Wellfound (AngelList Talent) vs Hired vs Arc: Which is Best for Hiring Top Talent

The wrong hiring platform doesn’t just cost money. It wastes time, slows your growth, and leaves you stuck with the wrong people. The right platform changes everything. It connects you with top talent fast, saves you hours, and helps your business grow.

We’ve done the research, so you don’t have to. This guide compares Arc, Wellfound, and Hired to help you find the best fit. Whether you need speed, specialized skills, or budget-friendly options, we’ll show you the smartest choice for your next hire.

Looking for top talent fast? See how Arc can help you:

⚡️ Find developers, designers, marketers, and more
⚡️ Freelance or full-time remote + fully vetted
⚡️ Save up to 80% with global hires

Hire top talent with Arc risk-free →

Overview: Arc vs Wellfound (AngelList Talent) vs Hired

What is Arc?

Arc is a remote talent marketplace that helps you connect with top candidates ready to work. Whether you’re a startup or a growing tech company, you’ll find skilled professionals from around the world.

With Arc, you get access to 450,000 pre-vetted talent across 190+ countries and can hire 4x faster. Find interview-ready professionals, including developers, designers, marketers, product managers, assistants, and more, ready to start immediately.

What is Wellfound (AngelList Talent)?

Wellfound is a job board and hiring platform designed to connect you with candidates who have startup experience. It offers tools and services like sourcing, job listings, and employer branding.

You’ll also get access to a free applicant management system, AI-powered sourcing, and free integration with Wellfound:ai Autopilot.

If you’re a startup looking to hire developers, Wellfound gives you access to over 12 million startup-minded candidates ready to interview. Whether you’re hiring for remote or local roles, Wellfound makes it easy to find the right fit at any stage of your company’s growth.

What is Hired?

Backed by global HR leader The Adecco Group’s LHH Recruitment Solutions, Hired helps you find the right candidates through intelligent job matching and personalized support. Whether for full-time or contract roles, Hired connects you with top tech talent quickly and efficiently. 

With over 500,000 people placed at more than 15,000 companies, it’s a trusted platform for meeting critical hiring needs and finding skilled professionals fast.

Read More: Hiring Developers Online: Freelance vs Recruitment Agencies vs In-House

Arc: Cost, features, drawbacks, and more

Arc main features

We take the guesswork out of hiring by matching you with candidates who meet your requirements and are ready to work. No more spending weeks sifting through hundreds of resumes and cover letters only to risk making the wrong hire.

Here’s how Arc helps you simplify and speed up your hiring process:

• Access to pre-vetted talent: All candidates are screened for technical skills, English proficiency, and job-seeking intent.
• Save time with qualified matches: Skip unqualified candidates and focus only on those who fit your job requirements and are open to offers.
• AI-powered matching and recruiter picks: Get curated candidate lists based on your requirements, saving you time and cutting through the noise.
• Personalized support: Get dedicated help throughout the hiring process, with the option to rematch if you’re not satisfied.
• Build global remote teams: Build remote teams that match Silicon Valley standards while saving on hiring expenses.

Arc pricing & costs

Arc offers a straightforward pricing structure with no hidden costs so that you won’t face any surprises.

• Contractors: Pay freelancer rates, typically between $15 and $110+ per hour.
• Full-time hires: Pay a one-time fee of 20% of the annual salary.

Arc talent locations

Talent from around the world join Arc, but each one is rigorously vetted to ensure you make successful hires. Arc’s global talent network currently includes experts from 190+ countries.

Arc vetting process

Arc’s vetting process involves multiple steps to ensure candidates have competitive skills in communication, remote work, and technical expertise. Each candidate undergoes these steps, so you only hire top talent:

• Profile screening: We review each candidate’s work history, skills, and industry experience to ensure they meet high professional standards.
• Communication assessment: We evaluate English fluency, remote readiness, and the ability to communicate clearly across time zones and cultures.
• Technical interview: Candidates go through role-specific interviews designed to test their skills on a deeper level.
• Ongoing monitoring: We review all vetted talent and continually monitor their performance to ensure they meet our quality standards.

Arc pros and cons

Here’s what Chris Bakke, Founder and CEO of Laskie (acquired by Elon Musk’s X), say about their experience with Arc:

“I’ve been so impressed with Arc. I’ve sourced former founders, senior engineers, and even CMOs in less than 72 hours. Working with the Arc team feels like an extension of our own.”

Want fast, high-quality hires? Sign up with Arc and get matched with top talent today →

Wellfound (formerly AngelList Talent): Cost, features, drawbacks, and more

Wellfound main features

Wellfound offers a range of tools to help you find and hire the right startup talent:

• Extensive talent pool: Access over 10 million startup-focused job seekers ready to connect.
• Sourcing tools: Search for candidates by skills, role, and location. Wellfound:ai Autopilot uses AI to source, vet interest, and schedule interviews for you.
• Company branding: Create shareable company profiles to showcase your brand and story, reaching millions of Wellfound users and getting featured among top startups.
• Built-in ATS: Save time and hire faster with an all-in-one, streamlined applicant tracking system.
• Unlimited job postings: Post an unlimited number of jobs for free and instantly reach a massive pool of responsive, engaged talent.

Wellfound pricing & costs

Wellfound offers a tiered pricing structure, giving you the flexibility to choose the right tools based on your hiring needs and budget.

Attract talent (job postings & applicant management):

• Basic (Free): Post jobs for free, review applicants, create branded company profiles, and manage everything with a free applicant tracking system (ATS).
• Essentials ($149/month): Includes all basic features plus advanced application tools, custom screening questions, advanced applicant filters, saved applications, and quick accept/reject templates.
• Promoted jobs (From $200): Boost your job listings for better visibility, expanded reach, top placement, and targeted exposure based on title, industry, and location.

Find talent (sourcing & outreach):

• Recruit Pro ($499/month): Includes enhanced search and sourcing tools, advanced filters, personalized pitch templates, access to resumes and social links, instant scheduling, unlimited messaging, and full resume access.
• Custom (contact for pricing): Get fully automated sourcing and scheduling, a dedicated 1:1 sourcing expert, custom sourcing calibration, first access to Curated talent (top 10% on Wellfound), and 5-10 top candidates delivered weekly.

Wellfound talent locations

Wellfound helps startups at all stages find the right talent, whether you’re hiring locally or building a global remote team. Over the past decade, tens of thousands of startups worldwide have used Wellfound to grow their teams, gaining access to a global talent pool. 

If time zones and remote work preferences matter to you, Wellfound’s filters make it easy to find candidates based on their time zone differences and the type of remote culture they prefer.

Wellfound vetting process

Wellfound’s in-house team of recruiting experts reviews every candidate before featuring them to you. They vet candidates through skill-based assessments, video evaluations, and intent signals to ensure you’re only connected with top-tier talent. 

Wellfound pros and cons

Read More: On-Site vs Remote vs Distributed Engineering Teams: How to Choose?

Hired: Cost, features, drawbacks, and more

Hired main features

Hired offers a range of features designed to support organizations in managing talent, aligning business goals, and developing strong leaders:

• Talent strategy alignment: Identifies talent challenges and skill gaps that may be affecting your business goals, ensuring your workforce aligns with your objectives.
• Leadership development: With over 55 years of experience and 15,000 partners, LHH helps build leaders who are prepared to drive meaningful change.
• Dedicated support team: Provides personalized guidance and support throughout the entire talent management and transition process.

Hired pricing & costs

Hired doesn’t publicly display its pricing, but costs can be on the higher side, especially for small and medium-sized businesses due to their premium services. For exact pricing details, you’re required to contact Hired directly.

However, SaaSworthy shows the following pricing structure for Hired:

• Flex plan: Free, month-to-month, offering AI-driven matching, hiring insights, and 100 interview requests, with a 15% fee of the first-year salary for hires.
• Basic plan: $995/month with a $9.5K hire fee. Includes unlimited hires, ATS integrations, and dedicated support.
• Essential and Advanced plans: Unlimited hires with custom pricing. Both plans include AI-driven matching, hiring insights, and advanced integrations with HR tools like ATS and scheduling platforms.

Hired talent locations

Hired has served 15,000 clients across 66 countries, helping businesses hire talent from around the world. While they support global hiring, the exact locations of their talent pool are not publicly disclosed.

Hired vetting process

Hired’s vetting process is not fully transparent, but they assist you in interviewing shortlisted candidates based on your specific requirements. This ensures you have support throughout the selection process, even if the initial screening details aren’t disclosed.

Hired pros and cons

Read More: Developer Job Boards: 15+ Best Job Sites for Software Engineers & Devs

Wellfound, Hired, Arc: Which one should you choose?

Choosing the right hiring platform depends on your specific needs. Making an informed decision will help you avoid costly and unsuccessful hires. Here’s a breakdown to help you decide:

Arc: Best for tech teams

Ideal if you need a simple, cost-effective hiring solution without compromising on quality. You can hire 4x faster with straightforward pricing and no hidden fees. HireAI instantly matches you with interview-ready candidates based on your specific needs.

With Arc, you get personalized support, AI-powered matching, access to vetted talent, free consultations, and top talent from a global pool at a lower cost. Plus, Arc offers a two-week free trial. If you’re unsatisfied, they’ll rematch you with new candidates at no extra cost.

Wellfound: Tiered platform for startup hires 

Best for startups looking to hire both global and local talent. Wellfound offers access to over 10 million startup-ready candidates with flexible, tiered pricing plans. Its sourcing tools, built-in ATS, and branding options are great for growing companies. 

However, premium features like promoted jobs and advanced sourcing tools can quickly add to your hiring costs. 

Hired: Solution for high-investment hires

Choose Hired if you’re a large company seeking premium, global hiring support with hands-on assistance. Hired helps manage the entire hiring process, including interviews with shortlisted candidates tailored to your specific needs.

However, their pricing isn’t transparent and may be costly for small and medium-sized businesses. Though the vetting process isn’t transparent, Hired’s personalized support and global reach make it ideal for larger organizations with leadership or critical hiring needs.

Wellfound vs Hired vs Arc: Final Thoughts on best site to hire top talent

One hiring decision can shape your entire team, so it’s important not to compromise on key factors like budget, speed, and quality. Before starting your search, take time to define your goals. 

Are you a startup looking for full-time hires, or do you have a limited budget but a high-stakes project? Knowing what you need will help you choose the right platform and make confident hiring decisions that set your business up for success. 

Arc helps you hire fast without compromising on budget or quality, whether you’re a startup or a large business. Get instantly matched with pre-vetted, interview-ready freelancers and enjoy personalized support for quick, cost-effective hiring.

You can also try Arc, your shortcut to the world’s best remote talent:

⚡️ Access 450,000 top developers, designers, and marketers
⚡️ Vetted and ready to interview
⚡️ Freelance or full-time

Try Arc and hire top talent now →