Guide for companies

How to find freelance developers

Updated July 2026

Finding a developer is easy; finding the right one is not. The problem is rarely a shortage of candidates — it is that a poorly written request attracts ten proposals that cannot be compared, and a non-technical buyer has no way to tell them apart. This guide covers where to look, how to describe the work, and how to judge who replies, even without technical skills.

Where to actually look

Each channel has its moment. None is best in the abstract: it depends on what you need built.

Word of mouth

Strength: A referral has already been filtered by someone you trust.
Limitation: It depends on luck: if nobody knows the technology you need, the channel closes.
When it fits: Always worth trying first, but rarely enough on its own.

International marketplaces

Strength: Huge volume and immediate availability, even for rare technologies.
Limitation: Percentage commissions, time zones, language and contracts outside the EU. Proposals arrive by the dozen and sifting them takes time.
When it fits: Standard, well-defined projects where price outweighs proximity.

LinkedIn and technical communities

Strength: You see people’s actual professional history.
Limitation: You have to search and approach one by one; the best are usually busy and rarely reply.
When it fits: When you need a very specific profile and have time to hunt.

Agencies and software houses

Strength: Continuity, a single point of contact and cover if someone drops out.
Limitation: Higher cost: you pay for the structure. On small projects you are often not a priority.
When it fits: Long, critical projects where continuity must be guaranteed.

Specialised local marketplaces

Strength: Same language, same time zone, same contractual and tax framework. Whoever replies understands the context.
Limitation: A smaller pool than the global platforms.
When it fits: When you need ongoing dialogue, local invoicing or someone on site.

Writing a request that gets useful replies

This is where everything is decided. A vague request does not attract fewer candidates — it attracts more, all incomparable.

Describe the problem, not the solution: “our technicians lose two hours a day retyping reports” says far more than “I want an app”.
Say who will use it and how many: ten colleagues or ten thousand customers are entirely different jobs.
Separate essential from desirable: what must work on day one, what can come later.
List the systems it must talk to, with name and version if you know them.
Give a budget range: it does not make you pay more, it stops proposals arriving at the wrong scale.
Say when you need it and why: a real deadline changes the technical choices.

How to judge the replies without being technical

You do not need to read code. You need four questions and some attention to how they answer.

Did they ask you anything?

A quote produced without a single question priced an imaginary project. Questions are the first sign of competence.

Can they explain it in your words?

Ask them to describe the approach without technical terms. Those who can have understood the problem; those hiding behind jargon often have not.

What do they say about afterwards?

Ask what happens once it is delivered: who maintains it, who owns the code, how problems are handled. The answer separates professionals from improvisers.

Have they done something similar?

It need not be identical: what counts is whether they can tell you about a real case, what went wrong and how they fixed it.

Warning signs

A price far below the others: it usually means they understood less of the problem, not that they cost less.
Immediate, total availability on a complex project: good people usually have a few weeks of queue.
No questions and a quote within ten minutes.
Refusal to put scope, timeline and code ownership in writing.
Slow or confused communication already at the offer stage: it gets worse during the project.

Frequently asked questions

Freelancer or agency?

A freelancer costs less, talks to you directly and suits well-defined projects. An agency gives continuity and cover if someone drops out, at a higher price. For small and mid-sized projects a good freelancer is almost always the more efficient choice.

How can I trust someone I do not know?

Reduce the risk rather than trying to remove it: start with a small, verifiable first block of work, put in writing what is delivered and when, and settle from the outset that the code is yours. After the first delivery you will know more than any CV could tell you.

Do I need to know which technology to use?

No, and it is better not to decide upfront: you risk excluding good people. Describe the outcome you need and let whoever replies propose the technology, with their reasons.

How long does it take to find the right person?

With a well-written request, usually a few days to two weeks to have comparable proposals. What stretches timelines is not the search: it is having to ask for quotes all over again because the first description was too vague.

Does my company have to appear in the listing?

Not necessarily. On Araknet the project is posted anonymously: developers see what is needed, not who is asking, and your identity is revealed only when you accept an offer. Useful when you would rather competitors or suppliers did not know what you are working on.

Describe the project once

Post it anonymously on Araknet and receive offers from freelance developers, with price and timeline. No commission on the work.

Post a project