Is there a better alternative to rentacoder for developers?

Question

I've read a lot of reviews about rentacoder and all of them say that the pay is too low, do you know a better site?

Answer 1

I've heard of this one http://venture-programmers.com/ seems ok, as i don't really have the free time to invest to such projects so not sure how well it works out.

Answer 2

I'm not sure if it is better or not but Guru.com is another alternative that I've heard about.

Answer 3

Low pay on rentacoder is a relative thing. The majority of the bid-winners I've seen are from areas outside of the U.S. of A. where the U.S. dollar is still quite valuable, and so the pay is much more to their liking than to mine (I'm a U.S. resident).

Answer 4

Perhaps this is an area where you could form a good startup.

Rent-A-Coder is basicly an Escrow company.

Answer 5

The best site I know that works with outsourcing is oDesk. It's great for both professionals in the area as well for Companies looking for those professionals.

You register in it, fill all information about your expertise and navigate through a list of posted jobs and candidate yourself to the vacancy. They also control the interviewing process between professionals and the companies, and provide several tests like Brainbench to confirm knowledge of the parts.

They make guarantees on both part work/payment, since they provide a little software that controls time (in a 10-minute basis) and allows to share info as well random screenshots that proof the professional is working on the job agreed.

I am working via oDesk for over a year now and I am very satisfied, and lately I mounted a team of professionals getting jobs from oDesk and (still via oDesk) sharing those jobs with the team. Their interface is great for this. I am very satisfied with the opportunity they provide.

One important info. They taxes you 10% of each earnings. But it worth it in the long run...

Answer 6

DO NOT use rentacoder.com. I had bad experiences with them. Not the site's fault but the coders who hang out there are of poor quality.

A coder bailed out on me in the middle of a project and wasted a month of my time. Another coder canceled within 24 hours after getting the full source code of my application which needed conversion.

Plus coders which deliver code which didn't meet the clear requirements I gave them. I am a developer myself and I gave them clear instructions.

What frustrated me is that I picked coders with high ratings. I only had one good experience so your mileage may vary, but all in all the quality of work done by coders is pretty bad. I think these coders are beginners, inexperienced and cheap ones who bid on anything and try to do do anything.

I would try more professional sites like eLance.

Answer 7

I am a provider. I have worked with odesk for a year with a lot of assignments. the only thing I dont like i seldom do i find jobs that will allow me to work fulltime, which is very important to me. I have worked with rentacoder. I had a hard time understanding their process, and I only have a few jobs since I dont work for a fixed rate since this is prone to abuse. The rate of my assignment bet odesk vesrus RAC is like 100:2. Well one reason is the work is not continuous with rentacoder since you have to bid for one time card and wait for the buyer to accept. While with odesk , everything is automatic, you just need to laog in and get paid after 1 1/2 week. Rentacoder has a bad customer support, they never answer to any of my question and feedback. whereas odesk would even reply back to your thank you notes.