A.Team 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 #4) 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

A.TeamToptal
Top 11 rank#4 / The 11 Best Freelance Platforms for Hiring Talent (2026)#1 / The 11 Best Freelance Platforms for Hiring Talent (2026)
Score (out of 9.4)8.69.3
Best forBuilding vetted freelance teamsHiring elite, vetted talent
Pricing$$$$ (Team-based pricing)$$$$ (from $80/hr)
HQNew York, USASan Francisco, USA
Founded20202010

A.Team

Best for assembling entire, vetted product and engineering teams.

www.ateam.com

See 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.com

See 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.