Index.dev vs N-iX: full comparison for 2026
Quick verdict
Index.dev (4.2/5) edges ahead of N-iX (3.9/5) overall. Index.dev is the better choice for startups that want a 30-day refundable trial before committing to a remote ML engineer. N-iX is the stronger option for large companies that want ML and data engineers from an established Central European supplier. The right choice depends on your project size, budget, and required tech stack.
Index.dev vs N-iX: head-to-head summary
| Criterion | Index.dev | N-iX |
|---|---|---|
| Founded | 2019 | 2002 |
| HQ | London, United Kingdom | Valletta, Malta (delivery mainly in Ukraine and Poland) |
| Team size | 30,000+ network | 2,000+ |
| Rating | 4.2 / 5 | 3.9 / 5 |
| Primary differentiator | A 30-day trial with full refund on every placement | Scale and two decades of history in Central European delivery |
| Pricing model | Monthly rate per engineer; direct-hire fee option; 30-day trial with refund; rates on request | Monthly per engineer or managed team; rates on request |
| Min. engagement | Not published | Not published |
| Primary tech stack | Python, PyTorch, TensorFlow | Python, Spark, Databricks |
| Industries served | SaaS, Fintech, E-commerce, Healthcare, AI labs | Financial services, Manufacturing, Retail, Telecom, Healthcare |
Index.dev vs N-iX: 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.
N-iX
N-iX has been in business since 2002, has its registered headquarters in Malta and does most of its delivery from Ukraine, Poland and other Central European countries. Company materials cite more than 2,400 engineers and staff augmentation as one of three engagement models. It is hiring ML engineers in 2026, and one listing seeks a lead computer-vision engineer for an external expert network that conducts technical interviews, which suggests specialists take part in its screening for senior roles. The firm is large and stable, but ML is a fraction of its work.
Services and capabilities: Index.dev vs N-iX
| Capability | Index.dev | N-iX |
|---|---|---|
| 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 N-iX
| Framework / platform | Index.dev | N-iX |
|---|---|---|
| PyTorch | ✓ | ✓ |
| TensorFlow | ✓ | N/A |
| LangChain | ✓ | N/A |
| Hugging Face | ✓ | N/A |
| OpenAI | ✓ | N/A |
| AWS | ✓ | ✓ |
| Azure | N/A | ✓ |
| Google Cloud | ✓ | ✓ |
| Databricks | N/A | ✓ |
| Kubernetes | N/A | ✓ |
Pricing comparison: Index.dev vs N-iX
| Criterion | Index.dev | N-iX |
|---|---|---|
| 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 N-iX
| Dimension | Index.dev | N-iX |
|---|---|---|
| Best company size | Startup to mid-market | Startup to mid-market |
| Best industries | SaaS, Fintech, E-commerce | Financial services, Manufacturing, Retail |
| 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 engineering team to an enterprise data platform, Staffing a computer-vision engineer for a manufacturing client |
| Typical project type | Dedicated engineer | Dedicated engineer |
Index.dev vs N-iX: 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 |
| N-iX | |
|---|---|
| + | Large bench across several Central European countries |
| + | Uses outside specialists to interview for senior technical roles |
| + | Long history with enterprise clients |
| - | ML is a small part of a general software business |
| - | Headquarters is listed differently across sources |
| - | No published rates |
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 N-iX?
A typical fit: adding a data engineering team to an enterprise data platform.
Scale and two decades of history in Central European delivery. Minimum engagement is not publicly disclosed. Works best with clients in Financial services, Manufacturing, Retail, Telecom, Healthcare.
Decision matrix: Index.dev vs N-iX
| 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 | N-iX |
| You want to test an engineer before committing | Index.dev |
| Your budget is at the lower end | Compare: Index.dev (Not published) vs N-iX (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 N-iX
| Use case | Index.dev fit | N-iX 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 engineering team to an enterprise data platform | Limited | Strong | N-iX |
| Staffing a computer-vision engineer for a manufacturing client | Limited | Strong | N-iX |
Verdict: Index.dev vs N-iX
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.
N-iX (3.9/5) is worth a look if you need staffing a computer-vision engineer for a manufacturing client. If your situation matches that, N-iX is a competitive option.
Related comparisons
Index.dev vs N-iX FAQ
Is Index.dev better than N-iX?
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. N-iX's strongest advantage: large bench across several Central European countries.
How do Index.dev and N-iX differ in pricing?
Index.dev uses monthly rate per engineer; direct-hire fee option; 30-day trial with refund; rates on request pricing. N-iX uses monthly per engineer or managed team; 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 N-iX?
Index.dev 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 N-iX?
Index.dev's primary differentiator is: a 30-day trial with full refund on every placement. N-iX's primary differentiator is: scale and two decades of history in Central European delivery. They also differ in team size (30,000+ network vs 2,000+), minimum engagement (Not published vs Not published), and primary industries served (SaaS, Fintech vs Financial services, Manufacturing).
Verify all details directly with each company before making a decision.