Nilesh B Gadekar is the founder and CEO of Salt Technologies, the Pune-based engineering company behind DontHireDevs. He has spent 14+ years building offshore engineering operations for European and US enterprises.
He started DontHireDevs to give mid-market US tech companies the same offshore infrastructure large enterprises have had for years — without the enterprise price tag, the twelve-month lock-in, or the hidden agency markup.
He writes about the economics of offshore engineering: what developers actually cost, how staff augmentation differs from outsourcing and managed services, and how US teams run distributed engineering without losing velocity.
Articles by Nilesh B Gadekar
13 articles on offshore engineering cost, hiring models, and delivery.
Staff Augmentation vs. Managed Services: Which Model Fits Your Eng Team?
Staff augmentation vs managed services is not a branding debate. Here is the CTO-level breakdown of control, cost, accountability, and when each model actually fits.
Managed Pod vs. One Engineer: What Should US Tech Companies Choose in 2026?
One dedicated engineer is often the right starting point. Sometimes it is the wrong shape entirely. Here is the CTO-level guide to choosing between a single engineer and a managed pod.
The Honest Cloudstaff Alternative Guide for US Tech Companies (2026)
Cloudstaff is built for broad offshore staffing. US tech companies usually need something narrower and more engineering-specific. Here is the CTO-level breakdown of pricing, contracts, management, and what to choose instead.
Upwork vs. Dedicated Offshore Developers: What US CTOs Should Choose in 2026
Upwork is great for small tasks. It is a much weaker system for recurring engineering capacity. Here is the CTO-level breakdown of cost, reliability, accountability, and when each model actually makes sense.
Is Offshore Development Secure? A CTO's Guide to IP, Access, and Risk in 2026
Offshore development is only insecure when the operating model is weak. Here is the CTO-level breakdown of IP protection, access control, managed hardware, compliance, and what to check before you sign.
The Honest Turing Alternative Guide for US Tech Companies (2026)
Turing promises AI-powered matching for remote developers. Here is the CTO-level breakdown of what Turing actually costs, where the model works, and what to look for in a stronger alternative.
The US-India Timezone Overlap Playbook: How to Run an Engineering Team Across 10 Hours
US-India timezone overlap sounds difficult until you model it properly. Here is the practical guide for CTOs: overlap hours, meeting windows, async workflows, and how to make an India-based team feel fast.
How Much Does an Offshore Developer Cost in 2026? A Full Pricing Guide for US Companies
Offshore developer pricing is all over the place because most vendors hide what you are actually paying for. Here is the full 2026 cost breakdown by seniority, role, and engagement model.
Staff Augmentation vs. Outsourcing: A CTO's Definitive Guide (2026)
Staff augmentation and outsourcing get used interchangeably, but they solve different problems. Here is the CTO-level breakdown of cost, control, speed, and when each model actually makes sense.
How to Manage an Offshore Developer Without Losing Sprint Velocity
A practical playbook for CTOs: how to onboard, communicate with, and get full productivity from an offshore engineer without disrupting your existing team's rhythm.
The Real Cost of Hiring a Software Engineer in 2026 (Full Breakdown)
Beyond the salary: the complete cost breakdown of hiring a US software engineer in 2026 — recruiter fees, benefits, overhead, ramp time, and the math most CTOs skip.
The Honest Toptal Alternative Guide for US Tech Companies (2026)
Toptal's pitch is compelling. Their invoice is not. A CTO-level breakdown of what Toptal actually costs, where it falls short, and what to look for in a credible alternative.
What Happens in a 14-Day Free Developer Pilot (Day by Day)
Exactly what to expect during a DontHireDevs free pilot: the day-by-day timeline, what you need to prepare, how success is measured, and what happens at Day 14.