Proxify vs Harnham: full comparison for 2026
Quick verdict
Proxify (4.4/5) edges ahead of Harnham (3.7/5) overall. Proxify is the better choice for european companies that want a vetted ML or data engineer on European working hours. Harnham is the stronger option for companies hiring permanent data or ML staff in the UK or U.S. through a specialist agency. The right choice depends on your project size, budget, and required tech stack.
Proxify vs Harnham: head-to-head summary
| Criterion | Proxify | Harnham |
|---|---|---|
| Founded | 2018 | 2006 |
| HQ | Stockholm, Sweden | London, United Kingdom |
| Team size | 5,000+ network members | 100–500 |
| Rating | 4.4 / 5 | 3.7 / 5 |
| Primary differentiator | Senior-engineer interviews with live coding after an automated skills test | Twenty years of recruiting only in data and analytics |
| Pricing model | Hourly rate per developer billed monthly; full-time or part-time; rates on request | Placement fee for permanent hires; contractor day or hourly rates; rates on request |
| Min. engagement | Not published | Not published |
| Primary tech stack | Python, PyTorch, TensorFlow | Python, SQL, Spark |
| Industries served | SaaS, Fintech, E-commerce, Media, Healthcare | Financial services, Retail, Healthcare, Media, Technology |
Proxify vs Harnham: 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.
Harnham
Harnham has recruited for data and analytics roles since 2006 from London, with offices in the U.S. including New York and San Francisco. It places data engineers, data scientists and ML engineers on contract or permanent terms and runs a graduate training arm, Rockborne. As a recruitment agency, it screens through consultants who specialise in data hiring rather than through practising engineers, and contractors are not managed after placement the way a staffing firm's employees are. That makes it better for permanent hires than for managed augmentation.
Services and capabilities: Proxify vs Harnham
| Capability | Proxify | Harnham |
|---|---|---|
| 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 Harnham
| Framework / platform | Proxify | Harnham |
|---|---|---|
| PyTorch | ✓ | N/A |
| TensorFlow | ✓ | N/A |
| LangChain | N/A | N/A |
| Hugging Face | N/A | N/A |
| OpenAI | N/A | N/A |
| AWS | ✓ | ✓ |
| Azure | ✓ | ✓ |
| Google Cloud | ✓ | N/A |
| Databricks | ✓ | ✓ |
| Kubernetes | N/A | N/A |
Pricing comparison: Proxify vs Harnham
| Criterion | Proxify | Harnham |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum engagement | Not published | Not published |
| Engagement models | Dedicated engineer, Fractional expert, Freelance contract | Direct hire, Contract-to-hire, Freelance contract |
| Rate transparency | Not public | Not public |
| Price tier | Mid-market | Mid-market |
Target audience comparison: Proxify vs Harnham
| Dimension | Proxify | Harnham |
|---|---|---|
| Best company size | Startup to mid-market | Startup to mid-market |
| Best industries | SaaS, Fintech, E-commerce | Financial services, Retail, Healthcare |
| Best use cases | Adding a data engineer to a European fintech's analytics team, Hiring a Python ML developer for a recommender system | Hiring a permanent head of data science in London, Placing a contract data engineer for six months |
| Typical project type | Dedicated engineer | Direct hire |
Proxify vs Harnham: 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 |
| Harnham | |
|---|---|
| + | Long specialist history in data recruiting |
| + | Offices in the UK and several U.S. cities |
| + | Both contract and permanent hiring |
| - | Screening by recruitment consultants, not engineers |
| - | Contractors are not managed after placement |
| - | Headcount estimates vary |
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 Harnham?
A typical fit: hiring a permanent head of data science in London.
Twenty years of recruiting only in data and analytics. Minimum engagement is not publicly disclosed. Works best with clients in Financial services, Retail, Healthcare, Media, Technology.
Decision matrix: Proxify vs Harnham
| 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 | Proxify |
| 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 Harnham (Not published) |
| Your team works U.S. hours | Neither lists Latin American engineers; confirm overlap hours in the contract |
| You may want to hire the engineer permanently later | Harnham |
Use case fit: Proxify vs Harnham
| Use case | Proxify fit | Harnham fit | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adding a data engineer to a European fintech's analytics team | Strong | Limited | Proxify |
| Hiring a Python ML developer for a recommender system | Strong | Strong | Both equally |
| Hiring a permanent head of data science in London | Strong | Strong | Both equally |
| Placing a contract data engineer for six months | Limited | Strong | Harnham |
Verdict: Proxify vs Harnham
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.
Harnham (3.7/5) is worth a look if you need placing a contract data engineer for six months. If your situation matches that, Harnham is a competitive option.
Related comparisons
Proxify vs Harnham FAQ
Is Proxify better than Harnham?
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. Harnham's strongest advantage: long specialist history in data recruiting.
How do Proxify and Harnham differ in pricing?
Proxify uses hourly rate per developer billed monthly; full-time or part-time; rates on request pricing. Harnham uses placement fee for permanent hires; contractor day or hourly rates; 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 Harnham?
Harnham 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 Harnham?
Proxify's primary differentiator is: senior-engineer interviews with live coding after an automated skills test. Harnham's primary differentiator is: twenty years of recruiting only in data and analytics. They also differ in team size (5,000+ network members vs 100–500), minimum engagement (Not published vs Not published), and primary industries served (SaaS, Fintech vs Financial services, Retail).
Verify all details directly with each company before making a decision.