Ask HN: Upwork for top tier programmers?

No, there's no Upwork for top-tier programmers. Top-tier programmers who engage in consulting have the means to differentiate themselves. Being part of a marketplace like Upwork is great for the marketplace, great for the buyer and not so great for the seller. If you are capable of selling top tier services, you probably don't want to be commoditized by a marketplace that drives prices down.

Sub 10-hour projects are an odd niche. May I ask why that number? Typically, top-tier programmers are able to charge more for shorter engagements because they can get clear on requirements quickly and build the "right thing" correctly the first time (maintainable, with tests, etc), not just a "loosely related thing". Usually, those gigs take more than 10 hours.

You should try Upwork Pro - everyone is pre-screened and you can tell the recruiter exactly what you want

https://www.upwork.com/pro/hire-developers/

toptal and x-team

github.com