The gig economy has grown exponentially over the last decade. In 2020, almost 59 million American adults participated in the gig economy which accounts for roughly 36% of the U.S. workforce.
When it comes to online freelance marketplaces, Upworks tops the chart. It is one of the biggest marketplaces on the internet. However, there are many other marketplaces that you should explore.
Here we have curated the list of the top 14 best Upwork Alternatives:
Top 14 Sites Like Upwork
Fiverr
Fiverr is one of the best digital freelance marketplaces for businesses and individuals who want to buy or sell their services for as low as $5.
On this platform, you will find a wide range of freelancers including graphic designing experts, content writing experts, web design experts and video editing experts, animation experts, etc. There are also subcategories like SEO, logo designing, sales, technical writing, etc.
As soon as the freelancer completes their gig, they are paid on the app. Fiverr takes a cut of 20 percent and the rest is given to the freelancer.
Similar to Upwork, Fiverr also provides a rating to each freelancer on its platform. They encourage freelancers to build a good reputation for themselves and grow within the marketplace.
Fiverr’s website interface is very easy to use and it has more than 4.2 million active buyers (as of 2022), making it the best alternative to Upwork.
PeoplePerHour
People Per Hour is another alternative that you can consider for finding freelance opportunities. Employers can post their jobs and freelancers can apply. The app mainly targets European markets.
The platform makes the hiring process easier for both freelancers as well as clients. There are profiles of every candidate as well as businesses, with their feedback and rating. This helps to build credibility for both businesses as freelancers.
The platform is filled with a lot of freelance jobs, it gives freelancers a variety of opportunities to choose from and apply. Posting a job on this site is completely free.
The payment system is also easy and hassle-free. Options like PayPal, Skrill, Payoneer, PayPal, bank deposits, etc. are available. Just like Upwork, it takes a commission of 20% from gig workers’ pay.
Freelancer
Freelancer has been around for almost 10 years and is here to stay. It is a marketplace where gig workers and businesses collaborate for all sorts of gigs including projects on a bigger scale.
Just like Upwork, individuals, and businesses can post their gigs. Gig workers who are interested in that job will share their proposal, hourly rate/fixed rate depending upon the type of project. In the end, the client will choose the gig worker who they feel is the most suitable for the job.
The skill set of the gig workers is comparatively lower compared to that of Upwork and Fiverr. However, you will find a variety of freelancers for every type of work at an affordable price. Unlike Upwork, which takes a 20% cut from the gig worker’s earnings, Freelancer only takes 10%.
SolidGigs
Solid Gig is not a marketplace like Upwork but a tool through which freelancers can get a lot of benefits. SolidGigs is a lead generation tool that provides a weekly list of job openings and gigs that are suitable for you.
You do not have to go on any marketplace and scroll through the gigs that are suitable for you if you started using SolidGigs. In fact, unlike Upwork or other marketplaces, it does not charge any commission from your earnings.
If you are struggling to find gigs that match your skills and experience, consider using this. They also have training programs if you are a part of their community. These training sessions and guidance are useful if you are just starting.
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Guru
Guru has to be in the top 5 Upwork Alternatives list. It is a marketplace where you will find a gig in any type of niche. It has multiple categories that make it easier for freelancers to find a gig in a niche that is otherwise not so common in other marketplaces.
It has popular niches like graphic designing, sales, and writing but you will also find gigs in niches like architecture, finance, education, engineering, law, etc. Moreover, It has over 3 million active users which makes this marketplace an attractive choice for freelancers.
The platform is designed for expert freelancers. So, if you are an entry-level freelance professional, this platform may not be the best fit for you. Also, it charges a service fee of 8.95% but can be lowered to close to 4% if you use its premium version.
Hubstaff Talent
Hubstaff Talent makes it to our list despite having fewer active users and job postings. Unlike big marketplaces like Upwork and Fiverr, gigs are screened more closely. There are fewer active users, which means, there is comparatively lower competition among gig workers.
Just like its competitor Upwork, it provides individuals and businesses with a platform to post a job and recruit the best freelancers of their choice through hourly/ fixed wages depending on the type of their project.
The best thing about this platform is that it does not charge any service fees or hidden fees. All the earnings you make on this platform are 100% given to you. Therefore, if you are just starting, using this platform can be a good start for you.
Toptal
Toptal is a platform that aims to have high-quality freelancers. It wants to connect businesses with freelancers who are best at what they do. It has a big screening process that includes a language, skills, and a general personality test to find the best talent among the pool of freelancers.
As the freelancers here are high-quality, the hourly rate and prices are also high compared to that of Upwork or any other marketplace. This can be your platform if you are an extremely skilled and experienced freelancer.
Credo
Credo is the best marketplace for finding freelancers who are specialized in digital marketing including SEO, PPC, content management, social media management, etc. The best thing about this platform is, it will guide you through the whole hiring process to find candidates.
Businesses and individuals can post a gig related to marketing, free of charge but they have a tight screening process. However, if you are a freelancer, you would have to pay a subscription fee of a whopping $100 per month. If you pay this fee, the platform guarantees you to provide high-quality work and less competition.
99designs
If you are someone who is a graphic designer or is looking for one then 99designs is the best marketplace for you. As the name suggests, 99designs specializes in a niche related to design.
Businesses and individuals can go on this platform and run a design contest to find the best match for their graphic design needs. There are more than 90 categories for freelancers to find jobs in the wide niche of design.
99designs takes a commission of 15% but it can go down as you increase your ‘level’ on the platform. Also, it levies $100 as an introduction fee for a freelancer. You can choose a platform if you are especially looking for an individual with expertise in design.
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FreeUp
FreeUp is a marketplace that focuses on recruiting freelancers with a rigorous screening process. They only accept the gig workers who pass the screening, ensuring the freelancers on the platform are of high quality and good at their job.
When a user goes through the test and gets accepted, they will be asked to create a profile. Freelancers can go on the site and see all the job opportunities posted by different individuals and businesses and apply for the ones that suit their skill set and expertise.
If a freelancer applies for a job, they will have to live chat with their potential client and then the client will decide between hiring you. Also, FreeUp will take a commission of 15% but the commission will not be cut from your earnings, it will be deducted from the employer’s fee.
The best feature of this marketplace is that it focuses on communication and networking between clients and businesses. If you are someone who works remotely then the marketplace will give you plenty of networking opportunities.
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Outsourcely
Outsourcely specialty is that it focuses on long-term remote job opportunities and it takes zero commissions or service fees from gig workers’ earnings. Moreover, Outsourcely claims to provide a money-back guarantee if a business/ or an individual feels that they didn’t get the best fit here.
If you want to use this marketplace, they have an intensive screening process. Also, even though the platform does not charge any commission but they have premium membership subscription plans.
Nonetheless, the platform does not interfere with the hiring process. Employers can hire their potential workers by using real-time communication tools like video calls, and private chat that is built-in into their website.
They also have an Outsourcely Team Workplace platform through which remote team managers/owners can manage their teams well. In that workspace, businesses can also add people who are scouted from their platform.
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ServiceScape
ServiceScape is a platform that helps find freelancers in mainly four categories: writing, editing, translating, and graphic design. It does not offer services in any other niches. Also, ServiceScape has been around for more than 20 years now.
Unlike Upwork, here freelancers do not have to write a proposal to their potential client. Rather, on this app, businesses and individuals looking to hire will be given a directory of freelancers. They have to go through that list and hire a freelancer by themselves. Here the freelancer does not do the legwork.
The freelancers on this platform are of top quality. They generally have a good skill set and experience. Therefore, they charge higher rates compared to freelancers on Upwork. Also, it charges a commission of 50% of the freelancer’s earnings.
Flexjobs
Flexjobs is a marketplace that is known for the curation of job opportunities, they aim to provide high-quality and safe job opportunities for all the freelancers on their platform.
They also have a personalized job search tool through which freelancers can find the best job that fits their skill set and expertise. Once you apply for the job, you will be redirected to a different third-party site for an application process.
Felxjob works on a membership model. It charges $6.95 a week or $14.95 per month. It can go down to $1.35 per week if you sign up for a year. The app also provides a 30-day money-back guarantee, so if you wish to get a refund for any reason, they will give you your money back.
Lensa
Lensa is a US job board that uses AI and machine learning to match job-seeking freelancers to the best opportunities. Additionally, as a career advocacy platform, Lensa supports millions of job seekers to make better career decisions. On Lensa, freelancers have a variety of remote opportunities at their fingers tips. Freelance job seekers here can find gigs in photography, accounting, copywriting, web design, programming, graphic design, and more. All in all, Lensa, gives job-seeking freelancers a complete picture of their job search, as well as predictions for their career paths. This enables them to realize their full potential in the most suitable position. All of this is thanks to strong AI-based job matching, quick and clean job searches, tailored job alerts, and job seeker assistance.
