10 Min. Read

4 Best Upwork Alternative for Freelancers

November 29, 2021

When you’re a freelancer, you’re constantly looking for your next job. In the past, one of the best places to do that has been Upwork. Upwork is the largest freelance platform available today. Millions of freelancers have gotten their start on the website. However, as years have gone by, alternative platforms have started to populate. With other freelancer platforms becoming available, you may be able to find an alternative to Upwork.

Upwork isn’t for everyone. If you’re a freelancer looking for a new freelance marketplace, keep reading. We’re covering the 4 best Upwork alternatives available to freelancers!

Here’s What We’ll Cover:

What Is a Freelancer Platform?

The 4 Best Upwork Alternatives

Key Takeaways

What Is a Freelancer Platform?

Freelancer platforms are websites that allow freelancers to find work. Individuals or businesses will use the website, and will hire from talent pools. A talent pool is a pool of freelancers that competes for the job that has been posted. Each freelance job differs from the next, and the client determines the hiring process based on the platform. Every platform is slightly different from one another. As such, some online marketplaces may suit specific freelancers better than others.

What Makes Upwork the Go-To?

The most appealing thing about Upwork is its business model. The platform is very straightforward to use, and all aspects of it are streamlined. Freelancers are able to search for jobs using a number of criteria.

Do you want to work for specific hourly rates? You can specify that.

Would you prefer to work for a fixed rate per project? Upwork accommodates for that as well.

The platform allows both freelancers and clients to make the most of it. Users can filter jobs by skill level, project cost, and the type of work being offered. The vetting process is easy to make it through, with the entire process taking place on the platform.

What’s more, the platform has reviews for clients and freelancers. Upwork reviews provide some insight about a client before starting work for them. A bad review can help you stay away from a problematic client.

It’s Not All Good, Though

However, the platform is limited. Freelancers have a hard time specializing on the platform, and tend to get stuck doing a single type of work. Additionally, the system works in favor of the person doing the hiring, not the freelancer.

Plus, for beginners, the massive amount of jobs with low rates can be a bit disheartening. If you’re looking to move to another platform, there are a number of them that are available, thankfully!

The 4 Best Upwork Alternatives

We’ve taken a look at the 4 best Upwork alternatives so that you don’t have to. Take a look below, and check out some of the options you have if Upwork just isn’t working anymore.

1. Fiverr

If you’re looking for the best platform for entry-level freelancers, you’ll find it in Fiverr. Fiverr gets its name from its business model. The platform allows freelancers to post products and services for as low as five dollars. This business model, however, spans the entire platform. If you’re looking for more skilled work, or you’re an experienced freelancer, Fiverr may not be for you.

Many refer to Fiverr as the bargain-priced Upwork. It’s not that the work is any less than what you’ll find on Upwork. It all relates back to the name, and the fee structure. With many individuals offering low-priced goods, it can be hard to make good money on Fiverr. If you’re just getting started, or are freelancing in your spare time, it can work out for you, though.

The most popular services offered on Fiverr are graphic design, content writing, digital marketing, and web design. Most of these skills lend themselves to a quick workflow, making the lower prices a bit more palatable.

Pros of Fiverr

A great way to utilize the skills you already have to make a few extra bucks
Available in any region or country in the world, meaning that you’ll never be limited
Fiverr doesn’t require users to go through a hiring process, products are posted and clients approach freelancers
The website is very easy-to-use, meaning nearly anyone can do it

Cons of Fiverr

Competition on Fiverr is fierce due to the low prices for services, some freelancers never get a client
The 20% service fee feels steep for low-priced projects, which can cut into profits drastically
Payment processing takes 14 days from the time of project completion, meaning long wait times for money

Who Fiverr is For

Fiverr is best used by individuals who are just getting into freelancing, or are starting to develop their skills. Experienced freelancers should look elsewhere.

2. Freelancer

Who would have thought a website called Freelancer would be ideal for freelancers? We’re joking, of course. When it comes to size, Freelancer is second only to Upwork. The platform has been around for 10 years, and they offer quite a bit to the freelancers that use it.

For starters, the marketplace on Freelancer is huge. The community of freelancers totals around 32 million users. They also offer 1,800 categories when it comes to projects. If you’re looking for variety, you’ll surely find it on Freelancer.

When it comes to the jobs themselves, freelancers do have a few hoops to jump through, though. For any jobs with hourly rates, freelancers have to track time using the Freelancer desktop app. This can be fairly limiting, since tools like smartphones and tablets can’t be used. Additionally, freelancers can only bid on 8 projects per month, unless they pay for a premium membership.

That being said, it is one of the best places for qualified freelancers to look for work outside of Upwork. You’ll have to take the good and the bad with Freelancer.

Pros of Freelancer

A massive marketplace, comparable only to Upwork in size
Any and all forms of freelancing are available, with over 1,800 categories to choose from
If clients are brought to the platform, no payment processing fees have to be paid when payments are received for work
Customer service is excellent for clients and freelancers
Payments can be drawn in a number of ways, including PayPal, ACH, and bank transfers

Cons of Freelancer

Fees are fixed, meaning that continuing relationships with clients aren’t rewarded
Clients aren’t encouraged to work with the same freelancer for long periods of time
Freelancers need to pay for a premium membership to apply for more than 8 jobs per month

Who is Freelancer For

Freelancer is for the already established freelancer looking to branch out. The platform is massive, but having an understanding of how you do business is required to succeed. Beginners beware.

3. Guru

As the name implies, this platform is for professionals specifically. They don’t shy away from that, either. This is one of the best alternatives to Upwork for that reason specifically. Guru has some major influence over the entire freelancing community online. As such, it’s generally a pleasure to work on the platform.

Guru is very diverse, like the other options on this list. You can most likely find work in whatever field you’re looking for, as long as it’s related to business services. However, you’ll be in competition with a large number of talented freelancers, as well. It’s a double-edged sword, but the payoff tends to be worth it.

Here’s where the professional aspect really comes into play, though. Guru isn’t available unless you pay a membership fee. On top of that, certain features are blocked behind a paywall, as well. For example, if you want to link your external portfolio to your Guru profile, you’ll have to pay for it. Additionally, freelancers can pay for search result rankings. It can be frustrating for experienced freelancers.

Pros of Guru

Guru comes with a reliable time tracker that works for freelancers as well as it does businesses
Job applications are transparent, and you can see who you’re competing with
All jobs are protected by the Safe Pay system, meaning you never have to worry about being paid for work that you’ve done
The website is very easy to navigate and is intuitive

Cons of Guru

Guru requires that freelancers pay membership fees, as well as fees for other features on the platform
Search rankings can be influenced through a paid system
The scoring system isn’t always accurate, making freelancer reputations seem skewed
Payments aren’t always able to be withdrawn easily

Who Guru is For

Guru is best for freelancers that are oriented around business services. It’s best that the freelancers are established, as well, since the majority of the platform requires payments.

4. Hubstuff Talent

Of the platforms on our list, Hubstuff is one of the youngest among them. The platform was founded in 2013, and it’s original aim was to match businesses and freelancers perfectly. In terms of being an Upwork competitor, Hubstuff Talent is a strong entry.

Hubstuff tends to focus more on the business side of things, aiming to help employers find freelancers. It’s kind of a wading pool for businesses that haven’t worked with freelancers before. Even still, the freelancer pool is large, so the platform must be doing something right.

As discussed prior, this is for businesses new to hiring freelancers. As such, many of the projects are smaller, being able to be completed under a fixed rate. Some are offered at an hourly rate as well, though.

At this point in time, Hubstuff Talent reports that they have over 100,000 freelancers on the subject. These freelancers are from about 100 different countries, making them an international platform. However, taking size into consideration, this is very small. As such, the job pool is very small, as well. The job market hasn’t breached 10,000 open jobs at any given time yet. That doesn’t mean that there isn’t work to be found, though. It just means there is less of it, and that competition will be high.

Pros of Hubstuff Talent

Freelancers let their communication skills shine, as messages to potential clients are personalized
The ability to filter for published jobs is advanced, allowing for freelancers to only find jobs that appeal to them
Anyone can join Hubstuff Talent, regardless of where they’re located

Cons of Hubstuff Talent

The market is very small at this point in time, with less than 10,000 published jobs being available
Many published jobs don’t come with specified budgets, meaning that applying for the job is a risk
The time tracker for hourly jobs lacks many desired features, making it hard to get paid for certain activities

Who Hubstuff Talent is For

Hubstuff Talent is a freelancer platform that every freelancer should utilize. Sure, the jobs aren’t numerous, but that’s okay. Use the platform in your downtime, but don’t rely on it for your main source of income.

Key Takeaways

Modern freelancing platforms have come a long way. While Upwork still remains the undisputed standard, others are beginning to grow in numbers. This diversity is great for freelancers, as they don’t have to rely on a single platform anymore. While not all platforms are best suited for all freelancers, there’s sure to be an Upwork alternative for everyone. If you’re looking for more information like this, check out our resource hub! It has plenty of helpful articles for freelancers and small businesses!