The smarter way to hire technical talent — fast, transparent, and built for both sides.
Trusted by growing tech companies
Three sides. One balance. Zero friction.
Every feature is designed to keep freelancers & consultants earning more and companies hiring smarter.
Generic gig marketplaces and job boards treat trust as an afterthought. We built it into the model.
Most staffing firms charge 25-50% markups plus placement fees. Gig platforms nickel-and-dime both sides. Our 20% covers vetting, matching, NDAs, contracts, billing, dispute support, and E&O-backed Pro talent — while freelancers & consultants still keep 100% of their rate.
NDA, insurance, and US-only policies aren't marketing perks — they're built-in controls that reduce risk for freelancers & consultants and clients alike.
For clients
Your IP and confidential data are protected by a signed NDA before work begins, tracked in your dashboard.
For freelancers & consultants
You always know the confidentiality obligations upfront and have a clear record of what you signed.
For clients
Pro Vetted freelancers & consultants carry Errors & Omissions insurance, plus Cyber Liability coverage for roles that handle sensitive data or systems.
For freelancers & consultants
You're backed by E&O and role-specific Cyber Liability insurance, reducing the personal financial risk of complex client work.
For clients
Avoid international tax withholding, data-sovereignty questions, and off-hours coordination. All freelancers & consultants are U.S.-based.
For freelancers & consultants
Work with U.S. clients under familiar U.S. contracting norms, with clear 1099 expectations and domestic dispute resolution.
For clients
Disputes are handled through Equilibrium's structured process with clear documentation and escalation paths.
For freelancers & consultants
A neutral process reviews contract terms, deliverables, and payment history so freelancers & consultants aren't at the mercy of one-sided reviews.
Compare cost, speed, and vetting quality against generic marketplaces and traditional staffing agencies.
| Feature | Generic marketplaces | Staffing agencies | Equilibrium |
|---|---|---|---|
| Client fees | Markup + platform fees + payment processing + upsells | 50–100%+ markup plus placement fees and conversion penalties | One flat 20% markup covering vetting, legal, billing, and support |
| Fees for freelancers & consultants | 10-20% taken from freelancer and consultant earnings | Rate often hidden behind recruiter markup | $0 fees — freelancers & consultants keep 100% of their rate |
| Speed to hire | Days to weeks; flooded with unqualified applicants | Weeks to months; dependent on recruiter bandwidth | Hours to days; real-time skill-and-title matching |
| Matching quality | Keyword search + bidding wars; 50+ applicants per role | Recruiter-led manual matching; inconsistent quality | Skill-and-title matching engine pings only qualified, available freelancers & consultants |
| Vetting & verification | Self-reported profiles; no verification | Agency-screened but surface-level and inconsistent | 5-step Pro Verified: identity, skills, portfolio, references, communication |
| E&O insurance | Not provided; client bears risk | Not guaranteed; coverage varies by agency | Pro Vetted freelancers & consultants carry Errors & Omissions insurance |
| Cyber Liability insurance | Not provided; client bears breach risk | Rarely included; custom policy review needed | Freelancers carry Cyber Liability coverage for data/security roles when needed |
| Talent pool | Global, mixed compliance and timezone risk | Limited to agency roster; may lack specialized tech roles | US-only freelancers & consultants; no international withholding or off-hours issues |
| Legal coverage | Client must draft and manage NDAs/contracts | Agency contracts may shift liability; custom review often needed | Built-in NDAs, contracts, and e-signatures generated per engagement |
| Back-office support | None; HR/LegalOps handles compliance and disputes | Payroll handled but with limited transparency and self-service | Tax docs, escrow, dispute support, scheduling, and billing included |
Freelancers & consultants keep 100% of their rate. Clients pay one flat, transparent markup that covers vetting, matching, legal, billing, and support.
Keep 100% of what you earn. Always.
One rate covers vetting, matching, legal, billing, and support — with no ongoing commissions.
A full-time employee's real cost isn't their salary — it's salary plus roughly 30-40% in overhead. Here's how that stacks up against Equilibrium's flat 20% markup on an example $120,000 role.
Traditional W-2 employee
Payroll taxes (FICA, FUTA, SUTA)
~7.65% employer share
Health, dental & vision benefits
~12% of salary
401(k) match & retirement
~4% employer contribution
Paid time off & holidays
~4 weeks + holidays
Equipment, software & workspace
Laptop, SaaS seats, desk
Recruiting, onboarding & training
Amortized first-year cost
Plus severance risk, unemployment claims, and management overhead.
Equilibrium
One transparent line item. Cancel or scale any time.
Estimated first-year savings
$24,780 per role
Based on a $120,000 role. Figures are illustrative — actual overhead varies by state, benefits package, and company size.
Our public Tech Supply & Demand Forecast gives freelancers & consultants and companies a real-time pulse on the market — role-by-role, metro-by-metro, week-by-week.
Free, public, and updated weekly. No account required.
View Supply & Demand Forecast