Top 7 Robert Half Competitors for Hiring Remote Developers in 2026

With the demand for software developers skyrocketing—15%, much faster than average, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS)—employers are relying on nontraditional hiring methods to secure top tech talent. Remote hiring is now the new norm.

Founded in 1948 in Menlo Park and San Ramon, California, Robert Half is one of the oldest and most established platforms providing remote software development hiring services. An international human resources consulting company, Robert Half offers remote staffing for job positions in many sectors, including tech.

However, while the consulting company has a number of features and benefits, there are some limitations. That’s why you should consider Robert Half competitors when you’re in search of the best-fit software engineers for your business. 

What Are Robert Half’s Features? 

Robert Half is one of the largest remote staffing companies by size and scope. Its top features include:

Staffing for IT and Tech Roles

Robert Half provides staffing for many IT infrastructure and software development positions. This includes numerous types of developers, including:

• Database and wireless network managers
• Desktop support professionals
• Telecommunications support specialists
• Full-stack developers
• And many more

Flexibility

The platform is quite flexible with its hiring options. It provides full-time, freelance, and short-term placement options. If you need to, Robert Half also allows you to convert employees from temporary contractor status to full-time employees. 

Longevity

Robert Half is one of the most senior members in its niche. You would be hard-pressed to find another technology staffing services company with as much experience. This longevity positions the company as an industry expert in hiring and recruiting.

Easy Replacements

If the developer you hire from Robert Half turns out to be a poor fit for the job or proves a headache to work with, Robert Half will typically replace them free of charge. You can secure replacements as long as you report the issue within a certain time period, depending on the terms of your contract.

Why You Should Consider Robert Half Competitors?

While the company offers many perks, there are still some shortcomings to think about that may prompt you to consider Robert Half alternatives.

Navigation Problems

Despite its considerable amount of experience and longevity, many users, including both candidates and employers, find the website challenging to navigate. It’s difficult to search and handle the hiring process from both perspectives, and users complain that support staff are hard to reach. The platform’s tools are cumbersome to navigate as well.

Lack of Transparent Pricing Information

The not-so-great state of the website makes it difficult to find much information about Robert Half, especially its pricing. And if our experience of the site is any indication, you won’t find the info either, making the price information less than transparent.

Lack of Focus

Robert Half’s focus extends far beyond technology and software engineering. Its services include niches like accounting, finance, legal consultancy, and creative. The platform originally only recruited for finance and accounting roles, and it branched out into other categories, including tech, several decades after its founding. Given its broad focus, it carries the risk of spreading itself too thin. This also means it’s not fully dedicated to tech recruitment, which requires significant expertise and attention.

Long Hiring Process

The Robert Half hiring process for a software engineer can take anywhere from a few days to several weeks, with an average of about nine days, according to user submissions. However, it can vary significantly depending on the specific role, and some sources estimate that the placement timeline for a developer can be longer, up to 5-11 weeks for senior roles. The process typically includes phone screens, skills tests, and one-on-one interviews. In fact, the company itself says that hiring times are lengthening substantially.

No Developer Onboarding

The platform does not handle the onboarding of developers, which is partly why it has more wrong fits per developer posting than any of the Robert Half competitors. You have to handle onboarding your new hires by yourself, and you may have to deal with several poor matches before you secure the best fit. 

Fewer Hiring Locations

Robert Half is not fully global in its recruitment or hiring. It only provides staffing in Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Ireland, Japan, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Singapore, Switzerland, the UAE, the US, and the UK. These are also the locations where it recruits its staff. 

Best Robert Half Alternatives for Hiring Software Developers in 2026

Robert Half may be a decent fit for some. But given its shortcomings, others will want to explore Robert Half alternatives. Let’s look at some of the top choices.

1. Terminal.io vs Robert Half

Terminal is one of the fastest-growing developer talent markets. It connects employers with global tech talent in markets like Canada, Latin America, and Eastern Europe. The platform offers a number of advantages over Robert Half.

Niche Focus on Developers

Terminal.io does not have the jack-of-too-many-trades problem that Robert Half does. Its hiring services focus entirely on developer talent, meaning it can channel all its resources into tech recruitment and placement. Terminal offers many more niche tech jobs, such as full-stack, data science, frontend, backend, DevOps, QA, and mobile engineers.

Global Hirability

While Terminal recruits developers from Canada and several Eastern European and Latin American countries, the platform’s developers are globally hirable. In contrast, Robert Half only offers software engineering services in the same 20 countries from which it recruits developers. 

Thorough Onboarding

Unlike Robert Half, Terminal offers comprehensive onboarding as part of its full-package hiring service. The platform also leverages Smart technology to optimize workflows, streamline testing and interviews, and aid candidate selection. Paired with Terminal’s more robust developer vetting process, these services deliver a more reliable hiring and recruitment platform overall. Plus, Terminal provides additional quality assurance: a 14-day trial period and a free replacement policy available for the first three months after hiring. 

Pricing Transparency

Robert Half does not post its pricing online. Terminal, on the other hand, has its pricing publicly available. What’s more, Terminal’s pricing is affordable, ranging from $4,000 to $12,000 monthly. You’ll also cut costs by up to 40% simply by hiring from Latin America, Eastern Europe, and Canada, where quality engineers have a significantly lower price tag than those in the US.

Fast Hiring

Terminal.io is one of the fastest-hiring Robert Half competitors. While Robert Half can take up to 11 months to complete the hiring process for a senior developer, Terminal can hire a developer in less than 30 days, regardless of the developer’s skill level or expertise. 

2. Adecco vs Robert Half

Founded in 1997, Adecco is a large HR company that resulted from a merger between two smaller companies. Operating in 62 countries, it places temporary and permanent staff and performs outsourcing and career services. Businesses may outsource their entire recruitment processes to Adecco. Some of its benefits include:

Global Operations

Adecco operates in many more countries than Robert Half and has thousands of offices around the world. The company places hundreds of thousands of individuals in businesses globally.

Breadth of Services

In addition to temporary and permanent placements, Adecco offers outsourcing. It also provides training and apprenticeships to boost candidate employability.

Omni-Channel Approach

Adecco blends its physical presence with digital platforms, using both AI and on-site HR personnel to meet your business needs. Its global network includes 3,800 branches.

Adecco also has several drawbacks that make it a poorer fit for some companies, such as:

Lack of Pricing Transparency

Much like Robert Half, no pricing is publicly available for Adecco. According to user reports, Adecco has a high placement fee and charges an additional fee for converting a contract hire to a full-time role.

Lack of Technology Focus

Also like Robert Half, Adecco’s services extend far beyond technology. The agency specializes in marketing, sales, finance, healthcare, hospitality, and more, along with IT and engineering.

Low Employee Satisfaction

Reviews complain of little room for growth, low pay, and poor communication. Some businesses also say recruiters can be unresponsive and deliver occasionally unqualified candidates.

3. Gun.io vs Robert Half

Gun.io has a developer pool vetted by an in-house team of experienced software engineers. Although other platforms like Terminal also leverage AI to streamline hiring and vetting, Gun.io is particularly heavy on AI tools. Along with machine learning, AI is also among the platform’s most prominent developer niches.

Flexibility and Support

Gun.io is a flexible platform with freelance, part-time, and full-time hiring options. The staff provides some support during the hiring process, such as aiding contract negotiations.

Thorough Vetting and Fast Hiring

The platform uses a vetting process that includes several steps, such as technical interviews. The average hiring time is 13 days or less, much quicker than Robert Half’s hiring process.

Tech Focus

Unlike Robert Half, Gun.io is exclusively focused on tech hiring. Given that its recruiting team focuses on and is trained in recruiting software engineers and other tech specialists, specialists can vet candidates more effectively. 

More Transparent Pricing Model

Gun.io offers more transparency regarding its pricing than Robert Half, though much less than Terminal. The platform claims to have a flexible fee structure, with custom packages. For permanent hires, you must pay 20% of the first year’s salary upon hiring. There is also a 2-week no-risk free trial available. However, you’ll need to get in touch with Gun.io representatives for specific pricing information.

There are still some drawbacks to using Gun.io for tech hiring:

Lack of Onboarding

Gun.io does not handle the onboarding process. Should you hire from the platform, you will have little assistance with integrating your new developer into your team. 

Pricing Complaints

While the pricing model is more transparent than Robert Half’s, many users complain about high costs. You also need to speak with Gun.io representatives regarding specific quotes for your needs and projects.

Sparse Website

Gun.io’s website is relatively sparse, making it difficult to navigate. Both businesses and candidates may have trouble finding the data they need to make an informed decision about whether to use the platform. 

Lack of Candidate Transparency

You won’t be able to browse developer candidates yourself. Instead, you need to rely on Gun.io’s matching procedures. You also need to create an account before learning about the specifics of any of the candidates.

Little Hiring Support

Some reviews complain of a lack of support from Gun.io, with no checks or verification that the hires were “on track,” and a significantly higher price tag than was originally quoted. 

4. Kelly Services vs Robert Half

Looking for a tech hiring platform with a long track record? Kelly Services could be the answer. One of the longest-running Robert Half alternatives, Kelly was founded in 1946 and still operates as a top remote staffing company. The global company offers contract staffing, direct-hire placements, outsourcing, and workforce consulting.

Global Reach

Kelly’s reach is much wider than that of Robert Half. It provides staffing services in 30 countries and Managed Service Provider solutions in 70 countries.

Thorough Screening

Kelly employs a comprehensive vetting process, including behavioral questions and in-depth interviews, to assess candidates’ skills and qualifications. 

Tech Professional Availability

Like Robert Half, Kelly Services is not specifically focused on tech recruiting. Still, it offers a more robust tech talent hiring service than Robert Half. Employers can find developers in many niches, including AI and machine learning, data and analytics, and cybersecurity.

Onboarding Assistance

In contrast to Robert Half, Kelly Services helps businesses with the onboarding of software engineers. The company provides an orientation, preparation, and a check-in on day 1. It also facilitates regular check-ins with customers and employees and employee engagement activities.

However, there are some ways Kelly Services falls short.

Lack of Specialization

While its tech hiring service is more robust than Robert Half’s, Kelly still lags behind Terminal in terms of specialization. Kelly offers many services, spanning accounting and finance, education, engineering, government, manufacturing and production, technology, and more.

Lack of Pricing Transparency

Kelly Services is not very transparent about its pricing. The website doesn’t lay out the costs associated with various hiring models. 

Less Suitable for Permanent Hires

While Kelly Services does facilitate permanent software engineering hires, some user reviews describe negative experiences with this model. The model appears to run less well than the temporary placement counterpart. 

5. TEKsystems vs Robert Half

Based in Hannover, Maryland, TEKsystems is a global business and technology services provider. The company seeks to accelerate business transformation by providing solutions to complex business issues through expert staffing and technology. Launched in 1983, TEKsystems is younger than Robert Half. Still, it has some advantages over the more senior company. 

Technology Focus

As the name implies, TEKsystems is more technology-focused than Robert Half. It covers multiple industries, from telecommunications, technology enablement, and energy to media and gaming. Developers on the platform are also skilled in many more technologies. 

Fast Hiring

Like the other Robert Half alternatives we discussed, according to reviews, TEKsystems completes the hiring process more quickly. 

But TEKsystems has several limitations.

No Quality Assurance Measures

The platform does not have quality assurance measures like trial periods, although it does assist with the onboarding process. 

Lack of Pricing Transparency

TEKsystems is not transparent about its pricing structures. Costs vary according to factors like skills and resources required, location, and length of the project. 

Lack of Flexibility

The hiring options are not very flexible, with only full-time and part-time options available. You’ll have to turn to other Robert Half competitors, such as Terminal.io, for freelance, contract-to-hire, and project-based arrangements. 

Lack of Specialization

While a more tech-focused company than Robert Half, TEKsystems still provides staffing for business sectors like financial services, healthcare, telecommunications, and energy. That means that similar to Robert Half, the company risks being a jack of too many trades.

6. BairesDev vs Robert Half

BairesDev is a software outsourcing company that mainly focuses on bringing nearshore tech talent in Latin America to businesses in the US and Canada, although it does cater to global businesses as well. Currently, the company says it has a network of more than 4,000 nearshore developers.

Here are some reasons to consider BairesDev over Robert Half. 

Vetting Process

BairesDev employs a thorough vetting process, assessing competencies like technical skills and English proficiency. The company claims that its talent is among the top developers in Latin America.

Tech Specialization

The outsourcing provider exclusively works with tech talent, unlike Robert Half. It places a myriad of specialized tech professionals, including software engineers, QA engineers, and UX/UI designers.

Faster Hiring

BairesDev claims to facilitate hiring and onboarding within two weeks, a much shorter span of time than Robert Half’s recruitment process.

However, BairesDev has several drawbacks.

Lack of Pricing Information

Clients are price-blind going into negotiations because the platform does not make its pricing known on any of its pages. Moreover, BairesDev has neither trial periods nor onboarding services to offer. 

Lack of Flexibility

BairesDev does not offer the same flexibility as the other Robert Half alternatives. For example, it doesn’t offer short-term, full-time, freelance, or contract-to-hire options. 

Minimal Integration Support

The outsourcing provider doesn’t offer much support in the way of onboarding. This can make it difficult to integrate engineers into your company culture.

7. Korn Ferry vs Robert Half

Korn Ferry is a large consulting firm offering both full-time and contract services, with offices across North America, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Asia. It focuses on talent management, leadership development, and executive search. 

Holistic Hiring

Korn Ferry handles many aspects of the hiring and recruitment process, including interview coordination, benefit support, and technology integration to ensure a holistic onboarding experience.

Multiple Options

The firm facilitates permanent placements, interim arrangements, and recruitment process outsourcing (RPO) for companies of all sizes.

Lack of Specialization

Robert Half isn’t as specialized as alternatives like Terminal, and Korn Ferry is even less so. The company offers organizational consulting across more than 50 industries, including manufacturing, healthcare, and finance.

Lack of Pricing Transparency

Pricing information for Korn Ferry’s services is not readily available online. However, anecdotally, reviews report high prices.

Focus on Senior/Consulting Positions

Korn Ferry says it recruits for roles from entry to board-level. However, the firm emphasizes senior positions, such as CTO and CIO. That means you might have less success if you’re looking for non-leadership tech roles.

Final Thoughts on the Top Robert Half Competitors in 2026

Competition is fierce when it comes to software development. You need to hire the best of the best, but it can be difficult to sift through all the options.

While the platform offers benefits like longevity, Robert Half alternatives are better choices for many businesses. When you look at the options, Terminal.io stands out as the clear pick. 

Terminal offers a more flexible and robust developer hiring service that covers everything from recruiting and initial vetting to matching, interviewing, hiring, and onboarding. Its pricing is the most affordable and transparent for many services offered. It also provides solid quality assurance should the developer you get turn out to be a poor fit—not that that’s likely to be necessary.