What does a senior engineer really cost you?
Salary is only part of it. Add payroll taxes, benefits and the recruiter fee. Put in your own number and see the math.
1 senior developer for 12 months
One monthly price per developer. Everything in it.
No deposit, no minimum term, no placement fee. You pay one invoice a month for each developer on your team.
Per developer, all-in. Your quote arrives by email with your exact number after you send the brief.
- Developer pay, local payroll and taxes
- Vetting: coding test, soft skills, English
- Free replacement within 90 days
- A direct line to our CEO
What changes the price
- Seniority and role. Senior engineer, tech lead or architect.
- Stack. Some stacks and niche tools cost more to staff.
- Team size. Larger teams get a better monthly rate per seat.
- White-label. Agencies reselling under their brand get partner pricing.
Terms in plain words
- First 2 weeks risk-free: if it isn't working, you don't pay for them
- Month to month, 30 days' notice to end
- No deposit and no minimum number of seats
- Want to hire the developer full-time? Buyout of 3 months' fee in year one, 2 months' after
What you pay for, and what you don't
| Item | Status | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Developer pay | Included | Paid by us |
| Local payroll, taxes and compliance | Included | |
| Vetting and the 48-hour shortlist | Included | |
| Replacement within 90 days | Included | Free |
| Monthly check-in with our CEO | Included | |
| Recruiter or placement fee | Not charged | There is none |
| Deposit or setup fee | Not charged | There is none |
| Software licenses for your stack | Not included | Provided by you, like for any team member |
Five ways to add a senior engineer. Here's how they stack up.
In-house is the gold standard until you count the weeks and the recruiter fee. Here's the side-by-side, with typical numbers.
| Criteria | TopDevCrewSenior LATAM, managed | In-house US hireFull-time employee | Freelance marketplaceHourly contractors | LATAM staffing agencyTypical agency | Premium talent networkCurated platforms |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| First profiles | 48 hours | ~49 days to an accepted offer, then ~2 weeks' notice | Days, but you do the screening | 3 days to 3 weeks | 48 to 72 hours |
| Senior cost per month | $6,900 per developer, flat | $16,600 to $22,000 loaded | Hourly rate plus platform fees | ~$6,000 – $11,200 | ~$5,600 – $24,000 |
| Who screens | We do: code, soft skills, English | You and a recruiter | You | The agency | The platform |
| Seniority | Senior only, 6+ years | You choose | Mixed | Mixed | Mixed |
| Commitment | Month to month, 30 days' notice | Full-time employment | Per contract | Month to month or project minimums | Varies |
| Risk cover | 2 weeks risk-free, free replacement for 90 days | Probation; recruiter fee of 15–25% of salary | None | Trial common; replacement 30–180 days | Trial common |
| Time-zone overlap with ET | Full working day | Same office | Anywhere, often none | Usually good | Varies by country |
| Payroll and compliance | Included | Yours | Usually yours | Included | Included |
Typical ranges from public pricing pages and rate guides, checked October 2026. In-house cost: BLS wage data for software developers (May 2025, 75th percentile) in 12 East Coast metros, times 1.28 for employer costs (BLS, June 2026). Time to hire: recruiter-reported average for senior engineers in 2026. The TopDevCrew price is a flat rate per developer, the same whatever the stack; only the size of the team moves your quote.
Questions tech leads ask us
How much does a senior developer cost?
$6,900 per developer per month, all-in. It is a flat rate, the same whatever the stack, so your own number is that rate times the developers you need. It arrives by email the moment you send the quote form.
Is there a minimum contract?
No. Month to month with 30 days' notice. No deposit and no minimum number of developers.
What if the developer isn't a fit?
The first 2 weeks are risk-free: if it isn't working, you don't pay for them. After that, we replace the developer for free within 90 days.
Can I hire the developer full-time later?
Yes. The buyout is 3 months' fee in the first year and 2 months' fee after that.
How does billing work?
One invoice a month per developer, in US dollars. We handle the developer's pay, local payroll and taxes.
Skip the sales rep. Talk to the CEO.
Tell us what you're building, your stack and when you need people. Three matched profiles within 48 hours, and a straight answer on whether we're the right fit.