By the proof. team ·
Hiring a studio in São Paulo from the US works much like hiring one in another US city. The workday overlaps, the work happens in English, and you pay an invoice in dollars. The differences are in the agreement, and they're worth five minutes of reading.
What's the time difference?
São Paulo is two hours ahead of New York in winter and one hour ahead in summer, because Brazil doesn't change its clocks. From Chicago it's three or two hours, and from Los Angeles five or four.
| When it's 9 am in | US winter | US summer |
|---|---|---|
| New York | 11 am in São Paulo | 10 am in São Paulo |
| Chicago | 12 pm | 11 am |
| Los Angeles | 2 pm | 1 pm |
For the East Coast, that's nearly a full shared workday. For the West Coast, mornings overlap.
Why do US businesses hire in Brazil?
The time zone, mostly. A team in Asia or Eastern Europe works while you sleep, which turns every question into a one-day wait. With São Paulo, you ask at 10 and have an answer before lunch. Brazil also has a deep bench in design and software, built by years of work for large Latin American companies and banks.
What should the agreement say?
- Who you're contracting with. The company's legal name and registration number.
- Which law applies, and where disputes go. Read this clause. A good one doesn't make you travel to settle a small claim.
- Ownership. That the work is assigned to you, including the work of any subcontractor.
- Dates and time zone. Which time zone the deadlines are measured in.
- Currency. Prices and invoices in US dollars.
How do payments work?
You pay an invoice in US dollars, by bank transfer or card. You don't handle Brazilian currency. Your finance team may ask a foreign vendor for IRS Form W-8BEN-E before paying, which is routine.
What should you ask on the first call?
Who will actually do the work, and whether you'll talk to them. Whether your accounts will be in your name. And what happens if the date slips. The answers tell you more than a portfolio does.
About us
proof. is three people in São Paulo: Arthur builds brands, Murilo builds websites and Danilo builds AI. We work in English, in your morning, at fixed prices in US dollars. Meet the team.