Tensorway vs Index.dev: full comparison for 2026
Quick verdict
Tensorway (4.8/5) edges ahead of Index.dev (4.5/5) overall. Tensorway is the better choice for starting small, testing fast and adjusting headcount every month. Index.dev is the stronger option for startups that want their money back if the first month doesn't work. The right choice depends on your project size, budget, and required tech stack.
Tensorway vs Index.dev: head-to-head summary
| Criterion | Tensorway | Index.dev |
|---|---|---|
| Founded | 2019 | 2019 |
| HQ | Alicante, Spain | London, United Kingdom |
| Team size | 50–249 | 30,000+ network |
| Rating | 4.8 / 5 | 4.5 / 5 |
| Primary differentiator | Full-time, part-time and two-week trial options from the same AI-only provider | A refundable 30-day trial on every placement, plus direct hire |
| Pricing model | Monthly rate for full-time dedicated engineers; hourly or weekly billing for part-time fractional experts; two-week trial sprint; rate card on request | Monthly rate per engineer; direct-hire fee; 30-day refundable trial; rates on request |
| Min. engagement | Not disclosed | Not published |
| Primary tech stack | Python, PyTorch, LangChain | Python, PyTorch, LangChain |
| Industries served | Legal services, SaaS, Fintech, Healthcare, Retail and e-commerce, Logistics | SaaS, Fintech, E-commerce, AI labs, Healthcare |
Tensorway vs Index.dev: overview
Tensorway
Tensorway, based in Alicante, Spain since 2019, sells AI engineers in three shapes, and that flexibility is why it tops this list. A full-time dedicated engineer is billed at a monthly rate. A part-time fractional expert is billed by the hour or the week. Either way, the work starts with a two-week trial sprint, and the commitment is monthly, so a team can grow or shrink between sprints (per company website; independently unverifiable). Its engineering habits come from a lineage of more than 20 years in software. Squads usually begin with two to five LLM, agent or data engineers, and Tensorway handles contracts and admin. In one published case, U.S. law practice Liner Legal cut medical-record review from about a week to 5–15 minutes (per company website; independently unverifiable).
Index.dev
Index.dev, legally Index Soft Limited, is a London talent platform that its job ads date to 2019. Its buying terms are the clearest of any network here: every placement carries a 30-day trial with a full refund if the match fails. You can contract one engineer, build a dedicated offshore team or hire someone directly. The main pool of more than 30,000 engineers sits in Latin America and Central and Eastern Europe, and a separate AI unit supplies Master's and PhD-level people for fine-tuning and retrieval work. Vetting runs through five stages with human reviewers.
Services and capabilities: Tensorway vs Index.dev
| Capability | Tensorway | Index.dev |
|---|---|---|
| Full-time dedicated engineers | ✓ | ✓ |
| Part-time / fractional experts | ✓ | ✗ |
| Dedicated team | ✓ | ✓ |
| Trial before commitment | ✓ | ✓ |
| Published rates | ✗ | ✗ |
| Direct hire option | ✗ | ✓ |
| Subscription or output-based pricing | ✗ | ✗ |
| Nearshore time-zone overlap | ✗ | ✓ |
| LLM / GenAI engineers | ✓ | ✓ |
| MLOps | ✗ | ✗ |
| Computer vision | ✗ | ✗ |
| Data engineering | ✓ | ✗ |
Tech stack comparison: Tensorway vs Index.dev
| Framework / platform | Tensorway | Index.dev |
|---|---|---|
| PyTorch | ✓ | ✓ |
| TensorFlow | N/A | N/A |
| LangChain | ✓ | ✓ |
| Hugging Face | ✓ | ✓ |
| OpenAI | ✓ | ✓ |
| AWS | ✓ | ✓ |
| Azure | N/A | N/A |
| Google Cloud | ✓ | ✓ |
| Databricks | N/A | N/A |
| Kubernetes | ✓ | N/A |
Pricing comparison: Tensorway vs Index.dev
| Criterion | Tensorway | Index.dev |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum engagement | Not disclosed | Not published |
| Engagement models | Full-time dedicated, Part-time fractional, Trial period | Full-time dedicated, Dedicated team, Direct hire, Trial period |
| Rate transparency | Not public | Not public |
| Price tier | Mid-market | Mid-market |
Target audience comparison: Tensorway vs Index.dev
| Dimension | Tensorway | Index.dev |
|---|---|---|
| Best company size | Startup to mid-market | Startup to mid-market |
| Best industries | Legal services, SaaS, Fintech | SaaS, Fintech, E-commerce |
| Best use cases | Starting with a two-week trial sprint before hiring a full-time LLM engineer, Adding a part-time agent specialist ten hours a week to review an in-house build | Trialling a Latin American LLM engineer for a month, Hiring a PhD-level specialist to fine-tune a model |
| Typical project type | Full-time dedicated | Full-time dedicated |
Tensorway vs Index.dev: pros and cons
| Tensorway | |
|---|---|
| + | You can buy a whole engineer, part of one, or a two-week trial first, without switching providers |
| + | Monthly commitment that can change between sprints, and a free replacement if someone doesn't fit (per company website) |
| + | No recruiting fees, local employment contracts or benefits admin on your side |
| + | Senior AI engineers screen candidates with a code review and a practical task |
| - | No published rate card; you need a call to get numbers |
| - | Covers AI and ML roles only, so general software seats need another provider |
| - | Time-zone overlap is arranged per engagement rather than promised as a nearshore model |
| Index.dev | |
|---|---|
| + | A full refund in the first 30 days lowers the cost of a bad match |
| + | Contract and direct-hire routes from one provider |
| + | Talent in both U.S.-friendly and European time zones |
| - | Engineers are network members, not employees |
| - | Acceptance-rate figures are the company's own |
| - | No published monthly rates |
Who should choose Tensorway?
A typical fit: starting with a two-week trial sprint before hiring a full-time LLM engineer.
Full-time, part-time and two-week trial options from the same AI-only provider. Minimum engagement is not publicly disclosed. Works best with clients in Legal services, SaaS, Fintech, Healthcare, Retail and e-commerce, Logistics.
Who should choose Index.dev?
A typical fit: trialling a Latin American LLM engineer for a month.
A refundable 30-day trial on every placement, plus direct hire. Minimum engagement is not publicly disclosed. Works best with clients in SaaS, Fintech, E-commerce, AI labs, Healthcare.
Decision matrix: Tensorway vs Index.dev
| Your situation | Recommended choice |
|---|---|
| You want one engineer full-time on a monthly contract | Both; Tensorway rates higher overall |
| You only need a specialist a few days a week | Tensorway |
| You want to test an engineer before committing | Both; Tensorway rates higher overall |
| You need a rate before the first call | Neither publishes rates; ask both for a written rate card |
| Your budget is at the lower end | Compare: Tensorway (Not disclosed) vs Index.dev (Not published) |
| You may want to hire the engineer permanently later | Index.dev |
| You want several engineers working as one team | Tensorway |
Use case fit: Tensorway vs Index.dev
| Use case | Tensorway fit | Index.dev fit | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting with a two-week trial sprint before hiring a full-time LLM engineer | Strong | Limited | Tensorway |
| Adding a part-time agent specialist ten hours a week to review an in-house build | Strong | Limited | Tensorway |
| Trialling a Latin American LLM engineer for a month | Limited | Strong | Index.dev |
| Hiring a PhD-level specialist to fine-tune a model | Strong | Strong | Both equally |
Verdict: Tensorway vs Index.dev
Tensorway (4.8/5) is the stronger overall choice for most AI Staff Augmentation projects. Full-time, part-time and two-week trial options from the same AI-only provider.
Index.dev (4.5/5) is worth a look if you need hiring a PhD-level specialist to fine-tune a model. If your situation matches that, Index.dev is a competitive option.
Related comparisons
Tensorway vs Index.dev FAQ
Is Tensorway better than Index.dev?
Tensorway (4.8/5) scores higher overall, but "better" depends on your use case. Tensorway's strongest advantage: you can buy a whole engineer, part of one, or a two-week trial first, without switching providers. Index.dev's strongest advantage: a full refund in the first 30 days lowers the cost of a bad match.
How do Tensorway and Index.dev differ in pricing?
Tensorway uses monthly rate for full-time dedicated engineers; hourly or weekly billing for part-time fractional experts; two-week trial sprint; rate card on request pricing. Index.dev uses monthly rate per engineer; direct-hire fee; 30-day refundable trial; rates on request pricing. Neither firm publishes a full rate card; a discovery call is required for project-specific quotes.
Which is better for enterprise: Tensorway or Index.dev?
Tensorway is the larger team and typically the better enterprise-scale choice. For very large programmes, verify team size and compliance coverage directly with each provider before shortlisting.
What are the main differences between Tensorway and Index.dev?
Tensorway's primary differentiator is: Full-time, part-time and two-week trial options from the same AI-only provider. Index.dev's primary differentiator is: a refundable 30-day trial on every placement, plus direct hire. They also differ in team size (50–249 vs 30,000+ network), minimum engagement (Not disclosed vs Not published), and primary industries served (Legal services, SaaS vs SaaS, Fintech).
Verify all details directly with each provider before making a decision.