There’s always a tradeoff when hiring remote talent, and you have to set your priorities accordingly. If you’re comparing Toptal vs Upwork vs Arc, you’re in the right place.
This guide breaks down the key differences between the three platforms and shows how Arc sits in the middle. By the end, you’ll understand each platform’s offerings and costs and which best fits your project.
Toptal vs Upwork vs Arc TL;DR
Key Differences Explained
Toptal
Toptal connects companies with the top 3% of freelance talent, including software developers, marketing experts, designers, finance experts, and more. Its rigorous screening process is designed to identify highly skilled professionals for companies that need specialized talent quickly.
Unlike Arc and Upwork, Toptal doesn’t offer a resume database or search filters. Instead, it uses a matching model that connects companies with freelancers based on their project needs, timeline, and required expertise. Once a match is found, a Toptal expert will guide you through the next steps.
Toptal is ideal for companies that need top-tier talent and are willing to invest in quality.
Upwork
Upwork is one of the largest freelance platforms, connecting companies with a global network of freelancers across a wide range of categories. Its open marketplace model lets you post jobs, browse profiles, compare rates, and hire directly.
For larger organizations, Lifted, an Upwork Company, is positioned around contingent workforce management, including sourcing, contracting, payment, global compliance support, EOR capabilities, staff augmentation, and a dedicated program team. However, this is an enterprise workforce solution rather than the default Upwork marketplace experience.
Upwork can be a good option if you need a large talent pool with flexibility in hiring rates.
Arc
Arc gives you instant access to top remote developers, designers, marketers, product managers, project managers, and assistants without the hassle. Just upload your job description, and HireAI delivers a curated list of skilled candidates in seconds. With professionals from 190+ countries, Arc helps you hire at lower rates than local hires in high-cost regions.
Pricing and Fees
Knowing the platform fees upfront helps you avoid surprises after making your decision. Below are the pricing structures for each platform.
Toptal fees and pricing
Toptal uses a premium pricing model built around access to rigorously screened freelance talent and hands-on matching. According to Toptal’s FAQ, clients pay a $79 monthly platform subscription fee if they decide to proceed with a talent search. Freelancer rates are not publicly listed and vary based on role, experience, specialization, and engagement type.
Upwork fees and pricing
Upwork uses a tiered pricing structure for clients. Its Basic plan charges a client service fee on freelancer payments and includes access to the marketplace, job posting, project management tools, reporting, and flexible payment options.
Upwork’s Business Plus plan charges a higher client service fee and adds features such as consolidated billing, enhanced reporting, advisory support, and monthly invoicing options for eligible clients. According to Upwork, U.S.-based Business Plus clients may apply for monthly invoicing with 30-day payment terms.
Upwork Enterprise uses custom pricing and is designed for larger organizations that need more advanced workforce management features, integrations, onboarding workflows, customized reporting, and compliance support.
Arc fees and pricing
Arc freelancers’ hourly rates typically range from $15 to $110+, depending on role, expertise, and talent’s location. For full-time hires, Arc charges a one-time fee based on the first year’s salary, with the typical standard rate being 20%.
With global hiring, Arc can further reduce costs by providing access to professionals in lower-cost regions, while supporting remote collaboration across regions.
Vetted talent comparison
When comparing Toptal, Upwork, and Arc, it’s important to look at how each platform evaluates talent before connecting candidates with clients. Each platform offers access to freelancers, but their screening models vary significantly.
Toptal vetting
Toptal’s screening process begins with a language and personality assessment to evaluate English proficiency, communication skills, and professional engagement.
Next, applicants undergo an in-depth skill review designed to assess technical knowledge, problem-solving ability, and domain expertise. Only candidates who perform well move forward.
Candidates then participate in a live screening with domain experts, followed by a test project lasting one to three weeks. This step evaluates specialized skills, real-world experience, professionalism, and the ability to work through practical project scenarios.
Only the top 3% of candidates make it through this stage. Once accepted, Toptal freelancers are expected to maintain excellence so that clients receive top-tier performance on every project.
Upwork vetting
Upwork’s standard marketplace is largely self-directed: clients can review profiles, portfolios, work history, ratings, and proposals before deciding who to interview or hire.
For larger organizations, Lifted, an Upwork Company, offers more managed workforce support, including talent sourcing, contracting, payment, compliance support, and a dedicated program team. However, this is an enterprise solution rather than the default Upwork marketplace experience.
Compared with Toptal and Arc, Upwork gives clients more control over the search process but also places greater responsibility on them to evaluate the quality and fit of freelancers.
Arc vetting
Arc uses a structured vetting process that assesses technical skills based on each candidate’s area of expertise. This gives clients access to pre-qualified talent and can reduce some of the time and risk involved in screening candidates independently.
Candidates also complete English fluency assessments and evaluations of distributed work experience, helping clients find professionals prepared to communicate clearly and collaborate across time zones.
Trial periods
Trial periods can help companies evaluate whether a freelancer’s skills, communication style, and approach to work fit the project before committing to a longer engagement.
Toptal trial period
Toptal offers a no-risk trial period of up to two weeks, giving companies time to evaluate whether the matched expert is the right fit. If the client is satisfied, the engagement continues as planned.
If the match is not the right fit, clients are not charged for the trial and can either end the process or try another expert with a new no-risk trial.
Upwork trial period
Upwork does not offer a formal trial period, but clients can start their engagement with a smaller project to evaluate a freelancer’s skills before committing to a longer arrangement.
Arc trial period
Arc offers a two-week trial period for hiring freelancers, giving you time to evaluate a freelancer’s fit. If you’re unsatisfied, simply notify Arc, and we’ll match you with another candidate at no extra cost.
Both Toptal and Arc offer trial periods for freelance hiring, while Upwork relies more on client-led evaluation through smaller test projects.
Billing comparison
Here’s how Toptal, Upwork, and Arc handle billing, each offering a different approach to meet different financial needs.
Toptal billing
Toptal’s billing model reflects its premium, hands-on matching approach. Rates vary by freelancer, role, expertise, and engagement type, and clients can discuss project needs and pricing expectations before moving forward with a match.
Upwork billing
Upwork’s billing system is flexible, offering both hourly and fixed-price options to suit different project needs and budgets. For hourly contracts, clients pay based on the freelancer’s recorded hours in their work diary. Fixed-price contracts allow upfront or milestone-based payments, giving clients more control over project scope and budget.
Arc billing
Arc relies on freelancers to log hours, then clients receive recurring invoices based on the agreed-upon hourly rate and work completed. This structure may appeal to companies that want a simple billing process across a global remote talent network.
Summary
Billing structures vary across platforms. Toptal’s premium pricing reflects its top-tier talent and custom contracts, while Upwork offers flexibility with hourly and fixed-price options. Arc focuses on straightforward billing for remote hiring.
Platform interface and user experience
Toptal: Streamlined and user-friendly
Toptal’s platform is designed for simplicity, making it easy to procure the right talent for a specific engagement, ensuring a smooth hiring process. However, Toptal doesn’t offer candidate search filters or a resume database. Once potential matches are identified, a Toptal expert helps coordinate the next steps, making the process more structured than a traditional freelance marketplace.
Upwork: Feature-rich and easy to manage
Upwork has an easy-to-use interface with built-in tools for tracking freelancer hours, managing billing, and reviewing project activity. Clients can also browse portfolios, view reviews, compare proposals, and manage applications within a centralized dashboard.
Arc: Flexible remote hiring support
Arc is designed for startups and growing teams that need to hire freelance talent quickly. The platform connects companies with pre-vetted professionals across several roles. Arc’s HireAI tool helps expedite candidate matches based on the role, hiring needs, and budget.
Project management and collaboration tools
Toptal: Seamless integration for collaboration
Toptal goes beyond connecting you with top freelancers by integrating project management and collaboration tools into the workflow. The platform supports communication, progress tracking, invoicing, timesheets, and payments in one place. With invoicing, timesheets, and payments built in, Toptal makes financial management easy. You get a centralized view of all projects, detailed productivity reports, and effortless time tracking from any device.
Upwork: Comprehensive tools for all projects
The Upwork Desktop App streamlines project management through time tracking and seamless communication. You can easily review freelancer hours, ensuring accurate payments and financial transparency. The app also supports direct messaging through chat, video, and voice calls, making it easier to stay connected.
Arc: Tailored for tech
Arc provides a talent dashboard where clients can review shortlisted candidates, profiles, expertise, and match information. Clients can also track candidates through different hiring stages, which can help organize decision-making before an engagement begins.
Customer support
Toptal: Personalized and dedicated support
Toptal provides dedicated customer support with expert guidance at every stage of hiring. Their team offers in-depth knowledge and personalized assistance to help you navigate the platform and resolve any issues. From choosing the right freelancer to managing your project, this support can make the hiring process more structured, especially for teams looking for specialized talent without managing the search entirely on their own.
Upwork: Comprehensive but varied support
Upwork provides customer support through self-help resources, community forums, and direct channels. Personalized support is available only to enterprise plan users, who receive a dedicated Upwork team member to guide them through each step of the hiring process.
Arc: Targeted support for tech teams
Arc provides recruiter support, reviews, and customer satisfaction metrics to help companies find and evaluate remote talent. This can be useful for teams that want more guidance than an open marketplace provides while still hiring from a broad global talent network.
Making the right choice for your project: Upwork vs. Toptal vs. Arc
Choosing the right freelance platform depends on your needs and project goals. Upwork, Toptal, and Arc each offer unique advantages, making them ideal for different hiring situations.
Toptal: Vetted talent tailored per project
Toptal’s strict vetting process selects only the top 3% of freelancers, making it ideal for high-stakes projects that require top-tier expertise. If you need the best talent and are willing to invest in premium quality, Toptal delivers industry-leading professionals.
Because Toptal uses a premium talent model, it may require a larger investment than open marketplace hiring. However, it can be a strong fit for teams that prioritize expertise, quality, and a more curated hiring process.
Upwork: Flexibility and broad marketplace access
If you want flexibility, Upwork gives you access to a wide range of freelancers at different price points. It works well for teams that prefer to post jobs, compare proposals, review portfolios, and manage hiring directly.
However, Upwork’s flexibility also means clients typically take on more responsibility for evaluating freelancer quality and fit. Teams that want more hands-on matching or a more selective screening process may prefer a curated platform.
Arc: Focused expertise on tech teams
Arc is a global hiring platform for remote talent across freelance, full-time, and contract-to-hire roles. It can be useful for companies that want access to pre-vetted candidates, recruiter support, and a hiring process built around speed and flexibility.
Arc may also appeal to teams looking to hire from a global talent pool and manage costs by considering candidates in different regions. For companies focused specifically on premium freelance specialists and a more selective matching process, Toptal remains the stronger fit.
Conclusion: Choosing the right platform
The best freelancing platform depends on your goals, budget, and support needs. Upwork offers flexibility, Toptal provides top-tier talent, and Arc specializes in fast, tech hiring. Identify your needs and compare each platform to find the best fit.
FAQs
What’s the difference between Arc, Upwork, and Toptal?
Upwork is a broad freelance marketplace that gives companies flexibility across many roles, rates, and project types, but hiring is largely self-directed. Arc offers a more guided remote hiring process across freelance roles and hiring models. Toptal is best suited for companies that need rigorously screened specialists and hands-on matching for complex or high-impact projects.
How fast can I hire remote talent through these platforms?
With Arc, you may be able to hire remote freelance talent within 24 hours. Toptal offers matching within 48 hours. Upwork timelines vary because clients typically need to review proposals, evaluate profiles, and interview freelancers before 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
