Proxify vs BairesDev: full comparison for 2026
Quick verdict
Proxify (4.4/5) edges ahead of BairesDev (3.9/5) overall. Proxify is the better choice for european companies that want a vetted ML or data engineer on European working hours. BairesDev is the stronger option for U.S. companies that need ML engineers alongside a larger nearshore software team. The right choice depends on your project size, budget, and required tech stack.
Proxify vs BairesDev: head-to-head summary
| Criterion | Proxify | BairesDev |
|---|---|---|
| Founded | 2018 | 2009 |
| HQ | Stockholm, Sweden | San Francisco, California, USA |
| Team size | 5,000+ network members | 4,000+ |
| Rating | 4.4 / 5 | 3.9 / 5 |
| Primary differentiator | Senior-engineer interviews with live coding after an automated skills test | Thousands of Latin American engineers available in U.S. time zones |
| Pricing model | Hourly rate per developer billed monthly; full-time or part-time; rates on request | Monthly per engineer or team; rates on request |
| Min. engagement | Not published | Not published |
| Primary tech stack | Python, PyTorch, TensorFlow | Python, TensorFlow, PyTorch |
| Industries served | SaaS, Fintech, E-commerce, Media, Healthcare | Technology, Financial services, Healthcare, Retail, Media |
Proxify vs BairesDev: 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.
BairesDev
BairesDev was founded in Buenos Aires in 2009 and is now headquartered in San Francisco, with several thousand engineers across Latin America. It sells staff augmentation, dedicated teams and project delivery, and its AI practice covers ML, data engineering and generative AI. Its size means it can add many engineers quickly in U.S. time zones. AI is one practice inside a general software company, though, and its marketing volume is larger than the specialist evidence behind its AI work.
Services and capabilities: Proxify vs BairesDev
| Capability | Proxify | BairesDev |
|---|---|---|
| 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 BairesDev
| Framework / platform | Proxify | BairesDev |
|---|---|---|
| PyTorch | ✓ | ✓ |
| TensorFlow | ✓ | ✓ |
| LangChain | N/A | N/A |
| Hugging Face | N/A | N/A |
| OpenAI | N/A | ✓ |
| AWS | ✓ | ✓ |
| Azure | ✓ | ✓ |
| Google Cloud | ✓ | ✓ |
| Databricks | ✓ | ✓ |
| Kubernetes | N/A | N/A |
Pricing comparison: Proxify vs BairesDev
| Criterion | Proxify | BairesDev |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum engagement | Not published | Not published |
| Engagement models | Dedicated engineer, Fractional expert, Freelance contract | Dedicated engineer, Dedicated team, Project delivery |
| Rate transparency | Not public | Not public |
| Price tier | Mid-market | Mid-market |
Target audience comparison: Proxify vs BairesDev
| Dimension | Proxify | BairesDev |
|---|---|---|
| Best company size | Startup to mid-market | Startup to mid-market |
| Best industries | SaaS, Fintech, E-commerce | Technology, Financial services, 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 ML engineers to a nearshore product team, Staffing data engineers for a cloud data warehouse |
| Typical project type | Dedicated engineer | Dedicated engineer |
Proxify vs BairesDev: 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 |
| BairesDev | |
|---|---|
| + | Can staff large mixed teams of ML and software engineers |
| + | Latin American engineers work U.S. hours |
| + | Mature contracting and onboarding process |
| - | AI is one practice among many, so specialist depth varies |
| - | Screening is run at volume and not described as engineer-led for ML roles |
| - | No public rates |
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 BairesDev?
A typical fit: adding ML engineers to a nearshore product team.
Thousands of Latin American engineers available in U.S. time zones. Minimum engagement is not publicly disclosed. Works best with clients in Technology, Financial services, Healthcare, Retail, Media.
Decision matrix: Proxify vs BairesDev
| 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 BairesDev (Not published) |
| Your team works U.S. hours | BairesDev |
| You may want to hire the engineer permanently later | Neither lists direct hire; agree conversion terms up front |
Use case fit: Proxify vs BairesDev
| Use case | Proxify fit | BairesDev 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 ML engineers to a nearshore product team | Strong | Strong | Both equally |
| Staffing data engineers for a cloud data warehouse | Limited | Strong | BairesDev |
Verdict: Proxify vs BairesDev
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.
BairesDev (3.9/5) is worth a look if you need staffing data engineers for a cloud data warehouse. If your situation matches that, BairesDev is a competitive option.
Related comparisons
Proxify vs BairesDev FAQ
Is Proxify better than BairesDev?
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. BairesDev's strongest advantage: can staff large mixed teams of ML and software engineers.
How do Proxify and BairesDev differ in pricing?
Proxify uses hourly rate per developer billed monthly; full-time or part-time; rates on request pricing. BairesDev uses monthly per engineer or 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: Proxify or BairesDev?
Proxify 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 BairesDev?
Proxify's primary differentiator is: senior-engineer interviews with live coding after an automated skills test. BairesDev's primary differentiator is: thousands of Latin American engineers available in U.S. time zones. They also differ in team size (5,000+ network members vs 4,000+), minimum engagement (Not published vs Not published), and primary industries served (SaaS, Fintech vs Technology, Financial services).
Verify all details directly with each company before making a decision.