Key Takeaways
- The top Latin American staffing firms include Near (comprehensive recruiting of top performing talent), Revelo (400,000+ developer network), Fast Dolphin (enterprise IT specialists), TECLA (quick tech scaling), 1840 & Co. (global reach across 150 countries), Somewhere (cost-effective VAs), and Virtual Latinos (bilingual assistants at $10-18/hour).
- These firms differ significantly in their service models—some offer direct hire permanent placements, others provide contractor staffing or staff augmentation, with pricing ranging from transparent one-off fees to ongoing monthly charges that include markups on top of salaries.
- Your best choice depends on your specific requirements: company size and budget, the types of roles you need to fill (only technical vs. all business functions), whether you prefer direct hires or contractor relationships, your timeline for scaling, and how much ongoing support you want from your staffing partner.
So you’ve likely heard that hiring in Latin America is a game-changer for building incredible teams without breaking the bank. And it is. But only if you find the right partner.
The problem? The moment you search for “best LatAm staffing company,” you’re hit with a dozen different models. Freelance marketplaces, EORs, traditional agencies, IT outsourcers—it’s a lot to sort through.
They all promise “top talent” in just several days or weeks, but they operate in fundamentally different ways or specialize in different roles.
Choosing the wrong one doesn’t just waste time; it can lead to a bad hire or hiring model that costs you more in the long run.
So, in this guide, we’re breaking down some of the most common players in the LatAm hiring space head-to-head. No fluff, just a straightforward look at what they do and who they’re for.
Key Differences of Recruiting and Staffing Companies for Hiring in Latin America at a Glance
For those who want the bottom line upfront, here’s a quick comparison of the firms we’ll be covering.
In summary, we feel:
- Near leads in service and talent quality (97% success rate) and is the best fit for startups and mid-size enterprises looking for a true recruiting partner with transparent pricing and dedicated support.
- Fast Dolphin excels in working with large, publicly listed enterprise companies who value long-term relationships and physical presence across multiple countries with 20+ years of proven track record.
- Revelo dominates in scale and tech specialization (400,000+ developers), making them ideal for large enterprises needing proven processes and massive technical talent pools.
- 1840 & Co. is the best choice if you want global reach (150 countries) and to have an option for short-term and part-time staffing.
- TECLA specializes in senior engineering talent and comprehensive EOR services, perfect for companies needing immediate technical impact with legal compliance handled.
- Somewhere is a great choice if you want to work with just one partner and be able to hire from the Philippines also (e.g., for roles where you don’t need time zone alignment).
- Virtual Latinos is your obvious go-to for virtual assistants with transparent $10-18/hour pricing.
Which one is right for your business depends on who you are and what you actually need.
Here's a side-by-side comparison of the essentials:

Full Breakdown of the 7 Best Staffing Firms for Hiring in Latin America
Before we dive into the specifics, let’s acknowledge the obvious.
All these companies deliver on the core value proposition of hiring in Latin America through a partner.
You get:
- talent that works in your time zone (unlike in far offshore regions)
- candidates who speak excellent English
- professionals who understand US business culture.
Every firm here will likely deliver candidate profiles within days, conduct thorough vetting, and promise quality talent.
The above are table stakes for any top recruitment or staffing company.
What matters are the differences in how they operate, what they specialize in, and how they structure their partnerships with you.
Now, let’s get into the specifics for each company.
- Near

Near (Hire With Near) is a staffing and recruitment agency that helps US startups and mid-size enterprises hire high-performing remote talent in Latin America across finance, sales, software engineering, design, AI, data, marketing, operations, and virtual assistance.
We know, you’re not surprised we’ve put ourselves first. But it’s because we think we do offer something fundamentally different than other firms.
We don’t just fill roles—we find A-players who will help you scale faster and smarter.
Near operates more like an internal recruiting team that happens to specialize in Latin America.
We believe hiring in LatAm isn’t about finding a “resource”; it’s about finding your next great teammate.
Our model is simple: we handle the sourcing and vetting, and you hire the candidate directly. No middlemen, no confusing markups. Just a one-time flat fee for permanent placements or an ongoing monthly fee if you prefer our staffing model, where we handle payroll and compliance.
Near’s 97% success rate and 9.0+ client satisfaction score aren’t accidents.
We focus on what matters—finding a high-quality candidate who will grow with your company for the long haul. This approach builds long-term relationships.
Our clients hire 10, 15, 20+ people through Near after they experience what our expert recruiters bring to the table.
Limitations
We are not the cheapest option (but we’re also not the most expensive). We’re the premium choice for companies that care about follow-through, standards, and getting the hire right the first time.
If you want to see how we’ve helped companies similar to yours, check out our client case studies to get a better sense of the results we deliver.

Client review: “Near not only helped us navigate the hiring process but fundamentally changed our approach to building our team. Their ability to connect us with high-quality, dedicated talent has been invaluable.” — Drew Prescott, Co-Founder & CEO at R\nd
- Fast Dolphin

Fast Dolphin is a niche player with a very specific focus: high-end IT talent, including specialists in ERP for SAP and Oracle systems, big data and BI, and infrastructure. They’ve been around for over 20 years and have built a strong reputation for providing specialized technical talent from Latin America for staff augmentation or dedicated development teams.
They have a strong track record of serving large enterprises. Their client list reads like a who’s who of the NYSE: Pfizer, Colgate, Shell, IBM, Proctor & Gamble, the list goes on. Pretty impressive.
For example, if you’re a large company running on SAP and need a functional consultant for a six-month project, Fast Dolphin is built for you.
Limitations
They’re not a fit for companies looking to fill general business roles or hire permanent team members outside of the IT space.

Client review: We have found in Fast Dolphin a strong partner for our temporary talent needs in the US & Latin America, and now with its new operations in Canada, I’m confident they will provide outstanding results.”—Sonia Kahn, Director of Workforce Management at Fujitsu America, Inc., (Company website)
3. Revelo

Revelo is a major player in the LatAm tech talent space, boasting one of the largest networks of software developers in the region: 400,000+.
Their client list is full of tech and SaaS companies—Oracle, Dell, Intuit, Ceros—so it’s fair to say they know what makes a good dev.
Revelo says all developers go through rigorous technical and soft-skill vetting before being added to their network.
Their model is “pay-as-you-go” full-service: they not only source and vet developers but also act as the Employer of Record (EOR), handling all payroll, benefits, and compliance.
This all-in-one approach is convenient for companies that want to hire tech talent without dealing with the administrative overhead of international employment.
Limitations
The convenience of the all-in-one fee, however, comes with less pricing transparency and a model where you pay a continuous service fee on top of the developer’s salary.

Client review: “Revelo has been a solid partner in helping us scale our engineering team. They’ve consistently provided qualified and capable engineers who integrate well with our workflows. One thing we especially appreciate is their responsiveness—whether it’s a quick clarification or a more involved follow-up, they’re always prompt and helpful. They also run regular performance and satisfaction check-ins with the contractors, which helps maintain alignment and surface any issues early. Overall, they’ve made remote staffing smooth and low-friction for us.” —Revelo user in legal services (G2)
- 1840 & Co.

1840 & Co. is a global outsourcing and talent solutions provider. Think of them as a Swiss Army knife for remote operations. They do a lot more than just staffing—they offer managed outsourcing for entire departments (like call centers) and Employer of Record (EOR) services to handle payroll. They can also find you freelance talent for short-term or project-based work.
Their strength is their sheer breadth. With talent from over 150 countries, they can be a one-stop shop if you have diverse, global needs. For example, a company seeking to outsource customer support or hire dozens of agents across countries would find 1840’s model valuable.
They have an impressive range of clients, including Groupon and Instacart.
Limitations
Their global focus means they lack the deep, specialized expertise in the Latin American market that a focused firm can offer.

Client review: “1840 & Company provided us with more transparency into our sales calls at a time when we really needed it. They provided QA tools, improved our value proposition, and sales coaching which greatly improved our customer interactions and sales process.”—Casey H, Manager of Training, HomeLight (Company website)
5. TECLA

Like Revelo, Tecla is a tech-focused firm that specializes in placing Latin American software developers with US companies. They offer flexible models, allowing clients to augment their existing teams with individual developers or hire fully managed agile teams for specific projects.
Their core strength is their network of 50K+ vetted tech talent and their speed. They are a strong choice for companies that need to scale their engineering capacity quickly with time-zone-aligned professionals. Their focus is almost exclusively on technical roles.
Clients include Mercedes-Benz, Major League Soccer, and HomeLight.
Limitations
While TECLA is a great choice if you only need tech talent, it’s likely you need more than just great software engineers. If you are a startup, for example, you’ll need to be looking to hire for finance to manage your runway, marketing to drive growth, customer support to maintain satisfaction, and sales teams to close deals.
So you’ll need to decide if you need a partner who can help you build that entire team or you’re happy to work with multiple agencies.

Client review: “The process has been very clean, and TECLA has done a great job of making everything very uniform and smooth.”—Sleep monitoring device provider (Clutch)
6. Somewhere

Somewhere (rebranded from “Support Shepherd”) operates as a global staffing agency for remote roles, targeting small businesses and entrepreneurs. Their model is geared toward hiring independent contractors from a global talent pool, often for virtual assistant and operational support roles.
Their key appeal is cost savings. By sourcing from a wide range of emerging markets, they help businesses find affordable talent.
Limitations
The trade-off of this multi-region approach is a less specialized focus on Latin America and a talent pool that often leans more toward administrative and assistant-level roles.
Also, they charge a $500 upfront deposit to start meeting candidates, whereas Near and some other companies only charge a fee once you make a hire.

Client review: “The Somewhere team helped me hire a new EA recently, and it’s already been such a great addition to my team. Can highly recommend!” — Adii Pienaar, Creator of WooCommerce (Company website)
7. Virtual Latinos

Virtual Latinos is an agency that provides bilingual virtual assistants in Latin America. Their model is straightforward: you pay them an hourly rate, and they pay assistant. No other fees are involved.
They also offer a 100% bonus pass-through policy, ensuring raises go directly to assistants, building trust with both clients and talent.
They vet all their candidates and only accept less than 5% of those who apply to join their talent pool.
This is a good option for entrepreneurs or small businesses that need help with administrative tasks and want a simple, predictable pricing structure.
Limitations
The model is less suited for hiring specialized professionals or building a deeply integrated team, as the primary relationship is with the agency, not the assistant. Plus, the specialization in virtual assistant roles limits their usefulness for companies needing technical or other specialized talent.

Client review: “VL has impacted my business growth positively. I was relying previously on an answering service to take my phone calls. I let VL vet the receptionist that I wanted depending on my requirements. I finally hired a VL assistant in April 2024 to answer the calls and my business has grown by at least 20%. I have promoted my current VL assistant who was a receptionist, to a legal assistant. He will start that new position in April 2025.” —Planzer Law LLC (Company website)
Final Thoughts
Each of these companies delivers strong results for their clients. The differences come down to what you’re looking for based on your business type, partnership preferences, and hiring model needs.
Every business has different priorities: some need massive scale, others want premium service, some prioritize speed, others focus on long-term partnerships.
The right choice depends on your company size, roles you’re filling, timeline requirements, and how you prefer to work with partners.
Near’s approach centers on being a true recruiting partner rather than just a talent vendor—prioritizing transparency, consistency, and comprehensive support.
But honestly, the only way to know what’s genuinely best for your specific situation is by having actual conversations about your particular needs and getting a complete picture of what each company offers.
So, to explore whether Near’s approach aligns with your needs, book a free consultation call today. We can discuss our process and fees and provide you with salary benchmarks for the roles you need to fill.