10Clouds vs Howdy.com: full comparison for 2026
Quick verdict
10Clouds (4.1/5) edges ahead of Howdy.com (4.1/5) overall. 10Clouds is the better choice for Banks, insurers and fintechs building AI features. Howdy.com is the stronger option for teams that want transparent nearshore pricing. The right choice depends on your project size, budget, and required tech stack.
10Clouds vs Howdy.com: head-to-head summary
| Criterion | 10Clouds | Howdy.com |
|---|---|---|
| Founded | 2009 | 2018 |
| HQ | Warsaw, Poland | Austin, Texas, USA |
| Team size | 100–200 | 100–249 |
| Rating | 4.1 / 5 | 4.1 / 5 |
| Primary differentiator | Financial-services AI focus with Claude partner status | Published 15% fee on top of the engineer's pay |
| Pricing model | Time and materials; fixed-term staff augmentation; rates on request | Engineer salary plus a flat 15% service fee (published) |
| Min. engagement | Not disclosed | 1 engineer |
| Primary tech stack | Python, Claude, OpenAI | Python, AWS, Databricks |
| Industries served | Fintech, Banking, Insurance, SaaS | SaaS, Fintech, Healthcare, E-commerce |
10Clouds vs Howdy.com: overview
10Clouds
10Clouds was founded in 2009 in Warsaw by Maciej Cielecki and others, and employs somewhere between 100 and 200 people depending on the source. It keeps an in-house product team and also supplies developers or designers to clients for fixed periods, a model it has used with U.S. clients such as Rippling. In 2026 it announced a merger with 10Clouds Financial Institutions, creating an AI unit for banks, insurers and fintechs, and it is a Select partner in the Claude Partner Network services track.
Howdy.com
Howdy.com was founded in Austin, Texas, in 2018 by Jacqueline Samira, with Frank Licea later joining as co-founder and CTO. Unlike a pure marketplace, it recruits, employs and supports its engineers, and it runs in-country hubs it calls Howdy Houses in Latin American cities. In August 2023 it acquired the Brazilian talent marketplace GeekHunter, citing rising demand for AI and ML skills. A 2026 industry ranking lists its fee as a flat 15% of the billed rate.
Services and capabilities: 10Clouds vs Howdy.com
| Capability | 10Clouds | Howdy.com |
|---|---|---|
| LLM / GenAI engineers | ✓ | ✗ |
| MLOps & deployment | ✗ | ✗ |
| Computer vision | ✗ | ✗ |
| Data engineering | ✗ | ✓ |
| AI agent development | ✓ | ✗ |
| Fractional / part-time experts | ✗ | ✗ |
| Risk-free trial period | ✗ | ✗ |
| Nearshore time-zone overlap | ✗ | ✓ |
Tech stack comparison: 10Clouds vs Howdy.com
| Framework / platform | 10Clouds | Howdy.com |
|---|---|---|
| PyTorch | N/A | N/A |
| TensorFlow | N/A | ✓ |
| LangChain | ✓ | N/A |
| Hugging Face | N/A | N/A |
| OpenAI | ✓ | N/A |
| AWS SageMaker | N/A | N/A |
| Azure ML | N/A | N/A |
| Databricks | N/A | ✓ |
| MLflow | N/A | N/A |
| Kubernetes | N/A | N/A |
Pricing comparison: 10Clouds vs Howdy.com
| Criterion | 10Clouds | Howdy.com |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum engagement | Not disclosed | 1 engineer |
| Engagement models | Full-time dedicated engineers, Managed delivery | Full-time dedicated engineers, Dedicated team |
| Rate transparency | Not public | Minimum disclosed |
| Price tier | Mid-market | Accessible |
Target audience comparison: 10Clouds vs Howdy.com
| Dimension | 10Clouds | Howdy.com |
|---|---|---|
| Best company size | Startup to mid-market | Startup to mid-market |
| Best industries | Fintech, Banking, Insurance | SaaS, Fintech, Healthcare |
| Best use cases | Adding an agent developer to a bank's internal automation team, Staffing an LLM engineer for an insurer's claims product | Hiring a full-time LatAm data engineer with clear cost visibility, Building a two-to-four person nearshore team for a U.S. startup |
| Typical project type | Full-time dedicated engineers | Full-time dedicated engineers |
10Clouds vs Howdy.com: pros and cons
| 10Clouds | |
|---|---|
| + | Clear industry focus on regulated financial services |
| + | Claude Partner Network status for teams building on Anthropic models |
| + | Has worked as an embedded team for U.S. scale-ups |
| - | The 2026 merger means leadership and structure are still settling |
| - | Small bench for large placements |
| - | Rates not published |
| Howdy.com | |
|---|---|
| + | Fee structure is published, so you can see what the engineer actually earns |
| + | Engineers are employed and supported locally, which helps retention |
| + | GeekHunter acquisition widened its Brazilian candidate pool |
| + | U.S. time zones |
| - | AI depth depends on who is available; it is a general engineering staffing company |
| - | Disclosure: acquired GeekHunter in 2023, so part of its candidate supply comes through a marketplace subsidiary |
| - | Technical screening is lighter than at AI-only companies |
Who should choose 10Clouds?
A typical fit: adding an agent developer to a bank's internal automation team.
Financial-services AI focus with Claude partner status. Minimum engagement is not publicly disclosed. Works best with clients in Fintech, Banking, Insurance, SaaS.
Who should choose Howdy.com?
A typical fit: hiring a full-time LatAm data engineer with clear cost visibility.
Published 15% fee on top of the engineer's pay. Minimum engagement starts at 1 engineer. Works best with clients in SaaS, Fintech, Healthcare, E-commerce.
Decision matrix: 10Clouds vs Howdy.com
| Your situation | Recommended choice |
|---|---|
| You need full-ownership delivery on a defined project scope | Both offer fixed-price models |
| You need a large dedicated team for an ongoing programme | 10Clouds |
| Your budget is at the lower end | Compare: 10Clouds (Not disclosed) vs Howdy.com (1 engineer) |
| You need specialist depth in a specific vertical | 10Clouds |
| You need staff augmentation or team extension | Neither; consider alternatives that offer staff aug |
| You need consulting before committing to a build | Both may offer discovery engagements |
Use case fit: 10Clouds vs Howdy.com
| Use case | 10Clouds fit | Howdy.com fit | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adding an agent developer to a bank's internal automation team | Strong | Strong | Both equally |
| Staffing an LLM engineer for an insurer's claims product | Strong | Limited | 10Clouds |
| Hiring a full-time LatAm data engineer with clear cost visibility | Limited | Strong | Howdy.com |
| Building a two-to-four person nearshore team for a U.S. startup | Limited | Strong | Howdy.com |
Verdict: 10Clouds vs Howdy.com
10Clouds (4.1/5) is the stronger overall choice for most AI Staffing projects. Financial-services AI focus with Claude partner status.
Howdy.com (4.1/5) is worth a look if you need building a two-to-four person nearshore team for a U.S. startup. If your situation matches that, Howdy.com is a competitive option.
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10Clouds vs Howdy.com FAQ
Is 10Clouds better than Howdy.com?
10Clouds (4.1/5) scores higher overall, but "better" depends on your use case. 10Clouds's strongest advantage: clear industry focus on regulated financial services. Howdy.com's strongest advantage: fee structure is published, so you can see what the engineer actually earns.
How do 10Clouds and Howdy.com differ in pricing?
10Clouds uses time and materials; fixed-term staff augmentation; rates on request pricing. Howdy.com uses engineer salary plus a flat 15% service fee (published) pricing with a minimum engagement of 1 engineer. Neither firm publishes a full rate card; a discovery call is required for project-specific quotes.
Which is better for enterprise: 10Clouds or Howdy.com?
Howdy.com is the larger team and typically the better enterprise-scale choice. For very large programmes, verify team size and compliance coverage directly with each agency before shortlisting.
What are the main differences between 10Clouds and Howdy.com?
10Clouds's primary differentiator is: financial-services AI focus with Claude partner status. Howdy.com's primary differentiator is: published 15% fee on top of the engineer's pay. They also differ in team size (100–200 vs 100–249), minimum engagement (Not disclosed vs 1 engineer), and primary industries served (Fintech, Banking vs SaaS, Fintech).
Verify all details directly with each agency before making a decision.