Proxify vs Index.dev: full comparison for 2026
Quick verdict
Proxify (4.4/5) edges ahead of Index.dev (4.2/5) overall. Proxify is the better choice for european companies that want a vetted ML or data engineer on European working hours. Index.dev is the stronger option for startups that want a 30-day refundable trial before committing to a remote ML engineer. The right choice depends on your project size, budget, and required tech stack.
Proxify vs Index.dev: head-to-head summary
| Criterion | Proxify | Index.dev |
|---|---|---|
| Founded | 2018 | 2019 |
| HQ | Stockholm, Sweden | London, United Kingdom |
| Team size | 5,000+ network members | 30,000+ network |
| Rating | 4.4 / 5 | 4.2 / 5 |
| Primary differentiator | Senior-engineer interviews with live coding after an automated skills test | A 30-day trial with full refund on every placement |
| Pricing model | Hourly rate per developer billed monthly; full-time or part-time; rates on request | Monthly rate per engineer; direct-hire fee option; 30-day trial with refund; rates on request |
| Min. engagement | Not published | Not published |
| Primary tech stack | Python, PyTorch, TensorFlow | Python, PyTorch, TensorFlow |
| Industries served | SaaS, Fintech, E-commerce, Media, Healthcare | SaaS, Fintech, E-commerce, Healthcare, AI labs |
Proxify vs Index.dev: 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.
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.
Services and capabilities: Proxify vs Index.dev
| Capability | Proxify | Index.dev |
|---|---|---|
| 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 Index.dev
| Framework / platform | Proxify | Index.dev |
|---|---|---|
| PyTorch | ✓ | ✓ |
| TensorFlow | ✓ | ✓ |
| LangChain | N/A | ✓ |
| Hugging Face | N/A | ✓ |
| OpenAI | N/A | ✓ |
| AWS | ✓ | ✓ |
| Azure | ✓ | N/A |
| Google Cloud | ✓ | ✓ |
| Databricks | ✓ | N/A |
| Kubernetes | N/A | N/A |
Pricing comparison: Proxify vs Index.dev
| Criterion | Proxify | Index.dev |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum engagement | Not published | Not published |
| Engagement models | Dedicated engineer, Fractional expert, Freelance contract | Dedicated engineer, Dedicated team, Direct hire, Trial period |
| Rate transparency | Not public | Not public |
| Price tier | Mid-market | Mid-market |
Target audience comparison: Proxify vs Index.dev
| Dimension | Proxify | Index.dev |
|---|---|---|
| Best company size | Startup to mid-market | Startup to mid-market |
| Best industries | SaaS, Fintech, E-commerce | SaaS, Fintech, E-commerce |
| Best use cases | Adding a data engineer to a European fintech's analytics team, Hiring a Python ML developer for a recommender system | Trialling a Latin American ML engineer for a month before committing, Hiring a PhD-level specialist to fine-tune an open-source LLM |
| Typical project type | Dedicated engineer | Dedicated engineer |
Proxify vs Index.dev: 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 |
| 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 |
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 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.
Decision matrix: Proxify vs Index.dev
| 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 | Index.dev |
| Your budget is at the lower end | Compare: Proxify (Not published) vs Index.dev (Not published) |
| Your team works U.S. hours | Index.dev |
| You may want to hire the engineer permanently later | Index.dev |
Use case fit: Proxify vs Index.dev
| Use case | Proxify fit | Index.dev 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 |
| Trialling a Latin American ML engineer for a month before committing | Limited | Strong | Index.dev |
| Hiring a PhD-level specialist to fine-tune an open-source LLM | Strong | Strong | Both equally |
Verdict: Proxify vs Index.dev
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.
Index.dev (4.2/5) is worth a look if you need hiring a PhD-level specialist to fine-tune an open-source LLM. If your situation matches that, Index.dev is a competitive option.
Related comparisons
Proxify vs Index.dev FAQ
Is Proxify better than Index.dev?
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. Index.dev's strongest advantage: the 30-day refundable trial is the most generous published trial on this page.
How do Proxify and Index.dev differ in pricing?
Proxify uses hourly rate per developer billed monthly; full-time or part-time; rates on request pricing. Index.dev uses monthly rate per engineer; direct-hire fee option; 30-day trial with refund; 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 Index.dev?
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 Proxify and Index.dev?
Proxify's primary differentiator is: senior-engineer interviews with live coding after an automated skills test. Index.dev's primary differentiator is: a 30-day trial with full refund on every placement. They also differ in team size (5,000+ network members vs 30,000+ network), minimum engagement (Not published vs Not published), and primary industries served (SaaS, Fintech vs SaaS, Fintech).
Verify all details directly with each company before making a decision.