
   
   
2. They assess the developer’s English proficiency and overall communication skills.
   
   
3. Senior Trio engineers conduct technical assessments and coding tests for developers, but also rely on interviews and trusted portfolio review.

In short, Trio’s vetting is more rigorous than a general freelance marketplace but probably less intensive than the very top platforms (like Toptal’s vetting). It is sufficient to filter out junior or underperforming candidates, but not so rigorous to actually spot the top most skilled talent.

Trio.dev Client Reviews

For the positives, Trio has a 4-star rating on Trustpilot. Some clients appreciate Trio’s ability to provide skilled developers within a short timeline for certain roles. Others also praised the professionalism of their developers. 

However, because the number of public client reviews is limited, there aren’t enough deep user stories or long-term retrospectives. Trio is still newer and less widely reviewed than older platforms (e.g. Toptal, Upwork), so the public footprint of client reviews is less mature.

Trio.dev Pricing

Trio lists a range of $42 to $75 per hour as developer rates, depending on level, experience. It supports hourly billing as well as fixed-price project contracts. There are no upfront or recruiting fees as Trio’s commissions are embedded within the final rates of the developer. 

Trio.dev Pros and Cons

Here’s a balanced view of the strengths and weaknesses of Trio:

Pros

• You get senior engineers rather than novices or generalists.
• Trio helps with onboarding, oversight, and managing remote communications.
• Clients can choose between staff augmentation vs fixed-price projects.
• Their developers are especially skilled in fintech and regulated software.
• LatAm engineers allow easier overlap with U.S. and Canadian teams.
• Swap support: If a dev is not a fit, Trio can replace them for you.

Cons

• As a newer platform, their track record isn’t well established in the public domain.
• Some users report occasional delays in responses or support.
• There’s no offer of a trial period to test developers before committing for longer. 
• If your project uses highly obscure or experimental tech, Trio’s pool may not cover it.
• Changes in Trio’s staffing or quality could affect your project’s progress or outcome.
  
  

5 Alternatives to Trio.dev for hiring developers

Here are five solid alternatives to Trio where you can find your next engineer. 

#1 ReactSquad

ReactSquad is a marketplace of vetted React developers for SaaS startups. Our developers are full-time employees of ReactSquad, so you know they’ll be fully committed to your project. We rigorously screen them through 3 interviews and 4 weeks of a paid test project. They’re also handpicked by Jan Hesters, our CTO, and guaranteed to consistently deliver high-quality.

ReactSquad features

• Risk-free trial: Try our developers for 14 days risk-free. 
• Flexible engagements: You can hire our engineers for short contracts or long term projects. 
• Transparent pricing: We offer a startup-friendly $75/hour rate. No hidden fees.
• Fast hiring: Get matched with a developer within 48 hours and shipping code in under a week.
• Specialists: Each dev has at least 5 years of experience in the React ecosystem: Node.js, Redux, JavaScript, TypeScript, etc.
• Timezone alignment: Get at least 4 hours of overlap time if you are in US and EU time zones. 
• No equity needed: Work directly with senior quality React developers while retaining 100% ownership of your company.

ReactSquad vs Trio.dev Compared

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#2 Turing

Turing.com is a U.S. tech company that gives US businesses access to a global pool of software developers through its AI-driven platform. Using its AI matching technology called ALAN, Turing matches companies with engineers that meet the company’s requirements.

Turing features

• Uses AI to speed up their vetting and matching processes.
• Large talent pool.
• Turing developers are highly skilled

Turing vs Trio.dev Compared

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#3 Devler

Devler is a tech-centric hiring marketplace that provides businesses with remote freelance developers from Europe.

Devler features

• The minimum number of monthly work hours required to commit is 80.
• An undisclosed advance deposit is required to begin
• There’s no trial period to try developers before committing
• Engagement is flexible as you can freelancers or full-time in-house developers
• Tech stack is limited to Ruby, Javascript, Swift, and Flutter

Devler vs Trio.dev Compared

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#4 Gaper

Gaper.io is a platform that connects businesses with pre-vetted software developers and engineers. The company uses AI to match remote tech talent with companies to help them scale their software development teams. Gaper.io offers flexible engagement models, including hiring dedicated developers and providing staff augmentation services. 

Gaper features

• Gaper handles HR and payroll. 
• Get a discount per hire when you hire more than 5 devs.
• Uses AI to match talents
• Less rigorous vetting process means quality isn’t always assured. 

Gaper vs Trio.dev Compared

Quick Comparison of Trio.dev & Alternatives

Best Trio.dev Alternative Per Use Case

Here are scenarios and which alternatives may be best

Conclusion

If you want a balance between quality, speed, and flexibility in hiring remote developers, Trio.dev is a compelling choice. Its curated talent pool, oversight, and onboarding support make it a stronger option than general freelance marketplaces. That said, its lesser-known younger track record means hiring from them involves some risk.

But if your stack is React or JavaScript and you want specialist engineers who understand startup team culture, can start coding asap, ReactSquad is your best bet. We give you domain experts and better cost-effectiveness compared to generalist platforms.

‍Book a call with us to get started.