Proxify vs Vstorm: full comparison for 2026
Quick verdict
Proxify (4.4/5) edges ahead of Vstorm (4.2/5) overall. Proxify is the better choice for european companies that want a vetted ML or data engineer on European working hours. Vstorm is the stronger option for teams whose LLM agent prototype needs engineers who have shipped agents before. The right choice depends on your project size, budget, and required tech stack.
Proxify vs Vstorm: head-to-head summary
| Criterion | Proxify | Vstorm |
|---|---|---|
| Founded | 2018 | 2017 |
| HQ | Stockholm, Sweden | Wrocław, Poland |
| Team size | 5,000+ network members | 10–49 |
| Rating | 4.4 / 5 | 4.2 / 5 |
| Primary differentiator | Senior-engineer interviews with live coding after an automated skills test | A team that works almost entirely on LLM agents and RAG |
| Pricing model | Hourly rate per developer billed monthly; full-time or part-time; rates on request | $100–$149/hr (Clutch band); team extension or project billing |
| Min. engagement | Not published | $10,000+ |
| Primary tech stack | Python, PyTorch, TensorFlow | Python, LangChain, LlamaIndex |
| Industries served | SaaS, Fintech, E-commerce, Media, Healthcare | SaaS, Legal, Financial services, Healthcare, Retail |
Proxify vs Vstorm: 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.
Vstorm
Vstorm has been in business in Wrocław since 2017 and now builds almost nothing but LLM and agent software, including retrieval-augmented generation systems. Clutch shows an overall score of 4.9 from verified reviews, an hourly band of $100 to $149 and a $10,000 minimum project. The team is small, between 10 and 49 people on Clutch, so the engineers it lends out are the same people who build its own agent projects. That makes it a good source of agent expertise but a poor one for headcount.
Services and capabilities: Proxify vs Vstorm
| Capability | Proxify | Vstorm |
|---|---|---|
| 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 Vstorm
| Framework / platform | Proxify | Vstorm |
|---|---|---|
| PyTorch | ✓ | N/A |
| TensorFlow | ✓ | N/A |
| LangChain | N/A | ✓ |
| Hugging Face | N/A | ✓ |
| OpenAI | N/A | ✓ |
| AWS | ✓ | ✓ |
| Azure | ✓ | ✓ |
| Google Cloud | ✓ | N/A |
| Databricks | ✓ | N/A |
| Kubernetes | N/A | N/A |
Pricing comparison: Proxify vs Vstorm
| Criterion | Proxify | Vstorm |
|---|---|---|
| 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 Vstorm
| Dimension | Proxify | Vstorm |
|---|---|---|
| Best company size | Startup to mid-market | Startup to mid-market |
| Best industries | SaaS, Fintech, E-commerce | SaaS, Legal, Financial services |
| Best use cases | Adding a data engineer to a European fintech's analytics team, Hiring a Python ML developer for a recommender system | Rescuing an agent that fails on multi-step tool calls, Adding a RAG engineer to improve retrieval quality |
| Typical project type | Dedicated engineer | Dedicated engineer |
Proxify vs Vstorm: 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 |
| Vstorm | |
|---|---|
| + | Verified Clutch score of 4.9 with a published rate band |
| + | Narrow focus on agents and RAG means deep, current experience |
| + | Engineers come from its own build team, not a recruiting pool |
| - | Small team, so only one or two engineers at a time |
| - | Higher hourly band than most Central European suppliers |
| - | Little classic ML, computer vision or data engineering |
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 Vstorm?
A typical fit: rescuing an agent that fails on multi-step tool calls.
A team that works almost entirely on LLM agents and RAG. Minimum engagement starts at $10,000+. Works best with clients in SaaS, Legal, Financial services, Healthcare, Retail.
Decision matrix: Proxify vs Vstorm
| Your situation | Recommended choice |
|---|---|
| You want a working engineer, not a recruiter, to run the technical screen | Both; Proxify rates higher overall |
| 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 Vstorm ($10,000+) |
| 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 | Neither lists direct hire; agree conversion terms up front |
Use case fit: Proxify vs Vstorm
| Use case | Proxify fit | Vstorm 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 |
| Rescuing an agent that fails on multi-step tool calls | Limited | Strong | Vstorm |
| Adding a RAG engineer to improve retrieval quality | Strong | Strong | Both equally |
Verdict: Proxify vs Vstorm
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.
Vstorm (4.2/5) is worth a look if you need adding a RAG engineer to improve retrieval quality. If your situation matches that, Vstorm is a competitive option.
Related comparisons
Proxify vs Vstorm FAQ
Is Proxify better than Vstorm?
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. Vstorm's strongest advantage: verified Clutch score of 4.9 with a published rate band.
How do Proxify and Vstorm differ in pricing?
Proxify uses hourly rate per developer billed monthly; full-time or part-time; rates on request pricing. Vstorm uses $100–$149/hr (clutch band); team extension or project billing 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 Vstorm?
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 Vstorm?
Proxify's primary differentiator is: senior-engineer interviews with live coding after an automated skills test. Vstorm's primary differentiator is: a team that works almost entirely on LLM agents and RAG. They also differ in team size (5,000+ network members vs 10–49), minimum engagement (Not published vs $10,000+), and primary industries served (SaaS, Fintech vs SaaS, Legal).
Verify all details directly with each company before making a decision.