Freelance platforms enable you to work as an independent contractor rather than for a specific company. As a result, just as you should research a company’s facilities and terms before working with them, you should also explore the features offered by a freelance website before enrolling. In this regard, we have introduced the top ten freelancing websites in 2023 and their key features so that you can make an informed decision. Companies can also post a project description and request proposals from freelancers.
These capabilities enable businesses of all sizes to outsource work on projects requiring specialized skills or additional manpower, allowing full-time employees to focus on other business activities. Some platforms specialize in finding freelancers with specific skills, such as writing, design, or programming, whereas others offer marketplaces for professionals with a wide range of abilities. The top ten freelancing websites in 2023 are:
10. SIMPLYHIRED
- Freelancing Type: data entry, human resources, finance, etc.
- Website: www.simplyhired.com
- Pros: free career resources, email notifications, and helpful recommendations
- Cons: spam from unreliable third-party websites
Businesses can advertise job openings on SimplyHired for free. Also, it compiles job listings from all around the internet onto one website. The website’s user interface is straightforward, making it easy to search for jobs by category.
There are numerous freelance opportunities available in a variety of fields, including finance and marketing. To find a specific job, simply enter relevant keywords into the search box. To get more pertinent results, filter the results by entering your city, state, or ZIP code. Job seekers can also access company pages to learn more information such as a company’s salary overview, a list of benefits offered, and reviews submitted by real employees.
SimplyHired is one of the best freelance websites for beginners because it has a simple UI/UX interface. It will also alert you if a new position in your field of interest becomes available or if any new potential clients view your profile. SimplyHired allows users to explore without making an account. Signing up for an account, on the other hand, will give you access to a variety of job tools, such as a salary estimator and resume builder.
9. PEOPLE PER HOUR
- Freelancing Type: branding, programming, journalism, etc.
- Market Segment: 24% Mid-Market, 74% Small-Business
- Website: www.peopleperhour.com
- Pros: secure payment, automated invoice, location-based listings
- Cons: There is a $15 monthly cap on free bids.
PeoplePerHour is one of the best freelancing sites on our list. This site is used by over three million people and one million businesses in every major category, from SEO and web development to content writing, voiceovers, and marketing. Freelancers can create a profile and upload their resumes to this platform. Employees can then search for and visit freelancer portfolios before contacting them for recruitment. Freelancers, on the other hand, can use this platform to find project-based work. Furthermore, nearly all of the features on this website are free.
People per hour’s main goal is empowerment. They want to give you the freedom to do what you love as a freelancer. People per Hour is unique in that it is more than just a Freelance Platform; It also has a number of additional pertinent and helpful features that are intended to make managing and growing your business easier.
Freelancers can register for a free account and start creating their profiles. Please be aware that before being authorized, each application will be examined by the moderators. Once approved, freelancers can begin searching for jobs in a variety of categories.
When working on a project, freelancers can submit proposals and set their own rates. They can quickly create an invoice from their dashboard once they’re finished. Like the majority of freelance websites, Persons Per Hour charges freelancers a service fee for each client. On $350 in revenue, the freelance website levies a 20% service fee. Thankfully, your pay will go down as you put in more hours.
8. DESIGNHILL
- Freelancing Type: merchandise designs, website, brand design, etc.
- Website: www.designhill.com
- Pros: live chat support, built-in online store, no service fees
- Cons: Unsuitable for those who are not designers
In the list of top ten freelancing websites in 2023, Designhill comes in at number eight. Designhill, as the name suggests, is a fantastic world for designers. If you’re looking for a platform to find the most creative graphic or web design freelancers, this is the place to be. Designhill allows you to search for specific services and find professionals to do the work for you. Businesses may find a high-quality design from experts like designers and artists on DesignHill, a creative marketplace. There are several design positions available, including those for brochures, websites, and logos.
Signing up for an account will bring you a plethora of freelance design jobs and design competitions. It’s a great chance to add to your body of work and build relationships with customers. With tools like a profit calculator and a business card creator, this website may be used by independent contractors to set up their own storefronts and start selling internationally.
Clients are only charged service fees by DesignHill. As a result, a freelancer will receive the total amount of money from design jobs, contests, or store sales in their DesignHill account. PayPal and Payoneer are accepted as forms of payment on the website. It makes no difference what type of design you want to pursue; you’ll have a chance in Designhill. You can even create your own T-shirt and sell it through Designhill’s built-in online store.
7. BEHANCE
- Freelancing Type: web design, illustration, photography, etc.
- Website: www.behance.net
- Pros: personalized content, large audience, networking opportunities
- Cons: limited image file size, competitive environment
Behance is one of the best websites for creative freelancers, which comes as no surprise given that it is owned by Adobe. Behance is a social network for creative abilities, in contrast to the other freelance websites on the list. This website is used by people from all around the world to build portfolios and share their original works of art, which range from animations and illustrations to website and graphic design.
If you work as a freelance graphic designer, web designer, or animator, Behance is an excellent location to find employers. To begin, create an account and finish filling out your profile. Moreover, Behance includes a job board. It will be simpler for each freelancer to discover work that fits their area of expertise because they will each receive a personalized job recommendation based on their skill set and category.
As a creator, you can charge your subscribers any amount between $1 and $100 per month, and Behance collects no platform fees if you have an active paid Creative Cloud membership. That means that you receive 100% of your subscription revenue (aside from payment processing fees from Stripe).
6. LINKEDIN
- Freelancing Type: graphic design, copywriting, translation, etc.
- Website: www.linkedin.com
- Pros: cost-effective, networking opportunities, recent news updates
- Cons: spam content from malicious users
LinkedIn is a popular job site that makes it simple to find jobs in a variety of fields and it is sixth best website in the list of top ten freelancing websites in 2023. It debuted in 2003 and is now owned by Microsoft. LinkedIn had over 774 million registered members in over 200 countries and territories as of September 2021, making it one of the world’s largest professional networking platforms. Also, it serves as a social networking platform for businesspeople to connect and communicate. Simply sign up and make a profile to get going. Add as much information as you can about your abilities, training, and professional experience. More work prospects may become available with a thorough LinkedIn profile.
Your profile’s visibility may also enhance if you add a new post. The free account comes with 10 free bids each month. Your profile might be viewed by potential employers, who might then make you an offer. Finding freelancing jobs through a search of LinkedIn job posts is a great alternative. To find your ideal freelance job, use relevant keywords and sort the results by most recent.
Although LinkedIn provides numerous unique opportunities for both beginners and experts, it is difficult to stand out on this platform. Many professionals are active on this website, making it difficult for new members to demonstrate their skills. However, with consistent activity, following, and connecting with people in your industry, you can quickly grow.
5. GURU
- Freelancing Type: administration, marketing, programming, etc.
- Market Segment: 22% Mid-Market, 67% Small-Business
- Website: www.guru.com
- Pros: Verified freelancers, Huge user base, Affordable options
- Cons: A relatively smaller community, potential fake clients
Guru is another freelance website for beginners with an integrated portfolio. There are over 800,000 registered business owners and over 3 million active freelancers on the platform. The Guru app is available for both Windows and Mac. If you are a freelancer, you can connect with business owners and find new projects. On Guru, you can register for free and look for work. However, depending on the project type, it will charge you a 5 to 9% fee after completing each project.
On Guru, communicating with freelancers is simple. Simply post a job, and the site’s algorithm will search its database of independent contractors to find candidates for you. They will then get in touch with you directly to learn more about your requirements. To top it all off, Guru.com has the lowest commissions in the industry of online freelancing platforms. They begin at 9% for free account members and decrease to 7% for Professional accounts at $21.95 per month and 5% for Executive accounts at $49.95 per month.
With the free account, you are given 10 free bids per month. You get 50 bids, search promotions for your profile, and the ability to ask an employer direct questions with the Basic+ account, which costs $11.95 per month. Paid memberships on the site are also worthwhile: as a freelancer, you can receive more bids, pay lower fees, boost your ranking, and send highlighted quotes, while as an employer, you can receive lower fees, unlimited job postings, and access to top freelancers.
4. FREELANCER.COM
- Freelancing Type: social media marketing, content translation, web development, etc.
- Market Segment: 27% Mid-Market, 54% Small-Business
- Website: www.freelancer.com
- Pros: 24/7 customer support, progress tracker, live chat
- Cons: fake clients, complex interface, and spam applicants
In the list of top ten freelancing websites in 2023, Freelance.com comes in at number four and it is one of the oldest freelance websites. Job opportunities on this platform range from sales and marketing to human resources, data entry, copywriting, and more. Despite the fact that it is one of the best freelance websites for both beginners and experts, the prices can be frustrating. Initially, you will be able to send your resume to eight different clients. However, you will need to register and pay for membership after that.
You can sign up as either a freelancer or a business owner. You must first complete a simple registration form before you can sign up as a freelancer. Provide details about your abilities, educational background, and work experience. Every freelancer will be paid in full after completing a job. However, for contests and fixed projects, the platform deducts 10% of your total earnings.
The website has 20 million registered users, including both freelancers and clients, and the number is growing by the day. Invoicing and accounting are among the many features available on Freelancer.com. On freelancer.com, freelancers can also compete in contests in which a client requests a logo design and freelancers compete to submit the best. This is a winner-take-all competition. In addition to projects, there are lots of competitions, such ones for design or visual work. Freelancers can gain from these competitions by receiving reviews for their profiles as well as money.
3. TOPTAL
- Freelancing Type: interim management, financial consulting, software development, etc.
- Market Segment: 10% Mid-Market, 84% Small-Business
- Website: www.toptal.com
- Pros: Free billing and payments, elite businesses, and talent
- Cons: big projects only, the extensive screening process
Without Toptal, this list would be incomplete. If your budget allows it and you’re looking for the top 3% of freelance talent on the planet, Toptal might be worth a look. Toptal is home to some of the world’s best freelancers. I’m sure this is sufficient as a price indication. Their prices are more expensive, but you get what you pay for. Toptal is currently one of the best freelancing platforms.
Applying as a freelancer to Toptal entails completing five screening steps, ranging from a thorough English evaluation to a project assessment. After completing all steps, you will have access to a wide range of job postings from top clients and companies such as Motorola and Airbnb. In contrast, failing the test will put your application on hold for several months.
The good news is that once you scale the tests, you will be guaranteed a good salary. There’s no need to jump from a freelancing platform to a freelancing platform, bidding on one project after another. But first, you must pass the examination.
2. FIVERR
- Freelancing Type: social media, digital marketing, web development, etc.
- Market Segment: 8% Mid-Market, 85% Small-Business
- Website: www.fiverr.com
- Pros: online courses, diverse categories, free registration
- Cons: long payment process, high commission charge
If you are looking for quick and affordable jobs, Fiverr is one of the top ten Freelancing Websites in 2023. If you’re wondering why the site’s name is Fiverr, it’s because that’s their value proposition. Fiverr is a freelance marketplace that connects freelancers with business owners in need of assistance with various digital projects such as website design, content writing, and voice-overs. Withdrawing earnings can take up to 14 days, depending on the seller level of the freelancer. There are several withdrawal methods available, including debit card, PayPal, and wire transfers.
This freelance website makes it easier for entrepreneurs and freelancers to communicate. It’s important to note that business owners are referred to as buyers, freelancers as sellers, and their services as gigs on the website. When a buyer buys a gig, the system charges their account and holds the money. The system will then deduct a commission fee and pay freelancers 80% of the offered price.
1. UPWORK
- Freelancing Type: brand marketing, website design, programming, etc.
- Market Segment: 8% Mid-Market, 91% Small-Business
- Website: www.upwork.com
- Pros: Payment security, project budgeting, and trustworthy clients
- Cons: high service fee, time-consuming selection process
Upwork is more professional than Fiverr and thus has stricter policies. Gigs cannot be sold on Upwork. Fiverr allows you to sell anything from writing to development; however, when you sign up for Upwork, you must enter your information detailing what you do. The information you enter will define your brand on the platform, so you will most likely be forced to focus on just one thing. This is why the platform is the most extensive and widely used.
In order to begin working as a freelancer, create an Upwork profile. Include information about yourself, your area of expertise, and your work history. Keep in mind that clients will review your profile to assess whether you are qualified when you pitch a project or place a bid on a work.
Prior to May 3, 2023, Pacific Time, Upwork deducts 20% of your earnings, and the system is graded. After you bill the same employer for more than $500, the percentage drops to 10%, eventually dropping to 5% after many more billings. Direct transfer, PayPal, and wire transfer are among the withdrawal methods available.
Effective from May 3, 2023, Pacific Time, the freelancer service fees will be 10% for all new contracts regardless of the contract value. Upwork will no longer charge a sliding-scale tiered freelancer service fee of 20/10/5%. Contracts that currently have a 20% freelancer service fee will move to 10% on your next invoice. Contracts that already qualify for a 5% freelancer service fee will continue at 5% through the end of 2023.
WRAP UP
Getting a freelance job need not be challenging. Most sites merely need you to establish an account and a profile. As a freelancer or self-employed person, you are solely responsible for your success or failure. To stand out in your field of activity, you’ll also need to work on other skills such as communication, time management, teamwork, and so on.
You may be sure that these platforms will aid you in starting or advancing your freelance work. When you sign up for a service, you no longer have to make phone calls or use email clients. But before you jump into a deal, take advantage of any free trials that are available and see if these websites work for you.
