Finding a job as a freelancer isn’t as simple as it seems. As demand for flexible employment continues to grow, it’s difficult to know which freelancing websites are worth using and which are a waste of time.
To help you find high-quality freelance jobs, we’ve compared a dozen job search sites to find the best freelance websites available in 2023.
Top Freelance Websites
Easily one of the most popular freelancing websites Fiverr offers an easy environment where professionals can search for work, and companies can find affordable experts. Fiverr is best known for offering businesses access to freelancers who can offer services to suit any budget. It’s also very easy for freelancers to get started on the website.
How to Find Freelance Jobs on Fiverr
Fiverr works a little differently than most freelancing websites. Rather than bidding for jobs, you “list” your services on an online marketplace. Finding jobs on Fiverr starts with signing up to become a “seller” on the marketplace. You then create a gig listing offering customers something like logo design.
You can choose the price of your listing and upload various pieces of information, like samples, to help improve your chances of a sale. Fiverr will then send a notification whenever you get an order.
How Much Does Fiverr Charge Freelancers?
Fiverr Pros
- Very easy for anyone to get set up and start listing their services.
- Buyers come to you rather than you having to seek out and bid for projects.
- You can improve your chances of getting hired by building your reputation over time.
Fiverr Cons
- Fiverr keeps 20% of everything you earn, which can add up to a lot of lost income.
- There are millions of competing freelancers, making it harder to stand out
Fiverr is well-suited to creative professionals with artistic skills. The most popular services on the platform are usually graphic design related, including NFT creation and logo design.
2. Upwork
Upwork is a popular website for freelancers in various industries, from Development and IT to Writing and Translation. Leading brands like Microsoft, Nasdaq, and GoDaddy have all found and employed experts on Upwork in the past.
How to Find Freelance Jobs on Upwork?
Upwork allows professionals to create powerful profiles listing their primary skills, work history, and knowledge. From there, the website’s algorithm can seek out and suggest job opportunities you may be suitable for.
You can also browse through the Upwork platform, filtering for jobs by industry, skill set, and earning potential.
For freelancers searching for extra support, Upwork also offers dedicated recruiters who can work with you to track down opportunities matched to your career goals.
How Much Does Upwork Charge Freelancers?
Upwork charges a sliding fee based on your lifetime billings with a client. If you earn up to $500 with a client, a 20% service fee will be applied to all your earnings. Earning between $500 and $10,000 results in a 10% service fee, and earnings over $10,000.01 are charged a service fee of 5%.
Freelancers hired for “Featured Jobs,” those participating in Upwork Payroll schemes, and Enterprise clients may encounter different service fees.
Upwork Pros
- Easy access to a huge number of job opportunities in virtually every industry.
- Upwork clients will usually pay higher prices for services than other freelance websites.
- Most clients on Upwork are ready to start working with you straight away.
Upwork Cons
- The fees are quite hefty when you’re earning less than $500.
- There are a lot of freelancers on Upwork, so it can be hard to stand out.
Upwork is great for finding higher-paying jobs which require technical skills. There are a lot of opportunities for coders and programmers.
3. TopTal
TopTal is a network where companies can find freelance software developers, financial experts, project managers, designers, and more. The website is trusted by market-leading brands like Duolingo, and Shopify.
How to Find Freelance Jobs on TopTal
You’ll need to apply to join TopTal and go through an approval process where the company assesses your background and skills. After that, you can create a profile that TopTal uses to connect you with professionals searching for your skills.
The TopTal team helps to set up billing and payments on your behalf and connects you to global clients, so you can reduce the work associated with advertising your services.
How Much Does TopTal Charge Freelancers?
Rather than charging freelancers directly, TopTal offers freelancers a reduced rate from the one they’ve already secured with a client. For instance, TopTal may charge a company $60 for a piece of work but only pay the freelancer $30. Freelancers can set their hourly rates based on TopTal’s recommended rates and be matched to jobs that pay at this level.
TopTal Pros
- A rigorous screening process defines you as an expert in your space
- Access to higher-paying developer and technology jobs than most freelance websites
- Excellent chances of being hired due to less competition on the platform.
TopTal Cons
- It can take time and a lot of effort to be approved.
- You miss out on some of the earning potential of working with a client directly.
TopTal is best suited to highly skilled design, finance, project management, or product management professionals. Developers can thrive here too.
4. Freelancer
Freelancer is an easy-to-use freelancing platform for beginners with a host of different skills and is home to millions of professionals sorted into over 1800 different categories. The company makes setting up a portfolio simple and earning money quickly.
How to Find Freelance Jobs on Freelancer?
Professionals on Freelancer can create a profile in minutes, selecting skills and expertise they want to rank for and moving through a “verification center” checklist to be approved by the platform. Once you have your profile, you can browse through jobs suitable to your skills and “bid” for projects by writing comments telling employers why you’re right for the role.
Freelancer also has a “preferred freelancer program”, which you can apply for after earning a pristine record for exceptional service. This gives you direct access to higher-paying roles.
How Much Does Freelancer Charge Freelancers?
Freelancer takes either 10% of the winning bid or $5 USD (whichever is greater) when you’re chosen for a fixed-price or hourly-fixed project. Freelancer will take 10% of every Milestone payment for hourly projects rather than 10% of the overall project cost.
Freelancer Pros
- Easy to get set up with a simple profile building and verification system
- Jobs for thousands of different skillsets and professions
- Fees are relatively low compared to other freelancing companies
Freelancer Cons
- Lots of competition from millions of other people all bidding for the same project
- It can be difficult to make your profile stand out without becoming a preferred freelancer.
Freelancer is ideal if you want to make money from diverse ad-hoc jobs, like conducting market research for a business or writing a one-off email marketing campaign.
5. PeoplePerHour
Promising global access to freelance talent, PeoplePerHour is an excellent place to access content writing skills, logo design, and website development expertise. The site is trusted by over a million businesses and has more than 3 million rated freelancers to choose from.
How to Find Freelance Jobs on PeoplePerHour
Freelancers on PeoplePerHour need to apply to become a “certified” contributor on the website. Every application is reviewed by a moderation team, then matched to a stream of potential projects suitable to your skillset. The easiest way to get jobs is to wait for the AI algorithm to match you to a task. However, you can also create a profile to attract potential clients.
There’s a regular stream of projects published to the site which you can apply for directly, and you can create bespoke packages and pricing options for different clients.
How Much Does PeoplePerHour Charge Freelancers?
There are no registration or sign-up fees, fees to search for projects or fees for posting offers on PeoplePerHour. However, you will be charged a “service” fee based on the lifetime value of your client. For under $250 lifetime billing, you pay 20%, excluding VAT.
Between $250 and $5000, this fee decreases to 7.5%. For over $5000, there’s a 3.5% fee. The minimum service fee per invoice is $1, excluding VAT.
PeoplePerHour Pros
- Lots of ways to find and apply for projects
- Get matched rapidly to the most appropriate jobs with an AI algorithm
- Relatively low fees if you earn a lot from your client long-term.
PeoplePerHour Cons
- Over 3 million freelancers compete against
- Applications to join the freelancer directory must be approved
PeoplePerHour is one of the best freelance websites for creative website-building projects and content creation. SEO and writing projects are often very popular.
6. FlexJobs
Ranked the number one site for finding vetted remote workers since 2007, FlexJobs is one of the better-known freelancing directories on the market. Companies ranging from USA Today to Fox Business have all leveraged FlexJobs in the past, and there’s even career coaching for freelancers.
How to Find Freelance Jobs on FlexJobs
To start searching for projects with FlexJobs you’ll need to create an account and pay for your membership subscription. Once you have your account, you’ll be able to browse through remote jobs and projects using filters like “location” and the talents required. You can also browse through popular job searches and titles to see what’s available.
Once you find a job, you can reach out to the person posting the project and introduce your skills. The people responsible for posting the job will then be able to sort through pitches and choose the professional they want to work with.
How Much Does FlexJobs Charge Freelancers?
Rather than charging a commission on each job, FlexJobs uses a subscription pricing structure. You can sign up for a week for $9.95 or pay a monthly subscription at $24.95 per month. The subscription gives you access to unlimited job opportunities, your own profile for attracting employers, and free skills testing.
FlexJobs Pros
- Resources and guidance are available to help grow your freelancing career
- Expert job searching tips and resources to improve your chances of finding roles
- Access to a wide range of job opportunities for different skill sets.
FlexJobs Cons
- Expensive monthly subscription costs
- Quite a lot of competition
FlexJobs is one of the top freelance websites for experts in search of administrative remote work. You can find roles in everything from account management to consulting and data entry.
7. WeWorkRemotely
We Work Remotely defines itself as the biggest community for remote work in the world, with more than 3 million visitors. The website specializes specifically in connecting people with technical and programming skills to companies looking to invest in growth. We Work remotely is also home to a host of remote working resources for professionals.
How to Find Freelance Jobs on We Work Remotely
We Work Remotely is one of the easiest platforms for freelancers looking to find new projects. You don’t need to create an account to get started, you can simply browse through the most popular jobs related to your industry on the site directory. Click on a job listing, and you can tap the button to “apply” directly on the company’s website.
Users can also search for specific jobs by contract type, business name, and skill set. The advanced job search makes it very easy to find something suitable for your specific talents.
How Much Do We Work Remotely Charge Freelancers?
We Work Remotely is one of the few environments which doesn’t charge its freelancers anything. Because you don’t need to sign up for an account, there’s nothing to pay. Only the company listing the job requirement needs to pay.
We Work Remotely Pros
- No cost to freelancers looking for new job opportunities
- Wide range of fantastic roles from leading businesses and well-known brands
- Easy to search for your ideal job using the advanced filtering options
We Work Remotely Cons
- Lots of competition with no restrictions on who can apply for each job
- No tools to help your application stand out from competing professionals.
We Work Remotely is a good freelance website if you’re looking for coding or technical jobs. Programming and development roles are common here.
8. SimplyHired
A comprehensive hub for freelancers, SimplyHired allows professionals to search for jobs based on their location, their skills, or the name of a company. You can browse through a wide selection of available jobs easily and access a range of tools like a resume builder to help improve your chances of being hired.
How to Find Freelance Jobs on SimplyHired
An account and profile aren’t necessary to apply for jobs with SimplyHired. However, you can sign up for the website to get updates on the latest jobs relevant to your skills and interests. To apply for a job, all you need to do is search for a role using the simple search bar. You can apply filters like “minimum salary” or “job type” and check jobs by the date they were added.
Once you find a role you want to apply for, click on the “Apply Now” button, and SimplyHired will take you straight to the company’s job listing. From there, you can usually submit a resume and application using a range of tools, like LinkedIn.
How Much Does SimplyHired Charge Freelancers?
There is no charge to freelancers using SimplyHired to find jobs. Even if you subscribe to the service, you won’t pay anything to get suggestions on the kind of roles you might be interested in delivered to your inbox.
SimplyHired Pros
- Search for jobs by location, minimum salary, and contract type in seconds
- A wide range of roles to choose from, posted by well-known brands
- Convenient experience with no need to sign up for an account to start.
SimplyHired Cons
- A lot of competition due to the filtering of freelance applicants
- Not all jobs are suitable for remote workers
If you’re looking for more traditional roles you can do remotely, like a virtual assistant or consulting position, SimplyHired will likely be the best choice.
9. Guru
Offering a secure, reliable, and cost-effective platform for freelancers and business leaders alike, Guru helps all kinds of companies find the talent they need. The site has a 99% customer satisfaction rate and has paid over $250 million to freelancers over the years. Guru is also connected to around 800,000 employers worldwide.
How to Find Freelance Jobs on Guru
You can start browsing through available jobs on Guru simply by clicking the “Find Jobs” tab at the top of the homepage. To get hired, you’ll need to send a quote to the company you want to work with, which involves signing up with Guru, either using an email and password or logging in through LinkedIn, Google, or Facebook.
Once you sign up, you’ll be asked to set up some account security, and you can also create a profile where you list your contact information and your skills. As a beginner on the site, you’ll only be able to apply for certain roles. Many positions are restricted to people who have already earned a certain amount of money with Guru or have a paid account.
You’ll need to “bid” for each position, and the number of bids you have per month depends on your account plan.
How Much Does Guru Charge Freelancers?
There are two separate fees associated with Guru for freelancers. First, you’ll need to pay for a membership to apply to all of the jobs on the site. Membership starts at $11.95 per month. While you can apply to some jobs without a paid membership, many will be restricted.
There’s also a “job fee” from every invoice you send, starting at 9% per job. The job fee lowers depending on your membership plan:
- Basic: ($11.95 per month) + 9%
- Professional: ($21.95 per month) + 7%
- Business: ($33.95 per month) + 6%
- Executive: ($49.95 per month) + 5%
Guru Pros
- Huge selection of roles from well-known companies paying higher rates
- Less competition due to an expensive membership and bidding process
- Easy to find roles relevant to your specific interests and skills
Guru Cons
- It can be very expensive to sign up and start bidding for jobs
The most common jobs on Guru are in the programming and development space, but there are lots of opportunities for design, art, and writing professionals too.
10. Freelance Writing Gigs
A freelance website dedicated to people who want to get paid to write, Freelance writing gigs are a great place to find blogging and copywriting opportunities. The website is home to several resources for writers, as well as writing competitions.
How to Find Freelance Jobs on Freelance Writing Gigs
No account is required to apply for a role with Freelance Writing Gigs. To find a position, you can click on the Freelance writing job board and search for the roles that appeal to you. There’s the option to search for positions by keyword, location, or category. You can also sort through freelance, full-time, or part-time roles.
Once you find a job you want to apply for, click on the listing, and the website will tell you where you need to go to submit your application (usually to the job poster’s website).
How Much Do Freelance Writing Gigs Charge Freelancers?
There is no cost to freelancers applying for jobs on Freelance Writing Gigs. You can apply for as many roles as you like without an account or profile.
Freelance Writing Gigs Pros
- No cost for applying to writing jobs, and no limitation on how many you can apply for
- Lots of resources for freelance writers to find higher-paying jobs
- Easy to sort through roles based on a range of filter options
Freelance Writing Gigs Cons
- No guarantee the company you’re working with is legitimate or reputable
- Lots of competition from other writers
Perhaps unsurprisingly, Freelance Writing Gigs is best for professionals searching for writing roles. You can find blogging, copywriting, and email writing jobs here.
Our Methodology
To find the best freelancing websites, we’ve used the following criteria:
- Website reputation: in the list, we only included high-quality job search sites with a good brand reputation.
Website traffic: websites claiming to have millions of users but having no traffic to back up this claim were not included in our list.
Freelancer reviews: we’ve looked at reviews on third-party sites from freelancers and employers before adding a website to our list.
Service fees: we carefully examined the service fees and the policies of all websites. The websites that made it to the top 10 provide clear policies that are easy to find.
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