Top 15 Freelancing Platforms 2021

By Information World

Without further ado, here are our top 15 freelance websites to choose from:

1. Fiverr

• Freelancing type: digital marketing, web development, social media
• Pros: diverse category, free registration, online courses
• Cons: high commission charge, long payment process

Fiverr is a platform that connects freelancers with business owners looking for services in various digital projects, including website design, content writing, and voice-overs. 

This freelance website provides a streamlined method for both freelancers and business owners to interact with one another. Note that on the website, freelancers are called sellers, their services – gigs, and business owners – buyers. 

Instead of sending out bids, sellers can sign up for free, list their gigs, and set their prices. Meanwhile, buyers can simply browse through different categories to purchase. 

Whenever a buyer purchases a gig, the system automatically charges their account and puts the money on hold. The system will then take a commission fee and send freelancers 80% of the offered price.

Depending on each freelancer’s seller level, it can take up to 14 days to withdraw their earnings. There are multiple options to withdraw the payments, such as debit card, PayPal, and wire transfer. 

2. Upwork

• Freelancing type: brand marketing, programming, website design
• Pros: payment protection, credible clients, budget-based projects
• Cons: lengthy selection process, high service fee

Upwork is a freelancing website that connects clients and freelancers from across the globe. 

The platform provides a wide range of categories, from web design and software development to customer service and accounting.

Clients and freelancers have multiple ways to connect – clients can choose to post a job and hire talent or buy a predefined service from the project catalog. Similarly, freelancers can access the job board and offer a service to sell.

To get started as a freelancer with Upwork, begin by creating a profile. Ensure it includes details about yourself, your expertise, and your work experience. Keep in mind that clients will decide whether you’re qualified by scanning through your profile whenever you bid for jobs or pitch a project.

Upwork has a sliding scale, meaning the more you work, the less money you pay. For example, the commission fee starts from 20% for the first bill of $500 and gradually reduces as you receive more money.

There are several options for withdrawal, including direct transfer, PayPal, and wire transfer. 

3. Toptal 

• Freelancing type: software development, financial consulting, interim management
• Pros: top-tier companies and talent, free invoicing and payments
• Cons: extensive screening process, big projects only

Toptal is a freelance website that connects highly qualified freelance industry experts with companies. Toptal has a broad range of freelancers, from web developers and web designers to finance consultants and product managers. 

Applying to Toptal as a freelancer requires passing five steps of the screening process, from a comprehensive English evaluation to a project assessment. This process ensures only the top 3% make it to the platform. 

After passing all of the steps, you’ll have access to various job postings from top clients and companies, such as Motorola and Airbnb. However, failing the test will put your application process on hold for up to a few months.

Toptal has a dedicated service for time tracking and invoicing called TopTracker. With this service, freelancers will get the total price they offer and receive payments via Payoneer, Paypal, or direct local bank transfer. 

4. LinkedIn

• Freelancing type: copywriting, translation, graphic design
• Pros: networking opportunities, recent news updates, cost-effective
• Cons: spam content from malicious users 

LinkedIn is one of the most popular job sites providing an easy way to find jobs in various fields. It’s also a social networking platform for professionals to connect and interact with each other.

Simply sign up and create a profile to get started. Include as much information as possible, such as your skills, education, and work experience. A comprehensive LinkedIn profile can open up more job opportunities.

Adding a new post can also give your profile more exposure. For example, if you’re a freelance writer, create a post describing your expertise and attach your work portfolio. Potential employers might discover your profile and make you an offer. 

Browsing through LinkedIn job postings is also a great way to find freelance opportunities. To find your desired freelance job, make sure to use related keywords and sort the results from the latest.

5. Flexjobs

• Freelancing type: writing, content marketing, transcription
• Pros: scam-free, 30-day money-back guarantee, reliable support 
• Cons: some premium jobs can be found outside the platform

Flexjobs is a website that specializes in flexible and remote job opportunities, including freelance, part-time and full-time jobs. There are broad categories, from education and training to journalism and writing jobs.

Flexjobs ensures every job listed on the website is legitimate. It verifies and screens all openings, filtering out scams and fake companies. Unlike other online job boards, this freelance website doesn’t display any advertisements on its page. 

To find freelance jobs, users need to sign up for a subscription. There are four plans available, starting from $6.95/week. Every subscription gives unlimited access to the job listings, along with a personalized work portfolio, career advice, and free skills testing.

Users can pay for their subscription with a prepaid card or PayPal. There is a 30-day satisfaction guarantee, meaning you can get a full refund if you’re not satisfied with the service.

6. SimplyHired

• Freelancing type: human resources, finance, data entry 
• Pros: email alerts, helpful guides, free job tools
• Cons: spam from unreliable third-party websites

SimplyHired is a job board where companies can post job opportunities for free. It also collects job offers from all over the internet into one page. The site has a clean user interface, making it easy to browse jobs by category.

There are various freelance opportunities in different fields, including finance and marketing. To find a specific job, simply fill out the search box with related keywords. To have more relevant results, narrow it down by filling out your city, state, or ZIP code.

Job seekers can also access the company pages to learn more information such as a salary overview of a company, a list of benefits offered, and reviews submitted by its real employees. 

People can browse through SimplyHired without a profile. However, signing up for an account will give you access to various job tools, such as a salary estimator and resume builder.

7. Guru 

• Freelancing type: marketing, programming, administration
• Pros: secure payment, customized job listings, free membership
• Cons: potential fake clients

Guru is a place for freelancers and companies across the globe to work together. Companies can hire professionals with various skills, such as programmers, graphic designers, and product managers.

This freelance website makes it easy to browse job listings and submit quotes to clients. Start by signing up and building a freelancer profile. The system will give job recommendations based on your skill-set and work experience.

Freelancers can bid for long or short-term projects and give a fixed price for each project. There are multiple withdrawal methods to receive your earnings, including PayPal and wire transfer. More importantly, the site ensures freelancers get paid timely with SafePay protection.

Every freelancer that signs up on this freelance website gets a free basic membership. However, paid membership plans include more tools to make your profile stand out. 

8. Freelancer.com

• Freelancing type: content translation, web development, social media marketing
• Pros: progress tracker, live chat, 24/7 customer support
• Cons: complex interface, spam applicants, and fake clients

Freelancer.com is another freelance website where professionals and companies from around the world collaborate on various projects. Thanks to the wide range of expertise, clients can easily find an expert of any type.

You can sign up as a freelancer or business owner. Signing up as a freelancer will require you to fill out a short registration form. Provide detailed information, including your skills, educational background, and work experience.

In addition to projects, there are many contests, such as visual or design work. Freelancers can benefit from these contests by earning money along with reviews on their profiles. 

Every freelancer will receive full payment after completing a job. However, the platform takes 10% of your total earnings for contests and fixed projects. Like most freelance sites, you can choose to use PayPal or wire transfer for withdrawal. 

9. Behance

• Freelancing type: illustration, photography, web design
• Pros: large audience, networking opportunities, personalized content
• Cons: competitive environment, limited image file size

Different from previous freelance sites on the list, Behance is a social network for creative talents. People worldwide use this website to build portfolios and share their creative work, ranging from animations and illustrations to website and graphic design. 

Whether you are a freelance graphic designer, web designer, or animator, Behance provides a place to get discovered by potential employers. Start by signing up for an account and establishing your profile.

As it’s a networking site, the more profiles you follow, the more posts will appear on your feed. It gives a chance to discover more freelance work opportunities.

Behance also provides a job list. Every freelancer will get a personalized job recommendation according to their skill-sets and category, making it easier to find freelance work that matches one’s expertise.

10. 99designs

• Freelancing type: web, logo, and graphic design
• Pros: dedicated environment, payment security, active community
• Cons: high service fees, the designer level can be limited

For freelance designers looking for jobs, 99designs offers plenty of options. It is a freelance website specially tailored for designers and businesses to collaborate. There are various design projects available, from logo design and book covers to clothing and merchandise. 

Upon signing up, you’ll be instructed to build a profile and include your work experience. The curation team will review your application and determine your designer level. The higher your level, the more visibility you get on the platform.

99designs makes looking for freelance jobs of your expertise easy. By selecting industries, styles, and design categories, you will have access to a list of jobs to choose from.

Whenever you work with a new client, 99designs will charge an introduction fee of $100 and a platform fee ranging from 5% to 15%. Freelancers get paid via PayPal or Payoneer within three business days and sooner for people with higher profile levels.

11. Dribbble

• Freelancing type: mobile design, illustration, animation
• Pros: large network, global community, abundant design inspiration
• Cons: lists of freelance jobs are only available with a pro version

Dribbble is one of the most popular platforms for creative talents to meet, connect, and interact with each other. Designers and artists use this website to build portfolios and promote their brands.

Creating a work portfolio on the website can increase your chances of getting hired. Do so by signing up for an account and uploading your designs.

Another way to find work opportunities is to open the job board on your browser. There are various types of jobs on the website, including UI/UX design and content creation. However, access to freelance job lists is limited to premium users.

Dribbble premium version ranges from $5 to $15/month. With a pro version, users can upload videos and multi-shot images to their profiles. A premium account will also get priority placement on the hiring search listings.

12. People Per Hour

• Freelancing type: programing, journalism, branding
• Pros: automated invoice, location-based listings, secure payment
• Cons: free bids are limited to 15 per month

As the name suggests, People Per Hour helps businesses find professional freelancers to hire by the hour or project. There are millions of freelancers from different industries, such as public relations, marketing, and journalism.

Freelancers can create an account for free and start setting up a profile. Note that the moderators will review each application before approving it. Once approved, freelancers can start browsing for jobs in multiple categories. 

When working on a project, freelancers can send offers and set their prices. Once they finish, they can easily raise an invoice from their dashboard. 

Like most freelancing sites, People Per Hour charges freelancers a service fee per client. For $350 earnings, the freelance website takes a service fee of 20%. Fortunately, the fee will decrease as you work more. 

13. ServiceScape

• Freelancing type: academic writing, document translation, manuscript editing
• Pros: custom pricing structure, flexible scheduling option, effective communication
• Cons: high commission percentage and limited field of expertise

ServiceScape is an online job board specializing in freelance writing, editorial, and translation work. The platform helps freelancers build profiles and promote them to a growing client database. 

What sets ServiceScape apart from other platforms is the hiring process. Instead of placing bids or sending proposals, freelancers simply wait for work offers from clients. Thus, it’s crucial to have a profile that stands out.

Freelancers and employers can connect easily via ServiceScape. Both parties can send messages and schedule a conference call.

ServiceScape distributes income every month via PayPal, check, and Gusto. Freelancers can set a custom pricing structure, project-based or hourly. However, the platform charges a commission fee of 50% for every completed work. 

14. DesignHill

• Freelancing type: website, brand, and merchandise designs
• Pros: built-in online store, no service fees, live chat support
• Cons: not a good option for non-designers 

DesignHill is a creative marketplace where businesses source quality design from professional designers and artists. There is a broad range of design jobs available, including logos, websites, and brochures. 

Signing up for an account will bring a wide selection of freelance design jobs and various design contests. It’s an excellent chance to grow your work portfolio and establish relationships with clients.

As a freelancer, on this website you can build your own stores and start selling globally, using tools such as a profit calculator and business card maker.

DesignHill only charges service fees to clients. Thus, a freelancer will receive the total amount of money into their DesignHill account from design jobs, contests, or store sales. 

As for payment withdrawal, the website supports PayPal and Payoneer.

15. TaskRabbit

• Freelancing type: delivery service, house cleaning, personal assistant
• Pros: custom hourly rates, no service fees
• Cons: only available in certain city areas

To earn money from doing grocery shopping or assembling furniture, check the TaskRabbit website. TaskRabbit is a same-day service provider that connects clients with freelancers to help with various day-to-day tasks.

Unlike most freelancing sites that list professional jobs, TaskRabbit provides a list of simple errands, such as household chores, lighting installation, and delivery. To get started, simply create an account, select your area and category, and set an hourly rate.

With every application, the TaskRabbit team will do a review and background check. Once a profile is approved, the freelancer will have to pay a registration fee of $25. Then they can start discovering jobs and managing work through the mobile app.

Whenever freelancers complete a task, they send an invoice for the hours worked. Clients will then directly deposit money to the registered bank account. TaskRabbit only charges service fees from clients, so freelancers will receive a full amount of the rate they charge.