Every engineer passes a live Rust and Anchor screen covering PDA derivation, CPI patterns, SPL token mechanics, and smart contract security. No quiz. Real on-chain experience only. Shortlisted in 72 hours.
72 hrs
Shortlist
Flat 15%
Fee
14-day
Guarantee
Top 5%
Accepted
Anchor Program Vetting Pipeline
Arjun M.
$100-130/hrSolana · Anchor · DeFi AMM
Pavel K.
$95-125/hrSolana · NFT Minting · Metaplex
Wei L.
$85-115/hrSolana · Cross-Program Invocation
Solana expertise is the most faked skill in Web3. We fix that with live Rust coding screens, specialisation matching, and a flat transparent fee.
Post your brief and receive 3 pre-vetted Solana engineers in 72 hours. No reviewing unvetted web3.career or CryptoJobs profiles. No candidates who have never shipped a program to mainnet.
Solana expertise is trivially faked on Web3 job boards. Every candidate passes a 90-minute live screen: Rust ownership model, Anchor account contexts, PDA derivation, CPI patterns, and SPL token operations. No exceptions.
Specialist Web3 recruiters charge 20-30% placement fees on annual salary. We charge a flat 15% on hourly rate, with no placement fee and no matching cost. One transparent fee covering everything.
A DeFi AMM engineer and an NFT Metaplex developer use different program patterns. We match on your exact Solana domain: Anchor programs, SPL tokens, Metaplex, Solana Pay, cross-program invocations, or full-stack Web3 dApps.
No long-term contracts. No exit penalties. All program code, IDLs, and smart contract code transfer to you on day one through a tri-party contract. You own everything - including on-chain program deployment keys.
Weekly delivery reports, milestone tracking, and dispute resolution are standard on every engagement. For Solana projects we include program audit milestones in the delivery structure - so you are paying for working on-chain programs, not just hours.
Anonymised profiles - real mainnet programs, real on-chain deployments. Every engineer passed a live Rust and Anchor screen. Your shortlist is matched to your exact Solana domain.
Arjun K.
Senior DeFi Protocol Engineer
Pavel W.
Full-Stack Web3 Engineer (Rust + TypeScript)
Mei N.
NFT Infrastructure & Metaplex Specialist
Oluwaseun A.
Smart Contract Security Engineer
Tomas B.
SPL Token & Token-2022 Developer
Lucas R.
DAO Governance & On-Chain Voting Engineer
These are sample profiles. Your shortlist is matched to your exact Solana domain, program complexity, and seniority requirement.
$0 matching fee · 72 hrs · 14-day guarantee
No Web3 recruiter calls. No unvetted job board listings. Four steps and you have a live-coded, mainnet-experienced Solana engineer starting work.
Tell us your Solana domain (DeFi, NFT, full-stack dApp, SPL tokens, DAO), program complexity, existing codebase (Anchor vs native Rust), frontend requirements, and timeline. Takes 5 minutes.
Our AI scans vetted Solana engineers and shortlists 3 who match your domain specialisation, program complexity, and timezone. A senior Anchor engineer validates each match manually.
Meet your 3 shortlisted engineers. Every candidate has passed a live 90-minute Rust and Anchor screen - PDA derivation, CPI patterns, SPL token operations, and account security. You choose who to hire.
Tri-party contract on day one. Weekly delivery reports, milestone tracking, and dispute resolution built in. You own 100% of all program code, IDLs, and deployment keys. Delivery includes on-chain program upgrade authority transfer (verified on-chain that the client controls the upgrade authority keypair), IDL documentation published to the Anchor workspace registry, and a client SDK integration test suite confirming all program instructions can be invoked correctly from TypeScript.
No commitment · 3 vetted engineers shortlisted in 72 hrs
From DeFi protocol architecture to NFT infrastructure and full-stack dApps - our engineers have shipped production programs across every Solana domain.
Hiring a senior Solana engineer for escrow work triples your cost. Here is exactly what each tier delivers - and what they cannot own.
1-3 years experience
What They Can Do
Typical Responsibilities
Not Suited For
PDA architecture design, CPI chain security review, DeFi protocol economics
3-5 years experience
What They Can Do
Typical Responsibilities
Not Suited For
Leading audit reviews, complex multi-program DeFi architecture from scratch
5+ years experience
What They Can Do
Typical Responsibilities
Not Suited For
Routine instruction implementation or frontend-only Web3.js integration work
Not sure which Solana seniority you need? Post your brief and our matching team will recommend the right tier based on your program complexity, security requirements, and timeline.
Solana expertise is the most verifiable skill in Web3 - there is a public ledger of deployed programs. These questions expose the difference between engineers who have shipped mainnet programs and those who have watched tutorials.
Derive a PDA for a user account in a multi-tenant escrow program. Walk me through your seed design choices and how you prevent collision between users.
Why it works
Tests real PDA architecture understanding. Weak candidates recite find_program_address without explaining seed composition strategy. Strong candidates discuss: using user pubkey + mint + discriminator seeds, bump storage in the account, and the security implications of predictable vs unique seeds in multi-tenant designs.
Explain what happens during a CPI when you call invoke_signed. What accounts must you pass, and what are the security implications of mutable account reuse?
Why it works
CPI security is the most exploited vector in Solana programs. Look for: the complete account list must include all accounts the callee mutates, signer seeds must match the PDA being signed for, and mutable accounts passed through multiple CPIs in the same transaction can be modified by intermediate programs - a re-entrancy variant unique to Solana.
What is an account discriminator in Anchor, and why is it critical for security?
Why it works
Account substitution is a common Solana exploit. Strong answer: Anchor prepends an 8-byte discriminator (sha256 hash of the account type name) to each account's data. The #[account] constraint macro validates this discriminator on deserialization, preventing an attacker from passing a different account type that happens to satisfy the layout.
How does Anchor's #[account(mut, has_one = authority)] constraint work under the hood? What does it check and when can it fail?
Why it works
Tests understanding of Anchor constraint macros beyond documentation. Strong candidates explain: has_one checks that the authority field inside the account struct equals the authority account passed in the instruction context. It fails silently with a ConstraintHasOne error if they do not match. Common footgun: forgetting to mark the constraint account as Signer when authority signature is required.
Describe the rent-exemption model and what happens if an account's lamport balance drops below the minimum rent-exempt threshold.
Why it works
Rent mechanics affect program correctness in fee-sensitive operations. Strong answer: accounts must maintain a minimum lamport balance based on their data length or they are eligible for garbage collection by the runtime. Engineers who don't account for this in fee-deducting programs (e.g., taking SOL out of a PDA) can accidentally render accounts collectable - a subtle but critical bug in DeFi protocol design.
How would you safely handle arithmetic in a Solana program to prevent overflow? Give an example of where checked_add is required and where it might be unnecessarily defensive.
Why it works
Arithmetic overflow is in the top 5 Solana exploit categories. Look for: checked_* operations for user-controlled inputs (token amounts, interest calculations), saturating_* for graceful degradation in non-critical paths, and the understanding that u64 overflow in SPL Token programs historically caused infinite mint exploits. Strong candidates also know when to prefer checked_div to avoid zero-division panics.
Cannot explain what a PDA is beyond 'an account with no private key'
PDAs are the foundation of Solana program architecture. Engineers who can't explain seed derivation, bump storage, and the role of the program in signing for CPIs haven't built real programs - they've followed tutorials.
Has never audited their own program for account substitution vulnerabilities
Account substitution (passing a differently-typed account where one type is expected) is the most common Solana exploit class. Engineers who have only written code without reviewing it for this pattern will ship vulnerable programs.
Treats Solana like Ethereum - designs stateful contracts instead of stateless programs
Experienced EVM developers who transition to Solana without relearning the account model design programs with wrong assumptions: trying to store state in the program itself, not understanding account rent, and misusing seeds. Ask them to explain the key differences explicitly.
Cannot explain why Token-2022 transfer hooks run in a separate program
Transfer hooks are a Token-2022 extension where additional logic runs in an independently deployed hook program during every transfer. Engineers who don't understand this cannot build royalty enforcement, compliance checks, or custom transfer logic correctly - they will assume the logic runs inline.
Claims Anchor is always the right choice over native Rust programs
Anchor adds compute overhead and IDL-bound abstractions that are appropriate for most programs but wrong for high-performance or audit-critical code. A senior Solana engineer should be able to articulate when native Rust programs are preferable and have built both.
Junior Solana Developer (1-3 yrs)
$35-$70/hr
$5,600-$11,200/mo full-time equivalent
Best for
Instruction implementation, SPL token operations, test writing, frontend Web3.js integration
Mid-Level Solana Developer (3-5 yrs)
$70-$130/hr
$11,200-$20,800/mo full-time equivalent
Best for
PDA architecture, DeFi feature programs, NFT infrastructure, full-stack dApp development
Senior Solana Engineer (5+ yrs)
$130-$200/hr
$20,800-$32,000/mo full-time equivalent
Best for
DeFi protocol architecture, pre-launch security audit, DAO governance systems, cross-chain bridge design
Rates reflect freelance market benchmarks for Solana engineers. Open IT Freelancers adds a flat 15% management fee. No upfront matching cost.
Transparent market benchmarks for Solana and Rust/Anchor engineers. Open IT Freelancers adds a flat 15% management fee on top of the developer rate - no hidden costs.
Eastern Europe
Poland, Ukraine, Romania, Serbia
South Asia
India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka
South-East Asia
Philippines, Vietnam, Indonesia
Latin America
Brazil, Argentina, Colombia, Mexico
Middle East & Africa
Egypt, Nigeria, Kenya, UAE
Western Europe
UK, Germany, Netherlands, France
$0
Matching Fee
Post your brief and receive 3 shortlisted Solana engineers at zero cost
+15%
Flat Management Fee
Applied on developer rate only. No per-milestone fees, no exit charges
14-day
Free Replacement
If the engineer is not the right fit in the first 14 days, we replace at no extra cost
All rates in USD. Solana developer rates carry a 10-20% premium over generalist Rust developers due to specialist ecosystem knowledge. Actual rate depends on seniority, domain specialisation (DeFi vs NFT vs security), availability, and engagement length.
An honest comparison - including the row where we are not the best option.
| Criteria | Open IT Freelancers | Upwork | Toptal | In-House |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Time to first shortlist | ✓72 hours | Instant (unvetted proposals) | 1-2 weeks | 6-16 weeks |
| Solana-specific vetting | ✓Live 90-min Rust + Anchor screen - PDA, CPI, SPL security | Self-reported only - Web3 skills are trivially faked | Technical interview (1-2 weeks process) | Your own interview - if you can assess Solana depth |
| Domain matching | ✓Matched on DeFi / NFT / full-stack dApp / SPL tokens / DAO | Keyword filter - quality varies wildly by listing | Stack matching available | Depends on JD specificity and recruiter Solana knowledge |
| Number of candidates to review | ✓3 pre-vetted engineers | 20-100+ proposals in the inbox | 1-3 (narrow Solana pool) | 10-50 CVs from job boards |
| Platform fee model | ✓Flat 15% on dev rate | 5-10% client + 5-20% freelancer - combined 10-30% | 40-60%+ margin on developer rate | Salary + benefits + equipment + recruiter fee ($5K-$25K) |
| Managed delivery | ✓Weekly reports, milestones, program audit checkpoints - standard | None - you manage directly | Account manager available | Full management overhead on you |
| IP and code ownership | 100% yours - program code, IDLs, keys - tri-party contract day one | Requires your own contract | Contract included | Standard employment contract |
| 14-day replacement guarantee | ✓Yes - activated within 24 hours | No | No | No - re-hire from scratch |
| Contract flexibility | ✓14-day notice, zero exit penalties | Project-by-project, hourly | Minimum engagement terms apply | Notice period, severance risk |
| Matching cost | ✓$0 | $0 (but hours reviewing proposals from unvetted candidates) | $0 (paid in higher rates) | $5K-$25K recruiter fee |
You want to browse dozens of Web3 profiles yourself
web3.career and CryptoJobs have more unvetted profiles. If you enjoy reviewing dozens of applications and running your own Solana assessment process, those platforms give you that control. We send 3 vetted engineers and expect you to choose from them.
You need the absolute cheapest rate regardless of security risk
Cheap Solana developers on freelance platforms ship programs with known exploits. Our 15% fee pays for live-coded security screening, managed delivery, and 14-day replacement guarantees. If cost alone is the decision factor without security consideration, we are not the right fit.
From a two-person startup shipping its first DeFi program to an enterprise deploying payment infrastructure on Solana Pay - our managed model scales with you.
Ship your DeFi protocol or NFT infrastructure fast. We match you with a Solana engineer who has shipped to mainnet - no learning curve on your budget.
Scale your on-chain protocol with audit-ready engineers who understand liquidation mechanics, yield aggregation, and governance program design.
Deploy blockchain infrastructure at scale with compliance-aware engineers. Solana Pay for enterprise payment flows, tokenisation, and permissioned program design.
Build NFT infrastructure, in-game economies, and on-chain asset programs. Metaplex, compressed NFTs, and Token-2022 royalty enforcement at scale.
Three real-world brief examples that result in fast, accurate matches. The more specific your brief - program type, existing codebase, security requirements - the better your shortlist.
Sample Brief
Build a Uniswap v3-style concentrated liquidity AMM on Solana using Anchor. Deliverable: working program with price range tick math, LP position management, swap routing, and 90%+ test coverage.
Sample Brief
Anchor-based NFT marketplace: listing, delisting, auction, and offer programs with pNFT royalty enforcement via Token Auth Rules. Frontend integration with @solana/web3.js and Wallet Adapter.
Sample Brief
SPL Governance DAO for DeFi protocol treasury: council + community token voting, timelock execution, proposal cooldowns, and integration with existing protocol programs via CPI.
Everything a CTO, founder, or technical lead asks before posting a Solana brief.
Post your brief in 5 minutes. We handle the live Rust and Anchor coding screens, domain matching, and managed delivery. You get engineers who have shipped real mainnet programs.
No commitment · 72 hrs · $0 to start
Before You Hire
Written by our engineering team - no fluff, just the frameworks that work.
Developer rates by region, hidden cost breakdown, TCO comparison across DIY vs managed platforms, and a complete budgeting guide.
The 7-day vetting framework, technical interview questions, take-home test design, and red flags - built for non-technical founders.
Stage-by-stage decision framework for founders and CTOs. Cost, speed, and risk tradeoffs - with a clear verdict for each company type.