When you Google “Top Freelance websites,” you will most likely find these companies on the list. The freelance jobs available range from writing and transcription to web development and graphic design (Link to full list of freelance/online jobs). However, whether it is actually easy to find work and start as a freelancer on these sites is another story for another blog post.
These sites provide a platform for business owners to post jobs and find freelancers, and for freelancers to find jobs. They are meant to provide safe virtual spaces for freelancers and clients to meet, negotiate expectations, and guarantee the delivery of both work and payment.
Since these sites are acting as middlemen, they will make sure to get their cut. As a freelancer, it will be likely that you either pay upfront for a membership to view job postings or they will take a percentage of your payment.
Upwork
Upwork is arguably one of the most well-known freelance platforms existing. Formerly known and loved as oDesk, Upwork is now a billion dollar corporation connecting millions of freelancers and clients from around the world. Job postings range from established large companies to small businesses and startups.
Given that it is such a far-reaching platform, competition for jobs is high, meaning there will always be people who are willing to work for lower pay. However, as long as you’re willing to start out with lower pay, it’s always possible to get gigs and build your portfolio. The good news is that, as you build your portfolio and gain positive reviews on Upwork, your rating as a freelancer will rise and more clients will want to hire you.
Fiverr
Fiverr is a global freelance marketplace that is made with financially lean entrepreneurs in mind. The title “Fiverr” implies that many jobs’ starting pay is $5, which is beneficial to business-owners, but not for freelancers. However, $5 is just the bottom line and most freelancers are able to offer packages at higher fees. Fiverr is a good way for a beginner freelancer to get their feet wet, try out different fields, and start building their portfolio.
Freelancer
Freelancer often boast about their talented 27 million workforce specializing in an array of quantitative, marketing, and development roles. Luckily for them, their domain gets them a lot of traffic. The bad news about the traffic? The site is filled to the brim with available freelancers. Similar to all these other sites, many freelancers are from developing countries are willing to work for lower pay, since $10 can go a much longer way in India than it can in the United States. It’s also recommended to watch out for the many hidden fees associated with Freelancer, whether you’re using it as a freelancer or a client.
Toptal
Toptal separates themselves from the rest of the websites as being one that only allows the “top 3%” of freelancers onto their platform. They do this by having a rigorous recruitment and screening process for all applicants that includes thorough tests including a personality and language test, extensive technical knowledge tests, and live screening exercises. Since the process to become a freelancer on the platform is already so selective, clients don’t have to search as much for a freelancer as they would on other platforms.
Peopleperhour
Another freelance service marketplace that optimizes the technology behind the process of finding a client or to find a job. What makes them unique is that they’ve created a simple, user-friendly method to manage workflow directly from the website. The workflow is called “workstream” and allows freelancers to track their progress online and even share documents with between client-freelancer. The biggest downside is that Peopleperhour is more expensive than the other sites.
Guru
Though Guru has been around for 20+ years and was the first freelance platform, they are now smaller and lagging behind freelance giants like Upwork and Freelancer. Today they have 3 million members and continue to post jobs in all areas from programming to design and administrative work. Many freelancers and businesses continue to be loyal to Guru, especially those who have stuck around since the beginning.
Craigslist
Not just a site for selling used items or looking for apartments, Craigslist is also a place many businesses and companies post jobs on. More often than not, there are jobs that are freelance and can be done remotely. It never hurts to check out your local Craiglist job board and see who’s looking for an extra hand.
At the end of the day, the best way to finding freelance work is still to build your portfolio and tell the world about it! (e.g. Market yourself). If you’re serious about pursuing freelance, there is no better way to getting jobs than to expand your professional network, put your name out there, and build long-term relationships that can lead to referrals.
