Everyone says hiring staff globally is easier. And, while that was the case at first, the reality this year is quite different. If you are looking for Howdy alternatives, you’re probably not starting from zero.
You have seen what works. You have also spotted a few cracks. So let’s look at other options. In this post, we’ll go through how Howdy compares with others on the market. We’ll look at how different platforms approach hiring, compliance, and support.
What Is Howdy and How Does It Work for Remote Hiring?
Howdy is a remote hiring agency that puts businesses in touch with software developers based primarily in Latin America. They function with a nearshore focus and position themselves as a way to access technical talent that works similar hours to US teams.
At its core, Howdy simplifies remote hiring. It manages sourcing, local employment, and onboarding, creating a smoother start compared to hiring independently across borders.
Company Rating: 5/5 (Clutch Verified)
Standout Features:
- Howdy specializes in sourcing software developers based in Latin America, helping US teams to work overlapping hours without late-night or split-shift coordination.
- Talent hired through Howdy is placed into full-time roles, which supports continuity, accountability, and longer-term team integration compared to marketplace-based models.
- Howdy handles local employment requirements, payroll, and initial onboarding logistics, reducing early administrative burden for companies hiring across borders.
Key Limitations:
- Howdy isn’t designed for companies that need to hire across finance, operations, and customer support, or other non-technical functions.
- While Howdy works well for nearshore needs, it limits access for businesses looking to hire in other regions or diversify their talent locations.
- Companies that move beyond a small number of technical hires may encounter issues as requirements grow more complex across teams and roles.
TLDR: Howdy vs Other Remote Hiring Platforms: Quick Comparison
The table below gives a high-level view of the most common Howdy alternatives. This is intended to support evaluation and reflects how these providers typically operate once onboarding begins.
| Company | Talent Type | Geographic Scope | Role Coverage | Compliance Support | Best Fit For |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Howdy | Full-time remote hires | Latin America | Software developers | Managed through provider | Engineering-focused teams needing nearshore access |
| 1840 & Company | Full-time dedicated people | Global | Technical and non-technical roles | Fully managed | Businesses scaling multiple remote teams |
| Andela | Long-term remote hires | Global | Software developers | Limited | Product-driven teams building dev capacity |
| Toptal | Freelance talent | Global | Technical specialists | Minimal | Short-term or niche technical needs |
| Deel | Direct hires via platform | Global | Any role sourced independently | Fully managed | Companies with candidates already selected |
| Multiplier | Direct hires via platform | Global | Any role sourced independently | Fully managed | Businesses expanding internationally |
| PowerToFly | Platform-based candidates | Global | Mixed roles | None | Companies focused on visibility and reach |
| Talently | Remote candidates | Limited global | Mixed roles | Limited | Smaller teams testing remote hiring |
The 7 Best Howdy Alternatives
Keep reading for our detailed breakdown of the seven best remote hiring platforms competing with Howdy.
1. 1840 & Company
Best For: Businesses that need full-time remote people across multiple roles with consistent compliance and structured onboarding.
Putting ourselves first just makes sense. At 1840 & Company, we act as a global outsourcing and staffing partner, supporting remote hiring across technical and non-technical roles.
We offer full-time, dedicated people rather than shared resources or freelance talent. Operating across +150 countries, we give you broader access while handling sourcing, payroll, and compliance.
Company Rating: 4.8/5 (Clutch Verified)
Standout Features:
- Supports full-time, dedicated people who work exclusively for one client. This applies across technical, customer, operational, sales, finance, and support roles.
- Operates across more than 150 countries and manages local employment, payroll, and compliance through a single engagement model.
- Clients typically receive vetted candidate profiles within days and do not pay sourcing or recruiting fees before a hire starts.
Key Limitations:
- Our model does not support project-based usage or fractional roles, which can limit fit for companies seeking temporary capacity.
- Businesses that prefer informal or ad hoc hiring may find the onboarding and employment framework more structured than expected.
- Companies looking to hire a single role with no expectation of future growth may find our model more robust than necessary.
2. Andela
Best For: Companies that want long-term access to experienced software developers without building an internal global hiring team.
Andela is a global talent marketplace specializing in remote technical hiring, connecting you with engineers from multiple regions. They emphasize skill validation and long-term engagements as options for teams seeking consistency rather than short-term contracts.
Company Rating: 4.7/5 (G2 Verified)
Standout Features:
- They maintain a broad talent pool of experienced engineers sourced from multiple regions, giving you access to skills that are often difficult to hire locally.
- They focus on placing developers in longer-term roles rather than short-term project work to support continuity and integration.
- Candidates are evaluated for technical proficiency and professional experience before being introduced to you, reducing the effort required for early-stage screening.
Key Limitations:
- Does not support hiring across non-technical functions, which limits its usefulness for companies building cross-functional remote teams.
- Many placements operate under contractor arrangements rather than direct employment, which can raise compliance or classification questions.
- Ongoing support tends to be limited once developers are placed, leaving companies to manage performance and retention internally.
3. Toptal
Best For: Companies that need short-term access to highly specialized software developers without committing to full-time hires.
Toptal offers you a curated talent marketplace focused on freelance professionals. They’re best known for their screening process and emphasis on senior-level technical talent. It’s ideal if you want to quickly fill skill gaps, especially when internal staff lack niche expertise.
Company Rating: 4.8/5 (Clutch Verified)
Standout Features:
- Multi-step screening that evaluates technical ability, communication, and professional experience.
- Great for gaining niche skills quickly, such as specific programming languages or domain expertise, without running a full hiring cycle.
- They support project-based, time-bound work, making it easier to add capacity without committing to long-term employment.
Key Limitations:
- Because talent is engaged as freelancers, building lasting team cohesion and institutional knowledge can be difficult.
- Hourly and monthly rates are often significantly higher than dedicated full-time options, especially over extended periods.
- Works best for isolated needs rather than companies hiring repeatedly across teams or departments.
4. Deel
Best For: Companies that already have candidates and need a platform to handle global employment and compliance.
A global company, Deel is a platform for job management and payroll, not a sourcing firm. It supports you by managing contracts, payments, and local labor requirements after you’ve already selected people, formalizing employment, and handling regulatory obligations.
Company Rating: 4.7/5 (G2 Verified)
Standout Features:
- Helps legally employ people across a large number of jurisdictions without establishing local entities, simplifying cross-border hiring from a legal standpoint.
- They combine employment contracts, payroll processing, tax documentation, and payments into a single interface.
- Provides repeatable onboarding flows that help move people from offer to active employment with fewer manual steps across regions.
Key Limitations:
- Deel assumes you already have people selected, which means your hiring team has to manage sourcing and evaluation separately.
- Once onboarding is complete, they function primarily as an administrative platform rather than an ongoing hiring partner.
- If you have unique employment needs or evolving processes, you may find Deel less flexible than other, more hands-on providers.
5. Multiplier
Best For: Businesses that want a structured way to employ remote people internationally after making their own hiring decisions.
If you’re looking for a platform that simplifies international hiring, Multiplier is a renowned global employment and payroll provider. They support you by taking care of local labor contracts, payments, and regulatory requirements across many regions.
Company Rating: 4.9/5 (AmbitionBox Verified)
Standout Features:
- Make it easy to employ people internationally without setting up local entities, helping you move forward faster when hiring across borders.
- Payroll, contracts, tax documentation, and employee data are managed in one system, reducing manual coordination across regions.
- They standardize onboarding steps, helping to maintain consistency when onboarding remote employees across locations.
Key Limitations:
- You already have to identify candidates, which places full responsibility for hiring quality on you and your internal hiring team.
- Once onboarding is complete, Multiplier primarily functions as an employment backend rather than an ongoing hiring partner.
- If you face changing requirements more often, you may find Multiplier less adaptable than other long-term focused providers.
6. PowerToFly
Best For: Companies that want access to remote talent through a community-driven platform with a strong focus on inclusive hiring.
Combining job postings, recruiting support, and virtual hiring events, PowerToFly is widely known for connecting businesses with remote staff through curated talent communities. Their platform emphasizes employer visibility and candidate engagement.
Company Rating: 4.8/5 (G2 Verified)
Standout Features:
- Offers talent communities rather than a traditional staffing model, which helps to reach candidates who are actively engaged through events, content, and networking.
- They host live recruiting events where companies can interact with candidates in real time, helping to speed up interest and early-stage screening.
- Emphasizes employer branding and exposure, making it easier for companies to attract inbound interest from remote professionals.
Key Limitations:
- Does not handle compliance, contracts, or payroll, requiring you to manage those responsibilities yourself or through another provider.
- They facilitate connections but do not provide deep support for vetting, onboarding, or long-term team management.
- Because success depends on inbound interest and event participation, results can vary based on timing and role demand.
7. Talently
Best For: Smaller businesses that want a simple platform to hire remote people without complex infrastructure.
Talently connects you with pre-screened professionals across several roles. They prioritize speed and ease of access over deep workforce management. They’re a great option to use as a starting point when testing remote hiring before committing to larger providers.
Company Rating: 5/5 (Glassdoor Verified)
Standout Features:
- Talently focuses on reducing time to start by presenting candidates who have already passed an initial screening, which is appealing if you’re a smaller team.
- The platform offers access to candidates across several functions, making it usable for teams testing remote hiring outside of engineering.
- Their platform is designed for straightforward usage, making it easy to engage without complex workflows or layered approval processes.
Key Limitations:
- Their screening process tends to be lighter, which may require additional evaluation by your internal teams.
- Talently does not fully manage employment compliance, leaving responsibilities with you or an external hiring company.
- As hiring volume increases, they may lack the structure needed to support repeatable onboarding and long-term growth.
How We Evaluated Each Howdy Alternative
Each company was evaluated using the same lens to keep comparisons fair and grounded in real hiring outcomes, not marketing claims. We focused on how these providers typically support companies once hiring begins.
Our evaluation considered:
- How the company sources, supports, or manages people after they are hired
- The level of access businesses have to talent across roles and regions
- How compliance and employment responsibilities are handled over time
- What onboarding looks like beyond the first hire
- Common issues reported as teams grow or hiring repeats
- Publicly available statistics, client reviews, case studies, and employee feedback, as well as online critiques or awards.
The goal was not to rank companies universally, but to clarify where each option fits based on how different businesses operate in practice.
What to Look for When Choosing a Howdy Alternative
Below is a practical evaluation table you can use before committing to a hiring platform. It keeps the focus on real-world usage rather than marketing claims.
| Evaluation Area | What to Look For | Why It Matters Long Term |
|---|---|---|
| Talent focus | Clear definition of who the company specializes in | Misalignment here often leads to early issues after people are hired |
| Geographic scope | Where the provider operates and how flexible access really is | Limited regions can restrict growth as hiring needs expand |
| Role coverage | Whether hiring is limited or extends across teams | Businesses rarely stop at one role once they start |
| Platform usage | How intuitive the platform feels after onboarding | Friction here compounds over time |
| Compliance handling | Who owns compliance and how it adapts as teams grow | Early compliance gaps create later risk |
| Onboarding process | How structured and repeatable does onboarding feels | A rough start usually affects retention |
| Feedback loops | How feedback is gathered and acted on | Slow feedback cycles often signal scaling problems |
| Operating model | How the provider supports teams after the start | Support quality matters more six months in |
This type of side-by-side thinking helps separate short-term convenience from longer-term fit. It also makes it easier to compare without getting distracted by surface-level differences.
Which Howdy Alternative Is Right for Your Business?
Choosing a Howdy alternative has less to do with brand names and more to do with how hiring shows up in your day-to-day work. This section breaks the decision down by common scenarios so you can spot what fits without forcing your needs into the wrong platform.
If You Are a Startup
Early-stage teams usually want progress without unnecessary complexity. The focus is getting the right people in place while keeping usage simple and issues limited.
Options that align well include:
- Howdy when hiring software developers in Latin America is the main goal
- Talently for quick access without heavy setup
- PowerToFly when visibility and inbound interest matter early
If You Are Hiring Repeatedly
Once hiring becomes ongoing, predictability starts to matter. Costs, onboarding consistency, and feedback loops become harder to manage without support.
Options that align well include:
- 1840 & Company for repeatable hiring across multiple roles
- Andela for teams adding developers over time
- Multiplier when internal recruiting already exists
If You Are Expanding Across Borders
When teams operate in more than one country, hiring decisions start intersecting with compliance and local employment rules. At that point, sourcing alone is not enough.
Options that align well include:
- Deel for employment and payroll infrastructure
- 1840 & Company for formal global operations
- An external platform paired with internal oversight
FAQs About Howdy Alternatives
How Long Does It Take To Switch Hiring Providers?
Most companies transition providers over a few weeks, depending on how existing contracts, onboarding status, and internal approvals are handled.
Do These Platforms Replace Internal Hiring Teams?
In most cases, they supplement internal teams rather than replace them, especially when hiring volume increases or compliance becomes more complex.
Are Contracts Typically Flexible Or Fixed?
Flexibility varies widely. Some providers operate month to month, while others require longer commitments once people are hired.
Final Thoughts on Choosing the Right Howdy Alternative
Choosing among hiring options comes down to how well they hold up after the first few hires are in place.
The right fit supports growth, reduces problems, and keeps expectations clear. When a provider aligns with how your business operates, hiring should feel less reactive and more sustainable over time.
If you are ready to build full-time, dedicated remote teams with consistent onboarding, strong compliance support, and global access, talk with 1840 & Company. Find out how we can help you.