Freelance marketplaces are online platforms that offer an alternative to the traditional hiring process, connecting skilled workers with employers on a project-per-project basis. Founded in 2010, Fiverr has become one of the most known freelance markets in the gig economy, with offerings ranging from programming and technical writing to graphic design and music production.
But Fiverr is not the only player on the field, as many competitors have joined the freelance marketplace with offers of their own. While some websites specialize in particular services, like coding or tech support, others remain more inclusive of talent from all industries.
Why Look for Alternatives to Fiverr?
In the US alone, the freelancer economy was worth around $1.3 trillion in 2021. Despite its size and popularity, Fiverr represents a fraction of the market.
Expanding your search to other sites like Fiverr can help you find the right match, whether you’re a business owner or a freelancer yourself. Every site on this list works a little differently, so you might be able to find a good match for the long term.
Upwork: A Comprehensive Freelance Marketplace
Upwork is one of the most comprehensive freelance marketplaces that connects clients with skilled professionals across various industries. It offers a wide range of services, from web development and design to writing and virtual assistance.
The platform provides a user-friendly interface for clients to post jobs, review proposals, and communicate with freelancers. One of Upwork's standout features is its robust screening process. Freelancers on the platform undergo tests and are rated based on their performance, making it easier for clients to find reliable professionals.
Upwork also offers a secure payment system, protecting both clients and freelancers. The platform's escrow service only releases the funds when the work is completed to the satisfaction of both parties.
Freelancer: A Global Freelancing Hub
Freelancer is a global freelancing platform where employers can post jobs for freelancers to bid on. This system ensures an agreement on price between the freelancer and their clients.
It has close to 60 million registered users, making it an excellent choice for businesses and individuals seeking top-notch freelance talent.
Businesses are also encouraged to search through the profiles of freelancers and directly contact the talent they want. Freelancer stands out with its varying payment structures for project and hourly rates.
Guru: A Platform for Professional Freelancers
Guru is one of the oldest participants in the gig economy, founded in 1998. It primarily focuses on professional services like design, app development, data management, and financial advice.
Both freelancers and businesses can use Guru’s advanced search feature, allowing you to filter query results based on pricing and rating, based on previous work and portfolio pieces.
The platform’s interface is kept simple and to the point, making it ideal for non-tech-savvy users.
PeoplePerHour: Connecting Clients with Freelancers
PeoplePerHour is a UK-based site where clients are the ones posting projects, reviewing proposals, and communicating directly with freelancers. This is thanks to the site’s customized project listings, where clients can state their exact requirements for a project.
Similarly to Upwork, PeoplePerHour has a strict vetting process for its freelancers’ skills. This makes it a little harder to get into, but it elevates the overall level and satisfaction rate of the site’s services.
Also, PeoplePerHour prioritizes hourly rates over flat fees and single-project payments. That way, both freelancers and clients can adjust the cost of a project based on its scope.
Toptal: Premium Freelancers for High-End Projects
Compared to other sites like Fiverr, Toptal is considered to be an exclusive network of the top freelance talent in their industries. They only accept around 3% of applicants, putting them through a rigorous screening process that can last anywhere from 3 to 8 weeks.
Toptal focuses on technical skills like web and app development, project management, marketing, and financial advisory. So the options are limited for both freelancers and businesses looking for a wider variety of skills.
99designs: Specialized Design Freelance Platform
99designs is another specialized freelance marketplace exclusive to creative professionals doing design work. But with over 400,000 clients and a diverse range of design categories, including logos, websites, book covers, and more, it’s become a leader in its pocket of the market.
One of the standout features of 99designs is its contest-based model, which allows clients to launch design competitions and receive multiple submissions from freelancers. That way, clients have a variety of design concepts to choose from, increasing the likelihood of finding the perfect fit for their project.
As for freelancers, they get to submit their work to high-paying clients even with a limited portfolio.
Flexiple: Build Your Dream Tech Team
Flexiple targets freelance professionals in the tech industry, such as developers, UX/UI designers, and engineers. This makes it particularly attractive to tech startups looking to hear the expertise of entire tech teams rather than individuals.
The screening process on Flexiple consists of a skill test, a live coding task, as well as an evaluation of soft skills like professional ethics and critical thinking skills. Both freelancers and businesses can choose from a variety of hiring options, whether it’s project-based, part-time, full-time, or contract.
Truelancer: Affordable Freelancing Services
Truelancer is a freelancing platform that offers affordable services for businesses around the world. With a large pool of talented and experienced freelancers, it provides a wide range of services, including virtual assistants, design, writing, and tech support.
It’s a bid-based system where the client posts a task and freelancers from around the world suggest an appropriate compensation.
The platform holds the payment securely and only releases the funds once the client is 100% satisfied with the work delivered. This eliminates the risk of scams and minimizes disputes, ensuring peace of mind for all parties involved.
FlexJobs: Remote Work and Freelance Opportunities
Despite being a job board, FlexJobs focuses entirely on remote and hybrid work opportunities rather than traditional employment. With a vast database of hand-screened job listings, FlexJobs offers a diverse range of flexible work options across various industries.
FlexJobs focuses on quality job postings, ensuring they’re legitimate and scam-free, with employers who are willing to pay a fair wage. In addition, FlexJobs offers a range of resources and tools to support remote job seekers like career coaching and webinars.
SolidGigs: Curated Freelance Opportunities
SolidGigs is a subscription-based service that delivers curated freelance job opportunities straight to your inbox. It takes into account your skills, experience, and desired position, and sends you the top 1% of gigs that suit your profile.
While the number of job listings may be limited compared to other freelancing platforms, SolidGigs provides a personalized experience with pre-vetted job opportunities. Additionally, the site has a range of built-in tools and resources aimed to help freelancers succeed in their careers.
Behance: Creative Portfolio Network for Freelancers
Behance is an Adobe platform for creative individuals to showcase their work to clients. As a freelancer, you can create a profile to display your portfolio, connect with potential clients, and find new project opportunities in the industry.
Also, you can add a "Hire Me" button to your profile, letting potential clients know you're available for freelance projects. The platform provides all the necessary tools and infrastructure for clients and freelancers to communicate thanks to the "Project Inquiry" feature.
Bark: The Local Amazon for Services
Bark takes a unique approach to the gig economy by focusing on local talent. The site makes it easy to find the right person for the right project right in your area, whether it’s technical skills like web design and project management, or handiwork like gardening and house repairs.
When you submit a request on Bark, the platform matches you with qualified professionals in your area who can meet your specific needs. You'll receive custom quotes from interested professionals, allowing you to compare prices, reviews, and expertise before making a decision.
Bark runs a verification process and background checks on all professionals working through their site, ensuring the experience remains safe and positive for both freelancer and employer.
Growth Collective: Global Talent Sourcing
Growth Collective is a site like Fiverr that aims to connect vetted freelance designers, marketers, and developers with businesses. They only accept around 1% of applicants after a rigorous screening process, and clients can find their ideal match in as little as 48 hours.
The platform offers innovative collaboration tools, allowing businesses to efficiently communicate with freelancers through chat, video, and phone directly within the platform. It also lets you choose from flexible work arrangements, hiring freelancers on an hourly, fixed price, or retainer basis, and easily change these arrangements anytime.
Workana: Hiring Online Talent has Never Been Easier
Workana is one of the biggest freelance marketplaces with over 2 million users and thousands of opportunities posted per day. With a vast pool of skilled professionals across various domains, Workana makes it easy for freelancers and businesses to work together.
One of the key advantages of using Workana is the speed and efficiency of the hiring process. Clients can post their projects and receive proposals from qualified freelancers to hire the best fit within a matter of days.
It has a user-friendly interface that simplifies collaboration and communication between clients and freelancers, providing built-in project management and payment tools.
Hubstaff Talent: Connecting With Talent at No Cost
Hubstaff Talent is one of the largest repositories of skilled freelancers in various industries. Clients can either post jobs on the site or browse through the site’s database of Talent for the right pick.
Compared to other sites like Fiverr, Hubstaff Talent doesn’t charge any fees for posting jobs or hiring freelancers. This makes it ideal for small businesses on a tight budget.
Choosing the Right Platform for Your Freelancing Needs
Without dedicated platforms to act as intermediaries, it can be nearly impossible for freelancers and clients to find each other. There are many sites like Fiverr that occupy their own niche in the freelancing market, whether it
’s design, programming, or administrative services, and it’s important to use the site best suited for your industry and region.
By carefully evaluating factors such as talent pool, matching process, fees, and support, you can select the platform that best aligns with your needs and sets you up for successful collaborations.