Working as a freelancer can be incredibly rewarding. You're basically your own boss, and you decide exactly what tasks and services you'll be offering, how much you'll be getting paid, and when and where you'll be working. It's ideal for those wanting to completely move beyond traditional employment or simply earn supplemental income on the side by monetizing a hobby or skill.
However, getting started in the freelance world has proven time and time again to be quite tricky. It always seems like there are people out there that are much more experienced, with better qualifications and hundreds of clients fighting over their services. So, how do you get to that stage?
Check out these eight freelancing sites that can help you establish an online presence and fast-track your freelancing career.
Practically everyone has heard of Fiverr before. It's known as the place where you can purchase and sell almost any sort of service beginning at just five dollars and beyond. People advertise anything from blog writing services, to personal therapy, to even tarot card readings! Whatever your specialty, you're sure to find a customer base through this website.
Pros
An incredibly large market for many different niches.
Guaranteed payments from customers - no risk of completing work with no pay or scammers disputing invoices.
Tips are common and encouraged by the website.
You won't have to bid for clients - simply create a profile with the services you're offering and let the clients come to you!
Internationally recognized and supported
Cons
Strict terms of service - be sure to read the policy carefully.
The website actually takes a 20% commission from all of your earnings, including tips, which can be an inconvenience if you're still new to the site and not earning a lot of money.
It can be quite challenging to get your first few gigs, as many people will be more inclined to hire a different seller with a proven track record.
Our pro tip: Try to find a niche with little competition, and don't be discouraged if you're struggling to get gigs! If you are new, share your gig on different social media platforms to drive more traffic to your gig.
Upwork is another pretty well-known freelancing website. It caters to a more specific market than Fiverr as it focuses mainly on content writing, video, photo editing, and software programming. If you specialize in any of those, you'll be spoilt for choice when it comes to finding gigs to work on.
Pros
Hundreds of new gigs are posted every hour, so you're bound to find something that suits your skills and experience.
You get the opportunity to directly message clients to discuss details before entering into a contract with them. Both parties have to agree on every single term for the contract to be valid.
Clients have public ratings, so it's easy to avoid scammers and time-wasters.
The site itself will stand up for you and defend you (within reason, of course) when it comes to any disputes over work and money with clients - not every website does this!
Cons
You have to bid for gigs, and most of the better-paying ones can get over 50 different freelancers applying for them, so there's major competition.
Each time you bid for a gig, you use up something called Connects, which can only be replenished by spending money - this makes bidding risky if you have no guarantee of landing a gig and can't afford additional Connects.
Some clients are just downright too demanding and too cheap - gigs offering just $1 for 1,000-word articles are unfortunately appearing more often.
Like Fiverr, there's a 20% fee deducted from your earnings for the first $500 you earn.
Our pro tip: Try to find gigs that refund your Connects if you don't get hired, so you don't waste your money!
Guru houses freelancers from all over the world and is great for individuals looking to work with well-established businesses. It covers similar industries to Upwork, with a significant focus on writing, media creation and editing, and software programming.
Pros
You don't have to spend any money to submit quotes to clients, although there are some optional paid features.
The site allows you to work in a team with other freelancers on larger projects, giving you all access to a private chatroom where you can share files, talk amongst each other and with your employer, and create invoices.
Cons
There seems to be a common problem of employers being too vague in their job postings and contracts, or being relatively unresponsive. The freelancer finds themselves in trouble for being unable to complete work properly because of this.
The site isn't as popular as other sites, as employers have to pay to post listings, so there is no guarantee of consistent work.
Our pro tip: Don't solely rely on this site for your income, and make sure to clarify every little detail with any employers.
Appen offers three main types of freelance work: long-term projects or permanent positions, short-term micro-tasks, and simple data collection gigs. This provides you with a lot of variety, and you won't have to make any long-term commitments if you just need some quick cash.
Pros
One of the most flexible sites when it comes to the type of work you can find.
You can set your own working hours, as long as you meet customer deadlines.
Completely free to use with no obligations.
Cons
Some users have previously complained about late or incomplete payments, though these are often because of the employers and not the website.
The workload available varies - you may find new projects every few hours or end up with no new work for weeks at a time.
Our pro tip: Start with smaller jobs at first to get a feel for the site and to establish a good reputation before going after more serious gigs to sign up to appen click below:
https://connect.appen.com/qrp/public/jobs?uref=20ebeba6149250b012c6b5ad135b4b9a
Clickworker is a little different from most of the websites on this list. The jobs offered on this site are almost solely micro-tasks, based around AI training, crowdsourcing, surveys, and web research. This makes it perfect for those looking for a more casual start to freelancing or a fast way to earn some pocket money.
Pros
Tasks are quick and easy to complete and come with self-explanatory instructions.
Individuals that complete tasks faster and with higher accuracy than others get rewarded with higher pay rates.
It's one of the only sites to have a fully functioning app - allowing you to complete jobs when you're on the go.
Cons
Since the jobs offered are considered micro-tasks, the starting pay can be very low - users have reported tasks that pay out less than 20 cents.
Jobs disappear quickly as the site is quite competitive, so it can be hard to accumulate any earnings.
Our pro tip: Definitely don't rely on this site for your primary income, but do use it if you have little experience in freelancing and need something to put down on your CV.
As the name suggests, this website is solely dedicated to connecting freelancers to potential employers. Freelancer caters to an extensive market, with job offers ranging from virtual assistant positions, to product manufacturing, to web design. It's a pretty successful site and has been used in the past by companies like Microsoft and Boeing to outsource workers.
Pros
You have very realistic chances of scoring gigs that pay incredibly well since the site is commonly used by well-established businesses and corporations.
Unlike many other platforms listed here, it offers freelancers training and certifications instead of relying on their previous skills.
You have the freedom to choose what projects you work on, with zero obligations.
Cons
It can be quite ruthless for inexperienced freelancers - well-established companies will be looking for the very best workers they can possibly find, so their vetting processes are much more rigorous than other sites.
Some users have complained that the relative lack of strict deadlines encourages a bad work ethic and procrastination.
Our pro tip: Make sure to already have some experience in freelancing and have a high-quality portfolio ready to show off to potential clients.
PeoplePerHour is one of the more popular freelancing websites, with over one million businesses posting jobs on it and almost three million freelancers using it to find work. As the name suggests, the site is all about paying people for each hour that they work, though it does offer the option to choose between hourly rates and fixed project prices. This site comes in just behind Fiverr when it comes to the diversity of industries and available job categories - imagine any job that can be performed remotely, and you'll probably find a posting for it on PeoplePerHour!
Pros
It's a super popular site, which guarantees a steady flow of work once you establish yourself.
The site offers a lot of support and protection for its workers, with special anti-fraud protection in place to protect both sides of a transaction.
The AI system is impressive - it matches freelancers to projects that match their skills and experience, so you don't have to worry about embarrassing yourself by applying for a job you're severely underqualified for.
Cons
As with any super popular freelancing site, there'll be a lot of competition, so you may need some extra time to establish yourself.
Users have complained of demanding and slightly entitled clients, thought the site's support team usually deals with them on your behalf.
Working for PeoplePerHour requires you to be able to handle challenging tasks as many well-established corporations use this website to outsource workers.
Our pro tip: Gain experience from other websites first, and make sure that you understand the requirements of any jobs you'll be accepting as many will require a full-time commitment.
One of the internet's most straightforward freelance platforms is goLance. With their ability to help recruit sellers and buyers, goLance will link freelancers to buyers via customer service. They are stepping outside the platform norm of only using algorithms and AI to accomplish this task.
Many users mention this platform's use as a transparent tool to avoid discrepancies with work and pay. It records and screenshots your progress in your 'Work Diary.' Also touting crypto payments, alongside some of the lowest procurement fees in the industry making goLance a platform worth checking out.
Pros
Split a large project up and have the ability to subcontract out work. This is a convenient option provided to users, keeping all of the work on the same platform.
Reap what you sew sooner than later. They offer faster payouts with their payday advance. Get your money quickly with a small fee.
Bring referrals - get a lifetime percentage of the revenue. Some freelancers accumulate a source of additional income solely on the referrals themselves.
Cons
Complaints of long turnaround times for service tickets. This can be frustrating when an order is put on hold or if monies are waiting to be distributed.
The site claims to have low fees, but some freelancers complain of multiple hidden fees upon project completion.
Our pro tip: A highly optimized goLance profile will help in landing steady business.
Depending on the talents you bring to the table, one site might benefit you more than the other. Regardless of your location, you can utilize your skills on an entry-to-expert level basis on one of these platforms all around the globe. The money is out there - it's time to put your abilities to use.