Finding freelancers has never been simpler – you can post a job online, and receive multiple applications within the span of a few hours. The real problem is finding top talent.
Finding quality freelancers might be difficult, but there are ways to locate quality developers and designers. If your only experience has been digging through sites such as Fiverr (nothing personal!), you’re probably not going to come across the very best hires.
In this article, we'll introduce you to five of our favorite places to find top web developers and designers online. However, before that, let’s take a moment to explain the difference between our choices, and those not making the cut.
How We Chose the Platforms
There are plenty of freelance marketplaces available, but not many attract the cream of the crop. Here’s why:
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They tend to drive prices down as much as possible, to attract more clients.
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New freelancers aren't normally vetted before joining the platform, leaving the responsibility with the client.
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They may not always protect their freelancers from bad clients, which drives away quality workers.
All of the platforms we’ve included in this list avoid these the three warning signs, meaning they often attract a higher quality of freelance developer and designer. All you need to do is find the right one for your needs.
5 Great Places to Find Top Web Developers and Designers
For this section, we'll talk a little about the site in question, and how their hiring process works. That way, you can jump right ahead and start hiring developers or designers for your next project.
Let’s take a look!
1. Smashing Jobs
[
](http://jobs.smashingmagazine.com/)
Smashing Jobs is the jobs board section for Smashing Magazine, one of the best online publications dealing with web development and design. The platform offers both freelance and full-time gigs for developers and designers, as well as a few management gigs.
Unlike other platforms, freelancers don't need to register to apply for any of the jobs available. That means the vetting process is entirely on your shoulders, so you need to be specific about your job requirements.
How the Hiring Process Works
Publishing a listing on Smashing Jobs will cost you $75 for a freelance position, and $225 for full-time jobs. It's a hefty fee in comparison with other platforms, but the website does tend to attract serious applicants.
You can post as much or as little detail as you want for your gigs, but for a better experience, we recommend being thorough. That means including a full description of the job, the location, your company info, and instructions on how freelancers can apply.
2. Codeable
[
](https://codeable.io/)
In our opinion, Codeable is the best place to find WordPress talent. Every applicant must pass a thorough screening process before joining the talent pool and applying for jobs. As a client, you can choose to search through all of the available freelancers until you find someone you're comfortable with.
Freelancers on Codeable are guaranteed a minimum hourly rate, which means it’s not the cheapest option around. However, the strict vetting process ensures that you're getting the very best available talent.
How the Hiring Process Works
Once you sign up to Codeable, you're free to either start posting jobs or pick a freelancer directly. If you go the first route, you'll receive a pricing estimate once a suitable freelancer finds your post.
Prices at Codeable start at $60 per hour for every freelancer – so make sure your budget can handle it before forging ahead.
3. Toptal
[
](https://www.toptal.com/)
Toptal takes a similar approach to Codeable when it comes to screening potential freelancers. According to their website, only 3% of applicants make it through the thorough screening process, which includes language, skills, performance reviews.
The platform features developers and designers with an emphasis on web and mobile technologies. You can hire freelancers hourly, part-, or full-time, and scale your teams up or down as necessary. Furthermore, every freelancer you hire gets a trial period, enabling you to test your compatibility. If you choose to go with a different hire, you don't need to pay for your test.
How the Hiring Process Works
Instead of posting jobs, the Toptal team helps you find the perfect applicants for your jobs according to your specific needs. Once they've found a match, you get a trial period to see if things work smoothly. If not, they’ll help you find a more suitable candidate.
4. WPMU DEV Pros
[
](http://premium.wpmudev.org/pros)
This particular platform is part of the WPMU DEV network – one of the best resources for WordPress enthusiasts on the web. WPMU DEV Pros enables clients to posts jobs and budgets on a private board, where members can then apply. As a customer, you can also look through a database of WordPress professionals – including their portfolios – to find a freelancer.
Your WPMU DEV membership comes with a lot of perks aside from posting jobs and finding freelancers. You also get access to a collection of over 100 premium plugins, and a free membership to WP Academy. Among other services, this offers hosting and WordPress coaching for a monthly subscription.
How the Hiring Process Works
Hiring a freelance WordPress developer or designer through WPMU DEV Pros is relatively straightforward. You can either contact a freelancer directly to reach an agreement, or post a public job along with your budget. However, the platform does not handle payments, so this will be between you and your chosen freelancer.
5. Stack Overflow Careers
[
](https://business.stackoverflow.com/talent)
Stack Overflow Careers is somewhat different than our other choices on this list – it targets enterprises primarily, rather than individual clients or small businesses. Also, instead of freelance relationships, the platform focuses mostly on full-time gigs for developers.
Stack Overflow as a whole is normally one of the first stops for most web developers looking for community help, so it's guaranteed to attract the widest variety of web developers around – including any top talent. Rather than provide you with resumes, you instead get to take a look at the freelancer’s projects and Stack Overflow answers, which gives you a great overview of their talent.
How the Hiring Process Works
As a client, you can either look for freelancers directly, post a job opening, or take out ads on the platform if you want to maximize your reach. Furthermore, you get access to analytics to help narrow down the candidates.
We mentioned earlier this is an enterprise solution, and their prices live up to that statement. An annual membership (which entitles you to a 12-month job listing) starts at $2,499.
Conclusion
Finding the perfect web developer or designer can be difficult, but looking in the right place means half the battle is won. All of the platforms we’ve looked at are full of talented professionals waiting for the right project to come along.
The next time you're looking for top web development or design talent, check out these platforms first:
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Smashing Jobs: A serious job board for developers and designers.
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Codeable: The perfect place to look for WordPress freelancers.
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Toptal: A matchmaking service, which puts clients in touch with top developers and designers.
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WPMU DEV Pros: A one-stop shop for WordPress talent, tutorials, and premium plugins.
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Stack Overflow Careers: Ideal for enterprises seeking full-time developers.
Image credit: Pixabay.
