Hiring remote talent can now happen in a few clicks. The harder part is figuring out whether the platform behind those clicks delivers the talent, support, and hiring model your company needs.
Braintrust has built a global talent marketplace connecting companies with professionals across software development, AI, data, design, marketing, finance, and other specialized fields. Its combination of vetted talent, flexible engagements, and AI-assisted matching makes it an interesting option for companies that want to expand their candidate pool without relying entirely on traditional recruiting.
But access to a large talent network is only part of the equation. Employers also need to consider Braintrust pricing and fees, how much screening they’ll handle internally, the types of engagements available, and whether a global freelance talent platform makes sense for a long-term hire.
That distinction matters most if you’re weighing Braintrust against remote staffing agencies or more specialized LATAM staffing companies. A marketplace, a staffing partner, and a recruiting agency can all help you find remote talent, but the hiring experience can look very different.
In this Braintrust review, we’ll break down how the platform works in 2026, its pricing structure, pros and cons, who it makes the most sense for, and the best Braintrust alternatives if you want a different approach to building your remote team.
Braintrust at a Glance
Braintrust sits somewhere between a traditional freelance marketplace and a more structured talent platform. Companies can use it to find individual contractors, add specialists to an existing team, build embedded teams, or start with a contractor and potentially convert them to a full-time employee.
The platform says its network includes more than 2 million professionals worldwide, with AI-powered matching designed to surface candidates in under 48 hours.
Here’s the quick version before we get deeper into this Braintrust review:
One important distinction: Braintrust isn't focused on one region. Its talent marketplace is global, making it useful for companies that want a broad candidate pool. Businesses specifically looking to hire remote talent in Latin America may prefer a more regionally focused recruiting approach, especially when time-zone alignment, local salary benchmarks, and long-term team building are priorities.
Braintrust also now offers products beyond its talent marketplace, including AI recruiting and workflow automation tools. For this review, we'll focus primarily on Braintrust's Talent Marketplace, since that's the product most relevant to companies evaluating Braintrust for remote hiring.
What Is Braintrust and How Does It Work?
Braintrust started as a talent marketplace, but the company has expanded into a broader hiring and AI infrastructure platform. For employers evaluating it as a way to hire remote talent, though, the Talent Marketplace is still the most relevant product.
The marketplace connects companies with vetted professionals across engineering, AI, data, product, design, marketing, finance, operations, and other specialized fields. Braintrust says its network includes more than 2 million professionals globally and supports several hiring models, including staff augmentation, embedded teams, and contract-to-hire.
How Braintrust's Hiring Process Works
The process is relatively straightforward:
- Share your hiring requirements. Employers provide information about the role, technical needs, project scope, and team.
- Receive matched candidates. Braintrust combines AI-powered matching with identity verification and screening to narrow its network to relevant candidates.
- Interview your matches. Your team reviews and interviews the shortlisted professionals.
- Hire and onboard. Once you've chosen someone, Braintrust can support contractor onboarding, payments, compliance, and certain employment arrangements.
Braintrust advertises first candidate matches within 48 hours, although actual hiring time will naturally depend on the role, interview process, and candidate availability.
This setup gives companies more support than a completely self-service freelance marketplace, while employers still remain involved in evaluating and selecting the final candidate. If you're deciding between different approaches, our guide to staffing agencies vs. recruiting agencies can help clarify how marketplace-based hiring differs from more recruiter-led models.
Braintrust Talent Marketplace
The Talent Marketplace lets companies hire individual professionals or larger groups of specialists. Braintrust currently supports three primary engagement models:
- Staff augmentation: Add hourly or part-time contractors to an existing team.
- Embedded teams: Bring in a group of professionals for a specific project or initiative.
- Contract-to-hire: Start with a contractor and potentially move them into a permanent position later.
That flexibility can work well for companies whose hiring needs change from project to project. Businesses focused primarily on building a long-term distributed workforce may also want to look at different remote hiring models before choosing a platform.
What Are Braintrust AIR and Nexus?
You'll probably encounter two other Braintrust products while researching the company: Braintrust AIR and Braintrust Nexus.
Braintrust AIR is an AI interviewing product designed to automate early-stage candidate screening. It conducts conversational interviews, evaluates responses, and produces candidate scoring that employers can use before moving people further into the hiring process.
Braintrust Nexus is broader. It's an enterprise workflow automation platform that connects business systems and automates processes across functions such as HR, finance, and operations. Braintrust introduced Nexus in 2025 as part of its expansion beyond recruiting.
Both products can work alongside the Talent Marketplace, but you don't need to use them to hire through Braintrust. For companies researching Braintrust primarily as a source of contractors or remote professionals, the Talent Marketplace remains the most important part of the platform.
What Types of Talent Can You Hire Through Braintrust?
Braintrust has expanded well beyond its early reputation as a marketplace for developers and designers. Companies can now use the platform to find professionals across a much broader range of technical and business functions.
Some of the main talent categories include:
- Software engineering: Front-end, back-end, full-stack, mobile, DevOps, and cloud professionals
- AI and machine learning: AI engineers, machine learning engineers, data scientists, and other AI specialists
- Data and analytics: Data engineers, analysts, analytics engineers, and business intelligence professionals
- Product and design: Product managers, UX/UI designers, product designers, and researchers
- Marketing and sales: Growth marketers, content specialists, performance marketers, sales professionals, and related roles
- Finance and operations: Finance professionals, accountants, operations specialists, and project-focused talent
- IT and infrastructure: Cloud, cybersecurity, systems, and technical support professionals
The breadth of the network is useful if your company hires across several departments and wants to manage those searches through one talent platform. It can also help with short-term initiatives where you need a specialized professional without committing immediately to a permanent hire.
The bigger question is how you want that talent to fit into your company.
A contractor brought in for a three-month development project has different requirements from a full-time employee who'll work with your team for several years. Before choosing a marketplace, it helps to define whether you need project-based expertise, staff augmentation, contract-to-hire talent, or someone who'll become a permanent part of the organization.
For example, companies building long-term engineering teams may benefit from focusing on hiring software developers, while businesses expanding their AI capabilities may need a more specialized approach to hiring AI engineers.
Braintrust's main advantage here is variety. You're searching a global network spanning many disciplines, not a narrow pool focused on one function or region.
That same global reach also means employers may need to pay closer attention to location, time-zone overlap, compensation expectations, and working arrangements when reviewing candidates. Companies specifically trying to build U.S.-aligned remote teams can instead focus their search on Latin American talent, where overlapping working hours can make day-to-day collaboration easier.
Next, the more important question for many employers is what all of this actually costs.
Braintrust Pricing and Fees in 2026
Braintrust doesn't publish a simple monthly subscription or fixed hiring package for its Talent Marketplace. Instead, it describes marketplace pricing as flexible, with the final cost depending largely on the professional you hire, their rate, and the services involved.
There are still some important Braintrust fees employers should understand before comparing the platform with other global hiring models.
Braintrust Talent Marketplace Pricing
Professionals on Braintrust generally set or agree on their rates with the companies hiring them. That means the underlying cost can vary considerably depending on the role, seniority, specialty, location, and engagement type.
Braintrust doesn't charge talent a platform fee. Professionals keep 100% of their agreed earnings, which can make the marketplace attractive to experienced contractors who want to avoid the freelancer-side commissions common on some other platforms.
For employers, however, the talent's rate isn't necessarily the complete cost.
Braintrust Platform Fee
Braintrust's current Site Service Fee terms state that payments processed between a client and freelancer are subject to a 15% platform fee charged on top of the agreed transaction amount.
For example:
So, if you hire someone at $100 per hour, the listed service-fee terms would bring the employer's cost to approximately $115 per hour before any additional services or applicable taxes.
Braintrust's main pricing page currently emphasizes flexible Talent Marketplace pricing and zero fees for talent rather than prominently displaying the 15% client fee. For that reason, companies should confirm the complete fee structure in their specific proposal before hiring.
Contract-to-Hire and Conversion Fees
Braintrust also supports contract-to-hire arrangements, allowing companies to work with someone as a contractor before moving them into a permanent position.
According to Braintrust's service-fee terms, converting a contractor into an employee before they've completed six months of services can trigger a conversion fee equal to 15% of the employee's first-year base salary. After more than six months of freelancer services, the terms state that no conversion fee applies.
Here's what that could look like:
That fee can make timing an important consideration for companies using Braintrust specifically as a route toward permanent hiring.
Braintrust's terms also list a 15% first-year base salary fee for direct hires, separate from contractor conversions.
Additional Services Can Add to the Cost
Companies may also pay additional fees for services such as Employer of Record, W-2 payroll, or compliance support. Those costs aren't presented as one standardized public package, so you'll need a quote to calculate the fully loaded cost for your particular hiring setup.
This is why it's useful to compare more than the candidate's hourly rate when evaluating a remote hiring platform. Platform fees, conversion costs, payroll services, and the amount of recruiting work your internal team handles can all affect the final hiring cost.
Companies focused on building long-term remote teams may also want to compare those costs with a recruiter-led model. South, for example, helps U.S. companies hire remote talent in Latin America rather than requiring employers to search a broad global marketplace themselves.
Braintrust AIR and Nexus Pricing
Braintrust's other products use different pricing models, so their costs shouldn't be mixed with Talent Marketplace fees.
Braintrust AIR uses volume-based pricing tied to the number of interviews conducted. Higher interview volumes can reduce the per-interview cost, although Braintrust doesn't publish standardized dollar amounts on its main pricing page.
Braintrust Nexus uses a performance-based model. Braintrust says companies keep 75% of the measured savings generated by an automation while Braintrust receives the remaining 25%.
For companies researching Braintrust primarily to hire contractors or remote professionals, though, Talent Marketplace costs matter most. Before signing an agreement, ask for the talent rate, platform fee, applicable payroll or compliance charges, and potential conversion costs separately so you can calculate the true cost of the hire.
Braintrust Pros and Cons
Braintrust offers a lot of flexibility, especially for companies that want access to a broad global talent pool without limiting themselves to one country or hiring model. At the same time, that marketplace structure means employers still need to think carefully about fees, candidate evaluation, and how much recruiting work they want to handle internally.
Here’s the quick breakdown:
Braintrust Pros
Access to a Large Global Talent Network
Braintrust gives employers access to professionals across engineering, AI, data, design, product, marketing, finance, operations, and other functions.
That breadth helps if you're hiring across several departments or need a specialized skill that may be hard to source locally. You're starting with a global candidate pool rather than searching one market at a time.
Flexible Hiring Models
Companies can use Braintrust for staff augmentation, embedded teams, and contract-to-hire arrangements.
That flexibility can work particularly well when headcount needs change frequently. You might bring in a specialist for a specific initiative, add contractors to an existing team, or use a contract period before considering a permanent hire.
If you're still deciding which setup makes sense, our guide to nearshore teams vs. freelancers explains how different remote hiring structures affect collaboration, continuity, and team management.
AI-Assisted Candidate Matching
Instead of manually browsing thousands of profiles, Braintrust uses AI-assisted matching to narrow the pool based on the role's requirements.
For hiring teams, the real value is reducing initial sourcing. Braintrust advertises candidate matches within 48 hours, helping companies move into interviews quickly.
Talent Keeps Their Agreed Earnings
Braintrust doesn't deduct a marketplace commission from the professional's earnings.
That gives contractors a clearer view of what they'll actually take home and can make the platform attractive to experienced independent professionals who prefer to avoid freelancer-side marketplace fees.
From the employer's side, though, Braintrust applies its own client fees separately, so companies should evaluate total hiring cost rather than the candidate's rate alone.
Contract-to-Hire Gives Employers More Flexibility
Braintrust's contract-to-hire model lets companies work with someone before deciding whether to bring them into the organization permanently.
For roles where long-term fit matters, that trial period can provide useful information about communication, technical ability, and collaboration in a real working environment.
Braintrust Cons
Employer Fees Increase the Final Cost
The hourly or project rate you agree on with a professional isn't always the final amount you'll pay.
Braintrust's current terms include employer-side platform fees, and additional services such as payroll, compliance, or Employer of Record support may add further costs.
Companies comparing different remote hiring options should calculate the total cost of employment or engagement rather than comparing headline rates alone.
Pricing Requires Some Extra Homework
Braintrust describes Talent Marketplace pricing as flexible, so no single straightforward public package applies to every employer.
That approach lets pricing accommodate different hiring arrangements, though budget planning may require a conversation with Braintrust and a careful review of applicable fees.
This is particularly important if you're comparing several talent platforms and want a clear cost-per-hire estimate before speaking with sales teams.
Your Team Still Needs to Evaluate Candidates
Braintrust can help with sourcing, matching, and screening, but the employer remains responsible for deciding who ultimately gets hired.
You'll still need to review candidates, conduct interviews, assess role-specific skills, and determine whether someone fits your team.
Companies with experienced hiring managers may appreciate that control. Businesses that want a recruiter to manage more of the search, screening, and shortlist process may prefer a more hands-on remote recruiting service.
A Global Network Requires More Attention to Location
Braintrust's international reach creates plenty of choice, but geography still matters.
Two equally qualified candidates may have very different working hours, compensation expectations, employment requirements, and communication overlap depending on where they're based.
For U.S. companies that specifically want strong working-hour overlap, focusing on Latin American remote talent can narrow the search from the beginning.
Contractor Conversion Can Carry Additional Costs
Braintrust supports moving contractors into permanent employment, but converting someone early can result in a conversion fee.
That doesn't make contract-to-hire a poor option. It simply means companies should consider their likely long-term hiring plan before choosing the engagement model, particularly if the ultimate goal is a permanent employee.
Overall, Braintrust's strongest advantages are global reach, hiring flexibility, and access to specialized professionals. The main tradeoffs involve employer-side costs, internal involvement in candidate selection, and a less geographically focused hiring experience.
Who Is Braintrust Best For?
Braintrust makes the most sense for companies that want flexible access to a large global talent pool and already have an internal team that can interview, evaluate, and manage candidates.
It can be especially useful when hiring needs change quickly or when a company needs a specialist for a specific project rather than a permanent team addition.
Braintrust may be a good fit if your company:
- Needs contractors or specialized professionals quickly
- Hires across engineering, AI, data, product, design, marketing, finance, or operations
- Wants access to a global candidate network
- Uses staff augmentation or project-based hiring
- Wants the option to move from contract to permanent employment
- Has hiring managers who are comfortable leading interviews and making final candidate decisions
- Values flexibility more than geographic specialization
For example, a company launching a new AI initiative might use Braintrust to bring in a machine learning engineer or data specialist without immediately opening a permanent role. A product team could also use the platform to add temporary engineering or design support during a busy development cycle.
The platform can also appeal to companies with a mature hiring process. Braintrust can help narrow the candidate pool, while your internal team handles the deeper technical assessment and culture-fit evaluation.
When Another Hiring Model May Make More Sense
A global marketplace isn't always the best fit for every hiring goal.
Companies building long-term remote teams may prefer a recruiting partner that takes a more hands-on role in sourcing, screening, and shortlisting candidates. That can be especially valuable when the goal is to make several permanent hires rather than fill one short-term project.
Geography can also influence the decision.
If your company specifically wants professionals who can work closely with U.S. teams during normal business hours, a regional strategy may make the hiring process more focused. Latin America, for example, gives U.S. employers access to a large remote talent pool with strong time-zone overlap.
Our guide to hiring remote employees in Latin America covers what to consider when building a team in the region, including compensation, skills, and hiring structure.
Braintrust is strongest when flexibility and global access are the priority. A specialized recruiting partner may be a better fit when your priorities include geographic focus, long-term retention, salary guidance, and more support throughout the hiring process.
That difference becomes clearer when you compare Braintrust with other ways to source remote professionals.
Braintrust vs. Traditional Staffing and Freelance Marketplaces
Braintrust doesn’t fit perfectly into the same category as a traditional staffing agency or a fully self-service freelance marketplace. It combines marketplace access with candidate matching, screening, and flexible hiring options, giving employers more structure than an open marketplace while still keeping them involved in the hiring decision.
The differences become clearer when you look at how each model handles sourcing, screening, and ongoing support.
Braintrust vs. Freelance Marketplaces
Traditional freelance platforms generally give employers a large pool of independent professionals and tools to search, filter, message, and hire them.
That can provide plenty of choice, but employers often handle more of the sourcing and screening process.
Braintrust adds structure through candidate matching and vetting, which can reduce the time spent browsing profiles. It still preserves much of the flexibility associated with freelance hiring, including hourly engagements and project-based work.
Companies deciding between these models should consider their internal recruiting capacity. If your team is comfortable reviewing profiles, interviewing candidates, and managing contractors, a marketplace model can work well.
You can explore that tradeoff further in our guide to nearshore teams vs. freelancers.
Braintrust vs. Staffing and Recruiting Partners
A staffing or recruiting partner takes a different approach.
Instead of giving you access to a talent network and asking your team to choose from matched candidates, recruiters typically take a more active role in sourcing, screening, salary guidance, and shortlist creation.
That can be useful when internal hiring teams are stretched or when companies want candidates who meet a very specific combination of skills, location, compensation expectations, and experience.
Braintrust still gives employers substantial control over the final evaluation. A recruiting partner generally does more work before candidates reach your interview stage.
Our breakdown of staffing agencies vs. recruiting agencies explains how those models differ in more detail.
Which Hiring Model Fits Your Company?
The right model depends largely on how much of the hiring process you want to manage yourself.
Braintrust can make sense when you want global reach and flexible talent without starting from an entirely open marketplace. A freelance marketplace may suit companies comfortable with more self-service sourcing, while a staffing or recruiting partner may suit companies that want more help narrowing the search.
For U.S. companies specifically building long-term remote teams, geography may also shape the decision. A LATAM staffing partner can focus the candidate pool around professionals with stronger U.S. time-zone overlap, regional salary benchmarks, and experience working with North American companies.
The next question is which specific Braintrust alternatives offer those different hiring models.
Best Braintrust Alternatives in 2026
Braintrust isn't the only option for hiring vetted remote talent. The best alternative depends on whether you want full-time employees, specialized freelancers, a large self-service marketplace, or recruiter-led hiring support.
Here are five Braintrust alternatives worth considering in 2026.
1. South — Best for Full-Time Remote Talent in Latin America
South is a strong Braintrust alternative for U.S. companies that want to build long-term remote teams in Latin America instead of searching a global marketplace for contractors.
South handles the recruiting process end to end, including sourcing, screening, English verification, salary benchmarking, candidate presentation, payroll, and compliance. Employers receive a shortlist of vetted candidates instead of searching through a marketplace themselves. South currently says companies typically make their first hire in about 16 days.
The geographic focus also changes the hiring experience. Candidates are sourced throughout Latin America, giving U.S. companies access to professionals who can collaborate during overlapping business hours.
South can help companies hire across:
- Engineering and AI
- Finance and accounting
- Sales
- Marketing
- Operations
- Customer success and support
- Product and design
South focuses on full-time remote hires, with no minimum commitment and a free replacement if a placement doesn't work out. Companies can also use its headhunting or EOR services depending on how they want to structure the hire.
Best for: U.S. companies building dedicated, long-term teams with pre-vetted Latin American talent.
2. Toptal — Best for Highly Vetted Freelance Specialists
Toptal is another curated talent network, with professionals across software development, design, marketing, product, project management, and consulting.
Its model primarily connects companies with experienced freelance professionals for specialized projects and flexible engagements. Toptal markets its network as the top 3% of freelance talent.
It can make sense when you need an experienced specialist for a defined initiative and want more curation than you'd get from an open freelance marketplace.
Best for: Companies looking for curated senior freelance talent.
3. Upwork — Best for a Large Self-Service Marketplace
Upwork gives employers a much more self-directed hiring experience.
Companies can post a job, receive proposals, browse freelancer profiles, review previous work, and choose who they want to interview. Its marketplace covers a wide range of categories, from software development and AI to marketing, design, finance, customer support, and administrative work.
That breadth can be useful when you're hiring for a clearly defined project and are comfortable handling more of the screening yourself.
Best for: Companies that want a large freelance marketplace and greater control over candidate selection.
4. Gun.io — Best for Experienced Software Developers
Gun.io is more specialized than Braintrust, concentrating primarily on software engineers and other technical professionals.
Its vetting process includes work-history reviews, background checks, algorithmic screening, and technical interviews with senior engineers. Companies can hire through contract, contract-to-hire, or full-time arrangements.
That narrower focus can be useful when your hiring need is specifically technical and you want candidates who have already gone through developer-focused screening.
Best for: Companies hiring experienced remote software engineers.
5. Arc.dev — Best for Freelance and Full-Time Global Remote Talent
Arc.dev offers both freelance and full-time remote professionals.
Its network now extends beyond developers to designers, marketers, product managers, project managers, assistants, and other remote roles. Arc combines vetting with AI-powered candidate matching and recruiter support.
That makes it one of the closer Braintrust alternatives for companies that want both flexible engagements and permanent remote hiring through a global talent network.
Best for: Companies that want a mix of freelance and full-time remote hiring options.
Braintrust Alternatives at a Glance
The biggest distinction is the type of relationship you're trying to build.
Braintrust, Toptal, Upwork, Gun.io, and Arc all provide different ways to access global talent. South takes a more geographically focused, recruiter-led approach for companies that want full-time professionals in Latin America who can join the team long term.
That makes it worth looking more closely at Braintrust and South side by side.
Braintrust vs. South
Braintrust and South can both help companies hire remote professionals, but they solve different hiring problems.
Braintrust is built around a global talent marketplace. Companies can access more than 2 million professionals and hire through staff augmentation, embedded teams, or contract-to-hire arrangements. Its model works particularly well when you want flexible access to specialists and are comfortable keeping your internal team involved in candidate evaluation.
South takes a more focused approach. It helps U.S. companies hire full-time remote professionals across Latin America, with recruiting, vetting, salary benchmarking, payroll, compliance, and ongoing support available through its staffing model.
Here’s how the two differ:
Where Braintrust Fits
Braintrust makes sense when your priority is access to specialized global talent with flexible engagement options.
For example, you might need a developer for a six-month project, an AI specialist to support an existing team, or several professionals for a temporary initiative. Braintrust's staff augmentation and embedded-team models are designed around those kinds of scenarios.
Its global reach also gives you a much wider geographic pool. The tradeoff is that your hiring team may need to pay closer attention to candidate location, working hours, compensation, and how well each person fits your existing workflow.
Where South Fits
South is designed primarily for companies that want to build long-term remote teams in Latin America.
Rather than giving employers access to a marketplace, South handles the search and presents candidates selected to match the role's requirements. Its staffing model combines sourcing, vetting, payroll, compliance, ongoing support, and the professional’s compensation into one monthly invoice.
The model also includes no minimum hiring commitments and free replacement support.
The regional focus is another important difference. Hiring throughout Latin America gives U.S. companies access to professionals who can typically work during overlapping business hours, which can be especially useful for roles that require frequent collaboration with internal teams.
The Main Difference
The simplest way to think about Braintrust vs. South is the type of hiring relationship each platform is built around.
Braintrust gives you broad global access and several flexible ways to add talent. South narrows the search to Latin America and provides a more recruiter-led process centered on full-time remote hiring.
If you need project-based specialists, staff augmentation, or contract-to-hire flexibility, Braintrust's marketplace model may align well with that goal.
If you're building a dedicated remote team and want more support with sourcing, screening, salary benchmarking, and ongoing administration, hiring through South offers a different path focused specifically on Latin American talent.
Is Braintrust Worth It in 2026?
Braintrust can be worth considering if your company wants fast access to specialized global talent and flexibility around how people are hired.
Its marketplace gives employers access to professionals across engineering, AI, data, product, design, marketing, finance, and other functions, while supporting arrangements such as staff augmentation, embedded teams, and contract-to-hire. That makes it especially useful for project-based work, temporary capacity gaps, or roles where you want to work with someone before considering a longer-term relationship.
The platform may also appeal to companies with established hiring teams. Braintrust can help with sourcing and matching, while your managers retain control over interviews and final candidate selection.
However, the marketplace model still requires meaningful employer involvement. You'll need to evaluate candidates, understand the complete fee structure, and consider factors such as location, working hours, and whether a contractor-focused arrangement matches your long-term hiring plans.
Braintrust is likely to make the most sense when you:
- Need specialized contractors or project-based professionals
- Want access to a broad global candidate pool
- Prefer flexible hiring arrangements
- Have internal hiring managers who can evaluate candidates
- Want contract-to-hire as an option
A different hiring model may fit better if you're primarily building a permanent remote team and want more of the recruiting process handled for you.
For example, companies focused on hiring remote talent in Latin America may prefer a regional recruiting partner that can narrow the search around skills, compensation, English proficiency, time-zone alignment, and long-term fit from the beginning.
Ultimately, Braintrust's value comes from global reach and flexibility. Whether that's the right setup depends on whether you want access to a marketplace of professionals or a more hands-on recruiting process built around long-term hiring.
Build Your Remote Team With South
If Braintrust’s marketplace model feels broader than what you need, South offers a more focused way to hire remote professionals across Latin America.
South helps U.S. companies find pre-vetted, full-time talent across engineering, finance, operations, marketing, customer support, sales, and other business functions. The recruiting process includes sourcing, screening, English proficiency checks, salary benchmarking, and candidate shortlisting, so your team can spend less time filtering profiles and more time meeting strong candidates.
You also get the advantages of hiring in Latin America, including strong U.S. time-zone overlap, competitive compensation, and access to experienced remote professionals who can work closely with your internal team.
With no minimum commitments and free replacement support under its staffing model, South gives companies a practical alternative to global talent marketplaces when the goal is to build a long-term remote team.
Schedule a call with South to start meeting pre-vetted candidates in Latin America.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
How much does Braintrust charge employers?
Braintrust’s Talent Marketplace doesn’t use one standard public package for every employer. Costs depend on the professional’s rate and the services used.
Braintrust’s current service terms state that clients generally pay a 15% platform fee on top of payments made to talent. Additional charges may apply for services such as payroll, compliance, Employer of Record support, direct hiring, or contractor conversion.
Does Braintrust charge freelancers a fee?
Braintrust says talent pays zero platform fees, meaning professionals keep their agreed earnings rather than having a marketplace commission deducted from their pay.
The employer side of the transaction carries the applicable Braintrust platform and service fees.
Is Braintrust only for developers?
No. Braintrust originally became well known for technical and creative talent, but its marketplace now covers a much wider range of roles.
Companies can find professionals across software engineering, AI, data, product, design, marketing, sales, finance, operations, IT, and other business functions.
Does Braintrust offer full-time talent?
Yes. Braintrust supports several hiring arrangements, including contract-to-hire and direct hiring, as well as contractor-based staff augmentation and embedded teams.
If your main goal is to build a long-term remote workforce, it can also help to evaluate full-time remote staffing options alongside marketplace-based hiring.
How does Braintrust vet talent?
Braintrust combines identity verification, screening, and AI-assisted matching to connect employers with candidates that fit their requirements.
Employers still play an important role in the final evaluation. Hiring teams typically review matched candidates, conduct interviews, assess role-specific expertise, and decide who they want to hire.
How quickly can you hire through Braintrust?
Braintrust advertises candidate matches in under 48 hours, although receiving a match and completing a hire are different stages.
Your time to hire will depend on candidate availability, interview rounds, technical assessments, internal approvals, and the role's complexity.
What are the best Braintrust alternatives?
The best Braintrust alternative depends on how you want to hire.
South is an option for companies that want to hire remote talent in Latin America through a recruiter-led process. Toptal focuses on highly vetted freelance professionals, Upwork offers a large self-service marketplace, Gun.io specializes heavily in software developers, and Arc.dev provides freelance and full-time remote talent.
Is Braintrust better than Upwork?
Braintrust and Upwork use different approaches.
Braintrust provides a more curated experience with matching and vetting, while Upwork gives employers broad marketplace access and greater responsibility for searching, reviewing proposals, and screening professionals.
Companies that want to understand Upwork’s model in more detail can read our full Upwork review.
Is Braintrust good for hiring remote employees?
Braintrust can work well for remote hiring, particularly when a company values global reach, specialized talent, and flexible engagement models.
For companies primarily interested in long-term employees working closely with U.S.-based teams, geographic specialization can also matter. A LATAM-focused recruiting approach can provide stronger working-hour overlap and a more targeted candidate search.
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