Near vs. Oceans: Which Nearshore Hiring Partner Fits Your Needs?

You’re here because you’re weighing Near vs. Oceans for hiring remote talent outside the US.

That’s exactly what you should be doing: comparing providers, weighing the trade-offs, and figuring out who’s the right fit for your team. 

Oceans specializes exclusively in Sri Lankan talent with a staff augmentation model where they employ your team members. Near focuses on Latin American talent with two flexible engagement models and operates as a white-glove recruiting partner across all business functions.

The choice comes down to your priorities: nearshore LatAm talent with full-day time zone alignment and direct employment options, or offshore Sri Lankan talent with partial overlap through a staff augmentation arrangement.

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Near: The Full-Service Staffing & Recruiting Partner

G2 Rating: 4.9 (90+ reviews)

Near (Hire With Near) is a full-service staffing and recruiting agency that helps US companies hire top-performing remote talent in Latin America across finance, accounting, sales, software engineering, AI, data, marketing, operations, and virtual assistance.

We're not a platform. We don't supply temps. We're a white-glove recruiting partner for companies that want A-players who raise the bar for everyone around them. We handle everything—sourcing, vetting, candidate presentation, payroll, and compliance—so hiring feels simple on your side. Our process is built to surface the people who don't just fit the role, but make your whole team better.

We take the time to understand your culture, goals, and how your team works together, so every shortlist is tailored to what success looks like in your business.

[fs-toc-omit]Key strengths:

1. Nearshore advantage: Latin American talent works in your time zone. Have your morning standup at 9 a.m. Solve problems in real-time. No waiting until tomorrow for answers. This matters more than most companies realize until they've tried offshore alternatives.
2. Proven quality you can verify: Our 4.9 G2 rating with 90+ reviews isn't marketing fluff. It's from companies that have hired with us, worked with our placements, and reported results.
3. Quality-first approach: Our 97% placement rate and 9.1+ client satisfaction come from obsessing over fit—not just skills, but the drive, readiness, and cultural match to contribute from day one and help your company grow over the long term.
4. One partner, one process: Scale across all departments with one dedicated team and a repeatable hiring cadence. First candidates in 3–5 days with video introductions, most hires in under 3 weeks. We remember what worked last time, and we adapt based on your feedback so hiring gets easier and more effective over time.
5. Two engagement models: Direct hire (one-time recruiting fee) or staffing model (monthly fee with payroll/compliance included). Choose what fits your structure.
6. Proven retention: 80% of hires stay 2+ years, so knowledge compounds and teams get stronger over time.

Oceans

G2 Rating: No listing

Oceans connects US businesses with cross-functional talent exclusively from Sri Lanka. They operate as a staff augmentation provider where Oceans directly employs the talent full-time, and clients pay Oceans a monthly fee for dedicated team members. They say their talent provides 4–5 hours of overlap with US business hours, with the remainder of the work done asynchronously.

Their focus is on four core specializations: executive assistants, operations, finance, and marketing roles. They emphasize hand-selected matching and provide ongoing coaching and training for their talent pool.

[fs-toc-omit]Key features:

1. Single-country specialization: Exclusive focus on Sri Lankan talent. If you specifically want to hire from Sri Lanka, they have deep expertise in that market.
2. Structured overlap schedule: Their talent provides 4–5 hours of synchronous overlap with US business hours daily, with the remainder of work handled asynchronously. This hybrid approach works for roles that don't require constant real-time collaboration.
3. 6-step vetting process: Includes third-party assessments, multiple interviews, and an intensive bootcamp program teaching professionals how to support founders and executives.
4. Staff augmentation model: Oceans employs all talent directly (handles payroll, benefits, and equipment in Sri Lanka). You pay Oceans monthly, and they manage all employment obligations. You cannot transition talent to your own payroll—Oceans remains the employer throughout the engagement.
5. Ongoing support: Provides continuous coaching and training for talent with 24/7 internal resources. Account management for clients.
6. Starting pricing: $3,000/month with a 3-month initial trial commitment required.

Where Near and Oceans Align

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Where Near Stands Out

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What Clients Say About Near

G2 and client feedback consistently highlight what sets Near apart across these key areas:

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Example Salary Ranges When You Hire Through Near

With Near, you stay in control of compensation.

We provide the benchmarks and breakdown; you set the final compensation offer and timing for raises.

Below are a few examples of salary ranges by role. Our comprehensive LatAm vs. US Salary Guide has figures for many more.

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On average, our clients save $35,000 to $55,000 annually per role compared to hiring in the US.

During your no-commitment discovery call, we’ll share recommended ranges to attract the best talent and explain our fees clearly, which are separate and depend on the support you need (recruiting only or payroll and compliance too).

With Near, there are never upfront costs.

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What To Do Next

This isn't about which company is "better." Both Near and Oceans deliver results for our target clients. The decision comes down to matching our approaches with your actual needs.

Most likely, you’ll speak with a few providers before you decide. We’d like to be one of them.

Comparisons help, but a call answers the real questions related to your role, timeline, and budget.

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We'll provide role-specific salary benchmarks and walk you through exactly how we'd approach building your team. You’ll be able to interview candidates for free and see the calibre of talent we can find you.