Howdy.com vs EPAM Systems: full comparison for 2026
Quick verdict
Howdy.com (4.1/5) edges ahead of EPAM Systems (3.9/5) overall. Howdy.com is the better choice for teams that want transparent nearshore pricing. EPAM Systems is the stronger option for global enterprises with large, compliance-heavy AI programs. The right choice depends on your project size, budget, and required tech stack.
Howdy.com vs EPAM Systems: head-to-head summary
| Criterion | Howdy.com | EPAM Systems |
|---|---|---|
| Founded | 2018 | 1993 |
| HQ | Austin, Texas, USA | Newtown, Pennsylvania, USA |
| Team size | 100–249 | 62,850 |
| Rating | 4.1 / 5 | 3.9 / 5 |
| Primary differentiator | Published 15% fee on top of the engineer's pay | Scale, compliance maturity and vendor certifications |
| Pricing model | Engineer salary plus a flat 15% service fee (published) | Enterprise time and materials; dedicated teams; rates on request |
| Min. engagement | 1 engineer | Not disclosed |
| Primary tech stack | Python, AWS, Databricks | Claude, OpenAI, Gemini |
| Industries served | SaaS, Fintech, Healthcare, E-commerce | Fintech, Healthcare, Retail, Manufacturing, Travel |
Howdy.com vs EPAM Systems: overview
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.
EPAM Systems
EPAM Systems was founded in 1993 and is headquartered in Newtown, Pennsylvania, with about 62,850 employees as of June 30, 2026, of whom roughly 56,650 work in delivery. It reports more than 5,700 Claude-certified engineers and set a target of 10,000, along with thousands of OpenAI- and Gemini-certified specialists. The company is targeting $600 million in AI-native services revenue for 2026. Its model is enterprise delivery, so individual staff augmentation usually sits inside a larger program.
Services and capabilities: Howdy.com vs EPAM Systems
| Capability | Howdy.com | EPAM Systems |
|---|---|---|
| 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: Howdy.com vs EPAM Systems
| Framework / platform | Howdy.com | EPAM Systems |
|---|---|---|
| PyTorch | N/A | N/A |
| TensorFlow | ✓ | N/A |
| LangChain | N/A | N/A |
| Hugging Face | N/A | N/A |
| OpenAI | N/A | ✓ |
| AWS SageMaker | N/A | ✓ |
| Azure ML | N/A | ✓ |
| Databricks | ✓ | ✓ |
| MLflow | N/A | N/A |
| Kubernetes | N/A | N/A |
Pricing comparison: Howdy.com vs EPAM Systems
| Criterion | Howdy.com | EPAM Systems |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum engagement | 1 engineer | Not disclosed |
| Engagement models | Full-time dedicated engineers, Dedicated team | Dedicated team, Managed delivery |
| Rate transparency | Minimum disclosed | Not public |
| Price tier | Accessible | Mid-market |
Target audience comparison: Howdy.com vs EPAM Systems
| Dimension | Howdy.com | EPAM Systems |
|---|---|---|
| Best company size | Startup to mid-market | Startup to mid-market |
| Best industries | SaaS, Fintech, Healthcare | Fintech, Healthcare, Retail |
| Best use cases | Hiring a full-time LatAm data engineer with clear cost visibility, Building a two-to-four person nearshore team for a U.S. startup | Staffing a multi-team GenAI program at a global bank, Adding certified Claude engineers to an enterprise AI platform |
| Typical project type | Full-time dedicated engineers | Dedicated team |
Howdy.com vs EPAM Systems: pros and cons
| 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 |
| EPAM Systems | |
|---|---|
| + | Largest bench on this list, with security and compliance processes to match |
| + | Thousands of engineers certified on major model platforms |
| + | Can staff any role an AI program needs |
| - | Built for enterprise programs; a single-engineer request is a poor fit |
| - | Highest overhead and slowest procurement on this list |
| - | Rates not published |
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.
Who should choose EPAM Systems?
A typical fit: staffing a multi-team GenAI program at a global bank.
Scale, compliance maturity and vendor certifications. Minimum engagement is not publicly disclosed. Works best with clients in Fintech, Healthcare, Retail, Manufacturing, Travel.
Decision matrix: Howdy.com vs EPAM Systems
| 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 | Howdy.com |
| Your budget is at the lower end | Compare: Howdy.com (1 engineer) vs EPAM Systems (Not disclosed) |
| You need specialist depth in a specific vertical | EPAM Systems |
| 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: Howdy.com vs EPAM Systems
| Use case | Howdy.com fit | EPAM Systems fit | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hiring a full-time LatAm data engineer with clear cost visibility | Strong | Limited | Howdy.com |
| Building a two-to-four person nearshore team for a U.S. startup | Strong | Limited | Howdy.com |
| Staffing a multi-team GenAI program at a global bank | Limited | Strong | EPAM Systems |
| Adding certified Claude engineers to an enterprise AI platform | Strong | Strong | Both equally |
Verdict: Howdy.com vs EPAM Systems
Howdy.com (4.1/5) is the stronger overall choice for most AI Staffing projects. Published 15% fee on top of the engineer's pay.
EPAM Systems (3.9/5) is worth a look if you need adding certified Claude engineers to an enterprise AI platform. If your situation matches that, EPAM Systems is a competitive option.
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Howdy.com vs EPAM Systems FAQ
Is Howdy.com better than EPAM Systems?
Howdy.com (4.1/5) scores higher overall, but "better" depends on your use case. Howdy.com's strongest advantage: fee structure is published, so you can see what the engineer actually earns. EPAM Systems's strongest advantage: largest bench on this list, with security and compliance processes to match.
How do Howdy.com and EPAM Systems differ in pricing?
Howdy.com uses engineer salary plus a flat 15% service fee (published) pricing with a minimum engagement of 1 engineer. EPAM Systems uses enterprise time and materials; dedicated teams; 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: Howdy.com or EPAM Systems?
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 Howdy.com and EPAM Systems?
Howdy.com's primary differentiator is: published 15% fee on top of the engineer's pay. EPAM Systems's primary differentiator is: Scale, compliance maturity and vendor certifications. They also differ in team size (100–249 vs 62,850), minimum engagement (1 engineer vs Not disclosed), and primary industries served (SaaS, Fintech vs Fintech, Healthcare).
Verify all details directly with each agency before making a decision.