99designs by Vistaprint vs Toptal
Side-by-side from the Top 11 ranking of The 11 Best Freelance Platforms for Hiring Talent (2026). Last verified June 17, 2026.
The short answer
Toptal ranks higher on Top 11 (#1 vs #9) for Startups and SMBs hiring freelancers for design, dev, and marketing. The best for pre-vetted, high-caliber developers, designers, and finance experts.
At a glance
| 99designs by Vistaprint | Toptal | |
|---|---|---|
| Top 11 rank | #9 / The 11 Best Freelance Platforms for Hiring Talent (2026) | #1 / The 11 Best Freelance Platforms for Hiring Talent (2026) |
| Score (out of 9.4) | 7.6 | 9.3 |
| Best for | Contest-based design work | Hiring elite, vetted talent |
| Pricing | $$ (Contests from $299) | $$$$ (from $80/hr) |
| HQ | Melbourne, Australia | San Francisco, USA |
| Founded | 2008 | 2010 |
99designs by Vistaprint
Top platform for running design contests for logos, branding, and websites.
99designs.comSee full entry in The 11 Best Freelance Platforms for Hiring Talent (2026)
Toptal
The best for pre-vetted, high-caliber developers, designers, and finance experts.
www.toptal.comSee full entry in The 11 Best Freelance Platforms for Hiring Talent (2026)
Methodology and scoring weights live at /methodology. No vendor pays for placement — see about.