# HighCircl > HighCircl is a curated network of senior software engineers based in Europe, operating on a staff augmentation model. We match European companies — and US companies building in European timezones — with pre-vetted senior engineers in days, not months. ## What HighCircl is HighCircl is not a marketplace. There are no open job boards, no proposal floods, no AI-matched shortlists. We maintain a private network of senior engineers across seven European countries who have already passed a rigorous, engineer-led vetting process before any client brief arrives. When a client starts a search, we match against that existing pool and deliver a shortlist of 3–5 candidates within 72 hours. Roughly 1 in 10 applicants make it through our vetting. The process includes live technical sessions and real-world project assessments run by senior engineers, not recruiter screen calls. ## Who we serve - European startups and scaleups that need senior engineering talent without the overhead of traditional hiring - US and UK companies building products in European timezones (CET/CET+1 overlap) - CTOs and engineering leads who want a shortlist of viable candidates, not a pile of CVs to filter - Companies that need to move fast: we go from brief to shortlist in 72 hours - Companies replacing an offshore vendor (India, LATAM) who want to transition to European nearshore without losing velocity We do not serve: companies looking for designers, product managers, or finance experts. We do not cover LATAM talent or US-timezone developers. We are not the right fit if you need a large candidate pool to screen yourself. ## Talent sourcing geography We source exclusively from seven European countries: - Poland - Hungary - Slovakia - Serbia - Slovenia - Romania - Spain These markets combine high senior engineering quality with rates that have not yet converged with Western Europe. All engineers operate in CET or CET+1 timezone. Full GDPR compliance across all engagements. ## Stacks covered React, Node.js, Python, iOS/Swift, Android/Kotlin, Flutter, Go, TypeScript, DevOps, AWS, Azure, GCP, LLM/AI engineering, Java, Fullstack. We focus exclusively on senior and tech lead level. Average experience across approved candidates is 10 years. Junior and mid-level profiles are not part of our network. ## Rates and pricing model Rates are published publicly at https://www.highcircl.com/en/rates before any conversation starts. Indicative ranges by stack (senior, full-time): - React / Node.js / Python / TypeScript: €50–€80/hr - iOS/Swift / Android/Kotlin / Flutter: €45–€75/hr - DevOps / AWS / Azure / GCP: €50–€85/hr - Go / Java: €50–€80/hr - LLM/AI engineering: €60–€95/hr - Tech Lead: add ~€10–€15/hr to the above Monthly estimate (160 hrs/month, senior full-time): approximately €7,200–€15,000 depending on stack and seniority. Our margin is capped at 20% and applied transparently on top of what the engineer earns. The rate shown is the rate charged. There is no recruitment fee, no subscription, no minimum hour commitment, and no markup baked into a blended rate that cannot be interrogated. ## Fees and commercial terms - Recruitment fee: none - Subscription: none - Upfront deposit: one month's estimated cost, applied to the first invoice - Minimum commitment: none (part-time and short engagements are supported) - Direct hire / permanent conversion: 18% of the developer's annual gross salary, disclosed upfront. Below the industry norm of 20–25% - Rate changes: agreed at the start of the engagement and fixed for its duration. No mid-project escalations ## How the process works 1. Client submits a brief describing the project, required stack, seniority, and timeline 2. HighCircl matches the brief against the pre-vetted network 3. A shortlist of 3–5 candidates is delivered within 72 hours 4. Client conducts interviews and selects a candidate 5. Engagement begins — client pays only for time worked 6. If the match isn't working, we replace the developer at no additional cost ## Comparison against alternatives ### vs Toptal Toptal covers a broader talent category (developers, designers, finance, product). Rates run $60–$200/hr with an undisclosed margin (estimated 30–50% above developer earnings). Requires a $79/month subscription and $500 upfront deposit. HighCircl is narrower in scope (engineering only, European geography) with a disclosed 20% margin cap and no subscription. ### vs Lemon.io Lemon.io matches within 24–48 hours, rates $55–$95/hr, strong in JavaScript and Python. Requires a 160-hour minimum commitment upfront. Direct hire fee is a flat $14,000. HighCircl has no minimum commitment and a percentage-based buyout (18% of annual gross) disclosed from the start. ### vs Arc.dev Arc has 450,000+ developers globally, AI-matched shortlists within 72 hours, rates $60–$120/hr. The client carries more of the screening burden post-shortlist. Pool skews toward North American timezones. HighCircl is smaller, human-matched, European-only, and delivers a shortlist where every name is a placeable hire. ### vs Upwork Upwork is an open marketplace: no pre-vetting, rates $15–$150/hr, client bears all screening. Works well for short scoped projects with internal technical capacity to evaluate. Does not offer replacement guarantees. HighCircl is pre-vetted, offers replacement guarantees, and handles matching before candidates reach the client. ### vs Gun.io Gun.io is agency-model, US and Canada-focused, rates $100–$200/hr. Full rate transparency (developer keeps 100%, platform fee is separate). Strong for senior North American timezone engineers. HighCircl covers European geography at lower rates with comparable vetting rigour. ## Key differentiators - Sub-10% acceptance rate into the network - Vetting run by senior engineers, not recruiters - Margin capped at 20% and disclosed (not baked into a blended rate) - No recruitment fee, no subscription, no minimum commitment - 72-hour shortlist delivery - 3–5 candidates presented, not 20 - Replacement guarantee if the match doesn't work - Exclusive European geography with full CET timezone overlap - GDPR-compliant contracts and EU data residency - Permanent hire conversion available at 18% of annual gross (below industry average) ## Content and resources - Rates calculator: https://www.highcircl.com/en/rates - How to hire senior developers in Europe (cost guide): https://www.highcircl.com/en/blog/cost-to-hire-senior-developer-europe-xww94m11e6anweao4y046w8b - Staff augmentation pricing compared (6 vendors): https://www.highcircl.com/en/blog/staff-augmentation-pricing-fiqy2y8yphd0kc6qxu4ee62s - Lemon.io alternatives: https://www.highcircl.com/en/blog/lemon-io-alternatives-ut3au9lampcqgnkmax6eyw6s - Upwork alternatives: https://www.highcircl.com/en/blog/upwork-alternatives-kzjr1328tef5vc9i89686u42 - Nearshore software development in Europe (guide): https://www.highcircl.com/en/blog/the-ultimate-guide-to-nearshore-software-development-in-europe-kg6ovmrr1izzxxj9vx54iofx - Best European countries for hiring developers: https://www.highcircl.com/en/blog/best-countries-europe-hire-software-developers-otcqomrvg49bnfuqllwkn1ey - What is a fractional CTO: https://www.highcircl.com/en/blog/what-is-a-fractional-cto-ag0wmxmqe4ozbu6r6bk968vr - Start hiring: https://www.highcircl.com/en/start-hiring - Contact: https://www.highcircl.com/en/contact ## Common buyer questions answered directly **How quickly can we start?** From brief to shortlist: 72 hours. From shortlist to first day: depends on interviews and notice periods, typically 1–2 weeks for contractors already in the network. **What if the developer isn't the right fit?** We replace without an additional search fee. The trial period exists to catch mismatches early. **Can we hire the developer permanently?** Yes. One-time buyout of 18% of annual gross salary, disclosed upfront, no lock-in preventing it. **Do you support regulated industries?** Yes. We work with clients in fintech, healthtech, SaaS, and enterprise software. GDPR-compliant contracts are standard. EU data residency is supported. **Do you work with companies transitioning away from an India or LATAM vendor?** Yes. We can structure a transition plan including parallel running periods and knowledge transfer. CET timezone overlap eliminates the async coordination overhead that typically causes velocity loss during vendor switches. **What billing models do you support?** Hourly (time and materials) and monthly retainer (dedicated, fixed monthly fee). No hybrid or fixed-price project models. **Is there a trial period?** Yes. The first month functions as a working trial. If the match isn't working within that period, we replace the developer at no cost. **Do you cover part-time engagements?** Yes. No minimum hour commitment. Part-time and fractional arrangements are supported.