Codementor Review: Is Codementor Worth It for Hiring?
Jason Quey
Updated:
February 15, 2024
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There’s no denying that Google is one of the best resources to turn to when you have a question.
But there are times when even this mighty search engine falls short. One of those times is when you’re coding and just can’t figure out the answer to a programming problem. Sure, you could turn to Stack Overflow. Unfortunately, most programmers won’t hop on Zoom to solve your coding challenges.
Codementor.io aims to bridge that gap by offering startups a place to hire freelance mentors, with on-demand coders. Whether you’re using Javascript or Ruby on Rails, Codementor has a mentor on hand.
Though it’s a niche platform, to say that only software developers use it would be far from the truth. Lots of people, like one of the 28.8 million small business owners, have to code or debug their website at some point or another. And although sites like Fiverr, OnlineJobs, and Toptal are highly useful, entrepreneurs often turn to Codementor to find a mentor.
Sound like a service you might be interested in? You’re probably wondering whether or not it’s the right one for you. To help you answer that question, I’m going to go over everything you need to know about this platform in this Codementor review. And at the end, I’ll give you my feedback about whether Codementor is worth it for hiring.
At its most basic level, Codementor is an online platform where you can go for one-on-one help with coding, debugging, and online programming. Professionals, or mentors as they’re known, share their expertise, teach, and answer questions in these areas in real-time. All of the sessions take place via video screen sharing, video chat, and texting.
This means Codementor is the best place to go if you’re an entrepreneur who wants to get in contact with expert developers all around the world. For example, if you’re a software developer who has an urgent problem and no idea how to fix it, you can head to Codementor to receive almost instantaneous help.
And since its launch, the platform has grown tremendously. More than 300,000 users around the world benefit from the expertise of professionals that offer their services, of which there are now over 8,000.
Now that you have a basic understanding of the company, let’s take a closer look at the mentoring process.
Any professional with technical knowledge can make themselves available for sessions on the platform.
To connect with a mentor, you first have to create a request. Codementor has a helpful guide on how to write a request.
You can ask for help immediately or book a session when it’s convenient for you. A mentor will respond to you shortly, within 10 to 30 minutes. Response time may be shorter or longer depending on the time of day and the complexity of your request.
Once you’ve started the session, they will offer insight on how to solve the problem you’re facing. The mentor won’t necessarily jump in and resolve the issue for you (though sometimes they do). The idea is to create a learning setting that empowers you.
There are also long-term mentors if you prefer, which is a service that’s popular for students. It’s also a favorite among professionals breaking into the world of software development who need more attention than their colleagues can give them.
And the great thing about the platform is that you can record your sessions so that you can review them later on.
Entrepreneurs who use Codementor will run across the Arc platform sooner or later (formerly known as CodementorX). When deciding whether to use it, there are two main differences between Codementor and Arc you should be aware of.
The first is that Arc is a marketplace for full-time roles where you can find new team members, contractors, or even build a remote team. You can also use it to hire 40+ hour contract projects. The idea is to streamline the hiring process by eliminating the need to create a pool of candidates. Arc does this part for you.
The second big difference is the vetting process required to become a mentor. While both Codementor and Arc require an application, the one for Arc is much more involved.
For example, for a professional to be accepted to Codementor, they have to fill out a rather lengthy application. This application must demonstrate relevant experience, and a team from Codementor reviews it before accepting that person to the community.
A more stringent vetting process is required to be a part of Arc’s freelance team. In addition to the application, hopefuls have to complete an interview. They also have to successfully finish a take-home test before being accepted to the platform. According to the Arc website, only the top 1.1% are successful.
This process encourages some brilliant individuals to join Arc. Lots of these mentors come from Fortune 500 companies and well-known tech companies. So if you want the best of the best, whether that’s for a gig or a more permanent position, check out Arc.
All right, now it’s time to talk about what people really dig about Codementor. And it seems like there’s a lot of things to like.
The Codementor marketplace is very effective at catering to its niche.
One of the subsets of those people is business owners. Specifically, business owners who need to resolve pressing website problems that may be translating to revenue losses. These professionals may not have the resources to hire an in-house developer, or their job may be too small to post on Upwork. Codementor, in this case, is perfect for those small but annoying tasks.
Another subset would be people (like students) who are stuck on something and, again, don’t need a ton of resources to figure out their problem. All they’re looking for is someone to sit with them and guide them through the issue. The system is very time and cost-efficient for them.
It’s also the perfect place to go for people who want to improve their coding skills. Whether you just have a question or two you need answered or want someone to coach you as you learn to code, Codementor allows you to do that.
Codementor is a fantastic way to further your coding and developing knowledge. Holding yourself accountable for learning becomes more manageable, especially if you opt for a long-term mentoring option. And along the way, you can build relationships with others in your field. Given the high quality of both clients and developers on the platform, building relationships can be quite beneficial.
Finally, many users in online forums speak to the quality of the Codementor staff. They are invested in helping you connect with someone who’s a good fit. They’re also highly responsive, working quickly to resolve any issues despite possible differences in time zones.
Okay, now let’s talk about any potential downsides that you should be aware of. What are some common complaints about Codementor? Does it have any cons that might not make it worth your time? Here are some things we uncovered when researching this company.
For the odd moment when you’re stuck with no one to turn to, this marketplace provides a lot of resources. However, if you know you need more frequent or long-term help, Codementor may not be the platform for you (Arc could be, however). Some people on forums like Quora who used it a lot complained that the prices got to be rather high.
To these complaints, we would say that knowing your needs upfront can help avoid this problem. If you’re consistently using the platform and finding it expensive, it may be better to hire an in-house developer instead.
Some users report minor technical annoyances when using the system, but this seemed to be more from the expert side than it did for the entrepreneurs who hire Codementor.
One of the complaints that did come up more frequently in online forums from users on both sides is that high internet speed is a must to use the platform effectively. But seeing that you’re talking to a mentor in real-time using video calls and sharing your screen, it seems pretty understandable to us that you’d need a fast internet connection.
The most critical complaint about Codementor is the knowledge level of the mentors. The most frequent reason people were dissatisfied with the service was when mentors tried to assist them with subjects they’re not actually experts in.
This issue may be due in part to people writing requests that don’t accurately convey what they need help with. And given the fact that there’s a money-back guarantee (which you’ll learn about below), we don’t find this problem especially concerning.
But other than these things, user feedback is, on the whole, quite positive.
If you’re still interested in hiring a freelancer using Codementor, you’re probably wondering how much it costs to receive this service.
The answer? It depends.
Codementor is an open marketplace, which means that the mentors set their rates according to their experience level and what they feel their service is worth. The lowest prices you’ll see are $10-15 per 15 minutes. Rates increase from there.
One thing to keep in mind when using Codementor is that the platform applies the mentor’s 15-minute rate for the first 15 minutes of the session. After that, the rate that applies is the mentor’s rate per minute, and the overall price depends on how long your session lasts.
Entrepreneurs hiring mentors must also pay a service fee. The service fee includes a 2.85% processing fee cover charge, which covers third-party payment processing services. Part of this fee also includes a $1 or $3 charge for platform operations that are determined by your transaction amount.
The company provides a safety net for entrepreneurs in the form of a money-back guarantee. If you’re dissatisfied with your mentor after the first hour, you can solicit a refund.
You do so by initiating a dispute after the session ends, which alerts both the Codementor team and prompts the mentor to refund your session.
While most people are very pleased with the service they receive, users appreciate having this safety net.
Arc functions as Codementor’s gig marketplace. It’s difficult to answer the question of how much things cost on Arc because there is an infinite number of gig types. Some of these categories include:
Prices depend on the project complexity and can vary quite a bit. For example, if you take a look at the pricing rates for web developers, you’ll see that the average hourly pricing is from $61-80. Blockchain, on the other hand, ranges from $81-100 per hour.
Let’s get down to the bottom line—do we recommend Codementor for hiring?
Yes. We find Codementor to be a fantastic resource that’s well worth using. We’d consider it to be especially useful for the following people:
Budding software developers tout the services they received from the platform as the reason for later career success. Plus, we find it to be a highly useful way to further your learning at an affordable price, no matter who you are.
Overall, Codementor offers a supportive community. They do an excellent job fulfilling their promise of helping developers help each other. The platform allows you to get the help you need and move on.