Index.dev vs Addepto: full comparison for 2026
Quick verdict
Index.dev (4.2/5) edges ahead of Addepto (4.0/5) overall. Index.dev is the better choice for startups that want a 30-day refundable trial before committing to a remote ML engineer. Addepto is the stronger option for industrial and automotive companies that need data engineers who know factory data. The right choice depends on your project size, budget, and required tech stack.
Index.dev vs Addepto: head-to-head summary
| Criterion | Index.dev | Addepto |
|---|---|---|
| Founded | 2019 | 2017 |
| HQ | London, United Kingdom | Warsaw, Poland |
| Team size | 30,000+ network | 50–249 |
| Rating | 4.2 / 5 | 4.0 / 5 |
| Primary differentiator | A 30-day trial with full refund on every placement | Data and ML engineers with industrial and automotive client history |
| Pricing model | Monthly rate per engineer; direct-hire fee option; 30-day trial with refund; rates on request | Monthly per engineer or project fee; rates on request |
| Min. engagement | Not published | Not published |
| Primary tech stack | Python, PyTorch, TensorFlow | Python, Databricks, Spark |
| Industries served | SaaS, Fintech, E-commerce, Healthcare, AI labs | Manufacturing, Automotive, Aviation, Retail, Logistics |
Index.dev vs Addepto: overview
Index.dev
Index.dev is a London company, founded in 2019 according to its own job ads, trading under the legal name Index Soft Limited. It calls itself an AI-first engineering talent platform. Its main network has more than 30,000 engineers in Latin America and Central and Eastern Europe, and a separate AI unit supplies Master's and PhD-level people for LLM fine-tuning and RAG work. Every engineer goes through five stages of vetting run by people, including a live screening call and technical validation, and Index.dev says about 1% are accepted. All placements come with a 30-day trial and a full refund if the match fails.
Addepto
Addepto was founded in Warsaw in 2017 and works on AI, ML and data engineering, mostly for industrial and automotive clients. KMS Technology acquired it in December 2025, so it now sits inside a larger U.S.-based IT group. Addepto supplies data and ML engineers for team extension as well as running projects. The acquisition may widen its bench over time, but buyers should expect changes to contracts and account management as the integration proceeds.
Services and capabilities: Index.dev vs Addepto
| Capability | Index.dev | Addepto |
|---|---|---|
| ML engineers | ✓ | ✓ |
| LLM / GenAI engineers | ✓ | ✓ |
| AI agent developers | ✗ | ✗ |
| MLOps engineers | ✗ | ✗ |
| Computer vision engineers | ✗ | ✗ |
| NLP engineers | ✗ | ✗ |
| Data engineers | ✗ | ✓ |
| Engineer-led technical screen | ✗ | ✗ |
| Fractional / part-time experts | ✗ | ✗ |
| Trial before commitment | ✓ | ✗ |
| Nearshore time-zone overlap | ✓ | ✗ |
| Direct hire option | ✓ | ✗ |
Tech stack comparison: Index.dev vs Addepto
| Framework / platform | Index.dev | Addepto |
|---|---|---|
| PyTorch | ✓ | ✓ |
| TensorFlow | ✓ | N/A |
| LangChain | ✓ | N/A |
| Hugging Face | ✓ | N/A |
| OpenAI | ✓ | ✓ |
| AWS | ✓ | ✓ |
| Azure | N/A | ✓ |
| Google Cloud | ✓ | N/A |
| Databricks | N/A | ✓ |
| Kubernetes | N/A | N/A |
Pricing comparison: Index.dev vs Addepto
| Criterion | Index.dev | Addepto |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum engagement | Not published | Not published |
| Engagement models | Dedicated engineer, Dedicated team, Direct hire, Trial period | Dedicated engineer, Dedicated team, Project delivery |
| Rate transparency | Not public | Not public |
| Price tier | Mid-market | Mid-market |
Target audience comparison: Index.dev vs Addepto
| Dimension | Index.dev | Addepto |
|---|---|---|
| Best company size | Startup to mid-market | Startup to mid-market |
| Best industries | SaaS, Fintech, E-commerce | Manufacturing, Automotive, Aviation |
| Best use cases | Trialling a Latin American ML engineer for a month before committing, Hiring a PhD-level specialist to fine-tune an open-source LLM | Adding a data engineer to an automotive analytics platform, Building a predictive maintenance model with a two-person team |
| Typical project type | Dedicated engineer | Dedicated engineer |
Index.dev vs Addepto: pros and cons
| Index.dev | |
|---|---|
| + | The 30-day refundable trial is the most generous published trial on this page |
| + | A separate AI unit for advanced work such as fine-tuning |
| + | Clients can hire directly as well as contract |
| - | Vetting is human-led but not specifically run by ML engineers |
| - | Network figures and acceptance rates are company claims |
| - | Founding date only appears in job listings |
| Addepto | |
|---|---|
| + | Strong data engineering on Databricks and Azure |
| + | Industrial and automotive references |
| + | Backing from a larger group may add capacity |
| - | Acquired by KMS Technology in December 2025, so terms and contacts may change |
| - | Fewer computer-vision and NLP specialists than AI-research firms |
| - | Staffing evidence is thinner than its project work |
Who should choose Index.dev?
A typical fit: trialling a Latin American ML engineer for a month before committing.
A 30-day trial with full refund on every placement. Minimum engagement is not publicly disclosed. Works best with clients in SaaS, Fintech, E-commerce, Healthcare, AI labs.
Who should choose Addepto?
A typical fit: adding a data engineer to an automotive analytics platform.
Data and ML engineers with industrial and automotive client history. Minimum engagement is not publicly disclosed. Works best with clients in Manufacturing, Automotive, Aviation, Retail, Logistics.
Decision matrix: Index.dev vs Addepto
| Your situation | Recommended choice |
|---|---|
| You want a working engineer, not a recruiter, to run the technical screen | Neither documents an engineer-led screen; run your own technical interview |
| You need one specialist for a few days a week | Neither advertises part-time experts; ask about reduced hours |
| You need several engineers working as one team | Addepto |
| You want to test an engineer before committing | Index.dev |
| Your budget is at the lower end | Compare: Index.dev (Not published) vs Addepto (Not published) |
| Your team works U.S. hours | Index.dev |
| You may want to hire the engineer permanently later | Index.dev |
Use case fit: Index.dev vs Addepto
| Use case | Index.dev fit | Addepto fit | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trialling a Latin American ML engineer for a month before committing | Strong | Limited | Index.dev |
| Hiring a PhD-level specialist to fine-tune an open-source LLM | Strong | Limited | Index.dev |
| Adding a data engineer to an automotive analytics platform | Limited | Strong | Addepto |
| Building a predictive maintenance model with a two-person team | Strong | Strong | Both equally |
Verdict: Index.dev vs Addepto
Index.dev (4.2/5) is the stronger overall choice for most AI Engineer Staffing projects. A 30-day trial with full refund on every placement.
Addepto (4.0/5) is worth a look if you need building a predictive maintenance model with a two-person team. If your situation matches that, Addepto is a competitive option.
Related comparisons
Index.dev vs Addepto FAQ
Is Index.dev better than Addepto?
Index.dev (4.2/5) scores higher overall, but "better" depends on your use case. Index.dev's strongest advantage: the 30-day refundable trial is the most generous published trial on this page. Addepto's strongest advantage: strong data engineering on Databricks and Azure.
How do Index.dev and Addepto differ in pricing?
Index.dev uses monthly rate per engineer; direct-hire fee option; 30-day trial with refund; rates on request pricing. Addepto uses monthly per engineer or project fee; rates on request pricing. Neither firm publishes a full rate card; a discovery call is required for project-specific quotes.
Which is better for enterprise: Index.dev or Addepto?
Addepto is the larger team and typically the better enterprise-scale choice. For very large programmes, verify team size and compliance coverage directly with each company before shortlisting.
What are the main differences between Index.dev and Addepto?
Index.dev's primary differentiator is: a 30-day trial with full refund on every placement. Addepto's primary differentiator is: data and ML engineers with industrial and automotive client history. They also differ in team size (30,000+ network vs 50–249), minimum engagement (Not published vs Not published), and primary industries served (SaaS, Fintech vs Manufacturing, Automotive).
Verify all details directly with each company before making a decision.