Proxify vs Azumo: full comparison for 2026
Quick verdict
Proxify (4.4/5) edges ahead of Azumo (3.9/5) overall. Proxify is the better choice for european companies that want a vetted ML or data engineer on European working hours. Azumo is the stronger option for U.S. teams on a tight budget that need ML engineers who work their hours. The right choice depends on your project size, budget, and required tech stack.
Proxify vs Azumo: head-to-head summary
| Criterion | Proxify | Azumo |
|---|---|---|
| Founded | 2018 | 2016 |
| HQ | Stockholm, Sweden | San Francisco, California, USA |
| Team size | 5,000+ network members | 50–249 |
| Rating | 4.4 / 5 | 3.9 / 5 |
| Primary differentiator | Senior-engineer interviews with live coding after an automated skills test | The lowest published hourly band on this page with full U.S. time-zone overlap |
| Pricing model | Hourly rate per developer billed monthly; full-time or part-time; rates on request | $25–$49/hr (Clutch band); monthly staff augmentation or dedicated team |
| Min. engagement | Not published | $10,000+ |
| Primary tech stack | Python, PyTorch, TensorFlow | Python, PyTorch, TensorFlow |
| Industries served | SaaS, Fintech, E-commerce, Media, Healthcare | SaaS, Fintech, Healthcare, Retail, Media |
Proxify vs Azumo: overview
Proxify
Proxify was founded in Stockholm in 2018 (one of its own pages says 2019) and matches companies with vetted developers across web, data, AI and DevOps. Candidates take Codility-based skills tests, then sit in-depth technical interviews with Proxify's senior engineers that include live coding and practical problems. The company quotes an acceptance rate of 1–3%, though the figure varies from page to page. Its network covers more than 5,000 professionals in over 90 countries, and it appeared on the Financial Times 1,000 list in 2025. Matching uses in-house AI tools alongside its hiring team.
Azumo
Azumo was founded in 2016, is headquartered in San Francisco and delivers mostly from Argentina, with an office in Rosario. Clutch lists an hourly band of $25 to $49 and a $10,000 minimum project, the lowest published rate on this page. It offers staff augmentation, dedicated nearshore teams and virtual CTO services, and it won a Clutch award as a top AI developer in 2023. Its engineers keep U.S. hours, so daily stand-ups are easy. The catch is depth. AI is a strong practice but one of several, and specialist experience varies by role.
Services and capabilities: Proxify vs Azumo
| Capability | Proxify | Azumo |
|---|---|---|
| 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: Proxify vs Azumo
| Framework / platform | Proxify | Azumo |
|---|---|---|
| PyTorch | ✓ | ✓ |
| TensorFlow | ✓ | ✓ |
| LangChain | N/A | ✓ |
| Hugging Face | N/A | N/A |
| OpenAI | N/A | ✓ |
| AWS | ✓ | ✓ |
| Azure | ✓ | ✓ |
| Google Cloud | ✓ | ✓ |
| Databricks | ✓ | N/A |
| Kubernetes | N/A | N/A |
Pricing comparison: Proxify vs Azumo
| Criterion | Proxify | Azumo |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum engagement | Not published | $10,000+ |
| Engagement models | Dedicated engineer, Fractional expert, Freelance contract | Dedicated engineer, Dedicated team, Project delivery |
| Rate transparency | Not public | Minimum disclosed |
| Price tier | Mid-market | Accessible |
Target audience comparison: Proxify vs Azumo
| Dimension | Proxify | Azumo |
|---|---|---|
| Best company size | Startup to mid-market | Startup to mid-market |
| Best industries | SaaS, Fintech, E-commerce | SaaS, Fintech, Healthcare |
| Best use cases | Adding a data engineer to a European fintech's analytics team, Hiring a Python ML developer for a recommender system | Adding a nearshore LLM engineer to a U.S. SaaS team, Building a data engineering squad on a startup budget |
| Typical project type | Dedicated engineer | Dedicated engineer |
Proxify vs Azumo: pros and cons
| Proxify | |
|---|---|
| + | Live-coding interviews with in-house senior engineers are part of the published process |
| + | Most of the network is in European time zones, which suits teams in the EU and UK |
| + | Grew fast enough to make the Financial Times 1,000 list in 2025 |
| - | AI is one of many skill areas, and there is no AI-specific test on the record |
| - | Acceptance-rate and network-size figures differ across the company's own pages |
| - | Developers are contractors on the platform, not Proxify employees |
| Azumo | |
|---|---|
| + | Published hourly band is the lowest on this list |
| + | Argentina shares working hours with U.S. teams |
| + | Clutch cost rating of 4.8 |
| - | AI is one of several practices, not the whole company |
| - | Fewer research-grade ML specialists than AI-only firms |
| - | Team size reported between 50 and 500 depending on the source |
Who should choose Proxify?
A typical fit: adding a data engineer to a European fintech's analytics team.
Senior-engineer interviews with live coding after an automated skills test. Minimum engagement is not publicly disclosed. Works best with clients in SaaS, Fintech, E-commerce, Media, Healthcare.
Who should choose Azumo?
A typical fit: adding a nearshore LLM engineer to a U.S. SaaS team.
The lowest published hourly band on this page with full U.S. time-zone overlap. Minimum engagement starts at $10,000+. Works best with clients in SaaS, Fintech, Healthcare, Retail, Media.
Decision matrix: Proxify vs Azumo
| Your situation | Recommended choice |
|---|---|
| You want a working engineer, not a recruiter, to run the technical screen | Proxify |
| You need one specialist for a few days a week | Proxify |
| You need several engineers working as one team | Both; Proxify rates higher overall |
| You want to test an engineer before committing | Neither publishes a trial; negotiate a short first term |
| Your budget is at the lower end | Compare: Proxify (Not published) vs Azumo ($10,000+) |
| Your team works U.S. hours | Azumo |
| You may want to hire the engineer permanently later | Neither lists direct hire; agree conversion terms up front |
Use case fit: Proxify vs Azumo
| Use case | Proxify fit | Azumo fit | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adding a data engineer to a European fintech's analytics team | Strong | Strong | Both equally |
| Hiring a Python ML developer for a recommender system | Strong | Limited | Proxify |
| Adding a nearshore LLM engineer to a U.S. SaaS team | Strong | Strong | Both equally |
| Building a data engineering squad on a startup budget | Limited | Strong | Azumo |
Verdict: Proxify vs Azumo
Proxify (4.4/5) is the stronger overall choice for most AI Engineer Staffing projects. Senior-engineer interviews with live coding after an automated skills test.
Azumo (3.9/5) is worth a look if you need building a data engineering squad on a startup budget. If your situation matches that, Azumo is a competitive option.
Related comparisons
Proxify vs Azumo FAQ
Is Proxify better than Azumo?
Proxify (4.4/5) scores higher overall, but "better" depends on your use case. Proxify's strongest advantage: live-coding interviews with in-house senior engineers are part of the published process. Azumo's strongest advantage: published hourly band is the lowest on this list.
How do Proxify and Azumo differ in pricing?
Proxify uses hourly rate per developer billed monthly; full-time or part-time; rates on request pricing. Azumo uses $25–$49/hr (clutch band); monthly staff augmentation or dedicated team pricing with a minimum engagement of $10,000+. Neither firm publishes a full rate card; a discovery call is required for project-specific quotes.
Which is better for enterprise: Proxify or Azumo?
Azumo 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 Proxify and Azumo?
Proxify's primary differentiator is: senior-engineer interviews with live coding after an automated skills test. Azumo's primary differentiator is: the lowest published hourly band on this page with full U.S. time-zone overlap. They also differ in team size (5,000+ network members vs 50–249), minimum engagement (Not published vs $10,000+), and primary industries served (SaaS, Fintech vs SaaS, Fintech).
Verify all details directly with each company before making a decision.