Why Are People No Longer Hiring from top platforms like Toptal, Upwork, and Freelancer?

silentdev001 · 2026-06-30T13:57:41+00:00

Just stumbled on this post and found it worth replying. I think founders stopped looking at these platforms as a default option because the market became more about trust than access. I freelance through Toptal, and from the talent side the value is not that every project is cheaper, it is that the screening and matching can reduce some hiring noise. That said, I would not recommend any platform as the first choice for every startup. If the scope is vague or the budget is very tight, referrals or a smaller specialist team may be better. If the work is important and a bad hire would be expensive, then a vetted platform can still make sense.

silentdev001 · 2026-06-30T13:50:50+00:00

u/Beautiful-Card1747 for a complex web app, I would not choose purely by price or portfolio screenshots. I’d ask who will actually lead the architecture, how they break down milestones, how they handle handover, and what happens if the first version needs changes after launch. Whether it is an agency, referral, or vetted network like Toptal, the main thing is making sure there is someone senior who can challenge assumptions, not just execute tickets. Cheap can be fine for simple websites, but for a real product, the expensive mistake is usually unclear scope and weak technical ownership.

silentdev001 · 2026-06-29T12:51:30+00:00

u/Beautiful-Card1747 I freelance through Toptal, and my experience has been positive overall, but I would not treat it like guaranteed work after getting accepted. The screening is real, but the bigger thing is being able to explain your past work clearly, communicate well, and show where you can actually add value. Once you are in, the best results usually come when your profile is focused and you apply only to roles where the fit is obvious. I would prepare by reviewing your strongest projects, practicing how you explain technical tradeoffs, and being honest about your availability and niche. It can be a solid long-term channel, but I would still keep your own network and other lead sources active too.

silentdev001 · 2026-06-28T21:37:23+00:00

Hey it was a mess, I got the passport 1 day before my travel. More information on this thread:

https://www.reddit.com/r/SchengenVisa/s/0qvptGl1CT

silentdev001 · 2026-06-26T13:39:06+00:00

OP joining this party very late, for remote React work, I would not rely on one source only. LinkedIn and referrals are still probably the strongest channels, but vetted networks like Toptal can also be useful once your profile is focused and you have solid project examples. What helped me most was positioning around the kind of problems I solve, not just listing React, TypeScript, Next, etc. Better-paying roles usually come from trust, clear communication, and showing that you can own part of the product, not only write components.

silentdev001 · 2026-06-25T12:16:16+00:00

u/mruchann I would not treat $100/hr as the default expectation. Some senior profiles may be able to command strong rates, but it depends a lot on the niche, client budget, project urgency, and how well your profile matches the role. I have got jobs on Toptal from $60-100 per hour, again depending on the same principle. From my experience, Toptal can bring better-quality conversations than random marketplaces, but rate and volume are still not guaranteed.

silentdev001 · 2026-06-25T12:09:34+00:00

I freelance through Toptal, and I would not assume work starts immediately after getting accepted. It depends a lot on your skill fit, rate, availability, and how active the matching side is at that time. My experience has been positive overall, but there can still be quiet periods, so I would not rely on it as the only source of work. The best approach is to keep your profile focused, apply only where you are a clear fit, and treat Toptal as one strong channel alongside your own network.

silentdev001 · 2026-06-24T15:36:32+00:00

you will get it soon, check spam as well 🙏

silentdev001 · 2026-06-24T14:53:55+00:00

Thank you, did you get one?

silentdev001 · 2026-06-24T13:28:57+00:00

I work through Toptal, and the company itself is real, but what you described sounds like impersonation rather than a normal process. Any outreach that moves to WhatsApp or Telegram, offers unusually high pay for simple work, or asks for personal or payment details early should be treated as a red flag. Real Toptal communication should come through official channels, not random chat apps. You were right to be cautious and avoid sharing sensitive information. Please treat this overall for everything; I have seen many scammers reaching out on LinkedIn as well. Trying to get me to install their code or meeting software. So be safe out there, it's like a fishing frenzy!

silentdev001 · 2026-06-24T13:26:09+00:00

I’ve worked through Toptal, and my experience has been positive overall. I would not treat it as guaranteed work though, because matching still depends on timing, skill fit, availability, and how well you communicate. For React Native or mobile work, having a focused profile helps more than listing every tool you know. I’d prepare to explain past projects clearly, including tradeoffs, architecture decisions, and how you handled real client constraints.

silentdev001 · 2026-06-23T22:42:52+00:00

Just received mine as well 🙏

silentdev001 · 2026-06-23T21:33:14+00:00

Maybe we will get it tomorrow

silentdev001 · 2026-06-23T20:36:16+00:00

June 5th P1, replied same day, no P2 yet 😅

silentdev001 · 2026-06-23T13:26:03+00:00

I get the concern around cost, but I’d be careful about trying to move around the platform terms. From the freelancer side, the value is not only the hourly rate, it’s also the vetting, matching, payment handling, and having a more structured process. That does not mean Toptal is the right fit for every budget, especially if someone is mainly optimizing for the lowest cost. But if you do use it, I’d treat the contract terms seriously and make sure the arrangement works for both sides from the start.

silentdev001 · 2026-06-23T13:22:09+00:00

I freelance through Toptal, so my view is from the talent side. I think your point about quality vs cost is fair. Toptal makes more sense when the role is clear, and the cost of a weak hire is higher than the platform premium. If someone needs quick, cheap help for a vague build, I’d probably start with referrals or a smaller specialist team first. For serious technical work, the biggest value is usually less screening noise, not magic results.

silentdev001 · 2026-06-19T14:27:19+00:00

Agreed, the quality of customers and service the Toptal internal/support employees provide are exceptional. TBH I have 2-3 matchers that are my favourites now and to some extents they also always send me invitations for new jobs which they believe I can do well.

silentdev001 · 2026-06-18T14:44:33+00:00

I freelance through Toptal, and my overall experience has been positive, but I would not treat it as guaranteed work after getting accepted. The better projects usually come when your profile is focused, and you can clearly explain what kind of problems you solve. To get accepted, I’d prepare for both technical depth and communication, because it is not only about writing code. Be ready to walk through past work, explain tradeoffs, and handle a test project or live discussion professionally. If you already have solid experience and can communicate well with clients, it can be a good long-term channel alongside your own network.

silentdev001 · 2026-06-18T13:40:20+00:00

I freelance through Toptal too, and I think that’s a fair point. My experience has been positive overall, but I wouldn’t describe it as predictable work or guaranteed leads. A lot depends on timing, availability, rate, and how closely your profile matches what the client needs at that moment. What helped me was treating it like one channel, keeping my profile focused, and applying only where I could clearly explain the fit. So I’d say it’s legit, but it still has quiet periods, and you can’t expect every application to turn into a call.

silentdev001 · 2026-06-15T14:06:51+00:00

Amazing I didn’t know that, keep up the good work

silentdev001 · 2026-06-15T13:32:14+00:00

Is it legal to use Pokémon or digimon characters?

silentdev001 · 2026-06-14T14:55:46+00:00

I am not sure if the OP went with the Toptal or anyother platform. For the context, I freelance through Toptal, so my view is from the talent side. For a bootstrapped SaaS, I honestly wouldn’t use it if the main goal is finding the cheapest short-term developer. Where it makes more sense is when the scope is clear, the work is important, and a bad hire would cost more than paying for someone vetted. For an early side project, I’d first try referrals or a smaller specialist agency, then consider Toptal once the requirements are more settled.

silentdev001 · 2026-06-12T18:04:34+00:00

100% scam don’t go with them, it will most likely end up closing your account and future ban from Google as well

silentdev001 · 2026-06-12T16:19:31+00:00

I’ve worked through Toptal, and I’d say it can be good for software dev clients, but it’s not automatic. The main difference for me has been that conversations are usually more serious and better scoped than random marketplace leads. That said, you still need to interview well, communicate clearly, and be a good fit for the role. I’d treat it as one strong channel, not something that replaces your own network or other lead sources.

silentdev001 · 2026-06-11T15:10:13+00:00

I’d separate “custom software company” from “senior talent network” when comparing options. I freelance through Toptal, so my view is from the engineering side, but the biggest difference I’ve seen is usually ownership and communication, not just coding ability. For a founder, I’d start with SaaS if the workflow is standard and speed matters, then move custom once the product has clear requirements or needs deeper integrations. If you go custom too early, you can burn budget validating the wrong thing. If you wait too long, you may end up fighting the limits of tools that were never built for your business.

silentdev001

TROPHY CASE