HireTalent.lat vs Howdy
Self-serve hiring platform vs all-in-one EOR with physical offices. Here's how they compare.
The Short Version
Self-serve platform for direct hiring — you search, contact, and hire pre-screened LATAM talent yourself with transparent pricing and built-in team management tools.
All-in-one nearshore staffing and EOR service — they recruit, vet (top 5% acceptance rate), employ, and support LATAM engineers through physical offices across South America, with a 98% retention rate.
At a Glance
Key differences between the two platforms
| HireTalent.lat | Howdy | |
|---|---|---|
| Business model | Self-serve platform | All-in-one EOR + staffing |
| Focus | All roles (VAs, devs, designers, etc.) | Software engineering (primary) |
| Talent pool | Pre-screened LATAM talent | Top 5% of LATAM engineers |
| Vetting | ID verification, skills testing, background investigation | Multi-stage: identity, live coding, soft skills |
| Physical offices | Fully remote | 6+ offices across South America |
| Hiring process | You control everything | They recruit, you interview shortlist |
| Time to first interview | Immediate (search & contact) | Within 48 hours |
| Team management | Built-in (time tracking, PTO, reviews) | Performance coaching provided |
| Payments | Wise integration (bulk pay) | Included (they handle payroll) |
| Compliance | W-8BEN, contracts, NDAs | Full EOR (legal employer in each country) |
| Pricing | From $0 (Free plan) | $6,000-$11,000/mo per developer (all-in) |
| Commission on worker pay | None | ~15% surcharge on salary |
| Contract terms | Cancel anytime | Week-to-week billing, no lock-in |
What Actually Matters
Beyond the feature checklist — here's what the differences mean in practice
Self-serve platform vs managed EOR service
HireTalent.lat is a self-serve platform — you search talent, contact candidates directly, and hire at your own pace across all role types (VAs, developers, designers, marketers, and more). Howdy is a full-service EOR focused primarily on software engineering — they recruit, employ, and support developers through physical offices in six South American cities. It's the difference between owning your hiring process vs outsourcing it to a specialized partner.
Flat subscription vs per-developer pricing
HireTalent.lat charges a flat subscription: $0 Free plan, $88/mo Employer, $219/mo Team — no commission on worker pay, no per-employee fees. Whether you hire 1 or 50 people, the platform fee stays the same. Howdy charges $6,000-$11,000/month per developer (all-in), which includes salary, benefits, equipment, and office access, plus a ~15% surcharge on the developer's take-home salary. Howdy's model bundles everything into one bill, but the per-person cost adds up quickly as your team grows.
Remote-first vs physical office infrastructure
HireTalent.lat is built for remote-first teams — talent works from wherever they're most productive, and you manage everything through the platform. Howdy maintains physical offices ("Howdy Houses") in Medellin, Bogota, Cordoba, Santiago, Montevideo, and Florianopolis, providing developers with coworking space, Apple equipment, gym memberships, and on-site HR support. If your developers prefer or benefit from office environments, Howdy's infrastructure is a genuine advantage.
AI-certified talent vs engineering-focused vetting
HireTalent.lat lets professionals earn verified certifications in 80+ AI tools — ChatGPT, Claude, Midjourney, Copilot, and more. These are tested and verified, not self-reported. Howdy's vetting process is engineering-specific: live coding interviews, debugging challenges, and architecture assessments, with only the top 5% of applicants accepted. Both approaches are rigorous — it depends on whether you need AI-savvy generalists or deeply vetted engineers.
Built-in team management vs white-glove support
HireTalent.lat covers the full lifecycle after hiring: time tracking, daily standups, PTO management, performance reviews, Wise payments, and compliance tools — all in one platform you control. Howdy provides support differently: performance coaches, mentorship programs, community events, and HR support at their physical offices. Their 98% retention rate suggests this hands-on approach works well for keeping developers engaged long-term.
Direct hiring vs full EOR compliance
HireTalent.lat is for direct hiring — you hire contractors or employees directly, and we provide tools for contracts, W-8BEN forms, and NDAs. You manage the relationship. Howdy becomes the legal employer in each country, handling all local labor law compliance, benefits, payroll taxes, and termination procedures. If you need airtight legal compliance in multiple South American countries without building local entities, Howdy's EOR model handles the complexity. If you prefer direct relationships and lower costs, HireTalent.lat gives you the tools to do it yourself.
Feature-by-Feature Comparison
The full breakdown across hiring, screening, management, and payments
| Feature | HireTalent.lat | Howdy |
|---|---|---|
| Finding Talent | ||
| Talent search & filtering | They recruit for you | |
| AI-powered matching | Recruiter-driven matching | |
| Job posting | Submit requirements to team | |
| Direct candidate contact | Unlimited | Through Howdy team |
| Video & voice profiles | ||
| AI tool certifications (80+) | ||
| Non-engineering roles (VAs, designers, etc.) | Limited (engineering focus) | |
| Control over hiring decisions | Full control | You choose from curated shortlist |
| Screening & Verification | ||
| Pre-screened talent | ||
| Acceptance rate | Selective review process | Top 5% accepted |
| Identity verification | ||
| Background investigation | ||
| Skills testing | Live coding interviews | |
| Soft skills assessment | Video/voice profiles | Comprehensive evaluation |
| Internet & equipment verification | ||
| Trial tasks before hiring | ||
| AI-generated interview questions | ||
| Team Management | ||
| Time tracking | ||
| Daily standups & recaps | ||
| PTO management | Automatic PTO deductions | |
| Performance reviews | Performance coaching | |
| Analytics & reporting | ||
| Slack integration | ||
| Physical office access for talent | ||
| Equipment provided to talent | Apple equipment included | |
| EOR (employer of record) | ||
| Payments & Compliance | ||
| Integrated payments | Wise (50+ countries) | Handled by Howdy |
| Bulk team payments | Managed by Howdy | |
| Invoice generation | Auto from time logs | Managed by Howdy |
| W-8BEN collection | Not needed (EOR model) | |
| Contract management | Howdy is legal employer | |
| NDA management | Managed by Howdy | |
| Local labor law compliance | Basic guidance | Full compliance (they are the employer) |
| Health insurance for talent | Premium coverage included | |
| Transparent pricing | Public plans | All-in monthly rate |
Pricing Comparison
| HireTalent.lat | Howdy | |
|---|---|---|
| Free Plan | ||
| Price | $0 | Not available |
| Search talent | Pre-screened LATAM profiles | Must engage Howdy team |
| Job posts | Add-on ($48 each) | Submit requirements |
| Contact candidates | Unlimited (anyone who applies) | Through Howdy team |
| View certifications & skills | Yes | Howdy-vetted profiles |
| Mid-Tier Plan | ||
| Plan name | Employer | N/A (per-developer pricing) |
| Price | $88/mo | $6,000-$11,000/mo per developer |
| Job posts | 3 included | Submit requirements |
| Contact candidates | 10/day | Howdy presents shortlist |
| Team management seats | 3 included | N/A (Howdy manages) |
| Trial tasks | 5 included | Not available |
| AI credits | 500/month | Not available |
| Screening | All talent reviewed before approval | Top 5% acceptance rate |
| Top-Tier Plan | ||
| Plan name | Team | N/A (same per-developer model) |
| Price | $219/mo | $6,000-$11,000/mo per developer |
| Job posts | 10 included | Submit requirements |
| Contact candidates | 25/day | Howdy presents shortlist |
| Team management seats | 10 included | N/A (Howdy manages) |
| Trial tasks | Unlimited | Not available |
| AI credits | 2,000/month | Not available |
| Time tracking | Full suite | Not included |
| Integrated payments | Wise (bulk pay) | Included (Howdy handles payroll) |
| EOR services | Not available | Full EOR in 6+ countries |
| Benefits for talent | Not included | Health insurance, equipment, gym, office |
| Both Approaches | ||
| Pre-screened talent | Yes | Yes |
| Same timezone as US teams | Yes | Yes |
| Bilingual professionals | Yes | Yes |
| No upfront costs | Yes | Yes (pay when hire starts) |
| Cancel anytime | Yes | Yes (week-to-week billing) |
Which Platform Is Right for You?
Different tools fit different needs — here's the honest breakdown
Choose HireTalent.lat if...
- You want to control your hiring — search, contact, and decide yourself
- You need transparent, predictable pricing with no per-employee fees
- You're hiring across multiple role types, not just engineers
- You want AI-savvy workers certified in specific tools
- You need hiring AND management in one platform (time tracking, payments, PTO, reviews)
- You want to test candidates with paid trial tasks before committing
- You prefer direct contractor relationships over EOR arrangements
Choose Howdy if...
- You're hiring software engineers specifically and want deeply vetted talent (top 5%)
- You need full EOR compliance across multiple South American countries
- You value physical office infrastructure and in-person support for your remote team
- You want everything bundled — salary, benefits, equipment, compliance — in one monthly bill
- You prefer a hands-off approach: submit requirements, interview a shortlist, and let Howdy handle the rest
- Retention is your top priority and you value Howdy's 98% retention rate and developer support programs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is HireTalent.lat cheaper than Howdy?
Significantly, yes — but they're different models. HireTalent.lat charges $88/mo Employer or $219/mo Team as a flat subscription, no matter how many people you hire, with no commission on worker pay. Howdy charges $6,000-$11,000/month per developer (including salary, benefits, equipment, and a ~15% surcharge). For a single mid-level developer, Howdy's all-in cost covers everything. But if you're building a team of 5+ people, HireTalent.lat's flat fee plus direct salary payments is substantially cheaper — you pay worker salaries directly instead of through a middleman.
Does Howdy give me more control over hiring?
No — the opposite. HireTalent.lat gives you full control: search thousands of profiles, contact anyone directly, interview on your schedule, and hire at your own pace. Howdy recruits on your behalf — you submit requirements, they present a curated shortlist within 48 hours, and you interview their candidates. Howdy's approach is faster and more hands-off, but you don't drive the search. If you want to own your hiring pipeline, HireTalent.lat is the better fit.
What about Howdy's physical offices — does that matter?
It depends on your priorities. Howdy operates offices in Medellin, Bogota, Cordoba, Santiago, Montevideo, and Florianopolis, giving developers coworking space, Apple equipment, and in-person community. This infrastructure contributes to their 98% retention rate. HireTalent.lat is fully remote — talent works from wherever they prefer, and you manage them through built-in tools. If you believe office access and in-person support improve developer satisfaction, Howdy's model is genuinely differentiated. If you're comfortable managing a fully remote team, it's an unnecessary cost.
Can I switch from Howdy to HireTalent.lat?
Yes. If you're currently using Howdy and want more control or lower costs, create a free HireTalent.lat account and start searching immediately. Howdy offers week-to-week billing with no cancellation penalties, so transitioning is straightforward. If you already have team members through Howdy, you can bring them onto HireTalent.lat's management tools (time tracking, payments, PTO) — just provide their name and email. Note that you'd need to establish direct contractor agreements with them, since they'd no longer be employed through Howdy's EOR.
Which is better for non-engineering roles?
HireTalent.lat, clearly. Howdy is primarily focused on software engineering — backend, frontend, mobile, full-stack, DevOps, and QA engineers, with limited coverage of finance and HR roles. HireTalent.lat covers the full spectrum: virtual assistants, designers, marketers, customer support, project managers, accountants, and more. If you need a developer, both platforms work. If you need a VA or a designer, HireTalent.lat is the right choice.
Do both platforms handle compliance?
Yes, but very differently. Howdy is a full EOR (Employer of Record) — they become the legal employer in each country, handling payroll taxes, benefits, termination procedures, and all local labor law requirements. It's the gold standard for compliance if you don't have local entities. HireTalent.lat provides compliance tools for direct hiring: W-8BEN forms, contracts, and NDAs. You manage the relationship directly, which is simpler and cheaper but requires you to understand the basics of hiring international contractors.
Ready to Try the Difference?
Create a free account and see pre-screened LATAM talent for yourself. No credit card required. No per-developer fees.