10 Online Freelancing Marketplaces You Should Know About
Freelancing is becoming a very popular way to make money in the online space. It has also become a great way to establish a business and build your network at the same time. With so many options for freelancers, it can be tough to figure out where you should go, who you should work with, and what type of work to do. However, there are many platforms that have proven themselves as great places for freelancers to find work and clients. This article will explore some of the top freelance marketplaces out there today, along with their pros and cons so that you can find the one that best suits your needs.
What is freelancing?
Freelancing is a work-from-home opportunity where you make your own hours and get the flexibility to do what you want. You can work on a business idea, or you can simply pick up gigs here and there to earn some extra money. Freelancing was once reserved for people with in-demand skills like developers, writers, graphic designers, and more; however, nowadays anyone can become a freelancer as long as they have some basic computer skills.
Fiverr
Fiverr is a great place for freelancers to find work. Here, freelancers can offer their services for $5 and have the opportunity to provide clients with exactly what they need. Fiverr is a great option for those looking to break into freelancing and those who are just starting out in the field.
Upwork
Upwork, as seen on the top of the list, is a great place to find freelancing work. It has a very large platform with plenty of work for freelancers to do. However, it may not be the best place for freelance writers and designers because it’s mostly focused on service-based jobs.
Freelancer
.com
One of the most popular freelancing sites on the web, Freelancer.com is a great place to find a variety of jobs and workers. In fact, they are the largest marketplace in this niche with over 10 million registered users. Freelancer is free to join and offers a variety of categories you can choose from to search for jobs. You can also be found by employers through their various methods. The downside is that it’s not easy to get started because there are so many different options. However, once you understand how the site works, it’s very easy to use and navigate around.
DesignCrowd
DesignCrowd is a great freelance marketplace for designers, illustrators, and other creatives. It is the number one marketplace in Australia and has been expanding to other parts of the world. DesignCrowd has an easy to use interface that allows users to browse jobs by category, popularity, or date. You can also set up email alerts so that you are notified when new jobs come up in your area of expertise.
The good: DesignCrowd has many opportunities for freelancers to work on graphic design, illustration, visual design, logo design, and more. The site also offers a long list of FAQs and answers to questions about contracts and payments. There is also a strong community of designers on the site who are happy to help out newbies with advice about how best to get started on DesignCrowd.
The bad: This site does not have as many opportunities for freelancers as some of the others listed here. In addition, some people complain that there is not a lot of transparency when it comes to the ranking system DesignCrowd uses and it’s hard to know what type of work you’ll be bidding on without reading the job description first.>>>END>>
PeoplePerHour
PeoplePerHour is a freelance marketplace that specializes in hourly jobs. They have over 3 million registered users and have seen over 13 million projects completed. It’s not necessary for you to create an account with them in order to browse the listings, but you will need to sign up if you want to post your own job.
Pros:
– Signing up only takes a few minutes and is completely free of charge
– The site has many different types of listings including full or part-time work, remote work, and hiring freelancers
– You can hire freelancers from all over the world
Cons:
– Some people find it difficult to determine who they should work with since there are so many freelancers on the site
FreelanceSwitch
FreelanceSwitch is one of the top freelance marketplaces out there today. You can find work in a variety of different industries, or you can post your own job listing to get help with your business. This marketplace has a great interface and is very easy to navigate through. FreelanceSwitch also has many opportunities for freelancers as it lists jobs from all over the world, so you are sure to find something that suits your needs. However, one of its downfalls is that it does not offer any payment options other than PayPal.
99designs
99designs is a crowdsourcing platform that allows designers to take on design projects and offer their bids. Clients can then pick the designer they like best, up to the point that they’ve budgeted for the job. This marketplace simplifies the process of finding a designer, making it easy for the client to find someone who has just what they need and who can complete the project in a timely manner.
Pros:
– Allows clients to find exactly what they are looking for and offers an inexpensive way of getting projects done
– Freelancers can get exposure through more jobs being posted
– Easy way to manage workflow using milestones
Cons:
– Customer service issues
– Poor quality work from some freelancers
Guru
Guru has been around since 2009 and provides a number of services to their clients. They are one of the most popular sites on the internet for freelancers, making it very easy to find work. Their site also includes many free guides and classes to help you find success as a freelancer. There is some concern about the lack of transparency in their company dealings, but for someone interested in just finding work and not necessarily dealing with contracts, this might not be an issue.
Conclusion
When you’re looking for a job, the most obvious place to start is the job boards. But what about those who don’t want to work full-time, or don’t have the qualifications for the roles on offer?
Freelancing is becoming an increasingly popular way of earning money, and it’s especially useful for creative professionals and those who have skills in niche areas. We’ve rounded up the best sites to find work, as well as those which offer a wide variety of gigs to suit any type of freelancer.