Cloud Employee vs. Revelo

Two Models for Building Nearshore Teams

For US and Canadian technology leaders, LATAM has become the fastest-growing nearshore region for software engineering talent - combining timezone alignment, cultural proximity, and world-class technical skills.

Two models have emerged to access this talent effectively:

• Marketplace-based hiring, via platforms like Revelo, which connect clients to available LATAM engineers on demand.
• Embedded staff augmentation, the model used by Cloud Employee, which builds and manages long-term engineering capacity fully integrated into your organisation.

Both aim to solve the same challenge (scaling technical teams efficiently), but they deliver it in very different ways.

Revelo in Context

Founded in 2015, Revelo connects North American companies with vetted, remote LATAM software engineers. Its platform helps employers hire quickly while handling additional items such as payroll, compliance, and local labour regulations (Revelo Pricing).

How Revelo Works

Revelo’s nearshore staffing model operates as a talent marketplace where companies can:

• Hire nearshore engineers pre-vetted for technical and soft skills.
• Work within aligned time zones (US & LATAM).
• Engage developers full-time or on contract, with payroll and benefits handled by Revelo.

Its vetting process evaluates technical capability, communication skills, and experience level, and matches candidates based on client needs. Once hired, engineers work remotely under client direction, while Revelo manages administrative operations.

Revelo’s Strengths

• Access to LATAM’s remote engineering talent.
• Streamlined compliance, payroll, and HR management.
• Timezone-aligned, English-proficient professionals.
• Flexible contracts for full-time or project-based work.

Revelo’s marketplace model is ideal for organisations needing fast access to skilled engineers without committing to a full internal hiring process.

Cloud Employee’s Approach: Embedded, Transparent, and Long-Term

Cloud Employee was built for CTOs who want more than a marketplace connection - they want ownership, visibility, and retention.

Cloud Employee’s engineers are fully dedicated to one client, working under their leadership while Cloud Employee manages HR, payroll, compliance, and developer well-being. This model ensures engineers are integrated into company culture and product lifecycles, not just assigned per project.

Key Features of Cloud Employee’s Model

• CTO-led vetting process with live pair programming and technical interviews.
• Cultural vetting interviews to ensure new engineers feel in-house from day one.
• Transparent monthly pricing:
  
  • LATAM engineers ≈ $6,000/month
  • Philippines engineers ≈ $4,500/month
    (All-inclusive of salary, HR, compliance, and infrastructure.)
• 1–2 week average time-to-hire, depending on skill set.
• 97%+ retention beyond two years through active HR and career support.
  Dual-region model across LATAM and the Philippines, with a European delivery presence for global flexibility.

This structure combines the control of in-house hiring with the scalability and support of outsourcing — providing an enterprise-grade augmentation model that delivers consistency at scale.

Shared Principles, Distinct Delivery

Both Revelo and Cloud Employee simplify access to top LATAM engineering talent with payroll, compliance, and HR support. However, the delivery model and depth of engagement differ sharply.

Revelo provides speed and simplicity for nearshore hiring. Cloud Employee provides control, transparency, and retention, ideal for companies scaling long-term engineering capability.

Cloud Employee offers predictable, all-inclusive pricing, while Revelo’s costs vary by market rate, seniority, and country of hire.

Cloud Employee Case Studies

Travel Tech Client – 35 person team hired, onboarded & managed in a few months. Dedicated UK-Based Client Services Manager to support and manage project and relationship outcomes.
Read the case study →

Salmon Software – 11 developers hired & onboarded in 6 weeks. Fully augmented team to meet internal product demands, fast.
Read the case study →

Executive Insight

Platforms can connect you to engineers, but going beyond technical skills to cultural-fit and long-term retention are what drive delivery success. Our model ensures you get it all.
Seb Hall, CEO, Cloud Employee

Conclusion

Revelo has established itself as a trusted LATAM hiring platform, giving US companies quick access to nearshore engineering talent with compliance and payroll handled behind the scenes. It’s a strong option for businesses needing flexibility and fast turnaround.

Cloud Employee, meanwhile, takes that foundation further, embedding engineers directly into client teams, ensuring continuity, retention, and transparency. Its CTO-led vetting, dual-region access, and all-inclusive pricing provide the reliability CTOs need to scale software delivery globally.

For technology leaders seeking long-term, integrated engineering capability, Cloud Employee offers a managed alternative that’s built for sustainable growth, not just rapid placement.

Information is based on publicly available sources as of October 2025 and reflects Cloud Employee’s interpretation of each company’s publicly stated service model.