Revelo publishes a first shortlist in 72 hours. Terminal has full-time, contract, team and direct-hire models. Tecla has flexible staffing and a separate AI project service. All three recruit engineers. For a dedicated hire, compare who handles employment and what happens if the hire leaves.
Three providers compared
| Tecla | Terminal | Revelo |
|---|---|---|
| Model: flexible nearshore staffing; Tecla Labs is separate AI project delivery | Model: full-time, contract, teams, contract-to-hire and direct-hire options | Model: default full-time dedicated hire; additional team and project models |
| Roles: engineering, AI and data, product and design, marketing and growth | Roles: software, data, DevOps and other engineering roles | Roles: engineering-weighted catalog |
| Speed: candidates in days | Speed: candidates within 48 hours; separately, 5+ qualified candidates within 7 to 14 days | Speed: published shortlist of 3 to 5 candidates in 72 hours |
| Vetting: publishes a vetted network; request the evidence for your role | Vetting: talent-expert screen and AI Fluency standard | Vetting: technical, English and soft-skills screening |
| Employment: Not published | Employment: Terminal Hire uses Terminal as EOR; direct hire uses your own employment setup | Employment: payroll, benefits, taxes and compliance across 18 LATAM countries |
| Replacement: Not published | Replacement: 14-day contract trial; 3-month replacement recruitment-fee waiver for full-time hires | Replacement: Not published |
Sources: Tecla, Terminal and Revelo, checked September 18, 2026. Last reviewed November 2026 (page copy).
Tecla
Tecla has flexible staffing for a specialist or an embedded team. Its staffing service describes people joining your team in US time zones. Tecla Labs designs and builds AI systems as a separate service.
Best for: a buyer who wants to compare staffing with an option for AI project delivery. Specify which service you want before asking for a proposal. A Labs statement of work and a staffing agreement assign different work to the provider.
The reviewed Tecla page has no published replacement guarantee. Read Opus vs. Tecla for the existing comparison. Source: Tecla homepage, reviewed September 18, 2026.
Terminal
Terminal recruits engineers across Latin America, Canada and Europe. Its models include Terminal Hire, Contract, Teams and direct hire. Terminal Hire uses Terminal as the EOR for full-time hires. Under direct hire, you employ the engineer.
Best for: engineering teams that need a choice of employment models or a wider sourcing region.
Terminal's homepage publishes candidates within 48 hours of kickoff. Its FAQ separately publishes 5+ qualified candidates within 7 to 14 days. The same FAQ distinguishes a 14-day contract trial from a 3-month replacement recruitment-fee waiver for full-time hires. Ask which terms apply to your search. Full-time pricing combines a placement fee and a monthly fee; contract pricing uses a monthly fee per engineer.
Read Opus vs. Terminal. The linked homepage, process and FAQ were reviewed September 18, 2026.
Revelo
Revelo publishes a shortlist of 3 to 5 candidates in 72 hours. Its default is a full-time dedicated hire on a month-to-month arrangement. Its process and FAQ describe technical, English and soft-skills screening, plus payroll, benefits, taxes and compliance across 18 Latin American countries.
Best for: a team that wants to interview a dedicated LATAM engineer soon and has a manager ready to assess the finalists. Its initial shortlist claim is useful for planning interviews.
Revelo replacement duration: Not published in the reviewed pages. Read Opus vs. Revelo. Sources: the linked Revelo homepage and process page, reviewed September 18, 2026.
Where Opus fits
Opus is a nearshore recruiting and placement partner for full-time mid-to-senior hires across engineering, finance, RevOps and marketing. We fit teams hiring for non-engineering and mixed roles as well as dedicated engineering seats. Your managers choose the hires and direct their work.
We send you 3 vetted candidates in 5 days. One flat monthly rate per hire covers pay, payroll, benefits and labor compliance, plus our placement support. We quote it on the first call. Every placement includes lifetime replacement with no cap and no time limit.
Read how Opus works, how pricing works or the eight-firm comparison.
Frequently asked questions
Which provider should we choose for an AI project?
Tecla Labs is the separate AI systems service in this comparison. If you want a full-time person on your own team, we can scope that hire with you. Ask who owns delivery.
Does a shortlist deadline mean the engineer starts then?
No. We separate the first shortlist, your hiring decision and the first day worked. Ask each provider to name the milestone behind its timing claim.
Can Opus help with engineering and finance hires together?
Yes. We recruit full-time mid-to-senior hires across both functions. Give us a separate brief and a hiring manager for each role.
Get your hiring plan
Get a plan for your next hire. Tell us what the person will own and which hours your team needs.
