OpenSource

Founder-led · technically screened

Hire C++ Developers

C++ is where performance is non-negotiable — trading systems, game engines, infrastructure. It is also a large, sharp-edged language, so we screen C++ developers for genuine mastery, not just familiarity with a subset.

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What C++ developers do

C++ powers latency-critical and resource-intensive systems: high-frequency trading, game engines, browsers, databases, embedded and infrastructure. Strong C++ means using modern features and RAII to write fast code that is still safe and maintainable.

What we screen for in C++ developers

  • Memory model, RAII, move semantics and modern C++ (C++17/20)
  • Performance engineering: cache behaviour, concurrency, low-latency
  • Templates and the type system used well, not gratuitously
  • Domain experience (trading, gaming, systems) where the role needs it

Every C++ developer is technically assessed by us, a former software developer, before you spend a minute interviewing.

What C++ developers earn in 2026

C++ developer pay tracks the software engineer ladder, so these are the reference bands we benchmark against, by seniority and city. See the full salary benchmarks for the detail.

C++ roles skew senior and specialist, so offers usually sit at the upper end of these bands, with a further premium for low-latency trading and high-performance systems.

Seniority LondonBerlinAmsterdamNew York
Mid-level £55k–£85k€55k–€85k€55k–€85k$120k–$150k
Senior £85k–£120k€85k–€120k€80k–€115k$150k–$200k
Staff / Principal £120k–£150k€115k–€145k€110k–€140k$190k–$240k

Reference bands, benchmarked to our software-engineer placement data · reviewed July 2026.

How to hire C++ developers: a process that works

  1. Scope the role around the work, not the title. Be specific about what C++ is doing in your product. C++ powers latency-critical and resource-intensive systems: high-frequency trading, game engines, browsers, databases, embedded and infrastructure. Strong C++ means using modern features and RAII to write fast code that is still safe and maintainable.
  2. Benchmark pay before you go to market. Use the bands above as the reference by seniority and city; an offer scoped off last year's numbers is the most common reason searches fail late.
  3. Pick your route honestly. Hiring directly means running sourcing, screening and scheduling yourself, and typically takes weeks. Freelance marketplaces are fast but leave the technical vetting to you. A specialist agency screens before you interview and delivers a shortlist in days; you pay only on a successful hire with contingent recruitment.
  4. Screen for the fundamentals, not the buzzwords. For C++ developers we test: memory model, RAII, move semantics and modern C++ (C++17/20); performance engineering: cache behaviour, concurrency, low-latency; templates and the type system used well, not gratuitously.
  5. Decide in days, not weeks. Good C++ developers are in more than one process. The teams that win offers are the ones that compress interview-to-decision, not the ones that pay the most.

FAQ

Hiring C++ developers, answered

What should you screen for in a C++ developer?

Command of the memory model, RAII and move semantics, modern C++ (C++17/20), and performance engineering (cache, concurrency, low-latency), assessed with a realistic systems task. Domain experience such as trading or gaming matters where relevant.

Do you recruit C++ engineers for trading and gaming?

Yes. Low-latency trading and game/engine development are two of the biggest C++ markets, and we screen for the domain-specific performance skills each demands.

What do C++ developers earn?

Pay tracks the software engineer ladder, typically at the higher end given the scarcity and seniority of most C++ roles, with a further premium in low-latency trading.

Related: Hire C developersHire Rust developersFintech & payments recruitment
We also hire: Scala developersClojure developersPHP developersRuby developersKotlin developersSwift developers
Hiring in: LondonBerlinAmsterdamNew York

Ready to build your team?

Tell us what you’re hiring for and we’ll come back with a plan, and usually a technically screened shortlist faster than you’d expect.

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